The concubine is a man, and the illegitimate son of a divine physician has a spatial ability.

Shen Lu, kneeling beside the carriage, had no visible features. He was dressed in a black leather guard uniform, his black hair was tied up high and secured with a silver hair crown, and he was tall and strong with well-developed muscles. He looked to be in his early twenties, clearly in his prime, and a martial arts practitioner.

When Shen Lu was about four or five years old, a famine struck his hometown, and all his relatives died. He was left all alone and wandered around, struggling to survive.

Who knew people could be so treacherous? Wandering aimlessly, he was lured away by unscrupulous individuals, sold to several different places, and finally ended up in a slave market in Jiangnan. Eventually, he was bought by the Yin family and became their private property, their personal slave.

Because of his ruthlessness and heartlessness, he was a promising martial arts student and was promoted to the Yin family's guards. Due to his outstanding performance over the past ten years, he was gradually promoted to Yin Xu's side. During this period, Shen Lu did not dare to slack off and spent his days with weapons and military books, while also learning some esoteric arts.

Through his own efforts, he became a minor leader in the Yin family's garrison. Normally, Shen Lu would train the garrison soldiers at the Yin family's estate near the capital. This time, upon receiving the order, he rushed back from the estate.

At this moment, Shen Lu, kneeling on the ground, dared not raise his head, listening to the gentle, soothing voice not far away, and the wafting fragrance of lotus blossoms. Shen Lu clumsily wondered, "Is this the person I will protect and serve from now on?" Before Shen Lu could dwell on it any longer, the nanny's warning voice rang out.

Shen Lu quickly lowered his body, burying his head even lower, and replied immediately, "Please get into the carriage, Miss. This servant is willing to be your seat. From now on, this servant will protect you with his life..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang's voice rang out: "Why aren't you setting off yet?"

Zhou Mama, who was standing nearby, urged, "Miss, get on the carriage quickly! If Madam finds out that you are showing mercy to a lowly servant, Shen Lu will inevitably be punished."

Urged on relentlessly, Yin Zijing couldn't help but pout. She took Zhou Mama's hand and prepared to get into the carriage. The coachman quickly took a pink cotton blanket and spread it on Shen Lu's back.

Shen Lu quickly understood, lowered his body, knelt on both knees, with his backside facing the carriage and his head facing Yin Zijing. Yin Zijing frowned again, and with Zhou Mama's help, gently placed her feet on Shen Lu's back to get into the carriage. Stepping up from low to high was effortless for her.

Granny Zhou, supporting Yin Zijin's hand, explained, "Miss, there's no need to pity this servant. Your feet are bound, and that servant practices martial arts every day, so his body is incredibly stiff. That's why he put a blanket under your feet to prevent them from getting hurt."

Besides, he is the private property of the Yin family; even his life belongs to the Yin family. He can never leave the Yin family for the rest of his life. It's his good fortune to be used as a bench for the young lady."

Yin Zijing was about to climb into the carriage when, as if remembering something, she handed over a handkerchief and said quickly, "Shen Lu, get up! Here's a handkerchief. Your hands and knees are dirty, wipe them! Granny Zhou, you and Granny Wang can use the carriage bench to get into the carriage."

Yin Zijing dared not imagine what would happen if Granny Zhou and Granny Wang also stepped on Shen Lu's back...

Shen Lu gratefully accepted the handkerchief and quickly thanked her, saying, "Thank you, young lady."

A sudden gust of wind lifted a corner of Yin Zijin's veil, causing Shen Lu to momentarily freeze, a look of amazement flashing in his eyes. He quickly recovered and stood up. Then, Granny Zhou and Granny Wang boarded the carriage.

With everything prepared, Yin Zijing and her entourage set off in a grand procession towards the outskirts of the capital. Shen Lu also mounted his horse and followed in front of Yin Zijing's carriage.

Not long after they left, Granny Zhou stuck her hand out of the carriage window and said, "Guard Shen, have you finished wiping? If you have, please return the Sixth Miss's handkerchief to this old servant!"

Shen Lu, riding on horseback, quickly handed over the pink handkerchief. Granny Zhou hurriedly took the handkerchief into the carriage, put the dirty handkerchief aside, took out a new handkerchief from her own bag and stuffed it into Yin Zijin's hand, instructing, "Miss, that handkerchief is dirty, this old servant will get you a new one."

Also, never give your personal belongings to men outside the family. If someone with ulterior motives takes advantage of you, you'll never be able to clear your name, and in serious cases, your innocence will be ruined.

Shen Lu was merely a private servant of the Yin family, or more accurately, the private property of the Yin family.

Yin Zijing clutched the handkerchief in her hand and said softly, "He's a person, not an object. People have feelings, and respect is mutual. If you respect him, he will respect you. A kind word warms the heart for three winter months, while a harsh word chills the heart for six summer months."

Sometimes, harsh words hurt more than knives, guns, and clubs…

Granny Zhou spoke very loudly, intending for Shen Lu outside to hear. Therefore, not a single word of Yin Zijing's conversation with Granny Zhou reached Shen Lu's ears.

Shen Lu came from a poor family and had been wandering around since he could remember. He had never experienced the warmth of the world, but he had experienced all its evils. He was sold from place to place, beaten, ate grass roots and tree bark, and drank sewage. He was scolded and beaten from a young age.

After entering the Yin family mansion, the class differences became even more obvious. After being selected into the mansion's soldiers, they spent all their time among men, and their eyes were always on brutal training. Sweat and blood mingled together as they hoped to rise above others.

But as a private slave in the Yin household, I lost all dignity in front of my master. Kneeling and kowtowing, being insulted and punished were the easiest things to do, let alone anything else.

And Yin Zijing's words, "A kind word warms the heart for three winter months, while a harsh word chills the heart for six summer months," shattered Shen Lu's heart, which had been frozen for over twenty years. These were the warmest words Shen Lu had heard in over twenty years, along with that pink handkerchief. Perhaps they would remain a light in Shen Lu's heart for the rest of his life.

Before long, Shen Lu's words came from outside the carriage into the carriage: "Sixth Miss, Fu'an Temple is outside the capital. There are many refugees from the four northern provinces outside Fu'an Temple. This servant does not know why you are leaving the capital at this time, but you should be careful."

Upon hearing Shen Lu's words, Yin Zijin replied, "I will be careful. My mother said that although there are refugees, His Highness the Crown Prince has made proper arrangements for them. Nothing will happen."

Shen Lu said, "Miss, it's best to be careful. Refugees are scary, but starving refugees are even scarier. To fill their stomachs, they can turn into monsters. You live in a secluded mansion, unaware of the wickedness of human nature..."

Shen Lu's thoughts drifted back to the year he wandered the streets, when eating dirt, tree bark, and grass roots was commonplace, and people even killed their own children to stave off hunger. A large pot sat by the roadside, stewing human flesh inside; Shen Lu had never forgotten the smell, to the point that he still couldn't eat meat; the mere whiff of it made him nauseous.

On the road, the wealthy families fleeing famine often had few guards, and the refugees treated them like demons and bandits, robbing, murdering, and disposing of bodies was commonplace. Some were even driven to this by the oppression of powerful clans and wealthy families...