Chapter 135 is not as good as

The death of a commoner would not cause much of a stir, and people in the palace are all so forgetful.

Hongzhao stood with his hands behind his back in the pavilion in the Imperial Garden, waiting for someone. Xiao Dezi also stood far away to keep watch.

As Fucha Yingjun looked around for something, she approached the pavilion. When she saw the apricot-yellow figure in the distance, she immediately understood.

She was curious when she arrived. Princess Jinghua was not one to boss people around, so why did she insist on sending her to the pavilion in the Imperial Garden to look for her lost handkerchief?

Since that fleeting glimpse at the entrance of the Yuanmingyuan Garden that day, she had been on tenterhooks for many days. Later, when he returned to the palace in glory, she realized that it was all just an act she had put on with the Emperor. After that, she also knew that the Crown Prince was busy with his affairs, and the few times they met, they would only exchange a brief glance from a distance. Today, she finally got a real look at him.

Hongzhao turned around when he heard the sound. Seeing her lingering gaze on him, he smiled and then generously spread his arms in front of her, meaning that he wanted her to take a good look.

Upon seeing his reaction, Fucha Yingjun blushed first. She approached and stood outside the pavilion, bowing respectfully – “Greetings, Your Highness, may Your Highness live a thousand years!”

"No need for formalities." Hongzhao quickly raised his hand to gesture for her to get up, but when she actually got up and looked at him, he really didn't know what to say for a moment.

After all, this is the first time I've had a wife in two lifetimes combined... Who says a future wife doesn't count as a wife?

He couldn't help but clench his fist and rub it behind his back, then awkwardly reached out and pulled an object from his sleeve.

“I brought back a ferret hairpin for Hongjin from the Mulan Hunting Ground a few days ago. Young women there often adorn themselves with fur. I originally wanted to bring you one too, but I was afraid that you wouldn’t wear it in your hair. This is the first time I’ve given something to someone else, and I don’t want it to just gather dust.”

Fucha Yingjun knew that the Crown Prince wasn't just joking. On the contrary, he understood her very well. If he really gave her a hairpin similar to Princess Jinghua's, she wouldn't wear it out no matter how much she liked it.

Seeing her somewhat serious expression, Hongzhao smiled, relaxed his right hand behind his back, and took two steps forward to hand over the object in his left hand.

He refused to open his hand, so Fucha Yingjun had no choice but to extend her hand, her earlobes turning bright red.

Hongzhao chuckled softly in his clear voice, and a slightly warm, heavy object fell into Fucha Yingjun's hand.

A translucent blue jadeite lay quietly in Fucha Yingjun's hand. Nowadays, when people evaluate the quality of jade, they pay more attention to whether the color is vibrant enough, and even the texture and clarity are secondary. However, this piece of blue jadeite is rare because it has both texture and color.

The palm-sized piece of jade was boldly carved into the shape of a love lock, and was a finger and a half thick. In the sunlight, you could even see the lines on the hand that held it through the jade pendant itself.

Hongzhao knew from Fucha Yingjun's appearance that his efforts in selecting the jade pendant had not been in vain. "This jade pendant was obtained in perfect condition. If it had been carved according to the common methods in the capital, it would have been incomplete. So I asked the craftsmen to refer to the styles of the Mongolian tribes, and the result has a rather ancient and rustic feel."

“Such a beautiful jade deserves to be paired with another beautiful jade.” Hongzhao looked into the eyes of the person in front of him, his phoenix eyes full of seriousness as he spoke.

The character "珺" itself means beautiful jade, so Fucha Yingjun naturally understood what Hongzhao meant.

"I had a hole drilled in the jade lock, but I haven't been able to find a matching pendant. So I'll leave it to you. Tell me what style or accessory you like, and I'll find it for you no matter where you are."

His eyes were bright and sparkling. When he stared at someone with wide eyes, that person always felt that they deserved to be treated with utmost care and attention. This was true for the Emperor, and it was also true for Fucha.

Fucha Yingjun naturally understood the meaning behind the gift of the jade lock. After a moment's thought, she took out an exquisite sapphire blue wristband with silver thread from the pocket in her sleeve. At first glance, the embroidery on it, though not intricate, was not easy to make. She probably carried it with her at all times hoping to encounter it someday.

Although Fucha Yingjun was shy, she was not coy. She carefully folded the wrist guard and handed it to Hongzhao. She spoke in a gentle voice, "I heard that... Your Highness is a master archer. Although I have never seen it, I have heard my father and brothers mention it. This wrist guard is made of a resilient fabric. It is better to tie it tightly to protect your wrist."

