Entering the palace means entering a high position; I'm His Majesty's cousin, who am I afr

Pei Yan sat on one side of the soft couch, while Empress Dowager Shen and Shen Jiayu sat on the other side.

Shen Jiayu lowered her head and sat quietly next to Empress Dowager Shen.

Pei Yan first inquired about Empress Dowager Shen's well-being.

Empress Dowager Shen smiled and said, "I am well, Your Majesty need not worry."

Pei Yan nodded slightly.

Then, he walked past Empress Dowager Shen, looked at the figure behind him, and asked, "How has my cousin been lately?"

Shen Jiayu did not dare to look up at anyone. She replied, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am staying with my aunt in Cining Palace. My days are peaceful and quiet, and there is nothing wrong with it."

"Hmm." Pei Yan pondered for a moment, then said to Empress Dowager Shen, "My cousin grew up in the Northern Plains and is not very proficient in literature. Since she is free, why don't you, Mother, make an exception and let her come to the Xuanzheng Hall to cultivate her mind and character?"

Empress Dowager Shen's smile widened.

She looked them up and down a few times.

I think I understand something now.

"It's good that the Emperor is willing to teach. Ah Yu, you should go with your cousin."

Shen Jiayu had a bad feeling from the moment he stepped into the Cining Palace.

The emperor's eyes looked like he wanted to devour her.

Shen Jiayu was not afraid of him.

But she was still quite afraid of the lesson he would teach her.

Upon hearing this, her eyelids twitched violently. She quickly looked at Empress Dowager Shen, "Aunt, let Ayu keep you company a little longer..."

Before she could finish speaking, Empress Dowager Shen patted her hand affectionately. "Go ahead. This Cining Palace is too desolate and cold. Young people who stay here too long will become dull-witted. Since the Emperor wants you to go to the Xuanzheng Hall to improve your knowledge, then go."

Empress Dowager Shen's words were reasonable and well-founded.

Shen Jiayu was now speechless.

She could only follow behind Pei Yan as they went outside.

As they were about to leave the palace, Empress Dowager Shen called them back, "Your Majesty, Ayu is still young and may misbehave. Please be more tolerant of her and don't bully her."

Pei Yan's eyebrows twitched slightly. He turned the ring on his palm and his gaze fell on the fluffy head.

His tone hardened slightly, "Cousin, have I ever bullied you?"

Shen Jiayu really wanted to say yes, but she knew that if she said it, she probably wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.

She glanced at Pei Yan, then at Empress Dowager Shen, and smiled. "Aunt, His Majesty treats Ayu very well and has never bullied her."

Empress Dowager Shen nodded with satisfaction: "Then I am relieved. Go ahead."

She waved, signaling the two to leave.

Shen Jiayu then followed Pei Yan.

We walked in silence until we reached the entrance of Cining Palace.

Shen Jiayu was about to sit in her own sedan chair in the back when Pei Yan grabbed her by the back of the neck and pressed her into the dragon carriage.

Shen Jiayu sat on it, swallowing nervously.

After Pei Yan ordered the sedan chair to be moved, he lowered his eyes and stared at her without saying a word.

Shen Jiayu felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze. She forced a smile and asked, "Your Majesty, is there something on my face?"

"No," Pei Yan said, seemingly puzzled. "I'm just very confused. How dare you avoid me?"

He is the Emperor of the Great Jing Dynasty. Not to mention the palace, the whole country belongs to him. How long can he hide?

Shen Jiayu was provoked into a panic by these words, "What? How could I be hiding from Your Majesty? I wish I could be with Your Majesty every day."

Pei Yan asked indifferently, "Is that so?"

Shen Jiayu nodded vigorously.

Pei Yan then said, "Since that's what you think, then stay overnight at Xuanzheng Hall for the next few days."

Spending the night in Xuanzheng Hall meant that she would continue to serve the emperor.

After considering it for a moment, Shen Jiayu quickly changed her words, "Your Majesty, I did not mean to avoid you."

Pei Yan's tone turned cold, and his eyes sharpened: "Didn't you say you didn't dodge?"

