Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Zhaoyi's Eleventh Day

In the following months at the end of the year, regardless of what happened in private, the concubines in the harem appeared to be harmonious.

Shen Qing stepped into the Qianqing Palace, took off his thick cloak and handed it to the palace maid who came forward.

The Qianqing Palace has underground heating, so even if it snows heavily outside, you won’t feel any cold inside.

Wang Ding has already started to walk around Ji Chen and no longer has to deal with the affairs of the Qianqing Palace warehouse.

He said considerately, "Your Majesty, it is snowing outside, and the road is slippery due to the darkness. You should take care of yourself. Your Majesty, your servants will take care of everything here."

Shen Qing had an endless sorrow between his brows. He looked into the hall. The lights were on inside and he could still see the young eunuchs busy moving memorials.

"The Emperor has been working hard for several days, and he summoned the imperial physician this afternoon. How can I sit still?"

After saying this, Shen Qing lowered his head and saw that the snow on his shoes had melted away, then he raised his foot and walked inside.

Ji Chen had been busy for a few days, and she hadn't seen Ji Chen for a few days. After all, he was busy with state affairs. Wouldn't her coming to the Ganqing Palace distract Ji Chen?

It happened to be snowing those days, so she was in Chengqian Palace, brewing tea by the fire with Concubine Lan and Concubine Chen. Looking at the wintersweets outside with crystal snowflakes hanging on them was quite interesting.

But she didn't expect that Ji Chen would summon the imperial physician that afternoon. Bai Ying came to report that the dragon's body was damaged, and she would be too heartless if she didn't come.

Moreover, although it was windy and snowy outside, the snowflakes were flying sideways and the road was slippery, she had a hand warmer and a palace maid holding an umbrella for her, so she just had to pay attention to her step, and the road from Chengqian Palace to Qianqing Palace was not difficult to walk.

Shen Qing was indeed anxious. She was probably the person who least wanted Ji Chen to be ill.

All her honor and status depended on Ji Chen.

If Ji Chen is harmed, she will not be happy.

After entering the hall, Wang Ding gestured to Qian Ji, who stepped forward to greet Shen Qing. Ji Chen, who was still bent over the desk reviewing memorials, looked up and sighed, "Why are you here?"

He had just asked Qian Ji and was relieved to know that Shen Qing had gone to bed. However, he did not expect that she would get up and run to him again.

It's so late and still making trouble. Even though Ji Chen knew why Shen Qing came, he still felt uncomfortable.

Next to him was a bowl of black juice that was almost steaming.

Shen Qing felt a little sympathy for Ji Chen. She had been sick before and knew how bitter the medicine was. Before Ji Chen spoke, she had also thought about how to care about Ji Chen's health so that Ji Chen would feel that she cared about him.

But when Ji Chen asked, her eyes turned as red as rabbits and her nose suddenly felt sore.

Shen Qing quickly lowered his head and tried to cover it up, but he couldn't hide it in his voice with a hint of crying.

"I'm worried about you."

She got so flustered that she lost all sense of proportion and forgot to weigh herself.

Shen Qing walked to Ji Chen, still frowning, and muttered with a little displeasure: "Didn't I just call the imperial physician? Your Majesty, why don't you take a good rest and don't take the medicine?"

She used her hand to test the temperature of the porcelain bowl, which was completely cold. She pushed it in front of Ji Chen and then took a closer look at his current appearance.

Ji Chen obviously didn't lose much weight, but the fatigue lingering around his body still made people feel that he had lost a lot of weight.

His lips were dry and his face was pale with an abnormal redness.

Shen Qing was unhappy, but Ji Chen curled his lips and said, "I forgot because I was busy, and Qian Ji didn't remind me either."

Qian Ji said cleverly, "It's my fault. The emperor said after dinner that he should wait for the medicine to cool down. But the medicine turned out to be cold, and I forgot to remind the emperor. I really deserve to be punished."

