Chapter 222 Bathing with Shen Ning

Within two days, Concubine Xu reported this to the Empress Dowager, who mercifully granted all the noble ladies medicinal baths in the hot springs.

The water in the hot spring pool of the palace is drawn from the mountain hot springs. The spring water is warm and clear, and has the effect of nourishing the body and beautifying the skin.

The noble ladies were originally not qualified to go to the hot spring, but the Empress Dowager showed mercy, and for a moment, the entire palace seemed to be filled with joy.

When the Yuan Dynasty envoys heard about the benefits of the medicinal bath in the hot spring, they also asked Emperor Jiaping for permission to bathe in the hot spring. Emperor Jiaping naturally could not be stingy, so he allowed the Crown Prince Muhuali, Princess Haliangzhu and several high-ranking Yuan Dynasty envoys to bathe in the medicinal pool.

The hot spring pool had to be thoroughly cleaned and the water replaced every time it was used. It was a tedious task, so the Queen ordered all the pools in the hot spring pool to be cleaned on the same day and separated by a glazed curtain wall in the hot spring pool.

The twenty hot springs on the left are for female guests to use before noon, and the twenty on the right are for male guests to use after noon.

The hot springs were separated by wooden partitions like small houses, and there were also glazed curtain walls designed by craftsmen as partitions in the hot springs. The times were also staggered, so no one objected to male and female guests being given hot springs on the same day.

That morning, just after breakfast, the fourth princess Xiao Yu and Xie Lingyue came to the Queen Mother and called Chen Ning to go to the hot spring together.

Xiao Yu and Xie Lingyue both like martial arts, and they have not stopped practicing them in the few days since they arrived at the palace. At first, they took people to the mountains to hunt. When the envoys from the Yuan Dynasty arrived, they competed in riding and shooting with the Mu Hualiha Liangzhu siblings. They were very busy.

Thanks to the Queen Mother's gift of a bath, the two finally found time to look for Chen Ning.

The fourth princess Xiao Yu has always been very friendly to Shen Ning because she saved her mother's younger brother's life. Xie Lingyue has a cheerful personality. Since she knew that Shen Ning kept silent and then drove out her cannibalistic father, grandmother and concubine, she has been full of admiration for her cousin.

Both of them were generous and straightforward, and Shen Ning was happy to get along with them, so she did not refuse and went to the hot spring with the two of them.

Xu Wanqing and Shen Nian had already left.

When she arrived at the hot spring pool, Shen Ning saw dozens of noble ladies from wealthy families, some in groups of three or five, and some in pairs. The palace servants in charge of the hot spring pool respectfully handed wooden signs to the ladies one by one.

There aren't so many people on ordinary days, but today there are so many people, the palace servants took out the nameplates corresponding to each hot spring pool to distinguish them and avoid the possibility of people fighting over them.

Chen Ning, Xie Lingyue and Xiao Yu received the signs together, and saw that the names on the wooden signs were all very poetic names such as Zhilan, Heyue and Qingshi.

Entering the hot spring hall, the air became noticeably hot and humid, and the mist made the pools look more like fairy baths.

Each pool was divided into rooms by wooden partitions, so there was no need to worry about being restrained or shy. The ladies couldn't wait to enter the pool corresponding to their wooden signs.

Xiao Yu and Xie Lingyue found their own pools one after another. They laughed and joked. Xiao Yu said with a smile, "Why make it so elaborate? If it were you, why not open the Tianchi Lake and let us all go and soak in it together? It would be more fun with more people."

Tianchi is a large pool where the emperor and empress bathed, so it was naturally not open to people like them.

Hearing Xiao Yu's words, Xie Lingyue tutted her lips and said, "That's really interesting. Let's see which of these noble ladies in the capital city is the truly beautiful one... Cousin, why don't we go out together?"

Without waiting for Shen Ning to speak, Xiao Yu hurriedly said: "Mr. Shen Xiang, don't be fooled. Your cousin is very reckless. Be careful that she takes advantage of you."

