The afternoon sun was slightly intoxicating, and the chirping sounds of orioles could be heard from the courtyard.

Under the window, Tao Ti and Lu were sitting opposite each other on the couch, chatting happily.

At this time, Linglong walked in slowly, bowed, and said respectfully to Lu, "Madam Governor, your servant has sent a message outside the palace saying that it is getting late and your master wants you to return home."

Hearing this, Lu's face showed a trace of embarrassment. She tilted her head to look at the dimming light outside the window and said suddenly, "I didn't expect that we would talk until this hour."

She looked at Tao Ti with an apologetic look on her face, "Crown Princess, I am really sorry to bother you today. As you get older, you tend to talk too much."

Tao Ti smiled and said, "No, it's fun chatting with Aunt Lu. I'm still not satisfied."

"Your mother really taught a good daughter. I will definitely write a letter to defend her when I go back. How can she be so unsatisfied with such a good daughter? If those three brats in my family were as considerate as you, I would be very lucky." Mrs. Lu joked, got up from the couch and straightened her robe.

Tao Ti also stood up and personally escorted Lu to the door, "Aunt Lu, please go back quickly and don't keep your master waiting for too long."

Lu smiled and bowed to her, "Then I'll take my leave first, Crown Princess, you should have a good rest."

Tao Ti watched her go and just as she was about to turn around and leave, she saw Pei Yan and Fu Xirui walking towards them. Tao Ti was startled, stopped, smiled and waited for him.

Before Lu got into the sedan, she took a quick look and saw a handsome man in a silver-grey brocade robe walking towards her. She was stunned for a moment.

It was the eunuch beside her who reminded her, "Madam, this is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Lu quickly came back to her senses and bowed to Pei Yan, "I, your humble servant Lu, pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness be safe and well."

Pei Yan was originally walking towards Tao Ti, but when he heard the greeting, he paused and said gently, "No need to be polite."

Lu stood up and couldn't help but look up twice more -

Yes, it’s very similar.

Especially these delicate eyebrows and eyes, which are exactly the same as Yuanyuan.

Other parts, such as the high nose and thin lips, are the same as those of Emperor Zhaokang, but with a bit more depth and majesty.

Lu suddenly understood why Emperor Zhaokang doted on the crown prince so much. Firstly, the crown prince was his and Yuanyuan's child. Secondly, the crown prince looked so much like Yuanyuan and him.

Lu withdrew her gaze and without delay got into the sedan and left.

Pei Yan walked up to Tao Ti and asked, "You spent the whole afternoon chatting with the governor's wife? Are you tired? If you don't like these social events, you can postpone them next time."

Tao Ti smiled and said, "Sitting and chatting won't make you tired, and Aunt Lu is a very nice person. It's fun to chat with her."

Pei Yan raised his eyebrows, "Aunt Lu?"

Tao Ti nodded, "Yes, Aunt Lu and my mother are good friends..."

After a pause, she looked up at him and said, "He is also a good friend of the late Queen."

Pei Yan lowered her thick eyelashes and said lightly, "Like this."

I didn't mean to ask any more questions.

It was a big festival, and Tao Ti didn't want him to remember those sad things. She reached out and pulled his sleeve and led him inside. "Your Highness, we agreed to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival together. Come quickly! I also left two pieces of zongzi leaves for you. Come and make a zongzi."

Pei Yan smiled faintly, "Okay."

Tao Ti took him to the small kitchen and demonstrated the steps of making rice dumplings.

Pei Yan was very smart and learned how to do it right away, just like the last time he made dumplings. He made an egg yolk and meat dumpling in no time.

Tao Ti boasted loudly, asked someone to cook the rice dumplings, and pushed Pei Yan to take a bath.

Pei Yan looked at the sky which was not yet dark, and lowered his eyes in confusion, "Are you taking a bath now?"

"Hmm!" Tao Ti lifted her sleeves, revealing a white and tender arm, and stretched it straight in front of him, her clear eyes shining, "Your Highness, please smell it."

Pei Yan: "......?"

But he still bent down and sniffed it gently.

