My Beloved Concubine Only Wants to Eat Melons

Chapter 52

With one command from the emperor, the Imperial Guard sprang into action. In less than half a day, they had thoroughly searched the Ruyi Brothel from top to bottom.

Not only did they uncover the Western "Love-Inducing Powder", but also more than ten other types of aphrodisiacs.

Following the trail of the Love-Inducing Powder, they discovered that seven or eight men from Rouran were actually spies, intending to extract state secrets from the noble ladies who frequented the establishment and send them back to Rouran.

Given the gravity of the situation, these men were immediately imprisoned in the imperial dungeon under strict guard. The Ruyi Brothel was shut down at once, and the rest of the people involved were detained for further investigation.

The next day, the news spread throughout the court and the country, causing a great uproar.

People were shocked to learn that such an establishment existed on the seemingly ordinary Yanglou Street in the capital.

In their astonishment, some cursed the Rouran for their deceit and cunning; others condemned the people of the Ruyi Brothel for their moral depravity and shamelessness.

However, many women secretly wondered what the Ruyi Brothel was like, and whether the men there were truly as handsome as Pan An, the legendary beauty.

Some even regretted not knowing about it earlier, wishing they could have gone to feast their eyes.

...

Of course, compared to the outside world, the royal family was more concerned about the health of the Eldest Princess and the Ankang county lord.

After all, the Love-Inducing Powder was a top-grade aphrodisiac from the Western Regions, not only addictive but also leaving residues in the body. They feared the two women might have difficulty overcoming its effects.

Fortunately, the Ankang county lord's visits to the Ruyi Brothel had been relatively short, so she was less affected. Thanks to the timely discovery, Imperial Physician Jiang treated her with acupuncture and medicine for three consecutive days, finally expelling the remaining toxins and restoring her to normal.

After detoxification, the first thing the Ankang county lord did was to apologize to her husband.

"Aliang, I'm sorry..." the Ankang county lord said, tears flowing before she could finish speaking. She cried like a pear blossom in the rain, "It's all my fault for not controlling myself, causing you to lose face... I will never have such thoughts again, and I will never go to any teahouses or taverns again. Will you forgive me?"

As she finished speaking, she saw her husband's face tighten, remaining silent for a moment.

Her heart sank in despair, and she could only continue through her tears, "If you truly can't forgive me and want a divorce, I will go ask for the Empress Dowager's decree... But, but what about the children... wuwuwu..."

Before she could finish, her husband pulled her into his arms.

Yao Junliang, with reddened eyes, said, "Considering that the county lord was victimized, it doesn't matter that I lost face. Now that the truth has come to light, let's never mention the past again."

After these words, the couple embraced and cried together, finally reconciling.

The next day, they went to the palace specially to express their gratitude.

At that time, Yanshu was paying her respects in the Palace of Benevolent Peace. The emperor had just finished the morning court session and came to the Palace of Benevolent Peace to report to the Empress Dowager on the progress of the spy case. She listened in.

"The Ministry of Punishment has confirmed that these spies have been in the Ruyi Brothel for half a year. It's now certain that they were sent by the Rouran royal family. I have ordered the Court of State Ceremonial to send a letter to Rouran. If there's no response, these people will be executed on the spot."

The Empress Dowager nodded and exclaimed in surprise, "These spies have been in the capital for half a year? If it weren't for the incident with Ankang and her husband, no one would have discovered them? It's terrifying to think about. I wonder if they obtained any secrets?"

Yuwen Lan said, "It's not too bad. Most of their contacts over the past six months were merchants' wives, so they mostly obtained information about various families' business affairs. They had hoped to contact the families of military officials through the Eldest Princess, but fortunately, the Eldest Princess didn't have many close acquaintances there, except for the Ankang county lord."

The Empress Dowager said, "Thank goodness Ankang wasn't so foolish as to let them get anything. However, these people are truly cunning to use such methods. It's really hard to guard against."

