When Guan Zhiyue finished distributing the gifts to her family, the housekeeper called for dinner, so they went to eat. After everything was finished, Guan Zhiyue returned to the courtyard where she used to live.
"Your Majesty, would you like to take a nap now?" Bilian asked.
Guan Zhiyue walked to the swing and suddenly remembered that when she returned to her parents' home last time, she was sitting on this swing and then flew off, and Li Qishang was injured on the shoulder by her.
"Bilian, come push my swing, I want to swing for a while." Guan Zhiyue had just eaten and didn't want to go to sleep yet. She wanted to digest her food in the yard before taking a nap.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
——
Inside the palace, Li Qiji sat at his desk, diligently working on the backlog of memorials submitted before the Spring Festival.
"Hua Quan, has the Empress returned to the Guan residence?" Li Qiji suddenly remembered something and asked.
"Your Majesty, Her Highness has probably already had lunch at the Guan residence by now."
"How many days will the Empress be away visiting her mother this time?"
Hua Quan thought for a moment and said, "Three days."
"Has it taken that long?"
Hua Quan: "......"
"Is there anything left to eat in her cold palace?" Li Qiji asked, seeing that Hua Quan did not answer him, and thus started another topic.
Hua Quan: "Should I send someone over to inquire?"
After a long pause, Li Qiji said, "Never mind, that woman probably took all the food with her. By the way, is the medicine the imperial physician prescribed for her still enough?"
Hua Quan: "Your Majesty, the imperial physician has prescribed medicine for seven consecutive days, so as long as the Empress's wound is treated continuously, there will be no problem."
Li Qiji's mind was actually in turmoil. He didn't really mean to hurt her that day; he just wanted to tease her. He probably didn't know how to control himself, which is why he ended up hurting her. Moreover, he felt strange these past few days, and whenever he had free time, he would recall what happened that morning.
"Oh, I understand."
Seeing his emperor like this, Hua Quan figured he must be missing the empress, so he coughed lightly and then risked his life to pay his respects.
"Ahem, Your Majesty, this servant has something I'm unsure whether I should speak of it?"
Li Qiji: "If you shouldn't say it, then shut up."
Hua Quan: ......
"This servant believes we should still speak!"
"Then speak." Li Qiji continued processing the memorial in his hands without looking up.
Hua Quan: "Your Majesty, are you thinking about the Empress?"
These words shocked the two people inside the house, as well as the people on the beam.
Li Qiji looked up from the memorial and asked Hua Quan, "What do you mean?"
Ji Wu, standing to the side, also strained his ears, while Ji Shang, perched on the roof beam, hollowed out his ears, waiting for Hua Quan to continue speaking.
"Has Your Majesty been thinking about the Empress these past few days? What is she doing? Has she eaten? Who is she with? What is she doing today?" Hua Quan asked.
Upon hearing Hua Quan's words, Li Qiji felt that the dead eunuch was absolutely right. But he was the emperor, after all. How could he admit that he missed that woman? Didn't he have any pride? He then coldly replied, "No."
When Hua Quan heard his emperor say this, he said nothing more. He thought to himself, "How could a man who has never cared about women suddenly want one?"
"Is that so? Then it seems His Majesty doesn't favor the Empress anymore. He must be too busy with state affairs. Your Majesty should take care of your health!" Hua Quan quickly replied.
Li Qiji heard the word 'like'. He didn't know what it meant, but that didn't stop him from trying to understand and interpret it himself.
"Like? Does that mean you miss her?" Li Qiji pondered to himself, then, unable to figure it out, he turned to Hua Quan and asked.
"Hua Quan, can you find any books that teach people how to do that kind of thing?"
"That kind of thing? What kind of thing?" Hua Quan asked.
Li Qiji was speechless. It was a bit embarrassing to talk about. His ears turned red as he said, "It's that kind of thing, the kind between men and women."
Upon hearing Li Qiji's words, Ji Shang, who was on the beam, stumbled and almost tumbled off the beam, but fortunately, he reacted quickly and grabbed the piece of wood he was leaning against.
Ji Wu was so frightened that he dropped the sword in his hand.
The loud thud startled the petrified Hua Quan, and also made Li Qiji turn his gaze to Ji Wu, "Why can't you even hold your sword steady now?"
"Your Majesty, my hand trembled slightly." Ji Wu quickly picked up the sword, knelt down, and clasped his hands in greeting.
Li Qiji glanced at him but didn't say anything. Instead, he looked at Hua Quan, who was standing to the side.
"What, you don't have any?"
Hua Quan quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, please wait a moment, this servant will go and find it right away."
Hua Quan quickly ran out of the imperial study. He dared not stay there any longer. Had his emperor gone mad lately? He was simply not himself anymore. He was becoming increasingly ill. He had never been involved in such things before. Had he grown up?
——
Guan Zhiyue was unaware of what was happening in the palace. She was currently outside the palace, having just woken up and been fed a half-full bowl of sweet soup by Bilian. It was simply too wonderful!
"Ah, life is so comfortable! If only I hadn't gotten married!" Guan Zhiyue sat on the stone table in the courtyard, looking up at the sky.
"Your Highness, please don't say that. If some people find out, they might impeach the Master and the others." Bilian looked around and then told Guan Zhiyue not to say such things.
After hearing Bilian's words, Guan Zhiyue said nothing more and continued to bury her head in her soup, sighing that life was so boring and unbearable.
Bilian then told Guan Zhiyue what she had just heard from the kitchen, so that her mother could also know.
Who are you talking about? I don't know anyone like that.
Bilian spoke with great enthusiasm, "Oh my, they are the royal merchants of our Nanding Kingdom!"
Who is it?
"Lan Shanqi".
After putting down the soup spoon in her hand, Guan Zhiyue looked at Bilian with shining eyes and said, "You mean he's the richest man in Nanding Kingdom?"
"Yes, and he's an incredibly handsome man!" Bilian's face lit up with hearts when she talked about him.
"How handsome is he? How does he compare to the Emperor?" Guan Zhiyue asked.
Bilian thought for a moment and said, "If we have to compare them, then our Emperor is still the most handsome."
The richest man in Nan Ding Kingdom, handsome and wealthy, gentle and refined, a master of the business world, and the largest royal merchant in Mingluo Continent. He has business in more than 40 of the more than 50 countries in Mingluo Continent, and is known as "Blue Merchant Qi".
He is 22 years old this year and 185 cm tall. He is also considered a good brother to the current emperor, Li Qiji, since the two complement each other.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I see. Looks like he's another handsome guy. So this person has come to the capital?" Guan Zhiyue asked, looking at Bilian.
"Yes, I heard they're heading to Beijing tomorrow."
“Oh, it seems we still have a chance to see it?” Guan Zhiyue said.
Bilian smiled and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, shall we go and take a look then?"
After hearing what Bilian said, Guan Zhiyue also wanted to see this man. He had business in more than 40 of the 50 countries. This man must be a powerful figure. Such a man must have some tricks up his sleeve.
"Okay, let's go check out this imperial merchant tomorrow too..."
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