Chapter 108: Doubts are resolved in the imperial study, and warm words gradually melt the old ice
The sun blazed brightly along the palace path, casting a warm glow on the vermilion walls. Xiaoyanzi, skirt lifted, hurried toward the imperial study. The collar of her moon-white gown blew slightly open in the wind, revealing her aquamarine undergarment. The mutton-fat jade bracelet on her wrist jingled with each step, and she kept muttering to herself, "No, no, what the Emperor said just now is wrong. How could the Empress be reborn? But she's been so kind to me, so unlike the stern-faced Empress in my past life..."
"Miss Fang is here?" Eunuch Su, standing at the door of the imperial study, was quick-eyed and quickly lifted the curtain. A whiff of ink mixed with ambergris wafted towards him. "The Emperor was just talking about you, saying it was time for you to arrive."
As Xiaoyanzi entered, she saw Emperor Qianlong standing by the window, reading a memorial. The sleeves of his bright yellow formal attire were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the faint blue veins on his forearms. Hearing the noise, he turned, a smile playing on his lips. "What took you so long to get away from Kunning Palace? What private words did the Empress ask you to share?"
"Father Emperor!" Xiaoyanzi rushed to him in a few steps, not even bothering to greet him. She stared at him with her hands on her hips, her eyes full of seriousness. "You just lied to me! The Empress didn't reincarnate at all, right? Then why is she suddenly so nice to me? She even gave me a jade bracelet, saying she was pleased to see me. Even Madam Rong didn't glare at me!" She rolled up her sleeves to show her wrist, the jade bracelet gleaming in the sunlight. "If this were in my past life, she would have asked Madam Rong to prick me with a needle when she saw me dressed like this! Besides, I was naughty in my past life, but I was forced to do that!"
"Forced?" Qianlong was startled at first, then burst into laughter. He laughed so hard that he reached out to the edge of the table to steady himself, and the corners of his eyes were wrinkled with laughter. He pointed at Xiaoyanzi and said in a playful tone, "Is there anyone in the world who can force you, Xiaoyanzi? Tell me, who has such great ability?"
Xiaoyanzi's cheeks burned from his laughter, and she stiffened her neck in defense, "That's right! If no one was always staring at me and finding fault, why would I deliberately do the wrong thing?"
"Are you deliberately doing this to me?" Qianlong laughed even more broadly. He walked forward and tapped her forehead with his finger. "In your previous life, in the Imperial Garden, you chose to walk on a path that was perfectly natural, but instead you used your 'superb' Qinggong skills to fly over the glazed tiles and walls, scaring the eunuchs and palace maids to their knees. Were you forced to do that?"
Xiaoyanzi's neck turned red when she was reminded of the past, and she muttered softly, "Isn't it time to rush and give litchi to Concubine Ling?"
"And more," Qianlong didn't give her a chance to explain, counting on his fingers. "The time you knocked over my inkstone on a memorial, I punished you to kneel in the Imperial Ancestral Temple for an hour to reflect on your sins. What happened?" He deliberately dragged out his tone, watching Xiaoyanzi's face gradually turn red like an apple. "But you, on the other hand, found a cotton pad from somewhere and secretly stuffed it under your knees. You even smugly told me, 'Your Majesty, look how perfectly I kneel,' euphemistically calling it 'kneeling is easy'—were you forced into this?"
"Oh, my Emperor!" Xiaoyanzi was embarrassed and anxious. She reached out to cover Qianlong's mouth, "How come you remember everything? It's just because you are young and ignorant!" But as soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. Thinking of the chaotic days in her previous life, her eyes flashed with a little light, "Besides, it was Jinsuo who found that cushion for me..."
"You, you," Qianlong said, smiling as he removed her hand. His fingertips were still stained with the scent of soapberries from her sleeve. "In this life, you've studied and understood the rules, but you've learned to make excuses." He pulled Xiaoyanzi over to the brocade stool and sat down, himself taking the chair opposite. His tone gradually softened. "But to be honest, although the Queen doesn't remember anything from her past life, she's seen your straightforward nature in this life, and she's often heard me praise your kindness, so naturally she likes you."
