As soon as Zhou Yu left the palace with his heart in his hands, he received an oral reprimand from Emperor Yao, reprimanding him for being unfilial and not staying at his bedside immediately when his father was sick.
Among the princes who entered the palace today, he was the only one who received such a rebuke.
Others found it baffling, but only he knew in his heart that this crime was just a pretext, and from now on...
Shen Mingshu, who was kneeling on the ground, looked confused. When the chamberlain who announced the decree left, she stood up and asked: "Your Highness, although His Royal Highness Prince Rong and others entered the palace, the Emperor did not summon them. We were just a little later than them. Why?"
Will I be reprimanded?"
"Did Father make a mistake?"
"Shut up!" Before the chamberlain could walk far, he paused for a moment after hearing Shen Mingshu's words. Zhou Yu cursed, "How could my father be wrong? You should stay at home honestly during this period and don't go out to help me."
Provoke hatred!”
Shen Mingshu took advantage of the fact that she was the royal concubine of Prince Yu, so she often invited the former handkerchief to her house for fun.
When Shen was in charge of the prime minister's palace, most of the banquets held by serious ladies would not invite them. However, she was the daughter of the prime minister's palace after all, and there were many people who fawned over her. Birds of a feather flock together, and most of the people who interacted with her were from unfashionable families.
Now that she has become Princess Yu, there are even more people who are fawning over her. Not to mention others, Cui Tingting, the daughter of Cui Sheng, who used Aunt Shen's relationship to climb into the prime minister's house and got the head of the Criminal Department, often comes to visit her.
She talked to relieve her boredom.
It was the first time that Zhou Yu spoke so harshly, and Shen Mingshu felt aggrieved and uncomfortable. While he was going out to do errands, he wrote a post asking Alian to invite Cui Tingting to his door.
Cui Tingting didn't come over immediately. After waiting for a long time, seeing that it was almost noon, Cui Tingting walked to the door slowly.
"My cousin is so arrogant. I even asked Alian to invite you in person. Why are you still stained with ink at this time?"
None of the ladies in the palace liked her, her sisters-in-law didn't interact with her very much, and they couldn't lose their temper in front of Zhou Yu. Shen Mingshu had no place to vent her anger, except to get angry with a few servants and complain in front of Cui Tingting.
"My good cousin, you are marrying a handsome husband like His Royal Highness Prince Yu... You don't know that my mother sent a matchmaker to marry me today. I didn't come here as soon as I got away."
Women love gossip, and Shen Mingshu was attracted to it.
"What kind of family did my cousin tell you about?"
Cui Tingting observed Shen Mingshu's face and hurriedly sent someone to invite her. She didn't say anything serious when she came. She was probably angry at His Highness Prince Yu.
Thinking of the last time she went to Prince Zhan's Mansion, she didn't know what kind of stimulation she got, and when she came back to settle old scores with Prince Yu, she felt uncomfortable when she mentioned that the one in front of her was pregnant just after they got married. The two had a little quarrel at that time, and Yu Prince
His Royal Highness's two wives rushed to the countryside.
His Royal Highness Prince Yu has a good temper. He did not pursue this matter and kept pampering her. This shows that he has a good temper.
"Don't mention it. My father's official position is low. The matchmaker only chooses people to choose. The people he told me were all families whose official positions were not as good as my father's! What good can a short guy do if he's taller than me?"
She glanced at the tasseled bouquet on Shen Mingshu's head and asked, "The tasseled bouquet on my cousin's head is a recent fashionable style in the capital. Was it a gift from His Highness? My cousin is so lucky!"
This is exactly what I bought when I was shopping today.
Shen Mingshu said proudly: "Your Highness gave it to me today."
Cui Tingting's eyes were full of envy.
"I really envy my cousin. If my cousin hadn't asked Alian to invite me, I might not have been able to get away at this moment. Cousin, you don't know that as soon as the matchmaker heard that the princess invited me to come and talk to her, her attitude immediately changed and she hurriedly followed me.
Mom promises that she will definitely introduce me to a better family next time she comes to visit!"
Shen Mingshu was happy to be praised and told Alian: "Go and get my pearl earrings to give to my cousin. Since the matchmaker is doing this, I have to support my cousin!"
"This is impossible. How can I ask for my cousin's things..."
