She had barely finished speaking when she saw Lin Xiaowei's eyes widen.
Was Shen Xiaoyan trying to harm her?
If Sima Zhu knew she had eaten the sacred water, he would likely kill her, no matter how much he liked her.
She understood men best. Women were merely a source of amusement; when personal interests were at stake, women were easily discarded.
"Why are you..."
With these words again, Lin Xiaowei now wanted to ask why Shen Xiaoyan was trying to harm her.
She had come twice to ask for sacred water, but she hadn't caused any harm to Shen Xiaoyan and the others.
Why did Shen Xiaoyan want to harm her, plunging her into an incurable illness?
Unable to comprehend, Lin Xiaowei stared fixedly at Shen Xiaoyan.
Shen Xiaoyan understood Lin Xiaowei's meaning and explained kindly, "I didn't harm you. What you ate just now was indeed sacred water, but besides you and me, who else knows? If you don't say anything, there will be no problem, right? You don't need to worry about undergoing significant changes like the Great Empress Dowager. After all, you are still young, and your body doesn't have many impurities or hidden ailments."
What Shen Xiaoyan didn't say was that the immortal spring water she gave Lin Xiaowei was not pure; she had added some water and a fertility-enhancing drug to it. Therefore, the immortal spring water only occupied half of the jade bowl.
As a result, Lin Xiaowei would not undergo any major changes.
However, these were things that could not be told to Lin Xiaowei.
Hearing Shen Xiaoyan say this, Lin Xiaowei's heart was put at ease by half.
But then she thought, Shen Xiaoyan had just said that only the two of them knew about this. She wouldn't speak, but what about Shen Xiaoyan?
Shen Xiaoyan saw the slightly worried and apprehensive look in Lin Xiaowei's eyes and couldn't help but smile again.
It was truly too amusing. She felt that from now on, Lin Xiaowei would never proactively appear before them again.
This was absolutely for the best.
Lin Xiaowei didn't ask further questions but softly uttered two words, "Rest assured."
Shen Xiaoyan naturally knew what she wanted her to rest assured about, and she nodded with a smile.
Interacting with such an intelligent person was truly wonderful.
"Since you understand now, you must be good from now on. And if you achieve great fortune, don't forget me. After all, no matter what, I did give you sacred water, didn't I?"
Shen Xiaoyan's eyes sparkled as she said this.
Lin Xiaowei found it difficult to meet her gaze.
She always felt as if Shen Xiaoyan could see through her heart.
Whatever she was thinking, her ambitions, were all nakedly exposed in Shen Xiaoyan's eyes.
If Shen Xiaoyan knew Lin Xiaowei's thoughts, she would surely laugh to the heavens three times.
As people who had both transmigrated and walked the same path as Lin Xiaowei, it was obvious what her goal was.
However, Shen Xiaoyan did not plan to let Lin Xiaowei know that she had transmigrated.
If Lin Xiaowei knew, she was certain that she would be endlessly pestered by her from then on.
Thinking of such a life, Shen Xiaoyan shivered.
At that time, if she refused Lin Xiaowei's requests, this person would surely reveal that she was a transmigrator.
Although she was not afraid of anything, she did not want to become the focus of others' attention.
She only wanted her child to have a quiet and harmonious environment to grow up in.
"Thank you."
After pondering for a long time, Lin Xiaowei finally said these two words.
Regardless of why Shen Xiaoyan gave her the sacred water, regardless of how Shen Xiaoyan saw through her thoughts, and regardless of Shen Xiaoyan's plans, she had to say thank you. It was inevitable.
Shen Xiaoyan accepted Lin Xiaowei's gratitude gladly and even added, "It will probably hurt for about half an hour, and then you'll be fine. But you must endure it. If the people behind you see your condition and report it back to Sima Zhu, then you..."
Hearing Shen Xiaoyan's words, Lin Xiaowei's pupils constricted sharply.
If someone overheard and reported it back, even without evidence, Sima Zhu would suspect her, and the Pei clan would banish her to the cold palace.
Impossible!
She absolutely could not let such a thing happen.
Seeing that Lin Xiaowei, despite being in unbearable pain, gritted her teeth and endured without even swaying her body, Shen Xiaoyan praised her inwardly.
She was truly someone who could endure.
Only those who could endure could achieve great things.
Half an hour, not long, not short.
Shen Xiaoyan stood there quietly watching Lin Xiaowei for half an hour.
When she saw Lin Xiaowei let out a long sigh, she said nothing, turned around, and entered the gate.
"Uncle Huo, come back and close the gate."
Although Huo Si didn't know what Shen Xiaoyan was doing, he obediently walked into the gate and then closed it tightly.
After Huo Si left, Xiao Mozi's mobility returned to normal.
He ran to Lin Xiaowei's side and knelt down, looking at her pale face with concern. He said anxiously, "Mother, what's wrong? What did that woman give you just now? Was it poison? Look at your face, it's so scary! Let's hurry back and find an imperial physician. If something happens to you, Mother, how will I explain it to Your Majesty?"
Xiao Mozi chattered on incessantly, but his scattered attention was entirely elsewhere.
During the past half hour, she felt as if each day was a year.
