Chapter 61 Birthday

June 14th is Yueli's birthday, and He Yanchen agreed to accompany her on a boat trip.

The warm sunshine in the early morning was just right, and Yueli was sitting in front of the diamond-shaped mirror to dress herself up.

She changed into a lilac-colored soft silk palace dress; such a light color made her look even fresher in the summer. Her cascading black hair was tied up, with only a single strand draped across her chest, adding a touch of elegance.

Yueli was using the ink to draw her eyebrows, but she saw Zisu walk in after lifting the beaded curtain.

"Master, Nanny Yang from Yanfu Palace is here, saying that the Empress Dowager has summoned you."

"Empress Dowager?" Yue Li's hand trembled, and the ends of her eyebrows became longer.

Why does the Queen Mother want to see her?

To be honest, she hasn't paid her respects to the Empress Dowager since her birthday. In addition, she knew some of the past events between the Empress Dowager and He Yanchen, so she had no good impression of the Empress Dowager at all.

"Did you say anything?"

Zi Su shook her head: "Madame Yang just said that the Empress Dowager hasn't seen you for a long time and wants you to go to Yanfu Palace to talk."

Yueli cursed her bad luck inwardly. Did she have to see her on her birthday?

She just wanted to celebrate her birthday with He Yanchen.

"Has His Majesty left the court?"

Zi Su shook her head: "Not yet, the master wants me to wait in front of the emperor. I will report to him after His Majesty leaves the court."

"No need." Yue Li stood up and asked the palace maid to straighten her clothes. "Let's go and see. I don't know what the Queen Mother is going to say."

Yeonbokgung Palace.

When Yueli arrived, only Concubine Lin was with the Queen Mother in the palace, and there were no other concubines.

She wasn't very familiar with Concubine Lin, but she heard that the Lin family was related to the Empress Dowager's maternal family. Plus, the Empress Dowager was very concerned about her only two heirs, so it wasn't surprising that Concubine Lin was here.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

When the Queen Mother saw her coming, she said gently, "No need to be so polite, please sit down."

As Yue Lifang sat down, she heard the Queen Mother say, "You have been serving His Majesty these days. It must be hard work."

"Serving Your Majesty is my duty, how can it be hard?" Yue Limei's heart skipped a beat. She was not tired at all, and she did not need others to help her share this "hardship".

The Queen Mother said calmly, "Is your Majesty in good health?"

"Your Majesty is well."

The Queen Mother then inquired about He Yanchen's condition, and Yue Li answered in a formal manner until she said, "You've been in the palace for almost a year now, how come there's no news at all? I summoned Doctor Lin from the Imperial Hospital today, so he can examine you later."

Yueli was stunned for a moment before she realized what news she was referring to.

She clenched the handkerchief in her hand and said, "I dare not trouble the Empress Dowager."

The concern on the face of the empress dowager did not seem fake. Every concubine in the palace did not want to have a child to rely on. Yue Li was favored, and now she was the one with the greatest hope of conceiving an heir to the throne. The empress dowager also hoped to have a few more princes in the palace.

Concubine Lin, perhaps worried about Yue Li's nervousness, smiled and said, "Don't worry, Concubine Yu. Imperial Physician Lin is an expert in gynecology. He was the one who took care of me when I was pregnant."

Yue Li's face fell. "Empress Dowager, if I feel unwell, I will go and get the imperial physician myself. There is no need for others to worry about me."

Concubine Lin frowned, Yueli's words were indeed too rude.

The smile on the Queen Mother's face faded a little. Just as she was about to say something, she heard a voice from outside: "Your Majesty has arrived——"

Before he finished speaking, He Yanchen strode in.

Concubine Lin quickly stood up and saluted: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

He Yanchen didn't look at her, but greeted the Queen Mother indifferently. Then he looked at Yue Li and said, "Didn't you say you were going to the Imperial Study? Why are you here in Yeonbok Palace?"

Yue Li's eyes were filled with joy. She quietly hooked her fingers around the man's and said softly, "I was just about to go find His Majesty."

He Yanchen didn't want to say anything more to the Queen Mother. He said indifferently, "If the Queen Mother has nothing to do, I will take Concubine Yu away."

