After the nanny took her there, she asked her to wait under the eaves while she went in to report.
But here is a wind outlet, with gusts of northwest wind blowing. Even though Hua Qingxue had added an extra cotton coat today, her face turned blue and her whole body was cold from the cold.
Fortunately, I didn't have to wait too long when I saw a palace maid about twenty-five or sixty-six years old coming out with the nanny.
The clothes of this palace maid were very exquisite, with the cuffs trimmed and the embroidery on the skirt very particular. Hua Qingxue guessed that she was one of the Queen Mother's servants.
After grandma came out, she retreated.
The young palace maid smiled and said to Hua Qingxue: "Mrs. Si Bing is finally here. The Queen Mother has been waiting for a long time."
This is really rude, and you dare to keep the Queen Mother waiting.
Hua Qingxue opened her mouth and wanted to say that I was here at dawn, but you were checking me and asking me to learn the rules, so...
When the words came to his lips, he finally changed his tune and said: "You are a vulgar woman who doesn't understand the rules of the palace and has wasted time. Please forgive me, the Queen Mother..."
If she said what she said from her heart, she would probably offend people even more. Keeping the Queen Mother waiting for a long time is already a serious crime of disrespect. I don't know the guilt, but I blame the many rules in the palace. Isn't this a disguised way of blaming the Queen Mother for not entertaining her well
The maid's smile did not fade and she said kindly: "Don't worry, Mrs. Si Bing. The Queen Mother is the most kind. How could she blame you for such a trivial matter? It's just that it's getting late now and the Queen Mother is having a meal. I can only ask you to wait for a while." After the Queen Mother has finished her meal, the servants will tell you."
Hua Qingxue was slightly stunned. It was already time for lunch
What has she done since early in the morning? This is such a waste of time! Do everyone in the palace live so inefficiently
Looking at the young and beautiful palace maid, who still maintained a decent smile on her face, Hua Qingxue felt helpless and could only nod in agreement.
The palace maid led Hua Qingxue into a room and left first.
Hua Qingxue looked around. The room was very large. There were some tables and chairs, but there was nothing else. It looked empty.
This looks like a place specially designed for guests to wait
It was too deserted, there wasn't even a pot of tea...
Hua Qingxue shrank her neck, rubbed her cold hands, and looked outside with a frown.
The doors and windows here were all wide open, and the cold wind kept pouring in. It was not much stronger than the air vent where she was standing just now.
Hua Qingxue remembered that Aunt Xi had taught her the rules in the palace, to be cautious in words and deeds, and it was best not to touch anything.
She wasn't sure if it was the palace rule to leave the doors and windows wide open, but... she thought it would be better not to touch them.
I hope the Queen Mother will finish lunch earlier.
…
The antique house is warm and luxurious.
Zheng Shuwen ate the food on her plate slowly.
There was a dazzling array of food on the table, but the Queen Mother often only used a very small portion and gave the rest to the palace guests.
The palace maid stood at the side of the table so that she could pick up food for the Queen Mother.
Zheng Shuwen asked: "How is she doing over there? Did you ask anything?"
The serving maid replied: "No, I have been waiting in the side hall. The Queen Mother summoned me, how dare she make a mistake."
Zheng Shuwen snorted coldly, "Your Majesty has learned all the bad things just by following her around these days. He doesn't know how to respect the elderly and love the virtuous. He actually fooled the ministers in the morning! It's so wanton and reckless!"
The palace maid comforted her in a low voice: "Your Majesty is young and cannot do without the Queen Mother's careful teaching. One day, you will understand your painstaking efforts."
Zheng Shuwen frowned and sighed, her expression was depressed, and her appetite for meals was also much reduced.
"Let her continue to wait." There was deep disgust in her eyes, "Save her from continuing to be arrogant."
"Yes, Queen Mother."
…
Hua Qingxue waited in the side hall for about an hour.
At first she sat still, but then it became so cold that she had to walk around the house to keep warm.
As time passed, Hua Qingxue felt extremely hungry. This hunger made her feel even colder...
There were slight footsteps outside.
Hua Qingxue immediately cheered up and looked outside.
The palace maid walked in with her friendly smile.
"I kept Mrs. Si Bing waiting for a long time."
Hua Qingxue breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Does the Queen Mother want to see me?"
"The Queen Mother has the habit of taking a nap after meals. If she doesn't have a severe headache, she has taken a nap now." The palace maid said with a smile.
Hua Qingxue was stunned, "Then I..."
"You don't have to worry. As soon as the Queen Mother wakes up, my servant will inform you."
What else could Hua Qingxue say? She had no other choice but to continue to wait obediently.
The maid is gone.
Hua Qingxue is the only one left here blowing the cold wind...
Nap... Well, it's really nice to take a nap after a meal. I don't know how long the Queen Mother will sleep for.
She calculated the time and was afraid that she would have to wait another hour...
well.
Hua Qingxue continued to wait in the side hall. The sun outside was gradually setting in the west. Time passed by. She couldn't believe that she had wasted a whole day here...
At this time, Hua Qingxue didn't realize that she was being left out here on purpose. She was so arrogant as a noble in the palace and liked to torment people with red tape and rules.
There was the sound of footsteps outside the house, which sounded like running or walking faster. Anyway, it definitely didn't sound like a palace maid.
