Chapter 155: Honey Trap
Although the Eighth Prince hadn't succeeded in taking advantage of Sun Jiaojiao at the Crown Prince's Residence that day, he had indeed come to deliver an invitation-the Eighth Prince's biological mother, the Imperial Consort who held immense power in the inner palace, had sent out invitations for the noble ladies and young misses of the capital to enter the palace and admire the peonies.
It was called 'admiring flowers', but it was really 'showing off'.
This Imperial Consort was born from a general's family. Her maternal family held military power, and her 'merit was so high it overshadowed the master'. Even the Emperor gave way to her on some matters, to say nothing of the master of the inner palace, the Empress.
Who among the nobles in the capital didn't know that the Imperial Consort loved pomp? She had to outshine the Empress in every way. Even for admiring flowers, it was no exception. It had to be like celebrating a grand birthday, making all the noble ladies come to the palace to pay their respects.
Although Sun Jiaojiao disliked this kind of boring social occasion between women, she had no choice but to brace herself and deal with it.
When it came to the most popular gossip among the nobles recently, it was this Crown Princess from Minister Sun's residence, Sun Jiaojiao.
Many young, unmarried ladies who rarely entered the palace were curious what this legendary woman-who had been granted a marriage, then had it annulled, then granted it again, and finally, even after her body was 'broken' and 'unclean', was still able to marry into the Crown Prince's Residence-actually looked like.
The moment Sun Jiaojiao appeared, she was like the most dazzling star, surrounded by noble ladies making endless small talk, nearly stealing the Imperial Consort's thunder.
Sun Jiaojiao was not someone without sense. Seeing the Imperial Consort's expression darken, she found an excuse, left those boring 'backyard' women, and went for a walk in the inner palace by herself.
This 'walk' gave the Eighth Prince the perfect opportunity.
In truth, this 'flower-viewing banquet' hosted by the Imperial Consort was ostensibly for "admiring flowers," but it was actually to select a consort for her precious son. That's why the invitations were sent to every house; any family with an unmarried daughter was invited. She even had the Eighth Prince watch from the shadows and tell her if he saw anyone who suited his fancy, and she would go to the Emperor to request a marriage decree. The Crown Prince had already allied with Minister Sun; she, as a mother, had to hurry up and make plans for the Eighth Prince.
But she didn't know that her son's mind wasn't on those coy young ladies at all, but rather, he was plotting against his own Imperial Sister-in-Law, Sun Jiaojiao.
The moment Sun Jiaojiao stood up and left, the Eighth Prince curled his lip in a smile and also left the Imperial Consort's chambers, secretly following Sun Jiaojiao.
Although the palace had prepared the Eastern Palace for the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince felt it was more convenient to live outside the palace, so he had set up a separate Crown Prince's Residence. Every time Sun Jiaojiao had come to the palace, it was for other business; she had never seriously explored the Imperial Palace. It was a rare chance to wander without purpose, and everything seemed novel.
She grew tired from walking in the rear garden. Just as she was about to rest her feet, a palace maid suddenly came over to greet her, claiming to be a maid from the Empress's side. She said the Empress had heard the Crown Princess was here admiring flowers and invited her over to sit.
Although Sun Jiaojiao was ten-thousand-percent unwilling in her heart, she still obediently followed her.
Who knew that the palace maid would lead Sun Jiaojiao to a pavilion, serve her a few plates of fruits and preserved sweets, ask her to wait there, and then disappear.
Sun Jiaojiao waited and waited in the pavilion, but the Empress never came. Her mouth was dry, so she ate a few pieces of the watermelon from the plate.
Who knew that the moment the fruit went down, a warm, burning current rushed up from her abdomen, and her whole body began to heat up.
This strange feeling was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Suddenly, she remembered.
This was an aphrodisiac!
The taste of 'Hanxiang Wan'!
Back before she was forced by the Crown Prince, she had taken this palace-forbidden drug. Later, when Doctor Zhang had reproduced it and given it to her, he had also given her the antidote.
She had casually put one pill in her sachet, never expecting it would come in handy in the palace...
She quickly and decisively took out the antidote, swallowed it, and forcibly suppressed the rising fire in her heart.
Just as she turned around after taking the antidote, she ran into that 'debonair' smiling Eighth Prince.
"What a coincidence, Imperial Sister-in-Law. To think I'd run into you here."
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