Shen Ning laughed.

Xie Lingyue was dissatisfied: "We are both women. I have everything she has. Why should I take advantage of her?"

Xiao Yu directly exposed her: "Some people are just like that. They have everything, but they like to play tricks on others. If we hadn't known each other since childhood, I would have mistaken you for that pervert..."

As they spoke, both of them burst out laughing.

Xie Lingyue naturally didn't have any twisted or dark hobbies, it was just that he had spent a lot of time in the army since he was a child, and was subtly influenced by those veteran soldiers, so he became a bit careless, talkative, and liked to tease and play tricks on his friends.

After the two men entered the hot spring pool, Shen Ning continued to go in, only to find that her pool was at the innermost part.

The hot spring pool is in a wooden partitioned room, outside of which is the huge hot spring hall. Outside the partition and further into the hall, there is a thick curtain wall inlaid with glazed tiles.

As she walked in, Shen Ning saw the curtain next door open, revealing Xu Wanqing's face. Seeing her, Xu Wanqing snorted with a forced smile, then shouted to the other side: "Niannian, call me when you want to leave later."

Next door to Xu Wanqing is Shen Nian.

Shen Ning ignored Xu Wanqing's unfriendly look and entered the hot spring where she was. She put the clothes she wanted to change into the bamboo cabinet beside the pool, then took off her outer skirt and immersed herself in the water.

She loved taking hot spring baths in her previous life, but she never had the chance after arriving in Daxuan. Now that she can experience the royal hot springs, she naturally wants to enjoy it.

However, the women here have to wear tube tops and panties when taking a hot spring bath, and they don’t find it uncomfortable...

Just as Shen Ning was relaxing in the hot spring, feeling drowsy and pondering whether to throw away the damp cloth wrapped around her, the glazed curtain wall on the innermost side of the wooden partition slowly rose...

There are several glazed curtain walls in the Tangchi Hall. Because sometimes there are not many people taking a bath, in winter, if the entire Tangchi Hall is opened, the temperature inside will be difficult to maintain.

These glazed curtain walls are used to divide the huge hot spring hall into small palaces. If only three or five hot springs are used, the glazed curtain walls of these three or five hot springs will be lowered to form a small space.

In this way, the temperature will not dissipate easily, and you won’t feel too cold after taking a bath in the hot spring.

Today, this glazed curtain wall is used to divide the Tangchi Hall into two parts, with men on the left and women on the right.

But at this moment, the curtain wall that was supposed to separate Shen Ning from the male guests on the inside of the hot spring slowly rose up under the control of the mechanism... Then, the curtain wall between her and Xu Wanqing slowly fell down silently.

After a while, the bath where Shen Ning was was separated from the baths for the other noble ladies and was separated to the men's side...

Xiao Bi did not go to the hot spring pool because she was uneasy, or rather, felt guilty.

She already knew what Xu Wanqing was going to do, and she was also the facilitator.

Xiao Bi regrets it now.

But when she was frightened by Xu Wanqing and was filled with panic, she had already found her mother and became one of the instigators. Now she is regretting and feeling uneasy here. Isn't it too hypocritical?

But she really regretted it.

Although she had an arrogant personality, she had never used such cruel and despicable methods to harm others. Moreover, Shen Ning not only had no grudge against her, but also saved her brother.

More importantly, Shen Ning is Shen Qingbai's sister.

If Shen Qingbai ever knew that she had hurt his sister like this, he would definitely hate her to death...

But now that things have come to this, how will she end it?

Time passed little by little, and as noon was approaching, Xiao Biteng stood up and ran out with a pale face.

Xiao Nanchen was sitting in the garden outside the Queen Mother's Palace, waiting for Chen Ning to come back from her hot spring bath. Cheng Ying was whispering something to him next to him.

"The previous group of people have already left the palace. Now there are Hidden Dragon Guards in the palace, so it's difficult for our people to get in..."

