Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Shen Qingqing returned with the anti-itch ointment. When she approached the bed, she handed the small porcelain bottle to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi didn’t take it right away. He tilted his handsome face slightly, looked at her, and said, “Thanks for your help, Miss Seven.”

Shen Qingqing didn’t want to touch his face, so she set the porcelain bottle down beside him and lay back on the bed.

By that action, Li Zhi was momentarily taken aback, then he let out a bitter smile. ‘Looks like little foxes aren’t that easy to handle.’

After opening the bottle, Li Zhi applied some ointment casually before settling into bed.

He was worn out from marching under the hot sun all day, so he didn’t bother Shen Qingqing about having a baby for the next few nights.

By noon on the eighth day after leaving Beijing, the emperor finally reached the Rehe Palace.

That afternoon, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved rest.

After a good night’s sleep, the next morning, Li Zhi went horseback riding with Emperor Qingde. Meanwhile, Shen Qingqing received an invitation from Noble Concubine Chun, asking her and the other officials’ wives to join her at the Fangyuan Garden to admire the flowers.

Since Emperor Qingde only brought Noble Concubine Chun along on this trip, it was naturally her responsibility to entertain the female guests.

Noble Concubine Chun didn’t have a lot of guests over. Most of the officials who came along only brought their concubines and maids, leaving their wives at home. So, the concubines and maids of regular officials obviously weren’t allowed to sit with Noble Concubine Chun. In the end, she only had eight guests, including two concubines from the crown prince.

Those two were Shen Jiarong, who was Shen Qingqing’s cousin, and Meng Yan, the daughter of a doctor from the Ministry of Personnel. As concubines of the Eastern Palace, Shen Jiarong dressed simply and wore minimal makeup, while Meng Yan was dressed in fancy clothes with a pearl in her hair. So when they sat next to each other, they looked more like a master and her servant, especially since Shen Jiarong’s look didn’t quite match up to Meng Yan’s.

When Shen Qingqing greeted them both, Shen Jiarong managed a forced smile.

Meng Yan was much friendlier and waved off the formalities for Shen Qingqing. She looked her over and exclaimed, “I can’t believe it. It’s been two years! You look even more amazing now. I almost didn’t recognise you when you walked in.” 

Shen Qingqing replied humbly, “You’re too nice.”

Then she turned to Shen Jiarong with a smile, saying, “It’s been a while, sister. I’ve really missed you.”

No matter the tension between them, they couldn’t let anyone see the Shen family in a bad light in front of guests.

But as Shen Jiarong looked at Shen Qingqing’s radiant face and the luxurious fabric she wore, she felt a strong urge to leave right away, not wanting to give Shen Qingqing any chance to mock her!

Shen Jiarong has had a pretty tough couple of years. She always thought that once she left the Shen family and entered the palace, she’d be living the high life she always wanted. But when she stepped into the Eastern Palace, Queen Shen quickly put her in her place, telling her to uphold the simple and dignified values of the Shen daughters and not to compare herself to the other women there. So, Shen Jiarong had to keep her look plain.

On the emotional side, Shen Jiarong felt like she didn’t measure up to the other women in the palace, and she couldn’t dress how she wanted. The prince started visiting her less and less, and after Queen Shen had a word with him, he only came by once or twice a month. Even then, it was only because Queen Shen told him to.

In the Eastern Palace, Shen Jiarong became a joke among the other women.

She believed that Shen Qingqing was aware of her struggles, which was why she always seemed to smile so insincerely and poke fun at her.

However, the truth was that Shen Qingqing was too busy to care about Shen Jiarong’s situation.

Therefore, when Shen Jiarong didn’t talk with her, Shen Qingqing just ignored her and chatted with the other ladies instead.

Finally, all the guests had arrived by the time Noble Concubine Chun made her entrance.

As the highest-ranking woman in the palace at this moment, Noble Concubine Chun didn’t wear exaggerated clothing. She looked fresh and lovely in a simple palace dress. Her six-year-old daughter, the Second Princess, walked alongside her, and they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. It showed how young Noble Concubine Chun really was.

As soon as they arrived, Shen Qingqing and the others stepped out of the waterside pavilion to greet them.

“Alright, everyone, stand up,” Noble Concubine Chun said with a warm smile.

Shen Qingqing looked up and was surprised to find the Second Princess gazing back at her. 

