CHAPTER 489: CHAPTER 489 LIZHI

Princess Nanzhang spoke decisively.

In her eyes, Su Jin was such a person.

Kicking someone when they’re down, having outrageous demands.

Lady Yongcheng personally heard Su Jin set the price for the ointment right in front of the Old Prince.

The two boxes of ointment previously given to her daughter were gifts from the Old Madam and Nanning Marquis’s wife.

It was normal for Su Jin to give the Old Prince a bit of face.

Such a small box of ointment costing ten thousand taels, Lady Yongcheng cursed Su Jin countless times in her heart for being heartless.

Princess Nanzhang clearly had neither money nor ointment, and Lady Yongcheng was reluctant to part with ten thousand taels, so she didn’t bring it up.

After all, she could still make do with what was left for a while. Perhaps when the Old Madam returned, she could get the ointment without spending any money.

Lady Yongcheng, both overtly and covertly, made a few remarks about how Princess Nanzhang, as the head lady, was heavily suppressed by her daughter-in-law, angering Princess Nanzhang half to death.

After Lady Yongcheng left, Mrs. Zhao advised Princess Nanzhang not to get angry, saying, "If it weren’t for Duke Chong’s support, how could Elder Yong Cheng ever take her seriously."

"Someone destined for a bad end, why should you, Commandery Princess, bother with her?"

No one knew what thoughts crossed Princess Nanzhang’s mind, but her anger dissipated considerably.

As for Lady Yongcheng, after all the trouble of running back and forth, aside from stabbing Princess Nanzhang twice, she gained nothing and felt that the whole trip wasn’t worth it.

Upon leaving the mansion, she was given a harsh dose of reality.

A little eunuch was ordered to deliver a box of lychees to Su Jin.

The lychees, chilled with ice, looked soft, juicy, and sweet with a hint of sourness, making one’s mouth water.

The little eunuch brought the lychees in, and Chief Steward Li greeted him, saying, "These lychees are?"

The little eunuch smiled and said, "These are newly tributed to the palace, just delivered today. The Emperor thought the Heir’s wife might like them, so he ordered me to bring a box."

In the Capital, these lychees were rare delicacies, not easily bought even with money.

Even the Empress Dowager only rewarded Princess Nanzhang with a plate to taste.

But when it came to the Emperor rewarding the Heir’s wife, it was an entire box.

Lady Yongcheng’s gaze lingered on the box for a long time.

It’s a shame no one offered her any.

These lychees were a gift from the Emperor to Su Jin.

Chief Steward Li slipped five taels of silver to the little eunuch who delivered the lychees.

The little eunuch left happily.

Agarwood Pavilion, inner chamber.

Su Jin reclined on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch, reading a book.

Xie Jingchen picked out a few military books, and Su Jin selected a few as well.

As she was turning the page, a maid walked in and said, "Heir’s wife, the Emperor has gifted you something to eat."

Su Jin was momentarily surprised.

She flipped her book face down on the small table, put on her shoes, and walked out.

"What has the Emperor gifted me to eat?" Su Jin asked curiously.

Chief Steward Li, accompanied by a servant, brought the gifted lychees into the room.

Opening the box revealed the lychees inside.

Lychees were one of Su Jin’s favorite fruits.

Since coming to ancient times, she hadn’t tasted one.

She hadn’t expected the Emperor to gift them to her.

Su Jin casually peeled one and popped it into her mouth.

The cool sweetness soothed her, making her pores relax.

The texture was delicate, truly a tribute item.

Chief Steward Li and the two servants watched her.

Su Jin smiled and said, "You should all try some."

Chief Steward Li quickly said, "These are gifted to you by the Emperor, how could we eat them?"

Precisely because they were gifts from the Emperor and not something easily obtainable, she wanted them to try.

Chief Steward Li was no ordinary person; he was the head steward of the Prince Mansion and a trusted aide to the Prince and Old Prince.

If a bit of food could buy them off, she wouldn’t mind giving away the entire box of lychees.

"Lychees don’t keep well; if left too long, they lose their freshness," Su Jin said.

She handed a large bunch to Chief Steward Li, and the servants received quite a bit as well.

Chief Steward Li, tempted by the taste, accepted them.

With his lead, the two servants naturally accepted as well.

After thanking her, Chief Steward Li withdrew.

Qingqiu Garden.

Inside the room.

Lady Chi was playing the zither.

Xique and several others were listening with great interest.

Xingxing thought that since Su Jin and Xie Jingchen had gone to deliver popsicles to the Old Prince, they’d surely stay for a while longer, so she didn’t mind returning later.

The sound of the zither was ethereal, like heavenly music.

