When Huanan He arrived at Shuofeng Hall, Commandery Princess Jingle was staring at the dishes on the table.

Hearing a familiar sound, she turned her head. Seeing that the handsome man whom she had longed to see stepped over the threshold, she rose to her feet from the chair and hugged him quickly.

She said, "Ninth Uncle, you come here too late. I have missed you all morning!"

She stood on tiptoe and put her arms around Huanan He's neck in an intimate manner.

The servant who came with him put two paper packages on the rattan table and then went out of the room. For what happened in the bamboo forest, Huanan He intentionally concealed. He gently patted her and comforted her with a smile.

"How have you been these days? Did nannies treat you well?" Huanan He asked.

Jingle put down her hands, with her soft cheek being away from his broad chest. Then she held hands with him to sit down by the table.

She complained, "Not very well. Ninth Uncle, you can see what is happening here now. His Majesty asked someone to teach me how to act properly in the Palace. But only when I eat and freshen up would I be served. Not one of them was to be seen at all during the rest of the day."

Jingle pouted and slightly dropped her head, being ready to cry.

She sniffled and continued to complain.

"It's His Majesty's fault. He was gullible. He put me in here because he believed what b*tch Zheng said about me. I may die..."

Suddenly, when she thought she might die, she was shocked and frightened. She held his arms in panic, keeping shaking them.

Jingle said, "Ninth Uncle, help me! Take me out of here! I'm lonely here. I want to stay with you..."

Huanan He was expressionless, staring at the table. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Hearing that Jingle mentioned Lady Yun, Huanan He who calmed down just now could not feel peace inside.

Jingle looked at him in surprise and finally noticed what happened to him.

She said, "Ninth Uncle, what's wrong? Can you hear me?"

Huanan He realized he was lost in thought just now, so he smiled at her in shame.

Jingle frowned and became unhappier.

She let go of his hands suddenly, crossing her arms in front of her body and turning to another side.

She complained, "Hum! I miss you and want to talk to you. But you don't listen to me carefully!"

Huanan He held her two soft hands, pulling her closer to him and comforting her gently.

"You're not me. How do you know I'm not listening to you carefully? I heard you criticizing Lady Yun. After all, she's still a rank-third concubine, so you should behave yourself in the future, and not provoke her. If I'm available, I'll ask His Majesty to let you move back to Cining Palace," replied Huanan He.

She stared at Huanan He in a daze, widening her beautiful eyes. She wanted to refute it many times.

For a moment, she shook helplessly and was flushed, with her long forefinger pointing back at herself.

"I can't understand! I want you to comfort me. But you blame me instead. It's not my fault to provoke that b*tch! You mistake me!" said Jingle.

Then, she put her hand on his forehead, being confused.

"You're well and don't have a fever. But why did you say something that confused me? Why are you on Lady Yun's side?"

Huanan He was annoyed. He brushed her hands away and said to her flatly.

"What I said is for your own good. You offended His Majesty, which made you be in trouble."

Jingle was shocked and pouted. She stood up in a panic and did not dare to say something.

Seeing that she was innocent and pitiful, Huanan He calmed down.

Glancing at Jingle, he began to untie the two thin paper ropes on the two packages decorated with colored satins.

"I'm afraid that you'll eat something that is not delicious, so I buy some snacks for you. And there's something interesting," said Huanan He in a soft voice.

As Jingle fiddled with the golden puzzle ring, she looked at the delicious pastries with a smile. She picked up a yellow duck-liked pastry that looked funny and kissed its flat duck beak with great affection.

"Wow! I like pea flour cake sold by the Baozhai Store. It's Ninth Uncle who treats me well!"

Huanan He wore a big smile.

He said, "It's not the staple diet."

Jingle did not agree with him, shaking her head towards the two meat dishes, two vegetarian dishes and a soup.

"I don't like fish. But Concubinary Kitchen cooked the fish and served it for me. When living in Cining Palace, it's maid Tongjiang who helps me pick out the fish bones, and then I'll eat the fish."

As Huanan He smiled resignedly, he picked up fish and put it into a small white plate, removing the fish bones one by one.

He pretended to blame her. "Don't be picky. You cause big trouble. You're really not wrong to be punished."