Cui Tingting was grateful on the surface, but she disliked her for being stingy in her heart. The beads on her head were all made of pearls, so she gave her a pair of earrings...
Alian took the things out. The pearls strung on the earrings were the size of soybeans. What was rare was that each one was very round. There was a red agate bead of the same size strung at the bottom, which looked very delicate and beautiful.
"Alian, help my cousin put it on."
Alian stepped forward and took off her original pair of earrings and replaced them with this pair.
Cui Tingting liked it very much and said, "Then thank the princess."
When it was time for lunch, Zhou Yu had just gone out, and it seemed that he would not come back for dinner. In the past, Zhou Yu would send someone to tell her when he was not having dinner at home, but today I don't know what happened, and there was no movement at all.
"Cousin, please have dinner at home today."
Cui Tingting was flattered.
"This... Your Highness, isn't he at home?"
Shen Mingshu's eyes signaled Alian to go to the front yard to ask. Alian went to the front yard and didn't see Zhou Yu or Qixi.
He came back and reported: "Princess, your Majesty, I told you before leaving the house that you will not have dinner at the house at noon, so you can make your own arrangements."
Shen Mingshu felt even more aggrieved after telling her servants but not her. Since Cui Tingting was still there, she didn't dare to show it. She smiled and said, "Your Highness is not here, so we sisters can have a nice talk."
"Alian, please pass on the food."
Shen Mingshu is much more restrained now, and knows how to protect Zhou Yu and her own dignity in front of outsiders, but she is too shallow, and Cui Tingting can see through her little thoughts at a glance.
He didn’t ask too many questions, he just praised the delicious food and delicious snacks.
Shen Mingshu felt better after being praised.
"Alian, ask the kitchen to make more snacks and bring them with you when your cousin returns home."
She was reluctant to give away jewelry, but she was very generous with a few priceless snacks.
Cui Tingting thanked her and talked with her all afternoon. Zhou Yu returned home near evening. Seeing that Shen Mingshu not only did not listen to him, but also kept her here until now, she felt a little unhappy and had a drooped face.
It was raining because of the leak in the house, so I stayed outside all day today, not to wipe the butt of the disciple who joined him, drink some wine and go out to act drunkenly, and almost got thrown into jail...
"Your Highness." Seeing the strange atmosphere between the two, Cui Tingting saluted generously and said to Shen Moran, "Cousin, Your Highness is back. I won't disturb you anymore. I'll take my leave now!"
Hearing the address, Zhou Yucai looked at Cui Tingting. Shen Sanxing's wife, the Du family, had long since declined. What kind of cousin was she?
Does Shen Mingshu have a cousin who is an official in the capital?
Seeing his doubts, Cui Tingting looked at her with hooks and said with a smile, "Your Highness, my father is Cui Shen, the head of the Criminal Department, and my mother and the princess' biological mother are cousins."
It turned out to be a relative of the Shen family. Zhou Yu didn't want to talk to him at first, but although the head of the Criminal Department was only a sixth-rank official, he was somewhat useful. If he could be roped in, he wouldn't have to run errands for small things like today...
Zhou Yu, who had been among thousands of flowers, could tell Cui Tingting's thoughts at a glance, but there was no need for him to lower his status to suit her. He nodded lightly and then ordered: "Qixi, go see Miss Cui off."
Cui Tingting's back was turned to Shen Mingshu. Shen Mingshu only saw her saluting, but he didn't see her ogling Zhou Yu. She thought Zhou Yu valued her so that she would be polite to her mother-in-law, and she was in a good mood.
Cui Tingting stepped forward and took his arm and asked: "What would you like to eat tonight, Your Highness? My cousin said that the snacks made by the chef in our house are delicious, so I specially asked the kitchen to make more, so you can prepare for it first..."
"
Cui Tingting turned around and saw Shen Mingshu being held by Zhou Yu and sitting on his lap. Shen Mingshu held a piece of red bean cake in her hand and put it in his mouth. He didn't know what he said, which made the woman in his arms feel ashamed and angry...
"Miss Cui, be careful where you step."
Qixi reminded her loudly, and she came to her senses and stepped over the threshold.
Ah Lian put the food box filled with snacks into the car. Cui Tingting lowered the car curtain, and the expression on her face changed.