Jiahan Palace was extremely small, much smaller than Zhao Shu's Jinlan Palace, and located to the west. It took about half an hour to get from Huaying Garden to Jiahan Palace. In addition, the Crown Prince had difficulty walking, so it took him almost an hour to get there. Zhao Shu suggested using a palanquin, but the Crown Prince refused.

Throughout the journey, Zhao Shu remained silent. Every time she wanted to say something to comfort the Crown Prince, the words caught in her throat and she couldn't bring herself to speak. The Crown Prince of today was no different from her in her previous life. He poured his heart and soul into being good to someone, only to be betrayed in the end. The emotions he gave were trampled underfoot and used as stepping stones for others.

On a day like New Year's Eve, one shouldn't think about those unbearable past events. She pinched a handful of snow and threw it onto the pine and cypress trees by the roadside, scattering the snow all over the ground.

"If anyone says they have feelings for you in the future, you must never believe them easily. You must bring that person to the Crown Prince. Do you understand?" He patted Zhao Shu's head and said with a smile.

Zhao Shu's nose tingled with emotion, but she nodded with a smile, her voice filled with utmost sincerity, love, and affection. "Don't worry, Your Highness, Ah Jun will definitely not be deceived."

“Ah Jun is sensible, so I’m relieved.” After saying that, there was another long silence. Li Zhuo supported the Crown Prince, stepping on the snow, his thoughts as unstoppable as the crunching sound under his feet.

He secretly glanced at the Crown Prince and assessed in his mind that the Crown Prince's physique was no match for the adult. The most fatal thing was that the Crown Prince was close to the princess. This was a difficult situation.

Seeing Li Zhuo nodding, shaking his head, feeling joyful, and sorrowful, Xiao Zhu pinched him. Li Zhuo glared at Xiao Zhu, who pouted at him. He was so anxious! After serving the Crown Prince for so long, he still couldn't learn how to serve people. He was truly hopeless.

Fortunately, Jiahan Palace came into view. Most of the guards were people brought by Consort Hao. Seeing Zhao Shu and the Crown Prince slowly walking over, they naturally did not know about the intricacies between Consort Hao and the Crown Prince. They only knew that Princess Xiaojun disliked Consort Hao. They exchanged glances and prayed in their hearts that they would not fight.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Jun." Everyone knelt down to pay their respects, while simultaneously blocking Zhao Shu and the Crown Prince. Someone inside the hall had already rushed off to report.

Zhao Shu helped the Crown Prince stand in front of the palace gate, ignoring the guards. Xiao Zhu stepped forward and deliberately raised his voice, "Your Highness the Crown Prince and the Princess have come to visit the Imperial Concubine. Why don't you go and report this immediately?"

"Your Highness, Princess, please follow me." Hua Mei then stepped forward and curtsied to Zhao Shu and the Crown Prince.

"Ha, they really came fast," Zhao Shu laughed sarcastically.

The Crown Prince's hand trembled slightly. Zhao Shu looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips. The Crown Prince's expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing. He did not lose his composure. She helped him and slowly walked into the Jiahan Palace.

His legs were really inconvenient, and half of his body was leaning on Li Zhuo, who was practically carrying him. Even in such a predicament, he was able to put on a confident smile.

Zhao Shu sighed, feeling more and more heartbroken as she looked at the relationship. The most helpless thing in a relationship is that I was young and naive, innocent and deeply in love, while you planned to leave and trample this relationship into the dust.

Arriving at a pavilion, Consort Hao looked like a piece of cloth fluttering in the wind, about to collapse at any moment. Yet, her snow-white face held a hint of composure as she watched Zhao Shu and the Crown Prince slowly approach. "I am unwell and cannot rise to greet you. Someone, please offer seats to His Highness and the Princess."

Li Zhuo carried the Crown Prince to a chair, but Xiao Zhuzi pulled him down. Zhao Shu stood by the Crown Prince's side the whole time, taking care of him, and looked at Consort Hao with a cold face.

"The princess doesn't seem as cute as before." Consort Hao was only fifteen or sixteen years old, but she had to act like an adult and speak to Zhao Shu in a senior manner.

Zhao Shuhan said in a cold voice, "The Imperial Concubine is not as wise as I thought."

Hua Mei's face showed anger, but she didn't dare to say anything. She just glared at Zhao Shu indignantly. Hao Shumei smiled and looked at the Crown Prince, "What do you think, Your Highness? I didn't know that Your Highness and the Princess were so close. In the past, Your Highness often said in front of me that the Princess was a crybaby. Now it seems that the Princess is definitely not the kind of person who cries."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shu smiled sarcastically. What a clumsy attempt to sow discord. If it were her past self, she would definitely have believed it. There were multiple layers of meaning in her words. It was truly remarkable that a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl could have such cunning.

The Crown Prince patted Zhao Shu's hand as a gesture of comfort, saying, "Your Highness, please be careful with your words. I used to be your cousin, but now that you are a Noble Consort, I still have to address you as my stepmother."

"Congratulations, Your Highness. At such a young age, you are able to become the stepmother of so many princes. You are truly blessed." Zhao Shu chuckled and said mockingly, "However, it is best to have your own son. No matter how you raise someone else's son, he will never be truly worthy."

"The princess is so young, yet she knows that other people's sons are hard to raise. I truly admire her. The princess consort died young, and there is no one to teach the princess propriety and morality. I am truly anxious to see this. When I return to the palace, I will definitely suggest to Her Majesty the Empress that a few governesses be assigned to teach the princess." Hao Shumei was not to be outdone. She went to Fengxin Palace today because she didn't want these two people to have an easy time!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shu's face turned ashen. She wanted to retaliate, but the Crown Prince stopped her. He said, "Whether A-Jun knows propriety and shame is not for the Imperial Concubine to judge. I have come to the Imperial Concubine today only to apologize for breaking my promise. Whether you accept my apology or not, now that you are Imperial Concubine Hao, my apology will probably not be delivered. As Mei-mei, I have apologies, but I will not forgive you. As Imperial Concubine, if you do evil, I will not let you off."

Hao Shumei listened with a smile as the Crown Prince finished speaking. "Your Highness is joking. There is no need for Your Highness to apologize. I have never taken Your Highness's words to heart. If Your Highness insists on apologizing, I will not accept it. I should thank Your Highness for not returning for months without a word. Otherwise, how could I have become a Noble Consort above Consort Ling?" She spoke casually and with endless sarcasm. After speaking, she looked at Zhao Shu and said, "I have something to say to the Princess. Your Highness is not feeling well, so please go and rest."

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