The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

Princess Duanmin said slowly, "Just because Ziye was lazy in learning martial arts doesn't mean he's not skilled in it. I've checked his scores for every exam, big or small, and he was always in the top three."

Shen Chongyuan is a person without any opinion of her own in front of her own daughter.

"My martial arts skills are alright... they're not that useless."

Princess Duanmin said: "He has a broad mind and is well-informed, but he has a somewhat unruly temper. I have been with him before and I believe I can handle him well."

"He's not a lazy dandy, he just isn't interested in studying."

"He has ambitions for the vast expanse of the world. My daughter wants... when he establishes his own government, I'll travel with him and see the vast landscape of our Great Yu Dynasty."

Shen Chongyuan was a little confused and bewildered when she heard it, but she also felt it was very powerful.

There was even a faint sense of pride in my heart.

This is the daughter she raised!

Princess Duanmin held Shen Chongyuan's hand and lowered her voice, a hint of suppressed emotion: "I'm thinking that when I have children, I might ask the Crown Prince to take my mother out of the palace to spend her remaining years in peace. How wonderful it would be to have children and grandchildren around us then."

Shen Chongyuan was shocked. She never expected Princess Duanmin to have such an idea, let alone...

Shen Chongyuan opened her mouth wide: "Is this even possible?!"

Why had she never heard before that the concubines in the palace could enter the palace to live with their children?

Princess Duanmin said seriously, "Although there hasn't been such a thing in recent years, I've checked the history books and found that when this dynasty was founded, the emperor's sister, Princess Yunnan, took her biological mother out of the palace and raised her in dignity. Later, the Zhenguo Princess followed suit."

"This dynasty has had its share of such incidents, and previous dynasties had countless instances. This matter is not as difficult as one might think. It all depends on who sits on the throne."

"If it were my father, I wouldn't dare to ask, but if it were my brother the Crown Prince... he's also a very filial man, and I believe he would show mercy."

In fact, Shen Chongyuan didn't quite understand what Princess Duanmin said, but she was particularly convinced of her.

She hugged Princess Duanmin and said tearfully, "You are more knowledgeable and opinionated than Mother. Mother will listen to you. I will go and ask the Empress for He Ziye's release."

As soon as Shen Chongyuan got excited, she really took people to Fengyi Palace.

She just happened to catch a glimpse of the Tenth Prince coming out of Fengyi Palace, his phoenix eyes, exactly the same as the Emperor's, glaring at her.

Shen Chongyuan's eyes were empty and she didn't dare to look at the Tenth Prince at all.

It was only when I entered Fengyi Palace that I realized my legs were weak.

When she mentioned He Ziye, the Queen looked at her quietly, "Do you know how old he is this year? What's his temperament like? Is he good at anything?"

"How many households are there in the Anguogong Palace? What are the relationships between them?"

Questions came one after another, making Shen Chongyuan dizzy and calm down.

After a while: "...I don't know."

The Queen held her forehead helplessly and sighed: "He Ziye, was it Duanmin who chose him?"

Shen Chongyuan asked with a guilty conscience, "How did Your Majesty know?"

"Duanmin is more independent-minded than you, and more capable than you." The Queen smiled and said, "Xiao Shi told me that ever since the news spread in the palace that they were going to arrange a marriage for her, Duanmin has been secretly investigating the background of her fellow students."

When Shen Chongyuan heard this, her face turned red, and she didn't know whether she was angry or embarrassed.

The queen was knowledgeable and very steady: "After she chose He Ziye, she asked Xiao Ba and Xiao Shi to test He Ziye several times."

After a pause, the Queen said, "You probably don't know? Duan Min has met He Ziye privately several times."

Shen Chongyuan: "She, she... this is too presumptuous!"

"Why are you so presumptuous?" The Queen smiled gently, "A child as smart and independent as her should be praised."

"Xiao Shi also told me. Duan Min has his own ideas and plans, and he can control He Ziye. He Ziye is also willing to be a prince consort, and I am more willing to grant this marriage."

After a pause, the Queen reminded Shen Chongyuan: "These things must not be spread to the ears of the Emperor, for fear that he will be angry."

The emperor loved all his daughters very much and was very strict when choosing sons-in-law, but he also had the mentality of an old father.

If he knew that He Ziye secretly "seduced" the princess, he would probably break He Ziye's legs.

As for Duanmin... the child is young and ignorant, so the husband he chooses naturally doesn't count.

Not to mention Xie Run, even Shen Chongyuan could guess what the consequences would be.

She felt a little uncomfortable: "So Duanmin refused to reveal any information, not because of me, but because she was afraid that the emperor would interfere?"

The Queen gave her a look of disdain. "Didn't she worry that you'd get anxious and angry, so she took care of everything herself?"

"The blisters on your mouth haven't healed yet."

"Such a filial child is also your blessing."

Shen Chongyuan nodded repeatedly: "That's right, Duanmin is a good child, unlike the conscienceless Seventh Prince..."

