"Everything is new and great, and sorrow and resentment are worth the beauty." [Cai Ling Song]
The temperature outside Kunming Temple was very high. As soon as Liu Ru came out of the corridor, he felt a heat that could not be resisted by his clothes. The emperor, concubines, princes and princesses, after watching the maids' singing and advocating, were not interested in visiting. At the prince's suggestion
Next, everyone got on the Yuzhang boat and went to the Lingbo Hall in the center of the pool. Across the water bank, Liu Ru seemed to be able to hear the playful sounds of Liu Xin, the sixth son of the emperor. He seemed to want to take the boat to see the eagle up close.
A large stone whale half-hidden and half-exposed in the pond since the time of Emperor Xiaowu.
Seeing their lively appearance, Liu Ru, who excused himself from feeling unwell, watched quietly, feeling a little bored. The palace was too cold, and the heat on the shore made her head swell. Liu Ru simply left Kunming Temple and took the palace with him.
The maid and his entourage drove along the lake. The wind blowing from the lake dissipated the heat, and the scenery between the water and the sky also made people feel relaxed and happy. Liu Ru sat on the oil painting cart, leaning his forehead and dozing lightly.
The car drove aimlessly around Kunming Pond, and Liu Ru's thoughts were also ups and downs in her dream. In a trance, she seemed to hear the accompanying palace maids whispering about her:
"I heard that this time the princess did not get married to that gentleman from Xianbei. It was all thanks to Mr. Zhen."
"Zhen Gui is really favored." A young Cainv said with envy: "Among your Majesty's many concubines, only Zhen Gui gave birth to a prince and two princesses for your majesty. Her favor is only second to that of the queen, and her appearance is even more like
Goddess. Look at the third prince and Princess Qinghe. They have been so beautiful since they were young, and they will grow up in the future..."
"Why are you talking about all this?" The mature palace maid said softly: "There are also many concubines who have given birth to sons and daughters for Your Majesty. These two princesses... don't talk about this again in the future."
"What's the matter?" The young Cai Nu was ignorant and inexperienced in the world. She still wanted to say: "Our princess is still His Majesty's eldest daughter, and the Crown Prince's only sister. This can't be said to be doted on. I just don't know how, our princess and the
Princess Qinghe has some..."
"What's there?" The mature maid's tone contained a hint of warning. She was Liu Ru's maid who had been serving him since he was a child. She was always kind and kind. Liu Ru only remembered that someone would only lower her voice when she made a mistake: "Hurry up."
Shut your mouth!"
The car bumped slightly, and Liu Ru, who was in a daze, woke up completely. She didn't know if she had just heard something, but when she saw the young Cai nv's expression of hesitation, she seemed to understand something.
She doesn't look like her 'biological mother' Zhen Mi. This is not only the palace maid beside her, but also a secret that Liu Ru secretly knows in her heart. At first, she thought she looked more like the emperor, but except for her nose and lips, everything else
Everything was different. Liu Ru had noticed since she was a child that the close and old palace servants around Zhen Mi had a half-cold and half-warm attitude towards her. It was all these things that made her know that there was a secret hidden behind her.
"Where are you now?" Liu Ru asked, feeling even more depressed.
The mature maid looked around and said in surprise: "Oh, we have already reached the north side of the pool. We must go back to the south quickly. Your Majesty and the others will come back by boat. They will be anxious if they don't see the princess."
Liu Ru ignored her and wanted to get out of the car and walk around by himself. The palace maids naturally refused to allow it, but Liu Ru had his own opinions at a young age, so the others had no choice but to follow behind him.
An area northeast of Kunming Pool was once the site of Qin Afang Palace. In the Han Dynasty, many palace gardens that survived the war were incorporated into Shanglin Garden. Liu Ru was wandering by a small stream, where water chestnuts grew lushly.
The nimble little fish swam among the water chestnut leaves. Unknowingly, she came to a quiet and cool place. This place was different from the wind that hit the Kunming Pool, and it was also different from the cold humidity in the Kunming Temple.
The stream gurgled, and the sunlight shone on the water like gold through the leaves. On the ground, the chirping of birds came in the breeze. Liu Ru stood under the tree. She had never seen such a natural scenery when she was born in the palace.
A little crazy.
The palace maids behind him had not yet arrived, Liu Ru squatted down boldly by the stream, looked at his blurred reflection in the water, tentatively stretched out his hand, and explored the water. White water droplets jumped on the water.
Gone for a moment, the cold touch made her happy
"How did you get in?" someone suddenly said from the other side of the stream.
Liu Ru was startled, and quickly raised her head to look, only to see a woman standing opposite her. She was tall and about in her early thirties. The years had left many traces on her body, but from that delicate
Her facial features can vaguely recognize her beautiful face in the past. The woman was holding a bamboo basket in her hand, which contained fresh wild sunflowers, water chestnuts and other items. She was only wearing a simple light-colored skirt, and she had no clothes on her body.
The accessories, except for an old gold walking stick on his head.
The woman was dressed like an ordinary palace servant in Shanglin Garden. Liu Ru heard that many maids and eunuchs in Weiyang Palace who were old and unwilling to leave the palace would be sent to Shanglin Garden to guard the palace and clean the court.
