Concubine Chu's eyes became even colder, but the corners of her lips were still slightly raised.

Chu Qianchen is just a concubine's daughter. Apart from her face, there is nothing presentable about her. She can only be a concubine, but she has no qualifications to be the prince's principal wife!

But this girl had a vixen face and she insisted on coaxing her son into marrying her as his principal wife.

Concubine Chu stroked her sleeves, raised her index finger slightly, and a cold light flashed in her eyes.

Concubine Chu was about to say something when she heard the voice of a palace maid in the main hall outside: "Your Highness, the Second Prince."

As the words fell, a figure in an apricot-yellow brocade robe walked in.

The fifteen-year-old boy is at the most dazzling age of his life. He exudes a radiance like the rising sun, noble, elegant and imposing.

The second prince, Gu Nanzhao, walked up to the crowd with a smile on his face and politely bowed to Concubine Chu and others.

Gu Nanzhao knew that Chu Qianchen would come today, so after class in the study, he rushed to Zhongcui Palace.

"Mother, aunt, cousin Huang, cousin Chen."

When he looked at Chu Qianchen, he could not hide his eagerness and joy, but there was also a hint of pain in his heart.

After being rejected by Chu Qianchen last time, he became more and more reluctant to let her go.

Her figure haunted him. Even in his dreams, he would see her resolutely leaving back. Sometimes, he would see her wearing a bright red wedding dress walking towards a man whose face he could not see clearly.

No matter how he called her, she never looked back at him...

Every time he thought about it, he felt heartbroken.

Although his mind told him that he could not be the principal wife as his cousin, he felt that since he really loved his cousin, he should fight for their future.

He spent a lot of effort to make his mother interested and she said she would consider it.

Gu Nanzhao stared at Chu Qianchen with burning eyes. She believed that her cousin would definitely be able to see his efforts and know his feelings for her.

Shen, Chu Qianhuang and Chu Qianchen also returned the gifts in turn.

This time, Chu Qianchen no longer called him cousin, but——

"Your Highness the Second Prince."

Gu Nanzhao was a little hurt, his expression changed slightly, and he said softly: "Sister Chen, I haven't seen you for a month, how have you been recently?"

It has been a month since the birthday banquet of the wife of the Marquis of Yongding. For Gu Nanzhao, this month has been like a year. It has made him realize what it means to miss someone so much that it feels like three years have passed.

Concubine Chu watched from the side and became even more displeased with Chu Qianchen. This Chu Qianchen was deliberately cold and indifferent, just to dangle her son and force him to marry her as his principal wife.

Concubine Chu's dislike for Chu Qianchen instantly reached its peak, and she dismissed the three juniors casually: "Nan Zhao, your two cousins ​​rarely come to the palace, so take them to the Imperial Garden for a walk. The scenery of the Imperial Garden is just right at this time of year."

Concubine Chu asked Shen to stay and talk alone, still because of Chu Lingxiao's matter. She planned to analyze the situation with her and persuade her not to regret it in the future because of a momentary anger.

Shen was the legitimate wife after all, so why would she be jealous of an insignificant concubine?

It was not appropriate for her to say these words in front of two unmarried girls.

Gu Nanzhao also wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Chu Qianchen in private, so he naturally agreed: "Cousin Huang, Sister Chen, I will take you to the Imperial Garden to appreciate the lotus. The lotus flowers have bloomed recently, and they have a kind of charm of 'the lotus leaves connecting the sky are endless and green, and the lotus flowers are particularly red in the sun'."

Chu Qianhuang took Chu Qianchen's arm affectionately, "Second sister, the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden is the best in the capital, you must go and see it."

The three of them left Zhongcui Palace.

Led by Gu Nanzhao, he introduced the surrounding buildings along the way, and his eyes fell on Chu Qianchen from time to time, with tenderness.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, the three of them arrived at the Imperial Garden.

In the Imperial Garden in early summer, the breeze blows gently and the sun shines brightly but not too hot, which is perfect for a stroll and flower viewing.

The air was filled with refreshing floral scents. Looking up, I saw that in the imperial garden, colorful flowers were in full bloom, and colorful butterflies, attracted by the fragrance, were dancing among the flowers.

The handsome young man strolled leisurely in the garden, chatting and laughing, with an elegant appearance.

