7 – Entering the Palace to Express Gratitude
After washing up in their own courtyard, Shen Qiu and Ye Chen went to the Hall of Glory and Majesty again.
They still ate in the Old Duke’s bedchamber. Xiao Taijun said, “This afternoon, your uncles and aunts are all leaving. You two see them off on my behalf. I won’t be going.”
Ye Chen put down his chopsticks and said, “Yes, Grandmother, rest assured. I have already instructed people to prepare return gifts. They will leave together after the hour of Wei.”
Xiao Taijun paused her chopsticks, let out an “Oh,” and said, “Leaving together? Didn’t your Second Paternal Aunt say she wanted to stay a few more days? What? She’s also leaving today?”
Ye Chen sneered and said, “Yes. We heard it from a messenger we met on our way here.”
Xiao Old Madam said, “Let them leave then. It’s good that they’re gone.”
“By the way, you two must enter the palace tomorrow to express your gratitude. Rest early tonight, you don’t need to come over in the evening.”
“Qiu’er, leave one of your personal maids at the manor tomorrow. Have her and the steward organize your dowry into your small storeroom.”
Shen Qiu said, “Yes, Grandmother. I’ll remember.”
Ye Chen and Shen Qiu spent the afternoon busy seeing off their relatives. After they were gone, a guard came to deliver a message, and Ye Chen went to the study. By the time Ye Chen finally finished his work and returned to the courtyard, it was already time to light the lanterns. Shen Qiu was enjoying the cool air in the courtyard with Ming Yue and Xing Er.
The moment Ye Chen saw Shen Qiu, his furrowed brow instantly smoothed out. He trotted over to Shen Qiu, squatted down beside her, and grabbed her hand, saying, “Qiu’er, did you miss me? I missed you so much!”
Seeing Ming Yue and Xing Er quietly withdraw, Shen Qiu said, “It’s only been an hour. Are you done with your work?”
Ye Chen rubbed Shen Qiu’s hand against his cheek and said, “I’m done. Quickly, tell me if you missed me.”
Shen Qiu sighed and said, “No.”
“Alright, it’s time for dinner.”
Without waiting to see Ye Chen’s expression, she called out directly to Ming Yue, “Ming Yue, serve the meal!”
Ye Chen didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he shouted to Ming Yue, “Have them set the meal in the front hall, and add some ice. It’s too hot today.”
After dinner, Ye Chen took Shen Qiu for a walk around the Duke Manor before they returned to their room.
The maids brought in water to serve them but were sent away by Ye Chen.
Ignoring the look Shen Qiu was giving him, Ye Chen reached out to untie her clothes.
Shen Qiu held his hands to stop him, asking, “What are you doing?”
Ye Chen smiled and said, “Serving my wife as she washes up, of course.”
Shen Qiu frowned and said, “Does washing up require undressing?”
Ye Chen chuckled. “Of course you have to undress to bathe. Besides, I have to apply medicine for you. This is a task no one can do for me, not even Ming Yue or Xing Er.”
Shen Qiu held out her hand to keep Ye Chen at arm’s length. “I’ll wash up by myself. Some of the wounds on my body have broken skin and can’t get wet, so I’ll skip the bath. You can apply the medicine for me when it’s time. For now, stay away from me.”
Ye Chen raised both hands and said with a grin, “Alright, I won’t move. But I need to check on your injuries in a bit.”
Shen Qiu nodded, then sat before the mirror and began to remove her hairpins. Ye Chen walked over and naturally started helping her.
Ye Chen let down Shen Qiu’s hair bit by bit. It was dark, long, and thick, falling straight down to her knees. Ye Chen said, “This hair is too long. I lay on it several times last night. We need to find a solution.”
Shen Qiu smiled without a word. She gathered her hair from behind with both hands, divided the loose locks into three strands, and began to braid them.
Right, that way her hair wouldn’t be loose and wouldn’t be so easily pressed on. Ye Chen seized the opportunity to plant a kiss on Shen Qiu’s cheek, saying, “My wife is so clever.”