Different from her usual sweet scent, this one has a faint medicinal scent.

Pei Yan stood up straight and asked softly, "Did you bathe with mugwort?"

Tao Ti smiled and said, "Well, it's made by boiling cypress leaves, lilies, sedge roots, mugwort, calamus, and peach leaves in water. It has the effect of exorcising evil spirits and nourishing the body. Your Highness, you should go and wash yourself. I asked them to leave a large bucket for you."

Fu Xirui, who was standing by, was hesitant to speak. His Highness had never used these things to bathe, and he had not had such a habit in previous years. But if the prince rejected the princess's kindness, the princess would be very sad.

At this moment, he heard the prince say, "Okay, I'll go take a bath."

Tao Ti nodded and said mysteriously, "When you finish your bath, I have a gift for you."

Gift, after bathing...

Pei Yan's deep gaze fell on her white porcelain face. When he met her clean black eyes, he knew that he was overthinking.

He raised his hand and ruffled her hair, smiling calmly, "Okay, I'll be waiting for your gift."

…

By the time Pei Yan finished bathing, it was already dark, the sky was filled with rosy clouds, and the early summer night was filled with a warm warmth.

Pei Yan changed into a tea-white robe with dark silver thread patterns and round flowers. His black hair was fixed with a jade hairpin. He had a tall and slender figure, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was truly the most beautiful man in the world.

Tao Ti really liked to see him wearing light-colored robes. He had a kind of ethereal and noble temperament, and even the immortals in the nine heavens could not compare to him.

As she was admiring the beauty, Pei Yan walked slowly to her, frowned, and asked, "Ati, where is my gift?"

Tao Ti blinked her big watery eyes and said softly, "Your Highness, please stretch out your hand."

Pei Yan reached out his hand in cooperation.

Tao Ti took out a five-colored longevity string from her sleeve and lifted his sleeve up again, but when she did so, she was startled -

Two red ropes were already tied around his cold, slender wrists.

As a result, the longevity string in Taoti's hand became a bit awkward.

"Your Highness, you..." Tao Ti said embarrassedly.

"Ah Ti, are you going to tie a longevity string on me?" Pei Yan's voice was pleasant and gentle.

Tao Ti nodded, "Yes, yes... I made this myself... but it's already tied on your hand..."

Pei Yan chuckled softly, reached out and untied one of the red ropes, and said, "Ati, tie the longevity rope for me."

Tao Ti watched his actions and couldn't help wondering, were the two red ropes given to him by some young lady? But why did he untie the next one?

Either leave one untied, or take both off.

She felt inexplicably depressed, but seeing that his hand was stretched out, she was afraid that he might be tired, so she tied it for him anyway, but she was not very happy.

Pei Yan lowered his eyes and looked at the longevity string on his wrist, feeling very satisfied. Then, he held Tao Ti's hand.

Taoti, "???"

He said, "It's a give and take." Then he tied the red rope around her fair wrist.

Tao Ti was a little confused, "This is..."

Pei Yan smiled casually, "I prayed for this in the temple, so I hope you will be safe."

Tao Ti's dark eyes flashed, and her fingers gently brushed across the rope, "To keep you safe?"

That's right, what are you expecting?

She shouldn't have been attracted to Pei Yan. It was stupid to like someone who was destined to have no result.

Pei Yan saw that she was staring at the red rope without saying anything, so he raised his hand and ruffled her hair, saying, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

Tao Ti was surprised, "Where are you going so late? And we haven't even had dinner yet."

Pei Yan held her wrist and said, "You'll know when you get there."

…

Lingxiao Tower is the tallest building in Luoyang Palace. There is a large terrace on the top of the tower. Standing there and looking out into the wind, you can take in the scenery of the entire palace.

The summer night breeze blew gently. In the green gauze cabinet stood a long huanghuali wooden table, on which was a large plate of rice dumplings, various cakes, fruits, wine and dishes.

"Wow, this place is nice! It's cool and comfortable to sit here and have dinner." Tao Ti was surprised and moved to the railing again. She wanted to lean on the railing to enjoy the view, but the shoddy railing of the pleasure boat last time left a psychological shadow on her, so she didn't dare to lean on it and just stood aside to appreciate the scenery in front of her.

