Because there were people all around, Yun Fenghuang didnât dare to see more. So, she quickly put down the curtain and sat back.
The emperor said a few words to his reading partners and ordered to leave. Then, Yun Fenghuang heard that the carriage got out of the gate and went on the street. She estimated that the reading partners were riding horses as the guides, and might not be able to detect the movement in the carriage. So, she asked the emperor with an insincere smile, âYour Majesty, didnât you say that you would take us out for fun? Why did you call outsiders together?â
Emperor Chunjia said with a chuckle, âThey are all classmates who grew up with me. They are probably my relatives. Jie Yu, you donât need to regard them as outsiders. Youâve also seen them in the palace.â
âI just worry about that you will just talk to them and ignore us.â Yun Fenghuang took the circular fan to fan herself and turned to ask Ji Muzi who sat opposite, âDo you agree with me? Sister Ji?â
There was a clear hierarchy between the concubines in the imperial palace. After all, Pin Ji was Zhao Yuan before, and she is a cousin of the Empress and the legitimate daughter of Jiâs family, so even Yun Fenghuang called her âsisterâ at this moment, it didnât break the rules too much.
Ji Muzi looked blankly at the curtain that was not far away and waggled with the carriage, as if she didnât hear her at all.
It was her maid who quietly shoved her, and Ji Muzi was just like she was just awake from her dream, and she hummed without much enthusiasm.
âSister Ji didnât sleep well last night?â Yun Fenghuang smiled and asked without an angry look, âBecause you change the living place and canât get used to it?â
ââŚA bit.â Ji Muzi muttered, and said lightly, âBut itâs not a big deal. Thank you.â
She made it clear that she didnât want to talk more. Although Yun Fenghuang couldnât figure out why Ji Muzi became like this, she couldnât continue to meet with a mild rebuff at this moment, so she didnât answer her and talked to the emperor, âYour Majesty, where are we going?â
Emperor Chunjia said, âDonât you dislike the small and stuffy Government Office? I heard that there is a Chun Ti Lake in Wannian County. It is relatively open, so I want to take you there.â
What was the fun about a lakeâŚ
Was not it enough to see the Tai Ye Pool in the palace?
Yun Fenghuang disliked it in her heart, but on the face, she gave a cheerful look, and coquettishly said that the emperor was thoughtful.
The emperor was not humble at all. He said complacently, âI am busy with politics these days and ignore all of you in the Imperial Harem. Luckily, I am not so busy these days. I want to compensate you.â
âYour Majesty, I know you are the best for us.â Yun Fenghuang paid lip service, and said with a smile, âWhen we go to the temporary imperial palace, the sisters must be envious.â
The emperor teased her, âMaybe I will spend more time with them at that time?â
âYour Majesty, donât you put us in a pickle?â Yun Fenghuang said with righteousness right away, âOf course, we canât wait to see you every day, but the Empress Dowager was worried about the offspring at the beginning of the year. Now that the newcomers have entered the palace, you should treat everyone fairly and have offspring! If you really spend more time with the older sisters, ah⌠the older sisters canât prevent you from going to their places but they also worry about the offspring. Wonât they be too grieved?â
The emperor couldnât help laughing, âBut when I went to your place, youâve never been so worried.â
As for the offspring, the Noble Consort Shu and Consort Xin hadnât been pregnant yet, but it didnât mean that they could not give birth.
However, the doctors unanimously recognized that Yun Fenghuang was hard to be pregnant.
âHard to be pregnant.â That was what the doctors said in order to ensure that they didnât make any mistake. In fact, if there was no accident, Yun Fenghuang couldnât have children any more.
According to the logic of this Jie Yu, wasnât he supposed to never make out with her from now on?
âBut I miss you!â Yun Fenghuang remained calm, continuing to pay lip service. âIâm too young to be considerate and to control myself. Ah! Your Majesty, you are the emperor. Why do you have to niggle with me, a lowly Jie Yu?â
She also thumped the emperor a few times, even with anger. Because she was beautiful and young, and all the affectations seemed so cute and inoffensive, the emperor looked at her with a smile, drinking slowly. There was indulgence in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.
Ji Muzi frowned slightly, quite disliking Yun Fenghuangâs action, âJie Yu Mao, although His Majesty travels incognito today, there are many followers outside. Please be cautious.â
âIf it were in the palace, it would be okay to flirt with the emperor. Even you pretended that Iâm not here, thatâs okay, because all of us should serve the emperor. However, at this time, there are not only servants outside, but also more guards, reading partners, etc. You still flirt with the emperor as if you are alone. You are happy, but they hear clearlyâyou can go out later as if nothing happened, but I will be shamed for you!â
âPin Ji, you worried too much.â Yun Fenghuang changed the way she called Pin Ji, which meant that she didnât listen to her at all. And she began to bear grudges. âThe people outside are here to serve or protect His Majesty. All they concern are His Majesty. How can they care about other trifles? If you donât believe, you can go out and ask if they all think so?â
Ji Mu Zi sneered with a deadpan face, âIs that right? Jie Yu, if you are happy, it is ok.â
âOf course,â Yun Fenghuang threw back an insinuation, holding the emperorâs arm with a smile, and said, âAfter all, Pin Ji, you didnât sleep well last night, and look unhappy after getting up a long time. Today Feng Yi Yi didnât come here, and only you and me stay with His Majesty. Who can feel happy when they see your deadpan face? If I were not happy, His Majesty would be wronged so much. After all, he brings us out with a good mood. We must show him our smiles.â
After hearing her words, Ji Muzi looked angry. It seemed that she wanted to fight with her. However, Yun Fenghuang dragged the emperor and squinted at her without any fear, if this guy dared to fight in the carriage, she would pretend to be afraid and drag the emperor to block in front of her. Let him be a shield, andâŚ
Fortunately, Ji Muzi was born in a big family with wealth. Even if Yun Fenghuang flirted with the emperor in the carriage in a few words, she still felt that it was not solemn. So, at this moment, she certainly wouldnât fight in public. She made a sour face, and stared at Yun Fenghuang for a while. In the end, she controlled her temper abruptly, and only told the emperor, âYour Majesty, now Iâm only a Pin, and it is inappropriate for me to talk too much. But, what Jie Yu Mao did really does not conform to the rules for an imperial concubine!â
âPin Ji, you are steady and elegant. What you said are kind. I understand it.â The emperor smiled and said softly, âHowever, the time that Jie Yu Mao stays in the palace is not as long as you. She may be willful and delicate. Hope you donât quibble over with her.â
Ji Muzi pursed her lips and cursed in her heart. âThe time that Jie Yu Mao stays in the palace is not as long as youâ. What did that mean? Didnât these words mean that the emperor despised her age?!
