The concubine is a man, and the illegitimate son of a divine physician has a spatial ability.

Yin Zijin pondered for a moment and then said, "Your Highness, appearances can be deceiving. Think carefully again. Since your marriage, have there been any unusual or significant changes in the maids and servants around you? Perhaps these subtle details can give us some clues."

Sheng Muling seemed to have thought of something, her eyes lit up, but then dimmed again: "The one who has changed the most is my personal maid Yuanyang."

She sighed softly and continued, "Zijin, do you know that before a princess's wedding, she sends out a trial bride maid? This trial bride maid will share a room with the prince consort and stay with him for about seven days. The purpose is to test the prince consort's physical condition and sexual prowess. The trial bride maid usually shares a room with the prince consort before the wedding, observes his performance and physical condition, and records this information in detail, reporting it to the Imperial Household Department. At the same time, through these few days together, she can also understand the prince consort's character and conduct."

Yin Zijin nodded and replied, "I've heard of that. Not to mention princesses, even daughters of noble families choose maids to 'test the marriage' before they marry, so they can sleep with their husbands first. Princess, please continue, what about Yuanyang?"

Sheng Muling wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and said with a bitter smile, "It's strange, I am the most noble eldest princess, but I don't have the same good life as a little maid."

Yuanyang grew up with me and is my personal maid. Naturally, she became my trial marriage maid. Zijing only knows that a woman's chastity is very important in the Great Sheng Dynasty. Even if she loses her life, she cannot lose her chastity.

Yuanyang lost her virginity to the prince consort, so she naturally became his woman. However, out of respect for me, she has never been promoted.

She served me as a maidservant until two years ago, when my health deteriorated and I was unable to conceive due to the effects of that medicine. My husband is the eldest son of the legitimate wife, from a wealthy and powerful family, and he values ​​having an heir very much.

So he knelt and begged his father and mother to take a concubine so that he could continue the family line. His father and mother, seeing this, also felt ashamed of their son-in-law and granted his request.

Because Yuanyang was a servant of the Empress and had already consummated her marriage with the Prince Consort, she was given to the Prince Consort as a concubine.

After becoming a concubine, Yuanyang left the princess's residence and moved to the prince consort's residence. Although they were only separated by a wall, it was still very difficult for them to meet. After Yuanyang became a concubine, we saw her less often.

A while ago, when Yuanyang visited me at the Princess's residence, she said she was pregnant and wanted to raise the child by my side after it was born..."

Yin Zijing smiled wryly and said, "Indeed, Yuanyang is a maid, but she has a good life. Your Highness, I would like to ask, what is the relationship between Yuanyang and the Prince Consort?"

Sheng Muling shook her head and said, "I really don't know. I'm not in good health. Perhaps it's because of that medicine that I've been feeling unwell for many years. Granny Li felt sorry for me, so she let me stay in the princess's residence to recuperate. I only get to light lanterns to let my husband serve me in bed no more than twice a month. I can count the number of times I see my husband on one hand."

"Yuanyang isn't with me every day and night, so what's their relationship like? I truly don't know."

Yin Zijing nodded and said, "Is it so difficult for Her Highness the Princess and her husband to meet?"

Sheng Muling said, "Yes! After hearing what Zijing said about the pills, I belatedly realized that Granny Li seemed to be acting a bit deliberately. After all, they are husband and wife, is it really that difficult to meet?"

Yin Zijin sighed and said, "This Granny Li has too much power. It seems that my previous understanding was correct."

Sheng Muling's thin body swayed slightly as she gently wiped away her tears: "Yes! None of us children were raised by the Empress or the Consort. We were all taken away by nannies and eunuchs right after birth and raised in the orphanage by them."

Actually, we don't have much of a close relationship with our own mothers because we don't see each other often, but our personal nannies are always there for us as we grow up, and they naturally have a lot of power.

I am weak-willed and can only swallow my anger when I am bullied. My mother often tells me, "You are the eldest princess, so you must set a good example. You must solve your own problems and not always cry to your father and mother."

After listening for a while, I fell silent and didn't want to say anything more. As for Granny Li, she took care of me as I grew up and gave me a lot of warmth. I basically always granted her requests and did what she wanted.

Granny Li said that I was weak and listless, and shouldn't pass on my illness to the Prince Consort, so it wasn't appropriate for us to share a room. She then removed the lamps and didn't light them again, which I accepted. Now, thinking about it, was Granny Li really doing it for my own good?

As she spoke, Sheng Muling began to sob softly again: "Royal kinship is inherently thin and cold-blooded. Over the years, I have almost treated Granny Li as family, but I never expected her to treat me like this."