Chapter 22
Although there was news about the antidote flower, the harvesting and transport of it back by fast horses would take until the ninth or tenth day of the seventh lunar month at the earliest.
During this period, His Majesty would fall ill at least once, but this did not stop Tian Wenshan and Meng She from cheering up.
The carrot hanging in front of me has finally taken shape!
After Meng She finished administering the acupuncture, Tian Wenshan and he went out and had a heated discussion. They finally reached a tacit understanding that as soon as the Po'e Flower entered the capital, it would be dissolved in water to make medicine, without giving any chance for delay or setbacks in between.
Since His Majesty still favors Lady Pei, the choice will naturally remain Lady Pei. Even if Lady Pei is unwilling, the die is cast and there is nothing that can be done.
This also saves His Majesty the time of hesitation.
What difference does it make whether I take my wife early or late?
Of course, they might be punished, but as long as the country is stable and His Majesty is safe, they would gladly accept even death for such a minor punishment.
Meng She asked, "Does His Majesty truly still favor Lady Pei?"
Tian Wenshan said confidently, "There's no mistake!"
The Imperial Concubine he had initially favored had gone to the Imperial Estate for a short stay, which not only reduced her contact with His Majesty but also showed no ambition towards him, so he naturally gave up on that hope.
Moreover, His Majesty left the palace once before. Although he did not accompany him, where else could he go but sit idly to see Madam Pei?
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It was two days later when Wu Shiyan returned to the estate.
The craftsman built a swing for Qi Yu and placed it in a corner of the garden. Next to it was a lush locust tree covered with white locust blossoms, which formed a shady spot to cover the swing. Opposite was a flower bed, and by gently swinging, one could take in the exotic flowers and plants in the garden.
Qi Yu was sitting on the swing, tapping the ground intermittently.
Wu Shiyan did not have anyone announce his arrival. A palace servant led the way, and as he approached the swing, he immediately spotted Qi Yu leaning against one end of the swing with her head tilted to the side.
She wore a light blue plain silk dress. Because the material was thin and smooth, the flowing fabric made her waist appear even more slender and her figure even more delicate.
Her chin was slightly pointed, and Wu Shiyan only then noticed that she seemed to have lost some weight since leaving the palace. Even though her lips were naturally red and her cheeks had a faint pink hue, it couldn't hide the fact that she had lost weight.
Qi Yu seemed to sense something and looked up, meeting the gaze of Wu Shiyan who had rushed over.
At this hour, he should have just finished court and rushed here.
Qi Yu stood up, and Wu Shiyan immediately came over and put one hand on her arm.
"Your Majesty," Qi Yu said gently, bowing her head.
To be honest, Wu Shiyan was disappointed not to see Qi Yu's smiling eyes. He felt that Qi Yu seemed to have become distant from him.
Wu Shiyan said, "I originally intended to come after finishing my duties in court, but unfortunately I fell ill, which delayed me and led to my arrival only today."
He took Qi Yu back to the swing.
Qi Yu pursed her lips. She was sick but didn't even tell her, which showed that she only liked her because of her appearance. So when she appeared in front of her, she only gave an explanation and didn't send her any news during the few days they didn't see each other.
Is it so difficult to send a palace servant to the estate to make a message?
However, Wu Shiyan's poisoning was extremely serious, and she was neither his confidante nor his beloved, so it was perfectly normal that he didn't tell her.
Qi Yu replied listlessly, "I understand."
There wasn't a trace of annoyance in Qi Yu's voice, so Wu Shiyan naturally didn't notice anything amiss. Seeing that she was bored, he suggested, "Ayu, sit on the swing, and I'll push you."
Hearing herself called A-Yu again, Qi Yu had a rather strange feeling.
Most importantly, Wu Shiyan's tone was unusually gentle. She nodded and finally became interested: "Push it higher!"
"good."
Wu Shiyan went around behind Qi Yu, touched her back, pushed her up, and then cushioned her fall as the swing went backward before pushing her forward again.
After several attempts, Qi Yu finally smiled and beamed.
Anyone would be happy to be coaxed by Xiaoyi.
A moment later, Qi Yu stopped Wu Shiyan, and looked at him while resting her chin on her hand and touching her cheek.
The atmosphere is just right right now. If an ordinary man met a girl he was even slightly attracted to, he would have already expressed his feelings.
She didn't believe Wu Shiyan would waste his time here with her, playing games with young girls without doing anything.
Wu Shiyan looked into Qi Yu's eyes and said with a smile, "Ayu, let me play a flute for you."
He couldn't bring himself to speak, so he let the sound of the flute express his feelings.
Wu Shiyan was clearly prepared; he brought a bamboo flute, which he put to his lips after Qi Yu expressed her desire to hear it.
The deep, lingering sound of the flute filled the air, and Qi Yu sat on the swing, listening intently.
It sounds nice.
She just thought it sounded nice.
As the song ended, Qi Yu met Wu Shiyan's expectant eyes and unconsciously clenched her fingers.
Oh no, she's hopeless when it comes to musical instruments. She can only judge whether something sounds pleasant or not, or whether it sounds hoarse or not, but she can't understand the meaning of the music at all, let alone respond to him.
Fortunately, before Qi Yu could hesitate, Wu Shiyan put down his flute, leaned closer, and placed a light, fleeting kiss on her forehead.
