After handling government affairs in the afternoon, Lu Fusu came alone to a house outside the capital.

After passing through the labyrinth-like path, I immediately felt a silence that had nothing to do with the season. I could only hear the gurgling sound of the river flowing through the garden and the sound of the wind blowing the trees.

Lu Wuxian neither fished nor tidied the garden today... Lu Fusu stood in the quiet garden for a long time, looking up at the sky.

"...is it the emperor?"

Hearing this calm voice, Lu Fusu looked back and saw that one of the two people living in this house... Lian Mei poked her head out of the window.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I didn't notice it just now. Your Majesty, please come into the house."

Sister Lian immediately opened the door and bowed to greet Lu Fusu. The room was also quiet.

"Where's Lu Wuxian?"

"He's taking a nap, I'll wake him up..."

"This is a gift. Let me give it to you first!"

Lu Fusu handed the bag he brought to Sister Lian. Sister Lian saluted and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty is always so considerate... Is this a bulb?"

"It's Narcissus. I heard that you mentioned your liking for Narcissus in the letter you wrote to Shui Xinyuan."

"yes……"

Lian Mei narrowed her eyes and carefully held the sack.

"The Queen always takes the trouble to write letters to servants like me. I am really grateful...last time she even sent beautiful fabrics and asked me to make new clothes for the festival."

"Shui Xinyuan is also looking forward to receiving your letter. She often says she wants to see you."

"..."

Lian Mei remained silent and lowered her eyes.

Ranshui Pavilion.

This is where sinners live... Lian Mei's expression says so.

Lu Fusu smiled bitterly and sat on a chair nearby.

"Does Lu Wuxian usually take naps?"

"It's not every day... I go to make tea and wake up His Highness."

"...I was just wondering why it was so noisy outside. It turned out to be you..."

Lu Wuxian, wearing home clothes and messy hair, came from the next room with his shoes on, and fell down on the bench impatiently.

Lian Mei sighed softly.

"Since you are going to meet guests, you should sort out your affairs a little bit."

"Lianmei, tea."

"Pull your collar up, be careful you may catch a cold."

Lian Mei put on the top that Lu Wuxian put on the back of the bench and went to make tea.

"You look good."

"...What are you here for?"

"I'm here to send daffodils."

Lu Wuxian looked at Lu Fusu with sleepy eyes and snorted.

"I didn't expect the emperor to be so free."

"Where can I have free time? I don't even have time to take a nap. I really want to lie on the Queen's lap and take a nap once in a while."

"...Is this irony? I have never slept on Sister Lian's lap."

"You can try to please her."

"Who wants to ask her? Besides, even if I ask her, she wouldn't be able to do such a thing for me."

Lu Wuxian began to complain again that Lian Mei was not cute at all and did not listen to his instructions at all. Lu Fusu smiled softly.

"I feel relieved to see that your relationship is still so good."

"...If she even hates me, how am I going to live here?"

Lu Wuxian muttered and stretched.

"You get what you want, unlike me. She is the only one left now... No matter how poisonous her mouth is or how unlovable she is, she can only accept her fate."

"...Do you want a maid who is smiling and obedient?"

"ah?"

"I have not prohibited you from using other maids. If you insist..."

Lu Wuxian suddenly jumped up from his chair and grabbed Lu Fusu's chest.

"Are you here to take Sister Lian away?"

"Lu Wuxian..."

"I heard that your queen and Lian Mei have been communicating recently. What do you want to do with Lian Mei? Do you want her to become the queen's maid?"

"...Lu Wuxian, let go."

"You can't take her away. If you really want to take her away, I will really kill you this time."

His sharp eyes showed that he really thought so, but there was also a trace of sadness that seemed to be pleading... His clenched teeth were trembling slightly.

"Let go...I have no such idea at all."

Lu Fusu was a little out of breath and patted Lu Wuxian's shoulder gently.

"real?"

"Of course it's true, why would I do such a thing?"

"..."

Lu Wuxian clicked his tongue and let go of his hand.

Lu Fusu coughed a few times, pulled the wrinkles on his collar, and laughed.

"I didn't expect you to be so impulsive."

"Stop being so verbose..."

"So, you don't need to add more maids? I guessed it."

"You have such a bad character!"

When Lu Wuxian learned that Lu Fusu was just teasing him, he sat down on the bench with an unhappy look on his face.

"Because it involves the future, I wanted to ask you what you mean."

"……after?"

Lian Mei came back after making tea. Lu Fusu waited for Lian Mei to put the tea cup in front of him and then said: "There is a person who teaches archery in the Ministry of War who plans to retire and return home recently."

"Is he a military attaché named Yue... or something?"

"Yes, we are currently selecting a replacement, but the person whose archery skills are slightly worse than that of Yue Shilang either has a waist injury or is old and has resigned from the official position. A suitable candidate has never been found."

"..."

Lu Wuxian's eyes widened and he stretched out his neck.

Lu Fusu wanted to see what happened in his eyes.

"Lu Wuxian, you are very good at archery."

"Wait a moment……"

Lu Wuxian glanced at Lian Mei with his wandering eyes.

"I am a sinner."

"It turns out you know it yourself."

"Don't take me for a fool...what do you want? This kind of thing can't be what you want."

"I'm not saying that right away, for example, if you encounter something that warrants amnesty...if there is no proper reason, you can only wait a few more years."

"..."

Lu Wuxian's confusion can be felt from the deep frown on his face.

This is no wonder, because there have been precedents of sinners dying in Ranshui Pavilion.

"After I came to the throne, there have been two rebellions. The first was planned by you, and the second was the previous Xishen Pass Incident. Many people were punished in both rebellions. Because there were no casualties.

, so they are almost always sentenced to prison terms or exiled to a secluded place after being deprived of their status and property."

Lu Fusu took a sip of tea.
To be continued...