Chapter 352: Chapter 352 Summer Garden Opens (2)
Feng Xuxu’s gaze swept past, and she saw the Emperor in his bright yellow robes standing at the entrance, observing her husband, Dugu Chen, with a cold smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Ha-ha-ha, it appears that Brother Chen’s illness has greatly improved." The Emperor’s frosty expression melted into a smile as he strode forward.
Feng Xuxu, upon hearing this, turned to look and was immediately covered in a look of surprise. She put down the brush she was using to paint, stepped forward, and bent down to perform a curtsy.
"I was unaware of Your Majesty’s visit, and I failed to greet you appropriately. I hope Your Majesty is not displeased with me."
Dugu Han curled his lips slightly and cast a sideways glance at Tian Yi who was standing aside, hmph, quite the silver-tongued one.
"Dear sister-in-law, please rise quickly. You shouldn’t be performing such courtesies in your condition; from now on, you are excused from them." He extended a hand to lift Feng Xuxu, chuckling warmly. To outsiders, it seemed a deeply affectionate scene.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Seeing the Emperor approaching, Dugu Chen, who had been practicing his swordplay, also came to a stop and walked over.
Yingsu stepped forward with a dry handkerchief, offering it to the Prince. After he had wiped himself down, she retreated.
"Your Majesty’s presence truly brings glory to this humble Prince Residence," he said, his tone unfamiliar, like that of a stranger.
The Emperor, upon hearing this, furrowed his brows deeply, creating a frown: "Why is Brother Chen so distant? Could it be that you’re still upset about what happened that day?"
"I would not dare."
"Your Majesty, Prince, the wind in the back courtyard is a bit strong. Perhaps we should move to the front hall? I’ve just prepared some exotic flower tea for Your Majesty to taste." Even if one was displeased with the Emperor’s actions, in the back courtyard where it wasn’t appropriate to speak openly, one still needed to offer him some respect.
Just as the Emperor was feeling awkward, worried that the proud Dugu Chen would cause him to lose face, Feng Xuxu offered a saving grace, "Excellent, I didn’t realize Sister-in-law had such a skill. In that case, I shall have to taste it properly." He turned and walked ahead.
Dugu Chen, hugging the eight months pregnant Feng Xuxu with her large belly, gave a mournful glance.
Feng Xuxu smiled and patted his hand, ’The Emperor himself has come; we certainly can’t keep him outside. Even if you command military power, you can’t be too arrogant.’
The pair communicated silently, and finally, under the sharp gaze of his wife, Dugu Chen reluctantly entered the front hall.
As soon as the Emperor seated himself, Baihe brought a cup of tea on a white glazed cup with a red plum pattern to the Eight Immortals Table in front of the Emperor. She also served a cup of clear tea to the Prince and a cup of boiled water to the Princess.
The Emperor noticed that the cup was not the usual blue, but white, and even the plum blossom pattern painted on it was particularly charming.
"This cup is very delicate, even more so than those in the Imperial Palace collection," he exclaimed, lifting the cup and slowly sipping the rumored exotic flower tea.
Upon lifting the lid, a scent of cleanliness and freshness wafted up, the first taste was incredibly sweet, with a hint of fragrance. With each sip, the tea seemed to enliven the cells of the body, and the pent-up tension slowly eased.
The grand hall was silent until the Emperor finished his cup of flower tea, he then spoke, "This is excellent tea, surpassing those tributes usually offered."
"Heh, Your Majesty, do you know what tea you’re drinking?" she asked, setting down her cup, leaving a sense of mystery for the Emperor to guess.
The Emperor shook his head with a smile: "It has a scent of flowers, but I do not recognize which one."
"This tea is made from Yimi Flower, which has four petals, each a different color. The most precious thing about it is that it grows for five years but only blooms in the sixth year for two days, after which it wilts along with its stem."
The more the Emperor heard, the more curious he became, "So, you’ve seen this flower?"
Feng Xuxu smiled demurely, "There are some planted in the greenhouse outside the city, which should bloom soon."
