Chapter 330: Past Love
"Why do you suddenly want to investigate Qin Shen?" Song Yunchu asked curiously, "Did he offend you in some way?"
"Not really, it's just..." Zhong Nanyue wanted to explain, but she hesitated when she opened her mouth.
She had promised Qin Shen not to tell anyone about his private affairs. If she told Song Yunchu now, wouldn't that be going back on her word?
But if I don't tell Song Yunchu, this matter involves one of the four concubines after all.
Although Song Yunchu was not very familiar with the four concubines, she still cared about them. Moreover, if the facts were really as she guessed, and Qin Shen's favorite person was Concubine De, and both of them were in the palace, there would always be a chance for them to meet. If something went wrong one day, according to palace rules, wouldn't they both lose their heads?
Zhong Nanyue imagined that situation and felt it was quite miserable.
Although it seemed unnecessary for her to get involved in this matter, if Qin Shen lost his head, not only would she be without a sparring partner, but could she complete learning the boxing techniques that Qin Shen promised her while Qin Shen was still alive?
She couldn't just hope that someone would teach her a lesson before she died, could she? That was too cold-blooded.
It is better to be alive.
"It's rare to see you stuttering." Seeing that Zhong Nanyan seemed to be in trouble, Song Yunchu couldn't help but smile, "If you feel it's inconvenient to say, I don't have to ask. As long as this matter doesn't involve our interests, you don't have to tell me everything."
"Then I won't tell you until I find out everything?"
Song Yunchu nodded and said, "Sure. As long as it's someone or something you want to investigate, just tell Honglian or Erniang and they will help you investigate."
Anyway, no matter what is found out, the results will definitely be reported to her first.
"Okay, then I'll go find Honglian right away." Zhong Nanyue responded with a smile, turned around and ran out of the lobby.
Inside the palace wall on the other side.
Because the news of the thief had spread, Concubine De was greeted with concern by the other three people at the card table.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I didn't see any trace of the thief. The man stole a jewel mirror with great difficulty, but he couldn't take it out."
Compared to Defei's indifference, Zhenfei was very unhappy. "Even if he is just a thief, it is scary enough. He can run around in this palace and not be caught? Those Yulin soldiers are really incompetent."
"That's right." Concubine Li took over the conversation, "Fortunately, he just wanted to steal something, not kill anyone. Otherwise, with the thief's skills, he might be able to kill someone and get away with it."
"It's not so easy to sneak into the palace." Concubine Shu sorted out the cards in her hand and analyzed, "This thief might be a member of the Yulin Army. He should know who is patrolling at which time. Wasn't it Qin Shen, the champion of the martial arts test, who caught the thief last night? This person has been in office for less than ten days, so it is inevitable that he lacks experience and may not be familiar with the layout of the palace. If it was an elite under Chen Yue, the thief would have no chance of escaping."
"That makes sense." Concubine Zhen nodded. "Fortunately, I didn't scare my cousin. Otherwise, even if my cousin didn't punish them, I would have punished them!"
"You don't need to punish them. Although Sister Defei has forgiven them, Chen Yue still punished the leader Qin Sijie with fifteen strokes of the cane." While Shufei was speaking, she threw out a nine-tube card.
Defei was supposed to be the next person to play a card, but at the moment she was holding the cards in a daze, not even focusing her eyes on the cards.
Zhen Fei waited for a moment, and seeing that she did not move, she hurriedly urged, "Cousin, why are you in a daze? It's your turn!"
Defei came back to her senses and began to look at the cards.
"Nine." She no longer had any interest in playing cards, but she didn't want to spoil the fun for others, and even more so didn't want others to see her sadness, so she quickly cheered herself up and turned her attention back to the game.
Concubine Shu noticed her subtle changes and seemed to be thinking about something.
…
The next afternoon, Jun Li Luo finished reviewing a portion of memorials and picked up the snacks that had just been delivered from the imperial kitchen. He ate them along with the hot tea that Chief Steward Li had just changed.
Seeing that he seemed to be free, Li Zongguan spoke, "Your Majesty, Concubine De requests to return home to visit her family. Madam Huo has suffered from frequent headaches in the past six months, and Concubine De is very worried about her. I wonder if Your Majesty can grant your permission?"
Jun Liluo put down the teacup in his hand and said, "Okay."
…
After the sun set, the night gradually enveloped the sky, and an apricot-colored figure appeared outside Qin's house.
The woman was wearing a coarse linen dress, a headscarf of the same color as her dress, and carrying a basket of fresh fruits in her hand.
