"I believe that the imperial concubine will not look down upon the trivial things in my storeroom, but I do have a gift for the meeting. Yicui, bring up the gift I have prepared for the meeting."

A palace maid came up with two trays.

The things on the two trays were similar, except that Ning Ruyan's plate had an extra jade ruyi.

"Oh, Her Majesty, have you taken out all the jewelry from the bottom of the box? I am a common person, so I have only prepared common things like gold and silver." The imperial concubine said, covering her lips with a handkerchief and giggling.

The imperial concubine's maid brought up two trays, each containing five hundred taels of silver.

"You naughty boy, why don't you change it into silver notes? You let two such beautiful women walk out of the palace carrying such heavy silver?" The Queen Mother couldn't help but point at the Imperial Concubine and laughed so hard that her body shook.

"Oh, I didn't think of this. I just think gold and silver are more practical. I didn't think carefully about this. Your Majesty is the most prudent and generous. You are the most caring. How about helping me change it into silver notes?"

"I am not as rich as you. I only spend one thousand taels at a time." The Queen said with a smile.

"I cannot compare with the Queen and the Imperial Concubine, so just give them a hairpin." It was the favored Concubine Ning who took over.

Seeing this, the other concubines also took out their gifts.

"Alright, I am tired, Queen, I will take my leave now."

The imperial concubine stood up charmingly, bowed, and left with her maid.

Seeing this, the other concubines took their leave and left.

"I have something else to do. You can walk around the Imperial Garden by yourself. I will send someone to look for you after you leave the palace." Ning Ruyan said in a commanding tone.

Shen Yunjin bowed and walked out with Jinzhi. She knew that Ning Ruyan would definitely go to Ning Guiren's palace to sit for a while.

She walked slowly along the corridor with carved beams and painted buildings. She remembered the garden she passed by on the way here. At that time, all the flowers were in full bloom.

Unexpectedly, she saw the imperial concubine standing in the garden from afar, pinching the flowers in the garden with her hands.

Just as Shen Yunjin was about to avoid him, she saw the imperial concubine turning around and looking at her with a smile.

She had no choice but to step forward and say, "Greetings, Madam Imperial Concubine."

"No need to be polite. Concubine Shen is also here to enjoy the flowers in the garden. What do you think of the peony in my hand?"

Shen Yunjin raised her head and glanced at him. "To answer your Majesty, she is very beautiful."

"Really? But I think the heart of this flower is full of bugs, which makes me feel disgusted."

As she spoke, the imperial concubine threw the peony flowers in her hand at her feet and twirled them with her feet.

Shen Yunjin lowered his head, pretending that he heard nothing and saw nothing.

"I heard that the fifth brother stayed in Concubine Shen's room last night?" The imperial concubine leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

Shen Yunjin knelt down hurriedly, "In reply to the Imperial Concubine, where the prince wants to rest is not something I can decide."

"Oh, I'm not as nosy as the queen. I'm just gossiping. Hurry up and get up, or else people in the palace will spread rumors that I'm bullying others."

As she spoke, she stretched out her nail polish-covered hand and motioned Shen Yunjin to get up.

"This garden still needs all the flowers to bloom before it's spring, Concubine Shen, don't you agree?"

"I am a dull concubine, but I think what your Majesty said is right."

"Interesting, the Queen really found a wonderful person for the fifth prince." The imperial concubine said as she remembered something and giggled while covering her mouth with a handkerchief.

"Concubine Shen, you can have fun slowly. I have to go back to the palace. Alas, this person should be nicer to herself. Men are always fickle."

"Your Majesty, I respectfully bid you farewell." Shen Yunjin knelt down and saluted.

After this incident, Shen Yunjin no longer had the heart to go shopping.

She took Jinzhi to the nearest pavilion, ready to rest there and wait for Ning Ruyan.

This pavilion is located at the northernmost part of the garden, next to a large rockery and directly in front of it is a pond with koi swimming around in it.

She asked Jinzhi to take out some snacks from the sachet, crush them with her hands, and play with the fish bit by bit.

"Brother Minxuan, Yan'er only has you in her heart. You have to believe in Yan'er."

Shen Yunjin suddenly heard voices coming from behind the rockery, and she immediately pulled Jinzhi and hid under the pavilion.

I only heard a man's voice saying something in a low voice, and the woman burst into tears of joy.

After a while, the footsteps of the two people became farther and farther away.

After a long while, Shen Yunjin and Jinzhi came out from under the pavilion and looked at each other.

Shen Yunjin decided to take Jinzhi to the garden, where the view was wide and anyone coming could be seen at a glance.

There are too many secrets in the palace. The less you know, the longer you live.

Fortunately, the two of them had not been walking around for long before they saw Ning Ruyan sending people to look for their maid.

Shen Yunjin and Jinzhi both let out a long sigh of relief at the same time.

After returning to the mansion, Ning Ruyan sent a maid to say that she was tired and asked Shen Yunjin to do as she pleased.

When Shen Yunjin returned to the house, the first thing he did was to call Hongliu and Cuiliu.

"Your servant greets the concubine." The two of them knelt down and kowtowed as they entered the room in a proper manner.

Shen Yunjin picked up the teacup and sniffed it. It was her favorite Lu'an Guapian.

She held the tea and didn't speak for a long time. The two maids began to become nervous from their initial calmness.

Shen Yunjin thought the time was about right before he started lecturing.

"I know that both of you are family-born children, and I also know what your mother means by asking you to marry as a dowry..." She paused.

"I have absolutely no such intention. I only wish to serve the concubine for the rest of my life."

The slim maid immediately knelt down and kowtowed. Shen Yunjin remembered that her name was Cui Liu.

Another plump maid named Hongliu also bent down.

"I have no objection to you having a better future. It is your blessing to serve the prince, but," Shen Yunjin's tone became stern.

"But now you are my concubine's people, so you must be loyal first. Once I find out that you have betrayed me, I will sell you to a brothel.

Furthermore, you are not allowed to form cliques or use despicable means. Otherwise, if anything happens, don’t blame me for not helping you!”

"Of course, if you are unwilling to serve the prince, when you are old enough, I will find a candidate for you, prepare a dowry, and marry you off in a grand manner."

Giving a slap and then giving a red date is the most basic way to control your subordinates.

"Thank you, Concubine. I am willing to serve you." The two of them spoke much more sincerely this time.

"Cui Liu, I heard that you are good at combing hair. From now on, you will comb my hair."

"Hongliu, you take care of all the clothes for this concubine."

The two of them hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to express their gratitude. Shen Yunjin's arrangement was an acknowledgement of their status as the head maids.

The concubine's maid received three taels of silver a month and two sets of clothes for each season, which was much higher than what the Shen family received.

"Concubine, Madam obviously arranged these two people with bad intentions, why did you still promote them?"

After Cuiliu and Hongliu walked out, Yuzhi couldn't help but ask.

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