Chapter 152: Offering Cosmetics

Golden light broke through the dark clouds, and a ray of light leaked down from the top of the head.

"Your Majesty, these are the names of the people who are entering the mountain this time." The Yuqing Hall was magnificent and golden, and a strong fragrance emanated from the stove in the center.

General Wang knelt on the ground, stretched out his hands, and pushed the letter in his hands forward.

Under the desk, Xiao Yu was reviewing memorials. After hearing this, he raised his head and looked over there.

"It's not much different from the list in previous years." General Wang stood aside and replied respectfully.

These are the almost all the concubines who come to Yuquan Mountain every year.

After all, all the high-ranking concubines are here, and the Emperor brings them along every year.

Those unfavored concubines had few opportunities in previous years, and it was harder than climbing to the sky to make a name for themselves.

The only difference this year is that two more ladies were selected to enter the palace in the first two months.

This year there are a few more people on the list.

"Concubine Zhou's father and brother went to Qiongzhou to control the flood and made great contributions. The Imperial Concubine made an exception and brought Concubine Zhou with them." I heard that Concubine Zhou has been in the palace for a long time, but has not yet served His Majesty.

But because of her noble status, she was made an exception and brought along even though she was not qualified.

General Wang thought about what the Imperial Concubine had told him, and replied with a sullen face, "There is also Concubine Wang. The Imperial Concubine said that the journey is too far, so Concubine Wang's family doesn't need to come."

The meaning is actually very clear. Miss Wang, you have a good family background. Although you came to Yuquan Mountain with me this time, visiting relatives has nothing to do with pain.

The reason she was able to come in was just because of her good relationship with Lady Zhou.

These matters were originally under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Concubine, and in previous years the Emperor rarely looked at the list.

I don't know why, but this year I started to care about these things.

Wang Mao thought about it, and then he looked up and looked forward.

His Majesty sat behind a long white jade desk, flipping over a memorial document with his palm.

He looked down one by one until he saw the words "Shen Family", then he stopped.

"Chen Changshan didn't come this time?" Shen Changshan's name was not on the list of people the Shen family wanted to meet with the emperor.

Wang Mao stood aside, not expecting that the Emperor would be so concerned about this matter.

His eyes scattered for a few times, and it took him almost a long time to think carefully before he remembered who Shen Changshan was.

He is the father of Concubine Shen and Shen Ronghua in the palace.

Speaking of Shen Changshan, he naturally had some real abilities. He passed the imperial examination in his first year.

There were 27 Jinshi candidates, the youngest of those years.

After the imperial examination, Shen Changshan successfully entered the court and was sent out of Beijing for three years. After returning, he successfully entered the Dali Temple.

Although he has no real power, he is also steady and cautious. If everything goes smoothly, it is impossible for Shen Changshan to be so unknown in the court now.

"He arrived, but he said he was not going to visit his relatives." Wang Mao immediately replied, "He said he was sick and asked for leave from the court officials."

It would be strange if people went to Yuquan Mountain but did not go to meet him.

It is clear that both daughters are in the palace.

Concubine Shen is favored, and Shen Ronghua is pregnant.

The Shen family today is not the same as before. Everyone in the court is fawning on them. It is really strange that Shen Changshan does not go to see his daughter at this time.

"Oh, what a coincidence that you got sick." Xiao Yu put down the memorial in his hand, his face cold.

He was afraid that Shen Changshan would not be there, so he issued an order in advance to keep him in Kyoto.

I didn't expect that these people were still in Kyoto. They would take advantage of the situation and simply call in sick and say they would not come.

"Your Majesty, do you feel something is wrong?" Wang Mao did not expect His Majesty to be like this. Besides, could it be that Shen Changshan had violated His Majesty's taboo in some way?

Wang Mao asked, and Xiao Yu glanced at him indifferently. He looked at the memorial again: "The two people from the Shen family, besides Old Madam Shen, this Aunt Cui..."

Xiao Yu placed his fingertips on the folded paper and tapped it lightly a few times: "Who is this?"

"This..." Wang Mao hesitated for a while and replied:

"The person who came explained that this person was Shen Changshan's concubine, who was taken into the mansion many years ago."

As a child of Kyoto, he didn't know much about these court officials, and he knew more about Shen Changshan from hearsay. I just heard that after marrying the eldest daughter of an orphan family in Suzhou, the Shen family enjoyed great prosperity for a while, but within a few years the two families fell out again.

Shen Changshan has never remarried for all these years, and the only person serving him is a concubine he has taken in over the years.