Seeing that the foreheads of the two cousins ​​were already covered with sweat, Gu Nanzhao suggested considerately: "Cousin Huang, Sister Chen, the waterside pavilion over there is the best place to enjoy the lotus. How about we go over there and sit for a while?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to a pavilion by the lake. About seventy or eighty feet in front of him was a sparkling small lake with lush green lotus leaves and pink lotus flowers swaying in the wind.

Chu Qianhuang smiled and said, "That's the best place to enjoy the lotus, second sister. The painting "Dragonfly Playing with Lotus" that I painted last month was painted in that waterside pavilion."

From their perspective, the location of the water pavilion seemed to be built on lotus leaves, which was beautiful beyond words.

Chu Qianchen followed the host's wishes and walked with Gu Nanzhao and Chu Qianhuang to the water pavilion and sat down.

The palace maids and eunuchs hurriedly served them tea, snacks and fruits.

A gentle breeze blew, and the subtle fragrance of lotus flowers blew into the water pavilion.

Seeing that Chu Qianchen hadn't spoken to him since he came out of Zhongcui Palace, and clearly wanted to cut off ties with him, Gu Nanzhao's eyes dimmed slightly.

Chu Qianhuang took a sip of tea and said to Gu Nanzhao with a smile: "Cousin, you don't know yet? Brother Yi came back yesterday."

As she said this, Chu Qianhuang couldn't help but glance at Chu Qianchen. The scene of Chu Qianchen easily knocking Chu Yunyi to the ground yesterday once again appeared clearly in front of her eyes...

Her sister had accumulated so many secrets over time that she felt as if she didn't even know her.

Gu Nanzhao didn't notice Chu Qianhuang's abnormal behavior. He and Chu Yunyi had always been good friends. He cheered up and said, "I'll be free in a few days. I'll go out of the palace to see him."

"Brother Yi also brought back some local specialties from Yuzhou, saying that he had a sword for you, my cousin." Chu Qianhuang smiled playfully, "I wanted to see it, but he wouldn't let me see it, as if he was afraid that I would snatch it away."

Gu Nanzhao was gentle and kind to the cousins ​​of the Chu family. He said gently, "If cousin Huang likes it, you can take it and play with it. I will talk to cousin Yi."

As Gu Nanzhao spoke, his mind moved, and he recalled the sword dance in March. It seemed that Chu Qianchen had changed since that day...

The golden sunlight gently shines on her, making her delicate skin look as flawless as white porcelain. Her jet-black hair playfully caresses her cheeks in the breeze, making her beautiful and charming, giving people a tranquil and gentle feeling.

She just sat there quietly, but Gu Nanzhao couldn't take his eyes off her.

His sister Chen is even more beautiful!

Gu Nanzhao looked at Chu Qianchen with a gentle gaze, raised his hand and made a gesture, and his personal eunuch brought over a wooden box.

Gu Nanzhao added, "A few days ago, the Western Region Kingdom of Kucha sent some rare tributes. My father asked me and my brothers and sisters to pick a few items. I picked a pair of sachets."

He opened the box himself, revealing a pair of gilded hollow sachets.

This sachet is spherical in shape, carved with patterns of Epiphyllum and curling grass, and embedded with rice-sized luminous pearls on the surface. The craftsmanship is exquisite and complex.

"Cousin Huang, Sister Chen, this sachet is most suitable for you girls," Gu Nanzhao picked up a gilded sachet and demonstrated it to them, "You can add spices into it and then light them."

Gu Nanzhao took the fire lighter handed to him by the eunuch and lit the spices in the sachet himself. He then grabbed the gold chain on the sachet in his hand and let the sachet swing back and forth in the air with the chain.

"The people of Kucha said that this scent bag is carefully designed. No matter how much we roll it, the burning spices inside the ball will not fall over or spill out. You can wear it around your waist or hide it in your sleeve pocket. The fragrance will naturally float in the air and fill your sleeves."

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Chu Qianhuang's eyes lit up and she took the sachet from Gu Nanzhao's hand, "Thank you, cousin."

Chu Qianhuang couldn't put it down and played with it. Her nose moved slightly, and the burning spices emitted bursts of faint fragrance through the hollow patterns.

"Sister Chen..." Gu Nanzhao took out another sachet from the box and wanted to give it to Chu Qianchen.

