46 Let's talk
Does Mrs. Guo need me to put in a good word for her?
Lin Ao, carrying several boxes of clothes, jewelry, rouge, powder, and various jade pendants and treasures, arrived at the newly built residence of the First Princess of the Yuan Dynasty, the Yuhua Palace.
The Jade Flower Palace was not decorated in a particularly elaborate way. The furnishings were simple and the various items were not luxurious. Qi Gu felt that her mother understood her very well in this respect. The Jade Flower Palace did not have priceless decorations or rare treasures, but she lived there comfortably and at ease.
The warm, cozy scent emanating from the quilt, like the smell of sun-dried corn, helped her fall asleep quickly.
The Jade Flower Palace is situated in a location where it receives bright sunshine in the morning and where the moon can be seen high in the sky when the windows are opened at night. When Lu Ao chose the palace for her, she must have thought it through carefully.
There are now two eunuchs in her palace. On this day, one of the eunuchs came to announce, "Your Highness, Lin Ao, who serves Lady Guo in the Pixiang Palace, requests an audience."
Hongyan looked at the princess, who was instructing people to tidy up the ground in the courtyard, and put down her rolled-up sleeves. "Let her wait in the side hall."
“Princess, the Empress is currently confining Pixiang Palace. This old woman Lin is sure to bring no good news. It would be better to send her away.” Hongyan was worried that the eldest princess, being new to the palace, might not know the complexities of human relationships within Changyang Palace. Although the princess wasn’t particularly close to her and Honghu these past few days, she found the princess to be straightforward and not overly harsh on her servants. As long as they did their duty, the princess was actually quite lenient with them.
"I think the person in Pixiang Palace is currently under house arrest. The reason she sent Lin Ao here might be to apologize to the princess for what happened to the second princess before."
Qi Gu emerged from a newly turned patch of earth in the courtyard, glanced at Hongyan, then at Honghu, her gaze lingering for a moment on Honghu's still-childish face, before saying, "What is meant to be will be."
Qi Gu led Hongyan and Honghu into the side hall, and Lin Ao bowed respectfully upon seeing her.
Qi Gu sat down, and Lin Ao saw that the eldest princess was wearing a deep red blouse with only a white jade hairpin in her hair, but her overall demeanor was just as rumored, somewhat similar to that of the empress.
She immediately smiled obsequiously and said, "Your Highness, our lady is unwell, and the Second Princess is attending to her, so it should have been the Second Princess who came in person. I had no choice but to make this trip."
Pointing to the several lacquered gold boxes behind her, Lu Ao said, "This is a small token of our lady's appreciation. We hope the princess will accept it. It is also an apology to the eldest princess for what the second princess did before."
Qi Gu smiled, "Madam Guo is ill, and I should have gone to visit her. However, the Empress Dowager has decreed that no one should disturb her. I have accepted these things, and please thank Madam Guo for her kindness."
Seeing that the eldest princess was approachable and smiled at her, and did not refuse the gifts she received, Lin Ao tentatively said, "The eldest princess is truly a magnanimous person who does not hold grudges, but..."
She seemed hesitant to speak, as if she wanted to, but then asked innocently, "But what is it?"
Lin Ao smiled somewhat ingratiatingly, yet with a determined air, and said with her head bowed, "Our lady would like to ask the eldest princess to put in a good word for our lady and the second princess before the Empress."
Qi Gu feigned curiosity and asked, "Sound words? Does Madam Guo need me to speak well of her?"
"Princess, you've just entered the palace, so you probably don't know that Her Majesty the Empress has a misunderstanding about our Lady. It's all just gossip from the palace staff. Actually, our Lady has a deep affection for Her Majesty the Empress!"
Qi Gu took the tea from Hong Yan and had just taken a sip when she heard the word "Ru Mu" (濡慕). She spat out the tea, coughing loudly.
Looking again, Lin Ao's face was covered in tea spray, and Honghu couldn't help but chuckle.
Hongyan quickly shook her head at her, "Honghu."
Qi Gu suppressed a laugh: "Lin Ao, right? I'm really sorry, are you alright?"
Aunt Lin took out a handkerchief and wiped the water from her face. Even if something was wrong, she had to say that nothing was wrong at this moment.
Regardless of what Madam Guo's intentions were in bringing Lin Ao on this trip, she successfully left a deep impression on Qi Gu.
She remembered that in her previous life, Madam Guo did not send anyone to give her gifts. Perhaps in Madam Guo's eyes, he did not need to be won over.
However, it's hard to say whether Madam Guo's current attempt to win her over is genuine or just a pretense.
After Lin Ao left, Hongyan looked at Qi Gu with concern, "Your Highness, please don't fall for Madam Guo's tricks. If you really plead for her, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to Her Majesty the Empress? Madam Guo clearly has no good intentions."
Qi Gu glanced at Hong Hu, and seeing her nod in agreement, she asked, "Hong Yan, Hong Hu, do you know what the most unethical thing in this world is?"
Hongyan and Honghu shook their heads, wondering why the eldest princess had suddenly asked such a question.
Qi Gu smiled slyly, "Taking money and not doing the job is the most unethical thing to do."
"Go, help me get the bundle I prepared, I'm going to Huangtian!!"
In the Imperial Garden, the eldest princess changed into an apricot-colored straight-hemmed dress, with a string of emerald green jade pendants hanging from a red and white belt around her waist.