Everyone thought that he gave up the idea of ​​marrying a second wife in memory of his deceased wife, and many people were very moved.

"Cui..."

Xiao Yu looked at the three words "Aunt Cui" on the memorial, his eyes full of coldness.

I don’t know if Shen Fu can withstand this news.

For the first time, the emperor hesitated. Sometimes he even wondered if it would be better not to let Shen Fu know about this.

But... her fingertips tapped the table rapidly. She had promised Chen Fu that when the truth came out, she would see if she could bear it.

***********

Chen Fu hurried to Yuqing Palace, but was still a step late.

She listened to the conversation inside and was led by Lin An to the side hall: "Your Majesty is discussing matters with the ministers, my lady, please sit here and wait for a while."

Lin An stood at the door and respectfully led Shen Fu inside.

Chen Fu sat on the bench, listening to the occasional voices coming from inside, and couldn't help but clench the powder in her hands.

The wound should be on the neck, right?

Since it is on the neck and the collar cannot cover it, if His Majesty meets the ministers in this state at this time, won’t he be seen by others?

A scar like that... and, and in that place... I'm afraid anyone who has seen it knows how it was left there.

Shen Fu sat in the chair, still a little confused when thinking about what happened last night.

How come she is so courageous?

But if I remember correctly, I really bit His Majesty's neck. How can His Majesty meet the ministers in this state?

Shen Fu really couldn't figure it out, and her head was aching from the confusion.

I don't know how long I waited, the palace maids came back and forth to bring tea three times.

Lin An then respectfully led her to the inner room: "Your Majesty asked Miss Shen Fu to go in by herself."

Chen Fu glanced at Lin An, then looked at the wide-open door in front of her before taking a deep breath and walking in.

Inside the main hall, a scent of perilla incense was burning in the white jade furnace in the center.

Shen Fu smelled the faint fragrance, and the further she walked in, the weaker her legs felt. She knew what was about to happen, but she thought of the wound on His Majesty's neck.

Shen Fu took a deep breath, but still bit her lip and walked in.

She walked all the way until she saw the ebony and gilded desk, then her legs went weak and she stopped where she was.

Behind the desk, Xiao Yu was handling official business with his head down. He was wearing a black suit with dark patterns today, and a jade pendant with a ring pattern hung around his waist. With her long hair tied up in a jade crown, she lowered her head to handle official business, but her imposing aura could not be concealed.

Hearing the footsteps stop, Xiao Yu stopped holding the brush and looked up.

His Majesty's face was handsome and elegant. He smiled and looked at Chen Fu: "What are you looking at? Are you afraid to move forward?"

When Shen Fu saw the look in His Majesty's eyes, her heart trembled.

She stood behind the desk and took a special look at His Majesty's neck, until she was sure that the deep tooth mark was indeed left on His Majesty's neck.

Shen Fu's knees softened, and she wanted to kneel down: "Long live the Lord..."

It would be fine if His Majesty didn't reward her. Chen Fu could still pretend she didn't know and fool her.

But now, the Emperor is showing great respect to her. There was no reason for Shen Fu to pretend to be unaware.

Chen Fu bit her lip, took two steps forward to the desk, and simply knelt down with her knees softened.

Xiao Yu was standing behind the desk and put down the brush in his hand when he saw this. Xiao Yu casually picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip, pretending to be indifferent and said:

"What are you kneeling for?"

There was a smile in his eyes, but he deliberately concealed it with the teacup.

Chen Fu has always been brave, and it is rare to see her kneeling on the ground so respectfully and obediently like she is now.

On weekdays, he has a fierce face, and Shen Fu is brave. If she saw my expression at this moment, wouldn't she be angry with me?

Chen Fu knelt on the ground, not daring to look up, so she didn't see the smile that flashed across His Majesty's eyes.

"I...I'm here to deliver medicine to His Majesty." Shen Fu's voice was hesitant and not very clear.

He was feeling guilty and his eyes were darting around, but he didn't dare look at the Emperor.

Xiao Yu stood behind the desk and watched everything that happened.

He just felt funny in his heart, stroking the teacup in his palm, and deliberately coughed: "Medicine? I am healthy and have no disasters, what medicine do I need?"

Is His Majesty really angry?

Shen Fu just felt a headache. She didn't know who had insisted on tossing her around last night.

She really couldn't bear it anymore, so she bit the Emperor. If His Majesty had not given her the hairpin today, she would have gotten away with it.

