The news that Ye Jun had snatched the emperor away from Concubine Li quickly spread throughout Lingxi Garden.
Those who originally thought that Ye had no ability had to reconsider.
Even without the support of her mother's family, as long as Ye herself is smart, she can still be favored, right
After all, isn't there Concubine Wen standing in front of her? She is a clear example of relying on herself instead of her family background.
What's more, although Ye Jun has no father, she is a girl from the Marquis's Mansion and is blessed by her ancestors. To be honest, there are not many people in the harem with such a high background.
When the news reached Yao Xiang, she finally concluded that Ye Jun was an unexpected event.
In the previous life, Ye Jun had no father at home and only a young brother to support the family. So when he entered the palace, he was very cautious and submissive. After serving once, he was never mentioned again.
At first, because of her father's contributions, the emperor, even though he was displeased, still took care of her. But as time went on, the emperor forgot about her, and the servants under him began to mistreat her, and her allowance was always short. However, she lasted more than two years before she passed away.
But now it seems that Ye's personality is completely different from that in her previous life. She even asked around and found out that Ye had such a temperament when she was still in the boudoir. This was even more different from her previous life.
Yao Xiang clenched the handkerchief in her hand, a hint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes. No matter whether she broke into another world or she was reborn, she would not allow any changes. If there were any, she would get rid of them!
No matter what Yao Xiang planned, there was harmony in the Zhaixing Pavilion at that time.
Ye Jun did not lie. She did prepare some snacks, which were lotus cakes that she had improved upon.
Originally this was a crispy pastry, but now she made it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it tasted better than usual.
At least Ning Chen ate three before stopping.
"If Your Majesty likes it, I will write a recipe and ask Eunuch Yuanjiu to take it back. This thing is easy to make."
Ye Jun brought tea to help him rinse his mouth, and ordered someone to clear the things on the table.
Ning Chen really liked the taste, so he nodded.
He glanced around and saw a scroll on the table, so he walked over out of curiosity.
On the scroll was an unfinished painting. The roses growing around the tree were in full bloom, and next to it was... a half-finished tiger.
"I have never seen anyone painting like this. What does your painting mean?" Ning Chen frowned, somewhat confused.
Ye Jun came over with a smile, "This is a painting of a tiger sniffing a rose!"
"A tiger sniffing a rose?" Ning Chen muttered, and then said, "The painting is superb and the meaning is fresh, not bad."
Of course it’s good, Ye Jun thought, there’s a tiger at heart sniffing the roses, that’s a famous saying.
But she didn't have time to talk to Ning Chen about love, poetry, and literature. She was too tired, so while Ning Chen was looking at the paintings, she took off all the jewelry on her head.
When Ning Chen withdrew his gaze, he saw the woman in front of the bronze mirror with long black hair draped over her shoulders. She looked relaxed and lazy like a cat.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. This headdress is too heavy and uncomfortable, so I will take it off."
Ye Jun quickly tied her hair into a bun and secured it with a jade hairpin, which was simple and elegant.
Those pearls and jade on her head are all real gold and silver. She must have worn them all the time and her neck must have broken.
"It's okay. You don't have to follow the rules in your courtyard." Ning Chen waved his hand.
In fact, he thought the woman seemed more attractive when she was relaxed.
There was still some time before dinner, and the two of them couldn't just sit there, so they set out the tea set to pass the time.
Brewing tea is an elegant activity that tests not only skills but also techniques.
After all, Ye Jun's character is more profound than others. She learned very well when she was in the boudoir. Now, her skills are so smooth that even Ning Chen finds them pleasing to the eye.
"The tea soup is clear and has a delicate aroma. You have good skills." Ning Chen never lied when he praised someone. He took a sip and his eyes lit up. "Is this Taibai Silver from Bianzhou?"
"That's right." Ye Jun smiled and poured herself a cup. "My maternal grandfather is from the Chu family of Bianzhou. This tea was sent to me by my maternal grandfather before I entered the palace. I still have a lot here. If the emperor likes it, you can take some back and try it."
The founding emperor of the Southern Qi Dynasty loved Mengding tea, and later emperors of the Southern Qi Dynasty also used Mengding tea. Although Taibai Yinhao is also very precious, I have never heard of any emperor liking it.
Ning Chen took another sip before putting down the teacup. "This tea is mellow and refreshing. It's good to drink occasionally. You have quite a few new things here."
Looking around, he saw a lot of exquisite little gadgets on the dressing table and the desk. It was obvious that they were not originally owned by the Zhaixing Pavilion. They must have been brought by this woman.
"Your Majesty has a good eye. My maternal grandfather has been a merchant for three generations, and my uncle's generation is already the fourth generation. They can be considered a family of merchants. When they go out, they always come across some new things, and my maternal grandfather always sends some to me and my mother to play with."
While Ye Jun was chatting, she put on the bracelet she had just taken off, which meant that she didn't plan to continue making tea.
The shaking of that fair wrist made Ning Chen a little distracted. For a moment he was distracted and didn't listen to what the person in front of him said.
"Your Majesty?" Seeing that he was in a daze, Ye Jun stopped talking and called softly.
"Ah?" Ning Chen came back to his senses, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, I remembered some government affairs and got distracted for a moment. Where were you just talking about?"
Is he really thinking about government affairs? Ye Jun expressed her doubts. She just saw the emperor staring at his hands in a trance. Could he be a hand control
Feeling Ye Jun's inquiring gaze, Ning Chen wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.
But how could an emperor not have this much self-control? So he took the initiative to change the subject.
"Your mother married into the Ye family and became an official's wife. Is your maternal family still engaged in business?"
The world today still looks down upon businessmen to some extent. Once a family has money, most of them want to take the imperial examination and become an official. A wealthy family like the Chu family should not be short of money, so why hasn't they produced an official
"I'm sorry to tell you that my grandfather and several uncles were not good at studying, so none of them passed the exam. However, through business, they made friends with many scholars and officials. But now my two cousins seem to be doing well, and they will take the exam next spring."
Ye Jun spoke truthfully in a light tone, as if he was just chatting casually, which was comfortable to listen to.
But Ning Chen seemed to be thinking about it after hearing this. If the Chu family could be used, it would be a good chess piece.
But this idea was still immature and passed by in a flash.
The two of them spent some time together and it was time for dinner. Ning Chen had no intention of leaving, and Ye Jun did not intend to let him go, so he immediately arranged for someone to prepare water.
In the bathroom, the servants were dismissed. Originally, Ye Jun was supposed to help Ning Chen bathe himself, but in the end, he walked in and was carried out.
They were eaten again on the couch. Both of them enjoyed it very much, but they were also sweating and had to wash up.
Huiyue brought people in to tidy up the bed, and when she saw the bellyband thrown on the ground, she blushed so much.