In this harem, what could be more illusory than the love of the emperor? Since she entered the palace, she had not been favored. The emperor had occasionally favored her twice. Facing the handsome emperor, she was moved. This emperor was the first man in her life, and the only man, and he was so handsome.

But as time went by, watching this man move between different women in the harem, and seeing the cold look in his eyes when he looked at her, she gradually gave up the idea and stayed quietly in the harem. Although it was not easy, it was not as hard as those women who were banished to the cold palace. After all, the Jiang family was a Jiangnan family, and the other concubines in the palace had never deliberately made things difficult for her.

Seeing Zhao Chongyi in front of the emperor today, the look in her eyes that couldn't hide her secret love made her realize something. She had always thought that Zhao Chongyi had become smarter since she was ignored, so she was promoted from Zhuang Wanyi to Zhao Chongyi. Now it seems that she was not smart at all, but just had feelings that she shouldn't have.

She wanted to laugh at the woman's stupidity, but she felt bitter in her heart. She felt a little sympathetic towards this young lady, but she thought about her current position in the palace, so how could she have the qualifications to sympathize with others. She looked away, not looking at the tender hand wrapped in the emperor's palm. This palm warmed Zhao Chongyi's hand today, held someone yesterday, and who will it hold tomorrow?

Feng Jin did not have a deep impression of Concubine Jiang Xian. He only remembered that she was a dull woman. The Jiang family was a scholarly family in Jiangnan, but it was a pity that Concubine Jiang Xian did not inherit the talent of the scholarly family. Instead, she was taught by books to be dull and boring. However, such a woman was worry-free in the harem, at least she was clean.

"Since I have met my two beloved concubines, why don't you come with me for a walk," Feng Jin let go of Zhuang Yuyan's hand and glanced at the garden, "I'm afraid that if we want to enjoy the scenery later, we won't be able to stand the sun."

Zhuang Yuyan and Jiang Xianpin naturally bowed and served by the side. Compared with Jiang Xianpin's wooden expression, Zhuang Yuyan's eyes were much more lively, like a colorful painting. So even someone as quiet as Feng Jin would occasionally say a few words to her along the way.

"Everyone in the palace loves colorful flowers, but I think these pine and cypress trees are full of vitality," Feng Jin pointed at a few pine and cypress trees not far away, "What do you think, my two beloved concubines?"

"You are upright and dignified, and you can resist no wind or rain," Jiang Xianpin replied respectfully. "Pine and cypress are evergreen all year round, which is the best. To the world, Your Majesty is taller, more upright, and more resistant to wind and rain than these pine and cypress trees."

Feng Jin nodded upon hearing this, but did not comment. He then looked at Zhuang Yuyan, and seeing that she looked thoughtful, he said, "My beloved concubine, do you not agree with what Concubine Xian said?"

"Sister Jiang's words are reasonable, but I don't think that much," Zhuang Yuyan smiled shyly and pointed to the shadows under the pine and cypress trees. "It must be very cool in summer to plant seeds there. To me, the emperor is a towering tree, a pillar supporting the sky." After that, she pointed to an inconspicuous little flower at the foot of the pine and cypress trees and said, "I am the little flower that lives on the tree. Maybe I will never fully understand the abilities of the pine and cypress trees, but I live by them."

For a man, what could be more satisfying and reassuring than knowing that a woman relies on him for everything? After hearing this, Feng Jin saw a hint of shyness on Zhao Chongyi's face, as if he was embarrassed by the shallow words but didn't know how to save himself. He smiled and said, "The emperor should be like pine and cypress, but pine and cypress are not all like emperors."

"I'm sorry for my words, Your Majesty, please forgive me." When Concubine Jiang Xian heard this, her face turned pale and she knelt down.

When Zhuang Luoyan saw Concubine Jiang Xian's expression, she wanted to kneel down as well, but was stopped by Feng Jin, "Concubine Jiang Xian, there is no need to do this. What crime have you committed?" Although he was not dissatisfied with Concubine Jiang Xian's words, he was ultimately not interested in Concubine Jiang Xian's docile and dull appearance. He said a few words of comfort and stopped talking.

