Chapter 26 Demoted to Xiuyuan
Getting enough sleep is the best way to maintain beauty.
Su Ci woke up after dozing for half an hour, washed and changed into a plain green gauze dress. She only pinned a green jade hairpin in her hair, and put on some makeup in front of the bronze mirror to create a delicate fake natural look.
Guyu was studying very seriously.
Yanyu came in holding a small box: "Master, Fulu is back."
Su Ci opened the box and took a look. "Hmm, it looks quite similar. Put it down and put it on when you go to pay your respects tomorrow morning. Go out and tell the people outside that Fulu will be the head eunuch beside me from now on."
"yes."
Yanyu put down the wooden box and said, "Master, do you need to go to the imperial kitchen and give some instructions? Make some dishes that His Majesty likes."
"Your Majesty's favorite food is known to the Imperial Kitchen better than we are, so there's no need for specific instructions. However, I'm a little hungry now. Could you please make some milk cakes for me to eat a couple of to cushion my hunger so I don't eat too much in front of Your Majesty later?"
…
Xuan Yi returned to Funing Palace, changed into casual clothes, and walked to the bookshelf. He took out two portraits as usual and examined them carefully, outlining the charcoal lines with a hint of doubt in his dark eyes.
It is undeniable that Su Ci is very beautiful, and her every frown and smile is pleasing to the eye, making him unable to help but want to take a few more glances.
But for some reason, after only meeting her twice, he felt that this elf-like girl exuded an inexplicable mystery.
Sometimes she is cute and innocent, sometimes she is seductive, and sometimes she is shy and timid.
It seems like I have a crush on him, but upon closer inspection, it doesn't seem like it's really a crush...
Xuan Yi narrowed his dark eyes slightly, staring at the girl's moist eyes in the painting, pausing for a long time.
"His Majesty."
Qin Zheng stood by the door and whispered, "The dragon chariot is waiting outside."
Xuan Yi paused slightly, placed the two paintings into the grid, and turned to leave the hall.
Zhuang Yu, Qin Zheng and others who were accompanying him followed the dragon chariot to Yufu Palace.
The sun has set and the sky is filled with brilliant colorful clouds.
A young girl in a simple green dress stood in front of the vermilion gate, her whole body covered with a layer of colorful soft light. She looked at the man who walked in front of her with shy eyes, and bent her knees to prepare to kneel.
"Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome you..."
"No need to be polite."
Xuan Yi unconsciously raised his hand, and the girl's hand reached out to him, holding it, and he stood up straight.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
“…”
The palace maids around him all bowed their heads.
Su Ci smiled innocently, as if she hadn't noticed anything, and pulled the person inside: "Your Majesty, the imperial meal hasn't been served yet. Would you like me to have a cup of tea with Your Majesty?"
Xuan Yi lowered his eyes and stared at the fair jade hand that was tightly holding two of his fingers, then glanced at the palace maids around him, but in the end he did not pull his fingers away.
Forget it, if I say that to her in public now, I’ll probably be crying again when I get back to her and Hua Hua will be silent...
Zhuang Yu looked up, then happily waved his hand to let the eunuch leave and stand by the door properly.
Only Yanyu Guyu stayed in the hall to serve tea.
Su Ci stepped forward and presented the teacup to the emperor. Without stepping back, she tilted her head and looked at him with a smile.
Xuan Yi took a sip of the familiar Yueshan mist and his eyes swept over the only red rope and silver bell around the slender waist.
How many red ropes does she have?
Hmm, she's eating milk cake again...
"sit down."
"Oh, thank you, Your Majesty."
Su Ci took a step forward without hesitation and turned to sit next to him.
The main seat is a table and chair with armrests on both sides and a backrest, and it is wide enough to accommodate two people.
But Xuan Yi sat in the middle, and Su Ci squeezed between him and the armrest.
Yanyu Guyu was startled and quickly lowered his head, not daring to look at the king's expression.
Su Ci sat there with a clear conscience, and even leaned over Xuan Yi to reach out and take a small wooden box from the table next to the armrest on the other side.
"Your Majesty, didn't you say that I am a good painter? I just took the time to draw two kittens. Could you please give me some comments..."
Xuan Yi's nostrils were filled with the faint fragrance of the girl's hair, and he tilted his head and lowered his eyes.
"Look, isn't it cute?"
