Chapter 6 Wanting to Climb onto the Dragon Bed
Afternoon
His Majesty is going to the Hall of Diligent Governance to present a memorial.
The Empress is to receive the families of the military officers who have accompanied Qin Ye back to the capital.
“Jinzhi, come with me and meet your aunts. They are the families of your grandfather’s brothers and nephews who guarded the frontier.”
Qin Jinzhi lay on her side in the chair, "I won't go. I'm afraid I'll feel bad if I see my aunts."
The Empress asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why?"
Qin Jinzhi jumped off the chair and spun around in front of the Empress.
“Grandmother, even though I’ve never been to the frontier, I know how miserable it is there. Their husbands, sons, and brothers risk their lives on the battlefield, and their entire lifetime’s salary isn’t even enough to buy half a set of clothes for me. Do you think they wouldn’t feel resentful?”
The Empress smiled and said, "Although it's true that your clothes are made of 'Floating Cloud Brocade,' they were from my private treasury. His Majesty gave them to me, and I can give them to whomever I want!"
Qin Jinzhi squatted down next to the Empress and laughed, "That's the logic, but they don't understand it. Besides, my grandfather is still their leader, which is not good for unity. I, this scoundrel, won't go and cause him trouble."
The Empress laughed and said, "You little rascal, then you stay here obediently and don't run around. Grandmother will cook you something delicious tonight."
Qin Jinzhi nodded obediently, thinking to herself, "If I stay with my grandmother for a month, my waist will probably get much thicker."
As she watched the Empress leave the palace, Qin Jinzhi's smile faded.
"Feiyan, have Granny Li and Granny Zhao come to the small garden to find me, and also call Liuying."
The small garden was a summer retreat that the emperor specially built for the empress behind her palace.
A fairly large lotus pond was dug in the middle.
In summer, the area is covered with lotus flowers. When she was a child, the Empress often brought her here to pick lotus seeds.
There are many koi basins by the pond, each large enough to hold four or five adults.
Qin Jinzhi stood beside a koi basin, casually scattering fish food.
Before long, Feiyan arrived at the small garden with two old nannies, followed by Liuying.
"Greetings, Princess."
Granny Li and Granny Zhao were overjoyed to see Qin Jinzhi. "How has the Princess been lately? We often think of her."
Qin Jinzhi quickly helped the two up. "It's been three years since we last met. Why do you seem so distant with me, Granny? I've always worn the clothes you made for me close to my skin."
Granny Zhao and Granny Li were both old servants of the Empress.
He served the Empress even before entering the palace, and it is said that he even went to the battlefield with the Empress.
The two remained unmarried throughout their lives, staying by the Empress's side. When Qin Jinzhi was a child, all her personal clothing, shoes, and socks were sewn by hand by these two.
Now that he is old, he lives in the palace to enjoy his retirement, and when he has nothing to do, he teaches the new palace maids.
The two nannies were very pleased to see Qin Jinzhi's increasingly stunning face.
The two then stood on the other side; when Feiyan came to call them earlier, she had also called a stranger.
The two understood that the princess had not summoned them simply to reminisce.
Qin Jinzhi turned around and looked at Liu Ying's face very carefully.
Beautiful, truly beautiful, with skin as smooth as jade. The wrists that Qin Jinzhi had reddened at noon were now particularly noticeable in the sunlight.
Qin Jinzhi lifted her wrist. "I accidentally hurt Sister Liuying's hand at noon. I was worried about it. But Sister's skin is really delicate. It turned red like this with just a light pinch."
Liu Ying, somewhat flattered, said, "My skin has been very delicate since I was a child. It will leave a mark if I touch it. It's just a small matter, so Your Highness doesn't need to worry about it."
As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief and wiped her forehead, which was slightly sweaty from the sun.
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "Granny Li and Granny Zhao, Sister Liuying looks a bit hot. Let's cool her down so she doesn't get sunburned."
Granny Li and Granny Zhao exchanged a glance and, without hesitation, darted forward and grabbed Liuying's arm.
Before the firefly could understand what was happening, it was shoved headfirst into the koi fish basin.
She struggled desperately, but to no avail; she could only keep twisting her head.
Within moments, she was roughly pulled out of the water, her chest heaving violently. Before she could even catch her breath, she was ruthlessly pushed back into the water.
This was repeated five or six times.
When she was lifted up again, her hair had all fallen down and stuck to her face.
Granny Li and Granny Zhao threw the person to the ground.
Liu Ying started coughing violently.
She looked pitiful, like a frightened fawn.
"I don't know where Liuying offended the princess, that she treated Liuying like this."
Qin Jinzhi squatted down and, with a hint of amusement, ran the back of her hand across Liu Ying's cheek.
"Look at that little face, it's so adorable. Even the most hard-hearted person would feel a pang of tenderness upon seeing it."
Her tone was very gentle, but Liu Ying still couldn't help but shiver.
Qin Jinzhi slowly pinched her face, her gaze level with hers, and her smile became extremely wicked.
"Want to climb into the emperor's bed?"
Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions.
Granny Li, Granny Zhang, and Fei Yan all glared angrily at Liu Ying.
Liu Ying's face turned pale, but she still said stubbornly, "Liu Ying doesn't understand what the princess is saying."
Qin Jinzhi chuckled softly, "I heard that you found the hairpin I gave to the Empress Dowager in this pond, and you even fell seriously ill because of it."
Liu Ying swallowed hard. "This is what Liu Ying should do."
Qin Jinzhi ignored her face, stood up, and casually picked up a very plump koi from the koi basin.
He put his finger to his mouth and whistled.
Suddenly, the pond water, covered with lotus leaves, began to churn.
Qin Jinzhi threw the koi carp into the air.
Suddenly, a giant turtle leaped into the air from the churning water!
Just as the koi fish fell into the water, he bit it in two.
It then fell into the water.
Liu Ying's expression immediately changed.
This turtle was a tribute from a small country near the sea.
When Qin Jinzhi was a child, she accidentally discovered that this turtle could understand her commands, so she kept it until it became too big and she put it in the Empress's lotus pond.
After she left the capital, the Empress ordered that no one was allowed to go down into the pond.
The fear is that this giant turtle might hurt someone.
As the firefly watched the enormous creature soar into the sky, its body trembled uncontrollably!
The giant turtle was as big as three or four koi basins, and its gaping maw looked like it could crush her head in one bite.
Why would there be such a monster in this pond?!
Granny Li and Granny Zhao were also somewhat surprised. It turned out that the turtle that the princess raised when she was a child was actually here. No wonder the Empress ordered that no one was allowed to pick lotus flowers in the pond.
Thinking of the two men, their faces immediately darkened. "You said you went down into the pond to find the hairpin that the princess gave to the empress. Did you see this giant turtle in the pond?"
This pond is quite deep; to find the hairpin, one must dive to the bottom. Therefore, she must already know what's in this pond.
But the firefly's expression just now betrayed her; she was lying!
Granny Li immediately stepped forward, "How dare you deceive Her Majesty! What are your true intentions?!"
Liu Ying's mind went blank; she hadn't expected her lie to be exposed.
Qin Jinzhi tilted her head and looked at her.
"Actually, I was just about to throw you in to feed the giant turtles."
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