Chapter 172 Shen Daying

When the empress took off the hairpin and handed it to Yunqin, several gasps were heard in the palace.

Even Yun Qin was stunned again when she saw the phoenix hairpin handed to her.

According to Yunqin's understanding of the Queen, although she was cold-natured, her temper was not good and she would not tolerate provocation.

She now had reason to suspect that the queen had been betrayed by someone, as her behavior was even stranger than hers.

"This is a reward from the Queen, why don't you accept it now!"

Lan Ying on the side couldn't help but speak out.

Yunqin came back to her senses, but she didn't look at Lanying. She just took the hairpin and said, "Thank you, Madam, for your gift."

Is it possible that the first step of the plan to favor a concubine is going to fail?

"Get up."

Yun Qin glanced at the Queen's expression, straightened up, and casually handed the phoenix hairpin to Rong Xin beside her.

Seeing her being so presumptuous, Lanying couldn't help but want to speak again, but the Queen spoke first.

"Meet the sisters."

Yun Qin responded, her eyes passing over the people in the hall with different expressions, and her gaze only stayed on Shen Danying for a moment.

Seeing her looking at him with a complicated expression, Yun Qin's eyes did not change, she just bowed to everyone and said, "Hello, sisters."

Concubine De and Lady Liu are not here. She has the highest position here, so she doesn't even need to perform the formalities.

Those who were lower in rank than her had to stand up and salute her.

After greeting each other, Yun Qin turned around and sat on an empty chair, looking as if she didn't care about anyone.

Xu Danying gritted his teeth in anger, but could not help but sarcastically said, "Sister, your reputation in the palace has been known for a long time. I always heard that your sister was very polite, but today I see that it was all nonsense."

Yun Qin lowered her eyes and clenched the hand warmer in her hand, and said in a calm voice: "Well, sister, please listen less to the rumors in the palace."

Xu Danying was choked by these words.

What she said was nothing more than a mockery of Yun Qin's background as a palace maid, but Yun Qin was not angry at all. She felt like she had punched cotton, and even got a mouthful of cotton stuffed in her backhand.

This feeling of being neither here nor there made her speechless for a long time.

The queen glanced at her, cursed her in her heart, and looked at Shen Danying again.

Seeing that she just drank tea with her eyes lowered, he knew that she was not on the same page with him and the Queen Mother, and could not be relied on.

The queen couldn't help but frown, it would be good to have more people in the palace.

"I am not feeling well, so I will not keep you here."

Everyone naturally said goodbye and left.

——

Yun Qin held Rong Xin's hand and walked out of the Fengyi Hall, but saw Shen Danying lagging behind and walking very slowly.

It seemed like he was waiting for her.

To be honest, Yunqin didn't really want to get too close to her.

Firstly, she is Shen Che's sister, and secondly, it is because of the emperor's attitude towards her.

Her favor may seem like a flourishing flower, but it is all castles in the air. Her favor or disfavor all depends on the emperor's decision.

But Shen Danying is different. She has a capable father and brother behind her, and the emperor has to pay attention to her.

As long as the Shen family is loyal, she will continue to prosper.

Just like now, the emperor clearly came to the harem three times a month, and twice he went to Shen Danying's place. But because Yun Qin was so eye-catching, her presence in the harem was not high.

It is hard to say that she is not the "fire-proof cover" and "amulet" arranged by the emperor for Shen Danying.

Yunqin is now a favored concubine. Facing this real "favored concubine", she really doesn't know how to deal with it.

The words cannot be too light or too heavy, and the attitude cannot be too arrogant or too arrogant.

It’s difficult, too difficult!

Yun Qin cried out in her heart, but Shen Danying had already turned his head to look at her, forcing her to face it.

"I have seen Xi agree."

Shen agreed to be very polite, but the look he gave her was still complicated.

"You're welcome, Shen."

Since she was so polite, Yun Qin didn't call her sister, but just responded in a neutral tone.

Yunqin understood her complexity very well. After all, she was just a palace maid when they met before. She had even been dragged to the palace to be served porridge outside the palace.

Now when they met again, the two were on equal footing, with Yun Qin's position even being half a point higher.

After all, this was the Fengyi Palace. Neither of them stopped and walked out of the palace gate side by side.

Obviously Shen Danying was the one waiting for someone, but she didn't say anything.

Yunqin couldn't help but look at her a few times.

As if noticing her gaze, Shen Danying also looked over, his lips moved, hesitating for a moment, and then he opened his mouth and said:

"Xi Danying seems to be familiar with my brother?"

Even though Yun Qin knew a lot, she never expected that she would wait for her on purpose and what she wanted to say was actually related to Shen Che.

She couldn't help but look at Shen Danying.

Looking at her again at this moment, Yun Qin realized the complexity in her eyes. It was not because of lamenting the changes in the world, but because of Shen Che.

But why?

Only the emperor knew what Shen Che was thinking, and he would never tell Shen Danying about such things.

Could it be Shen Che?

Is he crazy? How dare he tell Shen Danying about such a thing?

Yun Qin was shocked, but her face was just stunned for a moment, then she curled her lips slightly, "Didn't Shen Danying understand what happened?"

This time it was Shen Danying who looked at Yun Qin steadily. From her smiling eyes to her slightly raised mouth corners, everything was so natural and everything was so flawless.

She didn't see any guilt in Yunqin, nor did she see any feelings towards her brother because she mentioned him.

Shen Danying could not forget the day when she met her brother at the palace gate. He looked so depressed. She thought it was because he was going on a long journey to the west, but then she heard him mention Yun Qin.

It would have been fine if he just mentioned it occasionally, but he actually asked me how she was doing and even wanted me to take care of her.

Shen Danying thought it was strange at the time, but did not dare to think about it too much. However, she later received a letter from her brother.

In the letter, he mentioned Yunqin again, still asking how she was.

Even if she didn't dare to think about it, she had to face it.

My brother, it seems, seems to have developed feelings for Yunqin.

But by then, Yunqin had already been canonized as Xida Ying by the Empress Dowager's decree.

This matter kept Shen Danying awake for several days and nights. He wanted to ask Yunqin several times, but he didn't dare to be too obvious, for fear that the emperor would find out and harm both of them.

Now she finally got the chance, but she couldn't see any friendship from Yunqin.

It's just that my brother is too enthusiastic.

Shen Danying should have breathed a sigh of relief, but for some reason his mood became more complicated.

"I know, I know." She pulled the corners of her mouth stiffly and said to Yun Qin, "I'm just looking for an opportunity to talk to him."

Shen spoke frankly, but Yun Qin narrowed her eyes slightly when she heard it.

You'd better...