Chapter 480 Extra - Picnic
The following morning.
Ye Qingning was happily playing with Abao in the courtyard when Xiaodie came running over excitedly: "Your Majesty, good news!"
"What good news?"
Could it be that the Crown Prince and Shu Tong have consummated their marriage?
“His Highness did not stay at Wutong Residence last night, but returned to Chengqian Palace as usual.” Xiaodie said happily, “It seems that His Highness still prefers the Empress.”
The ball that Ye Qingning was using to tease Abao fell to the ground with a thud.
Abao meowed and jumped from Ye Qingning's arms to the ground, then slowly walked to the garden to bask in the sun.
Let me tell you, things aren't that simple!
Seeing that the Empress was not happy, Xiaodie remained silent for a moment and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I know you have no intention of vying for favor, but you must care about the future of our Minister's Mansion. Only with your continued favor can our mansion be glorious."
Ye Qingning lowered her eyes: "I understand, you can go ahead and get busy."
"Yes." Xiaodie curtsied and walked away.
Ye Qingning lifted her foot and headed towards the garden to chase after A Bao, only to see Chu Song a few steps away polishing a tree stump under a tree.
Sunlight filtered down on his tall, upright figure, and for some reason, Ye Qingning felt a sense of familiarity with him.
She changed direction and stopped two steps in front of Chu Song, asking him, "Chu Song, what are you doing?"
Chu Songchao smiled and said, "Make a cat tree for Abao."
A few steps away in the garden, Abao heard his words, got up, and meowed in his direction.
He sounded rather unhappy.
But Ye Qingning's eyes still lit up: "Okay, thank you for your hard work."
This way, Ayan will have a new toy.
Although he might not like it...
But as a cat, I suppose I'd still be happy.
"It's not hard work." Chu Song's eyes were so gentle they seemed to overflow with tenderness. "As long as you're happy."
As long as you're happy...
These five words struck Ye Qingning's heart instantly; her Ayan often said the same thing.
Her gaze lingered on Chu Song's face, and she asked in a deep voice, "Chu Song, where is your hometown?"
Chu Song stopped what he was doing, a hint of tenderness appearing on his handsome face: "Qing..."
"Meow!" Suddenly, Abao darted out of the garden, climbed directly onto the unfinished cat tree in Chu Song's hands, and meowed twice at Chu Song with displeasure.
Ye Qingning smiled and stretched out her arms to Abao: "Come down, I'll carry you back."
It seems her Ayan is jealous.
Even if you become a cat, you can't change your nature.
Abao glanced at Chu Song again, then jumped directly into Ye Qingning's arms.
Ye Qingning turned around and walked back, poking Abao's head as she did so: "You jealous cat!"
Ah Bao let out a weak meow, seemingly in protest, or perhaps in complaint.
Chu Song watched the departing figures of the person and the cat and sighed deeply.
Qingqing, you adorable little silly girl.
...
News came from Chengqian Palace that day that five days later, His Highness the Crown Prince would take the Crown Princess and Consort Shu on a spring outing.
Ye Qingning baked some egg yolk pastries in advance, and asked Chu Song to brew milk tea and put it in jars. She also prepared some dried fruit, thinking that when she was sick, she could send the things over to add to the festivities.
Shu Tong had similar thoughts and prepared some fresh fruits, intending to send them over to apologize.
But she didn't intend to feign illness; she only wanted to take this opportunity to slip out of the mansion and explore the vast capital city.
As long as she communicates the right words with Haitang, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess will not pay attention to her after they meet. She just needs to come back on time, lie in bed and pretend to be sick, and no one will know.
The two of them were each making their own plans, and before they knew it, the day of their outing arrived.
The Crown Prince rode ahead on horseback, while Wutong Residence and Chuyun Palace prepared carriages in advance. However, none of the three knew that the two carriages that followed were full of food, but there was no one in sight.
After the carriage from Wutong Residence left the mansion gate, one of the servants driving the carriage called for a stop, got off the carriage, and left.
The other servant only knew that this was the person Sister Haitang had instructed him to send out, so he didn't ask any more questions and continued to drive the carriage to its destination.
Shu Tong, dressed in a dark purple servant's uniform, wearing a servant's hat and sporting a small mustache, strolled leisurely through the bustling streets of the capital.
When scenes that I had only seen on TV before appeared before my eyes, a dreamlike feeling washed over me, which was truly exhilarating.
She walked only a few hundred meters before turning onto the most bustling street in the capital.
Both sides were lined with vendors, selling food, preserved fruits, jewelry, and trinkets.
It's dazzling and exhilarating.
When she came out, she only said that she had deliberately disguised herself as a servant to give His Highness the Crown Prince a surprise. Although Haitang gave her a lot of reasons, she insisted on doing so, and Haitang had no choice but to accept it.
I can only silently pray that Your Highness will not blame me.
However, Shu Tong still managed to get some silver from Haitang, and she bought and bought along the way, which felt really pleasant.
Meanwhile, at the Begonia Grove, the Crown Prince had been there for half an hour, and Tang Ming had laid out a mat at his instruction.
The crabapple grove, spanning several miles, is now in full bloom, with petals falling in the gentle breeze, creating an exceptionally beautiful scene.
Chen Ci knew that Ye Qingning liked cherry blossoms, but there didn't seem to be many cherry blossom trees in this world. Instead, the crabapple blossoms were exceptionally beautiful.
It's also a soft pink color, and it looks like petals falling in the wind.
She probably likes it quite a bit.
The sound of a carriage approached, and soon a servant came over carrying two food boxes. He bowed to Chen Ci and said hello.
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