Xiao Manor, Eastern Courtyard.
The First Madam of the Xiao Manor, Xia Qingke, was trimming flowers and plants.
Her personal maid Huanying quickly walked into the courtyard and curtsied to the First Madam of the Xiao Manor, "Madam."
"Mm." Xia Qingke nodded and slowly spoke, "Her Highness the Princess ca to find Xiao Mo yesterday?"
As the principal wife of the Xiao Manor, she naturally knew about the Third Princess coming to find Xiao Mo. However, she hadn't asked much about it yesterday.
"Yes, Madam. The Third Princess ca to play with Xiao Mo. The Third Princess ate a al in Fifth Madam's courtyard, then pulled Xiao Mo out to play. Xiao Mo didn't return until the hour of hai." Huanying reported truthfully.
"I understand. You may go." Xia Qingke said calmly.
"Madam..."
Huanying hesitated to speak, but in the end decided to say it.
"Now Xiao Mo is already Senior Huang's disciple. He even went to the grand hunt and beca Her Highness the Princess's guard, rendering ritorious service and receiving rewards from His Majesty. Now Her Highness the Princess has even co looking for him. It seems they have a very good relationship. Could this..."
When Huanying was about to say the last sentence, Xia Qingke turned her head and looked at her coldly.
Huanying imdiately shut her mouth, knelt down to beg forgiveness, slapping her own cheek while saying, "This servant deserves death. This servant spoke out of turn. This servant deserves death!"
"Huanying, I know what you want to say."
Xia Qingke stepped forward, looking at the maid kneeling before her.
"You married into the Xiao Manor with from the Xia family. I know you're completely devoted to and worried about the hereditary succession of the Northern Pacification Prince title. But I must tell you, since we ca to the Xiao Manor, we must follow the Xiao Manor's rules. Setting aside that the Xiao Manor has never had a precedent of deposing the legitimate heir to establish a concubine-born son, even if there were, who becos the future Northern Pacification Prince is for the Prince and His Majesty to decide! Others are not qualified to gossip. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Madam..." Huanying knelt prostrate on the ground, not daring to raise her head.
"I'll forgive you this ti. If there's a next ti, go receive your punishnt yourself." Xia Qingke turned around and continued trimming the flowers and plants, no longer looking at Huanying.
"Thank you, Madam. This servant will rember and will never transgress again." Huanying kowtowed three tis on the ground, then timidly stood up and withdrew.
After Huanying left, she was the only one remaining in the courtyard. However, compared to just now, Xia Qingke didn't seem as focused on trimming the flowers and plants.
She even trimd and trimd until, with a "snip" of the scissors, the most brilliantly blooming flower was cut off.
Xia Qingke picked up the flower, raised her head to look into the distance, and her brow couldn't help but furrow.
…
In the Third Princess's palace within the Qin Kingdom's imperial palace.
Qin Siyao, who had played to her heart's content yesterday, was sitting in the pavilion in the courtyard, continuing to recite from her books. However, as the young girl recited, she couldn't help but think of the al she had eaten at Auntie Zhou's house yesterday.
She thought of the candied hawthorn, at buns, braised pig's trotters, and peach blossom cakes she had eaten on the street yesterday.
She thought of the acrobatic perforrs.
She thought of that old grandpa who made clay figurines.
Most, most, most importantly, she thought of that little boy her own age.
Thinking and thinking, the little girl's lips couldn't help but reveal a silly smile but very quickly, the little girl vigorously shook her head, talking to herself, "I can't let my mind wander! I need to hurry and morize!"
Restraining her thoughts, the little girl loudly read aloud poetry and essays, striving to morize them at the fastest speed.
At noon, the little girl even ate while reciting, looking as diligent as a scholar preparing for the imperial examinations.
In the afternoon at the hour of shen, after Qin Siyao had earnestly gone through the assignnts her mother empress had given her from beginning to end, she ran confidently toward the outside of the courtyard.
"Her Highness the Princess, where are you going?"
The maid Huasheng was just bringing over tea and snacks when she saw Her Highness the Princess run past her like a little deer.
"I'm going to find Mother to recite my lessons!"
The little girl ran farther and farther away, her voice becoming more and more distant.
At the sa ti, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler was reviewing morials in the imperial study, while Empress Shi stood beside her husband, rolling up her sleeves and carefully grinding ink.
"Father Emperor... Mother Empress..."
Suddenly, the little girl's delighted voice ca from outside the imperial study.
Eunuch Li, who was guarding the door, didn't dare to stop her. He could only pretend not to see and let the little princess push open the wooden door of the imperial study.
Originally, Qin Siyao had been as happy as a blooming flower but when Qin Siyao saw the stern look in Mother Empress's eyes, she imdiately shivered, hurriedly backed out of the imperial study, obediently closed the door, and then knocked on it, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress, your daughter Siyao requests an audience."
"Co in." Empress Shi called out toward the door.
Only after receiving permission did Qin Siyao push open the door and walk forward respectfully, curtsying, "Your daughter Siyao pays respects to Father Emperor and Mother Empress. Are Father Emperor and Mother Empress well?"
"Your father emperor is doing very well." The Qin Kingdom’s ruler smiled.
"Well." Empress Shi nodded, "Does Siyao have sothing she needs?"
Qin Siyao straightened up, her big eyes happy, "Reporting to Father Emperor and Mother Empress, your daughter has already completed the assignnts Mother Empress gave yesterday. Please review them, Father Emperor and Mother Empress."
"So quickly?" The Qin Kingdom’s ruler was sowhat shocked.
Empress Shi also looked at her daughter sowhat incredulously.
The assignnts she had given were five days' worth.
It would be good if this playful girl could complete them within seven days, yet she had morized everything in one day?
"Yes, Father Emperor and Mother Empress. Your daughter knows them all." Qin Siyao's expression carried impatience, as if saying, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress, test quickly, test quickly!"
"Alright, then recite them all once." Empress Shi said.
"Yes, Mother Empress. Ahem, ahem, ahem..."
Qin Siyao imitated adults, cutely clearing her throat, and began to recite.
"The wild geese fly, their feathers so orderly. These n go forth, toiling hard in the fields. We should pity these people, have compassion for the widowers and widows. The wild geese fly, gathering in the marsh. These n build walls, hundreds of sections all rising. Though they toil hard, they will ultimately have peaceful hos."
Qin Siyao earnestly recited poem after poem and essay after essay and truly, not a single word was wrong.
Empress Shi selected a few more passages and asked her to explain them. She could still answer them all.
By the end, Empress Shi had nothing left to ask.
"Father Emperor, Mother Empress, did your daughter's assignnts pass?" Qin Siyao asked expectantly.
"They passed. You did well, Siyao." Empress Shi rarely praised her daughter.
"Then Mother Empress, may Siyao continue to leave the palace to play at the Xiao Manor?" Qin Siyao said happily.
"Go ahead." Empress Shi waved her hand.
"Thank you, Father Emperor. Thank you, Mother Empress." Qin Siyao curtsied and happily ran out.
"Is this girl working so hard just to go to the Xiao Manor to play with the Xiao Manor's Third Young Master?" Empress Shi asked her husband in puzzlent.
"Who knows?"
The Qin Kingdom’s ruler lancholically picked up his teacup and drank a large mouthful of tea.
"Tsk!"
The Qin Kingdom’s ruler smacked his lips and looked at the teacup.
Why is this tea so much more bitter than usual?
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