Putting aside the joy of the princess's full moon celebration, Xie Yanci was not actually very happy about tonight's banquet.
First, he accidentally discovered that the princess's biological mother repeatedly stole glances at Xie Yanqing's seat. The two of them stared at each other more than once, which aroused his possessive desire. Then, he saw her leave the table midway and return a long time later with something hidden in her hand, which made him even more unhappy.
Concubine Jin was the first to notice his fluctuating emotions: "Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?"
"Why do you say that, my dear?"
"You've already drunk several glasses of liquor in a row, and you're still pouring it yourself. Perhaps something's bothering you." She took the wine jug and moved it aside. "Drinking is harmful to your health. If Your Majesty is in distress, you can come to Chengqian Palace and talk to me as usual."
Xie Yanci glanced to his right again and said, "No need for that. I drank a few glasses of wine just to please the princess. There's nothing wrong with that."
Concubine Jin felt uncomfortable and could only sit back in her original seat.
Seeing this, the Queen chuckled softly, "Your Majesty, it's getting late, and the princess needs to rest. How about I take her to her mother's Shoukang Palace?"
"Hmm? Lady Yi..."
"I think Your Majesty must have something to discuss with her tonight, so I won't bother her with the trip."
He was secretly alarmed by the Queen's sudden improvement in observation, but he still chose to walk down the stairs: "Well, Concubine Yi hasn't recovered yet, so she shouldn't overwork herself."
Thus, the lively full moon banquet ended.
The queen happily carried the little princess away, and the other concubines also returned to the palace.
Only Prince Lian Xie Yanqing stepped forward to greet him: "How is my royal brother?"
"I feel at peace with the Jieyuhua you sent me."
"Your Excellency Yi loves reading, understands reason, and can comfort the Holy Spirit. This humble servant is relieved."
Xie Yanci felt inexplicably irritated, always wanting to pick on the details in the other person's words and scold him: "Indeed, she is more than just a comfort to me."
Xie Yanqing raised his head, his eyebrows slightly raised: "This humble servant dares to ask, or what?"
"A secret." He felt much better. He stood up and left the dragon throne, brushing past Xie Yanqing. "This is the secret between me and Yao'er. Eighth brother, please don't ask too much."
"yes."
Xie Yanqing bowed behind the emperor as per protocol. He didn't stand up for a long moment, but muttered to himself, "Yao'er? Who is that?"
——
Wei Shuyi was on his way back to Lin'an Palace when he was suddenly stopped by Eunuch Yang.
It was a chilly spring day and he ran in a hurry. Under the moonlight late at night, one could see a few wisps of white smoke spreading from above his head.
"Noble Lady Yi! Please stay! His Majesty invites you!"
The people carrying the sedan hurriedly stopped, and she helped Wen Yu get out of the sedan: "Did the emperor say anything?"
"No." Eunuch Yang gave her an awkward look. "However, His Majesty is in a bad mood and has a gloomy face. Noble Lady Yi, please be careful when you go to serve him. You must not offend him."
Facing the kind reminder, she was grateful: "Thank you, eunuch. I understand now."
She turned around and ordered the servants: "Let's go to the Hall of Eternal Life."
"No, not there!" Eunuch Yang looked at the sedan chair bearers running towards him from a distance, "Hurry up! Haven't you all eaten yet? How come you can't run faster than me?"
Wei Shuyi looked at the bright yellow sedan chair curiously, slightly surprised: "Eunuch, is that... the sedan chair for me to ride in?"
"Yes, His Majesty has specifically instructed that, young master, there is no need to worry about breaking the rules."
"So, where are we going?"
"There's another high platform in the palace, the Bright Moon Terrace." Eunuch Yang pointed to both sides of Yonghua Palace. "The Yiqing Terrace where the Imperial Preceptor is is a treasured place. Opposite it is where we're going."
Before Wei Shuyi got into the sedan chair, he asked, feeling uneasy, "Eunuch Yang, has anyone else been summoned to the Bright Moon Terrace for questioning?"
"This...this place...my dear, you'll understand once you go there."
The more he kept his mouth shut, the more nervous she felt.
Could it be that she had run into Nangong Heng near the rockery tonight, and been seen by a passing palace servant? Bad luck, perhaps even someone in the imperial court? So, Xie Yanci was irritated and had specifically changed the location to punish her privately?
The sedan bearers climbed up hundreds of steps and finally arrived outside the palace gate: "My lady, you can get down now."
"Thank you very much."
Wei Shuyi looked around in confusion, but did not see Xie Yanci. Furthermore, it was cold up there, and she even wanted to go into the hall to get warm.
The clear and melodious sound of a zither came from the back of the hall, attracting her to slowly approach.
The bright moon is high on the platform, and the clear music is played again.
Beneath the emperor's finger, there was a sense of pine-like swaying, a melancholy and sorrow. The bright moon in the night sky, the drizzling snow, and everything around them were imbued with this heavy melancholy.
"emperor?"
He stopped playing the piano and waved to her: "Come here."
Wei Shuyi was confused and kept thinking about what Eunuch Yang had suggested. He walked forward with some uneasiness.
Nestled in a corner of Jiaoyue Terrace, the pavilion held a world beyond its own: the Imperial Garden and the shimmering waters surrounding Yanxiu Pavilion were unobstructed, a scene reminiscent of a shimmering silk thread. Flying snow, accompanied by falling red plum blossoms, and moonlight streaming through the air, created a breathtaking scene reminiscent of a lunar wonderland.
"Yao'er, do you still remember? When we were still in Fengluan Palace, on that first snowy day, you were pregnant with Zhaohua and couldn't go out. I once promised you that after you gave birth, I would take you to see the snowy scenery. Fortunately, God did not disappoint me, and I finally made it in time."
It was all because of that little thing?
She originally thought that the emperor just mentioned it casually to appease her, but she didn't expect that he actually took it to heart.
"How could I have deserved such consideration from His Majesty..."
"Your kindness is naturally unmatched by others." Xie Yanci hugged her from behind, his tone tinged with desolation. "Yu Xingyao, this is the name I gave you, to distinguish you from those people and things in the past. Now, I invite you to Bright Moon Terrace, naturally with the same thought in mind."
"Eh? Your Majesty, what happened?"
"I can already imagine you looking lost and bewildered." He leaned over her shoulder helplessly and whispered, "Why did you keep looking at my eighth brother at the banquet tonight?"
Wei Shuyi was horrified, but she couldn't explain the reason. She could only stiffen her body and respond, "Because... because I have a secret that I can't tell you."
"Hmm? Tell me."
"When I was a child, I met a fortune teller who said that I was incompatible with certain silver jewelry and couldn't wear them. But since Your Highness Prince Lian had spent so much effort to obtain this precious treasure, I couldn't just throw it aside. So, I kept looking for an opportunity to discuss this with Your Highness..."
Xie Yanci looked thoughtful as he carefully examined her hairpin: "I understand. From now on, I will not be able to reward you with silver jewelry."
She was speechless for a moment, then heard him ask in a deep voice: "You left halfway, and when you came back, what were you holding in your hand? Let me see."
"The Emperor also saw this?"
"Even when I was young, I was able to shoot an arrow through a target from a hundred paces away. How could I have done that if my eyesight wasn't good?"
Wei Shuyi had no choice but to take out the small package: "I went out to sober up and met the young general of the Nangong family. He also prepared a gift for the princess, which is this porcelain doll."
"Nangong... Heng?" "Exactly."
The emperor stroked the lake blue silk cloth without opening it. Instead, he looked over her head and overlooked the entire Yonghua Palace.
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