Chapter 17: Testing

Seeing the little maid in Jingyang Palace hugging her bundle tightly and giggling non-stop, Shang Zongguan was almost amused.

"Okay, little girl. Keep giggling later. I see you are feeling better now. Please inform Her Royal Highness the Princess if it is convenient for her to see me."

"I haven't seen you for many years. I want to pay my respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess."

Hearing this, Yu'er was surprised.

In their cold palace where everyone hates them, no one has ever come to pay their respects.

Ordinary people would not be able to hide.

But since Shang Zongguan took the initiative to propose, Yu'er had no reason to refuse.

"Shang Zongguan, wait a moment. I will go and inform Her Royal Highness the Princess."

Yu'er held the bundle and turned into the door. This time, she closed the door easily.

Shang Zongguan waited patiently in front of the palace gate, looking at the sky in the distance, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

At this time, the eunuch in flowery clothes who was waiting on the side came forward and asked: "Eunuch, should we send someone to monitor Jingyang Palace immediately?"

"Don't worry, wait until I see Her Royal Highness the Thirteenth Princess." Shang Zongguan raised his hand with a cold expression.

If they were just here to deliver the monthly allowance that was deducted, there would be no need for Shang Zongguan to go out in person.

A few days ago, Shang Zongguan caught two young eunuchs who stole the imperial meal.

These two young eunuchs came from Yanqu Palace, both wearing yellow clothes, with no skills and no backing.

But after interrogation, Shang Zongguan found that these two yellow-clothed eunuchs were not stupid, and even their minds were no less than others.

It was these two yellow-clothed eunuchs who were obsessed with their minds. Not only were they bold enough to steal the imperial meal, but they also continued for several months without anyone noticing, but in the end they were caught in a clumsy way.

Perhaps it was because they were too smooth, which led to their inner expansion and made such a low-level mistake.

But Shang Zongguan has always been rigorous in his work. The next day, he sent people to check everyone in Yanqu Hall, and got an interesting clue.

The two yellow-robed eunuchs had been in the palace for several years, but unfortunately, they were unlucky. None of the talented people they served had ever made a name for themselves, so they had been wasting their time doing odd jobs in Yanqu Hall.

Although they had friction with other people during this period, it was harmless and was common in this palace.

But on the day they were arrested, they were instructed by a talented person to impersonate the Ministry of Internal Affairs and withhold the monthly allowance of Jingyang Palace.

Later, it was found out that the reason why the talented person did this was because he heard that the queen didn't like Jingyang Palace, so he wanted to take the opportunity to suppress Jingyang Palace in order to please the queen.

In other words, the two yellow-robed eunuchs in Yanqu Hall had just caused trouble for Jingyang Palace during the day, and then they were in trouble at night.

Such a coincidence, Shang Zongguan naturally had to come and see it in person.

Just as Shang was thinking about this, he suddenly felt something. He immediately turned his head to look, and saw a black shadow flashing on the courtyard wall.

"It seems to be a tail?"

Shang frowned, and at this moment, the gate of Jingyang Palace opened again, and Yu'er walked out.

"Shang, the princess invites you."

Shang nodded, and then left a sentence behind him:

"You wait here."

Shang followed Yu'er into Jingyang Palace, and saw Princess Ankang basking in the sun in the yard as soon as he came in.

"Old servant Shang Wenfu, I pay my respects to the Thirteenth Princess, and the princess is safe."

Shang bowed directly without any hesitation.

Even if he was facing a sick princess who was locked up in the cold palace and had no power, he was polite and respectful.

"Shang, there is no need to be polite, please get up quickly."

Princess Ankang was a little flustered because she had not been treated so respectfully for a long time, and she said quickly.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Although he answered like this, Manager Shang still insisted on completing the etiquette, and finally stood up again with the help of Yu'er, who was signaled by Princess Ankang.

After Manager Shang stood up, he looked at Princess Ankang sitting in a wheelchair and couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Has Your Highness's health reached this point..."