Before she could finish her words, the Queen gave her a sidelong glance and made her shut up tactfully.

"If Concubine Jingde hears this, she will rip your mouth off!"

Shen Chongyuan lowered her head timidly.

When the imperial decree granting the marriage came down, Shen Chongyuan was overjoyed, but she also felt inexplicably melancholy.

The child she raised, the child who was almost integrated into her blood... was about to get married.

She suddenly remembered the child's childhood.

Duanmin was a quiet and well-behaved child when she was young.

There are many children in the palace, and they all have different temperaments. When they play together, there are always some who bully others.

Duanmin is well-behaved and is easily bullied.

The Sixth Prince appears well-behaved on the surface, but is actually a bit naughty in private. Xian Zhaoyuan doesn't dare to discipline him too much and can only coax and pamper him.

Once, the Sixth Prince bullied Duan Min. Shen Chongyuan couldn't stand it and chased after him with his men.

Naturally, she didn't dare to embarrass the Sixth Prince, but she could vent her anger on Xian Zhaoyuan.

Who told her she can't teach children?

Shen Chongyuan not only went by herself, but also took Duanmin with her.

She asked Duanmin to hide aside and told her: "You are not allowed to come out. Concubine Shen is helping you vent your anger. You learn from this. If you are bullied again in the future, you must learn to fight back!"

Duan Min nodded with red eyes, and hunched her head over the small pillar to peek.

Shen Chongyuan directly made Xian Zhaoyuan fall flat on her face.

After throwing the person down, he ran away with Princess Duanmin. Xian Zhaoyuan was so angry that she burst into tears and immediately went to complain to the Queen Mother.

Xie Run had a subtle expression after hearing Xian Zhaoyuan's complaint.

Naturally, there was a lot of commotion afterwards.

Shen Chongyuan was punished, but she had no regrets at all. She even told Princess Duanmin happily, "Duanmin, we would rather accept this punishment than be bullied!"

"If anyone bullies you again in the future, you must fight back like you did today."

"Being a woman has a hard time. It's better to be a little bad than a little good."

Later, Princess Duanmin surpassed her teacher and tricked the Sixth Prince into a mud pit, causing the Sixth Prince to avoid her whenever he saw her.

It was cold in winter, so the mother and daughter would huddle together and warm themselves by the fire. Shen Chongyuan told Princess Duanmin about her past as a maid.

Shen Chongyuan never shied away from her origins, nor did she shy away from mentioning Princess Duanmin's mother, Concubine Hui.

Not only that, during festivals, Shen Chongyuan personally took Princess Duanmin to secretly burn incense and paper for Concubine Hui.

These were all the Queen's advice to her, and she listened carefully, treating Princess Duanmin with her whole heart.

At some point, Duanmin changed from calling her Shen Mufei to calling her Mu Fei.

With such a little girl accompanying him in this life, Shen Chongyuan felt fulfilled and every day was a good day.

The princess's marriage was naturally a major event both inside and outside the palace.

The preparations for the establishment of the government office and the wedding took a year.

In the spring of the following year, Princess Duanmin got married, and the emperor promoted Shen Chongyuan to Shen Fei.

Concubine Shen stood on the Zhanghe Stage and saw Princess Duanmin off, crying her heart out.

The Queen comforted her, "The Princess's residence is just outside the palace. If you miss her, she can come to the palace to accompany you every day. Why are you crying like this?"

"My Lady, I understand what you're saying, but I just feel... as if a piece of flesh from my heart has been quietly cut out, and it's sore and painful."

After returning home, she burst into tears.

The kingfisher laughed at her, "You're already a second-rank concubine, yet you're crying so unceremoniously. If anyone sees you, you'll be laughed at."

"Who said a second-rank concubine can't just lie on the bed and cry like a baby?!"

She wiped her tears and bickered with the kingfisher.

Suddenly, her eyes paused, and she cried, "Kingfisher, why do you have white hair?"

The kingfisher rolled his eyes at her and said, "You're almost forty. If you don't have white hair, wouldn't you be a monster?"

Concubine Shen sighed, "That's right... in the blink of an eye we've all grown old."

The kingfisher muttered, "It's us who have grown old in the blink of an eye, and the Empress's character is still the same as when she entered the palace, as if it was just yesterday."

Concubine Shen: "...Will you die if you don't speak?!"

Kingfisher: "If I don't speak, you will suffocate to death."

Concubine Shen: "..."

When she returned home on the third day, Concubine Shen pulled Princess Duanmin up and down and looked her up and down for a long time, fearing that she had been wronged.

Seeing her daughter and son-in-law calling her "mother" with a smile, Shen Chongyuan felt that the place that had been hollowed out was instantly filled.

In her life, she suffered enough in the first half and enjoyed enough happiness in the second half.

Fortunately, she cherishes her life and never wants to die.

(End of the article)