The beauty of the Hou family and the king's plan

When she heard Shen Baozhao's footsteps, she turned around, her eyes changing from surprise to delight.

"Fourth sister, why are you here?" She was about to stand up and talk to Shen Baozhao, but when she saw Concubine Shu's trusted palace maid standing beside her, she didn't dare to.

Shen Baozhao saw Shen Jing kneeling beside the fire, boiling medicine for Concubine Shu. He didn't know how long she had been kneeling there. In the March weather, beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her body was about to collapse.

She walked forward, pulled Shen Jing up, and sat her on the rose chair beside her.

The maid at the side said to Shen Jing with a stern face: "I advise you to continue kneeling and boiling the medicine. This will show your sincerity. When the Concubine Shu recovers from her illness, she will also give you a credit."

Shen Baozhao heard the maid's rude words and said, "Who do you think you are? How dare you order the noble to do something?"

"Your Majesty governs the country with generosity and benevolence. When have you ever heard that making medicine while kneeling will make it more effective?"

"How could you come up with such a method to torture people? Or is this what Concubine Shu wanted?"

When the maid saw Shen Baozhao mention His Majesty, she did not dare to refute him. She could only pick out Concubine Shu and take the blame on herself.

"I was worried about your health and acted on my own initiative. It has nothing to do with you."

"Now that the medicine is ready, I will leave first." After saying this, she left in a hurry.

Without further ado, Shen Baozhao lifted up Shen Jing's skirt and rolled up her trouser legs. Her knees were bruised and purple, the skin on the surface was broken, and blood was oozing out.

Shen Jing hissed, "Fourth sister, it's okay."

"Didn't I hear that you are very favored by the emperor? How dare she let you be injured? Aren't you afraid of being discovered when you sleep with him?" Shen Baozhao asked.

Shen Jing smiled bitterly: "Since I entered the palace, she has been very affectionate to me and pretended to be generous by assigning me the west wing of Changchun Palace to live in. She even flattered herself in front of His Majesty because of this."

"The emperor has been staying at my place for the past few days. But the Sixth Prince has passed away, and his body is still in Changchun Palace. She was sure that the emperor would not stay overnight, so she did this."

Shen Baozhao took out a bottle of golden wound medicine from his body and applied it carefully to Shen Jing.

"Do you think it's worth it?" Shen Baozhao asked.

Shen Jing glanced at Shen Baozhao in surprise and lowered her head: "Fourth sister, nothing is worth it."

"Let me ask you, how have my aunt and brother been doing since I entered the palace?"

Shen Baozhao understood that the people Shen Jing cared about most were Aunt Lan and Shen Jiezhang, so he told Shen Jing what the old lady had said to her.

Shen Jing smiled with satisfaction: "This is worth it. Does the palace still want me to help Concubine Shu to maintain her favor?"

Shen Baozhao was surprised that Shen Jing was also very sensitive. Or maybe she had already seen through the selfishness of the elders in the Ning'an Marquis's Mansion.

I'm just a little worried: "If you don't want to..."

Before Bao Zhao finished speaking, Shen Jing stopped him and said, "Fourth sister, I don't have the right to choose."

Shen Baozhao also knew that Shen Jing was telling the truth. As long as Aunt Lan and Shen Jie Zhang did not leave the Marquis' Mansion, she would be constrained.

"Then make yourself strong, so strong that the Concubine Shu will not dare to mess with you. Even strong enough that the Earl's Mansion will have to rely on you." Shen Baozhao's tone was light but powerful.

Shen Jing was stunned and asked herself, can she do it?

But she saw Shen Baozhao's determined eyes and nodded: "Fourth sister, thank you. I know what to do."

Many years later, when Shen Jing recalled her youth, she could never forget that noon when Shen Baozhao gave her the strength to be steadfast and unyielding.

Shen Baozhao prepared the medicine and gave it to Shen Jing: "This is something I made myself. It's better than the imperial physician's medicine."