Upon hearing the mention of separation, he said, "This is my intention."
Qi Yu blinked, still looking bewildered.
Is he flirting with her?
Thinking this, Qi Yu nodded to Wu Shiyan, her eyes clear as water, which was very convincing.
Wu Shiyan stroked Qi Yu's hair and smiled slightly. In his opinion, A Yu was a very smart person, and there was no need to worry that she would not understand his meaning.
His flute playing told A-Yu that she was the only one in his heart.
They were of one mind and their love lasted a long time.
Ayu nodded solemnly to him, as if making a promise, and looked at him with tender affection, her silence speaking volumes.
Wu Shiyan took Qi Yu's hand and led her back to the main courtyard. This was a place he had lived in before, so he was familiar with it and knew where the wine he had buried himself on the estate was.
Qi Yu said, "Your Majesty, please take a look at my calligraphy. I feel that my recent attempts at calligraphy have not made any progress."
The inability to make progress is undoubtedly painful.
Wu Shiyan agreed, and the two went to the study.
Qi Yu took out all the characters she had copied and asked Wu Shiyan for guidance.
Wu Shiyan was highly skilled in calligraphy, and Qi Yu was completely immersed in his deep and gentle voice. An hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Wu Shiyan looked at Qi Yu for what seemed like the hundredth time. She had her head down, her brows slightly furrowed, and was carefully writing each stroke, as if nothing or anyone around her could attract her attention.
After Qi Yu finished writing the last character, Wu Shiyan took the brush from her hand, pushed the paper and inkstone aside to make room on the table, and then carried her to sit on the table.
Although everything is wonderful when he's with her, he came from afar and left without leaving a trace. He will definitely be unwilling to go to court tomorrow.
Qi Yu looked at Wu Shiyan with some confusion: "...There are palace servants."
Wu Shiyan took her hand and placed it on his shoulder: "I already sent people out."
They are lovers, so naturally they should do what lovers should do.
Qi Yu couldn't help but think that he had been planning this for an hour, and that his haste meant he had come here just to kiss her.
The bed in the room was no longer enough for him; he insisted on being in the well-lit study.
He was just infatuated with beautiful women.
Thinking this through, Qi Yu gradually relaxed. It was fine to just play around, after all, she couldn't afford to take responsibility for an emperor.
She's going to leave after that.
Wu Shiyan suddenly lowered his head and moved closer.
Their lips were almost touching.
Qi Yu took the initiative to lean closer and kissed Wu Shiyan's lips. Slowly, as if recalling the feeling of that night, a blush spread across her face, and her eyes became misty.
She was somewhat impatient, and her aggrieved gaze fell on Wu Shiyan's face.
Wu Shiyan froze. He was inexperienced and didn't know how to handle the situation.
He should have studied it carefully before he came.
Before she could regret it, Qi Yu's eyes welled up with tears, and she almost threw herself into Wu Shiyan's arms, hugging his waist and pressing her face against his clothes.
Wu Shiyan sighed hoarsely, "I will help you."
...
Wu Shiyan's fingers were long and beautiful, and his knuckles were not rough, but he was a man, so his hands were bound to be wider and thicker than Qi Yu's, thus making up for his lack of experience.
After the matter was over, Qi Yu had changed into a pale yellow dress and left the study with Wu Shiyan to have a meal in the flower hall.
She was unusually quiet during the meal, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes sparkled with a beautiful light.
Wu Shiyan prepared meals for Qi Yu several times, as she was too thin and needed to eat more.
Qi Yu ate all the food he had prepared without realizing it, and Wu Shiyan then understood the shyness in her heart.
After the meal, Wu Shiyan stopped Qi Yu: "How about coming back to the palace with me?"
Qi Yu didn't understand why Wu Shiyan brought this up, since the summer heat hadn't subsided yet, so she asked him.
Wu Shiyan said, "You are afraid of the heat, but now that I am here, I will make sure you are not hot at all."
Besides, there is enough ice in the palace. The reason Qi Yu was allowed to stay at the imperial estate for a short time was because there were many interesting things there that she would like.
Now that we've had our fun, it's time to return to the palace.
Most importantly, he was attached to her and didn't want to let her go too far.
Qi Yu naturally wouldn't agree. The palace was nowhere near as good as the estate, and besides, she had Wu Shiyun, a like-minded person, so she wouldn't easily return to the palace.
She said, "But I still want to go sightseeing in the capital with everyone during the Qixi Festival. It would be more convenient to stay at the estate. Why not return to the palace after the Qixi Festival when the summer heat has dissipated?"
Qi Yu looked at him gently.
Wu Shiyan's eyes darkened, but he finally patted her head and agreed.
In the afternoon, Qi Yu and Wu Shiyan whiled away the time on the couch, doing nothing but kissing each other. Qi Yu then became sleepy and fell asleep next to Wu Shiyan.
He muttered about how it felt and how cool it was, and soon fell asleep.
Wu Shiyan was helpless, realizing for the first time that his body temperature, which was cooler than that of ordinary people, had such a significant effect.
He pressed his forehead against Qi Yu's forehead and his cheek against her cheek, finally feeling satisfied.
He wouldn't touch her tonight either. He was too inexperienced and afraid of hurting her. Rather than being awkward and needing A-Yu to help and guide him, he would rather gain enough experience from the picture book and then truly hold her in his arms when they returned to the palace.
A note from the author:
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