Chapter 331 Learn from the Crown Princess's Kindness
Just as Zhu Zhenzhen took two steps, the Crown Prince caught up with her. "Let me escort Consort back to the palace. Imperial Censor Zhu and Madam Zhu are very concerned about Consort's health."
Zhu Zhenzhen felt flattered. The crown prince in front of her was exceptionally handsome, and his eyes were full of tenderness. Her face flushed and her heart suddenly raced. She thought: He must also love her, right?
Xie Shang stood tall and elegant, exuding an undeniable kingly aura. A subtle, profound meaning flashed in his eyes. He stared at her face and said in a deep voice, "Let's go!" Giving Zhu Zhenzhen face was giving Imperial Censor Zhu face. Thinking this way, he felt much more at ease.
He stepped forward first, without offering to help the frail Zhu Liangdi.
Zhu Zhenzhen felt a pang of grievance when she saw that he wasn't as close to her as he was to the Crown Princess. She thought that it must be because her parents had pleaded with him that he was giving her a second glance.
She followed closely behind him, knowing that the closer she got to him, the more he would fall in love with her.
"Ouch!" Zhu Zhenzhen suddenly groaned.
Xie Shang stopped in his tracks. "What's wrong?"
"I think I twisted my ankle..."
Wuxin followed behind and quickly whispered to the palace maids, "Hurry up and help the young mistress. If you don't serve her well, you'll all be punished by being sent to the laundry department." She thought she could use this opportunity to get close to the Crown Prince, but no way.
Xie Shang stared at the palace maids behind her and said in a deep voice, "Serve them carefully."
"Yes." Meixiang and another palace maid quickly stepped forward to help him up.
Zhu Zhenzhen was supported by the two men on either side. A hint of embarrassment flashed in her eyes, but she still maintained a gentle expression on her face and quickly explained, "You don't need to hold me so tightly. I'm not hurt. I just bumped into a pebble."
Xie Shang understood immediately, pretended not to hear, and continued walking forward.
Upon reaching the entrance of Yuling Palace, Xie Shang said, "I'll leave you here. If you sprained your ankle, please have the imperial physician come and take a look. Go back to the palace and rest well."
Zhu Zhenzhen clenched her fingers. Since the Crown Prince was only sending her off because of her father, she might as well bring up her father again. She said gently, "The Crown Prince has never stepped into Yuling Palace. Now that we're at the palace gate, why doesn't he go in and sit down? I also have something I'd like Your Highness to pass on to my father. Could Your Highness please be lenient and help me out?"
When Xie Shang saw her bring up Imperial Censor Zhu, his expression remained unchanged. "I'll go in and sit down."
Zhu Zhenzhen was overjoyed to see that it worked. She took the initiative to walk up to the Crown Prince and started to make conversation. “Your Highness, please come in. I just finished sewing a pair of gloves for my father. They can be used after winter. If Your Highness doesn’t mind my handiwork, I can make a pair for you too.”
Xie Shang stared at Zhu Zhenzhen's heels, a cold smile curving his lips. All women were the same, only his Ruan Ruan was different.
Xie Shang had never been to the young master's palace before, nor was he concerned with such matters. Because the Qin family had been raided and their property confiscated, the court was in turmoil, and the Censorate was extremely busy, needing to utilize Censor Zhu in many situations.
Xia He and Xia Chan were sweeping in the courtyard when they saw His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly arrive at Yuling Palace. The two looked at each other, and instantly, Xia He seemed to collapse to the ground as if she had lost all her strength.
Xia Chan quickly asked, "Xia He, what's wrong?"
"I'm feeling a little dizzy. Hurry up and clean, or the young mistress will be unhappy if it's not cleaned properly." Xia He rolled up her arm, which looked like it had been burned, with blisters that had broken open, and it looked painful.
Xia Chan said, "You should rest for a while. I'll do the rest of the work. We still need to clean the toilets later. You have wounds on your body, so you can't get them in dirty water, or it will get worse."