Shen Qiu’s face instantly flushed red.
After they washed up, Ye Chen applied medicine to Shen Qiu’s wounds, treating every spot with meticulous care. Although most of them were fine, two spots on her shoulder had broken skin.
Ye Chen was about to slap himself again but was stopped by Shen Qiu. “Since you already know you were wrong, there’s no need to keep blaming yourself. Instead of feeling guilty, it would be more practical to treat me doubly well.”
Ye Chen gently kissed the two wounds and murmured, “They will be a wound on my heart for a lifetime!”
The next day, they woke up at the hour of Mao as before. Shen Qiu and Ye Chen got ready, leaving Xing Er at home. Shen Qiu brought Ming Yue, and Ye Chen brought Mu Qing. They entered the Imperial Palace at the hour of Chen.
On the way, Ye Chen instructed Shen Qiu, “After we enter the palace, I’ll take you to the Empress’s Yikun Palace first. Then I’ll go to the Imperial Study to see His Majesty.”
Shen Qiu said, “Shouldn’t someone be there to lead me? Isn’t it a bit inappropriate for you to do that?”
Ye Chen said nonchalantly, “It’s fine, no one will dare to say anything. Remember, don’t leave the Empress’s side until I come to get you. I’ll give the Empress a heads-up as well. And who knows, we might be able to express our gratitude directly at the Empress’s palace.”
Shen Qiu looked at Ye Chen suspiciously. “There’s no need to be so cautious, is there? We’re going to express our gratitude, not to cause trouble!”
Ye Chen simply repeated his warning, “Listen to me. This Imperial Palace is not as peaceful as it looks!”
Hearing this, Shen Qiu didn’t ask any more questions.
When they arrived at the Imperial Palace, they entered through a side gate of the Meridian Gate. Just as they entered, they saw two groups of people waiting.
Ye Chen got out of the carriage and reached out to help Shen Qiu down. An old mama came over, curtsied to them, and said, “Your Grace, please entrust the madam to this old servant. I will take the madam to Yikun Palace.”
Shen Qiu nodded and said, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, mama.”
But Ye Chen suddenly said, “I’ll take her there. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Empress and Yi Er, and I miss them. Mama, please lead the way!”
An old eunuch standing nearby hurriedly said, “Your Grace, the Emperor is still waiting for you!”
Ye Chen said to the old eunuch, “Eunuch Xu, go tell the Emperor that I don’t miss him, but I miss Yi Er terribly. If he misses me, he can come to Yikun Palace. Otherwise, he can just wait for me in the Imperial Study!”
Then he took Shen Qiu’s hand and followed the mama towards Yikun Palace.
Eunuch Xu was helpless and could only report back to the Emperor truthfully. When Emperor Chu Jie heard this, he threw down the brush in his hand and started walking towards Yikun Palace, muttering as he went, “How can he be like this? No matter how favored he is, he can’t just disrespect his old uncle. I’m the Emperor, after all. Hmph, if this brat isn’t disciplined for three days, he’ll tear the roof off!”
Just as Shen Qiu and Ye Chen finished paying their respects to the Empress, a palace maid came in to report, “Your Majesty the Empress, the Emperor is heading this way.”
The Empress smiled at Ye Chen and said, “Your uncle misses you. You haven’t entered the palace since your engagement was set. It’s been almost three months since he last saw you.”
A five or six-year-old boy was sitting on Ye Chen’s lap, playing with the official hat tassel on his cap. Ye Chen simply took off the hat and placed it on the boy’s head.
Hearing the Empress, he replied, “You’ll be seeing even less of me in the future.”
Before the Empress could speak, a hearty male voice drifted in, “You little rascal, what did you say? What are you planning to do?”
Hearing the voice, the corners of Ye Chen’s mouth unconsciously turned up. He stood up upon seeing the newcomer, and the two men tacitly gave each other a hug.
Ye Chen said with a smile, “From now on, I have to spend more time with my wife. I won’t be coming to the palace unless it’s for something important.”