When the mudslide occurred on the mountain, Xiao Nanchen was the first to receive the news and rushed to the scene, but was then caught by someone with ulterior motives.

Xu Zhong reported to the emperor that Prince Ding had brought secret guards into the palace, and his intentions were suspicious.

This matter could have been a big deal or a small one, but it happened that the Yuan Dynasty envoys were in the palace, and Xu Zhong made a big fuss. No matter how much Emperor Jiaping valued this son, he was the emperor after all, and it was impossible for him to ignore this matter.

Therefore, Emperor Jiaping reprimanded Xiao Nanchen and ordered him to send out all the secret guards of Prince Ding's Palace.

Now that Emperor Jiaping's secret guards, the Qianlong Guards, are in the palace, it is not easy for them to arrange for anyone else to come in.

Xiao Nanchen was silent for a moment, then said, "Have someone guard outside the palace, and secretly check everyone who has entered and exited the palace recently."

Chengying bowed: "Yes."

At this moment, Xiao Nanchen heard a panting sound behind him.

"Seventh Brother, Seventh Brother..."

Xiao Bi ran to Xiao Nanchen, breathing heavily.

Xiao Nanchen frowned: "Something wrong?"

Xiao Bi bit her lip and said, "Hurry up and go to the hot spring... go to the innermost section for men, and be quick."

She trembled a little: "I'm sorry..."

Xiao Nanchen turned around before Xiao Bi finished her apology, and rushed forward at a rapid speed without caring that they were still in the palace.

There was still some time before noon, but Mu Huali couldn't wait to go to the hot spring.

Crown Prince Xiao Nanyu accompanied him. Although it was not yet noon, it was not far away. Besides, there was a glass curtain wall separating the male and female guests in the hot spring, so they did not need to enter through the same palace gate. So he did not worry about it anymore.

A group of royal relatives, led by two princes, soon arrived at the Tangchi Palace.

Mu Huali and Xiao Nanyu had the highest status, and Mu Huali was a welcome guest, so the innermost seat in the hot spring was naturally given to Mu Huali.

But at this moment, everyone saw Prince Ding Xiao Nanchen stride in and snatch the wooden sign of the innermost hot spring pool from Mu Huali with an expressionless face.

Mu Huali was startled for a moment, then narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Your Highness Prince Ding, what do you mean?"

Xiao Nanchen turned around, looked at him quietly, and then asked him: "Isn't it good to be alive?"

Mu Huali's smile froze slightly. After a pause, he shrugged innocently and said, "I was just going along with the invitation. You can't blame me for this... If I had known that His Royal Highness Prince Ding was so concerned, I would never have gotten myself into this mess."

The people around them were very confused by the conversation between the two. Crown Prince Xiao Nanyu asked in surprise: "Seventh Brother, didn't you say you wouldn't come?"

"Changed my mind."

Xiao Nanchen withdrew his gaze from Mu Huali and turned to walk inside.

Xiao Nanyu was a little annoyed, but then he warmly invited Mu Huali inside: "Let's go, let's go. My brother has always been like that, he's used to being arrogant. Don't bother with him."

"How could that be?"

Mu Huali smiled and said, "His Royal Highness Prince Ding is a legendary warrior with illustrious military achievements. Even you, the Crown Prince, show him respect, let alone me, the little prince."

Xiao Nanyu's expression froze slightly, and the smile on his face became somewhat forced. He tried to act nonchalant as he led Mu Huali inside...

At the front, Xiao Nanchen had already reached the deepest part of the hot spring pool.

Shen Ning dozed off in the hot spring, and when she woke up, she felt that the surroundings seemed unusually quiet.

Overslept?

That shouldn’t be the case. The Fourth Princess told Xie Lingyue that she would call her when she returned.

At this moment, a figure suddenly opened the curtain and came in... Chen Ning was startled and raised her hand to pull out the silver needle in her hair, but the next moment, her eyes flashed and the man jumped into the water and covered her mouth.

"Ningning, don't be afraid, it's me..."