Consort Shu

CH 21: Mid Autumn Festival Family Banquet (Part 2)

　　After walking for a while, Suyue couldn't help but ask, "Master, your hand got wet. Why don't we find a place to change the dressing first? I'm worried the wound might worsen if left wrapped up like this."

Shen Moyun smirked, "It's just a minor burn. How could it worsen?" It was just a slight burn from yesterday when she was messing around with that crystal osmanthus cake. How come when Suyue talked about it, it sounded like she was seriously injured?

"Master, let me help you take a look at it," Jin Se also expressed concern, "The imperial physician said you shouldn't touch water, but just now, all the tea spilled on it. What if..."

Shen Moyun couldn't argue with their concern, so she ordered the sedan chair to stop on the side of the road. Then, she allowed Suyue to roll up the soaking wet sleeve. There was a small patch of dark red on her fair skin, which looked alarming. Suyue asked worriedly, "Master, does it hurt?"

"It stopped hurting a long time ago."

Suyue carefully rolled up the sleeve and gently wiped away the water marks with a handkerchief, saying, "Master, I know you're determined to please His Majesty by making crystal osmanthus cakes every day, but you are still the Shu Consort. Doing this kind of thing might not look good to others."

Shen Moyun didn't want to hear that, but she understood that in order to make the Emperor visit ChangLe Palace, she needed to make some preliminary investments. She couldn't say it directly, so she just replied, "I'm happy to make crystal osmanthus cakes for His Majesty. It's just a minor injury. There's no need to make a fuss about it."

　　Upon hearing this, Suyue almost shed tears. Shen Moyun was once the precious jewel of the Shen family, but since entering the palace, she hadn't experienced a single good day. Now she had to spend all day in the small kitchen preparing food. In an ordinary household, which female family head would personally make these things? With these thoughts, Suyue couldn't help but feel some resentment towards the Emperor.

"Enough, there's no need to cry. You should be happy. My crystal osmanthus cakes are getting better and better, and His Majesty also likes them very much, doesn't he? Otherwise, if he didn't like them after I sent them for so many days, he would have sent a message by now. As long as His Majesty likes them, it's worth it for me to suffer a little injury," Shen Moyun said calmly. After all, this was a public occasion, and besides this explanation, she couldn't think of anything else to say.

Suyue held back her tears and quickly instructed the eunuchs to lift the sedan chair again. Shen Moyun used her uninjured hand to cover her mouth, and yawned slightly. Her eyes were moist and her gaze was distant. She was exhausted today, and tomorrow morning she still had to pay her respect to the Empress. Who knew that the sedan chair would stop abruptly after a few steps, without any warning. Her body shook and she was set down. Then, amidst a neat chorus of salutations, she was shocked almost to the point of being unable to regain her composure.

Yuwen Xi stood directly in front of her. It was unclear whether he had just arrived or had been standing there for a while, but his expression was very gentle, indicating he was in a good mood.

"Your Majesty?" Shen Moyun was surprised, her red lips slightly parted. She was momentarily stunned before hurriedly getting up from the sedan chair and walking forward to bow to the Emperor, "This concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty."

　　"Beloved Consort, no need for formalities." Yuwen Xi personally helped her up, drawing her closer. He inadvertently caught a whiff of a faint fragrance, like osmanthus and jasmine, yet it seemed like neither, incredibly pleasant.

"Your Majesty?" Shen Moyun, feeling the Emperor's hand holding hers, pulling her closer and sniffing her, blushed deeply at this intimate gesture.

When Yuwen Xi heard her call, he smiled and lifted his head to see her blushing cheeks. Her eyes were full of shyness and confusion. Thinking about what he had just heard, his voice softened involuntarily, "Since you're injured, you should be more careful. Tomorrow, Zhen will have Imperial Physician Huang check on you. Don't leave any scars on your beautiful hands."