Chapter 12: Knocking
Emperor Jingxuan sneered at the two children in front of him who regarded him as a monster.
What? Is this how they see me? They beat and scold me at every turn?
"This won't happen again. Get up." His tone was as cold as water.
The third prince was surprised that his father did not scold him.
The two children stood up from the ground and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The redness and swelling around Asui's eyes, which had been caused by crying not long ago, were particularly obvious on his fair face. The Third Prince also looked a little disheveled. Although he was a little fat, his facial features were quite silly.
It is also pleasing to the eye when one tall and one short stand together.
His eyes passed over the purse tied around Asui's waist, and Emperor Jingxuan remembered the sachet he had taken away yesterday. He said in a leisurely tone:
"Reach out your hand."
Asui and the third prince looked at each other and both saw horror in it.
Still can't escape being slapped on the palm?
Not daring to disobey, the two men lowered their heads and stretched out their hands.
Suddenly, his palm felt cold. Asui looked up and found a white jade bead in his palm.
The jade beads are milky white all over, cool but not biting, engraved with complex patterns, and warm as if they are often held in the palm of someone's hand and played with.
Asui clasped his hands together and was able to hold it.
The third prince held a piece of black jade in his hand, with patterns of the same size.
He suddenly looked up, confused: "Father?"
The third prince opened his mouth to ask something but saw that Emperor Jingxuan had already waved his sleeves and left, leaving only his tall figure.
It was a rare gift from his father outside of a festival, and the Third Prince was so moved that he burst into tears while holding the black jade beads.
Asui held the white jade bead and looked around blankly.
Why give him beads?
.........
Changchun Palace.
When Concubine Shu heard the palace maid calling her outside, she was stunned and then overjoyed.
"Hurry! His Majesty is here, come and see what's wrong with me?"
She looked left and right in the dressing mirror, afraid that her clothes were not in order.
Chuntang adjusted the golden hairpin in her bun and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. You look so beautiful today. The Emperor will surely be pleased when he sees you!"
Concubine Shu liked to hear this, and she casually rewarded her with a pair of jade earrings before standing up to greet Emperor Jingxuan.
"Your Majesty, why did you suddenly come to my place?"
Emperor Jingxuan: "Just take a walk."
This made Concubine Shu even happier. His Majesty was still thinking about her. Otherwise, the harem was so big, how could he just walk around and end up in her Changchun Palace?
Giving a wink to the palace attendant, she said cheerfully, "Hurry up and serve the tea. I'll use the West Lake Longjing tea that His Majesty gifted us."
Emperor Jingxuan sat on the Grand Master's chair and said, "Don't bother. I'll just say a few words and leave."
Concubine Shu paused, the smile on her face fading slightly. She asked hesitantly, "Then should I send someone to call the Third Prince? He hasn't seen Your Majesty for several days, and he was still thinking about his father this morning."
Emperor Jingxuan refused again: "No need, I saw him on the way here just now."
Concubine Shu was stunned: "Your Majesty has met the Third Prince?"
Emperor Jingxuan did not respond, but instead stared at her and suddenly said, "It's time to put those servants in your palace in order."
His tone was neutral, as if it was just a spur-of-the-moment remark.
But I heard Shufei's heart skip a beat.
Before she could ask in detail, she saw Emperor Jingxuan frown.
He looked around the hall, his eyes landing on the incense burner from which smoke curled. "Have you changed the incense in your palace?"
Concubine Shu smiled and said, "Your Majesty has a good sense of smell. I just changed my perfume today and you noticed it."
Recalling something, she asked casually, but with a hint of probing intent, "Your Majesty, what do you think of this incense?"
Emperor Jingxuan said nothing, but glanced at her indifferently, with a smile on his face.
Feeling timid at being looked at, Concubine Shu smiled awkwardly and explained, "This incense was brought by my mother and my third sister-in-law when they entered the palace yesterday. My third sister-in-law made it herself. It is said to have the effect of calming the mind, dredging the meridians and nourishing the skin."
"I thought the fragrance was pleasant and indeed soothing, so I had it lit. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Emperor Jingxuan's expression remained normal: "Nothing more than that."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu seemed relieved and the smile in her eyes deepened.
Taking everything in, Emperor Jingxuan suddenly felt bored. "I have something else to do. Concubine Shu, please stay."
Concubine Shu was disappointed: "Your Majesty, I respectfully send you off."
After the man walked away, her expression suddenly changed, and her face became long. "Go and call all the servants around the Third Prince! I want to question them!"
She wanted to see what these lowly servants had done to cause His Majesty to come and punish her personally. If it got out, her Changchun Palace would be completely disgraced.
Soon the palace maids were captured and questioned. They were all very nervous and dared not hide anything.
When Concubine Shu learned that these palace servants had allowed the Third Prince to play hide-and-seek and let Asui play sepak takraw alone, which almost hit the Emperor, she was so angry that she almost fainted.
Finally, she became furious and beat all the palace servants with a stick. Those who were responsible were exiled to the palace.
