"‘I will hold your hand, and grow old with you.’"
Yan Ruxue smiled as she looked at Xiao Mo, speaking slowly.
"I also like those two lines very much," Xiao Mo nodded and took a sip of tea.
"This young lady thought Young Master would laugh at me," Yan Ruxue's lips curved up slightly.
"Why would you say that?" Xiao Mo asked.
"Because these are all about love and romance, seeming petty and narrow-minded," Yan Ruxue lowered her eyes gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"The young lady is wrong to say that," Xiao Mo smiled and shook his head. "Among the eighty thousand words in the world, only emotion is the most deadly. No matter how seas change into mulberry fields, how times pass and circumstances change, only the word 'love' remains unchanged."
"..." Yan Ruxue's eyes rippled gently as she quietly gazed into Xiao Mo's eyes.
"What's wrong, young lady?" Xiao Mo looked at the woman before him, always feeling that in that instant just now, the way she looked at him seemed somewhat off.
It was as if there was an impulse in her heart but she forcibly suppressed that impulse."Nothing," Yan Ruxue shook her head. "This young lady just feels that Young Master speaks very reasonably. Allow this young lady to toast Young Master with tea in place of wine."
"The young lady is too polite."
Xiao Mo raised his teacup and clinked it with Yan Ruxue's across the space, draining it in one gulp.
After a little over half an hour, Wei Xun looked at the sky, felt it was about time, stepped forward, and said softly, "Young Master, it's getting late. Should we head back?"
"I understand," Xiao Mo stood up and bowed to Yan Ruxue. "Young lady, I'll take my leave first. Today's conversation with the young lady has been most pleasant."
Yan Ruxue stood up and curtsied, "Young Master, please go carefully. This young lady was also just about to return. This box of pastries, if Young Master doesn't mind, please take it to try."
"Then I won't stand on ceremony and will accept it. Young lady, be careful on your way."
"Young Master as well."
Xiao Mo didn't act coy, accepted the pastries, turned around, and left.
Watching Xiao Mo's figure disappear at the far end, only then did Yan Ruxue withdraw her gaze.
"Xiao Chun, let's also head back," Yan Ruxue smiled gently.
"Yes, Miss."
Xiao Chun quickly gathered up the cushions, kite, and tea utensils. As for the charcoal from the tea stove, she poured it into the lake.
After the lake water was scalded and a small patch of steam rose, the charcoal gradually sank to the bottom.
…
Walking on the road back to the palace, Xiao Mo looked at the box of pastries Wei Xun was carrying and said, "Wei Xun, I want to try some."
"Yes, Young Master." Wei Xun quickly opened the oil paper and carefully handed it to His Majesty.
Xiao Mo picked out a piece of osmanthus cake and took a bite.
"Hmm?"
Looking at the osmanthus cake in his hand that he had bitten in half, Xiao Mo couldn't help but frown.
"Young Master, is there something wrong with this osmanthus cake?" Wei Xun asked.
"Nothing, I just feel the taste of this osmanthus cake is somewhat familiar."
"Familiar?" Wei Xun was even more confused.
"It's a bit like a taste I've had before, but not quite the same. This osmanthus cake tastes even better."
Xiao Mo stopped walking, turned around, and looked in the direction of Jade Spring Lake.
After three breaths, Xiao Mo smiled and shook his head, as if mocking himself for the impractical thought that had just emerged.
"Forget it, I'm just overthinking. Let's go, time to return."
"Yes, Young Master."
…
After Xiao Chun threw the tea utensils, kite, and other items onto the carriage, she didn't get on the carriage with her miss to return to the residence.
Her miss wanted to stroll around the marketplace, and Xiao Chun naturally accompanied her.
Although walking was somewhat tiring, she enjoyed shopping with her miss.
It was just that every time she went shopping with her miss, there would always be various people looking at her miss with all kinds of gazes.
Xiao Chun wished she could gouge out the eyes of all these people.
"Miss, Miss," Xiao Chun shook her miss's small hand, her eyes carrying a gossipy meaning.
"What is it?" Yan Ruxue asked with a smile.
"Miss, why didn't you tell His Majesty your name?" Xiao Chun was very curious.
She had thought several times that her miss would give her name and had waited to see His Majesty's reaction but her miss just didn't say it, always referring to herself as "this young lady."
Yan Ruxue extended her finger and gently flicked Xiao Chun's forehead, "Then Xiao Chun, did His Majesty ask for my name?"
"No," Xiao Chun shook her head.
Yan Ruxue asked again, "Did His Majesty mention his identity?"
"Also no," Xiao Chun shook her head again. "Right, why is that? Logically speaking, Miss, you're so beautiful, shouldn't His Majesty reveal his identity and take you back to the palace?"
"Silly girl," Yan Ruxue smiled gently. "Since it was a chance encounter, why ask more questions and add complexity to this pure coincidental meeting?"
"But Miss," Xiao Chun rubbed her forehead. "Miss, it won't be long before you enter the palace."
"Yes, but today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow. Today I am his friend, and in some days, I will be his wife. He should be very surprised, shouldn't he?"
"Yes, yes, His Majesty will definitely be very surprised and very happy."
Xiao Chun said with a grin, anticipation already growing in her heart.
She anticipated that on the wedding night, when His Majesty lifted her miss's red bridal veil and discovered that his empress was actually the woman he had encountered by chance.
How surprised His Majesty would be...
It would be just like a story from a romance novel but speaking of which...
Xiao Chun looked at her miss beside her, her eyes carrying a trace of worry, "Miss, how do you feel about His Majesty? Do you like His Majesty?"
At first, Xiao Chun had felt it was very unfair for her miss to enter the palace because His Majesty's reputation wasn't good.
Rumors said His Majesty was incompetent and muddle-headed, with a violent temper, often beating and scolding palace maids but after seeing His Majesty twice, Xiao Chun felt His Majesty was completely different from that kind of person.
His Majesty gave off an elegant feeling, like a scholar, graceful and refined, handsome, and without any airs at all.
In short, His Majesty was completely different from the rumors.
"I do like him," Yan Ruxue answered with a smile.
"Eh?" Xiao Chun was stunned for a moment, not expecting her miss to answer so straightforwardly. It felt somewhat embarrassing.
"And let me tell you a secret, Xiao Chun, you mustn't tell His Majesty."
Yan Ruxue said mysteriously, her words carrying a hint of playfulness.
"Miss, please tell me, please tell me. This servant definitely won't tell His Majesty!" Xiao Chun's eyes sparkled.
"Actually, I've liked His Majesty for a very long time."
"But Miss, didn't you first meet His Majesty three months ago?"
"Who said that?" Yan Ruxue's lips curved up. "I've seen His Majesty before."
Xiao Chun scratched her head, "Then Miss, how long have you liked His Majesty?"
Yan Ruxue smiled and pinched Xiao Chun's nose, "For about seven thousand years."
"Seven thousand years?"
Xiao Chun stopped walking and watched her miss's figure gradually walking away, thinking about her miss's words.
After a moment, when Xiao Chun came to her senses, she quickly chased after her miss.
"Miss, you're lying! You're clearly only nineteen years old!"