Chapter 94 Home, Sky, Sea, Who Can Compare?
Unlike the layout in the imperial city, the layout inside the temporary palace is more light and bright.
Unlike Hanyuan Hall, which has many arched curtains in its inner hall, the curtains in Chengji Palace are all made of silk gauze, so the light and shadows that filter through are hazy and not at all glaring.
Emperor Xuanpei stirred and opened his eyes to find that Azhu had already woken up.
Emperor Xuanpei glanced subconsciously at the hazy, even somewhat dark sky outside, then turned and touched Azhu's face again.
"Why did you wake up so early?"
Hearing Emperor Xuanpei's voice, Azhu, regaining her senses, clutched her chest and murmured softly, "I feel anxious and uneasy."
Seeing Ah Zhu's blank stare and slightly furrowed brows, Emperor Xuanpei hugged Ah Zhu and reached out to rub her chest.
“The summer heat is unbearable, and you haven’t had much of an appetite these past few days. The capital city is stifling, and you haven’t been sleeping well at night. Even after coming to this palace… you still can’t sleep soundly.”
Emperor Xuanpei sighed softly.
"If I had known, I would have let Chen'er leave the palace later."
After thinking for a moment, Emperor Xuanpei said again, "If it's like this in the palace, it must be even more unbearable outside."
"Why don't I issue an edict now to let Chen'er return to the capital first, and then let him go out to gain experience after some time?"
"Your Majesty."
"I just woke up a little early today, and... I was being a little dramatic and wanted His Majesty to coax me. What does that have to do with Chen'er?"
A-Zhu, both amused and exasperated, grasped Emperor Xuanpei's hand and quickly stopped him from having this idea.
"There's no point in making them run back and forth for nothing."
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu and said somewhat seriously, "Are you sure you don't need Chen'er to come back?"
"After summer, the time around the beginning of autumn is the best time to go out."
A-Zhu rolled over and lay on Emperor Xuanpei's chest, cupping his face and kissing him.
"This whole affair has already left the palace; there's no reason to summon them back now."
"Moreover, the one who can accompany me for a lifetime is His Majesty."
"Since you're here, I was just whining and muttering a few things, hoping you would coax me a little more."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanpei chuckled softly.
He wrapped one arm around A-Zhu's waist and pressed the back of her head with the other, easily turning her over and covering her completely.
When he didn't have to attend the morning court sessions in the capital, Emperor Xuanpei had plenty of time to while away the hours with her.
Moreover, being in the imperial palace, if they were to make such a fuss in a muddle, it would take up an entire morning.
A-Zhu quickly bent her knees slightly, reached out and pushed against Emperor Xuanpei's chest, saying repeatedly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, didn't you promise me yesterday that you would collect lotus dew?"
"The time is perfect; why don't we go boating on the lake together? It would be elegant and enjoyable."
Emperor Xuanpei stared at Azhu for a while, then tilted his head back and chuckled softly before slowly releasing Azhu.
"Alright, let's go boating together then."
Ah Zhu jumped up from the bed.
She fled as if escaping, slipping on her embroidered shoes and leaving.
"Then I will go wash up and get ready."
Unable to bear seeing A-Zhu escape from his side, Emperor Xuanpei subconsciously reached out and grabbed A-Zhu's arm.
Caught off guard, A-Zhu was pulled back onto the couch.
"Your Majesty!"
After calming down from the sudden fright, seeing Emperor Xuanpei's solemn expression and tense jawline, Azhu thought for a moment, then smiled and moved closer to him.
"Your Majesty, you never saw what I looked like when I was picking lotus leaves and collecting dew back then. Today, I will dress similarly to accompany you, is that alright?"
This statement proved very useful to Emperor Xuanpei.
After all, human nature is greedy and insatiable.
It wasn't enough for Emperor Xuanpei to just possess Azhu's present and future; he also wanted to explore and hold Azhu's past in his hands.
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei nod and slowly release his grip on her arm, Azhu kissed Emperor Xuanpei's pursed lips, and then called out to Qingliu.
Emperor Xuanpei, sitting on the couch, could still hear Azhu's cheerful voice even through the screen.
"Qingliu, quickly find my light blue plain dress."
