"Really can't find it?"
The silver ingot shook its head.
Yu Zhi rested her arms on the table, looking out the window at the scenery with a hint of boredom, lost in thought.
"Bring me a pen."
"Miss?"
"I want to paint."
Jinshi smiled and prepared all the necessary tools for her to paint.
What should I draw? Yu Zhi held the brush in thought. The next moment, the outline of a cat appeared on the snow-white Xuan paper. With just a few strokes, it was already three parts vivid.
Everyone who saw the gold, stone, and silver ingots couldn't help but admire them.
I always heard the old women in the mansion say that the young lady was born into a life of luxury, from the Jinghe Liu family, and that she was not only beautiful but also very talented.
The Yu family was once considered a rising power in the court, but after the Minister left, they could no longer be considered rising power.
Fortunately, the young lady has a reliable maternal grandparent family.
I don't know what kind of husband I'll find in the future.
They were only nine years old. Before entering the Yu family, they had heard slave traders say every day that getting married was like being reborn a second time. Their lives were full of twists and turns. The two were more mature than other children their age. Girls could talk about marriage when they reached the age of marriage. The young lady was seven years old. If you count on your fingers, it hasn't been many years.
'Reincarnation' and all that sounds terrifying. It's better for the young lady to grow up slowly.
Two young maids were already worrying about their mistress's marriage, while Yu Zhi, who was holding a brush and painting, looked quite childish. The three of them together were rather amusing.
"Miss, Madam requests your presence."
"Is Mother looking for me?" After finishing the last stroke, Yu Zhi slowly put the paintbrush back in its place.
Ink Fragrance Courtyard.
Liu Boyan received a message from a palace servant, and was torn about whether or not to send her daughter into the palace to accompany the little princess in her studies. In reality, it was just to coax the little princess to play.
Even if her daughter Zhizhi is well-behaved, she's still a pampered child. She hasn't seen the princess for two years and doesn't know what her temperament is like. If they get along well, all will be well. But if they can't, they'll only be asking for trouble.
The palace servants praised the young prince to the skies, and Liu Boyan herself had some idea of what was going on. The emperor and empress were both top-notch people in the world, so how bad could their daughter be?
Whether to go or not, we'll have to ask Zhizhi what she thinks.
"Mother!"
Seeing her lively and energetic daughter, Liu Boyan's eyes filled with the warmth of a loving mother.
A magpie landed on the courtyard wall. Yu Zhi listened patiently to her mother's words. When she heard that she was going to the palace to play with the princess, her eyes lit up: "Great!"
"..."
Meeting her mother's eyes, Yuzhi blushed slightly and asked softly, "Can't we go?"
Liu Boyan didn't want to tease her anymore, so she joked, "You really want to go that much?"
Yu Zhi recalled the little princess she had seen in her memory. The memory was not very clear at this moment, but the idea that "the little princess was even more beautiful than the little fairy" was firmly engraved in her mind: "I want to go."
"Originally, your mother wanted to take you back to your maternal grandparents' house..."
"ah?"
For a moment, she was torn between going to her maternal grandparents' house or going to the palace to play with the little princess. The two thoughts were fighting each other in her little brain, and she frowned in confusion.
"However, we can only postpone our trip to your maternal grandparents' house for now. Her Majesty sent someone to say she misses you. Not only does she miss you, but the little princess also wants to see our Zhizhi."
The adults made the choice for her, so Yuzhi didn't have to feel awkward. She smiled and threw herself into her mother's arms, her words full of coquettishness: "Mother, you're teasing me again!"
Liu Boyan hugged her and laughed.
Chapter 105 Green Plum 4
As the sun rises in the east, its rays fall upon the golden tiles of Yangchun Hall, creating layers of radiance.
The chill of the night lingered, making the air feel slightly cold. Dewdrops clung to the tender green leaves. Almost as soon as he finished getting up and washing, Ji Pingxi ran outside with his thick, chubby legs.
She was born speaking early, and she could run and jump earlier than most children. Taking advantage of the moment when the palace servants weren't paying attention, she dashed out, followed by a bunch of little tails—
"Your Highness! Your Highness, slow down!"
The old woman, carrying the embroidered gold spring gown, and the other maids took off in pursuit.
Ji Pingxi glanced back and saw that they were in a real hurry, so she simply stopped and let the nanny who caught up with her put on her outer robe.
She yawned, a far cry from the mature little girl she had been when she lashed out at Granny Wang in the Imperial Garden. Her voice was still a bit childish: "Did you bring the little wooden figure?"
"Take it, take it!" With her consent, the nanny took her soft hand and walked steadily toward Gan Ning Palace.
It's good that you brought it.
The little princess calmed down and looked forward to their next meeting.
My mother told me that she and Sister Yu had some kind of destiny. My mother raised Sister Yu for two years before she was able to conceive. My mother adored Sister Yu.
Xiao Changyang suddenly asked, "Is Sister Yu cuter or am I cuter?"
The palace maids, amused by their young master, hurriedly exclaimed in unison, "Of course, His Highness is the cutest!"
Princess Changyang, the most adorable princess in the world, entered the Gan Ning Palace with a smug look on her face.
