The cruel little princess

His Royal Highness Prince Jin stood by the bed, quietly watching Shen Youyou cover herself with the quilt from head to toe, a smile forming on his lips. He sighed softly, then walked to the bed and sat down.

"Youyou, I know you have some concerns in your heart, but please believe me. I swear to be with you forever! I will ignore all other vulgar women!" His Royal Highness Prince Jin took the opportunity to express his sincerity to her, his eyes full of determination and love.

"If I break this oath, I, Chu Huaijin, will have no descendants and no successor!" His Royal Highness Prince Jin swore seriously.

Hearing this, Shen Youyou's heartbeat accelerated. She quietly poked her head out, her face flushed with shyness. "I...I understand. You should go back to sleep quickly!" She said softly, her voice revealing a hint of nervousness and anticipation.

His Royal Highness Prince Jin smiled slightly, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes. "Okay, then you have a good rest." After saying that, he stood up and prepared to leave the room. But before leaving, he stopped again and turned around to look at Shen Youyou.

"In a few days, my father will put down his pen and host a banquet for all the ministers and his family. Whether you are the daughter of General Shen or the Princess of Rui'an County, you must attend the palace-wide dinner. I have ordered someone to make a robe for you, and you can wear it when the time comes." His Royal Highness Prince Jin spoke in a seemingly calm tone, but he was actually very excited and uneasy in his heart.

Shen Youyou was slightly taken aback. "Don't I have to wear my county lady's uniform?" she asked doubtfully. She really didn't understand these palace etiquettes. Previously, when watching TV dramas, she'd seen court officials wearing official uniforms when attending court, and wives of various families wearing their imperially-appointed attire when visiting the empress dowager. So, did she not need to wear any when she went? Would the empress dowager blame her for this?

His Royal Highness Prince Jin smiled and explained, "No need. In fact, the emperor didn't make any direct request for the dinner. It's just that many women would wear their imperial attire to show off their status. Your county lady's attire is complicated and heavy, which is not conducive to keeping warm and long-term movement, so you don't need to wear the county lady uniform. Besides, I hope you can appear in front of everyone in the most beautiful posture." There was a gleam in his eyes, as if he was imagining how beautiful Shen Youyou would look in the new clothes.

After hearing this, Shen Youyou nodded gently, indicating that she understood. His Royal Highness Prince Jin was relieved to see that she had no objection.

"It's my fault. You just arrived in the capital, and I forgot to find an aunt to teach you the rules... Tomorrow I will ask Aunt Zhilan in my mansion to teach you the rules of meeting the Queen and the concubines after you enter the palace." At this point, His Royal Highness Prince Jin paused, and then said a little lonely, "Aunt Zhilan was my mother's personal maid. I was raised by Aunt Zhilan. After my mother passed away, Aunt Zhilan asked to take care of me. Later, when I left the palace and set up my own residence, I brought Aunt Zhilan out to live with me..."

Prince Jin felt a moment of regret, seemingly lost in memories, but quickly recovered his composure. "If Mother were still alive, she could have summoned you directly to her palace and brought you out after the banquet, sparing you the bitter cold..."

Shen Youyou knew that he was thinking about his mother again, and she couldn't help but feel a little distressed for him. So she sat up from the bed, patted the bedding next to her, and then hooked her finger at His Royal Highness Prince Jin and said softly, "Come here."

Upon hearing this, His Royal Highness Prince Jin's body trembled slightly, a blush quickly appearing on his face, and his eyes flickered, as if he was a little shy and a little nervous. But he still walked to the bed and sat down obediently, looking at Shen Youyou cautiously, as if he was a little expectant and a little scared.

"Youyou, what are you going to...what are you going to...do? First...let me make it clear, you can't do...anything too far to me! I..." He stuttered, not knowing what Shen Youyou was trying to do, his heart filled with curiosity and worry.

"I... probably wouldn't resist..." After saying this, Prince Jin's face flushed completely red, like a ripe apple. His heart raced, and his mind was already rehearsing the 108 moves. Yet, he still couldn't grasp Shen Youyou's intention in calling him over; it was undoubtedly a huge temptation. If this continued, he worried he'd lose control and transform into a wolf, bringing her to justice.

Shen Youyou didn't say anything, but knelt directly on the bed, then hugged him sideways into her arms! His Royal Highness Prince Jin's head was pressed tightly against Shen Youyou's chest. He could feel the "thumping" sound of her heartbeat through her clothes. At this moment, he was extremely nervous! It was as if he didn't know where to put his hands and feet.

Shen Youyou didn't say anything, just hugged him quietly.

Shen Youyou didn't say anything, but silently climbed onto the bed, knelt on it, and then without hesitation stretched out her arms and hugged him sideways tightly in her arms! His Royal Highness Prince Jin's head was pressed tightly against Shen Youyou's chest. He could clearly feel her violently beating heart, and the strong "thump, thump" sound could still be heard through her clothes. At this moment, he was extremely nervous, as if all the blood in his body had solidified. Even his hands and feet became uncontrollable, and he didn't know what to do.

Shen Youyou didn't say a word, simply holding him silently, like a silent and resolute mountain. Her eyes revealed a deep concern and comfort, as if using her warmth to dispel his inner heartache and anxiety. In this silent night, a tacit understanding seemed to have formed between them, and they could understand each other's feelings without words.

After a while, Shen Youyou patted Prince Jin's shoulder like a brother, "Huai Jin, you have suffered a lot over the years. I will accompany you on the road ahead, and I hope we can keep going forward with determination. Whether we are poor or rich, powerful or down and out, even if the future is full of thorns, I will accompany you to the light! No matter how long and difficult the road ahead is, I will fight shoulder to shoulder with you! Unless we are separated by life or death, no one can separate us!"

Prince Jin was speechless for a long time after hearing this, simply because he was so moved he almost burst into tears. His mother had promised to protect him her whole life. But when his father was assassinated, she sacrificed herself for her son's future, choosing to protect him. He knew, in fact, he had always understood the meaning of his mother: if his father died in danger, they, an orphan and a widow, would have no hope of making a living in this ruthless palace!

But my mother died to protect my father, and before she died, she did not ask him for anything. Because she knew very well that asking for something was like asking for something in return, and one day my father would get tired of his promises. So my mother just looked at him quietly with tears in her eyes, and kept saying to him: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Jin'er! I made a mistake! I can no longer protect you! But I don't regret it! Because in my heart, your father is the most important! You have to walk the road ahead on your own! I'm sorry, Jin'er! Forgive my selfishness! Without your father, I can't live! Jin'er, you must protect yourself well in the future!"

It has to be said that Concubine De knows very well how to please a man and gain his promise.

She risked her life to save the Emperor, yet she never once asked him to care for her family or protect her son. Instead, she constantly expressed her admiration and love for the Emperor, expressing her only regret that she couldn't protect her son until he grew up. With such a small regret, how could the Emperor not personally agree? Of course he would! And knowing he felt guilty about his own little Nine, he showered him with double the love and care!

A woman with low emotional intelligence would say, "I sacrificed my life for His Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will remember my life-saving grace and take good care of my mother's family and children!" A woman with high emotional intelligence is like Concubine De. She doesn't say a word, but the Emperor thinks of her in every way! Including her brother and nephew, all three of them are from the same family, a noble family with supreme honor.

Therefore, Empress Defei has always been the most beautiful thing in the emperor's heart that no one else can touch!