Shen Jiayu took a breath, her voice not daring to be loud: "It was because His Majesty was too fierce that day that I was frightened."

Pei Yan scrutinized her for a moment before coldly uttering, "Shen Jiayu, if you dare to hide from me again, just try it."

Shen Jiayu breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

We'll talk about the next time next time.

Let her go this time.

She changed the subject, "Your Majesty, I'm hungry. For lunch, I'd like to have fish maw and black chicken hot pot, as well as drunken crab roe, tender venison with osmanthus, and candied cherry meat..."

She counted them on her fingers.

Upon hearing the name of a certain dish, Pei Yan turned to look at her: "You want to eat osmanthus-flavored tender venison?"

Shen Jiayu blinked, and it took her a few moments to understand the deeper meaning of his words. She quickly waved her hand and said with an embarrassed smile, "I don't want this anymore, I don't want this anymore."

joke.

If this dish were served, she would probably start crying in the afternoon, not even at night.

When we arrived at Xuanzheng Hall, it was almost lunchtime.

The table was full of dishes that Shen Jiayu loved, and she ate quite a lot.

After lunch, it was time for a nap.

Shen Jiayu naturally wanted to accompany her, but she hesitated to enter the bedchamber.

Pei Yan asked, "Aren't you sleepy?"

In fact, Shen Jiayu's eyelids were almost closed, and she stammered without speaking.

Pei Yan saw through her thoughts at a glance and sneered, "Do I look that impatient?"

Shen Jiayu shook her head and had no choice but to go inside with him.

Nothing actually happened.

After undressing, Pei Yanping lay down on the outside of the dragon bed and closed his eyes to sleep.

On the contrary, Shen Jiayu, because of her fidgeting, was slapped on the buttocks before she calmed down.

*

After that day, Shen Jiayu resumed her routine of traveling between Xuanzheng Hall and Yihua Palace.

Having spent a long time with the emperor, she had come to understand a fair bit of his temperament.

An emperor can tolerate occasional spoiled behavior and tantrums. But it's best not to disobey or refuse his orders.

Otherwise, you'll be severely punished.

During this period, it was always Shen Jiayu who served the emperor. Other concubines, let alone serving him, could not even see him.

The concubines who came to deliver pastries and ice cream were all sent away, on the grounds that they were too busy with official duties.

Upon hearing this, all the concubines in the palace had one thought pop into their minds: How could Consort Chen be allowed to accompany the emperor every day?

However, the concubines in the six palaces could only think these words; none of them spoke them aloud.

Even if I were to say it, I would only be bringing shame upon myself.

Consort Chen is His Majesty's cousin, so who am I?

So even though they were unwilling, the concubines could only endure it and reluctantly leave.

Shen Jiayu, who accompanied the emperor every day, had a suspicion in her heart.

It's not that I doubt the emperor's abilities.

Instead, they suspected him of being too arrogant.

Did you take the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician?

Otherwise, how could an emperor have such good energy?

It was to the point where she was completely overwhelmed.

Fortunately, she still had her period, which gave her some relief; otherwise, Shen Jiayu felt she would have died on that dragon bed.

These days continued until the beginning of July.

The rain had stopped and the sky was clear; the air was exceptionally fresh.

Pei Yan finished dealing with court affairs in the morning and had nothing to do in the afternoon, so Shen Jiayu kept bothering him, "Please, Your Majesty, I beg you."

Today is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Qixi Festival in Dajing.

Hearing that there was a great commotion outside the palace, Shen Jiayu could no longer contain herself and had been shouting about it several times in a short while.

"Your Majesty, I grew up in the Northern Plains and have never seen the Qixi Festival in the capital. Please allow me to leave the palace once, okay?"

Pei Yan remained unmoved and said calmly, "The palace will set up a Magpie Bridge Lantern Mountain, and most of the concubines will go. If you are curious, you can go and take a look."

Shen Jiayu tugged at his sleeve and shook it: "I'm not going to see what's in the palace, it's so boring. It's much more fun to go outside the palace."

Pei Yan still did not respond to this.

Shen Jiayu removed the travelogue from his hands, straddled him, and faced him directly. She declared confidently, "Your Majesty, please grant my request!"