“Feng Jin, how is Consort Shu? Has her health been nursed back to good condition?"

Feng Jin, hearing this, respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, under the full care of divine physician Zhang, Noble Consort Shu's health is no longer a concern."

Jiang Chen nodded, glancing out the window: "Have the Imperial Kitchen prepare a few more dishes. I want to dine with Consort Shu, and then go see Liu Huiyin."

"Yes, this servant will see to it immediately!"

Feng Jin was efficient and immediately found several palace maids to give them instructions.

Half an hour later, in Noble Consort Shu's palace.

Jiang Chen had just stepped through the main door when a graceful figure came to greet him.

"Your Majesty, your subject greets you!"

Speaking, Noble Consort Shu lightly pursed her red lips, enduring the discomfort in her body, and softly bowed.

His Majesty had kept her up all night last night, and when she got up this morning, her body was so sore that she could barely move.

If she wasn't worried that her poor condition would distract His Majesty and delay court affairs, she would have gone to serve him diligently long ago. As long as she could be by Jiang Chen's side, even if it was just serving tea and water, or preparing ink for him, she would gladly do it.

Jiang Chen noticed Noble Consort Shu's somewhat awkward movements, understood her condition, and tenderly pulled her into his arms: "Yun'er, I've told you before, there's no need to stand on such ceremony between us. If you're not feeling well, you can wait for me inside!"

Noble Consort Shu's fair face flushed red upon hearing this, and she shyly said, "Your Majesty, your subject...your subject is already better, you don't need to worry!"

"Besides, Yun'er also wanted to see Your Majesty sooner. It's only a few steps, your subject is not tired!"

Jiang Chen looked at the happy smile on Noble Consort Shu's face, tightened his large hand around her waist, and said with emotion, "Yun'er!"

Noble Consort Shu responded with a smile: "Your Majesty, now is not the time to chat, let's eat quickly, or the food will get cold."

Jiang Chen nodded, gently caressing her hair: "I'll listen to you."

The two sat down at the dining table, eating and chatting about everyday matters.

After finishing dinner, Jiang Chen took out a wooden box from his arms.

"Yun'er, guess what this is?"

Noble Consort Shu was making tea for Jiang Chen. Hearing this, she looked up, her expression a bit puzzled.

Drinking a cup of fragrant tea after a meal to cleanse the palate was a custom in Da Wei.

This kind of rough work should have been done by palace maids, but Noble Consort Shu didn't want to rely on others. Anything related to Jiang Chen, she wanted to do herself.

She presented the teacup with the right temperature to Jiang Chen and said softly: "Your Majesty, your subject is foolish, please don't tease me. What exactly is in this box?"

Jiang Chen smiled mysteriously, pulled her into his arms, and changed the subject: "Beloved Consort, your elder brother has been gone for so long. Would you like to know how he's doing?"

Noble Consort Shu was stunned, then her beautiful eyes showed shock: "Your Majesty, you suddenly mentioned my brother, could this wooden box be...is it a gift from my brother? But didn't he go to Weishui to provide disaster relief?"

Jiang Chen nodded, his expression somewhat self-reproachful: "The news of your injury somehow reached Xu Aiqing (Minister Xu), so he sought out this century-old mountain lingzhi (a type of medicinal mushroom), saying it was to nourish your body."

Noble Consort Shu trembled upon hearing this, hurriedly broke free from Jiang Chen's embrace, knelt down and begged for forgiveness:

"Your Majesty, your subject is unworthy of such a treasure! Please put this mountain lingzhi into the imperial treasury!"

After being impeached by hundreds of officials, Noble Consort Shu paid close attention to her and her family's words and actions, fearing that she would overstep again and cause trouble for Jiang Chen.

Now that the Weishui River had burst its banks, and the surrounding prefectures were flooded, her brother was ordered to provide disaster relief, but he was neglecting his duties to seek medicine for her. How could she not worry about such dereliction of duty?

Jiang Chen sighed helplessly, pulled Noble Consort Shu up from the ground, and comforted her: "Yun'er, don't be afraid, I will endorse this matter, no courtier will dare to gossip!"

Noble Consort Shu felt a little relieved, held Jiang Chen's hand back, and said slowly: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty, but it is indeed inappropriate for my brother to act like this. As a subject, he should naturally put your orders first, how can he be distracted while performing official duties?"

"Moreover, although your subject has not personally witnessed the disaster, I have seen it in books. Those affected people need care more than I do. Since my brother has taken over the task of disaster relief, he should serve the people wholeheartedly, how can he use the name of the court to seek personal gain for his family? If all the officials of Da Wei imitated this, I am afraid that the foundation of the country would be shaken."

"Therefore, although your subject is very touched by my brother's concern, this trend cannot be encouraged. When he comes back, your subject must write a letter to my parents and ask them to discipline him properly!"

Jiang Chen was slightly stunned, then raised his hand and gently stroked Noble Consort Shu's face:

"Yun'er, you are so wise and understanding, who else but you deserves the position of Empress?"

Saying this, Jiang Chen's eyes lit up: "Your brother has made a great contribution this time. When he comes back, I will promote him to general and remove all those with dissenting intentions from the army!"

"Then, I will hold several rounds of imperial examinations to select civil officials who are loyal to me. When the time is right, I will gather power, open the ancestral temple, and announce to the people of the world that I will make you Empress!"

Noble Consort Shu was completely stunned, her heart filled with unspeakable happiness.

Although His Majesty had mentioned before that he would make her Empress, none of those times were as solemn as this one.

His Majesty even told her all his plans, letting her know that he had been working hard for this matter, to turn those promises into reality!

Tears welled up in Noble Consort Shu's beautiful eyes, and her voice was a little choked: "Your Majesty, your subject doesn't care about being Empress!"

"Your subject's only wish in this life is to stay by your side, sharing the same quilt in life and the same tomb in death, nothing else!"

Jiang Chen couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth when he saw her tearful appearance, and helped her wipe away her tears: "Sharing the same quilt in life and the same tomb in death?"

"Yun'er, now that you say that, I must send you to the Empress position even more. In all dynasties, only the Empress is qualified to be buried with the Emperor!"

Noble Consort Shu's beautiful eyes widened, then she shyly hid in Jiang Chen's chest.

She didn't want to be separated from His Majesty.

If only becoming Empress could allow her to be with His Majesty forever, then she would never give up this position!

Her slender arms tightly embraced Jiang Chen, and she whispered: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty, your subject...your subject has nothing to repay you."

Jiang Chen touched her head: "Haha, when you have nursed your body back to health, and give birth to a few healthy dragon sons for me, that will be the best reward for me!"

Noble Consort Shu's fair face flushed red, and she buried her head even deeper, shyly mixed with anticipation: "Your Majesty, your subject...your subject will definitely work hard to fulfill Your Majesty's expectations!"

Jiang Chen laughed loudly upon hearing this, and hugged the person in his arms even tighter.

After talking with Noble Consort Shu for a while, and coaxing her to sleep, Jiang Chen took Feng Jin and a few others to Qingwan Zhai, which was where Liu Huiyin was placed.

As soon as he stepped into the gate.

Jiang Chen saw Liu Huiyin standing under a Photinia tree in the courtyard, her elegant face carrying a hint of melancholy.

This scene made him frown.

Could it be that some palace people were disobeying his orders and neglecting Liu Huiyin?