The next morning, after a night's rest, Shen Yunxi looked a little better, but her wounds were still painful.
To avoid being discovered, she had Zhizhi check her injuries and make sure the wounds hadn't reopened while she was sleeping before letting Cai'er help her change clothes and do her makeup.
Cai'er is also Shen Yunxi's maid. Like Zhizhi, she grew up with Shen Yunxi since childhood and is equally trustworthy.
Currently, only she, her two maids, and Junxuan know about her injury, so there is no need to worry about it being leaked. She just needs to carefully heal her injury.
As soon as she changed her clothes, Zhizhi pushed open the door and came in.
"Miss, the palace's rewards have arrived and are at the entrance of the courtyard."
reward?
Shen Yunxi was slightly taken aback, feeling somewhat puzzled, but still stepped out to accept the reward.
A dozen eunuchs walked in from the courtyard and arrived at the front hall. The leading eunuch held two pieces of paper in his hand and stood in front of Shen Yunxi.
"Miss Shen, please accept the Empress Dowager's reward."
Shen Yunxi bowed and accepted the gift, thinking that the Empress Dowager probably noticed her pale face yesterday and thought she was frightened, so she sent something over early in the morning.
"The Empress Dowager has bestowed a reward: a bowl of nourishing porridge, a bowl of honey lotus seed soup, a cup of calming soup, and a lucky pillow."
After he finished speaking, the eunuch stopped.
Shen Yunxi understood that the things the Empress Dowager had bestowed were for calming the mind and nourishing the body; they weren't particularly valuable, but they represented the Empress Dowager's good intentions.
"Your Majesty, I am very grateful for your generous gift." Shen Yunxi immediately expressed her gratitude.
Unexpectedly, the eunuch spoke again.
"Wait a moment, Miss Shen, please don't be anxious. This servant has only read out the Empress Dowager's reward and the Emperor's reward."
"Yes," Shen Yunxi replied.
Immediately afterwards, the eunuch read out Junxuan's rewards: "The Emperor has bestowed upon us a thousand-year-old ginseng, a thousand-year-old he shou wu, a hundred-year-old snow lotus, six pieces of southern blood bird's nest, and a box of ice-skin jade dew ointment."
After hearing the eunuch's words, Shen Yunxi stiffened slightly, not understanding why Junxuan wanted to reward her.
Since they have reached a consensus, let's pretend that what happened yesterday never happened. Is he acting like this because he's afraid outsiders won't know that she was injured, or what?
At this moment, a surge of anger welled up in Shen Yunxi's heart.
It's certain that Junxuan did it on purpose. Shen Yunxi doesn't think he genuinely cares about her; it's very likely a warning to her not to talk nonsense.
Of course, he might even think that she would be grateful and cherish him even more.
Is Junxuan truly unaware of Shen Yunxi's feelings?
How is that possible!
Junxuan wasn't stupid; he was exceptionally intelligent and wise. He was far from being unable to see through Shen Yunxi's feelings. He was simply pretending not to know and was indifferent to Shen Yunxi's overly affectionate behavior, which he secretly rejoiced at, feeling that it was a slap in the face to the Empress Dowager.
Look at this woman whom the Empress Dowager valued so highly, yet she did such a shameless thing!
Thinking of this, Shen Yunxi's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Thank you for coming to deliver the decree, sir. Please convey my gratitude to the Emperor for his great favor!"
Shen Yunxi spoke each word carefully, emphasizing the last four words. Besides anger, she also felt a sense of determination.
I must sever all ties with Jun-hyun!
Since she was injured for Junxuan, she deserved the medicine. She would no longer be moved or grateful.
The eunuch who delivered the decree could only chuckle awkwardly. He felt that he might have left the palace at the wrong time today, otherwise why would he feel that Miss Shen's words had a gritted teeth tone?
Thinking about Shen Yunxi's feelings for Jun Xuan, anyone with eyes could see that he must have misunderstood.
"Ahem, Miss Shen, then this servant shall take his leave." The eunuch who delivered the decree quickly said.
The eunuchs who had come with them also put down their trays, and several of them walked out in an orderly fashion to wait outside the courtyard.
Shen Yunxi nodded slightly, "Thank you for your hard work, Father-in-law. Cai'er, please see Father-in-law out."
“Yes, Miss.” Cai’er led the eunuch out.
Since the eunuch was coming from the palace to deliver an imperial decree, he naturally needed to be taken care of. Cai'er sent the eunuch out to do just that.
After confirming that no one was around, Zhizhi lowered her voice and asked softly, "Miss, what should we do with these things?"
The Emperor has never bestowed anything upon the young lady before, but now that he has, she has shown no joy. Something must have happened yesterday.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yunxi slowly sat down, coldly glancing at Jun Xuan's reward, "Put away the Emperor's reward, and leave the Empress Dowager's."
"Yes, Miss," Zhizhi replied.
Seeing Zhizhi's expression, Shen Yunxi smiled bitterly, "Zhizhi, do you feel that my actions are different from usual?"
Zhizhi smiled slightly, "Although I don't know what happened between the Emperor and Miss yesterday, I will always stand by Miss's side. Cai'er and I have always seen Miss's feelings for the Emperor. If there has been any change, it can only be said that it was because of the Emperor that Miss was saddened. I will not question Miss's decision."
Sure enough, no matter what happened, Zhizhi believed in her and stood firmly behind her. That's why she was implicated by her in her past life and suffered the punishment of being subjected to the bell, ultimately ending up in such a state.
“Zhizhi, I won’t lie to you. The Emperor is the moon in the sky, and I am just an ordinary person. He doesn’t care about that so-called marriage contract, so it doesn’t count.” As Shen Yunxi said this, the image of that man in his fine clothes and riding a spirited horse flashed through her mind. Then she smiled with relief. “The most difficult thing in life is to let go. If you can’t let go, you will only suffer.”
Those pains were already heart-wrenching enough.
Zhizhi's eyes reddened. She had seen the young lady's feelings for the emperor all these years, and she knew that the young lady's feelings for the emperor started from the life-saving grace.
Now that Miss wants to let go, I wonder how much grievance she must have suffered to make such a decision.
“Miss, I’ve always been by your side,” Zhizhi said, her voice choked with emotion.
"Why are you so sad, girl? Isn't this a good thing? Don't forget, once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea. The harem is a place that eats people alive, full of deceit and scheming. People are not in control of their own lives." Shen Yunxi said softly.
“Miss is right to think that way. The palace is not a good place, and being a concubine is not free. In my opinion, there are many talented young men around you, so there will surely be a suitable one. However, Miss and the Emperor were betrothed by the late Emperor. Does the Emperor really not care about the late Emperor's decree at all?” Zhizhi said in a low voice.
Shen Yunxi didn't care about all that. All she wanted to do now was recover her health, sort out her memories of her past life, and protect her family.
As for annulmenting the engagement, we can only do it step by step, so let's not scare Zhizhi.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Just then, faint footsteps came from the doorway, followed by a familiar voice.
Shen Yunxi sneered, "Ha, they came so quickly!"
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