Qiao Zhen looked at Ye Shangzhou, who was pounding his chest, and she chuckled. But when Ye Shangzhou wasn't paying attention, she quickly wiped the smile off her face and patted his back. "How could you be so careless? You can even choke on water."

Hearing the obvious gloating in Qiao Zhen's words, Ye Shangzhou felt a lump in his throat. Just as he was about to vent, Qiao Zhen subconsciously kissed the corner of his mouth and stroked his back. "Your Majesty, don't be angry, okay?"

This question made Ye Shangzhou feel that he was being petty. After returning to the Imperial Study, he did not go to Yishui Pavilion for three consecutive days, nor did he summon Qiao Zhen to serve him in bed.

Qiao Zhen was happy to be free and didn't go near Ye Shangzhou. "Cuiyin, go ask the Emperor if I can leave the palace for a while, incognito."

Half an hour later, Cuiyin returned, handing Qiao Zhen a plaque from Heque Palace. "Madam, His Majesty wants you to go and return as soon as possible. If you wish to go out and play, His Majesty will accompany you when he has time."

Qiao Zhen nonchalantly set the sign aside, "Then let's wait until His Majesty has time."

She doodled on the paper, standing by her desk until well past midnight, but the drawing was still unfinished. [Xiao Ling, please help me QAQ I need a wheelchair diagram.]

Xiao Ling: [Why didn't you say so sooner? Even if you had, I wouldn't have given it to you.]

Qiao Zhen: [Don't be like that, we're all good friends, good colleagues, and good partners!]

[System Message: System number 0 is low on battery. It has been charged. Please wait.]

Qiao Zhen: I hate it!

This little zero is completely unreliable!

Just as unreliable as her.

For the next few days, Qiao Zhen stayed in Yishuixuan, staring blankly at the Xuan paper spread on her desk.

Ye Shangzhou's legs are weak, and there's no wheelchair available, which greatly restricts his movement. His legs can't be cured for the time being, but they need to find a way to improve the situation; sitting idly by and waiting for death isn't Qiao Zhen's style.

Before Qiao Zhen could figure out the wheelchair's design, Ye Shangzhou had already put everything else aside and wanted to take Qiao Zhen out of the palace for fun. Although it was autumn, it was still a bit hot, so Qiao Zhen and Ye Shangzhou huddled together in the carriage.

It has to be said that the extravagance of the rich is beyond Qiao Zhen's imagination. Ye Shangzhou actually placed a wooden bucket in the carriage, with a block of hard ice inside. White mist swirled around the ice, emanating a cool sensation.

"Selling candied hawthorns~ Three coins a stick~"

"Selling silk flowers~ Five coins a flower~"

"Meat buns~ Even dogs would eat hot meat buns~"

Qiao Zhen lifted the curtain of the carriage and leaned out the window to look at the lively scene outside. She turned her head and looked at Ye Shangzhou with longing eyes, "Your Majesty, I want to eat meat buns."

Ye Shangzhou felt extremely uneasy, but he didn't show it at all. He responded softly, "Hmm."

Qiao Zhen immediately got up and went out. Ye Shangzhou reached out to grab Qiao Zhen's sleeve, but grasped only air. Qiao Zhen was completely unaware of Ye Shangzhou's feelings at that moment; all she knew was that she could eat hot meat buns.

She carried the meat buns into the carriage, only to see Ye Shangzhou's brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. Ugh! Thinking of that, she couldn't eat her meat buns anymore.

"Your Majesty, would you like some meat buns?" Qiao Zhen asked ingratiatingly, offering a meat bun to Ye Shangzhou.

Ye Shangzhou tilted his head. "I won't eat."

Qiao Zhen didn't dare to ask any further questions, so she just held the meat bun and ate it herself. While eating the meat bun, she leaned out the window and watched the commotion outside. "Your Majesty, are you really not going to eat? It's delicious, the meat is tender and juicy, and the dough is soft."

Ye Shangzhou ignored her.

The chrysanthemums by the roadside are in bloom. Although they are not as precious as the chrysanthemums in the palace, they have a unique elegance.

"Let's go to Young Master Jin's residence."

Ye Shangzhou then spared Qiao Zhen a glance, "What are you going to do with Ye Huaijin?"

"Find one of his retainers and have him paint a picture." Qiao Zhen turned to meet Ye Shangzhou's gaze, raised an eyebrow, and asked lewdly, "You still prefer big breasts, don't you?"

Qiao Zhen's interruption greatly relieved Ye Shangzhou's previous irritation. He casually reached out his large hand towards Qiao Zhen's chest and said, "Let me pinch it."

Instead of the shyness Ye Shangzhou had expected, Qiao Zhen puffed out her chest and said, "Come on, after you've finished making this, when you look at Xun Zhou's paintings, you'll think, wow, I really love them."

Ye Shangzhou didn't see the scene he expected. He pinched the hand twice with a lack of interest, then withdrew it. "Smooth talker, if all my concubines were like you, wouldn't the harem be in chaos?"

Qiao Zhen cupped her face and chuckled, "Your Majesty, you're joking again. Your only concubine is me."

"..." This was the truth, and Ye Shangzhou found that he couldn't refute it, but he was not willing to back down. "When I go back, I'll give you a few more sisters."

Qiao Zhen didn't respond, and continued to enjoy her steamed bun while leaning against the window.

The guards drove the carriage to the gate of Ye Huaijin's residence. Qiao Zhen carried Ye Shangzhou down from the carriage and placed him on a simple sedan chair. Ye Shangzhou's hands, hidden in his wide sleeves, tightened slightly.

When Ye Huaijin learned that the servant had informed them, he went to the door to greet Ye Shangzhou and Qiao Zhen.

Qiao Zhen felt that Ye Shangzhou was acting strangely today. In the past, he always seemed fearless in the face of danger, but today he was unusually silent and didn't even bother to fight for sovereignty.

"Your Majesty?"

Ye Shangzhou looked at Qiao Zhen and took her hand in his. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

Qiao Zhen shook her head repeatedly. She was clearly trying to ask Ye Shangzhou what was wrong, but Ye Shangzhou had asked her the same question instead. "Nothing, I'm just feeling a little bored." She turned her head and said to Ye Huaijin, "I've heard that you have a retainer in your household named Xun Yin. His painting skills are superb. Would you mind asking him to paint a piece for me?"

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