She arrived so early that the Empress, who had been up all night with His Majesty, hadn't even gotten out of bed yet.
The head palace maid reported through the curtain. Yan Xiu sighed, buried in the soft, fragrant quilt, and sat up, her long, soft hair cascading down her back: "This child..."
She muttered something under her breath.
Hearing the Empress's doting yet helpless words, the head palace maid held back her laughter.
Even if the young prince misbehaves, doesn't the Empress still spoil him?
A short while later, Yan Xiu finished putting on her inner garment and softly instructed, "Come in."
Only then did the palace maids who were helping the Empress with her dressing and grooming dare to enter.
After lingering at Gan Ning Palace for a free breakfast, Princess Changyang tilted her little face up and let her mother wipe the goat milk from her lips with a handkerchief: "Mother, when are they coming?"
Yan Xiu glared at her: "Do you think everyone is as impatient as you?"
Impatient.
The little princess blushed, pretended not to understand, sat up straight in her seat, and stopped looking towards the door.
Mother, you're so annoying! She's not a monkey!
Her reaction was really interesting. Since she was bored anyway, Yanxiu decided to tease her a bit. Seeing her puffed-up cheeks and red face, she really felt a surge of affection and wanted to hug her and rub her daughter's tender white face.
"Reporting to Your Majesty—"
The palace maid curtsied, but before she could finish speaking, the little princess stood up from her seat, her eyes shining: "They've arrived?"
The palace maid who answered was completely confused. She raised her eyes and saw the prince's appearance and expression, and realized that the prince had misunderstood. She whispered, "It is Princess Yunzhang who has arrived."
"Royal Aunt?"
Xiao Changyang gave a dejected "Oh," trying to cover up his embarrassment: "I'm quite happy that my royal aunt is coming."
Her face was beaming with joy, Yan Xiu's eyes were full of smiles, and Ji Rong stepped in with one foot: "You little ingrate, I've spoiled you for nothing."
The little princess pouted, looking aggrieved. Despite her small size, she was very polite and respectfully greeted her royal aunt.
Ji Rong adored this niece the most, and reached out to ruffle her hair, but before her palm could even touch the top of her head, the niece deftly dodged it: "Auntie's going to mess up my hair again! It was so hard to tie it up!"
She's going to meet the playmates her mother found for her soon. What if her hair is messy and they think she's a sloppy child and don't like her?
She cautiously hid behind her mother, while the princess and the empress exchanged glances and then burst into laughter.
What's so funny? Changyang rubbed her reddened earlobes, turned her back to the two of them, and ignored them. It was one thing for her aunt to bully her, but her mother also loved to see her make a fool of herself!
Father Emperor is still the best.
But Father Emperor went to the morning court session.
She felt 'isolated and helpless,' which made her even angrier.
"You're all puffed up like that; you're going to scare people away," Ji Rong said casually.
Scared away?
Xiao Changyang was sulking with the two of them, but upon hearing this, he subconsciously softened his expression, poked his puffed-up cheek with his fingertip, and put all his innocent thoughts on his face: This way I won't scare them away, right?
Ji Rong chuckled, laughing without giving him any face.
How can her niece be so adorable?
If she doesn't laugh, it's fine, but if she does, the little princess is caught between being angry and not being angry, and she ends up feeling completely withdrawn.
Unable to bear seeing the eldest princess frequently bullying her daughter, the Empress took a sip of tea and said, "Alright, your aunt is just joking with you."
My aunt is so annoying!
Princess Changyang buried her face in her mother's arms, only showing the back of her annoying imperial aunt's head.
Ji Rong was dressed to the nines today, with a golden sparrow hairpin, a jade ring, and a dark-patterned black embroidered robe. A blooming peony was embroidered in gold thread on the front of the robe. The cinched waist and narrow sleeves accentuated her waist and legs. Sitting to the side of the Empress, she possessed a natural beauty that was both beautiful and harmonious.
One was stunningly beautiful, the other as elegant as a fairy.
Ji Rong's early arrival was not solely to anger her good daughter; it's easy to guess who she was here for.
The Empress, understanding the situation perfectly, pinched the little princess's cheek, which elicited an awkward groan from Changyang.
Half an hour later, the little princess sat down in her seat again. The maidservant combed her hair into two little buns, which earned her endless praise from her mother and aunt. Only then did she reluctantly forgive their actions.
Children are fickle, yet she actually sat there patiently for almost half an hour.
"Your Majesty, the person has arrived."
Ji Pingxi's breath hitched, and his eyes involuntarily turned to the door.
The eldest princess's reaction was not much better than her little niece's; her knuckles turned white with nervousness, and a hint of fear flashed across her face—she hadn't seen Yan'er for a long time since Yu Wen left.
The only one who could command respect was the empress, whose smile was as gentle as a spring breeze. She sat calmly and unwaveringly on her throne, possessing the most dignified and unparalleled beauty for her age and status.
The palace servants led Madam Yu and her daughter through the flowers and willows until they finally arrived at the Empress's palace. Liu Boyan held her daughter's hand and stepped over the threshold without looking to the side.