The fine hair looked like golden threads in the sun, and Li Yueji's skin was very white, and her ears were the color of her eyes, giving people the illusion of crystal clearness. The palace woman whispered to the ear: Empress Li is beautiful and should have been favored by the emperor.
The palace woman paused and whispered: "I have something to say. No matter what, the queen must be favored first."
Li Yueji said: How to be favored
The palace woman said calmly: I took the initiative to seduce the emperor first and gained his favor, then I dared to have a bad temper.
Li Yueji was angry and laughed after hearing this: When did I say I wanted to win your favor
The palace lady was choked by this sentence and was speechless. She looked at her with some disappointment. The eunuch next to her was also silent.
Li Yueji saw this but ignored them. She had seen many such people in Xiazhou. For example, the subordinates of civil and military officials all encouraged their superiors to climb higher. Their so-called loyalty was nothing more than treating their masters as something to profit from.
She looked up at the sun in the sky. The strong sunlight made her eyes dazzled. In the dazzling light, there seemed to be a dark shadow. He was wearing a high crown, standing on a high hill, holding a bow and arrow in his hand.
Li Yueji was startled, and then she remembered how much indulgence and forgiveness that man had shown towards her. He stretched out his hand to shield herself from the doorman's meticulous care, fearing that she would get hurt. Perhaps he was just considering the pros and cons of stabilizing Xiazhou, but Li Yueji would rather believe that there were other reasons.
In the secret room where files were stored on the west side of Jinxiang Hall, sunlight filtered in from a tiny window high up, the only small opening for ventilation. The sunlight was very conspicuous in the quiet and enclosed little room, and fine dust danced lightly inside.
Very quiet.
Guo Shao was lying on the couch with his clothes disheveled and covered with a quilt, squinting his eyes. He was still dreaming, his eyelids were moving and his expression was very nervous.
Faces with wide eyes flashed through the mist, the sound of horse hooves roared, the blood-pumping shouts of fighting for the emperor seemed to be in my ears, swords flashed, and blood was splashed like rain.
Then, a beautiful and sad face leaned down again and said to him who was sleeping soundly: The last thing I kept is gone, and I don’t know what I can give you in the future.
Guo Shao suddenly sat up and opened his eyes hurriedly, but the familiar face in front of him disappeared.
It was a quiet, small room, very quiet, with only him in it.
Guo Shao looked around and confirmed that there was no one here. Only then did he remember where he was and why he was here. The woman who had been intimate with him when he was awake, and the woman who had whispered to him in his dreams, were all gone.
He reached out and wiped his face vigorously, rubbed his eyes, let out a long breath, and stood up to straighten his clothes.
When he walked out of the secret room, he happened to hear the slow sound of bells and drums outside, and from the distant Xuande Gate Tower, it was the time of the evening. Guo Shao decided not to go to the study in the West Hall anymore, so he walked around the hall of the Yangde Hall, not knowing what to do.
It seems like there are so many things to do, but I don’t know where to start.
So many brothers died, not for him alone to enjoy supreme power and wealth. However, nothing can be accomplished by just relying on passion. Ignoring the reality will only lead to war and meaningless fighting and degeneration.
Guo Shao suddenly felt confused.
As he walked out, the eunuch Wang Zhong bowed and said: "Your Majesty, the imperial carriage is ready."
Guo Shao waved his hand and said nothing. Wang Zhong bowed and said, "Yes." He might not know what Guo Shao meant, but he just followed him silently.
After walking out of the building complex through a door behind the Jinxiang Hall, he was on a high platform. Guo Shao walked down the stone steps while counting the number of stone steps. He had been here for several years and he really didn't know how many steps it took to get up there.
The two sides of the Central Axis Avenue were bare, but there were some fruit trees planted farther away, which were in bloom this season. From a distance, the flowers looked like brocade, very gorgeous. Guo Shao felt a little confused and empty, but he could confirm that he felt that most of the things on this land were beautiful.
He bent down and picked up a tiny white petal that was blown onto the road by the wind. There were still tiny drops of water on it and some sand and dust on it. Guo Shao placed the little thing in his rough palm, looked at it carefully, as if to confirm the reality of the place, and then threw it on the ground.
Walking into Xuanyou Gate, a group of palace servants with yellow umbrellas just followed behind. After all, the emperor could ride in a car if he wanted to, or walk if he wanted to, and no one would bother to ask him why he walked instead of riding in a car.
Inside Xuanyou Gate, the first large building complex is the Wansui Hall. However, Guo Shao did not go up the steps of the Wansui Hall. He remembered that Lu Lan lived in a small courtyard to the west. The fragrant memories of various plants in that small courtyard came into Guo Shao's mind and aroused his interest.
I'll stop by to see Madam Lu and see what she'll plant in the spring, Guo Shao said to Wang Zhong.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Bai and Mrs. Lu came to the door to greet him, which made Guo Shao feel a little uncomfortable. He almost forgot that Mrs. Bai lived here.
