After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 661 Concealment

The mighty procession, the Emperor leading hundreds of officials out of the palace.

The Emperor rode in the Imperial Chariot.

The civil servants sat in palanquins, the military generals on horseback.

After walking for half an hour, everyone saw the upturned bluestone pavement.

Half a mile really is no joking matter.

The Emperor, sitting inside the Imperial Chariot, was swaying back and forth.

Those officials sitting in palanquins had it even worse, as the bearers stumbled over stones, the palanquins nearly overturned, and knocking one’s head against the palanquin was considered minor.

Prince NanAn looked at the ruined road several times towards Marquis Dongxiang.

He admired the capabilities of the people from Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

How many came to destroy the road right under Duke Chong’s nose like this?

Even Marquis Dongxiang was speechless.

His subordinates were too diligent in their work.

But whether it rained or not was up to the heavens.

The servants feared that after this destruction, it would be difficult to destroy again, so they did it thoroughly.

Who could have thought it would rain today?

Fortunately, there’s a plausible excuse, so as not to delay matters.

Though the road was difficult, it was merely half a mile, and would soon be over.

When they reached the sacrificial altar, the Emperor descended from the Imperial Chariot and entered the main hall.

The Emperor and officials were in the main hall. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The Empress and the ministers’ wives were in the side hall.

Few women came, as the heavenly worship and rain prayer was taxing work, in this hot weather, unless necessary, no one was willing to come.

Mostly the head wives of the households came, with only Su Jin as a Heir’s wife.

After everyone sat down, the palace maids served tea and pastries.

Lest attending the heavenly worship required kneeling for some time, drinking tea might mean needing the restroom, yet without drinking, the sun might induce thirst.

The noble ladies hoped the heavens would send rain soon so they could return home earlier.

The palace maid brought pastry, Su Jin drank half a cup of tea and took a piece of pastry to eat.

Nanny Zhou stood beside the Empress, and when Su Jin ate the pastry, her hand clenched instinctively.

Su Jin tasted a bite and felt something unusual about the pastry.

Of course, the pastry wasn’t poisoned.

She only found the taste distinctive.

Even though she had eaten hawthorn pastries often, this one was particularly delicious, keeping her unable to stop.

Had it not been for the heavenly worship, she surely would have sought out the pastry chef.

After finishing one piece, Su Jin took another.

It was nearing noon, about mealtime, having not eaten much in the morning, she was quite hungry.

Su Jin ate three pieces in succession, and seeing no one else eating, she didn’t dare take more.

Everyone sat quietly, waiting for the heavenly worship.

Having drunk most of the tea, Su Jin began to feel restless in her seat, her back itching.

In such a public setting, she couldn’t scratch, yet the itch was unbearable, driving her mad.

Princess NanAn, seated opposite her, glanced and remarked in shock, "What’s happening?"

Everyone turned their gaze, startled by the red rash on Su Jin’s face.

"Could it be poisoning?" Marchioness Beining said worriedly.

Su Jin felt mortified.

She mused why she found the pastry particularly appealing yet couldn’t figure it out.

Thinking back, didn’t the pastry carry a light taste of lizhi?!

Who had turned lizhi into juice and powder? Since it was hawthorn pastry, the hawthorn’s taste was strong, masking the lizhi’s delicate aroma. Even with her keen nose, she hadn’t detected it in time, only finding it delicious.

The rash on her face increased, Su Jin dared not scratch, Princess NanAn approached, saying, "Quickly call the Imperial Physician."

The Empress frowned, "Is Princess NanAn flustered? In terms of medical skill, how could the Imperial Hospital’s physician compare to Princess Consort Zhenbei? I doubt anyone could poison the Heir’s wife, right?"

These words carried heavy implications.

No one could poison Su Jin, yet with a rash resembling poisoning, the Empress seemed to suggest Su Jin poisoned herself to avoid the heavenly worship.

Marchioness Jingguo said, "She can’t attend the worship like this; it’s best to return home first."

Duchess Chong added, "Just as the worship nears, the Heir’s wife falls ill...."

She chuckled and fell silent, but her meaning was clear to all.

Su Jin’s fiery temper—how could she be blamed for being allergic to lizhi?!

Su Jin looked at the Empress, "It seems without calling the Imperial Physician for an examination, I’ll truly be misunderstood as poisoning myself to avoid the worship."

The Empress raised her hand to call for the physician, but Nanny Zhou lowered it, saying, "The heavenly worship is a significant event. The Emperor holds the Heir’s wife dearly, knowing of her sudden rash, he’d surely worry. Should it affect the worship, would Her Majesty not be to blame? With so many attending, one less Heir’s wife won’t matter."

Nanny Zhou was the Empress’s trusted aide.

This sudden defense for Su Jin left the Empress a bit puzzled.

The worship required kneeling, possibly for half an hour at least.

The noble ladies, pampered from deep within their chambers, couldn’t bear such hardship.

The Empress had not given Su Jin any extra hardship; how could she let her skip out since she developed a facial rash, providing an excuse to avoid it?

The Empress was deeply displeased.

Yet Nanny Zhou’s point was valid. Should it affect the worship, she would indeed be culpable.

It wasn’t the time to blow things up, to wait and investigate afterward.

The Empress said nothing more, and Nanny Zhou instructed the palace maids, "Escort Princess Consort Zhenbei back to the mansion, without alarming the Emperor."

Though Su Jin had medicine on her, it wasn’t for allergies.

Actually, an allergy might resolve without medication, provided she endured until the allergen was metabolized.

It was just a distressing process.

Xingxing wasn’t sure how her lady suddenly developed a rash, though it seemed like a lizhi allergy, yet no lizhi was eaten.

Xingxing supported Su Jin out of the side hall.

Xie Jingchen and the others weren’t in the main hall, speaking with Commandery Prince NanAn and others.

From afar, seeing Su Jin, Chu Shun exclaimed, "What’s happened to sister-in-law’s face?"

Xie Jingchen hurried over, asking, "What happened?"

"Nothing, just an allergy. I’m returning to the mansion," Su Jin replied.

Xie Jingchen couldn’t escort Su Jin back personally.

But he was uneasy.

How could an allergy occur suddenly? He knew Su Jin was only allergic to lizhi.

If by any chance it was a distraction, like at the Great Buddha Temple before, regret would be too late.

Xie Jingchen instructed the Hidden Guard to escort Su Jin to the mansion and was still uneasy, saying, "Father must have brought a Hidden Guard; I’ll go find Father."

Xie Jingchen went to find the Prince.

The Prince frowned, "An allergy? Did she eat lizhi?"

Xie Jingchen looked at the Prince, "How did Father know she’s allergic to lizhi?"

This detail he hadn’t shared with anyone.

Such weaknesses were better kept from excessive spreading.

"Heard it from your mother," the Prince replied.

The Prince called out a Hidden Guard, instructing him to escort Su Jin home.

After giving instructions, the Prince left, but Xie Jingchen didn’t believe the Prince.

Though Xingxing could sometimes be overly chatty, she was obedient and wouldn’t disclose the Marquis and Mrs. Tang’s instructions to anyone.

She wouldn’t leak to Xique during small talk, and by extension, through the mother and passed to the father.

If the Prince had said he knew long ago, Xie Jingchen wouldn’t think much of it, given the Marquis Dongxiang’s dealings with the Old Prince for many years; knowing wouldn’t be surprising.

But clearly, the Prince concealed something.

Just an allergy to lizhi, what’s there to hide?