"Aren't you sick? What's so funny? Would I laugh at your weak and sickly body?" Pei Yuanhui leaned against the pillow and reached out to pull the lazy General Tan into his arms.
"Your Majesty, I am not ill because I am afraid of being laughed at. Rather, I am ill because I am afraid." Huo Qinghe lowered her eyes, and her two cherry lips pursed nervously after she finished speaking.
Pei Yuanhui scratched General Tan's soft belly and gave a perfunctory "hmm": "Afraid of getting sick? Afraid of what? Don't stand there talking."
He freed his hand and gestured to a spot beside the couch, indicating that Huo Qinghe should sit down.
Huo Qinghe raised her eyes, which seemed to be misty with tears: "I can't say it either, but I feel an indescribable fear and apprehension in my heart."
At the official's prompting, she slowly sat down in a small spot beside the official's couch.
Pei Yuanhui held General Tan in his arms, completely ignoring General Tan's dissatisfied whimpers.
"You are not wearing the earrings I bestowed upon you today. Do you dislike them, or is it because I gifted them to you that you are so anxious?"
This is not a good question to answer.
After all, if Huo Qinghe said she was apprehensive because of the Emperor's reward, then the Emperor might not be willing to summon Huo Qinghe in the future, let alone offer any more rewards.
Huo Qinghe's reply was quite clever: "Yes. I only thought of picking some locust flowers to take back today because I was feeling better. I didn't expect to meet His Majesty, so I didn't dress up much. I only intend to wear the things His Majesty bestowed upon me when I see him. A woman dresses up for the one she loves, and I didn't intend to wear them for others to see."
Huo Qinghe's reply was indeed clever.
She said she only wanted to wear the earrings to show the Emperor, which implicitly suggests that Huo Qinghe was not the one who bestowed the earrings upon the six palaces.
Speaking in such a girlish tone, it didn't sound too deliberate.
Pei Yuanhui raised his eyes and stared at Huo Qinghe's empty earlobe.
He had already sent Jin Yang to investigate last time, and with Miao Xi's statement, Pei Yuanhui already had a good idea of what was going on.
"Sit still. I knew you were a coward. Is this little thing really worth you getting sick over? How does it feel to be sick at this time of year?"
The official used a teasing tone.
Huo Qinghe couldn't recall ever hearing the Emperor say anything like "she's a coward" or anything similar.
She guessed in her heart that it was probably the emperor who was talking about her behind her back.
Huo Qinghe lowered her head: "Your Majesty is indeed making fun of me."
She lowered her head, naturally adopting an embarrassed posture.
"While I was ill, I could only find some relief by reading. It was only after coming out today that I was able to get some fresh air."
As she spoke, she looked up again, her cheeks flushed, and her doe-like eyes were incredibly alluring when she looked at people.
Pei Yuanhui's Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "You're quite the learner, aren't you? What have you been reading these past few days while you were ill? Tell me about it."
Huo Qinghe then spoke haltingly, counting on her fingers, before becoming somewhat embarrassed and saying, "My memory is failing me due to illness; I apologize for making Your Majesty laugh."
Pei Yuanhui's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.
"I was right when I said you were studious. But I'm not feeling well right now. Go to the shelf and pick out a book to read."
The emperor seems to always do this; the last time he answered Huo Qinghe's question, it was after Huo Qinghe had served the dishes.
However, Huo Qinghe managed to smooth things over regarding the matter of the emperor bestowing ruby earrings upon her.
Huo Qinghe readily agreed.
As she stood up and went to the antique display shelf not far away, she turned her back to the official and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
There were many gold and jade items on the antique shelf, but most of the remaining books were on higher shelves. Huo Qinghe managed to find a book on a lower shelf.
She examined the words on the spine of the book and the name sounded like the title of a travelogue.
Huo Qinghe turned and sat opposite the emperor. The emperor had already closed his eyes, so she quietly cleared her throat.
She quietly turned a page, glanced at it briefly, and immediately had an idea.
She spoke slowly and softly: "Mount Tiantai, in today's..."
Listening to Huo Qinghe read her travelogue in her beautiful voice was a unique experience, as if one were transported to Tiantai Mountain.
What was originally captivating was actually quite a reading experience, but Huo Qinghe started stumbling and coughing after less than a quarter of an hour.
Pei Yuanhui, who was originally a light sleeper, suddenly woke up slightly.
He listened carefully for a moment, then suddenly spoke up.
"Your throat isn't fully healed, why didn't you say so?"
He only heard Huo Qinghe say that she was almost fully recovered, and since her throat didn't seem to be acting strangely, he assumed that she was completely healed.
The official did not open his eyes.
Although she knew the emperor couldn't see, Huo Qinghe still managed to suppress a hint of shyness in her eyes and brows.
"Your Majesty is tired from handling official business. It is my duty to do something for Your Majesty. It would be my honor to be able to relieve Your Majesty's worries. It's just that I'm studying. It's all my fault for being so useless."
Such words make Huo Qinghe seem more like a daughter whose heart and eyes are entirely devoted to the officials.
"By the way. I didn't sleep well while I was ill, so I asked the imperial physician for some calming herbs. Thinking of Your Majesty's hard work for the country, I took the liberty of sewing a sachet. I'm clumsy, so I only hope Your Majesty won't find it offensive."
As she spoke, Huo Qinghe took out a sachet from her sleeve, held it in both hands, and handed it to the official.
Her embroidery skills were indeed excellent. The five-clawed golden dragon on the sleeve was lifelike, and the dark-colored sachet was paired with light-colored auspicious clouds. Every item was embroidered vividly.
But such embroidery skills were nothing to the emperor, and there were definitely quite a few concubines in the palace who presented him with embroidered items.
The only thing worth noting was Huo Qinghe's shy and timid expression.
Huo Qinghe's shyness was truly like a lotus bud about to bloom, fresh yet glistening with dew, carrying a pitiful air.
Her voice sounded hoarse from talking too much.
Pei Yuanhui suddenly opened his eyes and stared at the sachet that Huo Qinghe was holding.
Two seconds later, the official seemed to have no intention of taking it; he opened his hand.
"Come here. Tie it for me."
Huo Qinghe readily agreed and stood up, holding the sachet.
"If your throat is sore, then don't speak. Be careful, or you won't be able to speak at all tomorrow. How will you accompany the emperor then?"
Huo Qinghe simply lowered her head and smiled, then bowed respectfully and somewhat clumsily tied the sachet around the official's waist.
Her slender fingers lingered on her belt, and her little finger, which was not adorned with any nail polish, unconsciously curled up when she tied the sachet. She dared not offend the emperor's face, probably out of nervousness, as her hand kept slipping and brushing against the brocade belt around her waist.
Pei Yuanhui stared at the top of Huo Qinghe's head, then suddenly pulled Huo Qinghe's hand.
"I think you need to practice more."
Huo Qinghe's palm was pinched, and her little finger finally bent down.
"Your Highness, this is not how I tie my sachet."
Pei Yuanhui glanced at the sachet at Huo Qinghe's waist; the sachet was tied in a very beautiful knot.
"What, do you need to be in my arms to tie the knot properly?"
Pei Yuanhui always enjoyed seeing Huo Qinghe blush; he always had a wicked desire to see it.
For example, right now.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com