"Miss Mu, you make too much noise when you eat." Duan Xiao suddenly appeared from somewhere, straightened his clothes and smiled at me.
"You, where are you from?" I looked at him with a frown. He seemed to have jumped from a high place just now?
"I was just taking a nap in the hexagonal pavilion," he pointed upwards with his index finger, raising his eyebrows, "Miss Kemu's eating was too loud and really disturbed my rest."
He actually ran to the hexagonal pavilion?!
I wiped my hands with a silk handkerchief. "I didn't know anyone would leave their indoor mat unused and go to the pavilion to rest on such a hot day."
He smiled and sat down naturally in Duan Sheng's seat. "Miss Mu, you haven't answered Duan Sheng's question yet. Can you really stay in this palace with so many rules?"
I raised my eyes and met his slightly upturned peach blossom eyes. The wind blew, and a few strands of hair brushed against the side of his face.
I smiled faintly. "Whether or not to stay is one thing, and whether there are many rules is another. I don't think the two can be connected, so I don't know how to answer the Second Prince's question."
He chuckled and said, "It seems Miss Mu doesn't deny it."
"It's too hot here, I'll take my leave now." I stood up and walked down the stairs.
His unhurried voice echoed from behind him: "The Spring East Gate may seem to have few guards, but in fact, there are secret guards watching over it; the Winter North Gate has many guards, but most of them are good-for-nothings, so they are easier to deal with."
My steps faltered, alarm bells blaring in my heart. Ever since I'd inspected the four gates of the capital during my last visit, my initial plan for escape was to go through the less guarded Chundong Gate.
What exactly did he mean by this? Was it a coincidence or a test?
"It seems I was right," he said, already walking to my side. "But don't worry, Miss Mu. I'm not the type to gossip."
He turned and looked at me, his tall figure slender, his loose sleeves making him look particularly carefree and unrestrained. "On the contrary, although I don't understand the reason yet, I am looking forward to the day when Miss Mu comes out."
I didn't respond and walked around him quickly. When I lowered my head and was thinking about the situation, I suddenly bumped into something. The sudden obstruction made my feet tilt and I was about to fall backwards. An arm firmly wrapped around my waist and immediately helped me back.
I subconsciously looked up and met Song Heng's puzzled expression. He then said slowly, "Why are you leaving in such a hurry?"
I was just thinking about how to explain when I saw him look up into the distance with a stern look in his eyes. Then Duan Xiao's voice came from behind: "What a coincidence, His Majesty is also here to appreciate the flowers in the Imperial Garden?"
Song Heng still held my waist tightly and said to Duan Xiao calmly, "The Second Prince is also in a good mood."
Then he lowered his head and looked at me. I thought for a moment and quickly answered, "Just now, when I was looking at the marigolds, a large bee suddenly appeared. I was frightened and walked away in a hurry."
He raised his other hand and patted my back gently, saying with a smile, "Even a bee can scare you like this."
I snorted softly: "It hurts when you're stung. Your Majesty, you've never been stung before." I spoke from the bottom of my heart. I had been stung by a bee before, and it was excruciatingly painful.
He said in a rare good tone: "Yes, luckily I didn't sting you."
This took me a while to recover, so I simply stopped talking and just listened to Duan Xiao behind me continue: "Then I'll take my leave first."
Song Heng nodded slightly: "Second Prince, if you like any kind of flowers in the Imperial Garden, you can tell me at any time."
"Then thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."
The footsteps faded away, but Song Heng still didn't let go. I poked my head out and said, "Hot..."
He raised his hand and let me go. Today he was wearing a bright white brocade robe with the edges embroidered with fine golden dragon patterns in a low-key manner. Combined with the lake and willows behind him, he looked indescribably elegant and noble.
"I have already sent people to look for 'White Pearl Oil', so you don't have to come and talk to the princess yourself." Because the distance was still relatively close, he still had to lower his head slightly to look at me.
It seemed that Princess Rushuang had already told him about this, so I stopped avoiding the question and said, "I understand."
"Let's go," he suddenly pulled me up, "Let me see which bee scared you like this?"
I stuck out my tongue and followed him around the Imperial Garden. You wouldn't know how many kinds of flowers there are in this garden! Especially in midsummer, everything is in full bloom, and the vibrant colors are as colorful as those in spring.
Eunuch Ahfu sent someone to hold an umbrella and fan us, and asked if we needed a sedan chair. Song Heng turned around and asked me. I was confused for a moment and shook my head to refuse. Song Heng smiled and said, "I also want to walk slowly."
Song Heng didn't say anything. This sudden situation made me not know what to say. The two of us walked side by side on the winding gravel road, only hearing the incessant chirping of cicadas.
"Why is it so quiet today?" Song Heng suddenly spoke up: "Don't you usually mumble a few words when you read a storybook?"
"Hmm..." I hesitated for a moment: "Suddenly I don't know what to say..."
"Whatever you want to say," he continued walking. "Just say whatever you want to say. I'd rather listen to you than the chatter of the summer cicadas."
Why does this sound so strange???
I glanced around at the blossoming flowers in the garden, and suddenly the corners of my mouth curled up: "Your Majesty, would you like to guess a riddle?"
He raised his eyebrows slightly, "Tell me about it."
"Do you know who Mi's mother is?" I turned to look at him with a smile.
"What..." He seemed a little confused, obviously he had never heard of this kind of riddle.
"Rice is the kind of food we eat, and mother is mother!" I explained to him: "Guess who it is?"
"Hmm..." He frowned slightly: "Earth?"
"Shuowen Jiezi says: 'Tu' means the earth that gives birth to life." He explained slowly, "The earth gives birth to all things, and then gives birth to them. The mother of rice must be 'Tu'."
My playful expression froze instantly: He is an intellectual, don’t mess with him, serve tea to the boss!
He looked at my complicated expression and asked puzzledly, "No?"
Of course not! This is just a brain teaser for elementary school students! Why are you so serious?
"That's the farmer," he continued calmly. "'In spring, plant a grain of millet; in autumn, harvest ten thousand.' Only when the farmer works tirelessly can the granary be plentiful."
Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going?
Grandpa Afu next to us suddenly laughed softly. We turned to look at him, and he quickly lowered his head and covered his mouth.
"Afu, do you know the answer?" Song Heng looked at him curiously.
Eunuch Ah Fu glanced at me and said humbly, "I have only heard it from the servants, and I don't know if it is the answer."
Song Heng looked at my expectant expression, turned to Ah Fu and nodded slightly: "Go ahead."
"Is it 'flower'?" Grandpa Ah Fu whispered tentatively.
I jumped up immediately and smiled happily. Finally, there was a normal person!
"Yes, yes, that's right! It's flowers!" I almost wanted to high-five Grandpa Afu.
Song Heng frowned slightly: "Flowers?"
"Yes! 'Peanuts'!" I explained, "Peanuts are made of rice! So Hua is the mother of rice!"
Song Heng looked at me with a rather interesting expression. But due to his status as the Emperor, I swallowed my words of teasing.
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