"By the way, let's not wear those phoenix feather headdresses, jade hairpins, and gold hair ornaments today. If someone were rowing and accidentally fell into the lake, that would be such a disaster..."
As Emperor Xuanpei listened, he couldn't help but slowly begin to smile.
Just as he was about to get up, Eunuch Chen hurriedly entered the hall.
As A-Zhu emerged from the washroom, he saw Eunuch Chen bowing his head and speaking to Emperor Xuanpei. Noticing the Emperor's slightly gloomy expression, A-Zhu stopped in his tracks.
Emperor Xuanpei immediately looked up.
Upon seeing that it was A-Zhu, Emperor Xuanpei's expression softened.
Eunuch Chen also turned to the side and bowed to A-Zhu, saying, "Your Majesty."
Ah Zhu smiled and nodded in return.
Stepping forward, A-Zhu reached out and picked up Emperor Xuanpei's sapphire blue robe with dragon motifs, and began to help Emperor Xuanpei change his clothes.
After dressing and smoothing out her sleeves, A-Zhu said gently, "Your Majesty's affairs are of utmost importance; a boat trip on the lake is fine."
It was rare to see A-Zhu so happy so early in the morning these past few days, so Emperor Xuanpei naturally didn't want to spoil the mood and disappoint A-Zhu.
"It's nothing important."
"It's just a tedious job that's easy to offend people, and several old men were pushing each other to avoid getting involved."
“I will go and see, and let them ‘choose’ a ‘capable person’ to go out of the capital.”
"Go to the boat first, um... you can pick some fresh lotus pods to eat, I'll be there in a bit."
Even at this age, Ah Zhu, who is still treated like a child by Emperor Xuanpei, couldn't help but laugh when she heard Emperor Xuanpei's last sentence.
Emperor Xuanpei, with a gentle expression and a smile in his eyes, reached out and touched Azhu's face.
A-Zhu smiled and tilted her head to rub against Emperor Xuanpei's hand.
"Then I will go to Heze first."
"Go ahead, I'll be there soon."
*
It has always been customary to collect "winter plum blossoms and snow, summer lotus dew" for brewing tea and wine.
Azhu had done this job when she was in Kunning Palace.
Now that so many nobles from the palace are in the temporary palace, the stewards there are naturally eager to indulge in some rustic pleasures, trying to "pretend to be cultured" and showing their respect.
Therefore, these months are also the busiest time for the palace staff.
It was now broad daylight, and the palace servants, looking hurried, quickly stepped aside to the sides and bowed as the imperial procession approached.
Emperor Xuanpei, who had lingered for a while in the outer hall, continued on his way to Heze without stopping after leaving Chengji Palace.
Even from a distance, Emperor Xuanpei saw a small boat floating not far from the lake.
The summer sun poured onto the lake, making the rippling blue water almost blinding. Even though the cabin was mostly shaded, a figure in a pink and white dress could still be vaguely seen standing on the side of the boat.
Emperor Xuanpei felt a sense of danger just looking at that location, and his eyelids twitched, causing his heart to leap into his throat.
He frowned and quickened his pace, only to see the small boat begin to sway and rock.
The figure standing on the side of the boat staggered and swayed, then with a scream, plunged into the water with a "plop."
"—!"
Like a gust of wind, Emperor Xuanpei swept past and jumped into Heze Lake without hesitation, swimming towards the figure that had fallen into the water.
"Your Majesty!!!"
Stunned, Eunuch Chen turned pale and screamed in a shrill voice, his expression contorted.
"His Majesty has fallen into the water?!?"
After that, Eunuch Chen trembled and could barely speak.
He scrambled and stumbled towards the edge of Heze, trembling all over, and cried out in a shrill voice, "Hurry, hurry, hurry..."
At this point, there's no need for Eunuch Chen to remind us.
The guards and palace servants ran faster than anyone else, jumping one after another into Heze Lake to rescue people.
*
On the other side, a small boat nestled among the best-growing lotus flowers was entirely blue.
Although it was a small boat, it was far more spacious and luxurious than the small boats used by the palace servants.
The poles at the bow of the boat are supported by Sancai and Sixi.
