After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

Xiao Jingshu let out a series of soft "hoarse" sounds, and her face began to turn purple.

The eldest prince, Xiao Jingyan, was the first to react, and suddenly jumped up from his chair.

However, he stumbled due to a leg ailment and was supported by a palace maid.

"Huiyun!"

The Second Prince Xiao Jingyu turned pale with fright, and the teacup in his hand crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.

The side hall erupted in chaos.

"Princess!"

The palace maid beside her cried out in surprise, and a nanny hurriedly patted her back.

Another palace maid picked up a teacup and was about to pour tea into her mouth.

Shen Jingque's vision went black.

Is this a case of wanting people to die fast enough?

She had intended to remain on the sidelines, but the actions of these palace servants were truly astonishing.

The girl's slender body trembled violently, and the sound in her throat grew weaker and weaker.

Oh no, if this drags on any longer, someone could really die.

Shen Jingque rushed forward, pushing aside the two palace maids blocking her way. Disregarding all decorum, she quickly reached Xiao Jingshu's back.

"Get out of my way, all of you!"

The eunuchs and palace maids were taken aback by her shout.

In that brief moment, Shen Jingque slipped his arms under her armpits and wrapped them tightly around her waist.

Then, she began the standard Heimlich maneuver.

She clenched her right fist, pressing the knuckle against Xiao Jingshu's soft ribs below her ribs, and grabbed her wrist with her other hand, beginning to thrust upwards with force.

The girl's body rose up with her movements, then fell heavily back down.

That posture was anything but elegant; it looked like someone was forcefully pulling a radish stuck in the ground.

The head maid finally realized what was happening and screamed in a shrill voice, "Princess Shaoning has gone mad! She's beating the princess! Someone, pull her away!"

Two guards rushed forward and reached out to grab Shen Jingque's arm.

Get out of here!

Without turning her head, Shen Jingque cursed crisply, "Do you want the princess to die here today?!"

The guard's hand froze in mid-air.

Just then, a figure in black flashed out from the side, standing between Shen Jingque and the guard.

Xiao Jingchen raised his hand and pressed down on the wrist of the leading guard, speaking in a deep voice.

"Didn't you hear what the county princess said?"

Seeing that the Third Prince had intervened, the guards dared not move.

Xiao Jingchen stepped aside, making room for Shen Jingque, his probing gaze remaining fixed on her.

Shen Jingque had no time to pay attention to the sticky gaze behind her. She gritted her teeth and exerted force with her waist and abdomen.

"Cough! Ugh—"

Xiao Jingshu coughed violently.

The culprit, the peach blossom pastry, was finally squeezed out with a "splat" and flew far away.

She collapsed into Shen Jingque's arms, panting heavily, her face covered in tears and snot.

A moment later, she burst into a wail and cried, her whole body trembling.

Shen Jingque's head was throbbing from her crying, so he stroked her back like he was petting a cat.

"Okay, okay, you'll be fine once you've vomited it out."

He then waved to the terrified palace maid beside him.

"What are you all standing there for? Give the princess some warm water to rinse her mouth!"

Then he clapped his hands and gracefully stepped aside, having accomplished his mission.

The eldest prince, Xiao Jingyan, was the first to regain his senses. He quickly walked to Xiao Jingshu's side, squatted down, and checked on her condition.

"Huiyun, are you alright?"

Xiao Jingyu also came closer, his hands still trembling: "You scared me to death, you really scared me to death just now."

The side hall was in chaos. The palace servants looked at each other, still reeling from the recent commotion.

"Jing Shu!"

The Empress Dowager, supported by her nanny, rushed in quickly.

Behind her followed Xiao Mingyue and several concubines, each with a different expression.

The Empress Dowager reached out and pulled Xiao Jingshu into her arms, feeling her up and down to make sure she was unharmed before turning her face down and looking around.

"What happened?!"

The head maid, feeling as if she had been granted a pardon, crawled to the Empress Dowager's feet and pointed at Shen Jingque, speaking incoherently.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is wise."