The palace was brightly lit, and when viewed from above, it had an eerie, mystical beauty.

When she had finished reading, Pei Yan waved at her, "Ati, come over and have dinner first. Don't be hungry."

"Okay." Tao Ti responded crisply and returned to the table and sat down.

The rice dumpling that Pei Yan had made earlier was also cooked. He picked it up and handed it to Tao Ti, "Ati, you eat it."

Tao Ti was stunned and shook her head, "Your Highness, this is the first zongzi you made yourself, please eat it."

Pei Yan's lips curved slightly, and he picked up another zongzi from the crystal plate, "I eat the zongzi made by Ati, and Ati eats the zongzi made by me."

Since he said so, Tao Ti couldn't refuse and took the salted egg yolk and meat rice dumpling.

The egg yolk and meat rice dumplings are hot, and the fragrance of the rice dumpling leaves mixed with the aroma of fresh meat is mouth-watering, especially the golden salted egg yolk inside, which is crunchy and powdery. When paired with the shiny and soft glutinous rice, the taste becomes more delicate, and the tip of the tongue is filled with the salty and delicious taste of the egg yolk and meat.

The night wind blows gently, brushing the green gauze. A few stars shine brightly in the inky black sky.

The two of them ate rice dumplings and pastries together, drank realgar wine, and sometimes chatted and sometimes admired the scenery. It was extremely pleasant.

At this moment, there was a sudden "boom" in the sky -

The next moment, a colorful firework exploded in the dark sky, the light flew around, and then gradually fell down, dotted like rain and mist.

Tao Ti was a little tipsy from a few drinks, but when she saw this, her eyes lit up and she even sat up straight, exclaiming, "Fireworks!"

Pei Yan glanced to the side and saw her surprised expression, a smile appeared in his peach blossom eyes.

Clusters of fireworks kept blooming in the sky, like thousands of flowers blooming on the trees, dreamlike and beautiful.

Tao Ti's excitement subsided a little, and she turned to look at Pei Yan, "Your Highness, did you arrange these fireworks?"

Pei Yan chuckled, "Do you like it?"

"Beautiful, I like it!" Tao Ti nodded her head vigorously, her eyes sparkling.

At this time, a silver-white firework gradually turned purple bloomed in the sky. Tao Ti excitedly pulled Pei Yan's sleeve, stretched out her finger, turned her head and said to him, "Your Highness, look at this one, it's so beautiful!"

Pei Yan was leaning on the cushion, holding a white porcelain wine glass in his hand. Under the changing light and shadow, his elegant features showed a bit of laziness, his cold and white jade face was slightly red due to the smell of wine, and under his thick eyelashes was a gentle smile...

Tao Ti was stunned by her beauty.

Why are you looking at fireworks? This beauty is ten thousand times more beautiful than fireworks.

She finally understood why "The Drunken Concubine" had become a classic scene for describing beauty. Pei Yan's tipsy and careless look was really... tempting to commit a crime.

Perhaps her gaze was too fiery, Pei Yan slowly raised his eyes and looked at her quietly with his deep eyes.

Tao Ti: "…" Oops.

She subconsciously tried to avoid him, but Pei Yan grabbed her wrist.

Taoti laughed dryly, "Your Highness?"

Pei Yan raised his eyebrows and whispered, "Your eyes are talking to me."

Taoti, "......?"

Pei Yan stared at her deeply, as if he was reading her mind. Suddenly, his eyes curved, "It's saying 'I really want to kiss him'."

Taoti, "!!!"

No, she wasn't, she didn't, she...

Okay, she admitted that she did lick his face, but...how did he see that? She was so obvious about it?

Just when Tao Ti's mind was in a mess and blank, the man suddenly appeared in front of her.

The distance between them suddenly shortened. She could clearly smell the faint herbal scent on him, and her heart skipped a beat.

Pei Yan closed his eyes, his lips slightly curved, "Come on, kiss me."