And why couldnât she quibble over with Yun Fenghuang? Just because Yun Fenghuang is willful and delicate but she is steady and elegant? And she must tolerate her kindly??!
Perhaps the emperor also noticed her anger, so he immediately changed the topic, âItâs very hot these days. I have asked the servants to prepare lake boats and fishing rods. If you like, you can try fishing.â
Yun Fenghuang leaned her head on the emperorâs shoulder and habitually coquetted, âYour Majesty, will you also go fishing? If you go, I will also go. Then we can compare that who can catch more fish!â
âOK!â said the emperor lazily, âBut what if you lose?â
Yun Fenghuang pondered, âOr we donât race fishing? How about playing chess? Your Majesty, as you know, Iâm poor at playing chessâŚâ
Before she finished speaking, the emperor pushed her away, and said with a false smile, âNow that you have known that you are poor at playing chess, so donât show your incompetence. Iâm tired of letting you win every time, right?â
ââŚâ Yun Fenghuang kept silent for a while, and thought that he was shameless.
Then she laughed again, âIsnât you dote on me too much, Your Majesty? In fact, as long as I can stay with you, it doesnât matter what to play. Your Majesty, you wanted me win, but what could I do? I was trying hard to help you win before. And it turned out that you wanted me to win⌠Your Majesty, donât do that anymore. Every time you lose terribly when I endeavored to let you win. I was really unbearable.â
The emperor glanced at her and smiled, âJie Yu Mao, did you think so? I really disappointed you.â
Then⌠then he leaned on the carriage crosspiece and closed his eyes to refresh his spirit. Whatever Yun Fenghuang said, he just ignored her.
Gee, the emperor, was so stingy.
Yun Fenghuang shook her head and disdained for a while, stroking her chin for a moment. Then she pretended to lift the curtain casually and looked out.
Although the five reading partners were all ordered to be guides, the road was not wide enough to allow all of them to be in front of the carriage. Gongxiang Xiao was the Shizi of Prince Regent, and the agnate brother of Emperor Chunjia. Legitimately, he was the closest reading partner to the emperor.
However, at this moment, he took the closest position to the carriage.
Of course, Qi Jiulu, who came with him, followed him closely.
The basic skills of the valiant fighters in the north were riding and shooting. Although Yun Fenghuang was a girl, she could shoot on the horse, let alone Qi Jiulu, a Zongzi of a tribe.
On the horse, his posture was very casual. Because his back was opposite to the carriage, Yun Fenghuang couldnât see his face. She only saw his neck with light sheen under the summer sun. Under the soft and light summer clothes, his muscle, which had no flab, rhythmically followed the horseâs trot, making Yun Fenghuang subconsciously think of the scene that they rode together in the vast plains of the north in previous years.
Yun Fenghuang was impatient and brave. She dared to try the manners of various masters within a few days of learning to ride and shoot. Xie Jian and Ms. Jiang were worried, stipulating that if she got on the horse and held a bow, besides servants, there must be one of her brothers to take care of her.
However, the elder brothers who could go out and play with her were active at their age. No one was patient to take care of her.
So, she became a punishment: horse racing, kick-ball game, pot casting, divining, drinking wine⌠In short, in all games, whoever lost should watch her.
Yun Fenghuang was very dissatisfied with this. She worked harder but her families became more worried. Even her youngest elder brother, Xie Xiyu, persuaded her privately in order to get rid of a burden, âWhy do you work so hard? You are a girl. Isnât it good to stay in the boudoir to write, paint, or do some needlework? Why do you have to ride on the plains with our guys? You will get bad skin and husky body, which is not like a girlâŚ
Of course, Yun Fenghuang not only refused, but also cried and complained to Ms. Jiang. As a result, Ms. Jiang gave Xie Xiyu a good beating.
Later, Xie Xiyu didnât persuade Yun Fenghuang to stop anymore. It was not only because his sister might go to complain again, but also because it didnât take a long time for Qi Jiulu, who heard the news, to teach Yun Fenghuang to ride and shoot.
Qi Jiulu was more patient than Yun Fenghuangâs brothersâŚ
Yun Feng Huang lost in thought. Suddenly the carriage stopped, and a soft voice came from behind her, âChun Ti Lake is here⌠Jie Yu, wonât you get off? what are you looking at?â