Huo Qinghe returned to her room when the emperor arrived at Yanliang Pavilion. She watched as Lvhuai put the pipa into the inner room, but she was actually lost in thought.
Lunch hasn't been brought back yet. Usually, she'd be playing the pipa at this time, but now that she's free, she's a bit idle.
Baosheng and the others' loud greetings outside brought Huo Qinghe back to her senses. By the time she realized what was happening and slipped off the bed, the Emperor had already strode in, lifting the curtain to enter.
How long has the Emperor been in the main hall? Why has he turned around and come here?
Before she could think about whether Consort Zhou would hold a grudge, Huo Qinghe calmed herself down and raised her hand.
Green Locust quickly stepped forward and helped Huo Qinghe bow.
"May Your Majesty be blessed." The slender neck bowed, utterly submissive.
Pei Yuanhui grunted and sat down on the couch with an air of authority, glancing at the small table.
"What are you doing?"
Huo Qinghe took her seat opposite the official. Before sitting down, she glanced at Lü Huai, who then discreetly withdrew.
Besides the tea, there was a small basket on the small table. It was quite exquisitely woven. Pei Yuanhui took a closer look and realized that the basket contained locust flowers.
The two sat facing each other, but Huo Qinghe leaned back slightly and spoke with her neck drooping: "When I caught a cold, the maids heard that locust flower tea had a cough-relieving effect, so they picked some locust flowers. But my cold has completely healed, and these locust flowers have only just dried, so they haven't been put to use yet."
Drying locust flowers shouldn't take that long, but the continuous rain in the past few days has made it impossible to dry them.
Huo Qinghe's words were tinged with laughter, and coupled with her beautiful voice, Pei Yuanhui, though not entirely appeased, found his displeasure somewhat dissipated after she finished speaking.
"Well, I'm in luck with something new. Bring me a cup." Pei Yuanhui leaned back against the large bamboo-green pillow, but since Jin Yang wasn't there to help him take off his boots, the position was hardly comfortable.
Green Locust, who had just brought in the hot tea, heard the second half of the sentence and subconsciously looked at her wife.
Huo Qinghe then bent down slightly, picked up the basket, and personally handed it to Lvhuai: "Then this concubine will take advantage of Your Majesty's favor to drink this second cup of locust flower tea."
The first cup was naturally for Pei Yuanhui.
The two were sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) by the window. The setting sun cast a soft, hazy light, which dazzled Pei Yuanhui. He squinted slightly, then stared at Huo Qinghe's moist cherry lips as she spoke, lazily drooping his eyelids.
Green Locust took the basket and stepped back.
Only the two of them remained in the inner hall. Pei Yuanhui closed his eyes and spoke, "What have you been doing these past few days while you were ill?"
Huo Qinghe sat somewhat awkwardly: "At first, I found the sound of rain interesting, but later I got a little tired of it..." As she spoke, she seemed embarrassed and stole a glance at Pei Yuanhui.
"When I was sick, I slept a lot. When I woke up, I would talk to the maids. However, my throat was not fully recovered, so I mostly listened to what the maids were saying."
She would nod slightly as she spoke, but not very often, as if she were recalling something.
However, Pei Yuanhui couldn't see anything with his eyes closed at this moment, but listening to Huo Qinghe's voice was inexplicably comforting.
"Come here." Pei Yuanhui slightly raised his hand from his knees. "Why are you sitting so far away? Are you trying to avoid me?"
Huo Qinghe didn't understand why the Emperor had suddenly brought up her sitting far away, but the Emperor's thoughts were indeed unfathomable.
She didn't dare delay, quickly got up and walked to the official, then carefully sat down beside him, bending her knees together as if afraid of bumping into him.
Upon hearing the sound, the official slightly raised his hand and grabbed Huo Qinghe's shoulder, his voice laced with a hidden laugh: "Still sitting so far away? Huo Er, you're not being honest."
This time, the official called for Huo Er.