Green Lotus was picking lotus pods on one side, while A-Zhu and Green Pomegranate sat in the cabin, laughing and peeling lotus seeds to eat.
Ah Zhu was focused on picking lotus seeds when she suddenly heard a commotion. Then, Sixi turned around and went into the cabin with a somewhat panicked expression.
"Your Majesty, something has happened! It seems His Majesty has fallen into the water!"
"ah???"
The lotus seedpod in A-Zhu's hand fell to the ground.
She jumped up, but her head hit the cabin wall.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, be careful!"
Ah Zhu covered his head, bent over, and crawled out of the cabin.
After San Cai struggled to row his boat out of the "lotus field," he saw a huge, dark mass of people standing on the bank, including the emperor's dragon-patterned canopy.
Feeling quite frightened, Ah Zhu grabbed a nearby oar and started rowing. The others quickly joined in, rowing the boat towards the shore at high speed.
*
Amidst the rushing water, there were still panicked shouts from the boat.
"Lanhe, Sister Lanhe!"
"Sister Lanhe can't swim."
"Help! Help! Help quickly!"
"......"
Amidst the panicked shouts, the several palace maids, stunned, immediately knelt down beside the boat, speechless, upon seeing who had lifted Lanhe.
Emperor Xuanpei, who had bravely swam over, gritted his teeth and desperately pulled the person to the surface, only to see clearly what the person who had fallen into the water looked like—it was not Azhu.
'It's not A-Zhu, it's not A-Zhu, it's not A-Zhu...'
Emperor Xuanpei, whose mind was filled with the same voice, laughed as if he had survived a calamity.
Soon, Emperor Xuanpei and Lanhe were led ashore by a group of guards.
Eunuch Chen's legs were trembling at this moment.
He wiped away his tears and repeatedly chanted "Amitabha Buddha".
"Your Majesty, you are of inestimable worth. With so many people around, anyone could save a palace maid. Why do you have to risk your life?"
Lanhe, who had fallen into the lake, choked on water, and lost consciousness, was now kneeling on the ground, thanking the emperor repeatedly with fear and trepidation after spitting out the water. She was wearing the standard attire of a palace servant, and looking at the simple, plain black boat... she really didn't look like one at all.
Such a glaring difference meant that if Emperor Xuanpei had calmed down even a little, he would have known that it definitely wasn't Azhu.
But... obviously, not everyone and everything in this world can be discussed calmly and rationally according to reason.
The moment Emperor Xuanpei jumped into the lake, he had no thoughts whatsoever.
All he knew was that it might be A-Zhu, and that was enough.
"Your Majesty!!!"
Turning around, Emperor Xuanpei saw a figure rushing towards him with a face full of anxiety and tears in his eyes, and instinctively reached out his hand.
With a "thump," he was firmly embraced, and Emperor Xuanpei's heart settled back into his stomach.
Upon hearing the news of the disaster, Chief Steward Dai, who was in a panic, rushed over and knelt before Emperor Xuanpei, repeatedly begging for forgiveness.
Ultimately, it was just an accident, and Emperor Xuanpei didn't hold it too harshly.
Seeing that A-Zhu was in a hurry to summon the imperial physician and wanted to go back quickly to change his wet clothes, Emperor Xuanpei did not linger and left with his men.
Chief Steward Dai, who had been kowtowing repeatedly and shouting "Respectfully seeing off the Emperor," breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down on the ground as the Emperor set off.
He wiped his sweat and suddenly turned to look at Lan He kneeling behind him.
After looking Lanhe up and down, seeing her youthful beauty, bright and charming face, and curvaceous figure, the usually stern Eunuch Dai revealed a kind smile.
He sent a young eunuch to fetch an outer robe, which he then personally draped over Lanhe's shoulders.
"Miss Lanhe, you were frightened when you fell into the water. Go back and rest well."
Lanhe pulled on her outer robe, thanked Eunuch Dai, and stood up.
Eunuch Dai glared at the young palace maids around him who were still in a daze.
"What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and help your sister Lanhe back to rest!"
Yes, yes.
Watching the figures of Lanhe leaving in twos and threes, Grandpa Dai smacked his lips, looked back at Heze and the small boat, looked up at the sky, and chuckled.
......
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