Hua Qingxue was in low spirits and lazily raised her eyelids -
"Hey! Hua Qingxue!"
Li Jingnan happily appeared at the door, shocking Hua Qingxue!
"Why did you enter the palace? Haha! I was just wanting to play with you. Let's go, I'll take you for a walk!"
"I..." Before Hua Qingxue could speak, Li Jingnan pulled her up from the chair.
Seeing that he was about to drag him out of the door, Hua Qingxue said quickly: "No... I, I'm still waiting for the Queen Mother to summon..."
"It's okay, it's still early!" Li Jingnan dragged Hua Qingxue away.
The two of them walked hand in hand along the winding corridor quickly. The palace people along the way did not dare to stop them and respectfully stepped aside.
Li Jingnan held her hand and said disgustedly: "Your hands are really cold. Come on, go and warm yourself in my carriage."
Hua Qingxue nodded quickly. It would be nice to be warmer. The palaces here were so far away from each other. She would be exhausted if she really wanted to walk around.
After walking a few steps forward, I saw Li Jingnan's chariot, with Xiaodouzi standing guard beside it.
Seeing an acquaintance in the palace, Hua Qingxue immediately felt very friendly.
She was pushed into the royal chariot by Li Jingnan. There was a lot of space inside. The wide seats were enough to accommodate Li Jingnan and Hua Qingxue, and they were warm and bright.
Hua Qing let out a sigh of relief.
Li Jingnan twisted around and fiddled under the armrest twice, and pulled out a drawer. It turned out that there was something else about this seat. There were hidden compartments on both sides, and various pastries were placed in it.
He stuffed the drawer into Hua Qingxue's arms, "Here, eat something."
Of course, this kind of standing snack is not hot. After Hua Qingxue tasted one, she didn't really want to eat it. Although she was really hungry, she now wanted to drink something hot, soup or something else that could warm her body. …
As if he knew what she was thinking, Li Jingnan picked up the kettle on the table and poured a cup of chrysanthemum tea.
Hot air rose up, and Hua Qingxue felt warm in her hands.
She couldn't help feeling that the emperor's treatment was different. He could drink hot tea anytime and anywhere.
With hot tea, the pastries just now can be eaten.
Hua Qingxue ate and drank on Li Jingnan's chariot, feeling that she was finally alive again. I don't know where the imperial chariot went, but it stopped at this time.
She lifted up the curtain embroidered with golden dragon patterns and saw the royal chariot stopped at the entrance of the palace.
"Huh?" She turned to look at Li Jingnan strangely, "Didn't you say you wanted to take me around the palace?"
Li Jingnan smiled and said, "Next time, it's too late today."
"That's right, it won't be long before it's time for dinner." Hua Qingxue murmured in a low voice, "I didn't do anything, just spent the day like this..."
Li Jingnan seemed not to hear, and said with a smile: "I think the carriage outside looks like it belongs to the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion. Is General Fu here to pick you up?"
Hua Qingxue glanced outside again, and there was indeed a carriage parked outside the palace gate.
Is it Fu Tingye? ... He received a notice from the guard, so he came here to wait for him
"It seems that the general is indeed here..." Hua Qingxue said to Li Jingnan, "We can only make an appointment next time, but entering the palace is too troublesome, so next time you should come out of the palace."
Li Jingnan nodded with a smile, "I know."
He sent Hua Qingxue down and stood at the palace gate without leaving, watching her leave. It was not until he saw Hua Qingxue getting on the carriage that the smile on Li Jingnan's face slowly faded and turned gloomy and cold.
"Go back." He said coldly, turned around and got into the chariot.
Xiaodouzi followed the imperial chariot and said in a loud voice: "Getting started—"
…
At the same time, Zheng Shuwen naturally knew what happened.
When she heard that the palace maid said that Hua Qingxue left in the emperor's chariot, she immediately became furious!
The tea cup in her hand was thrown out by her so hard that it broke into pieces!
"What kind of decency! What kind of decency is he?!" Zheng Shuwen was extremely angry, "The person sitting on the royal chariot can only be the True Dragon Emperor! Even the Aijia can't touch it! How can she, a commoner, sit on it? Chariot?! Ridiculous! Ridiculous!"
The palace attendants in the room knelt down on the floor.
"The Queen Mother, please calm down!"
"The Queen Mother, please calm down—"
"He did it on purpose!" Zheng Shuwen said sadly, "He did it on purpose to go against the Ai family! Just for an unknown woman, an outsider!"
A bright yellow figure stepped into the house, and the bead curtains rustled.
"What did your mother mean by what she did today?" Li Jingnan looked at her expressionlessly.
Zheng Shuwen raised her head and looked directly at Li Jingnan, with pain and resentment in her eyes, "Your Majesty, you are so confused! What kind of ecstasy did that woman give you? How could you let her sit in the chariot?!"
Li Jingnan twitched the corner of his mouth and said sarcastically: "If she doesn't sit in the chariot, I'm afraid she will faint from the cold."
"She belongs to Fu Tingye!" Zheng Shuwen was so angry that she slapped her hand on the table with a look of hatred on her face. "Has the emperor forgotten how Fu Tingye forced you and my mother? Fu Tingye is so ambitious! How can you argue with him? Make friends with people?"