Zhuang Yuyan is not afraid of anything in her life except meeting a young literary man with high moral character. In fact, this is not the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing is meeting a young literary man who pretends to be literary.

"Master, have you heard the rumors in the palace?"

At dinner time, Zhuang Yuyan was slowly drinking fresh bamboo shoots and fish soup. Seeing Yun Xi walk in with a smile on her face, she wiped the corners of her mouth with her handkerchief and asked, "What rumor?"

"I heard that after you left the bamboo forest today, the emperor originally wanted to move Xu Zhaorong to another palace, but because he sympathized with Xu Zhaorong's love for the bamboo forest, he let her continue to live in Changtian Tower." Yun Xi said this with a hint of amusement in her words, "I wonder if Xu Zhaorong still likes the bamboo forest now."

Zhuang Yuyan twitched her lips. She actually suspected that Emperor Chengxuan couldn't stand Xu Zhaorong's behavior and deliberately said this to stab her. "Who spread this news?"

"It has spread all over the harem. I wonder how many people are laughing at it." Yun Xi washed her hands and went forward to serve food to Zhuang Yuyan. "I thought Xu Zhaorong was a dull person and there wouldn't be many people in the harem who would be dissatisfied with her. But I didn't expect so many people in the harem to be waiting for her to be laughed at."

"A truly talented woman makes people jealous and hateful, while a fake talented woman makes people hate her. These two types of women don't have an easy life in the harem," Zhuang Luyan smiled faintly. "No matter which type Xu Zhaorong belongs to, as long as there are jokes about her, there are many people in the harem who are happy to read them."

"What a real talented woman," Ting Zhu sneered. She entered the palace early and served other masters before, so she naturally heard more rumors about the harem. "I heard that Xu Zhaorong's father was just a prefect. Ever since the emperor noticed her beauty in the rain, she always pretended to be worried and puzzled. If her appearance was not as good as Xi Shi's, I'm afraid she would have to learn to be a bit sick Xi Shi."

Hearing Tingzhu say this, Zhuang Yuyan sighed sincerely. It's not easy for Xu Zhaorong either. Pretending to be a talented woman requires a certain amount of thick-skinnedness and psychological endurance.

That night, Feng Jian did not look at any palace's sign. After marking the memorials, he read some other books.

Gao Dezhong came in carrying a tray and whispered, "Your Majesty, Xu Zhaoyi from Changtian Tower sent something here."

"Oh?" Feng Jin turned a page of the book in his hand and asked without looking up, "What is it?"

"It's a sachet with bamboo scent." Gao Dezhong answered in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Feng Jin paused while turning the pages of the book, raised his eyelids and glanced at Gao Dezhong, who immediately understood and took a few steps forward.

In the tray is a small and exquisite sachet with a bright yellow background and embroidered with several lifelike bamboos, which make it seem alive at first glance.

"This bright yellow fabric with green bamboo embroidered on it doesn't look very nice," Feng Jin turned his eyes back to the book, "Put it away."

"Yes," Gao Dezhong said quietly as he stepped out and glanced at the sachet on the tray. He knew that the sachet would never see the light of day. He left the inner hall and handed the sachet to the eunuch next to him, "Put it away, don't drop it on the ground."

"Yes," the young eunuch took it carefully and hurriedly retreated.

There is never a shortage of jokes or unexpected events in the palace.

If the other concubines were still laughing at Xu Zhaorong's jokes, Concubine Xian would definitely not be able to laugh at this moment. Because the third prince, who was less than one year old, was sick, and he was very sick. He was rolling around with fever and even the sound of his crying was like a kitten.

Putting aside other things, it has only been a short time since the Third Prince was sent to her and he has already fallen so seriously ill. If something really happened, it would be hard to explain what would happen afterwards.

The Imperial Medical Bureau summoned four doctors in a row, but they couldn't come up with any conclusion. Concubine Xian was so anxious that she wanted to punish all of them.

"The Queen is here!"

When the empress and her entourage arrived at the inner chamber, she saw Concubine Xian's anxious look and knew that the third prince was seriously ill. She had no choice but to ask the imperial physician who was bowing to her, "How is the third prince?"

"Your Majesty, if the Third Prince continues to have a high fever, I'm afraid..." The leading doctor paused, "The high temperature may damage his brain."

The queen understood what the imperial physician meant. It was uncertain whether the third prince could be saved, and it was even more uncertain whether he would be burned into a fool. She frowned and said, "I don't want to hear this. I want the third prince to live well. Do you understand?"