Yuwen Lan nodded with a serious expression, "Therefore, we must strictly control the activities of these foreign tribes in our land from now on. I have ordered all prefectures and counties to immediately investigate the foreigners within their borders and keep track of their whereabouts in real-time."

"The emperor has indeed considered everything thoroughly."

The Empress Dowager nodded and then asked, "What about the other people in the Ruyi Brothel?"

Yuwen Lan replied, "Mother, please don't worry. The Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of Justice have interrogated them one by one. Most of the men were selling their looks for money. Apart from using aphrodisiacs on their female clients and some theft of jewelry and money, no other illegal activities have been discovered so far, and there's no evidence of collusion with these spies."

"That's good to hear."

The Empress Dowager sighed, "These men, really. They have hands and feet, why don't they walk an honest path? To resort to such methods to make money, it's truly despicable."

Yuwen Lan nodded, and for a moment, he couldn't help but recall his experience at the Ruyi Brothel that night...

Tsk, disgusting.

He really couldn't understand how these men could do such things...

Just then, he heard the Empress Dowager's inner thoughts, [I wonder what those men look like, to be able to bewitch those women like that? I heard that the one who drugged the Eldest Princess was even called Pan Zai'an? Could he really be as handsome as Pan An?]

Yuwen Lan: "..."

...The Empress Dowager was curious about this too?

Tsk, for some reason, although they had been mother and son for over twenty years, he felt that the Empress Dowager had been increasingly different from before lately...

At this moment, Yanshu, who had been silent all along, spoke up and asked, "Then... may I ask how Your Majesty plans to deal with the remaining men?"

[Tsk, the female owner of the Ruyi Brothel will surely be punished for letting the wolves in, so does that mean the Ruyi Brothel will have to close?]

[What will happen to these people?]

[Will they go elsewhere to resume their old trade?]

[I wonder if there are other places like this...]

Yuwen Lan, who had been listening silently: "..."

Why was she concerned about this?

...Was she planning something?

However, immediately after, the Empress Dowager also nodded and said, "Yipin has a point. Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with them?"

[Tsk, if they're released, I wonder if they'll return to their old trade? Will the Ruyi Brothel be able to reopen?]

Yuwen Lan: "???"

Why was even the Empress Dowager concerned about this???

They were just some shameless men who didn't seek to improve themselves, how could they be so attractive to women???

He held back his thoughts and managed to maintain a normal expression, saying, "If they are indeed innocent, the court will release them. However, they have hands and feet and are in the prime of their lives. I plan to arrange for people to teach them some skills so they can do honest work in the future."

Yanshu nodded and said, "I see. Your Majesty is merciful."

But in her heart, she thought, [Then, won't those lonely rich ladies have much less fun? Tsk tsk tsk, how pitiful. Men can go to brothels, women should be able to go to male brothels too, right? There should be a place to release pressure, shouldn't there? Being a rich lady isn't easy either.]

Yuwen Lan: "???"

Just then, a palace servant reported from outside, "Your Highness, the Ankang county lord and her husband seek an audience."

Hm?

Yanshu was surprised. The two of them came together?

Could it be that they've reconciled?

The Empress Dowager was also curious and quickly said, "Let them in."

The servant acknowledged, and soon the couple entered the hall.

They both bowed in unison, and the Empress Dowager looked at the Ankang county lord and asked, "How are you feeling?"

The Ankang county lord, with a face full of shame, lowered her head and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I have recovered. I was foolish and made a mistake, causing worry for Your Highness and His Majesty, and bringing ridicule upon myself from the whole world. I have truly let Your Highness and His Majesty down."

The Empress Dowager sighed, "Enough. Considering that you were also a victim, now that you've recovered, I and His Majesty can rest easy. In the future, remember to be more cautious and don't let yourself be easily deceived again."

She then looked at her husband, Yao Junliang, standing beside her and said, "You two should live well together from now on."

Yao Junliang responded along with his wife, his face showing no unusual expression.

