Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Let’s play together, no, let’s raise a little one…

Everyone in the hall was speechless. The Grand Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at the Empress Dowager who was listening to the old nanny's translation next to her. For a moment, she smiled without saying a word.

She lowered her eyes while drinking tea.

When Concubine Nianhulu saw her old rival defeated, she was happy at first, but then she quickly realized that this official girl was quite powerful.

I’m afraid she won’t be a good person when she enters the harem.

Her expression suddenly froze, and her cold eyes shot towards Guo Luoluo Qingyao like arrows, "What are you talking about?"

"Sister Tong was just a little curious about you. You just need to answer her questions truthfully. What does this have to do with the official girl?"

She was about to continue teaching him a lesson.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao had already followed the voice and turned her curious gaze towards her. Furong's expression became more sincere and innocent, with her big watery eyes wide open. "Ah? But, I am indeed a court lady, and didn't I just reply? It's because there is no such rule in the palace."

"Just answer it..." Concubine Nianhulu subconsciously wanted to refute again.

But she saw Concubine Tong opposite her looking at her with a hint of disgust.

Sister Tong, what kind of weird name is this?

When did she become so close to the Niuhulu clan? She was just using herself as a pawn to get the Guoluo clan.

She curled her lips and fanned her handkerchief, then said to Concubine Nianhulu in a bad mood, "I think the answer given by this Guo Luoluo official is very pertinent, well-reasoned and convincing."

"You!" Concubine Nianhulu was so angry that she gripped the handle of the chair under her.

Concubine Tong pretended not to see it, turned her head, gave Guo Luoluo Qingyao a fake smile, and asked in a clear voice, "You haven't told me yet why you are here today."

Guo Luoluo Qingyao continued to sit up straight, her eyes wide and innocent, "Perhaps the emperor thought of my young age and that I was in the playful age, and was worried that I would get bored in the enclosure, so he let me out to walk around and play."

As she spoke, she raised her hand, pinched her thumb and index finger together, made a small gesture, and then said to the concubines: "My ladies, please rest assured. I have a very small appetite and will eat very little. I will definitely not eat all the delicious food at the banquet!"

"I dare to swear to Changshengtian!" As she said this, she raised three fingers with an extremely serious expression.

The concubines present fell silent again: "..."

Is this what they want to ask?

The old man at the top seat almost spit out his tea after hearing what Guo Luoluo Qingyao said.

She hurriedly handed the teacup back to Su Malagu and continued to watch the developments below with great interest.

Concubine Nianhulu was obviously still angry about Concubine Tong's non-cooperation. She held the handle of the chair tightly with one hand and stared at Concubine Tong opposite her with a sharp gaze.

Concubine Tong's attention was all on Guo Luoluo. When she heard her answer, she didn't know what she was thinking about. A glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, and an ambiguous smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Then she sat back in the chair with relaxation and didn't say another word.

Concubine Nara twisted her handkerchief, frowned, and looked at Guo Luoluo with a bit of vigilance in her eyes; Concubine Ma Jia smiled when she heard the words, probably because she thought the two girls were very interesting; Concubine Li was always upright and self-respecting. Only when Concubine Tong spoke at the beginning, she followed the gaze of the crowd and looked at Guo Luoluo. After a few traces of surprise flashed in her eyes, she quickly returned to her indifferent look.

Dong's eyes were somewhat vicious, as heavy as a rainstorm; Wang Jia was drinking tea, looking as if it had nothing to do with her; Hesheli's eyes contained a bit of greed, and they wandered back and forth between the hair ornaments on Guo Luoluo's head and the bracelets on her wrists; Zhao Jia was talking to Nala.

The concubines below them all had different expressions, and it was obvious that each of them had her own little thoughts.

After Guo Luoluo Qingyao finished her reply, she looked back at everyone's gaze with a somewhat anxious expression. She thought they would continue to talk, but who knew that no one would speak again...

She thought about it and felt that they might have let down their guard, so her tense body relaxed. With one hand she fiddled with the teacup on the small table, and with the other hand she gently touched the hem of Li Shuyao's skirt.

Li Shuyao took a step back without saying a word.

Qingyao suddenly pulled the hem of her skirt tight and pulled her back without any hesitation.

Li Shuyao: "..."

I understand. Good sisters may appear to be fearless on the surface, but in private, they will only feel at ease if you touch her skirt.

*

The time I spent with her in the Cining Palace was actually a bit boring.

After all, the topics of intrigue among concubines cannot be brought up in front of the two ancestors, and if they are asked to talk and laugh with each other and behave like sisters, they really can't do it.

Perhaps the old ancestor knew that they would feel restrained with her here, so after a while she waved her hand, indicating that they could move around freely, and also hinted that the flowers in the small garden of the Cining Palace were in bloom and were no worse than those in the Imperial Garden.

He then stood up and took the Empress Dowager to the back hall to talk.

Almost as soon as the old ancestor left, Guo Luoluo Qingyao couldn't wait to pull Li Shuyao's hand and stand up from the embroidered cushion. She knelt towards the concubines in the hall and said in a clear voice: "Ladies, please rest here. I want to go out for a walk and see if there is anything interesting."

After all, this is the Cining Palace, and this is the first time for her and Shu Yao to come here.

The joy on his face could not be hidden.

The few people who had been secretly observing her saw this and were speechless. They thought she was pretending, but they didn't expect her to be so heartless.