After thinking it through, Shen Fu felt that His Majesty was really scheming.

Then where is the hairpin? It's clearly a hook.

Just waiting for her to bite it and willingly fall into the arms of His Majesty.

“Yes, Your Majesty is healthy and free from disaster…” After Shen Fu figured it out, she quickly raised her head.

He forced a smile towards the Emperor above his head: "It's just that there is a small wound on the Emperor's neck."

Chen Fu's legs were already sore, and she had been kneeling for so long without the Emperor calling her to get up. If she continued kneeling, she would feel stiff.

She raised her head, smiled at His Majesty, and quickly got up from the ground.

Lin An, who was standing in the corner, saw this and felt his eyelids twitch. This Miss Chen Fu is really brave, she can really do anything.

But His Majesty never gets angry.

Hey, this is really amazing.

Lin An opened his eyes and closed them again.

Sure enough, His Majesty was not angry at all after seeing this. He just looked at Chen Fu approaching him with a little doting.

"Your Majesty, look, this is for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis."

"This bottle is for relieving pain and removing blood stasis, and... this bottle, this bottle is for making the best wound medicine." Chen Fu placed the bottles of ointment she brought in front of His Majesty one by one.

Xiao Yu looked at the bottles and jars on the table and felt the veins on his forehead throbbing.

"Did you bring all these?" His Majesty tapped the table with his fingertips.

Shen Fu's eyes dodged, not daring to look at the Emperor's neck at all: "Yes..."

"When I think of the wound on Your Majesty's neck... on his neck, I feel worried."

"This... that's why I specially sent the medicine to His Majesty." Shen Fu said, and deliberately pushed the medicine on the table towards His Majesty's hand.

Xiao Yu lowered his head and looked at the bottles and jars on the table, feeling a headache.

"I remember that these medicines were brought to you by me." His Majesty said, glancing between Chen Fu's legs.

Sensing His Majesty's gaze, Shen Fu's already slightly trembling legs shook even more violently.

These plasters were indeed given to her by His Majesty.

His Majesty is very ruthless and refuses to show restraint in this matter. Shen Fusheng was very delicate, and afterwards her body was often swollen here or red there.

Every time a Hui was injured, the Emperor would bring her some ointments, and after a while, he had accumulated a lot of them.

Chen Fu looked at His Majesty's eyes, then looked at the ointment on the table, her cheeks flushed, "Yes, His Majesty brought it to me."

"It's just that the effects of this medicine are the same." Shen Fu said, pushing the medicine bottle into the hands of the emperor more and more boldly, full of hints.

"It...it can heal any wound on the bed."

Xiao Yu was drinking tea and almost spit out the tea after hearing this. He turned his head and coughed violently: "Chen Fu, you almost choked me to death!"

What do you mean everything can be cured even if it’s on the bed?

Xiao Yu looked at the plaster on the table with complicated eyes. Most of these are blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing medicines.

Every time Shen Fu did it, she would cry out in pain, and afterwards he would take it and rub it on Shen Fu's body.

She was quite 'smart' and brought them all at once.

Some of the plasters were still in use last night!

Xiao Yu just felt his face getting hot, and he wanted to pry open Shen Fu's head to see what was in her mind.

But looking down at Shen Fu's pure and innocent look, he coughed lightly and turned his head away.

"Is there anything else that I don't know?" Is there anything that Shen Fu dare not think of?

"How does His Majesty know?" Shen Fu clenched the powder in her sleeves and her eyes widened after hearing this.

"Really?" When he turned sideways, the raised collar fell down, and Shen Fu could see it more clearly as she was closer.

Looking at the teeth marks under the black collar, I felt a rare sense of guilt. Your Majesty, where is the shortage of medicine? She brought those medicines just as a prelude.

What she really wanted to give was the powder hidden in her sleeves.

She had just met the minister, and she was afraid that when the Emperor met any concubine in the harem like this, she would be unable to explain herself.

"Your Majesty is so majestic that he must not be harmed." Shen Fu was sweet-mouthed and hurriedly praised him.

"I couldn't help myself and hurt His Majesty's body.

As Shen Fu spoke, she hurriedly and carefully placed the powder in her hand in front of His Majesty: "To make amends, this concubine specially presents this to you."

Xiao Yu lowered his head and looked at the powder used by the woman on the table. When he looked up again, he saw Shen Fu's serious face.

The veins on his forehead throbbed rapidly.

He tried to hold back, but couldn't help it: "Chen Fu! You are so brave!"