Hongzhao happily accepted it, and then, with two prominent dimples, carefully tucked the wristband into his bosom—"Don't worry, Sister Fucha, I will keep it safe and use it carefully, and I will make sure it doesn't get worn out."

The Imperial Garden was crowded and noisy, so having a moment of solitude was a rare treat. Looking at the sky, Hongzhao had no choice but to say, "It's getting late, I must return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, otherwise Father Emperor might be looking for me."

He took a step forward and lowered his voice to remind me, "If you have any problems, no matter how big or small, you can go to Jinxi, who is currently serving in the Imperial Study. She will report to me."

That's right, Jinxi.

Su Peisheng didn't know how to arrange things, but taking advantage of the Emperor's plan to reduce the number of palace servants around Consort Zhen, he actually managed to rescue Jinxi and place her next to the Crown Prince, whom he favored the most.

Although Jinxi is the best support, Hongzhao is still unsure whether she can truly be of use to him. Therefore, he keeps her in the Imperial Study for the time being and doesn't give her too much responsibility. If she has such intentions, she will naturally find an opportunity herself.

Seeing Fucha Yingjun nod in agreement, he took two steps back with relief, waved to Xiao Dezi, and strode off in the opposite direction.

——

"Have Consort Zhen and Consort Ye settled in? I have met Consort Zhen before, but what kind of person is Consort Ye?" Lü Jiayingfeng flipped through the records of the Imperial Household Department, chatting idly.

Xue Xin's expression was somewhat complicated. She frowned, squinted, and pursed her lips. After a long while without receiving a response, Lü Jiaying Feng couldn't help but turn her head to look. She met Xue Xin's playful expression and immediately burst out laughing—"What's wrong? The person the Emperor has chosen must not be ugly, so it must be that he has a bad temper?"

Xuexin really didn't know how to start the conversation, so she hesitated and said, "To say that I have a bad temper... well, that's not entirely true."

"Eunuch Su said that being promoted beyond one's rank is an immense blessing, and I thought Lady Ye would be grateful for the Emperor's favor, but Lady Ye said..."

Seeing Lü Jiaying's curious gaze and Hong Xihai's perked-up ears, Xue Xin swallowed hard. "Consort Ye, tell Eunuch Su, do you want this blessing...?"

"Cough—cough!" Hong Xihai couldn't help but cough, and Lü Jiaying looked at her with wide eyes and great curiosity—"Is that really what you said? Then this is going to be interesting in the future."

"Having seen too many submissive women in the palace, His Majesty also wants to change things up and taste what it's like to have a fiery temper." After enjoying the novelty for a while, Lü Jiaying instructed, "I heard from Hongjin that Consort Ye likes mimosa flowers. I remember that the trees in Ninghui Hall are the best. Go and ask His Majesty to transplant one to Chunxi Palace."

"Yes." Xuexin made a mental note of it, then brought up another matter—"Your Highness, the flower viewing banquet is scheduled for three days from now, but there is one thing I need to ask Your Highness about. The three companions of our eldest princess are almost of age, should we invite them to go as well?"

When the topic turned to Hongjin's study companion, the first person that came to mind was the girl from the Fucha family. As her mother, she couldn't possibly be unaware of her child's thoughts. Moreover, Hongzhao had always been open and honest, and had no intention of hiding anything from her.

Thinking of this, she shook her head—"No need. It wouldn't sound good to put the princess's people in there, and it wouldn't be good for Consort Jing and the others either, so there's no need to go through the trouble."

The next day, during the morning and evening greetings, Lü Jiaying and everyone else were planning to see who this Lady Ye was. However, after everyone had arrived and waited for a long time, they only received a report from Xia Zi.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor says... Consort Ye is aloof and doesn't like to move around, so her morning and evening greetings will be waived."

Upon hearing this, Lü Jiayingfeng didn't react much, but Nian Shilan's hand, which was stroking the teacup, paused. During the days when she was most favored by the Emperor, he had never said such a thing; at most, he would tell her to rest well that day. If she really didn't come for several days, the Emperor would specifically instruct her to respect the Empress.

Indeed, the Emperor's favor is like flowing water, fleeting and never returning. How laughable that I used to think the Emperor favored me the most, which is why he was willing to indulge me. But now it seems I am not even as good as a lowly horse trainer.