Someone was worried and secretly followed them. As a result, they heard the two little girls running outside hand in hand. Standing on the long palace path, they asked the palace servants innocently, "Where is the small garden?"

The expression on the palace maid's face was hard to describe. After a long while, she turned around and pointed towards the opposite side of the hall where they had come out. She replied, "Over there. Go through that big door and walk a little further. There's a small door on the right. Just go in."

She couldn't help but remind him, "You can't pick the flowers in the Cining Palace's small garden."

Guo Luoluo waved her hand nonchalantly, "I know, I know."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and asked again, "If I see a butterfly, can I catch one and take it home to raise it?"

The palace maid said politely, "No, and you can't support her."

"You've never seen me raise one, so how do you know I can't keep it alive?"

The maidservant next to Guo Luoluo tugged at her sleeve and said, "It's better not to keep it. Isn't it better to let it be free?"

Guo Luoluo said, "But butterflies are so beautiful. If I put them in the house, I can see them every day."

The little maid thought for a moment and said, "It will be lonely, just like when you left your father and mother. Didn't you also cry secretly under the quilt during the first few days after you came to the palace? Butterflies will feel sad too..."

Guo Luoluo pondered for a moment, then clapped her fists and said, "Then let's catch the entire Butterfly family and raise them!"

Little palace maid: "..."

Several concubines who followed: "..."

Guo Luoluo was still smiling as she asked the little palace maid, "Well, am I extremely smart?"

Several concubines turned and left.

*

Li Shuyao and Guo Luoluo Qingyao played in the small garden for a long time.

The weather in May is already very hot even in the morning and evening.

When they returned to the main hall, their clothes were soaked with sweat, their temples were slightly wet, and their pretty faces were flushed.

The two were still arguing as they walked: "It's all your fault. I could have caught that butterfly just now."

"That butterfly is perched on the pistil of a peony. If you hit it with a stick, not only will the butterfly be destroyed, but the peony itself will be damaged. Aren't you afraid that our ancestors will be angry?"

"But……"

"Besides, you don't know how to raise butterflies. If one dies, won't you cry bitterly?"

"I can't, but Lingluo can."

"So is it you who is raising it, or Lingluo?"

"I……"

The two of them returned to the main hall in a noisy manner. When they turned around, they saw that everyone in the room was looking at them. They immediately fell silent, walked timidly back to the small embroidered cushion at the door, and squatted down together with a wronged look on their faces.

After squatting down, Li Shuyao realized belatedly that something was wrong. She was not a concubine, so why should she squat down?

As a palace maid, her duty should be to stand behind Qingyao.

So he stood up again quickly.

Concubine Tong glanced at them with a half-smile and waved her hand, "Go to the side hall to change your clothes. The emperor will be here soon."

Guo Luoluo Qingyao quickly stood up again and bowed slightly towards her, "This servant thanks the Madam."

Well, he didn't even recognize the person. He finally came to the Cining Palace, but not only did he not make himself familiar to the two ancestors, he also didn't think about the emperor coming later.

All I thought about was playing, eating, and raising butterflies.

...They had really worried for nothing before.

At the same time, in the side hall.

After changing her clothes, Li Shuyao sat outside waiting for Qingyao boredly.

Qingyao's clothes were more complicated and harder to wear than hers, but she didn't want anyone from the Cining Palace to come in and serve her, so she was still struggling with the clothes.

Li Shuyao thought about her performance throughout the day and felt a little curious, but as she was still in the Cining Palace, she did not ask about her doubts.

Instead, she waited patiently until the Emperor came with the eldest prince and the Crown Prince, paid his respects to the two ancestors, and then led a group of concubines to the Qin'an Hall in the Imperial Garden. Only then did she ask quietly.

The two little girls were at the end of the crowd, without any palace maids to serve them, and seemed a little deserted and lonely.

But they themselves didn't notice it. They held each other's left hand and walked while admiring the green tiles of the palace walls around them. They were still mumbling something in their mouths, with bright and beautiful smiles on their faces.

Li Shuyao asked Qingyao, "Don't you know Concubine Tong? Why are you acting like you've never seen her before?"

Qingyao smiled and lowered her voice as she answered her, "Because I want to lower their guard against me."

"ah?"

"Stupid Shuyao, don't you think about my current status? I'm just a lowly official lady, not even a concubine. If any of them harbor evil intentions towards me, how can I resist? So you'd better be a good boy. After attending the Dragon Boat Festival, just return to the Palace of Heavenly Purity."

"Once I return to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, even if they want to bully me again, there will be no way I can stop them, because they can't possibly reach into the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and the Emperor won't allow them to do so!"

"...That's right." Li Shuyao said thoughtfully, "You're so smart."

How did he make progress secretly behind her back?

Damn it! Now she's the dumbest one.

"Of course not. This is what my mother taught me! She said that this is called keeping a low profile. Sometimes, letting others think that you are a little stupid and not a threat is not a bad thing. In the palace, safety is a blessing." Guo Luoluo Qingyao said proudly.

Li Shuyao's eyes gradually lit up. Isn't this the same goal as her own?

Guo Luoluo Qingyao continued to mutter, "And I don't really want to be their enemy. What I said this morning is true. My appetite is small, my dreams are small, and I don't want much. I just want the Emperor to suddenly give me a position that's neither too high nor too low, where I won't be bullied."

"Then I will move to the harem. When I have an heir, I will bring you over too. Then we can play together, or rather, raise a baby together!"

Li Shuyao: "..."

You just said the word "play", right?