“Aunt.” The little girl’s cheerful voice echoed around them.

The Second Princess had phoenix eyes, just like her mother, and she was undeniably a beautiful child. Shen Qingqing couldn’t help but smile back at her as she remarked, “Looks like the second princess has grown taller.”

Delighted that her aunt was fond of her, the Second Princess dashed over to Shen Qingqing.

From there, Shen Qingqing focused on having fun with the Second Princess.

After Noble Concubine Chun exchanged pleasantries with the other ladies, she encouraged everyone to wander around the garden and enjoy the flowers. When she turned around, she spotted Shen Qingqing and the Second Princess admiring a bunch of white roses. With a smile, she made her way over there.

“Mother, my aunt loves white roses just like I do!” the Second Princess exclaimed excitedly upon seeing Noble Concubine Chun.

Noble Concubine Chun smiled back, saying, “That means you two get along wonderfully.”

The Second Princess giggled and turned her attention back to the flowers.

Shen Qingqing knelt down again to greet Noble Concubine Chun, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for the kind gifts along the way.”

Noble Concubine Chun held Shen Qingqing’s hand affectionately and replied, “We’re all family here, sister-in-law. No need for such formality.”

Shen Qingqing nodded and stood up straight.

Noticing the rosy glow on Shen Qingqing’s face and the softness in her eyes, Noble Concubine Chun guessed that the bond between her brother and sister-in-law had improved significantly.

“That day, I noticed my brother had a mosquito bite on his face. Is my sister-in-law alright?” Noble Concubine Chun asked, looking worried.

Shen Qingqing felt her cheeks heat up and quickly shot a glance at Noble Concubine Chun.

Noble Concubine Chun had a serious expression as if she genuinely didn’t know what happened.

Finally, Shen Qingqing let out a sigh of relief and explained, “Luckily, I stayed in the carriage during the day and burnt some incense at night, so I didn’t hear any mosquitoes. The Marquis was out during the day and didn’t take all the necessary precautions.”

Looking up at the bright sun filtering through the trees, Noble Concubine Chun sighed. “Yes, my brother has been out in the sun and wind the whole time; it’s tough on him. I’d appreciate it if you could look after him. He’s not used to taking care of himself.”

Shen Qingqing lowered her gaze and smiled before replying, “Caring for the Marquis is part of my duties. Your Majesty, so no need to worry.”

Noble Concubine Chun nodded and said, “Tomorrow, the emperor is throwing a banquet for the tribal leaders on the grasslands. You should come with me. It’s a rare chance to visit the grasslands and see the brave men beyond the Great Wall.”

Since she meant well, Shen Qingqing happily agreed.

Later that evening, Li Zhi returned, and he asked Shen Qingqing about her day.

She briefly shared her experience of her visit to admire flowers and mentioned Noble Concubine Chun’s invitation.

Li Zhi laughed and said after hearing his young wife’s words, “Honestly, there’s no real difference between the men from beyond the Great Wall and those from the Central Plains. What’s so special about them?”

However, Shen Qingqing didn’t believe it. “I’ve heard that most guys from the grasslands are tough and strong, way braver than the average guys from the Central Plains.” She remembered the story she heard from a storyteller at a teahouse when she was in the south of the Yangtze River, hanging out with her elder brother.

‘Tough and strong?’Li Zhi chuckled and asked her, “What do you think makes someone tough and strong?”

Shen Qingqing rolled her eyes, thinking of one person. “General Guo Sheng.”

General Guo Sheng was a giant, standing tall with a broad back and powerful arms. He was known for wielding a pair of iron hammers, and it was said that he could take down a whole group of enemies with just one swing. When Shen Qingqing was a kid and visited the palace, she saw Guo Sheng and thought he looked as imposing as a mountain, which totally intimidated her. From that moment on, she pictured military leaders like Guo Sheng, not like the dashing and refined Li Zhi.

When Li Zhi heard her mention Guo Sheng, he was at a loss for words.

In terms of build, he definitely didn’t match up to Guo Sheng.

Later that night, Shen Qingqing covered her mouth with her hands.

Li Zhi leaned in and whispered, “Am I a husband who’s tough and impressive?”

Shen Qingqing: ‘Tough? Please, this sneaky guy has a mind full of tricks!’

End of chapter 38

Have a nice day!