The lotus flowers in Qiqing Garden grew so lushly that it would not be an exaggeration to describe them as “the green lotus leaves reaching the sky in an endless expanse.” If one were not familiar with Qiqing Garden, it would be difficult to notice the Lotus Pavilion nestled within the pond.
Li Fuhai’s gaze followed Emperor Jinghe’s to rest upon the beautiful woman in the distance. He was slightly surprised—how had they run into her again?
Yu Yihe’s appearance was hard to forget. Chief Eunuch Li was still in his prime and his memory was not so poor; of course he remembered this beautiful lady.
His mind stirred slightly, and his gaze shifted to Emperor Jinghe’s face. The Emperor’s eyes did not move an inch, remaining fixed on the figure in green standing amidst the fine rain.
He watched the wood-colored oil-paper umbrella tilt, pressing against her slender shoulders while her dark hair fell like a waterfall down her back. He watched her raise her arm to pluck a shoulder-high lotus, her sleeve sliding down to reveal a section of snowy-white skin like a tender lotus root. He watched as the delicate, pink lotus held near her face failed to steal even a fraction of her beauty.
The world often used the phrase “a lotus emerging from clear water” to praise the flower for rising from the mud unsullied, but Emperor Jinghe felt that at this moment, no one was more suited for that description than the person before him.
There were many women with pure and elegant beauty, but they possessed only the form and not the spirit. The lotus possessed a refined scent, a simple color, and a noble spirit—it was never something that could be built from expensive materials.
Yu Yihe was unaware that someone was watching her from the pavilion not far away; her heart was entirely captured by the scenery. When arranging flowers in a vase, one should not only use full blooms but also supplement them with half-open and unopened buds, accented by stems and leaves to be truly elegant.
But the lotus was so beautiful, and Yu Yihe pitied its short life. She chose carefully, comparing the flowers again and again, only plucking one once she was certain. She followed the path of the flowers and leaves, completely unaware that her feet had moved from the stone path onto a wooden bridge.
It wasn’t until a lotus drenched in dew dampened her shoulder and a chill set in that Yu Yihe suddenly snapped back to her senses. She realized she was standing alone on a narrow wooden bridge, flanked by tall lotus leaves and flowers. A few steps away stood a small pavilion, partially hidden among the foliage.
At that moment, the woman’s clear eyes met the deep, dark eyes within the pavilion.
It was him again.
Yu Yihe was stunned. Submissively, she intended to give a simple bow and leave, but she forgot the heavy load of lotus buds in her arms and the oil-paper umbrella.
And so, Emperor Jinghe witnessed this scene—
In an instant, the flower stalks cradled in her arms tumbled down. Her dark hair, draped behind her, cascaded over her chest. The beautiful woman scrambled to pick up the lotus flowers from the ground, her paper umbrella lowering heavily and obscuring most of the view, leaving only a glimpse of her small feet in wooden clogs peeking out from beneath her skirt, dazzlingly white.
The Emperor’s brow furrowed imperceptibly. By the time he regained his senses, he had already crossed through the thin curtain of rain to stand before her, picking up a lotus from beside his feet.
The woman raised her head, and an oval face entered Wei Jingheng’s vision. Her spirited, beautiful eyes held a hint of surprise, and two strands of wet hair by her ears added a touch of charm and grace.
Yu Yihe looked at the lotus being handed to her. Two petals had already fallen off when it hit the ground. Seeing that the man’s hem had been soiled because he knelt to pick up the flower, her eyes flickered with emotion, but she took it nonetheless.
“Thank you, Honored Sir.”
Calling him “Honored Sir” without asking his identity was not considered impolite. Even if this noble gentleman treated her kindly, she had no desire to involve herself with a stranger.
Her pale pink fingertips grasped the very bottom of the stem, keeping a significant distance from his hand. Wei Jingheng was momentarily taken aback, and a few breaths later, his expression shifted slightly.
