Returning to the room, she had just opened the wooden lid of the food box when she heard Mingxi calling out in her sleep, seeming to cry out in pain and calling for her mother.

Shen Xiang quickly sets down the bowl and chopsticks, walking over to the bedside and gently patting him, saying, "Be good, young master... This servant is here... Don't be afraid, young master..."

She comforted her gently, and only when Mingxi finally ceased her painful moans did she feel relieved.

"Madam Xiang... What's that smell? It's so fragrant..." Ming Xi groggily opened her eyes, with traces of tears still at the corners.

Shen Xiang immediately handed the cracked bowl to him when he heard the words: "It's porridge, Young Master, please listen... After drinking the porridge, you won't feel cold anymore."

"Mmm..." Mingxi obediently sat up, parted her parched lips, and slowly swallowed the rice porridge.

Even in pain, a satisfied expression appeared on his face as he muttered, "Delicious..."

Shen Xiang looked at his deathly pale face, feeling a deep and bitter ache in her heart.

In the eyes of ordinary people, this is nothing more than ordinary rice porridge. However, he treated it as a delicacy and drank it cautiously.

After Mingxi finished drinking, Shen Xiang helped him lie down again.

At this moment, the plum tree branches inside the charcoal basin had long burned out. The chilly wind crawled into the humble thatched cottage, filling the house with a harsh and icy coldness.

Seeing this, Shen Xiang quickly fed Ming Xi the medicine to cure the cold, ensuring he fell asleep peacefully before dragging his disabled leg to pick branch blossoms from the plum tree.

Three days later, after the ice and snow had melted away and the sky cleared up.

Although there was still a hint of the harsh cold of winter, the streets and alleyways of the imperial city had returned to their former bustling state. The resounding voices of people filled the streets, and everywhere was filled with the sound of peddling and music.

Ping Le Pavilion was filled with a vibrant atmosphere of spring, and every seat was occupied.

On the stage, the young actress fluttered her enchanting eyes and sang a passionate song. Inside the pavilion, the scent of cosmetics wafted in the air, making it the most intoxicating and dreamlike place in the imperial city.

Amidst the resounding applause from the audience below the stage, a figure suddenly flashed by through the crack of the door. Upon closer inspection, that person was dressed in tattered clothing, their face covered in dust, making it impossible to discern their original appearance.

Ming Xi stretched her neck to get a better view of the people on the stage. However, she was pushed aside by a burly man with a black beard, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

He looked at the wall of people in front of him with a sense of injustice, still unwilling to accept it. He stood up and climbed in front of the burly man, staring motionlessly at the people on the stage.

He had heard the palace guards in the courtyard say that there were entertaining plays and attractive people here. Therefore, taking advantage of Xiang Popo's departure to sell miscellaneous items, he secretly slipped out, only intending to see what a theater was like.

Staring at the young actress, Ming Xi then lowered her head to look at her tattered clothes.

I wish he could be as good-looking as them someday.

Feeling dejected, he was suddenly kicked in the back.

"Where did this beggar come from? Can just anyone enter the Ping Le Hall?"

"Get lost now!"

The black-bearded man opened his mouth and berated angrily, causing the singing courtesan to stop her voice and look towards Ming Xi's direction.

The people around, upon seeing this beggar suddenly appear beside me, all recoiled in disgust and took a few steps back.

"Don't you understand human language?"

The sturdy man with a black beard saw Ming Xi still crouching on the ground and thought that she was ignoring him. He immediately felt his dignity being trampled upon, so he reached out and grabbed his collar, angrily cursing, "You filthy beggar! Get lost...! If you don't leave now, I'll make you regret it!"

The onlookers on the side echoed when they saw the situation.

Translation: "That's right...! Get lost! Don't disturb me while I'm enjoying the show!"

Ming Xi, who had been subjected to countless humiliations since childhood, had never encountered such a situation before. Tears welled up in her eyes in an instant as she murmured to herself, "Xier is not a beggar... Not a beggar..."

His illness had just recovered, but his voice was hoarse and unpleasant, making everyone even more disgusted. They all clamored to drive him away.

At this juncture, a deep voice resonated from the building: "Enough! A grown man like you bullying a beggar, what kind of ability is that?"

Upon hearing this sound, the burly man with a black beard quickly released his grip and turned his gaze towards the person speaking.

"Liu... Liu Wangye..."