Chapter 426 I like peonies because the Empress said she likes peonies.
Wuxin had no idea why the emperor before him was so furious. He dared not utter a word and quickly found a cloak for him to wear. He also had lanterns lit and servants attending to him. "Your Majesty, please slow down. It's snowing heavily outside, and the roads are slippery."
When Xie Shang arrived at the plum garden, he saw a woman dressed in mourning clothes picking plum blossoms. He walked towards her, his eyes flashing with murderous intent, grabbed the woman's wrist, and said coldly, "Who gave you permission to pick plum blossoms from the plum garden?"
Zhu Yiyi was startled. Her face turned red from the cold, and her fingers were icy. She was wearing a white cloak and had white velvet flowers in her hair. Her eyes were full of fear. "Your Majesty...please forgive me."
At the same moment, the plum blossoms she had packed in the food box fell out and landed on the white snow.
Seeing this, Zhu Yiyi's eyes flashed with heartache. She squatted down and said sadly, "I didn't mean to pick these winter plum blossoms. It's just that they bloom so brightly, yet they stand alone and proud on the branches. I don't want them to wither away without anyone to appreciate them, so I wanted to take them back to make incense."
Hearing her words, Xie Shang's anger subsided somewhat, and he asked in confusion, "You like plum blossoms?"
Zhu Yiyi held the plum blossoms on the ground and said softly, "Of all the plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums, I love the plum blossom the most. I love its spirit even more. Even in such a heavy snow, they still bloom in the cold, full of vitality, always giving people a sense of nobility and resilience. However, I also feel sorry for them. In the season when all flowers wither, they bloom in the face of the falling snow. They can only wither and be buried alone after the ice and snow melt. They are already so lonely. Why should they become even more lonely after blooming so passionately? So I dare to pick them and let their fragrance remain in the world forever."
A glint flashed in Xie Shang's eyes. He suddenly stared at Zhu Yiyi's face, imagining that she might be...
She is the daughter of an imperial censor, and she had the opportunity to enter the palace ten years ago. Could it be her?
Seeing him staring intently at her face, Zhu Yiyi assumed he had fallen for her. She smiled slightly, then, as if her legs had gone numb from squatting, she suddenly plopped down on her bottom in the snow.
Xie Shang stepped forward and helped her up, wanting to confirm his guess. Zhu Yiyi swayed as if she had lost her balance and accidentally fell into his arms. The faint fragrance of plum blossoms emanating from her was refreshing.
Xie Shang instantly sobered up upon smelling the fragrance, then pushed her away and said in a deep voice, "The snow is slippery, Miss Zhu, please be careful."
"May I ask Miss Zhu's age this year?" Xie Shang asked gently.
Zhu Yiyi was stunned, and said softly, "I just turned sixteen this year. My birthday is the fifth day of the tenth month." Why did he ask that?
A hint of disappointment flashed in Xie Shang's eyes; it wasn't her.
He had learned that the girl was in the process of losing her baby teeth, which was why she didn't have any front teeth. Girls at that age are at least five or six years old. She was taller than her peers and wore a snow-white long dress, looking like a fairy.
Thirteen years ago, Zhu Yiyi was only three or four years old. With such a large age difference, it's impossible for her to be Zhu Yiyi or Zhu Zhenzhen.
There was no fragrance of plum blossoms on that person. Back then, he just thought that a girl as open-minded as her must be a person of high moral character. She encouraged him and cheered him up. This plum garden was just his own longing, longing for someone who did not exist at all.
So many years have passed, the plum blossoms have bloomed and faded, faded and bloomed again, but what he cherished was nothing more than the belief in his heart that supported his efforts.
She must be holy and inviolable; no woman can compare to her.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I did not mean to offend these plum blossoms, but I also love them dearly." Zhu Yiyi was completely bewildered.
Seeing her in a white cloak, with red lips and white teeth, and a delicate and pretty face, Xie Shang thought that she would probably be as beautiful as the woman in front of him when she grew up!
No, she's prettier than her!
Seeing the infatuation in his eyes, Zhu Yiyi blushed even more, her eyelids drooping slightly, as if waiting for him to pull her into his arms.
The next moment, Xie Shang suddenly turned and left the plum garden. A trace of disappointment flashed in his eyes, and his heart felt even more desolate.
Zhu Yiyi stood there, still unwilling to give up, "Does His Majesty also like plum blossoms?" She felt that he would plant plum blossoms if he liked them.
"I don't like it." Even though it's beautiful, it's too lonely, so he doesn't like it either.
Zhu Yiyi was stunned, then asked, "What flowers does His Majesty like?" She would then make incense with the flowers in question.
Xie Shang said, "I like it..."
He suddenly remembered Jiang Fenghua saying that she liked peonies. Peonies are flowers of wealth and nobility. She liked the wealth and nobility of peonies. And how could he not covet the elegance and luxury of peonies? Only those who hold power are qualified to enjoy wealth and nobility. Therefore, he and Jiang Fenghua were the same kind of people.
The loneliness in his heart had been left behind thirteen years ago, vanishing without a trace along with that person.
Zhu Yiyi chased after Xie Shang, determined to get an answer today. Just a moment ago, he was clearly infatuated with her appearance, but why did he restrain himself? She felt that she was only one step away from the Emperor, so why was he so indifferent now, as if he had no feelings at all?
Zhu Yiyi stood obediently in the snow, her eyes fixed intently on the handsome emperor before her, trying her best to appear charming and lovely.
Xie Shang said, "I like peonies because the Empress said she likes peonies."
Zhu Yiyi froze, her expression seemingly cracked. She had said so much, but it turned out that the clown was herself.
Xie Shang seemed to recall the words left to him by the late emperor: an emperor cannot have emotions. He needed to restrain his love for Jiang Fenghua and his affection for Su Tingwan, just like his father's affection for his mother. He restrained himself for a lifetime before he was able to secure the throne.
Only by hardening his heart and casting aside all constraints can he become an invincible emperor.
He suddenly took Zhu Yiyi's hand, and through her eyes seemed to be speaking to another person, "If you could appear by my side, I would be very happy."
Zhu Yiyi froze, her face immediately turning shy. "Does Your Majesty want Yiyi to accompany you?"
Xie Shang didn't say a word, but said in a deep voice, "I had no intention of having Miss Zhu escorted out of the palace." He must be delirious from exhaustion and talking nonsense.
He returned to Taihua Palace without stopping. When the servants on the way saw the emperor with no warmth in his eyes, they all dared not look up. They couldn't even utter the words "respectfully seeing off His Majesty." The atmosphere was so cold that it was hard to breathe.
Zhu Yiyi stood there, frozen in place. The way the Emperor had taken her hand just now was so gentle. What did he mean by what he said? Was it because he was happy that she had appeared by his side tonight? Would she be able to come to the palace to see him again in the future?
He was furious, but he dared not retaliate. He also felt sorry for the Empress, as all the women were trying to get close to the Emperor.
What does the Emperor mean? Does he mean that after sending her out of the palace, he will bring her back in later? A nameless, unregistered wild woman.
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