That was Yu’er’s voice.
Yan Xiu immediately headed towards the source of the sound.
From afar, Yan Xiu saw the woman in a light pink long dress, her back facing the fish pond, her hair styled into an adorable yuanbao bun, and wearing hairpins and dangling ornaments that matched her outfit, which were very pretty.
"Feng Yin, quickly give me all of these," Li Yuyu reached out to Feng Yin, her soft voice carrying a hint of petulance.
"Master should not feed anymore. I asked someone from the Empress Dowager’s palace, and they said the koi in this pond are regularly fed by the Empress Dowager herself. Today, she has already fed them, so Master mustn’t feed them more."
Feng Yin held the fish food tightly, refusing to give it to Li Yuyu.
"Just a little more, a little bit is fine. That koi just now was so beautiful, jumping so high. See how hard it displayed itself for me, I can’t possibly show no appreciation at all."
Li Yuyu lifted her skirt forward, continuing to act coquettishly.
Feng Yin simply lowered her head and pressed her lips without saying anything, but the fish food in her arms was protected tightly.
Cannot indulge the master in feeding more, saying it was just a little; just now she didn’t notice, a handful of fish food went into the pond, unsure if the koi in the pond have enough.
Shen Quan who arrived panting: ???
What’s happening?
Shen Quan glanced at Yan Xiu who was expressionless, and then at the laughing master and servant duo, before shouting in astonishment, "The Emperor is here!"
Li Yuyu, tugging at the corner of the fish food, turned her head and saw Yan Xiu standing not far away, wearing a Dragon Robe.
Feng Yin was already kneeling: "This servant greets the Emperor."
"Ah, Yan... Emperor, why are you here?" Li Yuyu walked in small steps towards Yan Xiu: "Concubine pays respect to the Emperor."
"What is my beloved concubine doing?"
Yan Xiu’s expression remained calm, and others couldn’t discern his anxiety and worry before seeing Li Yuyu.
"Replying to the Emperor, the concubine is feeding fish. The Empress Dowager’s koi are really beautiful. Emperor, come have a look." Li Yuyu said, reaching out to pull Yan Xiu’s sleeve, leading him towards the fish pond.
She thought, with the Emperor nearby, Feng Yin wouldn’t dare stop her from feeding fish, right?
Feng Yin: ...
"Emperor, it’s that fish. Do you see? So beautiful, it jumped so high just now. Watching it jump like that made me think of the carp leaping over the dragon gate, how wonderful."
Li Yuyu leaned over the white jade-carved railing, pointing to the golden koi swimming freely in the pond water, with a twinkle of starlight in her curved eyes.
"Carp leaping over the dragon gate? What is that?"
The Empress Dowager, supported by Chen Jing, approached slowly, asking in confusion.
"Empress Dowager, you’ve arrived." Li Yuyu, seeing the Empress Dowager, joyfully lifted her skirt and ran over, standing on the other side and holding her hand, said with a smile, "It’s a fairy tale I heard before."
"There was a little carp..."
Li Yuyu skillfully avoided words that might displease the Empress Dowager, playing several roles herself, eventually eliciting a smile from the Empress Dowager.
"Ridiculous, how could a carp talk?"
"Empress, carps naturally can’t talk in our view because they don’t know human languages. They belong to the Fish Clan, speaking the Fish Clan language, telling stories and entertaining."
"The more you say, the more absurd it gets." The Empress Dowager seemed to reprimand, but didn’t stop Li Yuyu from continuing.
The two engaged in back and forth conversation, unintentionally leaving Yan Xiu out.
...