Li Yuyu lifted her little hands gently, picking up her dress slightly as she ran towards Yan Xiu.
"So slow." Yan Xiu’s tone dripped with impatience, but he didn’t walk ahead, waiting until Li Yuyu caught up before continuing his steps.
Li Yuyu thought to herself, having long legs is indeed a blessing; she wished she had a pair of those long legs, standing at 1.8 meters, so while she walked slowly, people beside her had to run quickly. Just imagining it felt thrilling.
Finally catching up to Yan Xiu, Li Yuyu raised her little face to look at him.
"What are you looking at me for?"
"Because you’re good-looking, Emperor." Li Yuyu curved her beautiful willow leaf eyes and said with a playful smile.
"You’re sweet-talking me again, little liar." Though he said this, Yan Xiu couldn’t suppress the upward curve of his lips.
"So you can smile after all." Li Yuyu stared in a daze, wanting to reach out and touch the corners of Yan Xiu’s lips: "Smile more, you look charming and handsome that way. Keeping a straight face all day like a serious old cadre will age you prematurely."
"Old cadre?" Yan Xiu became unsettled.
He didn’t understand what a cadre was, but the word "old" was clear to him. Old? Wasn’t he the youngest emperor since the founding of the Dasheng Dynasty!
"Yes, the Emperor always keeping a straight face gives people a rigid and serious impression."
Yan Xiu: ...
So, old cadre meant he was too serious? Rigid... serious?
But he’s the Emperor, should he be smiling foolishly all day and be criticized by historians or ridiculed by the whole world?
"Sophistry."
Li Yuyu: ... Huh? Is that the right way to use the word sophistry?
The two walked side by side, chatting as they went.
This harmonious scene, when caught in Princess Consort De’s view, felt nothing but glaring.
The Emperor cherished Lady Li so much, cherished her to the point her maid committed a grave error and still turned a blind eye?
"Consort, are you alright?" Lan Qin noticed Princess Consort De trembling and asked with concern.
"I’m fine, let’s go, back to the palace."
"Yes." Lan Qin supported Princess Consort De as they walked out.
"Farewell, Princess Consort De." Recently promoted Han Guiren knelt, only rising with Shui Yun’s assistance after Princess Consort De had left.
Shui Yun’s eyes smiled: "Congratulations, Han Guiren."
"Congratulations?" Han Guiren shook her head with a bitter smile: "Shui Yun, if there’s nothing urgent, stay at the Purple Cloud Pavilion in the coming period, restrain the staff below, don’t show any signs of happiness, everything should remain as it was previously."
"Why is that?" Shui Yun was puzzled: "Beauty Zhou received many imperial gifts and the favor to live in the main pavilion, but your promotion is solid, showing that the Emperor remembered you. Shouldn’t you seize the opportunity to win the Emperor’s favor?"
Shutting doors and not showing up for awhile, not only might the Emperor forget you, but even those in the palace may overlook your presence.
Wouldn’t that make your near-death efforts meaningless?
"Shui Yun, just do as I say." Han Guiren didn’t want to explain further.
The Emperor didn’t promote Beauty Zhou but rather promoted her, which she didn’t see as a boon but rather felt apprehensive, fearing the Emperor believed Lady Li’s words and thought Beauty Zhou’s fall into water was self-orchestrated.
As Han Guiren touched the warm tea cup, she hoped she was overthinking.
The lunch at Luaxin Pavilion consisted of only six dishes, one soup, and a fruit platter, all chosen by Li Yuyu, with the soup ordered by Yan Xiu from the Imperial Kitchen, while the fruits were originally from Luaxin Pavilion, cut and arranged together to be served.
Shen Quan attended to them nearby, sighing inwardly countless times.
Since the Emperor ascended the throne, he had never eaten such a limited spread at a meal; was General Li’s Mansion really so lacking in funds? Why else would Lady Li be so frugal during meals?