Jingle giggled, biting the duck-liked pea flour cake. She flushed crimson with excitement, feeling happy.

Two women hurried into the Hall. They were Nanny Bian who managed Shuofeng Hall and female doctor of the Imperial Hospital.

"Nanny Bian, what ... what happened?" asked Jingle.

She quickly ate up the pea flour cake. When she saw the two women who came in with stony faces, she instinctively realized that something bad had happened.

Nanny Bian lowered her head, giving a deep bow to Huanan He.

She said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Huanan He put down his chopsticks, smiling gently.

"I come here to see Commandery Princess. Why do you rush in hurriedly?"

Nanny straightened up and wore a half smile.

"Your Highness, smallpox swept the Jingyang Palace. Doctor Qiao comes here to distribute medicine packages that will prevent the epidemic," Nanny Bian replied.

"What! Jingyang Palace?"

Huanan He and Jingle shouted and were shocked.

Huanan He tilted his head in suspicion and frowned.

He said, "You mean ... the Jingyang Palace where Lady Yun lives in?"

Until now, Huanan He and Jingle doubted what Nanny Bian said.

An hour ago, he quarreled with that troublesome woman on the trail which was surrounded by the green bamboo.

He had not expected that smallpox would sweep Jingyang Palace.

Following this question, Huanan He asked another question.

"Who is suffering from smallpox in Jingyang Palace? Is Lady Yun?"

"Yes. Your Highness, it's Lady Yun who suffers from smallpox," said doctor Qiao.

After answering respectfully, doctor Qiao unloaded her medicine chest from her shoulder, taking out several paper packages and placing them in a corner of the table. She said to Nanny Bian seriously.

"Take one package of these pills daily. Divide the medicine into two doses and ask Your Highness to take it in the morning and at night. It'll prevent the smallpox epidemic. Later, someone will send some sulfur and lime here, remembering to put them around Shuofeng Hall."

"I have remembered that."

Nanny Bian said that obediently and sighed.

Commandery Princess Jingle suddenly realized what happened and then she felt happy.

She said, "Ha, ha... That b*tch deserves it. She causes trouble for many people in the imperial harem. Now she is punished. Even if she recovers from the disease, she'll be scarred on her face. So, His Majesty won't like her!"

Huanan He looked coldly at Jingle who was happy and did not like her sneer with gloat.

Suddenly, he stood up and straightened his clothes, being ready to leave.

Seeing that, Jingle was in a bad mood, stepping at the door with her arms stretching out.

"Ninth Uncle, you stay here for a short time. Are you gonna leave?"

Huanan He did not look at her and became grave, stopping smiling.

He said to her coldly and seriously.

"Something bad happened in the imperial harem. If I stay here, I'll suffer from the disease. You stay here. Don't go outside. After the epidemic disappears, I'll come to see you again."

...

The sun spared no efforts to shine. It was very hot.

The glazed tiles were shiny. And the palace road that was shone by the sun dazzled people's eyes. The steaming hot air that was baked by the hot sun, together with the smell of the dirt, was very pungent.

Many eunuchs run on the palace road and were in a panic. They did not notice Huanan He, let alone stop to greet him.

At that time, all people in the Palace were supposed to be at ease. However, when the epidemic broke out, the eunuchs and maids had to get busy and rushed to Jingyang Palace. They were asked to help the doctors to deal with the epidemic.

Even though they did not greet him respectfully, Huanan He did not blame them. He knew that they were dealing with an emergency.

He slowed down until he stopped on the road.

He was always thinking about Lady Yun. She was graceful and charming. No matter what she did, she could attract him.

He did not know when he began to care about her.

After thinking for a while, Huanan He was shocked, staring at the road.

He realized that she was the concubine of the Emperor.

Thinking that she was suffering from smallpox, he was very worried about her.

He could not help but think about her. In his imagination, she lay on the bed surrounded by the purple curtains, with her beautiful hair putting on the pillow.

She was pale but beautiful. She was weak, groaning in agony.

"How are things going? Is she fine now?" thought Huanan He.

He was so worried about her that he walked quickly towards Jingyang Palace.

He was so worried about her that he walked quickly towards Jingyang Palace.