It doesn’t matter whether the third prince is smart or not. What matters is that the third prince cannot go now.

"Your Majesty," Concubine Xian wiped the tears from her eyes, "I am incompetent and did not have high hopes for the Third Prince..."

"It's common for children to get sick or have accidents. You don't have to blame yourself," the queen consoled her and said to Concubine Xian, "Have you informed the emperor?"

"I just sent someone to invite the emperor," Concubine Xian kept wiping her eyes, which were already filled with tears and became red and swollen. "I'm afraid he hasn't even arrived at the Qianzheng Palace yet. If the emperor comes, what should I...what should I say?"

The queen sighed when she saw Concubine Xian in such a state. She comforted Concubine Xian while asking the imperial physician to treat her well. Her eyes fell on the third prince in the crib. Her face was full of worry, but there was a pair of calm eyes.

Everyone knew that the Third Prince was not valued by the Emperor, and his biological mother was of very low status. She died after giving birth, leaving behind a helpless child. Now that he was almost one year old, he didn't even have a name. It was obvious that the Emperor had not placed any hope on this child.

But even though the emperor didn't take him seriously, he was still one of the three princes in the palace. He was originally well-raised, but something went wrong when he came to Concubine Xian. Even if the emperor didn't blame him, he couldn't stop the women in the harem from talking.

The Queen withdrew her gaze and said in a more serious tone, "Treat him well and with all your heart. The Third Prince must get better."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Concubine Xian sent someone to tell you that the Third Prince is seriously ill and has called several doctors," Gao Dezhong whispered, "and the Empress has already rushed over."

"What did the imperial physician say?" Feng Jian's expression froze. He put down the book in his hand and asked the palace maid to change his clothes.

"The imperial physician said that the third prince's condition is critical, with a high fever and difficulty in moving his legs. If this continues, his life may be in danger." Gao Dezhong's voice became a little lower. Seeing the emperor's cold expression, his head continued to bury its head, "Concubine Xian is already crying out of anxiety."

"Well," Feng Jian glanced at him, "Drive Ruan Minggong."

The news of the third prince's serious illness soon spread to all the palaces, and even the queen mother was alarmed. Although she did not have much affection for the third prince, the queen mother also drove to Ruan Ming Palace at this time.

Several of the most important masters in the palace went to Nguyen Minh Palace, and it would be somewhat unreasonable for the remaining masters with some dignity not to pay a visit.

When Zhuang Yuyan heard the news that the third prince was seriously ill, she had a feeling that it was as she expected. The next moment, she felt that this virtuous concubine was really unlucky to have been given this thankless task, and now that something had happened, she couldn't explain herself clearly.

"Master, should we go and take a look?" Ting Zhu whispered, "I heard that all the masters with some reputation in the palace have gone to visit."

Zhuang Yuyan looked out the dark window and yawned, "Give orders to prepare the sedan chair and go to Ruan Ming Palace."

How many of these women who went to Nguyen Minh Palace were really there to visit the Third Prince? I'm afraid there were more who were there just to watch the excitement than those who were really there to visit.

Sitting on the slightly swaying sedan chair, Zhuang Yuyan looked at the palace maids holding lanterns and leading the way in front of her, sighed, and looked up at the night sky illuminated by the full moon. Today was actually a full moon night.

Arriving at Ruan Ming Palace, Zhuang Luoyan got off the sedan chair, and a maid holding a lantern came forward to clear the way for her. Zhuang Luoyan smiled at the maid, and when she stepped onto the stone steps, she saw an inconspicuous woman kneeling beside her. She looked to be in her early twenties, with her black hair tied up in a simple bun, held together only by two hairpins. With her pale face, she looked indescribably shabby and pitiful.

They walked into the gate of Ruan Ming Palace without stopping. The maid leading the way stepped aside. Zhuang Yuyan glanced at Tingzhu. Tingzhu stepped forward and held Zhuang Yuyan's hand, saying softly, "Master, the road is slippery at night, be careful." Then he lowered his voice and said, "The one kneeling is Concubine Kong, the biological mother of the third prince."

Zhuang Yuyan nodded. A talent of the seventh rank had no qualifications to visit the imperial concubine at will unless summoned. Looking at the look on Kong's face, she was probably worried about the safety of the third prince.

"Zhao Chongyi has arrived!"

However, in this harem, all kinds of love are covered with a cloak of interests. Even for Concubine Kong, she couldn't tell whether she was really worried about the Third Prince or wanted to win some attention in front of the Emperor.

In the harem, anyone who talks about love is a fool.