Shen Qing, whose attention had been diverted by Qian Ji, heard that the medicine was to be taken after dinner and had stayed until now, and he could not help but turn his gaze back to Ji Chen.

There was resentment in her eyes. At this time, he was still using money to fool her!

【Qian Ji is stupid.】

Ji Chen hurriedly picked up the medicine bowl with one hand: "I will drink it now."

Watching Ji Chen drink all the medicine, Shen Qing finally felt relieved.

"My beloved concubine has already gone to bed, why are you here again?" After Ji Chen finished drinking the medicine, although his face was still slightly red due to illness, he was still full of energy, strong and stable, as if he was not affected by his body at all.

If he knew that Shen Qing would come, he would not have kept the medicine until now.

Qian Ji harmed him.

"Originally, I should have come this afternoon, but Bai Tao and Bai Ying stopped me. They told me that it was snowing heavily outside. But when it was time to go to bed, I felt uneasy and had to come to see the emperor no matter what."

"I haven't packed anything yet. I came here in a hurry."

Shen Qing looked solemn, and her tone became heavy involuntarily: "Sure enough, the emperor didn't even take the medicine, how can this disease be cured? No matter how busy you are with government affairs, you should take care of your body. Moreover, even if you don't care about your body, you should pity me a little. I feel very uncomfortable seeing you like this."

Ji Chen wanted to say that Shen Qing's words were fallacious and how did these words connect? But Shen Qing said that she was feeling uncomfortable, so he couldn't open his mouth and could only listen to the lecture with a smile.

Shen Qing got angry again, frowned and said with tears in her eyes: "You're still laughing?"

Ji Chen's lips had to straighten.

But even so, Shen Qing was still not satisfied and felt that Ji Chen was ruining her body.

Ji Chen could only say: "I know my body well, there is no problem."

[I have bathed in snow water, practiced martial arts in thin clothes in freezing weather, I don’t need a doctor for minor illnesses, and a bowl of medicine can cure major illnesses. I think this is nothing.]

He had more energy than ordinary people. He would always get up early to attend court without any discomfort. He even had plenty of energy to practice martial arts and ride horses, balance the various relationships between the harem and the court, care about the people's livelihood, and plan to close the net.

Ji Chen reviewed his resume in his mind and felt that this illness was really a small matter. He had only stayed up for a few nights.

The tears that had been welling up in Shen Qing's eyes suddenly fell.

Ji Chen was flustered and used a handkerchief to wipe Shen Qing's tears. He didn't understand why his comforting words made Shen Qing cry.

"I'm really fine." Ji Chen repeated.

Shen Qing didn't look at him, wiped her tears, and turned to ask Qian Ji: "How many days has the emperor not slept?"

Ji Chen touched his eyes and gestured to Qian Ji.

If Qian Ji dared to tell the truth, he would be dead.

Qian Ji, feeling two pairs of eyes falling on him, lowered his head even more tightly. The more he spoke, the more mistakes he would make. He would rather be a mute.

Seeing that Qian Ji couldn't get any information out of him, Shen Qing said to Ji Chen, "Go to sleep."

Ji Chen felt that his appearance had been exposed, so he did not argue whether he was asleep or not, but only moved his eyes to the imperial desk: "Memorial..."

Shen Qing pursed her lips and took a step back: "Finish reviewing the important ones first."

She couldn't really delay Ji Chen's review of memorials. What if she missed something important? She couldn't bear the responsibility.

But she couldn't bear to delay it any further.

Ji Chen was satisfied. Although Shen Qing didn't know which memorials were important, he still read all of them.

However, just as he had this thought, he heard Shen Qing say, "I will stand here and serve you with your writing. No matter whether it is three o'clock or five o'clock, I will accompany you."

Shen Qing's tear-washed eyes revealed determination. Ji Chen had no way to easily change Shen Qing's decision, so he asked Qian Ji to present all the important memorials.

Even so, it still took me a quarter of an hour.

