The crabapple tree is fragrant in the tent, and the bright moon is in my arms

Ningzhu Pavilion.

"Your Majesty is here!"

Zhao Yue was in the courtyard. She stood up and watched Zhu Dingyuan come in. She held up the bunch of Concubine Yu that she had just trimmed and tied together in front of him and said, "May your majesty be well."

Zhu Dingyuan took the flowers from her, surprise flashing in his eyes: "Is this for me?"

Zhaoyue nodded. She was dressed very smartly today. She wore a playful smoky purple long skirt. Her jet-black hair was adorned with pearl hairpins that sparkled and translucent like water. Without the air of gold or silver, she looked even more otherworldly, and her charming face seemed spotless. Her eyes were watery, like a pure and bright pearl.

Zhu Dingyuan felt his heart cleansed when he saw the flowers. He held the flowers but stared at her: "I have never received flowers before."

Zhao Yue sat beside him and said, "When I have nothing to do, I like to go to the Pillow Book House to find some books to read."

She came closer and said softly, "Yesterday, I read that a man would give a hairpin with flowers to a beloved woman to show his cherishment and love. So I will make a bouquet of flowers and give it to Your Majesty to show my love."

Zhu Dingyuan looked at the bouquet. It was the Garden of Spring that he gave to Zhaoyue. It was still in full bloom in the yard. She really took good care of it.

He was so soft-hearted that he said in a muffled voice, "Yue'er always comes up with something unique that makes my heart flutter."

Zhao Yue stared at him playfully: "Your Majesty, are you going to cry? Should I cover my eyes?"

Zhu Dingyuan laughed and hugged her: "I am the emperor, how can I cry so easily? I think of my youth. If I could have met Yue'er and received her flowers, would things be different now..."

Zhao Yue pretended to think, then said: "That won't work. I am seven years younger than Your Majesty. When we met when we were young, I was still a baby."

"Yes, then I will wait for Yue'er to grow up, and then marry her." Zhu Dingyuan's eyes were filled with smiles.

Zhao Yue rolled her eyes in her heart. If he really married her, then even a sow could climb a tree and He Quan could become the emperor.

His expression remained unchanged, and he said with a look of heartache: "Your Majesty's eyes are all blue. He must have been late because of reading the memorial. Huang Zongguan didn't know how to persuade him. He really deserves to be punished!"

Zhu Dingyuan liked her concern: "I was wrong, Yue'er, would you be unhappy if I visited Meng Da Ying?"

Zhao Yue looked into his eyes, feeling only slightly aggrieved, and held his hand: "I am your majesty's concubine. Your majesty is not an ordinary prince. You can be together for life. The most important thing for the royal family is the heir and the blessing. The queen mother has told me all this."

She said seriously: "Yue'er has said it before. Yue'er knows that His Majesty has me in his heart. Yue'er knows the general situation and knows the importance of things. She will never be angry with Yuan Lang because of this."

Zhu Dingyuan stroked her cheek, his eyes moved: "God has given me Yue'er, which is the best blessing."

"Your Majesty, you are good at sweet talk. Although I understand, Your Majesty, you are not allowed to tell others these words. If you do, please don't let them reach my ears. Otherwise, I will be upset."

"Hahaha, okay, I will only tell Yue'er."

Zhao Yue leaned in his arms: "The Imperial Concubine gave us sleeping pillows a while ago, but Yue Er can't get used to the smell of herbs, so it's useless. Since Your Majesty can't sleep well, how about Yue Er give it to Your Majesty, as a token of my appreciation?"

"A sleeping pillow?" Zhu Dingyuan frowned, somewhat confused as to why Concubine Gao didn't send it to him.

Hearing her say that she was offering flowers to Buddha, he tapped her forehead and said, "You, I don't need anything. I can sleep well just by smelling the fragrance of the moon."

He paused and sighed: "It would be great if I could sleep with Yue'er every night."

Zhao Yue was startled and quickly covered his lips: "Your Majesty, if someone with ulterior motives heard this, they would accuse me of being a seducer. Yue'er still wants to accompany Your Majesty for many more years."

Zhu Dingyuan rubbed her little hand: "I know, I just feel... a little tired."

"I have embroidered many crabapple sachets. I wonder what pattern Your Majesty likes. Your Majesty, please pick some and hang them in front of the bed or wear them on your body."

Her fingertips wandered on the man's shoulders: "That way, whenever Your Majesty misses me, you can smell it."

"Seeing this reminds me of someone. Yue'er is punishing me."

"Then do you want it?"

"Yes." Zhu Dingyuan leaned over and wanted to kiss the corner of her lips, but looking at her clear and charming eyes, he restrained himself and kissed her forehead.

He chuckled: "Yue'er won't believe it, but after all these years, this is the first time I've tasted... love."

Zhao Yue suppressed her nausea and sat up straight from his arms: "Fang Fei asked Qin Yi to bring the lunch pot. Your Majesty, can you eat together?"

She looked at Huang Quan and said, "General Manager Huang, I hope Your Majesty will not refuse to have a meal with me to escape from the busy government affairs!"

Huang Quan broke out in a cold sweat and smiled: "Oh, my lord, how dare I say anything? Please stop teasing me and forgive me for not taking good care of you!"

"You can be spared, but you can't escape the punishment alive. I will punish the steward to bring the pot and serve the emperor the meal."

Zhu Dingyuan's smile never faded: "You want to be lazy and don't want to serve me food, right?"

When serving His Majesty meals, according to the rules, all dishes must be poisoned with silver needles and tasted by the human body.

He stood up and put his arm around Zhaoyue: "I understand. Yue'er saw that the weather was cold and sympathized with their hard work, so she wanted to give them some hot soup."

Zhao Yue blinked her eyes: "Your Majesty is truly a person of great virtue!"

"Nonsense, Yue'er should read more books."

"Okay, okay, then your majesty will give me the Pillow Book House. I will study it day and night, and one day I will pass the imperial examination for your majesty and get a third place!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Huang Quan listened to their conversation and poked Tao Xi: "What kind of magic medicine did your young master take? It seems to have grown from the heart of His Majesty. She knows everything His Majesty wants to hear and what he likes to hear."

Tao Xi bowed: "Maybe the young lady has read too many romance books. If the steward likes them, I will go get some for you. You can also tell me where they are. They are in the Pillow Book Tower..."

“No, no, no.” Huang Quan wiped his sweat and said, “Bring the pot, bring the pot.”

-

After the meal, Zhu Dingyuan took away all the purses and sachets she had embroidered.

Wearing his favorite one around his waist, he was reluctant to part with it: "I want to stay with Yue'er for a while longer."

Zhao Yue glanced at Huang Quan and said, "I want to, but Prince Duan Ze is waiting for Your Majesty in the palace today, so I have no choice but to hand Your Majesty over to someone else."

She sighed and stuffed the bouquet into his arms: "I will be good, Your Majesty, please go and get busy."

Zhu Dingyuan ruffled her hair and said, "I'm leaving now. If you miss me, come to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Forget Ningzhu Pavilion is far away, so just wait for me to come."

"Okay." Zhao Yue smiled.

-

Huang Quan said to the man in front of him who was staring at the bouquet, "Your Majesty, Prince Duan Ze is waiting in the Hall of Supreme Harmony."

"Well, let's go to the Pillow Book House. It's been a while since I last visited the late emperor's library."

"Yes."