Manager Shang sighed secretly and immediately lowered his eyelids to hide his expression.

"We haven't welcomed guests to our Jingyang Palace for a long time. I wonder what important matter Manager Shang came here for today?" Princess Ankang asked.

Shang, the chief steward, glanced at Yu'er beside him and found a trace of nervousness on her face. He immediately realized that Princess Ankang didn't know about the deduction of the monthly allowance, and immediately replied with a smile:

"Your Highness, you really bother me. I don't have any important things to do now. They are just some trivial matters. I happened to be doing business nearby today and passed by Jingyang Palace. I thought that I haven't paid my respects to Your Highness for a long time, so I had the audacity to bother you."

"Shang, the chief steward, is really polite."

Then the two of them exchanged some polite words and talked about some trivial things.

With Shang, the atmosphere is always harmonious.

Even though Princess Ankang had no impression of Shang, the two of them could still have a pleasant chat.

After chatting for a while, Princess Ankang began to yawn uncontrollably, and Shang, the chief steward, left immediately.

"I will not disturb your highness' rest. I will come to pay my respects to you next time I have the chance."

"Okay, please go ahead, Chief Steward Shang."

Princess Ankang talked for a while and felt tired.

"Yu, Yu'er, send Chief Steward Shang out."

Princess Ankang almost called out "sister" out of habit, but changed her words in time when she realized that there were outsiders.

On weekdays, when they were alone, they could call each other whatever they wanted, but they must abide by the rules in front of outsiders, otherwise it would be easy to be criticized.

Yu'er turned around and left with Chief Steward Shang. Princess Ankang, who was about to sleep for a while, began to look for her own hot pack.

"Ah Xuan, Ah Xuan..."

"Where did you go again?"

Chief Steward Shang was not far away. Hearing the call of Princess Ankang behind him, he couldn't help but curiously asked Yu'er beside him: "Who are you calling, Princess?"

"This..."

Yu'er lowered her head and hesitated for a while, subconsciously remembering the words that the two eunuchs threatened her a few days ago.

If they knew that there were cats in Jingyang Palace, would the Ministry of Internal Affairs really think that they still had surplus food, and therefore reduce the monthly allowance?

Especially since the identity of the chief steward in front of him was extraordinary, his impression might directly affect the future of Jingyang Palace.

After hesitating for a while, Yu'er found that there was suddenly a palm-sized piece of silver in front of her.

"Oh, chief steward Shang, what are you doing?"

"No, no..."

Shang smiled slightly, turned his wrist, and the silver ingot was quietly sent into Yu'er's sleeve.

Yu'er only felt her right arm sink, and there was an ingot of silver in the pocket of her sleeve.

This skill of giving gifts silently made Yu'er's eyes widen, her mouth slightly opened, and she was shocked.

The silver ingot that was in Shang's hand just now disappeared in the blink of an eye as his palm closed and turned, and her sleeves were heavy instead, as magical as a magic trick.

She subconsciously checked her sleeve pocket, but there was not one more silver ingot.

"I see that the people in Jingyang Palace are living a hard life with little food and clothing, and I really can't bear it."

"But even I can't change the monthly allowance at will. I believe Miss Yu'er can understand that this is just a little thought from me to Her Royal Highness the Thirteenth Princess. You must not refuse it."

"Her Royal Highness has been weak since childhood. If the conditions are so difficult, I'm afraid it will only make things worse."

"This is for her own good!"

Shang Zongguan's words have come to this point, and Yu'er can't continue to refuse, so she had to answer truthfully: "Ah Xuan is the cat that Concubine Xiao left for Her Royal Highness. It is very important to Her Royal Highness."

"Oh, that's it."

Shang Zongguan suddenly realized, and then asked casually: "I wonder what this Ah Xuan looks like?"

"Ah Xuan is less than one year old, about this big." Yu'er gestured, and then added: "It's a pure black cat."

Shang Zongguan suddenly stopped, looked at Yu'er with some surprise, and confirmed with a smile: "In other words, Ah Xuan is a clouded leopard?"