In the Spring Orioles Palace in early autumn, hibiscus and iris are in full bloom, making them colorful.

Li Yuezhen traveled all over the country and saw many mansions of wealthy people, but this place was different from those extremely luxurious mansions. The gardens that displayed various styles in different seasons were always refreshing.

During the reign of the late emperor, the gardens here were even more gorgeous than they are now, and the gardens also changed as the palace changed hands.

"Lord Li Yuezhen...?"

When Li Yuezhen was looking at the white hibiscus absentmindedly, a soft call came from the corridor.

Even without looking back, I know whose voice it is.

Li Yuezhen lowered her eyes, then slowly raised her head.

Chunxiang ran over with a smile on her face.

"You're back……"

"I just came back……"

It has been half a year since I said goodbye to Chunxiang before setting off for Chouzhou.

When I first met Chunxiang, she still had a childish look on her face, but every time I see her recently, I can feel that she is gradually becoming a mature woman.

"I planned to report to the emperor, but I heard that the emperor has returned to the palace."

"Yes, the Emperor is drinking tea with the Queen."

Chunxiang's face was full of smiles, like blooming flowers, and Li Yuezhen narrowed her eyes slightly.

Several people... proposed to her during her business trip.

Yes, she is so cute, it would not be surprising if someone proposed to her.

Chunxiang was about to take him to see the emperor, and he couldn't help but follow him, but suddenly stopped.

"Lord Li Yuezhen?"

"Well, I'd better talk about it some other time..."

"ah?"

"I just came back and I didn't even have time to change my clothes."

In front of the increasingly beautiful Chunxiang, he suddenly became concerned

own clothing.

Chunxiang tilted her head slightly.

"The emperor and the queen will not care. Besides, they will be very happy to see you come back safely."

"..."

"Let's go!"

Hearing Chunxiang's energetic voice, Li Yuezhen couldn't help but take steps forward.

"Lord Li Yuezhen, you haven't met Princess Meiyan yet, right?"

Before departure, when he came here to say goodbye, the Queen Empress Shui Xinyuan was about to give birth. He heard during the trip that the Empress had given birth to Lin'er after the birth of Prince Long.

The princess was named Meiyan.

"Princess Meiyan is super cute, but the Emperor is a little dissatisfied..."

"So, does Princess Meiyan look like the emperor?"

"Yes! But the empress is very happy and said that she will be a beauty from now on."

As the prince grew up, he became more and more like the emperor. Therefore, the emperor hoped that the child born this time would look like the queen. Unexpectedly, the queen's wish was fulfilled and he looked like the emperor.

It was not difficult for Li Yuezhen to imagine the emperor's dejected look. He couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, and Chunxiang also laughed happily.

Chunxiang's usual light fragrance drifted into his nose.

Has someone really proposed to her?

Although Li Yue was really confused, he didn't dare to ask casually.

…

"...Although she doesn't look like Shui Xinyuan, I think the girl is cuter."

As Chunxiang said, the emperor didn't care that he was dressed for the journey. After inviting him to sit down, he asked the queen to bring him tea and asked Li Yuezhen if he wanted to give the princess a hug... Li Yuezhen politely declined, and the emperor said something happily

Unable to tell whether he was complaining or showing off, Li Yuezhen could only listen on the sidelines.

"I think the princess is very cute."

"But because he looks like me, he lacks a bit of cuteness and timidity. Especially Long Sheng, he still doesn't get along with me. Even if I play with him, I can't tell whether he is happy or unhappy."

"..."

I'm afraid it's because the emperor is immature and always competes with Long Sheng to occupy the queen.

"I originally hoped that Meiyan could inherit Shui Xinyuan's cuteness."

"I believe... no matter how your facial features look, you will still be able to relate to each other as you grow older."

"you're right."

Although the emperor sounded dissatisfied, he still loved his children very much.

Just now when Shui Xinyuan took Meiyan to bed, the emperor also let Long Sheng ride on his shoulders and play.

I heard from Chunxiang that recently Long Sheng often felt lonely because his mother was taken away by his sister. The emperor often took the initiative to play with Long Sheng... Maybe it was just that the father and son, who felt lonely without the Queen's company, were just trying to warm each other up.

"correct……"

Lu Fusu changed the subject and looked away from Shui Xinyuan, who was playing with carved wooden animal toys with Long Sheng.

"I receive reports from you from time to time, but I didn't expect the situation in Chouzhou to be so troublesome."

"It took me a little longer to handle it. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

"No, it's amazing that you were able to solve such a troublesome investigation within half a year."

But... Lu Fusu said, holding his chin with one hand and exhaled.

"To this day, we still receive petitions from people who charge excessive taxes. Don't those people expect that their greedy behavior of overcharging their own pockets will be exposed sooner or later, and their reputation will be ruined?"

"Everyone thinks they can get away with it without being discovered."

"If this continues, the Censor will never have any leisure time."

Lu Fusu took a sip of tea and smiled bitterly.

"Li Yuezhen, you work in the field all day long, do you have any plans to settle down in the capital?"

"As long as the emperor needs me, I am willing to go through fire and water."

This is Li Yuezhen's sincere words.

He is grateful to the Zhuge family father and son who saved him from the difficult days, the emperor and his colleagues in the Yushijian who trusted him and entrusted him with important tasks...

Therefore, he worked hard to repay... If he could make up for the sins of the past, he was willing to go through fire and water.

"……How old?"

"ah……"

"How old are you?"

Lu Fusu asked abruptly, and Li Yuezhen couldn't answer for a while.

"……twenty one years old……"

"Yes! You are two years younger than me."

Lu Fusu quietly put down the teacup and said as if chatting: "Chunxiang is seventeen years old this year."

"..."

"You haven't decided yet?"

Li Yuezhen felt her cheeks feel hot and her head felt cold at the same time.

He searched for Chunxiang's figure from the corner of his eyes, but Chunxiang was not within his sight range.

"I have no intention of forcing..."

Lu Fusu lowered his voice slightly, at least Chunxiang was not in a place where he could hear their conversation.

"It seems... you haven't thought about it at all."

"..."

I just returned to the capital today, and two people have already mentioned this topic... Li Yuezhen guessed that maybe someone really proposed to Chunxiang, otherwise, leaving aside the nosy colleague, the emperor, who has never interfered in the private affairs of his ministers, would not have mentioned this.

thing.

Seeing that Li Yuezhen was silent, Lu Fusu deliberately said in a cheerful tone: "Anyway... you have a good rest for the time being. The capital is safe now."

"yes……"
To be continued...