After I got into the drama, I led the plot astray

I scared Yi Ping so much that she hugged me and said, "Don't be afraid, second sister. I'm here. We are not afraid of any monsters or demons."

I let out a long breath and said, "After seeing such an ugly ghost, I am really afraid of everything."

Yi Ping hugged me tightly and said with some heartache: "You are different from ordinary people. You are destined to suffer more than ordinary people. But don't be afraid. Big brother and I are always by your side."

I leaned my head on Yiping's shoulder and said, "I know, it's a good thing I have you, otherwise I wouldn't be able to survive."

As we were talking, the carriage arrived at the gate of Jinxiu Palace.

I didn't send a letter in advance. It would be rude to visit suddenly. I had already thought of a set of excuses in the carriage, saying that the Crown Prince asked us to visit the patient. After all, the Crown Prince is the Queen's own son, so I think she won't blame him.

As soon as we got off the carriage, the guard at the gate came forward and bowed to me respectfully, saying, "The Queen and His Majesty have been waiting in the palace for a long time. Please follow me, Mr. Zhao and Miss Zhao."

Yiping and I looked at each other. It turned out that the Queen and Zheng Xian had known that we were coming and were waiting in the palace. This was really beyond my expectations.

We followed the guards into the Jinxiu Palace.

This is my first time to visit the Jinxiu Hall. The construction specifications of the Jinxiu Hall are the same as those of the Empress Dowager's Changle Hall. The furnishings in the Empress Dowager's hall are a bit old-fashioned and luxurious; while the Jinxiu Hall has fewer furnishings and instead appears simpler and more grand, making people feel less depressed.

The guards took us to the main house and left, and then the palace maid who was waiting in front of the main house took us into the main house.

There was a floor heating system in the main room, and a charcoal stove was burning, making the whole room warm. Inside and outside the room were two completely different worlds. Outside the room was freezing and snowy, while inside the room was warm as spring. If it wasn't an ordinary wealthy family, they couldn't afford to use charcoal like this.

It was so warm in the room that I couldn't help sneezing as soon as I walked into the room.

My sneeze successfully made the Queen and Zheng Xian, who were playing chess, turn their heads to look at me.

Yiping and I hurried forward and saluted.

Zheng Xian and the Queen saw that we were both covered in mud and wanted to laugh but didn't dare to.

Zheng Xian tried his best to hold back his laughter and said calmly, "No need to be polite."

The Queen smiled politely and said, "Ah Man and Yi Ping are here? The temperature has dropped again today. Did they get cold on the way?"

Yiping and I both shook our heads. I replied, "Thank you, Queen, for your concern. Yiping and I are both fine and not cold."

I couldn't call myself "I" in front of the Empress and the Emperor. People like me, although we were daughters of officials, had been kicked out of the mansion, so we could only call ourselves commoners. But the Empress and Zheng Xian didn't seem to mind. It seemed that they were used to the way I spoke and didn't have too many etiquette requirements for me.

The Queen smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I am not in good shape today and have lost several games in a row. Why don't we stop here?"

Zheng Xian's face was not so pale anymore. Although he still looked sick, there was a hint of redness on his face.

Zheng Xian nodded and said, "If that's the case, let's stop here."

Zheng Xian noticed the food basket in my hand and asked with great interest, "I didn't expect Ah Man to bring food into the palace today. Show it to me and see what it is."

I hesitated a little, and Zheng Xian asked unhappily, "Don't want to?"

Yi Ping saw that the situation was not right, so he quickly took the food basket from my hand and brought it to Zheng Xian, saying, "I originally wanted to bring it here for the Seventh Prince to taste. Since Your Majesty wants to eat it, I will offer it to Your Majesty first."

Wei Yi hurried over to take the food basket, and placed the food in the basket one by one on the coffee table in front of Zheng Xian.

It's nothing more than some cakes and cold dishes, like salted peanuts and candied hawthorns.

Zheng Xian looked at the dozen or so dishes of food in front of him. Without asking anyone to test for poison, he reached out his hand, took a little of each, put it in his mouth, and began to chew.

The queen was terrified and quickly stretched out her hand to stop him, saying, "Your Majesty, no one has tasted the food yet."

Zheng Xian pointed at the plate of pink peach blossom pastry and said, "This pastry tastes good, crispy and delicious, sweet but not greasy, you should try it."

The queen was a little frozen. She tried to persuade others but ended up being persuaded.

But looking at Zheng Xian's expression, it didn't seem like he was joking, so the queen had no choice but to reach out her hand, pinched a piece of peach blossom cake and threw it into her mouth with a fearless look. Unexpectedly, it was really as Zheng Xian said, crispy and delicious, sweet but not greasy, and very delicious.

The queen's eyes lit up and she said, "I have eaten so much food and I think I have tasted all the flavors in the world, but I didn't expect this peach blossom pastry to really surprise me."

Zheng Xian smiled and said, "Am I right? These dim sum are really good. Yi Ping is not only good at making dim sum, but also a great cook."

Yi Ping blushed and said, "I, a commoner, cook ordinary food that cannot meet the Queen's standards."

The queen waved to Yi Ping, took off the jade bracelet on her hand, put it into Yi Ping's hand, and said, "This jade bracelet was my dowry when I got married. I have worn it for some years. Now I give it to you."

Yi Ping was shocked. This was the queen's dowry. How could he afford such an expensive gift?

Yiping felt that the jade bracelet on her hand was a hot potato. She wanted to throw it back to the queen, but she didn't have the courage. She looked at me helplessly. I smiled and said, "The queen gave you something because she likes you. Don't offend her. Accept it."

The Queen also continued, "I heard that you wanted to take Minister Du as your godfather, so this is my advance gift to you."

Only then did Yi Ping understand why the Queen gave her something. It turned out to be a gift to acknowledge her as a relative.

Yi Ping had no choice but to bow obediently and said, "Thank you, Queen, for the reward."

The queen was also filled with joy when she saw Yi Ping. She smiled and said, "You are a good child and a blessed person. You should come to Jinxiu Palace often to accompany me in the future. I am extremely depressed here alone."

Zheng Xian, who was sitting next to him, was unhappy and said, "Don't I often come to play chess with you? Why are you so depressed?"

The Queen deliberately frowned and said, "Oh, Your Majesty, please stop talking. You know how bad my chess skills are, and Your Majesty is unwilling to let me off a little. The more I play chess, the more depressed I become."

Zheng Xian was not annoyed when he heard this. Instead, he laughed loudly and said, "The queen just loves to joke. If I always give in to you, then I will be depressed."

The queen smiled and said nothing.

Looking at this harmonious couple, it is hard to believe that they are the emperor and empress. There are three thousand beauties in the harem, even if there are fewer, there are at least a hundred or so.

It is not something that ordinary people can do for a woman to share her husband with so many women, pretend nothing has happened, and even try to please and flatter her husband.

I was just daydreaming when the Queen suddenly looked at me and said, "Yesterday the Crown Prince told me that you were coming to visit the Seventh Prince. Now the Seventh Prince is in my side hall. I will send someone to take you there right away."

Seeing that I didn't respond, Yi Ping knew that I was lost in thought again, so he quickly tugged at my sleeve and said, "The Queen said she's sending someone to take us to see the Seventh Prince."