Yanshu observed this and couldn't help but think to herself —

From the looks of it, the couple has reconciled, which shows that this county magistrate truly loves his wife.

However...

The county magistrate's problem hasn't been cured, which is a bit of a pity. Should I find a way to recommend Imperial Physician Jiang to him?

Yuwen Lan: "..."

Why was this girl so enthusiastic about helping people solve such matters?

Just then, he heard the Empress Dowager say, "Speaking of which, that Imperial Physician that day was truly skilled. I heard that even in the Western Regions there's no antidote for that drug, yet he managed to cure it. You should properly thank him."

Upon hearing this, Yao Junliang also nodded hurriedly and said, "The Empress Dowager's words are absolutely correct. Fortunately, we encountered such an Imperial Physician. My wife and I were thinking of personally thanking Imperial Physician Jiang another day."

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly and then asked, "How come we haven't discovered this talent before? I heard he was specifically treating Consort Yi's illness? How did Consort Yi discover him?"

Caught off guard by being mentioned, Yanshu was startled and could only say, "This humble consort was feeling unwell one time, and happened to meet Imperial Physician Jiang on duty. After taking his medicine once, I recovered, and that's when I discovered Imperial Physician Jiang's excellent medical skills."

At this point, she suddenly had an idea and quickly added, "Oh right, Imperial Physician Jiang is knowledgeable in many areas. Not only can he treat common ailments, but he's also capable of handling many difficult and complex diseases. I heard that many people outside the palace seek him out, calling him the Guanyin who grants children."

— Tsk, she could only say this much.

She wasn't sure if Lord Yao could understand the hint. If she said any more, the Empress Dowager might become suspicious of her.

After all, Imperial Physician Jiang was an expert in male health issues!!! Lord Yao, you should go see him quickly!!! It would be beneficial for family stability, harmony, and happiness!!!

Yuwen Lan: "..."

Indeed, she couldn't say more.

Afraid that she might accidentally blurt out something else, he also spoke up, "Indeed, I've heard of this as well."

After saying this, he specifically looked at Yao Junliang and said, "If you have any difficult ailments, you can certainly seek him out for treatment."

Upon hearing this, Yao Junliang's heart skipped a beat.

[Your Majesty... what does this mean? Could he already know about my... problem?]

[How... how did His Majesty find out about this???]

On the surface, he quickly responded, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Meanwhile, Yanshu observed this and wondered to herself —

The Emperor's words... seemed like he was hinting at something?

Could it be that he also knows about Lord Yao's injury?

But thinking about it, that shouldn't be the case!

Usually, men would be very concerned about such matters and wouldn't easily disclose them...

How did the Emperor come to know about this???

Yuwen Lan: "..."

Tsk, it seems he'll need to be more discreet in front of her in the future.

However... wasn't he just trying to help her?

Otherwise, if she kept pondering about such matters every time she saw Yao Junliang, how could he bear it?

Compared to the Ankang county lord, the Eldest Princess wasn't so fortunate.

Due to her prolonged and frequent interactions with the Rouran spy, and especially because she had taken not only the Love-Inducing Powder but also several other stimulant drugs, Yuwen Yan endured nearly five days of torment before she barely recovered.

However, the residual toxins hadn't been fully eliminated, and her body was still weak. The addiction to the Love-Inducing Powder would still flare up from time to time, causing her to suffer greatly and making her appear quite haggard.

Moreover, because the incident involved a spy and implicated her cousin Ankang, and even almost leaked state secrets, she was punished by the Emperor. A portion of her family property was confiscated, and the number of servants in her household and her salary were reduced.

It could be said that the Eldest Princess's former glory was suddenly cut by more than half.

However, the Emperor still cared about family ties, and to facilitate her treatment, he kept her in the palace.

Yet, after experiencing such a blow, Yuwen Yan was indeed unhappy. She continuously vented her inner turmoil by smashing things, throwing bedding, and even refusing to take her medicine properly.

Until the Empress Dowager came to scold her.

