Gently taking Liu's hand, Kangxi comforted her with kind words, "It's alright. I came suddenly without prior notice, so it's understandable that you didn't know. There was nothing impolite about it."
With a soft laugh, Kangxi put his arm around Liu and whispered in her ear, "You look so beautiful tonight, without any artifice."
Liu was just an ordinary woman in ancient times, with a simple personality. She had never had much interaction with men outside the family and had never experienced this situation before. Upon hearing such slightly ambiguous words, her ears immediately turned red, and her face flushed red with embarrassment.
Seeing Liu's face flushed red, her eyes filled with tenderness and shyness, Kangxi's lips curled up, and he was suddenly intrigued. He picked Liu up and walked steadily into the inner room. Before long, ambiguous moans came from inside.
The next morning, Lady Liu respectfully helped Emperor Kangxi get up and dress. After she finished tidying up and saw Emperor Kangxi off, she turned around and went back to sleep.
In the afternoon, estimating the time and thinking that Yunyi should have already gotten up, Liu Shi had a palace maid take a handkerchief she had made to the main hall to pay her respects to the Imperial Concubine.
"Oh! Consort Liu has come to visit me?" After putting down the book in her hand and swallowing the pastry in her mouth, Yunyi said to Ruoshu with a surprised tone.
As she got up and tidied herself, Yunyi was surprised. This Consort Liu rarely went out, so why did she suddenly decide to come see me today?
Suddenly remembering what happened last night, Yunyi couldn't believe it. Could it be that she came to thank me because I asked Kangxi to go find her last night?
With a chuckle, Yunyi couldn't help but laugh, amused by the thoughts in her mind. "Doing this makes me look like a madam!"
With a serious expression, Yunyi put away her smile and returned to normal, instructing Ruoshu to let Liu Shi in.
Liu entered the main hall, not daring to be presumptuous. She carefully approached Yunyi and performed a deep bow. "This concubine, Liu, greets Your Highness, the Noble Consort. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
"No need for formalities, please rise." After gesturing for Liu to rise, Yunyi said to Ruoshu, "Ruoshu, please offer Consort Liu a seat."
Liu thanked the Imperial Concubine, saying, "Thank you for offering me a seat, Your Highness." After sitting down, she explained her purpose. "I heard that Your Highness is pregnant, so I came to offer my congratulations. These are a few handkerchiefs that I embroidered myself. They are crudely made and not worth much. Please take them and give them away."
Ruoshu took the gift from Jinxiu's hand, examined it discreetly, and seeing that Yunyi wanted it, took the gift from her.
Knowing that Ruoshu had already checked it, Yunyi picked up a handkerchief without hesitation and examined it carefully in front of her.
The handkerchief in her hand wasn't made of any precious material, but for Liu, it was probably the best material she could use as a concubine.
The handkerchief's appeal lies in its exquisite and beautiful patterns, the lifelike embroidery, the meticulous workmanship, and the fine stitches, showing that the person who embroidered it was very dedicated.
She put down the handkerchief, gesturing for Ruoshu to carefully place the gift. Amazed by the gift, Yunyi couldn't help but wonder if all the girls in ancient times were so skilled, all of them masters of embroidery.
Putting aside all those other thoughts, Yun Yi thanked Liu Shi and said, "Thank you for your gift. I like it very much."
Hearing Yunyi's words, Liu Shi breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad Your Majesty likes it. I'm grateful that you don't mind. If you want more, I'll make some more and send them to you."
With a shy smile, Liu said apologetically, "I have nothing of value except for my embroidery skills, which are something I can be proud of."
Surprised by Liu's honesty, Yunyi found her quite adorable and her liking for her increased considerably. Remembering Liu's fondness for food, Yunyi thoughtfully instructed Ruoshu, "Go to the small kitchen and get some pastries for Consort Liu to try."
Liu was overjoyed and excitedly thanked Yunyi, saying, "Your Majesty is so kind, knowing that this is my favorite food."
She smiled faintly and said, "I know you're a little glutton. The cooking skills in my kitchen are no less than those in the imperial kitchen. Since you're here today, you should have a good taste."
"Since Your Majesty has said so, I must try it." Infected by the relaxed atmosphere, Liu gradually let go of her true nature and spoke less reservedly.
Ruoshu, accompanied by a young palace maid, brought up several plates of pastries, presenting them to her mistress and Consort Liu, before quietly retreating to Yunyi's side.
Liu had been looking forward to it all along. As soon as the pastries were served, she couldn't wait to grab a piece and pop it into her mouth to savor it.
The kitchen staff's cooking was indeed exceptionally good. Liu had high expectations, and the food did not disappoint her.
This chestnut cake is soft, chewy, and delicious, sweet but not cloying. The aroma of chestnuts blends perfectly with the subtle sweetness of honey, creating a unique and delightful sensation. Even after finishing one piece, the delicious flavor lingers on your palate, a flavor that won't fade away.
Liu ate a piece of pastry, and the delicious taste made her squint her eyes and reveal a kitten-like smile.
"Mmm, it's so delicious!" She grabbed another piece of pastry, eating as she mumbled her praise.
Yunyi was amused by her appearance. Seeing that she was eating too fast, she quickly advised her, "Eat slowly, it's okay, there's plenty more next to you."
Seeing that she had only eaten one kind, he warmly invited her to try other pastries, saying, "Try the other desserts and see if you like them. If you like them, eat more."
After finishing one piece, Lady Liu took two other pastries to try, praising them repeatedly, "Mmm, thank you, Your Highness. Your pastries are so delicious! Your skills are indeed comparable to those of the Imperial Kitchen."
Seeing Liu's appearance, Yunyi suddenly remembered a little tabby cat she had seen in modern times. When it ate its favorite small fish, it looked just like that, enjoying itself immensely. It was incredibly cute.
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