Xie Shang walked up to the two palace maids, who immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, we are Xia He and Xia Chan." They also showed the wounds on their hands and arms.
He glanced at them, his gaze falling on their hands. He recognized them as the palace maids who had told the truth that night, and that the injuries on their bodies were inflicted by Zhu Zhenzhen.
Xie Shang didn't consider himself a good person, nor was he a bad person who would take his anger out on women or servants without any bottom line. The ladies of the Eastern Palace could be scheming and compete for favor, but they had to at least have good intentions. This was his only requirement for them to conceive the imperial heir. Otherwise, they would only be decorations in the palace.
Upon seeing this, Zhu Zhenzhen quickly instructed Meixiang and her trusted nanny to step forward and block Xia He and Xia Chan. She then took Xie Shang's arm and said, "Your Highness, please come in. They accidentally knocked over the kettle while boiling water and got burned. The imperial physician has already examined their wounds."
Xia He covered her wound with her sleeve, her voice trembling, "It was my own carelessness that caused the kettle to spill. It has nothing to do with you, Mistress."
Xie Shang stared coldly at Zhu Zhenzhen's face. The palace maids were practically saying that the young mistress had burned herself. He said in a deep voice, "Let the imperial physician examine them properly. I don't want any rumors of mistreating servants to spread from the Eastern Palace. You should all learn from the Crown Princess's kindness."
Zhu Zhenzhen was terrified and tried to explain, "I...I understand."
Xie Shang suddenly took her hand and praised, "These hands are so beautiful. Zhenzhen made a pair of gloves for Imperial Censor Zhu. Make a pair for me when you have time, so I can use them when winter comes."
He would slap her once, then offer her a sweet treat. Naturally, he wouldn't really leave in a huff over the two palace maids. He would give Zhu Zhenzhen and the Zhu family whatever they needed, as long as they obediently served him and the Great Zhou.
Zhu Zhenzhen thought the Crown Prince would pursue the matter, but a hint of charm flickered in her eyes as she gently said, "Yes, Your Highness, I will make a pair of gloves for you as soon as possible."
She took Xie Shang's hand in return and was about to pull him into the house.
Xie Shang released her and said gently, "I still have official business to attend to. If you want me to pass on something to Imperial Censor Zhu, just have someone give it to the guards to deliver." After Xie Shang finished speaking, he didn't go into the house but left Yuling Palace directly for Taihua Hall.
Zhu Zhenzhen's intentions were too obvious, making Xie Shang very uncomfortable. As the crown prince, how could he not know that what emperors feared most was licentiousness in broad daylight? The Zhu family was a scholarly family, and the daughter of the Zhu family should be self-disciplined and learn to be a virtuous and gentle woman.
Seeing Xie Shang leave, Zhu Zhenzhen felt dejected, with a hint of resentment in her eyes. The Crown Prince had already entered, and things were about to fall into place. Was she not attractive enough?
She turned and glared coldly at Xia He and Xia Chan.
Then she thought of the Crown Prince's warning earlier. The Crown Prince likes kind-hearted women. No wonder the Crown Princess pretends to be virtuous and generous all day long. The palace maids and eunuchs in Chenxi Palace all have rosy cheeks, as if they have all been favored by the Crown Prince.
She smiled and said, "You don't need to work in the courtyard anymore. Go and rest. Meixiang, go and invite the imperial physician to come and take a look at their injuries. Once they are healed, let them go back to their original work."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Xia He and Xia Chan quickly kowtowed to express their gratitude. It was Granny Wang who sent someone to give them a heads-up, and it was only with Granny Wang's guidance that they were freed from the torment they had endured every day for the past few days.
Xia He's arm was burned by Zhu Liangdi "accidentally." When the scalding hot kettle fell on her arm, it hurt so much that she was still in dread.
Unexpectedly, Consort Zhu, who seemed like a gentle woman, was ruthless in her actions. They all wanted to serve in the Crown Princess's palace, and the Crown Princess had a very good temper.
They will be very grateful to Granny Wang for helping them now, and they will remember this kindness in their hearts.
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