Shang Gong Bureau.

When Qi Yuning entered the clothing department, Chu Chi was sewing a purple men's robe.

"Chuchi."

When Chu Chi heard Qi Yuning's voice, he stood up and saluted, "Princess, why are you here?"

Qi Yuning smiled faintly and said, "Do you remember watching the Flower God Parade with me a few years ago? I promised you that I would let you dress up as the Peony Fairy. This year it's your turn. Tomorrow morning, remember to get up early and dress up as the Peony Goddess."

Chu Chi smiled faintly and said, "Thank you, Princess. I didn't expect that you still remembered what I said when I was young."

Qi Yuning looked at the clothes made by Chu Chi and said, "I heard that you are now in charge of the clothing department. Why do you still have to do the sewing of clothes yourself?"

Chu Chi said: "This is His Majesty's clothes. His Majesty is very picky about the stitching of clothes..."

Chu Chi realized that he had said bad things about the young emperor in front of Qi Yuning, so he covered his mouth again, looked at Qi Yuning and bowed his head and said: "Princess."

Qi Yuning smiled again and said, "Do your job well in the Shanggong Bureau. After His Majesty's wedding, you will assist the Queen for two years. When the Queen takes over the harem, I will choose a good marriage for you."

Chu Chi responded: "Thank you, Princess."

She knew that the good marriage the princess had proposed must be an excellent one. She was already seventeen years old now. If she had not entered the palace, she might have already been engaged.

Perhaps she would be like her mother, marrying a farm manager and having a child just after she reached the age of 15.

…

The second day of February is the Shengjing Flower Festival.

The girls dressed up as flower goddesses got up early and went to the flower temple to put on their makeup and clothes.

Chu Chi is the goddess of peony, the king of all flowers. Her arrival attracted the attention of the girls present.

All the girls who can dress up as the goddess of flowers in Shengjing City are from wealthy or noble families, and among them there are also daughters of high-ranking officials.

Hua Xiangrong, the youngest daughter of the Minister of Personnel, just turned fourteen this year. She thought she would definitely become the Peony Goddess, but later she heard that there was someone else who was the Peony Goddess. She had never seen him before, but today she saw him. Chu Chi smiled faintly and said, "This sister is so beautiful. No wonder she can be the Peony Goddess. What's her name?"

Chu Chi was used to being respectful in the palace, so he said softly, "My name is Chu Chi."

"Your last name is Chu too?"

After Hua Xiangrong finished speaking, he walked away from Chu Chi.

Chu Chi ignored Hua Xiangrong. She looked in the bronze mirror and let the dresser do her hair and makeup for her and put on a fresh peony flower.

"Are there fresh peonies at this time?" Chu Chi asked in surprise, "I thought there were no peonies at this time."

It is only the second day of February now, and it will take another month for the peony to bloom.

The dresser smiled faintly and said, "These peonies are kept in the greenhouse. A lot of charcoal was consumed for these peonies. The old eunuch who manages the flowers and trees in the palace devoted himself to research for decades to get peonies that can bloom on February 2nd. They are not available every year at this time. The girl is lucky."

Chu Chi looked at herself in the bronze mirror wearing a large, elegant peony flower. Surprisingly, such a large number of peonies could not conceal her appearance. Chu Chi was a little afraid to look at herself.

The Flower God Parade began, with Chu Chi leading the girls dressed as flowers and walking around the inner city of Shengjing.

In the princess's mansion, Lingling anxiously combed her hair into two buns. Without even having breakfast, she pulled Zhao Jie's hand and said, "Uncle, please go out now. Don't look down on the Hundred Flowers Parade later."

Zhao Jie smiled and said, "Who told you to get up so late?"

Lingling stuck out her tongue and said, "I didn't see the nanny this morning. Hongdou and Ludou didn't dare to wake me up. It's too late now. Let's go."

Qi Yuning had already brought Zhixiu outside to wait for the Flower God Tour team to arrive.

Lingling saw Qi Yuning and said, "Mother, why are you here to watch the Flower God parade today?"

Qi Yuning smiled faintly and said, "Today it is your sister Chu Chi who is dressed as the Peony Goddess, and I came here specially to take a look."

Lingling saw Ye Li beside Qi Yuning, and stood on tiptoe to look into the distance. She heard the sound of firecrackers, stringed instruments and music, as well as the noisy voices of a group of children. What was slowly approaching was a float.

Then the flower gods came, led by Chu Chi, who was wearing a wide-sleeved gown embroidered with big peonies. He looked like a peony fairy who had descended to earth.

Lu Yiling looked at Chu Chi who was coming over, waved her hand and blew a whistle, "Sister Chu Chi is so beautiful!"

When Chu Chi heard the whistle, he looked at Lingling, walked up to Lingling and gave her a sachet. The flower god's parade also means bringing blessings, so they would prepare some sachets and give them to children on the road.

Lingling took the sachet and smiled at Chu Chi, saying, "Sister Chu Chi, you are so beautiful today. Look, uncle can't take his eyes off you!"

Chu Chi only then saw that the person next to Lingling was the young emperor, and he bowed in greeting.

Zhao Jie coughed lightly and said, "No need to be polite outside the palace."

Chu Chi handed another sachet to Lu Zhixiu who was in Qi Yuning's arms, but little Zhixiu didn't like it and didn't take it. He frowned slightly and turned away without taking the sachet.

Qi Yuning helped Zhixiu take it and asked, "Don't you like it?"

Xiao Zhixiu spat out four words, "Girls' stuff."

Qi Yuning: “…”

Qi Yuning smiled, and Lingling took it from Qi Yuning, "Brother, don't give it to me. This sachet smells so good, just as good as Sister Chu Chi's."

Chu Chi left with a smile on his face, and Zhao Jie withdrew his gaze and looked at the sachet in Lingling's hand.

Lingling gave one to Zhao Jie and said, "Hey, little uncle, this is for you."

Zhao Jie took over and said, "Okay, let's go play on the street."

Lingling waved to Qi Yuning and followed Zhao Jie to stroll in the street. Lingling did not have breakfast and went to Qingshan Building to eat. From the box on the second floor of Qingshan Building facing the street, one could see the parading flower god clearly.

Zhao Jie had already finished his breakfast. He looked down from the window and saw Chu Chi, the leader of the team, with a smile on his face. A faint fragrance emanated from the sachet around his waist.

He stared at Chu Chi, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses.

Lingling looked at Zhao Jie and said, "Uncle, why is your face so red?"

"It's okay." Zhao Jie coughed, "It's not red."

Lu Yiling's peach blossom eyes turned and she chuckled, "I see. Uncle wants to find an aunt for Lingling. Dad is looking forward to Uncle finding an aunt so that Dad can relax a little."

Zhao Jie touched the sachet on his waist and said to Lingling, "Are you full? If you are, go play."

Lingling nodded and said, "I'm full. I'm going to Duke Zheng's mansion to find Sister Xiuxiu and Sister Huihui. We agreed to play together today."

Zhao Jie remembered that Zheng Xiu and Zheng Hui were both on the list of queens that Lu Ze had chosen for him, so he said to Ling Ling, "You can go play with them. I'll go back to the palace first."

"Uncle, you don't want to continue watching the Flower God?"

"I've already seen it. There's nothing good to see. I'll get bored if I see it too much."

Lingling tilted her head in confusion, "Sister Chi is so beautiful, and she looks so graceful and elegant as the Peony Fairy. I will never get tired of watching her no matter how many times I watch her." (End of this chapter)