In fact, he originally wanted to give one of the pair of sachets to Chu Qianchen and keep one for himself, but Chu Qianhuang was also there, so he didn't want to favor one over the other, so he gave one to Chu Qianhuang.

Since Chu Qianchen had already expressed his feelings to Gu Nanzhao, he would not accept his gifts, lest he misunderstand. He said calmly, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness the Second Prince. This gift is too valuable, I cannot accept it."

Gu Nanzhao's handsome face froze, and became visibly dimmed.

Sister Chen really became estranged from him.

The young eunuch looked at Chu Qianchen with a condemning look. His master was a prince, and he was truly sincere to this Second Miss Chu. However, this Second Miss Chu was ungrateful and trampled on his sincerity...

Chu Qianhuang's expression was also somewhat stiff.

The sachet that was originally swaying under her palm swayed slower and slower, and finally stopped in mid-air.

Chu Qianhuang immediately felt that the sachet was a little hot.

She accepted it, but Chu Qianchen didn't, which put her in a dilemma.

It's not right to return, nor is it right to take back.

At this moment, outside the waterside pavilion, a palace maid respectfully reported: "Your Highness, the Second Prince, the Emperor is coming this way."

Gu Nanzhao, Chu Qianhuang and Chu Qianchen all subconsciously looked outside the water pavilion, and saw a man in a bright yellow dragon robe, surrounded by several men, walking towards them from the northeast.

Beside the emperor, in addition to the eunuchs and palace maids, there was an old Taoist in a black Taoist robe. The old Taoist was about sixty years old, with gray hair. He held a silver whisk in his hand, and the whisk swayed slightly in the wind as he walked, giving him a somewhat immortal temperament.

Although no one introduced him, Chu Qianchen knew that the old Taoist must be the Taoist Master Xuan Jing.

I heard that Taoist Master Xuan Jing has been refining elixirs for the emperor recently, and the emperor treats him with great courtesy.

Gu Nanzhao and the other three all stood up, walked out of the pavilion, and saluted the emperor.

"Father."

"Your Highness."

The emperor was in a good mood and said casually, "No need to be polite."

There were only a few people in the water pavilion, and the emperor's eyes inevitably swept over Chu Qianhuang and Chu Qianchen. He had seen Chu Qianhuang many times, but this was the first time he saw Chu Qianchen.

Gu Nanzhao explained, "Father, today my aunt brought my two cousins ​​to visit my mother. Since this is my second cousin's first time in the palace, I will bring them to the Imperial Garden for a walk."

To the emperor, the two little girls were of no importance. He neither took them to heart nor did he bother to take a closer look.

"The lotus flowers are blooming beautifully recently, which is a perfect time to enjoy them." The emperor said as he walked into the pavilion. He immediately saw the gilded sachet on the table and raised his eyebrows.

Gu Nanzhao noticed the emperor's gaze and immediately said, "Father, I got this rare sachet and was just thinking of giving it to my two cousins ​​to play with."

Young and admiring young girls. The emperor smiled and stroked his beard, jokingly saying, "No wonder you chose such a girl's thing that day."

The emperor glanced at the two girls in the pavilion again. Chu Qianhuang was still holding the fragrant gilded sachet in her hand, while Chu Qianchen had nothing in his hands.

The emperor suddenly remembered that Concubine Chu had mentioned to him last time that she wanted to choose a concubine for Zhao'er from her parents' family.

Could it be...

The emperor looked at Chu Qianhuang thoughtfully. It seemed that Gu Nanzhao had asked for this sachet specifically for her.

She was just a concubine of a prince, the emperor didn't care about her at all and the thought only flashed through his mind.

The emperor casually picked up another sachet from the wooden box and played with it for a while. "I remember this was a tribute from the Kingdom of Kucha?"

Gu Nanzhao immediately agreed.

"Your sisters also like it very much and often wear it with them. These small countries in the Western Regions are quite ingenious when it comes to these ingenious things." The emperor put the sachet down casually.

He seemed to be praising, but there were four more words he didn't say: it would be difficult to achieve great things.

A eunuch was busy serving tea to the emperor, and Gu Nanzhao took advantage of the moment when the emperor was drinking tea to give Xuan Jing a burning look.

(End of this chapter)