Upon hearing Li Xi's words, the emperor's expression instantly turned serious.
After the morning court session, Li Xi escorted him to the West Mountain Villa.
The emperor and the retired emperor talked for a long time. Seeing that there was nothing for her to do, Li Xi withdrew and strolled around the garden of the West Mountain Villa.
Sunlight filters through sparse clouds, casting dappled shadows on the path, creating a scene of shimmering beauty, like a flowing painting.
Having not properly appreciated the scenery of nature for a long time, Li Xi felt a long-lost sense of tranquility welling up in her heart.
She walked slowly along the path, feeling the gentle breeze on her face, listening to the birdsong and the sound of flowing water in the distance, as if the whole world had quieted down.
Suddenly, a melodious sound of a guqin came from not far away.
The music was melodious and plaintive, evoking deep emotions in the listener.
Curious, she followed the sound of the zither and saw a woman dressed in white sitting in front of a zither in a small pavilion, her fingers lightly plucking the strings, her expression focused and absorbed.
Li Xi approached gently and saw that the woman had delicate features and an elegant demeanor. It turned out to be the cross-dressing master, Yun Jin, whom she hadn't seen for a long time.
Young Master Yun Jin seemed unaware of Li Xi's arrival, still immersed in the music.
She didn't want to disturb the tranquility, so she simply stood quietly to the side, listening to the beautiful music.
The music flowed gently like water, carrying a faint sadness, as if telling a poignant story.
Finally, the song came to an end.
He looked up and saw Li Xi standing to the side. He smiled slightly and nodded to Li Xi as a greeting.
"Young Master Yun Jin, your zither playing is truly beautiful and moving," Li Xi exclaimed sincerely.
Young Master Yun Jin smiled faintly and said, "You flatter me. I just play it occasionally to express my feelings."
“I can feel the emotions in your music,” Li Xi said earnestly. “It’s a faint sadness, yet full of hope.”
He was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't expect you to have such insights at such a young age."
He gently stroked the strings, as if savoring the music from before, and then slowly spoke: "Have you been busy lately? I heard you became a Lieutenant General, so you must be busy every day and have no free time."
Li Xi nodded: "That's true. Official duties are so busy that it's rare to have a moment of peace."
Young Master Yun Jin sighed softly and said with emotion, "Things in this world are often so unpredictable! However, it is indeed a rare kind of happiness that you can find a moment of peace in your busy life."
Li Xi smiled slightly, a faint glint in her eyes, and answered softly, "Perhaps."
After a moment of silence, Young Master Yun Jin suddenly asked, "How... is he now?"
Li Xi was taken aback, and a figure quickly flashed through her mind, but then she thought of what happened last year.
She smiled somewhat awkwardly and replied softly, "He's working hard there right now."
Thinking of Du Yifei, Li Xi couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
Last year, Du Yifei and Yun Jin met at the Emperor Emeritus's dinner party and developed feelings for each other.
At the time, Li Xi also felt that the two of them were a perfect match, until later when Qin Xiaolin told her that Yun Jin was a man, she was quite shocked.
She couldn't help but sigh at the unpredictability of life and the cruel twists of fate.
I was originally thinking of reminding Du Yifei, but then I thought that if I really did that, I might offend Young Master Yun Jin.
After all, they are scions of a powerful and influential family; I can't afford to offend them.
Furthermore, given enough time, Du Yifei will naturally learn the truth.
The two became very close from that day on.
A month later, Du Yifei stormed into Tingfeng Courtyard in a rage.
He pointed directly at Li Xi, blaming her for watching him jump into the fire without warning him.
Faced with Du Yifei's accusations, Li Xi knew she had made a mistake.
To make up for this mistake, she shared all her gambling secrets with Du Yifei without reservation.
This not only calmed Du Yifei's anger but also made him more focused on his mission within the Hidden Sect.
After experiencing heartbreak, Du Yifei's skills in disguise improved by leaps and bounds.
The masks he made were so lifelike that they were truly exceptional.
At the same time, he also carefully made several sets of muscle suits of different sizes for Li Xi, just in case.
Upon hearing Li Xi's answer, Young Master Yun Jin felt a moment of disappointment.
But then she returned to normal and said calmly, "That's good."
He slowly turned around, his steps heavy and deliberate, and left step by step.
The figure appeared exceptionally tall and slender in the afterglow of the setting sun.
His long, drawn-out shadow seemed to carry the unspeakable loneliness and solitude deep within his heart.
Li Xi stood quietly in place, her gaze fixed on his receding figure, a deep sense of sympathy welling up in her heart.
In later generations, people have adopted a more open and tolerant attitude towards love and emotions.
However, in this specific historical context, such sentiments may not be understood or accepted by most people, and may even become a taboo.
This kind of mindset forced him to bear more pressure and pain, which makes people feel sorry for him.
Li Xi sighed helplessly, then turned and left.
The Empress Dowager wasn't there, so she was a little bored. She strolled around the garden for a while, then returned to the front hall to await the Emperor's instructions.
If you're going to be a beast of burden, you should have the self-awareness of a beast of burden, let alone a beast of burden to an emperor.
After what seemed like an eternity, the emperor finally emerged from the main hall.
The emperor's face was grave. After a moment of silence, he simply ordered, "Return to the palace."
After Li Xi safely escorted the emperor back to the palace, she proposed her plan: "Your Majesty, I would like to visit the old site of the Xuanming Gate. Perhaps we can find some clues there."
The emperor nodded, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes: "Go, I will send people to continue investigating the weapons. Also, remember to draw a portrait of that group of people selling fake medicine; I will issue a nationwide warrant for their arrest."
He sighed, as if the burden in his heart had become even heavier.
Looking at the emperor, Li Xi couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings).
As emperor, he possessed supreme power, but he also bore the heavy responsibility of ensuring the stability of the country, and could not find peace day or night.
She could even sense the emperor's envy of the retired emperor's carefree life.
However, the emperor knew that the country had not yet found a suitable successor.
He must remain vigilant at all times and dare not relax for a moment.
This sense of responsibility and pressure instilled in Li Xi a deep respect for the emperor. It turned out that emperors weren't all as cruel and ruthless as depicted in later novels.
Li Xi pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, the affairs of the world are not accomplished in a day. But as long as the ruler and his ministers work together with one heart and one mind, they will surely be able to overcome all obstacles."
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