You can also retire here.
"Where are you from?" Seeing that Liu Ru didn't reply, the man raised his eyebrows and said with a hint of power: "Reply!"
This aura unexpectedly startled Liu Ru. No matter whether she faced her biological mother Zhen Mi or Empress Fu, she had never been oppressed like this before, except for her father who was not angry and assertive.
The woman was about to say more when she suddenly noticed Liu Ru's distinctive clothes. Her eyes widened and she discovered the other person's identity: "Are you...are you a princess?"
Liu Ru was a little annoyed. She didn't expect that she would be intimidated by an old palace maid from Shanglin Garden. She wanted to try to save face, raised her head and was about to speak, but was interrupted rudely:
"Which princess are you?" The other party obviously also heard that the emperor would bring his concubines, princes and princesses to Kunming Pool today. She had never expected it, but she became a little excited: "Linyi, Huojia, Yichun, Qinghe?"
She spoke out the titles of the princesses one by one in one breath, and at the same time she was comparing them one by one with the people in front of her according to their age. Finally, she said in disbelief: "...are you Princess Quanling?"
She, who had been calm and self-possessed from the beginning, took a step forward involuntarily, as if she wanted to step in front of Liu Ru, but unexpectedly she stepped into the water, and the cold stream wet her skirt and shoes, and she didn't realize it.
Sleep.
"Are you Princess Quanling?" she asked repeatedly, and the basket on her arm fell to the ground. She tried to wade through the shallow stream and walked over to see Liu Ru, which frightened Liu Ru.
"Your Highness!" The palace maids arrived at the right time. They surrounded Liu Ru and looked him up and down: "Why go in such a hurry! The road here is not easy to walk and it is remote. I really have to wait and find it...
…”
"Who is she?" Liu Ru came to his senses and pointed at the woman still standing in the stream.
The mature maid looked up inadvertently, her face suddenly changed, and she was speechless: "She, she...how did you..."
The woman looked at her without saying a word, with a hint of sadness on her face. Except for this mature maid, everyone else looked strange.
The mature maid didn't look at her anymore. She lowered her head and began to urge Liu Ru to leave as soon as possible: "Your Majesty and the others are going back to Kunming for a visit. We have to go back quickly. Let's go."
Liu Ru's curiosity was aroused. This person knew she was a princess but didn't show any respect. It was really strange: "Who are you?"
The woman pursed her lips and did not speak. The mature palace maid immediately said: "This is a palace servant who made mistakes before and was condemned here. Your Highness, please forgive her for being rude and don't argue with her. Let's leave quickly."
With that said, he pulled Liu Ru away.
"Lotus Girl." The woman suddenly spoke, her voice was low, but this sound was like a command, making the other party freeze up and stop.
The name 'Lotus Girl' is rarely used by anyone. Everyone in the palace knows that she is the maid brought in from the family by Zhen Guiren. Because she is mature and prudent, she was given the title of Liu Ru's personal maid, even the Changyu next to Empress Fu.
He had never called her like this. At this time, Xiao Zhen did not dare to be upset, and said hurriedly and pleadingly: "The eldest princess is the daughter of noble Zhen, and is highly valued by your Majesty and the Queen. You must not offend me."
The woman's expression became a little gloomy, and she did not say the words that came to her lips. Instead, she squatted down and picked up the dropped basket: "Take this."
"I can't wait to have it."
"Take it." The tone was unquestionable again: "After delaying this long, there must be a whereabouts and a reason to explain to them."
The lotus girl hesitated for a while and had no choice but to cross the stream to take it.
The other party never took his eyes away from Liu Ru from beginning to end. Such offensive behavior not only did not make Liu Ru angry, but instead made Liu Ru feel some kind of strange feeling.
After the Lotus Girl accepted the small half basket of wild sunflowers and water chestnuts, she hurried back, grabbed Liu Ru and left.
Liu Ru looked back and saw the person still standing in the water watching them leave. The flowing stream floated the corners of her skirt, and the sunlight shone down, making her look like a narcissus emerging from the dust.
The old step wave also flashed with golden light in the wind.
"...he's grown so big."
Liu Ru didn't quite understand what she said at the end, but he vaguely felt that it must have been said by someone she knew very well.
"After you go back, Your Highness must not say that you have not seen any outsiders since you came here." He Nu kept reminding her on the way back.
Liu Ru knew that the other party would not tell her the true identity of the person, so she asked: "Where is this place?"
"This is Yichun Temple." The young palace maid next to her said it casually without knowing what to say.
"I've only heard of Yichun Palace, which is to the southeast of Shanglin Garden. Where is this Yichun Temple?" Liu Ru said curiously.
The girl couldn't help but stretched out her hand and hit the man, and said, "What's the meaning of Yichun Temple? She said it wrong."
The wild sunflowers and water chestnuts they brought back were unanimously praised by Queen Fu and others. Although they still scolded Liu Ru for wandering without permission, they still greatly praised Liu Ru's filial piety: "It's rare for a child to think of picking something fresh and bring it back.
Those who only know how to play with water and almost fall are much better."
As he said this, everyone laughed together, and even the emperor sat at the top and looked at Liu Ru with a smile on his face.