When Concubine Jiang Xian heard the emperor call her "Concubine Jiang Xian", she bit her lower lip, stood up and stepped aside. The sunlight shining on her face made her feel a burning pain on her cheek.

Feng Jin changed his tone and said to Zhuang Yuyan, "My beloved concubine compares herself to a flower. Why don't we go and see what kind of flower is under that tree?"

This was a blatant teasing. Zhuang Luoyan smiled coquettishly, and in her heart she strongly despised the bad nature of men. But she said, "Your Majesty is taking things out of context. I was just comparing myself to a flower, where did I compare myself to a flower?"

Flowers never last forever, and people never stay red forever. Even if a beauty is as beautiful as a flower, she will eventually wither. She is quite normal, so how could she regard herself as a flower, let alone such a poor flower?

More importantly, if the flowers under the tree grew dry, she would be in big trouble.

At this moment, Zhuang Yuyan really wanted to slap herself in the face, saying that she was talking nonsense and that she had forgotten that even the most serious man has an unserious side!

As the group approached the inconspicuous flower, Zhuang Luyan breathed a sigh of relief. Although this flower was not as beautiful as the one the empress had admired a few days ago, the pure white flowers looked quite lovely and elegant among the emerald green leaves with light gold edges.

"Your Majesty, this is the Golden Edged Snow of June," Gao Dezhong stepped forward and explained softly, "Some people in the folks grow this flower as a potted plant, and they are very afraid of strong winds and scorching sun. Doctors like to call it white horse bones. I don't know much about medicine, but I heard that this flower has the effect of soothing the liver, promoting blood circulation, and removing heat and wind. I think it is a beneficial flower."

"Well," Feng Jin nodded and said thoughtfully, "Even so, transplant this plant to my palace. Although this flower is a little small, it looks elegant and pleasing to the eye."

"Yes," Gao Dezhong replied hurriedly, "I will ask the palace gardener to do this today."

"Do it carefully, don't hurt yourself." Feng Jin said, then looked at the sun hanging high in the sky, and said to Zhuang Yuyan and Jiang Xianpin: "The sun is getting bright, my beloved concubines should go back early."

"I'll take my leave," Zhuang Luoyan bowed, glanced at the inconspicuous flower, slowly walked back a few steps, and then turned and left.

It was not until they walked a distance away that Jiang Xianpin, who was walking beside Zhuang Yuyan, said, "Although June snow tolerates shade and hates scorching sun, it is difficult for it to survive under pines and cypresses. If it is freer, it may bloom better."

Zhuang Yuyan looked at Jiang Xianpin in surprise. Although Jiang Xianpin's words were not very pleasant to hear, she thought about it carefully and found that there was no malice in her words. Instead, she asked with some reminder. However, she couldn't tell whether she was pretending or sincere, so she just replied: "Maybe the June snow likes to be under that tree. You and I are not the June snow, so how can we know whether it is free or not?"

"What my sister said is very true," Jiang Xianpin's tone carried something else. She took a close look at Zhuang Yuyan, a beautiful young girl whose eyes were not as beautiful as hers. She had long been worn out by the harem and lost her vitality. "It would be best if she could live a happy and free life." As a woman who had never been favored in the harem, she did not feel aversion or jealousy towards Zhao Chongyi. It was just a pity that such a lively woman had her true heart misplaced.

The two of them walked outside the Taoyu Pavilion. Zhuang Luoyan invited Concubine Jiang Xian to drink tea. After Concubine Jiang Xian declined, she did not force it. After sitting down on the soft chair, she said she felt dizzy and asked Fubao to call the imperial physician.

When the Imperial Medical Bureau heard that it was the favored Zhao Chongyi who needed a pulse check, they dared not neglect it and sent the capable imperial physician Tong to Zhao Chongyi.

Doctor Tong was over 40 years old. He felt Zhao Chongyi's pulse through the hand silk and immediately found out that Zhao Chongyi was fine. However, he could not say so. He just said it might be because of the hot weather and asked him to have a good rest.