"She doesn't remember?" Xiaoyanzi blinked, feeling relieved, yet also a little disappointed. "Then I was so nervous just now for nothing. I thought she was holding a grudge."
"Silly girl." Qianlong picked up the cold tea on the table and handed it to her. "The Queen has devoted herself to worshipping Buddha in this life, and her temperament has become much more tolerant. She saw that you often helped the old eunuchs in the palace, and she even said to me, 'This girl looks lively, but she has a kind heart.' She likes you because of the good things you have done in this life, not because of anything in the past."
Xiaoyanzi took a gulp from the teacup. As the cold tea slid down her throat, the knot in her heart was completely untied. It turned out that the Queen's kindness was based on their relationship in this life, not the memories of a past life. This made her feel more at ease.
"Then she won't embarrass Ziwei in the future, right?" She put down her teacup, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Ziwei is so gentle and speaks softly. She definitely won't get into trouble like I did."
"Of course not," Qianlong said firmly. He picked up the poetry collection on the table and opened a page. The beautiful annotations on it were clearly visible. "The Queen asked about your friend from Jinan a few days ago. I heard from Concubine Ling that she was well-educated and well-mannered. I specially asked the Imperial Household Department to prepare some silk from Jiangnan, saying that I would give it to her to make clothes when we meet." He handed the poetry collection to Xiaoyanzi. "This is Yuhe's poetry collection from that year. Keep it for now and give it to Ziwei when she returns. Let her know that someone in the palace is waiting for her."
Xiaoyanzi took the collection and ran her fingertips over the yellowed pages. The handwriting was gentle and beautiful, very similar to Ziwei's. She held it carefully in her arms, and the last bit of doubt in her heart disappeared.
"By the way, is there any news from Ziwei?" Qianlong glanced at the sun outside the window, its rays already slanting across half the room. "According to the distance, we should be at Jingxin Academy."
At the mention of Ziwei, Xiaoyanzi immediately sat up straight, pulled out the topographic map drawn by Xiao Jian from her sleeve, and spread it on the table. "Not yet, but it should be soon. My brother and his men are waiting in the bamboo forest, and Liu Qing is watching at the door. No one from the E family dares to approach." She pointed to the backyard of the academy with her fingertips, her eyes sparkling. "The headmaster is my aunt's classmate. He will definitely take care of the token when he sees it. Don't worry."
Qianlong leaned over the map, tapping his fingertips lightly at the location of the academy. "The headmaster is a kind man. I had Eunuch Su pass on an oral order early this morning. Only he and two old servants are allowed to stay in the academy today. No one else is allowed to enter." He looked up at Xiaoyanzi with a smile in his eyes. "You are just a worrywart. News should be here soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, Eunuch Su tiptoed in with a note in his hand: "Your Majesty, this is a letter from Master Xiao saying that Miss Fang's friend has arrived safely at the academy, and the dean is talking to her. Everything is going well."
"Great!" Xiaoyanzi stood up suddenly, almost dropping the teacup in her hand. The smile on her face was as bright as the sunshine after the rain, so bright that it was blinding. "I knew Ziwei was the bravest!"
Qianlong's smile deepened as he watched her joy. Sunlight streamed into the hall through the window lattices, casting shadows of the window panes on the bluestone slabs. The air was filled with the fragrance of ink and tea, a warm and reassuring aroma. Xiaoyanzi looked down at the jade bracelet on her wrist, then touched the oil-paper package of osmanthus cake she'd hidden in her bosom, intending to give it to Ziwei. Suddenly, she felt that within these palace walls, there truly was a warmth unlike any she had experienced in her previous life.
"When Ziwei comes back, let's go to Kunning Palace together to express our gratitude." Qianlong picked up the red brush and looked at the memorial again, with a smile in his tone, "Let the Queen also meet your good sister. She will definitely be very happy."
Xiaoyanzi nodded vigorously and started thinking in her heart: "Then I have to let Ziwei wear that aqua green dress, which goes perfectly with her silver hairpin. The Queen will definitely like it when she sees it..." The sunlight fell on her face, making her eyebrows and eyes curved, as if hiding the warmth of an entire summer.
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