However, having a beautiful woman by your side is a pleasure to behold, even if you do nothing.
"Why don't you have the same appetite as before?" Pei Yuanhui tapped the table to signal Jin Yang to add more soup, and asked abruptly.
The official asked the question casually, but Huo Qinghe had to answer carefully.
After all, Huo Qinghe had a very good appetite when faced with a table full of delicacies at Yanliang Pavilion last time, and Huo Yiyun had not sent any tonics or medicinal meals since then.
The emperor was suspicious. Huo Qinghe first chewed the magnolia petal in her mouth in small bites. She raised her eyes slightly and smiled shyly at the emperor: "I am very hungry. I sent someone to the imperial kitchen to fetch lunch early today. I have already eaten some before I came."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yuanhui seemed to give a soft hum and said something in a very low voice.
Huo Qinghe vaguely heard the word "leisurely" and smiled again.
She voiced her suspicions directly, her smile harmless: "Your Majesty has worked hard, while I, your concubine, have been lazy and negligent."
She was born with a beautiful face, and she looked incredibly sincere as she spoke these words.
Pei Yuanhui's snort was louder this time, and his tone sounded somewhat childish when he spoke again: "Of course. It's better for you all to be free. If you all get busy, then I, the emperor, will really be useless."
Huo Qinghe's eyes, which had been looking at the Emperor, now held a new meaning, and she readily uttered a string of praises: "Your Majesty's grace is profound. I have heard much of Your Majesty's achievements when I was at home. Now, as I gaze upon Your Majesty's countenance, I realize that you have not only protected the concubines in the harem but also ensured peace throughout the land... I am not very good at saying anything else, but I have only remembered these words because my father and brothers at home often mentioned them."
Those clear, round eyes looked over as she spoke, revealing an undisguised, charming innocence, as well as a hint of shyness that surfaced at the end.
Even though I knew it was a compliment, it still sounded pleasant to me.
Moreover, Huo Qinghe herself admitted with shame that she had only memorized these official terms after hearing them from others, which made people laugh.
"You can't even remember flattering words, which shows you weren't sincere when you said them. You might even be cursing me in your heart."
Pei Yuanhui was stunned for a few seconds after saying this, after all, he rarely needed to guess people's true feelings anymore.
For Pei Yuanhui, people's hearts were nothing more than something that could be seen through at a glance.
This feeling is somewhat strange.
Huo Qinghe had a pair of very beautiful eyes; her moist pupils would have looked like amber under the sunlight.
Her dark eyelashes fluttered incessantly, revealing Huo Qinghe's anxiety upon hearing Pei Yuanhui's question: "I... I'm not, I'm just foolish. I admire Your Majesty's countenance so much that I can't speak properly."
Pei Yuanhui lowered his head and laughed heartily, his voice low and teasing: "I don't believe you either, you fool? I don't think you are."
The emperor spoke the words "foolish devil" very slowly, with a hint of tenderness in his voice.
Huo Qinghe lowered her head, her delicate voice sounding somewhat somber: "Your Majesty is mocking me."
Pei Yuanhui was amused by her tone again: "Who is making fun of you? I am having a meal."
Huo Qinghe turned slightly to the side, obediently serving the dishes, but her cheeks were almost bulging out.
The people of Jinyang on the side kept exclaiming in amazement. The Emperor's mind was in turmoil, and with the trouble caused by Grand Chancellor Fu and Consort Chi earlier, it was no wonder that the Emperor was in such a good mood.
This beautiful Huo is truly...you can't judge a book by its cover.
He seems unassuming, but he turns out to be quite capable.
After lunch, Huo Qinghe watched the palace maids serve her, only occasionally handing her a handkerchief or something similar.
She didn't know if the emperor wanted her to stay, so she kept a low profile and didn't say anything.
Pei Yuanhui rinsed his mouth with fragrant tea and noticed Huo Qinghe standing in the corner as he wiped his hands with a handkerchief.
