Chapter 115 Taking the initiative to help
As disaster victims entered the city, the city's defense became tighter than before. The garrison and the Jingzhao Yin's office were short of manpower and could only borrow men from the imperial guards stationed in the city.
The imperial guards guarding the imperial city cannot be easily mobilized. Shen Che wanted to refuse, but he received a handwritten order from the emperor, asking him to lead people to maintain order in the city.
Understanding his concerns, the emperor stated in his handwritten edict that as long as the disaster victims did not cause chaos, the inner city and even the imperial city would not be in chaos.
Therefore, Shen Che led his men to patrol the outer city, and the focus was naturally on the places where porridge stalls were set up.
When he learned that his sister also had a porridge stall, he came to take a look, but he didn't expect to see Yun Qin chopping wood with an axe.
At first glance, he thought he had seen it wrong because he was worried about her. After looking carefully, he found that it was really her.
I was surprised and happy at the same time, and I immediately called out her name.
"Yunqin!"
Hearing someone calling her, Yun Qin turned around, and Shen Che could see clearly that she had something painted on her face. Her face was waxy yellow with a hint of green. Although her facial features were still prominent, they lacked that charming color.
He was not concerned about this, but about the axe in her hand.
In order to make her work more convenient, Yun Qin rolled up her sleeves, revealing a section of her slender white wrist. Her slender wrist bone was not even as thick as the handle of the axe in her hand.
The sight of her swinging the axe to chop wood made Shen Che feel a little frightened.
"General Shen!" Yun Qin shouted in surprise.
It wasn't too surprising that he was here. After all, this was Shen Danying's porridge stall, and it was normal for a brother to come and see what was going on.
"Why are you here?" Shen Che walked up to her.
Without waiting for her to answer, he reached out and took the axe from her hand.
Yun Qin was puzzled by his action, but still answered his question first, "The palace was short of manpower, so they asked us idle palace maids to help distribute porridge."
This was what she said to the outside world. Although she knew the inside story, she couldn't openly discredit the Queen.
Before she even mentioned the axe, the movements of the two people attracted other attention.
The maidservant next to Shen Danying, who was about the same age as Yun Qin, immediately put down her work and came over when she saw Shen Che, and asked excitedly, "Young Master, why are you here?"
"Xiangtan, you are here too." Shen Che saw her then.
"Yes, she promised to set up a porridge stall, but it was inconvenient for her to leave the palace, so she asked the servants to serve porridge on her behalf." She explained and turned her gaze to Yun Qin with confusion, not understanding how Yun Qin could talk to the eldest young master.
Xiangtan's voice was quite loud, and more people looked over here.
From the perspective of others, she was obviously more familiar with Shen Che, and Shen Che seemed to be talking to her again, so Yun Qin standing next to her was not that conspicuous.
"The emperor ordered me to maintain order among the disaster victims." Shen Che seemed to be answering her question, but his eyes were looking at Yun Qin, more like he was explaining something to her.
Yun Qin understood and smiled at him.
Shen Che couldn't help but smile, a long-awaited excitement welling up in his heart. He turned his head to look at the crowd that was still in good order, picked up the axe, tightened his arm guard, and said, "I'll help you."
"This, how can this be done?" Xiangtan waved his hands quickly.
Yun Qin also stepped forward, "General..."
"This kind of rough work is not suitable for you." Shen Che said as he sat on a small stool, chopped the wood with the axe as if it were melons or vegetables.
Yun Qin looked at the firewood he had chopped neatly and placed it together with the firewood of different sizes that she had chopped herself and laughed dryly.
She really doesn't seem to be suited to this kind of work.
Since Shen Che could not be persuaded, Xiangtan could only say helplessly: "Thank you, General."
Yun Qin was naturally filled with gratitude, and although she did not say anything, she followed her and bowed to Shen Che.
"It's okay, just mind your own business." He smiled warmly, his eyes still looking at Yun Qin.
Xiangtan noticed it even though she was slow to react. She frowned and looked at Yunqin again, then said to her, "Then come with me and help over here."
Yun Qin responded, looked at Shen Che again, nodded to him, and then left with Xiang Tan.
In the front, two large pots had been set up, as well as a dough board, ready for steaming the buns.
The three palace maids were kneading the dough, while Yunqin and Xiangtan were watching the fire and cooking the porridge.
Seeing that no one was paying attention, Xiangtan looked at Yunqin who was scooping water across from him, and asked in a low voice: "Do you know the young master... General Shen?"
Yun Qin had nothing to hide and said frankly: "General Shen is my benefactor."
"What favor?" Xiangtan asked.
Yun Qin tightened her fingers around the water scoop. "It's just a small matter for the general, but it's a matter of life and death for me."
She seemed to have said something, but to Xiangtan it sounded like she hadn't said anything at all.
Everyone has secrets, and since the two were not familiar with each other, Xiangtan did not insist on asking the truth, so he turned around and asked, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
If she had known this earlier, she would not have made things so difficult for her, deliberately asking her to chop wood because of her thin arms and legs.
Yun Qin smiled slightly, "I know my identity is embarrassing, young lady, you don't have to care about it. Please also tell Shen Danying that I have no intention of using my kindness to seek personal gain, Danying doesn't have to be embarrassed, let alone care."
After she finished speaking, she nodded to Xiangtan and focused on the work in her hands, with no intention of continuing the conversation.
After all, Shen Che was an outsider from the palace, so how deeply could he be connected to her?
On the contrary, Shen Danying in the palace lives under the same sky as her, and he must be more worried that he will be involved with her through General Shen.
So we still need to make it clear what needs to be said.
Seeing how cold she was, Xiangtan curled her lips and felt a little angry. She felt sorry for her because she thought she was getting closer to her, but ended up getting a cold shoulder!
"You don't know what's good for you!" Xiangtan snorted and went to do his own thing.
Naturally, he also did not forget to pour a bowl of water for Shen Che.
Shen Che took the bowl of water handed to him by Xiang Yun, and subconsciously looked for Yun Qin. Seeing that she was struggling to pour a basin of washed rice into the pot, he couldn't help but frowned.
How long has it been?
He knew in his heart that it had been almost two months since she went to Xia'an Palace.
Shen Che didn't understand why the emperor could bear to let her stay in a place like the cold palace.
Is it true, as rumored in the palace, that the emperor has already forgotten about her?
If that's the case, then is he...
Shen Che had heard of an example where a guard took a fancy to a palace maid, approached the emperor and begged her to marry him, and was later granted the marriage.
Thinking of this, Shen Che's heart felt hot and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.
Of course...of course I had to ask her what she thought.
Shen Che glanced at Yun Qin again, his eyes becoming softer.
Even if he couldn't get the emperor to help him, she would eventually leave the palace, and he was willing to wait.