"I feel relieved now that Imperial Doctor Tong said this," Zhuang Yuyan asked casually, "I heard today that Concubine Wang is ill. Is she seriously ill?"

How could Doctor Tong know the illness of a little Concubine Wang? However, when Zhuang Yuyan asked about it, he could only say, "Master Wang, I did not take your pulse. I do not know. Please forgive me, Master Zhao."

"Doctor Tong, you are too kind. I know the Imperial Hospital is very busy," Zhuang Yuyan asked Doctor Tong to stand up and gave him some gifts. She continued, "It's just that we are sisters, so I am always a little worried. I want to trouble Doctor Tong to take my pulse again. I don't know if it will affect Doctor Tong."

"The health of the masters is my duty. I have no right to worry about causing trouble to the masters." Imperial Physician Tong understood immediately that Zhao Chongyi wanted the Imperial Hospital to treat Concubine Wang properly.

After Doctor Tong left Taoyu Pavilion and went to Jingyu Pavilion where Concubine Jiang Xian and Concubine Wang lived, Tingzhu came in with a bowl of ice and said, "Everyone in this palace is like this, looking down on the weak."

"Who isn't?" Zhuang Yuyan smiled. It is normal for people to bully the weak. She helped Concubine Wang today just to thank Concubine Jiang Xian for her good intentions.

Although girls from scholarly families are good, they are not suitable for the imperial palace. Fortunately, Concubine Jiang Xian was referring to herself today instead of someone else.

However, everything has its cause and effect. If it were someone else, they might not be able to get any advice from Concubine Jiang Xian.

In Jingyu Pavilion, Concubine Jiang Xian was sitting on Concubine Wang's bed and talking to her. A palace maid hurried in with a happy look on her face.

"Master, Doctor Tong from the Imperial Hospital wants to see you."

"Are you talking about the skilled doctor Tong?" Concubine Jiang Xian looked at the palace maid in surprise. Not to mention that now was not the time to take the pulse, even a doctor like the imperial physician would not come to Jingyu Pavilion.

"I heard that Doctor Tong had taken the pulse of Zhao Chongyi of Taoyu Pavilion, so I came directly to our Jingyu Pavilion." The palace maid answered honestly.

"How did the guy from Taoyu Pavilion help me?" Concubine Wang coughed, sat up in confusion, leaned against the head of the bed and panted slightly, "Sister, do you know what's going on?"

"No matter what, it's right to treat your illness first," Concubine Jiang Xian glanced at Concubine Wang soothingly, motioned for the palace maid to invite Doctor Tong in, and then continued, "You can rest assured."

Concubine Wang sighed, closed her eyes and rested her mind. She and Concubine Jiang Xian were not favored people. No matter what Zhao Chongyi was thinking today, she didn't even dare to think about what would happen to her body without her help.

When Doctor Tong arrived, Concubine Jiang Xian saw that he was polite and very careful in taking the emperor's pulse, and she became even more certain that it was Zhao Chongyi who had reminded this person. She remembered the loving look Zhao Chongyi had given the emperor and the words she had said, and she sighed softly, not knowing whether it was for herself and Concubine Wang or for Zhao Chongyi.

Outside the Qianzheng Palace, the sun was blazing brightly. Gao Dezhong, the chief eunuch, came hurriedly with an eunuch holding a potted plant. He breathed a sigh of relief only after entering the Qianzheng Palace. He straightened his robe, walked into the main hall and whispered, "Your Majesty, the golden-edged snow lily potted plant is ready. I wonder where it is placed?" If it was any other potted plant, he would not ask this time, but the one today was a little different.

Feng Jin, who was reviewing memorials, looked up at the June Snow that the gardener was holding carefully in his arms, glanced around, pointed at the Podocarpus on the flower stand and said, "Put it over there."

"Yes," Gao Dezhong glanced at the Podocarpus and signaled the gardener to place it carefully.

After arranging everything, Gao Dezhong led the gardener to retreat quietly. When they retreated to the door and turned around, Gao Dezhong took another look at the golden-edged serpentine and the Podocarpus longituba, then lowered his head and walked out.