On the drawing paper, two little kittens are snuggling together, one is looking at him innocently, and the other is narrowing its eyes and sticking out its tongue, looking very cute. The delicate fur lines are obviously only in the monotonous black and white colors, but under the clever light and shadow depiction, it seems to have many colors.
Xuan Yi's attention was drawn to it, and he carefully observed the same depiction technique.
"How long did it take to complete this painting?"
Su Ci thought for a moment and said, "About two quarters of an hour. I was a little slow because I didn't have anything to compare it to."
Surprise flashed in Xuan Yi's eyes.
Such a detailed painting only took two quarters of an hour?
"Can you show me?"
Su Ci looked up in surprise: "Of course, Your Majesty, what do you want to see me draw?"
“…I’ll just draw you.”
“…”
Su Ci was stunned and lowered her head. She tugged at his sleeve and shook it, her voice so sweet that it was sickening: "Your Majesty, we haven't had dinner yet..."
Xuan Yi was also slightly stunned, staring suspiciously at the head rubbing against his shoulder.
Is there any connection between this painting and dinner?
Yanyu Guyu's head was almost buried in her chest, and her ears were red with shame.
Their master is too, too...
Qin Zheng walked over with her head lowered: "Your Majesty, Zhaorong, dinner is ready."
Su Ci quickly raised her eyes to glance at the man, without letting go of the sleeve she was holding, and obediently stood up and followed him to the side hall.
The imperial meal was ordinary, nothing special.
Xuan Yi glanced at his sleeves that had finally been released, bent down and sat down, and saw Su Ci taking the chopsticks from Qin Zheng.
"Sit down."
"…yes."
Su Ci returned the chopsticks to Qin Zheng, walked to the stool next to the emperor with a red face and sat down, but unexpectedly heard him asking a question.
"No milk cake for you?"
"ah?"
Su Ci looked at the serious man in confusion: "Uh, that's a dessert. I didn't know Your Majesty also likes it. Yanyu, go and bring the milk cake."
"Uh, yes!"
Yanyu hurried to the small kitchen at the back and brought over the three pieces of milk cake left by the master, putting them down. She stared at His Majesty in a daze as he picked up a piece and took a bite.
Oh my god, His Majesty actually ate the milk cake she made herself!
Xuan Yi savored the sweet pastry carefully and looked up at the girl who tilted her head curiously.
It turns out it has nothing to do with milk.
It's the unique milky sweetness of her body.
Still silent while eating or sleeping, Su Ci ate slowly and chewed the food in small bites, glancing suspiciously at the two remaining cakes.
What does it mean...
**
Qin Zheng and Zhuang Yu stood by and served the meal, Yanyu Guyu studied seriously, and the atmosphere was quiet.
Suddenly, the faint sound of competing pipa was heard.
Xuan Yi paused as he was picking up food, his brows furrowed slightly.
Zhuang Yu's face changed in shock, while Qin Zheng subconsciously looked at Su Ci and saw her blinking in confusion.
"What's that sound?"
Qin Zheng's eyes flickered slightly, and she walked out quickly. After a moment, she came back and reported with her eyes lowered.
"Your Majesty, it is Wei Zhaorong from the side hall who is playing the pipa in the pavilion."
The music continued, becoming clearer and clearer. Zhuang Yu glanced at the king nervously.
"Your Majesty, I will ask Wei Zhaorong to stop..."
"Wait a minute."
Su Ci put down her chopsticks, looking a little surprised. "Your Majesty, Sister Wei may not have known that Your Majesty was dining here, so she disturbed you. Should I go over and tell her?"
Xuan Yi's frown deepened a little, and his dark eyes glanced at the innocent-looking girl.
Is she really stupid or just pretending to be stupid?
Qin Zheng's eyes rolled slightly as she spoke softly, "Su Zhaorong is overthinking it. Your Majesty is dining with Su Zhaorong tonight, and everyone in the six palaces knows about it, not to mention Wei Zhaorong, who lives in the same palace with you."
“…”
Su Ci paused, her eyes wide open: "Mammy is saying that Sister Wei, she deliberately..."
Xuan Yi picked up the teacup and took a sip, his deep voice adding a hint of coldness.
"Zhuang Yu, send word to Zhaohua Palace that Wei Zhaorong has violated palace rules and has been demoted to Xiuyuan. She must choose another place to live."
…
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