The Queen Mother's expression darkened slightly, but she finally explained, "I just wanted Doctor Lin to take a look at Concubine Yu. Concubine Yu has been in the palace for a long time, and it is important for Her Majesty to have children as soon as possible."

He Yanchen smiled with an ambiguous tone, "Yu Jieyu isn't the only one in the harem who hasn't been pregnant. Does the Empress Dowager also want to find someone to take a look for me?"

The Queen Mother's expression suddenly changed: "Your Majesty, please be careful with your words!"

How can you say such things? If they get out, it will shake the foundation of the country.

He Yanchen looked at her with a half-smile: "Of course, my words cannot compare to Eighth Brother's to please the Queen Mother. If the Queen Mother is bored, she can go to the Buddhist temple and chat with Eighth Brother more."

The tablet of the late emperor's eighth prince is placed in the Buddhist temple in the backyard of Yeonbok Palace.

Yueli felt that He Yanchen's words were like stabbing a knife into people's hearts.

"You!" The Queen Mother almost couldn't breathe, and Concubine Lin and Nanny Yang hurriedly supported her.

He Yanchen didn't want to pay any attention to it at all, and left with Yue Li.

After walking out of Yeonbok Palace, Yueli hooked her hand around his and did not let go. Her fingertips slowly moved up along the base of the man's fingers, interlocking their fingers little by little.

"Your Majesty has agreed to accompany me on a boat trip, so you can't go with such a sullen face."

He Yanchen raised his eyes, lowered his gaze to look at their intertwined hands, and smiled softly: "I have already promised Jiaojiao, how could I go back on my word."

As soon as he left court, he heard that Yueli had been summoned to Yeonbok Palace, and he rushed there immediately without even changing out of his court robes.

After returning to Linde Hall and changing into casual clothes, He Yanchen took Yueli to the lotus pond.

When the palace servants near the lotus pond heard that the emperor was coming, they waited there early. Ji Ming asked someone to prepare a small boat in advance and cleared out all the people around.

The lotus pond is very beautiful in this season. The surface of the lake is covered with lotus flowers, and you can faintly see small fish wagging their tails under the lotus leaves.

The two of them boarded the boat. Although it looked small from the outside, it was fully equipped inside. There were fruits and snacks on the table, and a soft couch on the other side.

Yueli sat happily by the fence and reached out to touch the lake water below. It was icy cold, and small fish would occasionally swim past her hand.

"Be careful not to fall." When the boat slowly sailed towards the center of the lake, He Yanchen stretched out his long arms and brought the woman into his arms.

Yueli hugged his waist, nuzzled him and said, "If I fell, Your Majesty would help me pull myself up."

Before he could finish his words, someone hit him on the head.

Yueli covered her forehead and glared at him aggrievedly: "Your Majesty always hits me on the head and makes me stupid."

The man pinched her chin and laughed: "Could it be that Jiaojiao was very smart before?"

Yueli bit the back of his hand angrily.

Seeing his eyes become dangerous, she quickly loosened her teeth and ran happily to the other side to pick lotus seeds.

He Yanchen didn't restrain her. After all, she was still a little girl. She just turned sixteen today and it was the time for her to have fun.

Yue Li rolled up her sleeves to reach the lotus pods outside. Her creamy skin glowed in the warm sun. She pulled off a lotus pod with great effort and ran to He Yanchen as if to seek credit.

"I will peel lotus seeds for Your Majesty!"

He Yanchen reached out and snatched the lotus pod from her hand: "Jiaojiao, can you peel it?"

Yue Li was about to open her mouth to refute when she saw the man's slender fingers move a few times, and then a fragrant lotus seed was pressed against her lips.

She opened her mouth and bit it with a smile, biting the man's fingertips in her mouth as well.

The soft and tender tip of the tongue gently slid across the fingertips, and He Yanchen's eyes darkened instantly.

"It seems Jiaojiao doesn't want to have a good boat ride anymore."

Yueli rushed over and hugged his neck, then pushed him down on the couch. She smiled brightly:

“What’s the point of just cruising?”