Time travel, quick transmigration

Shi Yan didn't know when Xiao Huanling had entered the stage. Her heart was still pounding wildly. The moment Xiao Huanling turned around, her breath seemed to stop. She was captivated by Xiao Huanling's beauty and shaken by the tenderness conveyed in his eyes.

Throughout the entire process, her gaze followed Xiao Huanling, but the round fan she used to shield herself from the sunlight effectively blocked any prying eyes from seeing where her gaze was focused.

Xiao Huanling would often cast meaningful glances at her, but because of his superb martial arts skills and agile movements, others could not catch his hidden gaze at all, only Shi Yan could understand it.

This feeling was undoubtedly exciting yet dangerous. Shi Yan didn't feel that it violated morality. After all, in her heart, she was just carrying out a task as Yang Yuhuan. She had no feelings for Li Longji, nor any responsibility or obligation. Before everything settled down, she could not do anything out of line as Yang Yuhuan. But her heart was free. She was responding to the person she liked in her original identity.

Seeing Xiao Huanling today has put her mind at ease. Perhaps being able to meet him before he leaves Chang'an will make her less sad when he departs.

Xiao Huanling looked at his beloved woman again and again with an almost greedy, obsessive yet restrained gaze, and would quickly look away from her whenever others looked at him.

On several occasions, when faced with the complacent emperor, he almost couldn't resist the urge to hit the polo ball at his opponent and defeat him. Only his strong self-control and his desire not to cause his beloved worry dispelled the violence and darkness in his heart.

Until the outcome was decided, with the emperor winning the final goal, Xiao Huanling looked longingly at the person sitting on the high platform, and finally suppressed all the reluctance in his heart and rode away from the racecourse.

"Ayan, take care. I don't know when I'll return, but I will pacify the border as soon as possible and come back to be with you. You must wait for me."

He left so swiftly and decisively, unaware that he had used all his strength to resist turning back, fearing that if he did, he would be reluctant to leave.

Shi Yan stared blankly at Xiao Huanling's departing figure, a deep sense of bitterness welling up in her heart. She was reluctant to say goodbye to Xiao Huanling, but she hadn't expected them to say goodbye in such a situation.

"A Ling..."

After Li Longji left the field, some people left, while others, at the call of several princes, formed two teams to start another round of polo.

"Your Majesty, please wipe your sweat."

Gao Lishi handed the wrung-out handkerchief to Li Longji, who took it, wiped the sweat from his face, and then casually placed the handkerchief on Gao Lishi's outstretched hands.

"How long has Yang Guifei been here?"

Gao Lishi placed the handkerchief in a tray held by a young eunuch and replied with a smile.

"The Imperial Concubine has been here for a while now."

"His Majesty was truly magnificent today. This servant noticed that the Imperial Concubine was watching intently; it must be His Majesty's heroic figure that captivated her..."

Li Longji burst into laughter, feeling extremely pleased with himself.

"You lackey!"

"Come, follow me to the Imperial Concubine's residence."

Gao Lishi was pleased to see the emperor so delighted and quickly bowed his head in agreement.

Li Longji was tall and had long legs, so he walked with great style, quite like a dragon striding and a tiger strutting. Gao Lishi had to bend over and run fast just to keep up.

Li Longji went up to the high platform and sat down in the empty seat next to Shi Yan.

"Yu Huan".

Shi Yan snapped out of her reverie, suppressed her sadness, and gently curved her lips into a smile.

"Your Majesty, you have arrived."

"Your Majesty is truly exceptionally brave and skilled, not only in horsemanship and archery, but also invincible on the polo field."

Upon hearing this, Li Longji's smile deepened even further.

"I have heard many nice words, but only the praise from Yu Huan is the most pleasant and makes me the happiest."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on the several bowls of fruits on the table.

"Does Yu Huan like these fruits from the Western Regions?"

Shi Yan nodded and smiled.

"It's alright. I just tried some grapes and melon, and they were quite good. The melon, in particular, was sweet but not cloying, which made me greedily eat an extra piece."

"Your Majesty, I miss you, so I've specially saved two pieces for you."

Li Longji smiled.

"You certainly know how to use someone else's flowers to present to Buddha."

Although he was teasing her, he still reached out and picked up a piece of honeydew melon, took a few bites, and then smiled at Shi Yan.

"It's quite good."

Seeing that Li Longji was all smiles and looked much more energetic than usual, Shi Yan knew that it was because he had won the polo match that day.

“Your Majesty, I heard from Eunuch Gao that these are fruits and melons from the Western Regions. I know they are precious and rarely available. You have prepared these for me to try, and I have tasted some of them. But there are too many for both of us. Why don’t you invite Sister Mei and Consort De to come and eat with us?”

Upon hearing this, Li Longji raised his eyes and glanced at the positions of Jiang Caiping and Consort Qian. With a thought, he nodded.

"As you wish."

"Lishi, go and invite Consort Mei and Consort De over here."

Gao Lishi lowered his head and went to fetch someone.

Li Longji looked at Shi Yan with deep affection, feeling both gratified and a little heartbroken.

"I know that Yu Huan is kind-hearted and gentle. But these are all specially prepared for you, so you don't need to feel uneasy. There are still some fruits and melons in the ice storage from this tribute. I can just give some to Consort Mei and Consort De's palaces. You don't really need to do this."

Shi Yan understood that Li Longji had misunderstood, but she was too lazy to explain, so she just smiled and didn't say anything.

Before long, Gao Lishi invited Jiang Caiping and Consort Qian over.

After meeting Li Longji, Shi Yan bowed and then each went to sit on the cushioned chairs that Gao Lishi had prepared for them.

Since returning from the Lishan Palace, Jiang Caiping has had no contact or communication with Shi Yan for a long time. At first, she was a little uncomfortable with Shi Yan's distance from her, but she was proud and would never take the initiative to get close to him. As time went by, she got over it and didn't care much anymore.

In this vast harem, only the Imperial Concubine is favored and cherished by His Majesty. Those who are disappointed and neglected can only look on with envy.

Jiang Caiping stared at Shi Yan for a moment, looking at her face, which was as beautiful as the moon and elegant and charming. Then she saw Qian Defei next to her, who looked pale and emaciated in comparison. Then she thought of her own pale and thin face in the mirror.

"Perhaps this is the difference between being loved and not being loved."

Jiang Caiping thought bitterly, but when she saw the way the Emperor looked at her, she still smiled gently and gracefully.

Shi Yan saw Jiang Caiping's smiling face and the deep affection in her eyes when she looked at Li Longji, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. "What a devoted woman!"

Perhaps finally feeling a pang of conscience, Li Longji looked at the two women he had neglected with concern and said some heartwarming words.

"The two concubines seem to have lost a lot of weight, but they usually have a poor appetite and eat less."

"Has anyone at the Imperial Hospital been checking the pulses of my two beloved concubines every day?"