"You keep it for a rainy day."

Shen Jing showed gratitude on her face: "Fourth sister, if my aunt asks, please tell me that everything is fine."

Shen Baozhao nodded and agreed.

Just as the two of them finished their conversation, a eunuch's shrill voice came from outside: "The emperor has arrived~."

Shen Baozhao and Shen Jing looked at each other, straightened their appearance, and followed Shen Jing out to the main hall of Changchun Palace, standing behind Concubine Shu.

When Emperor Chengde approached, everyone knelt and kowtowed.

"My beloved concubine, please get up quickly." Emperor Chengde held up Concubine Shu as she was about to fall down.

The concubine raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, and she said, "Your Majesty, our Xiaoliu is gone."

Emperor Chengde also showed a sad look on his face after hearing this, and comforted Concubine Shu softly.

Shen Baozhao looked up and saw Emperor Chengde. Although he did not look as young as the Second Master Shen, he was very elegant, and the few strands of white hair on his temples made him look more mature.

Following behind were two princes wearing four-clawed python robes. Shen Baozhao followed the crowd and saluted the princes.

They stood up together and hid behind Shen Jing.

Emperor Chengde was still comforting Concubine Shu, and couldn't help shedding a few tears as the old man sent the young away.

Over there, one of the taller princes wearing a purple gold crown stepped forward and said, "Father, please accept my condolences. The dead cannot be resurrected."

"If Xiaoliu knew that his father and Empress Shufei were so sad, he would definitely not be able to leave with peace of mind."

Shen Baozhao recognized that this person was the crown prince. The other person standing beside him must be the third prince. His biological mother was Empress Defei, who was said to be ill and taking medicine all year round and rarely showed up.

The third prince also stepped forward to comfort him and tugged at Emperor Chengde's sleeve: "Father, please let Xiaoliu go in peace."

Shen Baozhao's eyes darkened. It seemed that the rumor was not true.

It is said that Emperor Chengde and his original empress were deeply in love, and he valued the crown prince born by Empress Yuan much more than other princes.

He even favored Empress Yuan's younger brother, Zhao Qi, the imperial physician.

But the Third Prince's inadvertent affection for His Majesty made them look more like an ordinary father and son.

When the Crown Prince saw the Third Prince pushing him away, he was angry but he remained calm.

The emperor stopped comforting Concubine Shu and only advised her to take good care of her body. He glanced sideways and saw Shen Jing standing beside him.

Her beautiful eyes were full of affection, and her eyes were moving. Her plain clothes made her waist look slender. Emperor Chengde's throat tightened.

He said to Consort Shu who was standing beside him, "Xiao Liu is our beloved son. His funeral must be held in a grand manner. You don't have to worry about the old officials in the court saying too much. I will take care of everything."

After hearing what Emperor Chengde said, Concubine Shu felt warmed in her heart and tears came out again.

Emperor Chengde continued, "You've been busy lately. If Concubine Shen continues to live in Changchun Palace, it will only cause trouble for you."

"I know you have good intentions and want to take care of your sister. But it is not right for the elder sister to suffer while the younger sister has nothing to do."

"How about this, Yongning Palace is still empty. And it's very close to Changchun Palace, so let Concubine Shen move there today. If you sisters want to move around, it will be very convenient."

Concubine Shu stared at Emperor Chengde. She was touched that Emperor Chengde allowed Xiaoliu to leave in a dignified manner. The next moment, she felt heartbroken.

Without showing any emotion, she answered respectfully. But she turned her head and glared at Shen Jing fiercely, her eyes were like those of a cannibal.

Shen Baozhao saw it all. But she didn't care. This was what Shen Jing was going to face. If she couldn't even deal with Concubine Shu, how could she survive in this cannibalistic palace?

However, at this moment Shen Baozhao felt uncomfortable all over, as if someone was looking at him with a sticky, poisonous snake-like gaze.