Shen Qing already felt tired, but Ji Chen still looked energetic. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart that it was true that the energy of an emperor far exceeded that of ordinary people.

She knew why Ji Chen was so tired. In addition to the fact that he had been busy with state affairs recently, Ji Chen's tolerance for officials deceiving their superiors and concealing the truth had decreased. He wanted to take control of all matters in his own hands, which was undoubtedly impossible and energy-consuming.

The reason why Ji Chen came up with this idea was the letter that Princess Yongfu Ji Xian sent back from various prefectures.

Ji Chen had thought of making a secret visit, but his target was too big, and no matter how he tried to cover it up, the effect was still not good. Ji Xian happened to be grown up, capable of taking on responsibilities, and willing to work for him, so he let Ji Xian out of the palace under the pretext of sending him on a study tour and secretly visited officials in various places.

The guards he gave to Ji Xian were all loyal to the emperor, came from poor backgrounds, and were highly skilled in martial arts.

Ji Xian lived up to expectations and made great progress by the end of the year. Letters flew into the palace like snowflakes.

So Ji Chen worked tirelessly day and night.

Ji Chen stood up and Shen Qing pulled him towards the bedroom.

After undressing and lying on the bed, Shen Qing stroked his furrowed brows and skillfully pressed his forehead. Soon, Ji Chen relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.

After falling asleep, Ji Chen's aura weakened, making him look even more pitifully ill.

Shen Qing kissed the corner of his lips tenderly, feeling inexplicably bitter in his heart.

When he woke up the next day, Ji Chen had already gone to court. Since this was the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Shen Qing did not sleep in and got up.

Wang Ding had more opportunities to see Shen Qing when he walked in front of people.

During a casual interval, Wang Ding said, "Noble Lady Chu has sent soup to the emperor several times in the past few days. When the emperor went to visit the third prince, Concubine De made a suggestion to the emperor on behalf of Noble Lady Chu."

Shen Qing understood what he meant.

Wang Ding naturally hoped that she could maintain the exclusive favor, and it would be best if no one else could dilute the emperor's favor for her, so he paid more attention to this aspect.

But if Wang Ding wanted to go one step further and gain the emperor's trust like Qian Ji, he should not have communicated with her, the concubine.

Shen Qing said solemnly: "You don't have to tell me these things. It's not good for you. You should be loyal to the emperor."

Wang Ding was stunned for a moment: "But I hope the queen is well."

"People should plan for themselves." After Shen Qing said this, he went to look at Ji Chen's medicine, leaving Wang Ding thinking silently.

Wang Ding...does not agree with this statement.

Shen Qing stayed in the Qianqing Palace in the name of attending to Ji Chen's illness. All she worried about every day was Ji Chen's medicine three times a day and whether he had enough sleep.

Ji Chen was in the wrong because he was sick, so he obediently accepted Shen Qing's arrangement.

Having Shen Qing around is both painful and sweet.

Ji Chen could no longer devote himself to government affairs as he wished, but his health was getting better. At least he was not as scary as Shen Qing saw that night.

On this day, Concubine Chu was worried about the emperor's health, so she carefully prepared a bowl of ginseng soup and brought it to the emperor.

The people in the imperial court would naturally be more flexible as they received special instructions from Concubine De.

The bowl of ginseng soup was brought to Ji Chen. At this moment, Shen Qing was satisfied that Ji Chen had finished drinking the medicine, and his eyes fell on the soup brought in by the eunuch.

She asked doubtfully, "This soup doesn't seem to be made by the emperor?"

It is no exaggeration to say that she tasted all the soups served in front of the emperor.

Ji Chen said: "It was sent by Concubine Chu."

"Oh." Shen Qing understood, although he felt a little embarrassed, but this was a very common thing after all.

His face was very calm, without any sign of fluctuation.

However, Ji Chen suddenly felt uncomfortable.

[She... doesn't care. How can she not care about this? ]