Chapter 62: Attacking the Heart
Yesterday, the Queen granted Liu Yuetang special permission to not go to the Jiaoxiang Palace to pay respects, so she spent the whole morning in a carefree manner.
It was almost noon when the old man from the greenhouse came with a few pots of gardenias.
As soon as he saw Liu Yuetang, his face was filled with flattering smiles: "My lady, the emperor knows that you like gardenias, so he specially ordered his servants to send you the newly cultivated gardenias."
Liu Yuetang looked up and saw that those peonies and gardenias were indeed the best flowers, with double petals and twin stems, full shapes, and as white as snow.
I could smell the sweet fragrance just by standing far away.
Liu Zheng walked forward with a smile and handed the purse to the eunuch.
"Thank you, sir."
The eunuch was even more delighted when he saw the silver. "This is what I should do. From now on, if there are any good flowers in the flower room, I will send them to you, my lady."
The eunuchs in the palace are the most flattering. Since Liu Yuetang is favored, they rush to curry favor with her.
Liu Yuetang smiled faintly: "Thank you very much, eunuch."
After the eunuch left, Liu Yuetang gently stroked the gardenia petals with her bare hands.
Each piece is as white as jade, soft and smooth as silk.
"These flowers and fruits are truly wonderful. It would be a shame to keep them in pots."
As she spoke, she looked up at Liu Zheng.
"When did the Emperor say he would come today?"
"The Emperor said he would come to accompany the young lady in the imperial court. I guess he should be here soon."
Liu Yuetang smiled lightly and came up with a plan.
"Liu Zheng, go find a shovel."
Liu Zheng was startled: "Shovel? What do you want this for, young master?"
The corners of Liu Yuetang's mouth twitched faintly: "The emperor dotes on me so much, how can I waste his kindness."
While Liu Zheng was looking for a shovel, Liu Yuetang changed into plain and loose clothes, put on a shovel, and started loosening the soil in the yard with a shovel.
A woman doesn't necessarily have to be clean and spotless.
As I said, if you want to leave a mark in the emperor's heart, you must take a different path.
It doesn’t matter if your hair is messy or your face is dirty.
What’s important is to make him feel that where he is is homely and more like a home.
Let him forget his identity as Lady Liu, just an ordinary woman, his, Xiao Heng's woman.
Xiao Heng got off the sedan chair and walked straight into the Liuyin Palace.
When he raised his eyes, the scene before him attracted his attention deeply, and he slowed down his pace unconsciously.
In the courtyard, a woman in a jade-colored gauze dress squatted among the flowers. A crabapple-shaped hairpin inlaid with pearls was inserted in her bun. The pearls hanging from the hairpin swayed with her body, casting a dazzling light and shadow on her face under the sunlight.
Xiao Heng almost thought that he was in just a cozy little house, not a royal palace.
When Liu Zheng and Wan Qiu saw Xiao Heng, they hurriedly bent down and were about to salute, but Xiao Heng waved his hand and asked them to leave.
It was almost noon, the sun was scorching, and Liu Yuetang was already sweating from the sun.
Xiao Heng beckoned to Zhou Defu behind him, and Zhou Defu immediately understood and opened the umbrella in his hand and handed it to him.
He walked slowly behind Liu Yuetang and held the umbrella over her head to shield her from the dazzling and fiery light.
Seeing the ground darken, Liu Yuetang thought it was Wanqiu or Liuzheng.
She said, "Liu Zheng, hand me the kettle."
But the person behind him didn't move at all and didn't say a word.
She felt strange and turned around, only to see Xiao Heng standing in front of her with an umbrella in his hand.
"Your Majesty, when did you arrive?" Liu Yuetang froze in place, a look of astonishment on her face.
Xiao Heng stared deeply.
The woman in front of me is no longer as charming and graceful as before.
There was a little dirt on her soft and smooth skin, and her hair was hanging messily on her temples.
However, there is a touch of beauty that makes people feel relaxed and happy.
It makes people feel very comfortable and at ease.
"Just arrived." He replied softly.
Liu Yuetang was about to stand up, but found that her legs were numb from squatting for so long, and she leaned forward.
Xiao Heng's heart tightened, and he quickly threw away the umbrella in his hand, reaching out to hold the woman in front of him tightly in his arms.
