When Prince Duan arrived at the usual spot, his arms were filled with beautiful women. The women, soft and boneless, nestled against him, speaking in a gentle voice. Their pitiful expressions, filled with endless grievances yet forcing a smile, made his heart ache.

"Your Highness, look, my hands are all cut." The concubine said with great grievance, then hurriedly pushed Prince Duan away, "Your Highness, please go back. I have become ugly and am no longer worthy of Your Highness's heavenly beauty. It would be better if I died so as not to offend Your Highness's eyes."

That tender grievance, that heart-wrenching pain, made Prince Duan's heart ache even more. He forcefully pulled his concubine's hand. In the darkness, he couldn't see clearly, so he gently stroked it with his large hands. Sure enough, he felt a long scratch on his palm. "No matter what the beauty in purple looks like, I will love her."

After saying that, his hands restlessly reached into his sleeves. The concubine in purple hesitated to refuse, but Prince Duan pulled her into his arms again. He placed his hands on her breasts, which were still so full, far superior to the old and faded concubine Zhang in Xiaoxiang Courtyard.

The woman in purple pressed herself against him as he touched her, burying her head in his chest. Her breathing soon became heavy. "I am content to have Your Highness's favor. I will not see Your Highness again. I want to leave my most beautiful self in Your Highness's heart. If I work hard in the future, I will become as ugly as those rough women in the mountains. I do not want Your Highness to see me like that."

Her flirtatious words sounded extremely innocent and aggrieved. Upon hearing this, Prince Duan cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "I won't allow you to overthink it. Don't worry, I will definitely stand up for you."

"Your Highness, please don't." The concubine reached out and covered Duan Wang's mouth with her slender, delicate hand, which Duan Wang grasped and put in his mouth.

"I do not wish for Your Highness to be burdened by me. I will bear all the hardships myself. I only wish Your Highness peace, health, and good fortune in the future."

"Purple Robe." Upon hearing the tender words of his concubine in purple robes, Prince Duan's heart stirred. He bent down and kissed her lips deeply and for a long time, their tongues intertwined, unwilling to let go.

The concubine in purple was more proactive than ever before, as if tonight was the last time they would be intimate. Holding Prince Duan's head, the two kissed passionately in the night.

Prince Duan's hands expertly explored his concubine's body, and before long, he had loosened her clothes and they were about to make love...

The next morning, Zhao Shu got up early, feeling refreshed. After washing up, she had breakfast with Huo Danlan as usual. They had a glass of milk, a few small steamed buns, and some nourishing porridge, which was very elaborate. Just as they finished eating, Green Ivy came and said, "Princess, His Highness Prince Duan invites you to come over."

Zhao Shuzheng was eating a small crystal bun when she mumbled a reply. Then she and Huo Danlan began to discuss, "Auntie, I think there's not enough filling. It would be better to add more meat."

Huo Danlan chuckled and said indulgently, "You're going to become a little fatso sooner or later."

“Fatty is lucky,” Zhao Shu retorted, adding, “Little Fatty should eat more meat. Mr. Huo must have tormented him too much, which is why he’s called Little Fatty, but he’s not fat at all.”

The chubby boy, who was listening to Huo Baichuan tallying up the money in the accounting room at Huo's residence, yawned and muttered, "Who's talking about me?"

Huo Baichuan glanced at him sideways, "Did you chop the firewood?"

The chubby boy immediately put on a pained expression and said ingratiatingly, "Young master, you see, this servant is just trying to protect you. How about we chop it another day?"

“I’ll split 40,000 catties another day.” Huo Baichuan looked down at the account book, but when he looked up again, he said, “In the first year of Mingde, there was a flood in the south, and a large number of disaster victims poured into the capital. My father asked you, Seventh Uncle, to open the granaries for disaster relief. In the first year of Mingde, a catty of new grain cost sixteen coins. That year, there weren’t that many disaster victims. Even if you used 100,000 taels of new grain for disaster relief, it would only cost 16,000 taels of silver. What is the purpose of this expenditure of 50,000 taels? Don’t tell me that it was all given to the disaster victims. I have never heard of my Huo family having such a good deed in Bianzhou.”

Huo Chengye, a member of the collateral branch of the Huo family, who was standing to the side, felt a pang of unease. Fifty thousand taels was not much for the Huo family. He thought that Huo Baichuan was just going through the motions, but he didn't expect that Huo Baichuan would actually pay attention to the events of Mingde. So many years had passed, and he himself had forgotten about it. He didn't expect that Huo Baichuan could discover the problem.

He dared not speak carelessly for a moment. It was said that Young Master Huo was extremely wise. If he spoke carelessly and made a mistake, it would ruin things. He said awkwardly, "Perhaps the accountant made a mistake."

The accountant stood to one side, and upon hearing Huo Chengye's words, he broke out in a cold sweat and felt extremely sad. He used to be very successful with Seventh Master in the capital, but he never expected that one day he would have to take the blame for him. He only hoped that Seventh Master would remember their past relationship and save him.

With a thud, the accountant knelt down, saying, "Young Master, please forgive me. It was this servant who failed in his duty."

“It’s alright, just make up the money. You’re Seventh Uncle’s man, whether I forgive you or not is up to Seventh Uncle.” After he finished speaking, he slammed the account book on the table and stood up. “Seventh Uncle, I see the account book is still a mess. I’ll bring some people over tomorrow to help the accountant. Farewell.”

After saying this, he took the dry grass stuck in the brocade belt at his waist, put it in his mouth, and strode away.

Little Fatty followed closely behind, careful not to anger Huo Baichuan. After leaving the Huo residence, Huo Baichuan glanced at the two large characters "Huo Residence" on the plaque, threw down the hay, and said, "This plaque is too old."

Little Fatty looked up and saw that the plaque was not old at all; it had clearly been recently replaced.

After finishing her breakfast, Zhao Shu went to Xiaoxiang Courtyard with her entourage. Prince Duan was waiting for her in the front hall, along with Consort Zhang, Zhao Changyan, and Zhao Nihong.

Zhao Shu entered the front hall, curtsied, and said, "This niece greets my second uncle, cousin, and cousin." Before Prince Duan could speak, she stood up and enthusiastically ordered the servants to bring out the dishes. "My father was on tour of the country on behalf of my imperial uncle and was unable to properly entertain my second uncle and cousins. Yesterday, before leaving the capital, A-Jun instructed the servants to prepare some of the finest ingredients. Today, having prepared these delicacies, I was eager to bring them over for my second uncle and cousins ​​to try."

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