Melt still?
Do you think you were made out of snow?
Ke Le inwardly grumbled, having long been used to the odd remarks that her master frequently comes up with.
"Go find out what’s happening." Li Yuyu said to Little Xianzi.
Little Xianzi was very quick-witted and swiftly dashed out of the Yao Hua Palace, taking the shortcut towards Shuijing Hall.
"So heavy." Li Yuyu shook her neck and walked towards the inner chamber.
"My lady, what are you doing?" Hua Yin followed her inside.
"Help me take off all these hairpins and ornaments; my neck is about to break under their weight. And this outfit, fetch me something lighter."
Hua Yin’s eyes widened: "How can you do that? My lady, the Emperor said he’s coming; if you change into ordinary clothes, he’ll think it’s not dignified. There’s also the banquet tonight, you need to be dressed elegantly."
"Why should I care whether he thinks it dignified or not? Why should I keep so many taboos at home or in the palace? If he doesn’t like it, he can choose not to come!"
Li Yuyu irritably tugged off the heavy pins from her hair and tossed them onto the table.
Hua Yin noticed that Li Yuyu looked displeased and didn’t dare to advise her further. Just as she was about to approach, she saw a tall figure standing by the door beside the bead curtain. Who else could it be but the Emperor?
"This servant greets the Emperor." Hua Yin quickly knelt down and kowtowed, feeling extremely nervous.
The Emperor surely didn’t hear what my mistress just said, right?
"Leave." Yan Xiu entered with his hands behind his back, his face expressionless, giving no indication of his mood.
Hua Yin dared not look too much and hurriedly lowered her head to leave.
Li Yuyu sat by the bronze mirror and ignored Yan Xiu, focusing solely on removing her hairpins.
As the pins slipped out, Li Yuyu’s long, dark, and beautiful hair cascaded down, mischievously bouncing a few times before gently resting at her waist.
Yan Xiu stood silently behind Li Yuyu, watching this picture-perfect scene.
"Has His Majesty not yet dined? I need to change clothes first. Would His Majesty care to order a meal and wait outside for me?"
Li Yuyu looked at Yan Xiu through the copper mirror, speaking in a sweet voice.
Yan Xiu raised an eyebrow, not leaving but moving closer to Li Yuyu, casually picking up the jade comb from the table, lifting her hair with one hand and slowly combing it with the other.
"My beloved consort is truly bold, the first to ask me to order a meal, and the first to dare to send me to wait outside."
Li Yuyu giggled charmingly: "And how many have asked His Majesty to comb their hair?"
"The first." Yan Xiu said deeply.
Li Yuyu’s lips curled up into a pleased smile, her laughter carrying sincere delight. Through the copper mirror, she could tell that Yan Xiu’s combing was not smooth, rather clumsy, even tugging a bit painfully.
But Yan Xiu quickly adjusted, and the awkward actions appeared remarkably pleasing.
Under Yan Xiu’s attention, Li Yuyu’s hair was finally fashioned into a simple bun and fixed with a jade pin, giving her an elegant and ethereal appearance.
"His Majesty has great skill. If His Majesty hadn’t personally said I was the first, I would have thought he often helped favored concubines with their hair."
Li Yuyu admired her reflection from every angle, unconsciously starting to tease.
"Favored concubine?" Yan Xiu placed the jade comb back on the table, his brows furrowing slightly, leaning in closer to Li Yuyu, and spoke in a low voice, "In this vast harem, besides my beloved consort, who else has my favor?"
Li Yuyu’s cheeks blushed, she quickly rose to avoid Yan Xiu’s closeness, her eyes flickering as a thoughtless remark slipped...