The pain in her body made her want to go mad, to scream out loud.
But she couldn't. She couldn't let the people behind her notice anything unusual about her.
Enduring like this, as time ticked by, she could feel the pain in her body more acutely.
This pain felt as if every bone was screaming, causing her unbearable agony.
But fortunately, she had endured it.
The moment the pain disappeared, she felt as if she had been reborn. Every joint, every cell in her body, was suffused with an indescribable sense of refreshment.
It felt as if she had been reborn, making her feel incredibly light.
This feeling was so wonderful that she was a little stunned.
It wasn't until she heard Xiao Mozi's incessant chatter that she turned around slightly.
She looked towards the gate and saw that Shen Xiaoyan had already disappeared, and the gate was tightly closed.
Seeing Lin Xiaowei's actions, Xiao Mozi thought Lin Xiaowei resented Shen Xiaoyan and wanted to go in for revenge.
He didn't know Shen Xiaoyan, but he knew that the Grand Tutor lived here, and the Grand Tutor was someone who dared to strangle the Emperor's neck. If they went in to cause trouble, they would surely die a miserable death.
Therefore, before Lin Xiaowei could open her mouth to make a decision, Xiao Mozi spoke first.
"Mother, let's return to the palace first. We'll find an imperial physician to examine you, and then report to His Majesty. We must make this woman give Mother an explanation."
Lin Xiaowei calmly withdrew her gaze, feeling a little lost.
When she felt the comfort throughout her body, she truly confirmed that Shen Xiaoyan had indeed given her sacred water, not poison.
Therefore, she wanted to thank Shen Xiaoyan properly.
But who knew, Shen Xiaoyan had already left at some point.
Since she was unwilling to accept it, then so be it.
However, she, Lin Xiaowei, would remember this kindness.
Seeing that Lin Xiaowei didn't respond, Xiao Mozi was about to say something else.
But before he could speak, Lin Xiaowei had already said, "Let's go. We'll return to the palace."
Because of the prolonged pain, Lin Xiaowei's voice was a little hoarse, no longer as melodious and pleasant as before.
Xiao Mozi heard this and felt even more certain that it was Shen Xiaoyan's water that Lin Xiaowei had drunk.
Therefore, he resolved to find His Majesty upon their return and properly explain today's events. They couldn't let Consort Hua suffer so much grievance for nothing.
Lin Xiaowei didn't know what Xiao Mozi was thinking, but even if she did, she wouldn't have any strong feelings.
As for Sima Zhu now, if he wanted to get sacred water from the Grand Tutor, he couldn't afford to offend anyone around the Grand Tutor.
Therefore, in such a situation, even if Xiao Mozi spoke ill of Shen Xiaoyan, Sima Zhu would only keep it in mind and not act on it immediately.
As she got into the imperial carriage back to the palace, Lin Xiaowei's heart was not calm.
She still needed to think carefully about how she would explain today's events to His Majesty when she returned to the palace.
And she was pregnant. Even if it was as miraculous as Shen Xiaoyan said, giving birth to a son.
However, from conception to discovery, it would take at least a month.
During this time, how could she prevent Sima Zhu from sending her out of the palace again?
Suddenly, Lin Xiaowei thought of someone.
Baili Ziyun.
Baili Ziyun was the daughter of the Grand Princess. She had interacted with the Grand Tutor and others during the disaster relief and knew them much earlier than she did.
Moreover, as a woman of His Majesty, shouldn't she share His Majesty's burdens?
As long as she claimed to feel unwell and temporarily pushed the task onto Baili Ziyun, then after a month, she would have nothing to fear.
Having made up her mind, Lin Xiaowei smiled with satisfaction.
This was the most satisfying period she had experienced since her transmigration.
Everything went smoothly, filling her with hope for the days to come.
The carriage moved steadily, but very quickly. Before Lin Xiaowei had finished thinking, they had already arrived at the palace.
The carriage drove directly to His Majesty's Qin Zheng Hall.
Xiao Mozi helped Lin Xiaowei alight from the carriage and then followed her into Qin Zheng Hall.
Whenever she had come to Qin Zheng Hall before, Lin Xiaowei would lower her head.
But today, she slightly lifted her chin, her heart filled with excitement.
Reaching the door, she took a deep breath before opening it and walking in.
"My little Wei is back?"
Sima Zhu was handling memorials when he heard the door open and immediately asked, but without looking up, he naturally did not see Lin Xiaowei's appearance.
Lin Xiaowei walked slowly to the center of the room and then, with a plop, knelt down.
"Your consort has sinned. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
Lin Xiaowei's hoarse and tearful voice instantly startled Sima Zhu.
He instinctively looked up and saw Lin Xiaowei kneeling there in distress, her face as pale as paper, with tears constantly streaming from her eyes.
"What's wrong, my beloved?"
Lin Xiaowei seemed startled by Sima Zhu's concern, perhaps feeling guilty, perhaps feeling sad, and burst into tears. After a while, she said, "Today, your consort has disgraced Your Majesty. Last time, no matter how the Grand Tutor insulted me, it was in the courtyard, and no one knew. This time, your consort knelt by the gate for half a day."
Lin Xiaowei's words truly shocked Sima Zhu.