Chapter 298 Picking Flowers
In early October, Xu Junying left Beijing again and returned ten days later, just in time for the autumn hunting event initiated by the King of Qi. The princes and nobles of Beijing responded one after another and signed up to join. The emperor was still very young after all, and he was bored sitting in the court for a long time. He could not bear the temptation and announced that he would go with him. The King of Qi asked Lin Runan to inform Meimei early. Meimei wanted to go very much, but she was afraid that Xu Junying would not see her when he returned home. She was in a dilemma when she suddenly heard that the Lord Hou had returned home. She was so happy that she rushed over to hug him and kissed him fiercely, regardless of his dusty face. Xu Junying was happy and guilty. He gently stroked her excited face with an apologetic look and said, "Meimei... I'm sorry for letting you down!"
"Yeah, it's very aggrieved!" Meimei snuggled in his arms, pinched his cheeks with both hands, and smiled: "But my husband will come home eventually, I am so happy now, no one can understand my happiness and joy at this moment!"
Xu Junying's eyes were warm, he pressed her tightly into his arms, took a deep breath and said: "Having a wife like this, my life is worthwhile!"
At night, the couple was talking in private, and Meimei realized that the emperor had estimated that he should be on his way back, so he asked Ji Qing to find Baizhan and asked him to send a carrier pigeon to inform him that the emperor wanted to go out hunting for three days and asked him to hurry back to Beijing. Xu Junying thought that Meimei had been looking forward to this opportunity, and he must stay by her side this time, so he rode as fast as he could, traveling day and night, and rushed back at the speed of a march, shortening the journey by three days.
The next day, a large group of people and horses accompanied the emperor out of the city and headed for the Baxian Mountain, 200 miles away. It was said that there were black bears there. Xu Junying was afraid that Meimei would be exhausted, so he didn't let her ride a horse. He helped her into the carriage and let Cheng'er serve her. He said to Meimei, "I've brought Xiaobai to you. It's been a bumpy ride, and there are still mountain roads to walk. It will take most of the day, so it's better to take a car. I'll accompany you to ride horses tomorrow!"
Meimei naturally followed his instructions and lay down on the comfortable cushion. After swaying for a while, she fell into a deep sleep. If she had been riding a horse, she really wouldn't have been able to endure the sleepless night.
When we arrived at the camping site, as soon as Meimei got off the car, she immediately fell in love with this small valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. A clear stream was gurgling on the left. It was early winter, but there were unknown bright flowers blooming in the valley. Looking up, the mountains and ridges were full of lush green and fiery red, which was spectacular. The beauty of nature can intoxicate people at any time and in any place.
Xu Junying was rarely romantic. He took out a bunch of light blue wild chrysanthemums from his cloak and handed them to her: "Other flowers are not fragrant, but the fragrance of wild chrysanthemums is fresh and elegant, refreshing. I thought you would like this color too!"
Meimei looked around and asked in disbelief, "You picked flowers in front of your subordinates?"
Xu Junying smiled and said, "No, I saw this ** blooming all over the mountains on the road, so I left the team on horseback and went to another valley to pick it there."
Meimei held the bouquet, put it to her nose and took a deep breath: "It smells really good, thank you husband!"
"Well, let's go see where we live."
Xu Junying took her hand. He had become accustomed to her polite words that came out from time to time. Even Heng'er would say thank you from time to time now. If he always argued with the mother and son, he would be exhausted.
Meimei followed him and said to herself, "We'll go pick some more and put them in the tent. They're beautiful, fragrant and can ward off evil spirits!"
"Okay, leave it to me..."
"No, we're going together this time!"
The two entered the tent and tidied up a bit, then took Cheng'er, Baoju, Baizhan and two other guards to a place at the foot of the mountain where wild chrysanthemums were in full bloom. They had a lot of fun picking flowers and playing, and did not return until dusk. The guards each carried a large armful of wild chrysanthemums and walked in front. Meimei and Cheng'er enjoyed themselves the most. After playing enough, they braided the chrysanthemums into straw hats and each wore one. They followed happily behind, feeling the gentle autumn breeze and the fragrance of flowers all over their bodies. Meimei said intoxicatedly, "Cheng'er, I was a flower thief today. It was so much fun, haha!"
Cheng Er asked innocently, "Madam, who is the Flower Thief? Is he very powerful?"
Meimei stopped, Baoju couldn't help laughing, Baizhan said: "Fool! If you are a thief, how can you be a good person?"
Cheng argued: "But didn't the young lady say that being a flower thief is a lot of fun, so it's not a bad thing!"
Bai Zhan was speechless. Xu Junying chuckled and patted Meimei on the back of her head: "Look at what you've taught this little girl!"
Meimei had no choice but to cheer up and talk to Cheng'er about the truth: "Cheng'er, this thief usually refers to a bad guy, but thieves also have their own code of conduct, and among them there is also the code of chivalry. This flower-stealing thief... uh, Baizhan, what do you think!"
Bai Zhan was sweating, and he continued helplessly: "If this flower thief is like you, Cheng'er, who only picks flowers on the roadside, he is a good thief, and nothing will happen to him! But if he specializes in climbing walls and breaking into people's homes at night to rob people of their money and sex, he is a vicious thief, and he will be torn into pieces if caught!"
Cheng Er sighed, "How scary!"
"Do you know how scary it is?"
"Well, five horses torn apart!"
