"Too close."
Xiao Nanhui was so confused that he could only hesitate and take a few steps back.
"Well, just stand there and talk."
The place where she was standing at this moment was the only place in the courtyard with flowers and plants. Several blooming orchids were clustered on the side of the road. The rich fragrance of the flowers drifted into her nose, making her feel a little itchy.
Xiao Nanhui forced himself to suppress the urge to sneeze and spoke out the words he had prepared many times before: "Your Majesty has shown me special favor this time, allowing me to be promoted four times in succession to the rank of general. I should pay my respects and express my gratitude in person. I am deeply grateful for your kindness. I will obey your command and serve you wholeheartedly to repay your grace."
This was what Chen Si had told her, and she memorized it word for word.
However, the emperor said nothing.
Xiao Nanhui felt a little nervous and secretly glanced at Shan Jiangfei who was standing in front of her, but the other party was not paying attention to her at all and didn't even look in her direction.
After a long while, the emperor's voice finally rang out, but he seemed too lazy to respond to her previous words at all.
"My dear, could you please raise your head? Aren't you tired of talking like this?"
Xiao Nanhui breathed a sigh of relief, then raised his sore neck and looked towards the bamboo house.
This last layer of door is a door with a gauze base and a bamboo frame. It is not a door, but it is more appropriate to call it a screen.
The gauze was embroidered with the same vine pattern as the one on the courtyard gate outside. Through the gauze, one could barely see a swaying figure inside the house. It was vaguely a man with untied long hair and a black suit. His face was very blurry and it was unknown what he looked like.
"What's that in your hand?"
Xiao Nanhui then remembered that he had almost forgotten the important matter, and handed the brocade box he had been holding in his hand to Shan Jiangfei.
"I am deeply humbled by your grace. This humble servant presents me with a small token of my gratitude. I would like to trouble Attendant Shan to pass it on to Your Majesty."
Shan Jiangfei took the things, entered the room through the side door, put the things down and walked out.
There was a rustling sound behind the screen door, and the figure seemed to open the brocade box, look at the things inside, and close it again.
If you look closely at the two blood-red antlers, you can see traces of knife cuts on them.
"Why did you give me this, my dear?"
For some reason, Xiao Nanhui recalled what Hao Bai had said to him before he left that day, and he repeated it in kind: "I've heard that deer antlers are used as medicine, strengthening the body and prolonging life. These two are quite complete. They were given to me by the Zou family, a renowned medicinal herb family, when I visited Huozhou this time. They're said to be from young spotted bucks in their first molt, making them quite rare."
Oh, what a shame. If she hadn't been attacked on the bridge that night, she would have still had a lot of ginseng the size of radishes and Ganoderma lucidum the size of small umbrellas...
"I think this deer antler is an aphrodisiac."
These words were like a thunderclap that struck Xiao Nanhui to the ground. Her underwear, which was already soaked by the heat, suddenly became chilly. A chill climbed up her spine to the back of her head, making her shiver a little.
Dujuan, oh Dujuan, you've got me down. She should have expected Dujuan to choose expensive gifts, but who knew the emperor was so young? She couldn't give him such a gift. Even giving nothing would be better than hinting at his premature death... well.
"Your Majesty is so powerful, naturally... naturally it won't be used."
I don't need your help!
Xiao Nanhui stared at the white pebbles on the ground, wishing he could dig a hole and escape.
Taihe Tangyuan was very quiet for a while. After a long time, the shadow seemed to stand up from behind the screen door and seemed to kick the box of deer antlers aside.
"I understand your intention, my dear. However, I summoned you here today to discuss an important matter."
Xiao Nanhui just wanted to quickly turn the page and nodded repeatedly, "Your Majesty, please speak."
"Has Lord Qinghuai ever mentioned the matter of Bijiang to you?"
"Recovering Bijiang has been my adoptive father's lifelong wish. I've often heard him mention it since I was a child."
"I heard that you lived in Suyan for a period of time when you were young. Perhaps you can speak the local dialect?"
The emperor was well-informed. She was brought back to Chizhou from Suyan by Xiao Zhun when she was five or six years old. She could speak some Suyan dialect at an early age. Then, when she was a teenager, she followed Xiao Zhun to guard the Lingxi area. She became very familiar with the local people who were born and raised there. She could also speak the Nanqiang dialect fluently. Taking into account the Chizhou dialect, she could be considered a person who was proficient in three dialects.
"Your Majesty, I also learned this from the folks, and it is not something I can present publicly."
"It's good that you can't even be on the stage. I have an important matter to entrust to you. Are you willing to help me with all your might?"
You are the emperor, of course I...can't refuse.
Xiao Nanhui bowed deeply and said, "Xiao Nanhui is willing to die to fulfill your majesty's wish."
The person behind the screen door raised his lips and said, "That's great."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