She took a deep breath and went forward to knock on the door.
The servant opened the door and saw that she was dressed shabbily and carrying a basket of fruit, like a peasant woman selling fruit.
However, although her face was a little gray, her facial features were quite pretty.
"Are you selling fruit?"
"No, I'm A Shen's distant cousin. Tell him that I lost the gourd pendant he gave me, so I came here to apologize to him."
"Distant cousin?"
The servant thought to himself, as expected, when a person becomes successful, he will definitely have poor relatives coming to visit him.
Although he looked down upon such poor relatives, he still went into the house and reported to Qin Shen.
"Sir, your distant cousin is here. She said she lost the gourd pendant you gave her and wants to apologize to you... Could it be that she knows you are an official and is here to ask for money? Do you want to find an excuse to send her away?"
Qin Shen was stunned when he heard this, and then he immediately said, "Please invite her in!"
As he spoke, he tried to sit up, but he had apparently forgotten that he had just been beaten with fifteen sticks not long ago. He accidentally pulled the wound, grimacing in pain and falling back on the couch with a groan.
"Sir! Are you okay?"
"Don't worry about me! Bring her in now!"
The servant immediately turned around and went to the door to greet the person.
Qin Shen stared at the door without blinking, until the familiar shadow appeared in his sight, he still couldn't believe his eyes.
She actually... came out of the palace to see him.
He suppressed his excitement and told the servant, "My cousin wants to discuss something important with me. You continue to guard the door and don't disturb me without my order."
After the servants left, Qin Shen wanted to get up, but Concubine De came forward and pushed him back onto the couch, asking him to lie down.
"Don't move if you're still injured. You can lie down and talk. I've seen you in all your miserable state before. What are you afraid of?"
Qin Shen was speechless for a moment.
He originally had a lot to say, but at this moment he didn't know which one to say first.
De Fei was about to take back her hand that was pressing on him, but he grabbed her wrist and said, "Alan, is life in the palace easy?"
Concubine De thought for a moment and said, "Not bad, with fine clothes and delicious food, fun every day, and no one causing trouble."
Qin Shen's pupils widened a little, and his face was full of disbelief, "How is it possible?"
"Why not?"
"Life in the harem is definitely not as easy as you say. Are you afraid that I will worry, so you deliberately say this to fool me?"
"I really didn't fool you." Defei said, trying to break free from his hand, but he refused to let go. She simply gave up struggling and sat down on the ground.
"Don't sit on the floor, it's cold." Qin Shen loosened his hand and moved to the inside of the bed, "Sit on the edge of the bed."
When Concubine De saw that he let her go, she turned around, picked up a stool by the table, and sat down two feet away from the bed.
"Ah Shen, no matter what happened in the past, I hope you will remember that you have a bright future. You don't need to focus on me. Don't try to see me anymore. The fate between you and me has already ended."
"I just wanted to... take another look at you and see if you were doing well."
Unlike Concubine De's calmness, Qin Shen's eyes were full of helplessness. "Alan, I can't help but worry about you. I originally thought that we might never meet again, but the Selection of Talents still gave me a chance and made me a rank of Yulin Army. Although it is still difficult to see you, it is at least easier than before."
"What's the point of seeing you? Can you take me out of the palace, or can you stay with me in the palace and grow old together?"
Concubine De looked at him indifferently, "I am a concubine, and you are a military officer. I have my concerns and you have your responsibilities. Since you have won the first place in the military examination, you should do your duty as a subject and live a down-to-earth life. As for you and me - it is better not to meet."
Qin Shen tightened his lips.
It is better not to meet...
After a moment of silence, he asked her, "Alan, do you still remember what I said when I gave you the gourd jade pendant?"
"I lost the jade pendant." De Fei took over the conversation, "Besides, I am a concubine now, so you don't have to keep your promise anymore."
Of course she remembered that he said he only wanted to be with her for the rest of his life and would never let her down.
At that time, he was a martial arts master to his younger brothers and was appreciated by his father. His father wanted him to participate in the election of a ninth-rank lieutenant, thinking that he would be able to make a name for himself with his kung fu. She thought at the time that although the ninth-rank official was a small position, as long as he made some achievements and with the recommendation of someone from the Huo family, he would be able to be promoted step by step.
She still remembered Qin Shen's full of fighting spirit at the time. He told her with great joy that he would become a mighty military commander in the future and that he would make countless people remember his name, Qin Shen.
