The White-haired Queen

With just a quick glance, the Empress Dowager Cixi took a liking to the princess.

When Princess Qinghe approached, the Empress Dowager noticed that her makeup was simple and elegant, with a faint smile between her eyebrows, and she was holding an exquisite food box in her left hand. She was very graceful in her gestures, without any shyness. Seeing this, the Empress Dowager could not help but step forward, tightly holding Princess Qinghe's right hand, and uncontrollably looked at her carefully from head to toe.

As the Empress Dowager Cixi looked at her, she murmured, "What a beautiful and elegant lady! She doesn't even have the arrogance of a princess." As she spoke, she gently patted Princess Qinghe's right hand to show her affection.

Princess Qinghe smiled slightly, her smile was as warm and bright as the spring sun, and two cute dimples bloomed on the corners of her mouth. She said softly: "Queen Mother, this is the potato pancake I made myself. Please try it. The skin is crispy and the filling is soft and fragrant."

The two of them sat down at the stone table in the pavilion and chatted. Then Princess Qinghe carefully took out a small bottle of fruit wine from the exquisite food box, and said with a smile: "This is the green plum wine I brewed myself with the green plums from Huoyan Mountain. It tastes sour and sweet, and is very appetizing!" As she spoke, Princess Qinghe had already opened the bottle cap, and a faint plum fragrance wafted out. She filled a small cup and gently pushed it in front of the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager elegantly stretched out her right hand, picked up the wine glass, first lowered her head to smell it, and then took a sip. Instantly, a fresh fruity aroma and a sweet and sour taste filled her mouth, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

She nodded with satisfaction and praised, "Well, this is really good wine! It not only has the elegant fragrance of fruit, but also contains the mellow sweetness and sourness of fruit juice. The taste is really quite good."

Then, she picked up a piece of golden potato cake, took a small bite gently, chewed it carefully, and exclaimed: "It's crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, sweet and delicious, it's really delicious."

Princess Qinghe smiled happily after hearing this and said, "As long as the Queen Mother likes it."

At this time, the Empress Dowager Cixi turned to Cuiping beside her and ordered: "Cuiping, go and get the vegetable cakes and soy milk that I just made this morning, and let the princess taste them." Cuiping left after receiving the order.

After Cuiping walked away, the Empress Dowager Cixi enthusiastically introduced to Princess Qinghe: "Those were all cooked by me personally this morning, and the ingredients used are all from my own vegetable garden." Her words revealed full of pride.

Princess Qinghe smiled and said softly, "I have long heard of the Queen Mother's vegetable garden! I heard that there are not only fragrant fruits and vegetables that make people salivate, but also many rare and precious flowers and plants that compete for beauty. Especially the Lianli cypress, it is said that it witnessed a touching love story of yours!"

The Empress Dowager Cixi showed a faint smile on her face and said slowly: "These vegetables and fruits are the necessities of my daily life, and those exotic flowers and plants are gifts from other countries. As for the intertwined cypress, it was planted by me and the late emperor together in the first year after I entered the palace. At that time, the two trees depended on each other and grew vigorously, but now the late emperor has left me..." Speaking of this, the Empress Dowager Cixi couldn't help but feel sad.

However, in the blink of an eye, she regained her usual calmness and continued with a firm tone: "Life is short and unpredictable. We should cherish the present and love the people around us."

Princess Qinghe heard this and immediately responded, "Please rest assured, Queen Mother. As long as I stay in Shangxie Country, I will treat you as my own mother and serve you respectfully."

The Empress Dowager smiled and said softly, "What a well-behaved child. So, are you willing to enter the palace to accompany me? Become my daughter-in-law, and we can stay together, study farming, explore the wonders of agricultural technology, learn cooking methods, and take care of our vegetable garden together. How about that?"

After the Empress Dowager Cixi finished speaking, Princess Qinghe was shocked and stunned on the spot. Her mouth opened wide, but she could only utter "I, I..."

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager Cixi hurriedly comforted him, "Don't worry, this matter is of great importance, you can think carefully. If you have a wish, I will ask the Emperor to write a letter to your father, and from now on, the two countries will have friendly relations and form a Qin-Jin relationship."

Upon hearing this, Princess Qinghe stood up suddenly as if she had been electrocuted, and said in panic: "No, no, no, I, I..." She seemed to want to explain something but didn't know where to start.

The Empress Dowager Cixi became suspicious and asked, "Are you married?" Princess Qinghe shook her head desperately like a disturbed bird, waving her hands constantly, and answered anxiously, "No, no, no." Her eyes flickered, revealing an indescribable complex emotion.

The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at the lovely girl in front of her, a hint of curiosity and expectation flashed in her eyes, and she asked softly: "So what do you mean...?" There was a hint of exploration in her voice.

Princess Qinghe's heart tightened. She was already very nervous, and now she didn't know how to answer the question properly. In a panic, she could only grit her teeth and muster up the courage to say, "Queen Mother, I came to your country this time for exchange and learning, not for marriage." Her tone was firm, but her slightly trembling voice revealed her inner uneasiness.

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager Cixi could not help but admire Princess Qinghe even more. It was rare for her to be so frank and clear about her goals. She raised her lips slightly, revealing a kind smile, and said slowly: "I know, but now that you have come to our country, you might as well consider the matter of marriage. After all, this is beneficial to the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the welfare of the people."

Upon hearing this, Princess Qinghe's face turned pale instantly. She knelt down and kowtowed hurriedly, saying in panic: "Please forgive me, Queen Mother! I really have no intention of marrying a foreign princess. Please understand!" Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew very well that her impulsiveness might anger the Queen Mother, but at this moment, she just wanted to express her true thoughts.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager Cixi felt annoyed in her heart, thinking that she had asked too hastily and frightened this innocent and kind child. She quickly reached out to help Princess Qinghe up and comforted her softly, "Hurry up, I am not blaming you, I am just making a suggestion. If you really don't want to, then forget it." Her words were full of concern and tolerance.

The Empress Dowager smiled and said softly, "Forget it, let's not talk about this matter for now. I think you are new here and not familiar with this palace yet, so I will take you to see my vegetable garden, how about that?"