Outside the Phoenix Palace, a row of eunuchs and palace maids waited. A luxurious soft sedan chair was parked on the bluestone ground in front of the gate.
As Mu Qingyao appeared, the chief eunuch Chun Han and the female official Yi Yun bowed respectfully, saying, "This servant (we) greets Her Majesty the Empress."
"Rise, I am going to Lingbo Pavilion."
As soon as she spoke, eunuchs stepped forward to light the way, followed by palace maids. In the darkness, a clear voice rang out, "Please, Your Majesty the Empress, board the sedan."
Mei Xin and Mo Chou nodded in satisfaction, assisting their mistress into the luxurious soft sedan. They, along with Bing Xiao, followed closely as everyone headed towards Lingbo Pavilion…
Lingbo Pavilion was bathed in dim light, with thin veils dancing. In the night, the melodious sound of a zither drifted, floating over the clear lake.
On the lake, withered lotus plants swayed with the wind, releasing the last trace of fragrance into the air, which, with the zither music, permeated the surroundings.
Outside the pavilion, palace maids were playing the zither. Palace lanterns illuminated flying golden dragons, emitting a vibrant glow in the night, casting ripples on the lake.
A night breeze arose, lifting the veils of the pavilion. A tall and slender figure could be seen faintly within, his eyes slightly lowered. Under the lamplight, his meticulously carved features possessed a jade-like lustre, smooth and polished.
His narrow, sharp eyebrows were slightly raised, and his long, thick eyelashes fluttered. He was clearly listening to the palace maids play the zither with closed eyes, his concentration profound. His ink-black hair was tied back with a bright yellow silk ribbon, cascading over his shoulders. Two small wisps of hair, blown by the wind from his temples, added a touch of mysterious charm to his already unparalleled beauty.
"Your Majesty, Her Majesty has arrived."
A Jiu's gentle voice sounded from outside the pavilion. The person inside the pavilion abruptly opened his eyes. His deep, tranquil gaze was cold and imposing, yet unexpectedly held a rare trace of gentleness as he spoke in a warm tone, "Let her in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A Jiu slowly stepped back, looking down at the Empress at the foot of the stone steps, and said respectfully, "Her Majesty the Empress, please."
"Thank you," Mu Qingyao replied indifferently, gazing up at the night sky. There was no moon tonight, and because of that, the stars were exceptionally bright. The pale blue night sky seemed washed clean, emitting a faint blue light, remarkably clear.
Mu Qingyao stepped onto the stone steps, then, as if remembering something, withdrew her foot. She beckoned Bing Xiao and Mo Chou closer, whispered a few words to them. The two women revealed expressions of surprise, then slowly nodded, flashed away, and left Lingbo Pavilion.
Mei Xin curiously raised her eyebrows, looking at her mistress, wanting to ask but not daring to.
A Jiu cautiously looked at the elegant Empress. Tonight, Her Majesty was adorned in beautiful clothes, further enhancing her charm. A Jiu considered himself not a lecherous person, yet he still felt captivated and quickly lowered his head, daring not to look further.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty is waiting in the pavilion."
"Mm," Mu Qingyao arranged everything and then lightly lifted her skirt hem, elegantly ascending the stone steps and entering Lingbo Pavilion.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Mu Qingyao bowed, neither servile nor overbearing, neither anxious nor impatient, graceful and composed.
Mu Rong Liu Zun's handsome, enchanting pupils flickered. He raised a hand, saying, "Rise, sit down and dine."
After the Emperor spoke, Mu Qingyao did not stand on ceremony. Truthfully, she was really hungry. She had been busy all morning and hadn't eaten much for lunch. After sleeping all afternoon, how could she not be hungry?
Although sleep had replenished her energy, her stomach was very hungry. Once she ate something, she would be full of life again.
To be honest, with the recent wedding and banquets, she had been exhausted. Most importantly, her body couldn't handle it. If it were her body in the past, she could have endured another three to five days of such activity without issue.
"Mm, I am really hungry."
Mu Qingyao, uncharacteristically shedding her coldness, softened like a young maiden.
Mu Rong Liu Zun's chest suddenly tightened, as if something had exploded, stirring up threads of thought. But he didn't have time to ponder further, indulgently saying, "Then eat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Mu Qingyao's voice fell as her hand reached for the chopsticks. The imperial meals in this palace were not like those elsewhere; they were naturally the most fragrant and delicious. From the moment she entered the palace, she had tasted their sweetness.
A single vegetable dish alone required eighty-one processes. To make a plate of stir-fried eggplant as fragrant as stir-fried rabbit or bird meat, she didn't know how long she would be able to eat such delicious delicacies, so she would eat as much as she could.
The pavilion was warm and natural, while outside, the zither music was faint.
Mu Rong Liu Zun's warm, jade-like gaze remained fixed on Mu Qingyao, a faint smile curving his lips.
This woman was like a chameleon. When indifferent, she was like an ice sculpture; when proud, like unyielding stone; when kind, like a pool of spring water. He knew she was kind because she could, without changing her expression, produce ten thousand taels of silver notes to help the poor build houses, yet they, grateful to the Empress, had no idea.
And at this moment, she was like a peerlessly beautiful yet innocent woman. Her courage, spirit, and wisdom all made him bewildered. Where did such a woman come from? Was she truly the Prime Minister's daughter?
Throughout history, there had probably never been such an extraordinary woman, like pine, bamboo, or plum blossom. All noble, rare, and precious qualities had appeared in her. Yet, she also possessed everything a woman should have, such as holding grudges and expecting compensation for help.
Xian Di became lost in thought, forgetting that he shouldn't be letting a woman disturb his peace of mind. But on such a tender and enchanting night, it was easy to fall into a quagmire.
"Eat slowly," Mu Rong Liu Zun couldn't help but say, watching her devour her food.
In that instant, he realized he seemed to be showing too much concern for her. His gaze deepened, and he concealed the inappropriate radiance. But could such a feeling be withdrawn at will? It was simply that he was unaware of it.
"Someone."
The white jade pavilion seemed to be missing something. Xian Di called out coldly to the outside. Immediately, the eunuch A Jiu and Mu Qingyao's personal maid Mei Xin walked in. Upon seeing the Empress's eating posture, they were dumbfounded and didn't know what to say.
As the chief eunuch of the inner palace, A Jiu had never seen any woman eat so openly and heartily in front of the Emperor, enjoying her food with great gusto.
Did she know that the person before her was the Emperor? She saw the Emperor's gaze fall upon her, and instead of reprimand, there was a touch of softness in his eyes. Could it be that the Emperor liked Her Majesty? It was likely, as such women were always special. A Jiu pursed his lips and smiled.
Mei Xin felt a sense of shame watching her mistress eat as if she were a starved ghost.
She knew her mistress hadn't eaten much at noon and was very hungry, but couldn't she restrain herself a little? The person sitting opposite her was the Emperor, and she had set the handsome man aside, focusing only on her battle with the food.
She had heard the saying, "Beauty is edible," that in the face of beauty, one wouldn't even want to eat. But why couldn't this saying apply to their Empress? Even if it didn't work, at least she should behave with more dignity and ladylike manners.