Li Shi was bending over weeding millet and wheat in the field when he saw her. He clicked his tongue twice and said jokingly, "Oh, the princess has arrived. We are honored to have her here."
"Come here, bring me my hoe, I'm going to work in the fields." Qi Gu deliberately put her hands on her hips and raised her head.
The two looked at each other's affected manner and burst into laughter face to face...
"Yes, she's still my diligent, farming-loving student." They can no longer address each other as father and daughter, but Li Shi feels that being a father for a day is being a teacher for life, which is not bad either.
"How are those experimental seedlings we brought from Lijia Village doing? Have they been transplanted yet?"
"Don't worry, the seedlings have been cultivated and transplanted today."
Qi Gu walked over to the place where the experimental seedlings were transplanted and looked around. Only then did she feel relieved. She then said to Li Shi, "By the way, Master, I have already had someone prepare the house that Father and Mother bestowed upon you. You can move there from the Sima Mansion's villa another day."
"I'm afraid that won't work." A persistent voice echoed from behind.
Qi Gu turned her head and asked, "What brings Lord Sima to this place?"
Sima Hongdao said, "Mr. Li has already gotten used to living in my villa. Moreover, Mr. Li and I have already discussed this beforehand, and I have also explained it to His Majesty. In order for the smooth sowing of wheat next year, it would be better for Mr. Li to continue living in my villa."
"you……"
Seeing that Qi Gu was about to argue with Sima Langjun, Li Shi quickly pulled her back, saying, "Qi Gu, forget it. It's fine living in Sima Langjun's mansion. I'm used to it."
"Master, you're not hiding anything from me, are you?" Qi Gu leaned closer to him and asked softly, "He didn't threaten you into doing anything, did he?" She was worried that Sima Hong had a scheme to threaten her father.
Li Shi looked at his silly daughter, rubbed his forehead and smiled bitterly, "Aunt Qi, you really are a... little cutie, hahaha!"
He now believed that his silly daughter had absolutely no romantic feelings for the incredibly handsome man in front of her; otherwise, she would never have understood why he insisted on having her stay at his villa.
It's a pity. He thought highly of Sima Hong. He knew Sima Hong was a ruthless character. If Qi Gu liked him too, he would be relieved, at least she wouldn't be schemed against by those cunning people in the palace. Unfortunately, his daughter just didn't like this type.
Li Shi cast a sympathetic glance at Sima Hong. "Hmph, Sima Hong is perfect. I'm afraid Qi Gu will be the only window that heaven closes for you," Li thought with a wicked sense of humor.
Qi Gu thought, well, since her father doesn't want to move, then he won't move. Anyway, once her princess's mansion is built, she will move out of the palace, and then her father can live in her princess's mansion.
Qi Gu stopped mentioning the move and said to Li Shi, "If this imperial field isn't fertilized soon, it's probably beyond saving. I'm going to have the Taicang magistrate fertilize it directly."
"As expected of a princess, she has such great courage~ From now on, I, Master, will have a strong backer."
As the two chatted, Sima Hong, standing behind them, quietly watched Qi Gu, whose face was beaming with smiles. This was a different Qi Gu from the one in his previous life, but he had actually seen her smile like that in his previous life, on the way back to the capital.
But after entering the palace, she became taciturn and just like the other women in the palace. Even the way she looked at him became stiff and formal, making him see the same way the other women in the palace looked at him.
Boom! Summer weather is unpredictable. Just moments ago, the sky was bright and sunny, but now a large patch of dark clouds has drifted in, and thunder rumbles in the distance.
The sultry air was filled with moisture that rose from the ground, and the rain began to fall shortly afterward.
Sima Hongdao said, "Mr. Li, I'll have someone escort you back." He then pulled Qi Gu along, "Your Highness, I'll escort you back to the palace."
Atai stepped forward to hold an umbrella for Li Shi. Li Shi looked at his daughter being led by the tall, slender man and sighed inwardly, "Youth is wonderful." Then he turned and got into the carriage.
On Sima Hong's carriage, the rain came too quickly. No matter how fast Sima Hong arranged things, Qi Gu still got wet.
She took out her handkerchief, only to realize that she seemed to have forgotten to bring it with her. She had changed clothes when she left the palace today and had forgotten to take it with her.
Sima Hong smiled faintly, and with his well-defined hands, he took out a handkerchief and handed it to her. She hesitated whether to take it, but Sima Hong seemed to have thought of something, and he curled his fingers and took the handkerchief back.
Qi Gu looked at him in confusion, but Sima Hong simply reached out and gently wiped her forehead.
The soft fabric touched her forehead, and she seemed to smell the faint scent of pine and cypress on him. Qi Gu felt a shiver run down her spine, and her face involuntarily turned red.
Although she no longer harbored any improper thoughts towards him, he was still Sima Hong. With such a handsome face and such a gentle gesture as he wiped away the rain for her, she still couldn't resist.
Qi Gu grabbed his hand. His hand was much larger than hers, with hard bones and a cold feel to it. Qi Gu looked up and said, "Lord Sima, I can do it myself!"
Sima Hong's deep, husky voice came through, "But this is my handkerchief."
Qi Gu felt a little tingly and itchy, like she had been bitten by an ant. Although it was raining outside, it was so hot inside the small carriage!
Qi Gu leaned against the carriage wall. "Sima Hong, let's talk!"
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