.........
Worried about her son who was alone in the palace, Yun Wan had difficulty eating and was absent-minded from yesterday to today.
I sent someone to wait at the gate of the mansion, and finally received the message from the servants in the afternoon:
Asui returned from the palace in a carriage!
Yun Wan immediately put down the perfume spoon in her hand and went out with her skirt lifted.
The servants had limited speed and there was a delay in delivering the message. By the time Yun Wan walked from the incense room to the courtyard gate, he had already seen Asui's figure.
"Mother!"
Asui, who usually follows the gentleman's manners and never makes loud noises, got off the carriage at the door and ran to Cuiwei Garden impatiently. The moment he saw Yun Wan, he couldn't help shouting.
Yun Wan saw from afar that his short legs were moving very fast, his body was crooked, and his heart was beating in his throat.
"Don't be anxious, watch your step!"
Ten steps, five steps, two steps——
Yun Wan leaned over and opened her arms, and Asui jumped into her arms like a young swallow flying into the forest.
"Mom, I miss you so much..." Asui's tone was excited and nostalgic, full of longing for Yun Wan.
Yun Wan's heart felt like it had been soaked in a honey pot, sweet and warm. She couldn't help but tighten her arms around him and said gently, "Mother, I miss you too much. I can't sleep or eat."
This was too corny, and Ah Sui smiled awkwardly: "My child is the same. Fortunately, I had the cat slave you made for me, so I was able to fall asleep last night."
He pulled off the purse from his waist and took out the raccoon doll to show Yun Wan.
He trotted without stopping all the way, his snow-like face was red and his forehead was covered with sweat.
Yun Wan's eyes were filled with distress: "You are sweating all over. Mother will wipe it for you to prevent you from catching a cold."
Ah Sui looked up obediently, then he remembered something and looked back: "Oh, by the way, uncle, could you please take out the cakes I brought for my mother?"
Yun Wan missed her son so much that her mind and eyes were filled with Asui. After he said that, she noticed Lu Yuanduo walking behind her. He was wearing a crimson and purple court robe with crane pattern, a black gauze hat, a tall and straight figure, and an aristocratic air.
In addition, he was holding a three-layer food box in his hand, which looked a bit awkward.
Seeing her surprised expression, Lu Yuanduo took the initiative to say, "It's time to get up early today, so I'll go pick up Asui on the way."
Yun Wan wasn't sure how convenient this 'stop' was, and she didn't want to find out. She just politely thanked him, "Thank you, Duke. Thank you for your trouble."
The food box was a bit heavy, so Lu Yuanduo handed it to the servant of Cuiwei Garden and said to Yun Wan, "These are some snacks made by the imperial kitchen for Changchun Palace. Asui thought you would like them, so he asked the Concubine Shu to make a new one for you."
Ah Sui ran over and opened the food box. He held out a stack of delicious, sweet-smelling pastries and handed them to Yun Wan. He looked expectantly and said, "Mother, please try them. There are peach blossom pastries and pea yellow pastries. They are both delicious."
He wanted to reach out and take a piece to feed Yun Wan, but then he remembered that his hands were sweaty and quickly retracted his hand.
Yun Wan patted the back of his head and said, "It's not convenient now. Mother hasn't washed her hands since she came out of the incense room. Let's eat when we get back."
She had a smile on her face, her lips curled up slightly, her eyes were like spring water, like newly blooming peach blossoms brushing her face, and the jade hairpin in her hair swayed, appearing and disappearing.
In front of children, she is always gentle, loving and patient, and her whole body exudes the warmth of the sun, making people unable to take their eyes off her.
Yun Wan stood up and said, "I'm sorry to bother you with Asui's matter. Last time, I spoke inappropriately and said something angry. I hope the Duke will take it to heart. Yun Wan is here to apologize."
After she finished speaking, she twisted her waist, bowed gracefully, and thanked Lu Yuanduo.
Raising his eyes to hide the scorching light, Lu Yuanduo said in a distant tone: "You are too kind. Asui is my nephew. I treat him like my own son. I will naturally care about his affairs."
Yun Wan's eyelashes trembled slightly, casting a shadow that just covered her eyes.
Lu Yuanduo: "A Sui will start school on the tenth day of the first lunar month, which is still a few days away. While the weather is still good, you can take him out for a walk and pick out some study supplies he likes."
Yun Wan nodded: "I'll make a note of it."
He opened his mouth to say something, but the servant came over anxiously and whispered something in his ear. Lu Yuanduo's face changed slightly and he left in a hurry.
Yun Wan took Asui back and changed him into clean clothes.
When I was packing up my old clothes, I felt the purse that Asui always wore. It was bulging and unexpectedly heavy.
Yun Wan opened her purse and poured out a bunch of small things. With a "dong" sound, a round white jade bead rolled out and bounced a few times on the Huanghuali wooden table.
When Yun Wan saw Yuzhu's appearance clearly, his pupils suddenly shrank.
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