The carriage fell silent. After a long while, Chu Jinghuai glanced at her again and said, "Princess, as long as you stay by my side and do your duty, I will ensure that you die of old age."

Chen Jingxi looked at him speechlessly and said, "Thank you."

But she really didn't intend to stay by his side quietly. The risk factor was too high. In just a few days, she had already been assassinated and robbed.

She won't be so lucky every time, so there's no guarantee that she won't fail next time.

So she agreed to Jiang Xiwan's invitation to participate in the poetry competition, intending to win the competition so that the emperor would grant her a favor in the future.

In the peach forest of the Imperial Garden.

Wen Mingli came over quickly, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Empress."

The Queen turned around and said with a smile, "Master Wen, there is no need to be so polite."

After the maids and eunuchs around her quietly withdrew, the Queen spoke again: "Lord Wen, look at this garden full of peach blossoms, it is as prosperous as a brocade, it is really intoxicating."

Wen Mingli said respectfully, "Your Majesty is right. Although the peach blossom is beautiful, it is ultimately inferior to the peony, the true national beauty."

The queen laughed. There was a character "Mu" in her name, so how could she not know what Wen Mingli meant.

"Lord Wen, there's no need to be cautious when speaking to me."

"I am reckless and I am afraid I may offend Her Majesty."

The Queen smiled and said, "Lord Wen is very considerate, how can he be considered reckless? I have always been very open with you and I thought you were the same."

Wen Mingli knelt down and said, "I acted rashly and did not report it to the Empress beforehand. I am guilty. Please punish me."

"How could Lord Wen be guilty? Ever since twenty-five years ago, Lord Wen has been working for me wholeheartedly. How could I blame Lord Wen for such a small matter?"

"I was originally only an eighth-rank military officer. It was only with the trust of Your Majesty that I became the Minister of the Imperial Household today. Even if I die, I will never be able to repay Your Majesty's grace."

The Queen glanced at Wen Mingli and said, "Master Wen, please stand up. I know that you always take me into consideration."

Wen Mingli stood up and said, "I thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding."

"But you should remember that when Concubine Chen suddenly passed away due to illness, the Emperor was hunting in Yantai Mountain and was unable to return in time. It was I who arranged her burial."

"I am confused and don't remember that much."

"Whether you remember it or not, my Lord, you helped me escape a disaster that year, and I will naturally remember it in my heart. Over the years, Concubine Qin has been the most favored concubine in the six palaces, and she is a little tired. It's time for her to have a good rest."

"I understand."

After Wen Mingli left, a hunched eunuch standing beside the Queen said, "Your Majesty, since Wen Mingli has shown signs of disloyalty, why not..."

The Queen sighed and said, "He has done a lot for me over the years, but even a rabbit will bite when it's angry."

"Your Majesty treated him so well, yet he dared to do such a thing behind your back."

"As a man grows older, he has more things to think about and more worries to worry about. I remember that before Concubine Chen entered the palace, she gave birth to a child. Let's check it out."

"yes."

…

The carriage stopped in front of Prince Su's Mansion.

Chen Jingxi glanced at Chu Jinghuai. In fact, she felt sorry for him for a moment. If her parents said they regretted giving birth to her, she was sure they were joking.

Chu Jinghuai seemed to have gotten used to it. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but this guy had a strong sense of self-esteem and thought she was pitying him.

"Ahem, some people are not born to be parents. You are already very good."

After Chen Jingxi finished speaking, he hurriedly got off the carriage and ran into the palace.

Chu Jinghuai choked, looking at the panicked figure running into Prince Su's Mansion, his heart seemed to be grasped by something.

Some people are not born to be parents. He is already very good. Is he not good enough?

He thought he was not good enough, so his father and mother disliked him, and he tried his best to prove himself.

But when he was strong enough, his father wanted to kill him, and his mother still wished she had never given birth to him. The two people who should have loved him did not want him to survive in this world.

But he insisted on living well and letting them see how the son they despised climbed to the top step by step.

When Chen Jingxi returned to the courtyard, Chunmei came to greet her and said happily, "Princess, I didn't expect you to win the title of the most talented woman. I am so happy for you."

"I'm so exhausted. Wearing such heavy clothes and sitting upright all day. As for Chu Jinghuai, when I wanted to find something to lean on, he said, 'Princess, pay attention to your image.'"

Chunmei smiled and helped her change out of her formal attire. She also asked curiously, "When did the princess learn to play Go? How come I didn't know?"

"Oh, I've read a few chess books, but I didn't expect that I could solve this game."

"The princess is truly gifted. I wonder who will dare to say that she is illiterate in the future."

"No matter how gifted you are, it's not as important as taking a comfortable bath and having a good night's sleep."

Chunmei smiled secretly and winked at the maid beside her. The maid dropped a drop of liquid into the bucket, and instantly a strange fragrance wafted out.

Chen Jingxi frowned, "What did you pour into the bucket?"

Chunmei explained, "Princess, this is Ice Skin Dew. It helps relieve aches and pains and nourishes the skin."

So that's it. She thought it was the shower gel of this era. "Then pour more. I'm sore all over today."

The maids in the room all smiled.

Chunmei also laughed and said, "Princess, you can't use this thing too much. It will hurt a woman's body if you use it too much."

Excessive use may harm the body, but it can relieve soreness and nourish the skin. It sounds a bit like the Xiji Pills used by the Zhao sisters.

"Ahem, if I use this too much, will I be unable to have children?"

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