This time, it was his turn to watch her leave. Wei Jingheng did not pull his gaze back and return to the pavilion until the woman’s graceful, slender figure in green turned past the wooden bridge and disappeared among the lotus leaves.
Only then did Li Fuhai approach with a handkerchief. The man’s hair and outer robe were covered in a layer of fine water droplets.
“Your Majesty is kind-hearted, but the Dragon Body is more precious. Even if you pity the lady, next time just tell this servant to pick it up.”
Wei Jingheng glanced at him without comment. Once his golden crown was wiped dry, he waved his hand with a hint of annoyance. “It will dry on its own in a moment.”
The Chief Eunuch gave a simple smile and stepped aside, knowing in his heart that he had done the right thing. When the Emperor went to pick up the flower, he had stopped the other two Neishi from helping.
This was his secret to remaining the Chief Eunuch for so many years: learning not to spoil the mood. In such harmless, momentary whims, it was best to follow the Emperor’s lead.
By the time Yu Yihe stepped onto the shore, her feet, which had been exposed for a long time, were freezing cold. She hurriedly carried the lotus flowers back to the small courtyard just as the rain stopped.
Madam Yu was already fully dressed and standing under the eaves of the main house. Seeing her daughter return in such a disheveled state, she immediately scolded her for running around in the rain and blamed her for wearing such clothes that would make others look down on her.
Initially, Yu Yihe kept her eyes down and did not respond, but when she heard that last sentence, she looked up.
“Just for a glimpse of the lotus, did you have to go pluck them in the rain?”
Madam Yu had been rambling incessantly, but upon meeting those clear apricot eyes, she swallowed the rest of her words.
“I won’t say more. Go change your clothes and freshen up. We still have to go to the Zhaoyuan’s place.”
Yu Yihe suddenly gave a light laugh. She turned and carried the lotus flowers into the west room, instructing Qingshuang to find a bamboo basket to put them in while she went inside to change.
She put on a jade-white parallel-front jacket with gardenias embroidered on the collar, paired with a hundred-pleat skirt embroidered with silver butterflies fluttering among flowers. The outfit was bright but not gaudy, simple and elegant. It was the most appropriate of the clothes provided; the others were in colors like peach blossom or cinnabar red, which Yu Yihe found somewhat confusing.
However, there had been too many confusing things lately. She pushed her doubts to the back of her mind and called Qingshuang to comb her hair. After pinning in a few jade hairpins, she left with Qingshuang. Ningning was left under the care of a young maid.
Seeing the bamboo basket full of lotus flowers carried by Qingshuang behind her second daughter, Madam Yu was stunned for a moment. She suddenly remembered that her younger daughter loved lotus flowers immensely.
A flash of shame surged in her heart. Her emotions were conflicted, but she could not say a word. She simply lowered her head and walked ahead. She only managed to push the feeling to the back of her mind when they reached the entrance of Cuihan Hall, where both women noticed two additional Neishi standing at the door.
The two stopped in the courtyard to wait for a maid to lead them in. However, the person who came out to greet them this time was not Huixiang but a middle-aged Neishi. Before he could speak, he made eye contact with Yu Yihe.
In an instant, Yu Yihe’s heart skipped a beat.
“The Emperor invites the Madam and… the young lady to enter.”
Li Fuhai’s announcement paused for a split second. He was secretly amazed—why had the second daughter of Yu Shilang dressed so plainly before, leading them to mistake her for a peasant girl? But the person who would be most surprised was likely the one inside.
“…Since the Emperor is with Her Ladyship, this official’s wife will not disturb them. Please, Eunuch, convey my apologies to the Emperor…”
Madam Yu almost immediately dropped into a bow to excuse herself. The Emperor had finally come to see her younger daughter; she did not want to disturb them. But before she could finish, a steady, calm male voice came from inside the room.
“There is no need. Come in.”
Hearing that somewhat familiar voice, Yu Yihe’s heart sank to the bottom.
How could it be… such a coincidence?