Chapter 3439 Madam Li
Just as she was thinking about it, Delu hurried in from outside: "Your Majesty, Madam Li has come into the mansion to pay her respects to you."
"Mrs. Li?"
Nan Yan was probably anxious from waking up early in the morning, and her mind wasn't very clear at this moment. She frowned and asked, "Which Madam Li?"
De Lu couldn't help laughing and said, "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? Is there any other lord here with the surname Li?"
Nan Yan was stunned for a moment, then immediately came to her senses.
"Look at me, I'm confused."
There is only one Lord Li here, and he is Li Bushang.
According to custom, when the imperial concubine accompanied the emperor on a tour to a place, in addition to the local officials who would accompany the emperor on the tour, the wives of the officials would be imperially ordered to come and pay their respects to the imperial concubine and accompany her in her spare time.
Among the officials here, Cui Yuanmei has the highest rank, but he still has no wife or children. The ranks of other officials are not high enough, so their wives are naturally not qualified to accompany the imperial concubine. Only Li Bushang has both the rank and qualifications, not to mention that he has another relationship with the imperial concubine. Therefore, it is reasonable and moral for him to let his wife come to accompany the imperial concubine.
I just didn't expect Xie Jiaojiao to come so early.
Nan Yan urged Ruoshui to comb her hair quickly, then said to Delu, "Let her in."
De Lu immediately turned around and left. After a while, he slowly walked in with a lady dressed in formal attire. She walked up to Nan Yan, kowtowed to her and said, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine."
“…”
The room was so quiet that there was no sound at all.
Ruoshui stood behind Nan Yan. She originally thought that since they were old friends, no matter what, even if she didn't show overly cordiality, Nan Yan would immediately let Mrs. Li excuse herself and give her a seat. However, Mrs. Li prostrated herself on the ground, and Nan Yan remained silent for a long time.
If Ruoshui didn't know her character, she would even think that the imperial concubine was deliberately making things difficult for Madam Li.
Seeing that she didn't move, Ruoshui coughed lightly.
“My Lady…?”
Hearing her voice, Nan Yan seemed to suddenly come to his senses and immediately said, "Oh, no, no need to be polite. Please take a seat."
Madam Li, who was kneeling on the ground, said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After saying that, she slowly stood up. Delu next to her immediately moved a chair behind her. After Mrs. Li apologized, she sat diagonally on the corner of the chair. When she looked up again, she met Nan Yan's frowning face with a serious expression.
Seeing the other person's face that looked like he had seen a ghost, Xie Jiaojiao just smiled faintly and lowered her head.
At this moment, although Nan Yan tried her best to control herself, she still felt as if she had seen a ghost.
Thank you Jiaojiao... ?
The person in front of me is Xie Jiaojiao?
She really couldn't believe her eyes.
Although she hadn't seen this girl since Li Bushang got married, and it had been several years, Xie Jiaojiao was indeed too special, completely different from those delicate and pretty young ladies from official families in the capital. Especially her ability to tame wild wolves, which made her and Li Bushang seem like a perfect match. Therefore, Nan Yan had a very deep impression of her.
But she could never have imagined that Xie Jiaojiao would become like this after just a few years of not seeing her.
To be honest, her appearance had not changed, and her clothes were more gorgeous than before, but Nan Yan clearly felt that something was missing from her.
It seems to be her aura.
But, maybe there's something more.
Not only did she no longer have the aura of rushing forward without fear of anything, but it even seemed as if—
It seems that there is no vitality at all.
She sat there, like a wooden body wrapped in gorgeous brocade, with a rigid smile on her face, but there was no smile in her eyes, and her whole body seemed to have lost its heat.
What's going on?
After not seeing her for a few years, how come she seems like a completely different person?
Nan Yan looked at her deeply, and for a moment she didn't seem to know what to say, but she really couldn't say nothing, because Xie Jiaojiao couldn't speak carelessly before the imperial concubine spoke.
After struggling for a while, Nan Yan finally said with difficulty: "Madam Li...how have you been these years?"
Xie Jiaojiao looked up at her.
Then he smiled and said, "Okay."
After saying this, he seemed to feel that it was wrong for him to be so perfunctory to the imperial concubine, so he said again: "Very good."
“…”
Nan Yan's brows were furrowed.
A girl, who was so reckless that she even dared to scheme against them, has changed to the way she is now, where she has to weigh every word she says, yet it seems as if she is being manipulated. How could she be fine in these years?
Could it be that Li Bushan treated her badly?
She wanted to ask, but she felt that she shouldn't ask this question.
Especially since the other party is Li Bushang’s wife.
So, Nan Yan forced a smile and nodded, saying, "Okay, okay, okay."
After saying that, he still looked at Xie Jiaojiao intently.
Xie Jiaojiao sat quietly for a while, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, accompanying His Majesty on this tour of Yongzhou, it must have been very tiring. I wonder if you had a good rest last night?"
Nan Yan nodded: "Okay."
Xie Jiaojiao asked, "Then, Your Majesty, is there anywhere you want to go today?"
Nan Yan said, "Hmm?"
Xie Jiaojiao smiled and said, "I heard that Your Majesty once accompanied His Majesty the Emperor on a tour of Yongzhou."
As she spoke, the smile on her face deepened, and her eyes, like a stagnant pool of water, finally rippled. She seemed to have regained some vitality as she said, "Don't hurt him. It seems that it was at that time that I followed His Majesty the Emperor and His Majesty."
When this matter was mentioned, Nan Yan turned around.
He laughed and said, "He even told you this."
“…”
"Yes, it's been over ten years now. Back then, he was just a skinny, dark-skinned kid. Who would have thought he'd become the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard? It's been almost two years since he brought you to Yongzhou to take up your post. Has he ever taken you to revisit any of our old haunts?"
Xie Jiaojiao smiled and said, "Yes, he has taken me to many places, and the scenery is beautiful."
After saying this, Xie Jiaojiao looked up at Nan Yan and said with a smile, "If your Majesty is interested, you might as well revisit this old place."
"this--"
Nan Yan was a little hesitant.
This is a border town after all. Although there has been no war between Yan and Yue in recent years, the Yue Prime Minister Chen Biri was assassinated on the border last month, which shows that this place is not completely safe.
What's more, with my status, I shouldn't go out and wander around.
Seeing her hesitation, Xie Jiaojiao smiled and said, "It's my fault for being too talkative. Since this place is your hometown and those things happened there, Your Majesty should be a little cautious."
When Nan Yan heard this, her brows furrowed.
"What are you avoiding?"
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