But she was willing to wait, but the Huo family could not. When her father found out about their relationship, he became furious and his admiration for Qin Shen turned into hatred. He did not allow him to attend the originally scheduled military officer election and ordered people to expel him from the Huo family and not to employ him again.
She was frightened by her father's sudden change of attitude, and she asked her father why he was so heartless and didn't even care that Qin Shen had saved his life from the assassin.
The father’s answer was that if it weren’t for the life-saving grace, he would have had Qin Shen killed directly instead of just driving him away.
Her father repeatedly emphasized that she was going to be the imperial concubine, and an unknown person like Qin Shen was not worthy of standing in front of her.
She had an argument with her father, and her father asked her, should she choose Qin Shen or the Huo family?
Of course she chose the Huo family.
No matter how good Qin Shen is, he is not as important as her family. Besides, this is not a multiple-choice question. Once she chooses Qin Shen, Qin Shen will definitely die.
After calming down, she admitted her mistake to her father. Her father was very pleased and stopped making things difficult for Qin Shen. He even sent a box of gold to Qin Shen's home as a way of repaying the favor of saving her life.
The next day, when my father was on his way out, a heavy box was thrown accurately into the car from the car window, almost hitting his foot.
It was the box of gold that he had given away.
According to the driver, his father was shocked and reprimanded the accompanying guards. He then sneered at the outside of the carriage: "What's the use of having backbone? You are just incompetent."
Since then, Qin Shen disappeared.
It’s not that she hasn’t thought about him, but she knows that some people can only be missed.
Afterwards, the Sixth Prince ascended the throne and as expected, she and her cousin from the Ye family were sent into the palace together. She was named Concubine De and her cousin was named Concubine Zhen.
Her cousin told her that the harem was dangerous and that the two sisters must work together to fight against the other concubines. They wanted to be the most favored concubines and bring honor to the family.
Later she discovered that the harem was not that sinister after all.
His Majesty is very handsome, but he is rarely seen in person, and one quickly forgets what he looks like.
Concubine Li and Concubine Shu never came to cause trouble, but her cousin was the one who had nothing better to do and was looking for trouble with others.
It seems that no one is more arrogant and domineering than my cousin.
His Majesty only summoned Concubine Shu and ignored the other three. My cousin's wish to become a favorite concubine was dashed. She could only come to her palace often, play with the cat, and tell her that she wanted to go out of the palace for a walk, saying that the palace was really boring.
Leave the palace? How is that possible? Once you enter the palace, you will never be able to leave in this life. It is a blessing to be able to live a stable life.
Fortunately, later on, Prime Minister Song brought a set of mahjong, and the four of them got together. From then on, they had something to do to kill time during the long days. The cousin and Concubine Li no longer targeted each other like before, and only had a few quarrels occasionally.
Sometimes when it was late at night and everyone was asleep, she would hold the gourd jade pendant that Qin Shen gave her and reminisce about the past.
The next time I heard Qin Shen's name was when he won the first place in the martial arts test and was awarded the sixth-rank official rank.
She was happy for him, and for a moment she thought that maybe one day she would have the chance to see him from afar.
Don't let him know, and don't let anyone else know.
But she didn't expect that he would act faster than her.
He met her under the pretext of chasing the assassin, and secretly slipped a note into her when returning the jewel mirror. On the note was a love poem she had written for him.
Qin Shen was not good at poetry and calligraphy, and she used to dislike his ugly handwriting. But now, looking at his handwriting again, it was much neater than before, which showed that he practiced calligraphy after parting with her.
Did he want to tell her that he still had her in his heart? She was not happy to know his thoughts, but rather felt a little uneasy.
If he can't let her go, he might make mistakes in the future.
And she couldn't let him make a mistake.
"Ah Shen, there are some things that you and I cannot change. If you really want to do good for me, you have to listen to me."
She looked at the person on the couch and said coldly, "In the past, Ah Shen could like Ah Lan without any scruples, but now Qin Sijie cannot think about Empress Defei. Not even a little bit."
"I came here today to remind you not to ask for trouble again in the future."
Qin Shen stared at her for a long time, and finally lowered his head and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."
The coldness on Concubine De's face faded, and her tone softened, "Then I would like to thank Qin Sijie."
Qin Shen's heart felt as if someone had hit him with a hammer. He slowly stood up from the couch, knelt down and faced the person opposite him, "Well, I respectfully send off Her Majesty the Virtuous Consort."
Concubine De turned and left without looking back.
Until the moment she stepped out of Qin's house, the bitterness in her heart could no longer be suppressed. She burst into tears in an instant, and disappeared step by step into the night.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