"you!"
Bai Zhan felt defeated. What's wrong with this little girl? She can't understand what she should understand. She's too hard to teach! Xing walked back to the camp with a happy smile and met King Qi and Lin Runan. King Qi glanced at the smiling Xu Junying and Meimei, while Lin Runan said dissatisfiedly, "Where did you go? Why didn't you call me?"
Meimei said apologetically, "Didn't we say that everyone should tidy up the tents? We took this opportunity to pick some chrysanthemums to spread in the tents to add some fragrance. I was afraid you didn't have time, so I didn't dare to call you... Well, these wild chrysanthemums are very fragrant. I was just about to give you a couple of bunches. Do you want them?"
Lin Runan's anger turned into joy: "Okay, I want it!"
"This princess wants one too!"
"I want one too!"
In the dim light, Princess Sude, dressed in men's clothes, walked over with a smile. Next to her was Fang Xuemei, the emperor's new favorite, who had been promoted three levels to become a concubine.
Meimei secretly thought that she was unlucky to meet these two people. She glanced at Lin Runan and wondered why these people gathered here. It turned out that they had known that she was going out to pick chrysanthemums, so they were waiting here to rob her.
"Are Marquis Weiyuan and his wife reluctant to let go?" Su De glanced at Xu Junying and asked casually with a smile.
Meimei didn't want Xu Junying to say anything, it was just a matter of some flowers and plants, so she answered: "No, as long as the princess and the concubine like it, there are two bouquets left, the princess and the concubine will each have one bouquet!"
Su De smiled and said, "Thank you very much! I was thinking that there was a smell of mud in the tent, and incense didn't work. The fragrance of this country girl is the best to drive away the odor!"
Concubine Shu didn't even bother to say thank you, and pointed at the two guards and said, "There is no room for strange smells in the imperial tent. I want two bouquets!"
Before Meimei could speak, Lin Runan said, "Go ahead and deliver the flowers to the emperor's tent first!"
The two women left, and Meimei sighed and said, "It was all in vain. There is only one bouquet left. You can take it."
Lin Runan said: "Just split it in half."
The King of Qi, who had remained silent the whole time, said, "What are you fighting for? Let the guards light torches and go pick them!"
Xu Junying looked at Meimei and said, "If you are hungry or tired, go back to eat and rest. Let Baoju and the others go to pick them."
Meimei thought about it and said to Lin Runan with a smile, "It's quite far, let the guards go.
I brought some good wine and food from Xianmen, let’s go drink!”
Xu Junying bowed to the King of Qi and said, "Your Highness, please come in. Call the King of Huai and Changle to wait for them. I have to return to the capital in a hurry and I don't know what hunting arrangements you have made. I can learn more about it while we drink!"
Baoju took people to pick flowers. Meimei discussed with Lin Runan and asked Shan Yong to bring several guards from the palace to quickly tidy up the flat ground in front of the tent, spread lichens, put out low tables, and lit many torches around it. A simple and bright restaurant was then built.
Knowing that there would be good wine and food, more and more people came to the party after hearing the news. Fortunately, Meimei had made preparations in advance and brought enough dishes. The camp chef also simply brought over the meals he had made temporarily. Xu Junying asked Baizhan to ask Ji Qing if the emperor was interested in drinking together. After a while, the emperor came over with his concubine, accompanied by Ji Qing and several attendants.
Meimei looked at the Concubine Shu, who was leaning against the emperor like a little bird, and felt very uncomfortable. This woman from another province who came to Beijing with her father to report on her duties became domineering and arrogant after becoming a concubine. She relied on the emperor's favor and was rude to the queen several times. She didn't take the queen seriously and didn't deserve the word "Shu". How could she be like herself? That day, Xu Junying came back and told Meimei that the emperor had a new beauty, whose temperament was somewhat like her. Meimei didn't believe it. Later, she went to the palace to meet the queen once, and she refused to agree even more. This Concubine Shu was a scumbag. How could she be similar to this lady! Beauty is beyond doubt. Compared with the queen's pure and refined beauty and Rongfei's charming beauty, Concubine Shu was more charming and gentle. She met the emperor when she entered the palace with Su De. After one night of favor, she was named a concubine, then a concubine, and then a Concubine Shu. However, in just two months, she surpassed Rongfei, who had just given birth to a prince. Rongfei was promoted to Jingfei because of her son. The queen said sadly that what impressed the emperor was not only her graceful dancing posture, but also her cuteness and stubbornness! Her full name was Fang Xuemei. The emperor usually called her "Amei" affectionately and doted on her. He even rarely visited his favorite concubine, Le, in the palace.
Fortunately, the queen was pregnant again, and the emperor always remembered to visit the queen in Kunning Palace every few days and have a meal with her. Otherwise, the queen’s life would have been very difficult.
Meimei counted the concubines who were currently pregnant in the palace. Except for Concubine Zhen, Concubine Le and Concubine Life, the rest were pregnant. After next year, the Emperor would have eight or nine princes or princesses. Adding the four who were already born, it would be almost a row. She wondered how it felt to have so many children from different mothers calling her daddy.
Meimei bit her lip and smiled secretly, but soon she became worried again. She thought of the emperor's words about marrying Xu Junying! Oh my God, I hope the emperor is intoxicated by the beauty and has amnesia, so he won't think about this anymore.
Few of the royal children were well educated, and she didn't want her child to suffer that!
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