Liu Yuetang raised her head and said softly, "It was my fault that I was disrespectful."
Xiao Heng took her hand and wiped the sweat off her head.
"No problem."
"How come Tang'er is doing the work of a servant?"
He was tall and stood in front of the petite Liu Yuetang, just blocking the scorching sunlight above her head.
Liu Yuetang's eyes were soft and she smiled peacefully, "This is the first pot of flowers the Emperor has given me. I don't want it to wither in the pot after just one viewing."
"So I want to transplant them into the soil so that I can see them bloom and wither every year."
Xiao Heng was amused but also moved when he heard this.
"Silly boy, it's just a pot of flowers, it's not worth all your hard work."
Liu Yuetang shook her head, her smile brighter than the blooming spring flowers: "It's not hard for me. Besides, to me, this is not just a flower, it's the Emperor's love for me."
Xiao Heng subconsciously turned his gaze towards Gardenia.
This flower was not actually grown for her by her own order.
It was just that I happened to see these gardenias when I passed by the greenhouse today and thought they looked pretty good, so I casually gave an order.
But she cherishes the gift she gave so much.
After a moment, he said, "It still needs to be planted. I will accompany you."
Liu Yuetang was slightly surprised: "Your Majesty, you want to plant flowers with me?"
After saying this, she shook her head again: "No, Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, how can you accompany me to do these rough jobs?"
"Why not? If Tang'er can do it, I can do it too."
As he spoke, Xiao Heng picked up his sleeves, picked up a gardenia and placed it in the dug hole.
"Come, Tang'er, hold the flowers, and I'll fill the soil."
"Okay!" Liu Yuetang's pearly teeth were slightly exposed, and the dimples at the corners of her mouth were filled with sweetness.
In just a moment, Xiao Heng was sweating profusely under the sunlight.
Liu Yuetang took the handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Xiao Heng raised his eyes and they smiled at each other.
It turns out that the soil is not that dirty.
It turns out that work can be hard, but it can also be a happy experience.
After all the gardenias were planted, Xiao Heng took a deep breath of the fragrance of the flowers.
“Very good…”
"From now on, I will accompany you every year to witness their blooming and withering."
"Niannian?" Liu Yuetang's eyes showed surprise and expectation.
"Your Majesty, do you mean that you will accompany me every year? And is Liuyin Palace only for me to live in?"
In the sunlight, Xiao Heng's former coldness faded away, leaving only a warm face.
He looked Liu Yuetang in the eye and said, "Yes, from now on, you will be the only one allowed to live in Liuyin Palace."
Liu Yuetang smiled sweetly and rubbed his chest.
"Your Majesty is so kind."
As night fell, Xiao Heng stayed in Liuyin Palace for a whole afternoon but had no intention of leaving.
After washing up, he came out and saw Liu Yuetang combing her hair in front of a bronze mirror.
Xiao Heng walked over, and a wisp of pure and elegant fragrance hit his nose.
"The fragrance on Tang'er seems to be the one you used when you first met me?"
"Your Majesty, are you talking about that day in the Plum Garden?" Liu Yuetang turned and looked at her.
Xiao Heng nodded: "When you left that day, you left behind a sachet containing this fragrance."
"This incense was originally for me to use outside the palace. Not long ago, I gave the ingredients to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and I just made it again."
Xiao Heng closed his eyes slightly and smelled the fragrance: "Hmm...it smells very good."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yuetang lowered her eyes slightly, her lips moving softly, "That's good."
"What?" Xiao Heng couldn't hear clearly.
"Oh... nothing." Liu Yuetang lowered her head and twirled the hair in her hands, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Your Majesty, I have already washed the clothes you changed out of today. Please have Eunuch Zhou take them back tomorrow."
Seeing her so shy, Xiao Heng thought she was flattered by what happened this morning, and raised his lips slightly: "It's okay to leave the clothes here."
As he spoke, he took Liu Yuetang's hand.
"It's late at night, go to sleep."
"Yes." Liu Yuetang agreed obediently.
The corners of his mouth curled up into a perfect arc: Xiao Heng, the drama of conquering the heart is not over yet.
There will be more surprises tomorrow.
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