Huo Qinghe blinked in surprise, her shoulder blades feeling soft from being pinched, and she shrank back, tickled: "I didn't mean to, I was just afraid of crowding Your Majesty."
“Lying.” Pei Yuanhui opened his eyes, and as he propped himself up, his hand that was on Huo Qinghe’s shoulder blade moved up to the back of her neck.
He pinched a section of the smooth neck with his sharp fingers and chuckled, "Seeing the crabapple blossoms just beginning to glisten with morning rain."
Huo Qinghe had not read many books, and she had never heard the sentence the emperor was reciting before. She could only guess that he was probably referring to her by the crabapple blossom.
She didn't dare move: "This concubine is foolish and dull."
The fact that she was born into a concubine's family was common knowledge throughout the palace, so she had no shame in saying that she was stupid at this time.
Pei Yuanhui shifted to a more comfortable position, still speaking in a languid voice: "You were so scared that tears were still hanging on your eyes. Isn't that because of Zhao Yu? You look so pitiful."
Huo Qinghe did show some fear of him, but she was mostly obedient.
With the warm jade and fragrance in his arms, Pei Yuanhui raised an eyebrow, mostly in a good mood.
Huo Qinghe seemed to want to turn around and explain, her black hair brushing against Pei Yuanhui's arm, causing a tickle.
She hurriedly turned to the side, her delicate hand slipping into something else entirely.
"This concubine is merely... modestly beautiful." Her breath was soft and gentle, and she boldly glanced at the Emperor as she spoke.
Because he had been leaning against the large pillow, the Emperor's tall hat and black hair were slightly loose. Now that he was laughing out loud, he was even more relaxed.
"You, you. Very well, a person of inner beauty boasts about their inner beauty. Let me see where your inner beauty lies."
Pei Yuanhui leaned forward and easily wrapped his arms around Huo Qinghe's slender waist. He was mischievous and even tickled her with his finger.
Huo Qinghe shuddered again, and within moments her brows were tinged with a vibrant color.
"This concubine is foolish." She lowered her eyes slightly, her eyes full of clarity.
Pei Yuanhui, resting his hand on his waist, said "Oh": "So being dull-witted means you're spouting nonsense? If word gets out, you'll become a laughingstock."
The emperor's tone was the same as when she was summoned to the emperor's bedchamber that day, as if he were teasing a kitten.
Huo Qinghe stole another glance at Pei Yuanhui, seemingly with a hint of reproach: "Since His Majesty has already laughed, isn't he afraid of others laughing too?"
Pei Yuanhui smiled again.
Xiao Huo looked timid, but every time he spoke, it was inexplicably interesting.
What's interesting is that her respectful speech carries a touch of girlish naiveté, like someone else's cat—it only comes to you when you tease it, but it might suddenly extend its claws if you're not careful.
Pei Yuanhui used his strength to hold the person in his arms: "You said the wrong thing and you don't even allow me to laugh? What an unreasonable thing to say."
Before Huo Qinghe could answer, Green Locust came in carrying locust flower tea.
At this moment, Huo Qinghe was completely surrounded by the Emperor. Hearing the noise, she subconsciously buried her face in the Emperor's shoulder.
Green Locust was even more embarrassed than her. She was caught in a dilemma, but in the end, she lowered her head and placed the locust flower tea on the small table.
"Please have some tea, Your Majesty and Your Highness," Green Locust said in a low voice.
Pei Yuanhui laughed and scolded, "Aren't you going down yet?"
Green Locust hurriedly agreed and withdrew, but the smile on her face was hard to hide as she left.
Being favored by one's wife is naturally a source of immense joy.
Pei Yuanhui raised his finger and pinched the soft flesh on Huo Qinghe's waist again: "Still hiding. You seem a little thirsty now."
Huo Qinghe lowered her eyes. Just as the palace servants had said, His Majesty was indeed amorous, but such a person was probably even more difficult to serve and figure out.
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