She cried, "The princess choked on her snack just now, and we servants are about to call the imperial physician."

"Suddenly, Princess Shaoning rushed up, grabbed the princess in her arms, and started strangling and punching her, as if she wanted to strangle her to death!"

Shen Jingque: "?"

I can go to yours.

You think it's easy to spread rumors?

The Empress Dowager's face turned ashen, her gaze sharp as a knife as she glared at Shen Jingque: "What do you have to say?"

Shen Jingque rolled her eyes, ready to start criticizing.

Xiao Jingshu, who had just caught her breath, suddenly jumped up like a spring.

She staggered forward and slapped the old woman across the face.

"Bullshit! You stinking, lying scoundrel!"

Everyone present was stunned.

"Grandmother," Xiao Jingshu turned around and grabbed Shen Jingque's sleeve, "she saved me! If it weren't for her, I would have choked to death on that peach blossom pastry!"

The Empress Dowager frowned: "Peach blossom pastry?"

"right!"

Xiao Jingshu nodded vigorously, pointing to the wreckage on the ground.

"I choked while eating peach blossom pastries, and they were all terrified. All they did was pour water down my throat and pat my back, but it was no use!"

"She rushed up to me, grabbed my stomach, and squeezed upwards, squeezing the pastry out!"

The Empress Dowager remained silent.

The head maid covered her swollen cheeks, which turned red and white in turns, and knelt there trembling like a sieve.

Xiao Mingyue had been standing silently behind the Empress Dowager.

At that moment, she walked to Shen Jingque's side, took out her handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Consort Liang smiled gently and said softly, "It's good that it was a false alarm. It's truly rare to see Princess Shaoning remain calm in a crisis and know such emergency methods."

The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "It's good that nothing's wrong."

Then, with a deep gaze, she looked at Shen Jingque and said, "Princess Shaoning saved the princess today. Guards, reward her."

Before long, a palace servant brought over a pair of jade ruyi scepters.

Shen Jingque immediately saw stars.

Hey!

What a wonderful piece, carved from a single piece of jade!

Seeing her greedy expression, Xiao Jingchen couldn't help but smile slightly, feeling a little sorry for her.

That day he sent her ten thousand taels of gold; I wonder how happy she must have been when she saw it.

"Thank you for the reward, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"

Shen Jingque could not hide her joy and respectfully thanked him loudly for the reward.

The Empress Dowager rubbed her temples and said she was tired, so she ended the visit.

As everyone dispersed, Shen Jingque also took Xiao Mingyue's hand, preparing to leave.

But Xiao Jingshu suddenly called out to him.

"Hello!"

Xiao Jingshu walked over awkwardly, pulled a piece of mutton-fat jade pendant from her waist, and stuffed it into Shen Jingque's hand.

It has a warm and smooth texture and is carved with an exquisite lotus scroll pattern, making it very delicate.

"Here's a reward for you."

She turned her face away, not daring to look at Shen Jingque, her cheeks flushed with a suspicious blush.

"Afterwards...after you enter the palace, you can come and play with this princess."

Shen Jingque looked at the excellent jade pendant in her hand and was overjoyed.

This trip was very fruitful.

She smiled and put the jade pendant into her bosom, then patted Xiao Jingshu's shoulder with a very carefree and generous air.

"Great! From now on, I'll rely on the princess to protect me in the palace!"

Xiao Jingshu was stunned by the slap, and the blush on her face instantly spread to the base of her neck.

Every noblewoman she had met since childhood had treated her with utmost respect; no one would dare to put their arm around her like that.

But strangely enough, she didn't seem to mind at all.

"Hmph, after all, you saved my life, so I will naturally have to take better care of you."

Shen Jingque realized that Princess Huiyun was a proud and arrogant person.

But it doesn't matter, sincerity is the ultimate weapon.

She leaned over and hugged Princess Huiyun's shoulder, then waved.

"Well then, Princess, see you next time!"