"Why are you sitting on the side like that? Do I have to call you to come to me every time?"
Upon hearing the sound, Huo Qinghe took small steps to approach the official.
Upon receiving Jin Yang's signal, the palace maids quickly filed out.
"Do you know how to play pitch-pot?" Pei Yuanhui sat in the rose-covered armchair, looking like a satisfied cat, and no longer seemed so fierce.
The Huo family was a scholarly family, but Huo Qinghe knew that her elder sister Huo Yiyun had learned things like riding, archery, pitch-pot, and ball games since childhood, while Huo Qinghe had never had the opportunity to learn these things.
She instinctively shook her head, concealing the emotions in her eyes very well.
"I am foolish and have never studied."
Pei Yuanhui looked at her upon hearing this, and clicked his tongue lightly: "Why do you always call yourself stupid in front of me? Since you haven't learned it, what's there to be stupid about? Don't make yourself look stupid later. If you could do everything, what would you need me for? Come and play pitch-pot with me."
Huo Qinghe didn't move for two seconds: "Your Majesty, you promised to bestow favors upon your concubine."
Pei Yuanhui had already stood up. He chuckled and said, "Who told you this? In Jinyang, prepare the pitch-pot game in the side hall."
Jin Yang, who was standing not far away, was taken aback, but quickly agreed.
Huo Qinghe followed behind the emperor. Although she had been rejected by him, she still had a smile on her face.
Huo Qinghe was indeed not very good at pitch-pot. At first, she just watched the official throw the arrows seriously, but she was very attentive to handing over the target on the side, which left Jin Yang with nothing to do.
To Huo Qinghe, an outsider, the official's pitch-pot skills were actually... not very good.
But with the emperor by her side, Huo Qinghe naturally couldn't voice her true feelings.
Fortunately, His Majesty did not ask about his pitch-pot skills, otherwise Huo Qinghe would have been in a real predicament about how to fabricate... no, how to put it.
After throwing the arrows for a while, the official suddenly turned his head to look at Huo Qinghe. He stared at the target in Huo Qinghe's hand and said, "You try it."
Huo Qinghe exclaimed, "Ah! My eyes haven't even learned how to see properly yet... I'm afraid..."
Pei Yuanhui raised his hand and put it to his lips to shush: "Don't say 'I'm afraid,' have you never tried saying 'I'm afraid' before?"
The Emperor...
Huo Qinghe then took two steps forward and walked to the official's side, but she only held the arrow and did not move.
Pei Yuanhui raised his hand and supported Huo Qinghe's arm: "Raise it higher, I'll teach you."
Playing pitch-pot by yourself is naturally boring, but adding the act of teaching others makes it much more interesting.
Pei Yuanhui placed his hand on Huo Qinghe's arm, and the distance between the two closed. With a turn of his head, Pei Yuanhui could see Huo Qinghe's empty earlobe at a glance.
There were no earrings on her snow-white earlobes, making them look somewhat empty.
Pei Yuanhui's gaze lingered for two seconds longer, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
Huo Qinghe stood in front, completely unaware, only her arm trembled slightly.
“Actually, it’s more fun to play pitch-pot outside. Jinyang, move all of these out and let’s play it outside.” Pei Yuanhui made the decision directly.
Huo Qinghe's arm loosened, and she subconsciously tilted her head, her forehead brushing against the official's chin.
Her skin was delicate, and the bruise turned slightly red. She swallowed her pained cry.
But he still instinctively covered his forehead.
"Is Your Majesty alright?" Huo Qinghe asked with concern as she looked up.
Pei Yuanhui noticed Huo Qinghe's series of small actions and found them amusing: "Fake concern. You're the only one who's really in pain."
Huo Qinghe exclaimed, "Oh dear!" "This concubine does not have any."
Pei Yuanhui snorted and lightly flicked Huo Qinghe's forehead: "I think you really need to feel some pain."
Even so, the official's tone was gentle.
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