"You are a princess of this country, yet you have no sense of responsibility towards your family or the state! Not only do you go out and cause trouble all day, but you also resist when people are sent to treat your illness! Search your conscience, can you face the ancestors of the Yuwen family? If you really don't want this surname, I'll tell the Emperor on your behalf to revoke your title as Eldest Princess and sever ties with you!"

For many years, the Empress Dowager had rarely spoken such harsh words.

Her sudden anger finally frightened Yuwen Yan.

She hesitated, then could only cry, "Your daughter is just unwilling to accept it. Why is it always me who gets betrayed..."

The Empress Dowager continued, "Why is it always you who gets betrayed? Good question! You're a princess, yet you go after those who are all appearance and no substance, full of vanity, and refuse to listen to advice. How can you not be deceived? The first time was bad enough, but this time you actually made such a fuss over a lowly man who sells his body, a spy from an enemy country! Look at yourself, what have you become!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a small figure suddenly ran in from outside and threw herself onto Yuwen Yan, crying, "Mother is sick and uncomfortable, Grandmother, please don't scold Mother anymore..."

It was five-year-old Lan Jun.

Seeing this scene, the Empress Dowager could no longer speak harshly and could only sigh, "Look, apart from your own flesh and blood, who cares about you now? Yet you neglect her for those worthless men. Is it worth it or not?"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Yan was stunned for a long time, then suddenly hugged her little daughter and burst into tears.

"Lan Jun, it's Mother who has wronged you..."

The little one also started crying, "Mother, you must take your medicine properly. Lan Jun doesn't want to be without a mother..."

Then they heard the Empress Dowager say, "What use is it to just say sorry? You should cooperate with the Imperial Physician to get yourself properly treated now, return to your own place, and focus on raising your daughter. That's the right path!"

Yuwen Yan sobbed and responded with a "Yes."

Returning to the Palace of Benevolent Peace, the Empress Dowager's expression finally softened.

Madam Mu, who had been staying in the Palace of Benevolent Peace these past few days, saw this scene and couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, why don't you keep Lan Jun by your side? I've noticed that you've been much more cheerful with Lan Jun around these past few days."

The Empress Dowager snorted and laughed, "I've already raised that man's son and looked after his daughter. Now, am I supposed to raise his granddaughter too? Let people raise their own children. If others take on all their responsibilities for them, they'll just have too much free time and cause trouble."

There were no outsiders in the hall, and between good friends, there was no need for formalities, so the Empress Dowager spoke her mind freely.

Madam Mu nodded and sighed, "Indeed, you've become increasingly clear-minded these days."

The Empress Dowager gave a bitter smile and said, "I've lived most of my life within these walls. If I weren't clear-minded, I would have suffocated long ago."

However, after speaking, she quietly sighed again —

Although she had come to terms with many things, she still had one worry at present —

What if the Yuwen family had no heir?

Not to mention Zhang Shengkang's previous diagnosis of Consort Yi, now that Consort Yi had been "favored" for almost half a year, yet there was still no sign of pregnancy...

This indicated that the Emperor truly had a problem!

Although they weren't blood-related mother and son, she still understood the child she had raised to some extent.

The Emperor had a deep personality and didn't easily trust people. She wanted to have Zhang Shengkang help examine him, but the Emperor was now wary of her and wouldn't allow Zhang Shengkang to get close to him at all.

Tsk, even if they used Consort Yi as a shield for now to temporarily ward off people's gossip, if there was still no heir after a long time...

Ah, it was truly worrying!

Well, let's see how long he can hold out.

Lord Yao was indeed a smart person. Having received the hint from the palace in the morning, he took the opportunity to visit Imperial Physician Jiang during the quiet afternoon hours.

It was said that Imperial Physician Jiang immediately took his pulse, examined his injury, and prescribed medicine. Upon returning to his residence, Lord Yao promptly took the medicine as instructed, very devoutly.

At this rate, it probably wouldn't take long before he could regain his former vigor.