Madam Lu had a look of joy on her face, while Mrs. Bai's eyes flickered a little, and she seemed a little embarrassed. Some things, even if they didn't happen, once they left signs, are hard to get rid of.
Guo Shao went into a hall with them and forced a smile pretending to be relaxed: What kind of grass leaves did Madam Lu use to treat me today
Lu Lan asked: Your Majesty, have you been feeling unwell recently
Guo Shao pondered for a moment and said: I feel a little confused and at a loss as to what to do.
Lu Lan smiled and said: Your Majesty, please wait a moment, the water is not boiled yet.
Guo Shao didn't want to leave Mrs. Bai alone, so he deliberately asked: "Mrs. Bai, are you used to living here?"
Bai lowered her eyebrows and said: "Thanks to Your Majesty for rescuing me. It is the best thing for me to be reunited with my daughter."
Lu Lan also said seriously: I thank Your Majesty for your grace.
Guo Shao said: Don't worry about it. He added, "As soon as I entered the yard, I smelled a very familiar fragrance, but I forgot what it was for a moment. I have rarely paid attention to such things in these years."
Gardenia. Lu Lan said softly, if you can smell it right away, it must be gardenia.
Guo Shao slapped his thigh and said suddenly: I was wondering why it is so familiar, a very common thing.
Yes. Lu Lan laughed and got up to make tea.
Soon, Lu Lan brought a crystal glass cup over. Guo Shao looked down and saw that the water in the glass cup was as clear as a mirror, with white petals floating on it. The water was still very hot, and a wisp of white smoke floated up, with a pleasant fragrance in the water vapor.
Lu Lan said: Gardenia has the effect of clearing away heat and calming the mind.
Oh, it turns out there is a magical use. Guo Shao picked it up.
Lu Lan said softly again: Your Majesty, go slowly, be careful of the burns.
Guo Shao glanced at Bai's face casually, and smiled at Lu Lan: I know. Then he blew a breath and took a sip. It was sweet and a little bitter, and it smelled like honey.
He had seen a lot of gardenias, so they were not rare, but this was the first time he had ever soaked them in water and drunk them.
Lu Lan murmured: This kind of flower has buds since the winter of the previous year, and will remain in bud until the summer of the following year before it blooms. Most of Huayin is brewing that bloom.
Guo Shao put down the cup and looked at her silently. She was petite and was originally just an ordinary girl from a doctor's family, but at this moment, the skin on her face seemed to be as fragrant as flowers.
Lu Lan glanced at him and whispered: Time is long, plain and quiet, but it can bring surprises when it blooms.
Guo Shao seemed to be thinking about something.
At this moment, Mrs. Bai stood up and said politely: I will go to prepare some wine and food.
Guo Shao wanted to say no, but this didn't mean he was being polite because staying for dinner was a sign of the emperor's favor. So he nodded in agreement.
Your Majesty's kindness, I don't know how to repay you, Lu Lan murmured, thinking about it, the only thing I can do is
Her face turned red and she placed her hands on her collar. "Your Majesty, please follow me in. I have something to say to you."
Guo Shao sat there, looking embarrassed, looking at the door that Bai had just left, feeling that something was wrong; he seemed to have seen this scene somewhere before. He hurriedly said: No need, my intention
But Lu Lan bit her red lips and looked at herself: Your Majesty, don't you like it
Guo Shao's face twitched slightly. He looked at the plump and soft place where her hand was placed, thought hard for a moment, and said kindly: Madam Lu, there is no need to repay me. You have been good enough to me. Don't ever think of repaying me again.
Lu Lan said softly: It's different. It's my job to treat patients, and His Majesty also gave me a reward far exceeding the consultation fee. But you specifically rescued my mother from the Khitans.
Guo Shao sighed slightly and said gently: You really don't have to think so. Madam Lu has been good enough to me. Don't have such thoughts. Sometimes, it's too good for me.
The two of them looked at each other, and the atmosphere froze in the air. Lu Lan suddenly smiled and said: It's because there are too many beauties, I can't handle it all.
When Guo Shao heard this, he couldn't help laughing out loud. The two looked at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly melted.
He picked up the glass cup and waited for a while. The water temperature had dropped a lot, so he took a big sip. It still tasted the same, sweet with a hint of bitterness, and very fragrant. But if there was no honey, the water would be bitter.
Lu Lan's voice was as gentle as if it was ringing in my ears: Your Majesty, it is really hard to understand. I often wonder how a gentle person like you can fight on the battlefield.
Guo Shao thought to himself, I was not born to be a warrior in ancient times. At the beginning, I was just trying to make a living. I am not a typical hero of this era. But this girl in front of me is really suitable to be a court lady.
He laughed and said: Because I haven't fought in the battlefield for many years, I just watched the results from behind.
Lu Lan tilted his head and thought for a while: Your Majesty seems to be right.
There was still a faint white smoke floating on the water, and the fragrance of flowers lingered in the quaint room.