Xingxing sucked on a popsicle and looked at Xique, asking, "Why did the Prince suddenly give Lady Chi a zither?"

Xique covered her mouth and laughed, "Of course, there’s a reason behind it. Do you know what the Prince...?"

She had only said half when the door creaked open, and Lu Qiao walked in.

She looked at Xingxing and said, "The Emperor sent people to deliver food to the Heir’s wife."

"What food did he send?" Xingxing asked curiously.

"Lychees."

"..."

Xingxing’s face changed dramatically.

"How could it be lizhi."

"Oh no!"

She lifted her foot and ran outside.

Xique and the others were stunned.

Why such an intense reaction?

Xingxing ran back to the Agarwood Pavilion in one breath.

By the time she entered the courtyard, she was sweating profusely and panting heavily.

She forced herself to run back inside, only to see Su Jin stuffing lizhi into her mouth.

She rushed over and slapped Su Jin’s back.

Su Jin’s back ached.

A lizhi, as smooth as mutton-fat jade, was spat out onto the ground by her.

Su Jin coughed incessantly as she choked.

Xingxing said anxiously, "Miss, you didn’t eat it, did you?"

After asking, she saw a pile of lizhi shells by Su Jin’s feet.

Xingxing cried out urgently.

"Quickly, spit it out," Xingxing urged.

Su Jin patted her chest and looked at her, "I’m just eating a lizhi, why do you look at me as if I’m eating arsenic?"

Xingxing closed the big box and looked at Su Jin, "Miss, you’re allergic to lizhi."

Su Jin, "..."

If Xingxing hadn’t mentioned it, Su Jin wouldn’t have reacted at all.

She hadn’t eaten lizhi for so long that she thought devouring one or two pounds in one go was no problem.

Now that Xingxing mentioned the word "allergy," Su Jin felt itchy all over, especially her back.

Not just her back, but her face also itched terribly.

Su Jin walked over to the copper mirror and saw her face covered with small red rashes.

Xingxing cried in panic.

Su Jin felt her heartbeat speeding up.

Being allergic to lizhi, and she had eaten quite a bit; it was not good at all.

She hurriedly wrote a prescription and asked Xingxing to go to the backyard to fetch the medicine.

Xingxing, worried that Su Jin would scratch herself, went to the study and said, "Sir, you should go check on Miss, don’t let her scratch herself."

After saying this, Xingxing headed to the backyard.

Xie Jingchen couldn’t even ask the question that was on his lips.

Why on earth would Su Jin want to scratch herself?

Still worried, Xie Jingchen put down the Military Book and stood up to return to the inner room.

Upon entering, the first thing he saw was a large box, which he knew was the lizhi sent as a reward by the Emperor.

After passing through the beaded curtain into the inner room, Xie Jingchen was startled by Su Jin’s face.

He quickly walked to the bedside; Su Jin was restraining her hands from scratching her face. Xie Jingchen’s face was full of concern as he asked urgently, "How could this happen? Is it poisoning?"

"I’m allergic to lizhi," Su Jin said in despair.

Xie Jingchen frowned, "Allergic?"

"You’re allergic to lizhi, and you still ate them?"

Su Jin glared at him, "Are you an idiot? If I knew I was allergic, would I still eat them?"

Xie Jingchen, "..."

She used to eat as many lizhi as she wanted without any problem.

Who would’ve thought this body would be allergic to lizhi?

Now she was itching all over, wishing she had ten pairs of hands to scratch herself.

She had inadvertently caused trouble for the Old Prince by kindly sending ice sticks.

Then the Emperor turned around and used lizhi to cause trouble for her.

Karma came back around so quickly.

Su Jin tried her best to resist scratching herself.

Xie Jingchen feared she wouldn’t hold out and tightly held her hands.

Su Jin tried to pull back twice, but couldn’t break free, so she let him hold them.

Seeing the red rashes on Su Jin’s face growing, Xie Jingchen was extremely anxious but couldn’t do anything to help.

He waited and waited until finally, Xingxing brought the prepared medicine.

Xingxing, being smart, placed ice cubes next to the tray with the medicine, so it wasn’t as hot by the time it was delivered.

Xie Jingchen wanted to feed Su Jin the medicine.

Su Jin didn’t give him the chance and took the medicine bowl from his hand, gulping it down in a few swigs.

"So bitter," Su Jin said, sticking out her tongue.

Xie Jingchen quickly poured tea for Su Jin.

Su Jin drank too fast and choked, coughing uncontrollably.

Xie Jingchen patted her back to help.

He truly didn’t know what to say.

Princess Nanzhang poisoned Su Jin, but she managed to avoid it effortlessly.

Yet a few lizhi nearly cost her her life.