Yanshu, following the system, finished enjoying this juicy gossip and finally felt relieved. Then, inspiration struck her, and she prepared to start writing a new story.

Tsk, this time she would use this county lord as a prototype to write a story about an inspiring young man who, despite various difficulties, perseveres in his down-to-earth struggle and finally wins the beautiful lady in the end.

However, perhaps because she had been a bit lazy recently and hadn't written much, she found that from afternoon until nightfall, she had only managed to write an introduction.

Before she could get into the flow of writing, the Emperor had already arrived.

...Yuwen Lan had actually wanted to come earlier tonight.

But unfortunately, ministers kept reporting various matters, and he was busy until the second watch of the night before he could finally get away.

He had even specially bathed and changed his clothes in Qianming Palace, and hurried over taking three steps in two, with an excited and eager heart.

Who knew that when he arrived at Ganlu Palace, he would find Yanshu sitting at the table, lost in thought.

Yuwen Lan was taken aback and asked, "What are you doing?"

Yanshu, completely unaware, answered truthfully, "This humble consort wanted to write a story, but I'm a bit stuck on the plot."

Stuck on the plot?

This seemed to be a professional term, somewhat incomprehensible to others.

But at this moment, Yuwen Lan didn't have such great curiosity. He only advised, "If you really can't think of anything, don't force it. Perhaps after a night's rest, you'll have it figured out by morning."

Then he added, "Come, let's retire early."

And with that, he led her to the bed.

As she saw him start to undress, looking ready for bed, Yanshu hurriedly said, "This humble consort still needs to bathe. Please, Your Majesty, retire to bed first."

However, before she could move, he grabbed her hand and said in a sultry tone, "There's no need for a bath..."

Every moment was precious.

Yet Yanshu, still unaware of what was about to happen, frowned and said, "That won't do. I'll feel uncomfortable if I don't bathe. Your Majesty, please wait just a moment."

With that, she insisted on going to the washroom.

Yuwen Lan, who could barely contain himself anymore, was left speechless.

Why wasn't she in any hurry?

But fine, he was the emperor after all. He couldn't appear too eager.

Besides, he had waited this long. A little longer wouldn't hurt.

He had no choice but to let her go while he undressed and got into bed.

After what felt like an eternity, his beauty finally emerged from her bath, cheeks flushed and skin as white as snow, even more irresistible than before.

Yuwen Lan gazed at her hungrily, waiting for her to come into his arms.

To his surprise, she unhurriedly went to the mirror and began combing her hair.

Stroke by stroke, she smoothed out her long, dark tresses.

Then she applied some fragrant cream to her face and neck, making herself smell sweeter than flowers.

After finishing with her face and neck, she started moisturizing her hands.

From the back of her hands to her wrists and each finger, she applied the cream with meticulous care.

Yuwen Lan finally lost all patience. He threw off the covers, got out of bed, and scooped her directly into his arms.

Yanshu was startled. The world spun around her, and by the time she realized what was happening, she was already on the bed.

The man before her had dark, intense eyes. In a low voice, he asked, "Are you deliberately teasing me?"

Yanshu was bewildered. "This humble consort wouldn't dare."

What did he mean by teasing?

She said, "This is just my normal skincare routine."

Then she remembered she hadn't applied lip balm yet and was about to get off the bed again. But before she could move, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her...

It was a dizzying, intoxicating experience...

Even then, she still hadn't quite grasped the situation.

When the kiss ended, she looked at him pitifully and said, "Your Majesty, could we rest tonight? This humble consort's hands are sore..."

Tch, thinking back to the previous night, her hands had become unexpectedly weak.

Perhaps today's lack of dexterity was due to overuse.

Hmph.

Yuwen Lan was speechless.

He realized she had completely forgotten.

But that was alright. He remembered.

So he chuckled softly and said, "I promise your hands won't get sore tonight."

With that, he kissed her again and gently pressed her down onto the bed.

What followed was a thorough conquest that left her breathless.

Yanshu was still wondering what had gotten into him tonight.

It was just a normal night, why was he so passionate?

But then, at a certain moment...

She finally remembered.

Wait, had the time already come???

Hold on, she wasn't prepared yet...

But it was too late.

...

The next day, Yanshu slept until well past noon.

Even when she woke up, her waist and back were still sore.

She felt like a limp shrimp, too weak to even walk.

She had no choice but to be lazy, asking Rendong to help her wipe her face and dress her.

As a close attendant, Rendong could guess what had happened the night before. She tactfully asked, "What would you like for breakfast, my lady?"

Having expended so much energy the night before, Yanshu was famished. She immediately listed off dishes, "I want shrimp dumplings, crab roe buns, beef patties, chicken wonton soup, and also a plate of lotus seed sticky rice cake and black sesame porridge."

Rendong was shocked. "Can you eat that much?"

Before she could finish speaking, a voice came from outside, "If she can't finish it, I will."

Then Yuwen Lan strode into the chamber.

Rendong and the others were startled and quickly bowed their heads in greeting.

The emperor, looking to be in an excellent mood, came directly to the bedside and asked with a smile, "I'll join you for the meal. Is there anything else you want? Just say the word."

Yanshu glanced at him, noticing his imperial robe with dragon motifs was perfectly neat. She asked curiously, "Your Majesty didn't attend morning court today?"

Yuwen Lan made a sound of affirmation. "Court has already ended. I came back specifically to have breakfast with you."

His expression was one of utter contentment.

He asked again, "Is that enough? Anything else you'd like?"

Yanshu's eyes twinkled as she nodded. "Yes, there is."

He nodded. "Then tell them to prepare it."

Yanshu said to Rendong, "Also add a braised duck, some stir-fried squab, a plate of silken tofu, and a dish of fried eggplant in butter."

Hmph, it was a major life event after all. She had to replenish all the energy she had expended last night.

Yuwen Lan listened and nodded silently—

Indeed, last night had been a major event in his life.

With that, Rendong hurried off to instruct the kitchen.

Before long, all the delicious dishes were brought in.

Yanshu's legs were still weak, and she didn't want to walk.

Yuwen Lan simply picked her up and carried her to the table, causing Rendong and the others to blush and turn away.

Tsk tsk, His Majesty even had to carry her just to eat a meal.

He really doted on her too much.

Yuwen Lan silently agreed.

So what if he doted on her? She was his woman after all.

And so, the two began to eat.

Mmm, the shrimp dumplings had tender skins and crisp, sweet shrimp inside;

The crab roe buns burst with savory juices at first bite, so delicious it left one speechless;

The beef patties and chicken wontons were exactly what Yanshu had been craving, while the lotus seed sticky rice cake and black sesame porridge were sweet enough to warm the heart.

Not to mention the braised duck, stir-fried squab, silken tofu, and buttered eggplant—these imperial dishes were naturally beyond reproach.

Delighted by the delicious food, Yanshu didn't forget to pick up a shrimp dumpling for Yuwen Lan, saying, "Your Majesty, try this. It tastes wonderful."

Yuwen Lan made a sound of acknowledgment and tasted it.

Mmm, the shrimp dumpling was indeed good.

What was even more precious was that she had taken the initiative to share the delicious food with him.

Especially since she wasn't trying to curry favor or ask for anything at the moment.

It seemed that after breaking through the final barrier, their hearts had truly grown closer.

Just as he was thinking this, he saw her pick up a crab roe bun and a piece of lotus seed cake for him, and even personally ladled him a bowl of sesame porridge.

"Your Majesty, please try these as well."

Yuwen Lan nodded and said "Alright," then took a sip of the sesame porridge and ate a piece of lotus cake, feeling sweetness spread through his heart.

He marveled inwardly at how, in just one night, she had transformed into such a gentle, caring wife.

Little did he know, she was thinking to herself, [Well, since he's my man now, I should treat him better.]

[Eating well is important for sustainable development.]

Yuwen Lan was left utterly bewildered.