Hua Qi'an gave Hua Siyun a slightly discontented look. "You girl, always so talkative."
Ji Yunxi naturally knew who the aunt Hua Siyun mentioned was. She just smiled and didn't reply.
Seeing her daughter present, Hua Qi'an knew that it was not convenient to ask certain things for the time being. Suppressing her curiosity and suspicion, she asked Ji Yunxi, "Miss Yunxi, what are you planning to do during this trip to Beidi?"
Her tone was gentle, but there was an involuntary hint of attachment.
"I'm here to look for a medicinal herb called Fuxuecao."
"Fuxuecao?" Hua Qi'an thought for a while and looked a bit troubled. "This herb is quite rare. I remember there used to be a lot of it in the northern valley of Beidi. But later, because of its bright color, it was too conspicuous in the snow of the valley, and gradually it became hard to grow."
Hua Siyun also said, "Moreover, the northern valley of Beidi has steep mountains and the weather changes unpredictably. Few people go there. Is this herb urgently needed?"
Ji Yunxi nodded seriously. "It's very important."
Now Hua Siyun was also in a bit of a bind. If it were a demand for gold, silver, and treasures, she could surely provide them. But it seemed that not even the royal family could find a single plant of Fuxuecao.
She turned to her mother. "Mother, will the Imperial Hospital have it?"
"I'm afraid it's difficult." Hua Qi'an waved her hand and summoned a servant. "Go and inquire."
After saying that, the eunuch took the order and retreated. For a moment, the three of them had nothing to say. Hua Qi'an's gaze uncontrollably returned to Ji Yunxi.
They looked so alike.
It was really hard to explain this as a coincidence.
Ji Yunxi noticed the look in Hua Qi'an's eyes and knew that Hua Qi'an must have called her here to confirm her identity.
Back then, because of the matter of the Sang family, she had specifically written a letter to Hua Qi'an. At that time, she had deliberately imitated Hua Yunxi's handwriting.
The two sisters had lost their parents. Hua Qi'an was still very young at that time. While maintaining the court of Beidi, she had raised her younger sister. She had taught her younger sister everything from daily life to reading and writing.
So Hua Qi'an was extremely familiar with Hua Yunxi's handwriting.
When she received the letter, Hua Qi'an almost threw it into the fire. But the next second, she saw the familiar handwriting and stood there stunned.
Hua Qi'an held the letter and read it over and over again, crying and laughing.
Intellectually, she knew that her elder sister was dead, but in her heart, she still harbored a glimmer of hope.
After being the empress for so many years, influenced by power, she had never taken the initiative to meet anyone. But that day, she knocked on the door of the Dream Blossom Pavilion just to see that person.
Just then, a eunuch ran in and whispered to Hua Siyun, "Princess, the Imperial Hospital replied that there is no Fuxuecao in the palace."
"Okay, I got it. You may leave."
Hua Siyun was just about to tell her mother when she turned around and saw her mother staring intently at Ji Yunxi with red - rimmed eyes, as if she was about to cry at any moment.
Not understanding the reason, Hua Siyun just found it strange. Did her mother think highly of Ji Yunxi just because of the name "Yunxi"? And even on the verge of crying? She had never seen such a thing in her life!
"Mother..."
Hua Siyun's voice brought Hua Qi'an back to her senses. She turned her head and for the first time, thought her precious daughter was a bit of an eyesore.
Hua Siyun bit her lower lip. Feng Xingzhi was still waiting outside the palace hall, while Ji Yunxi was sitting comfortably in the palace hall.
She felt sorry for Feng Xingzhi standing outside, so she took the initiative to ask, "Mother, did you invite Ji Yunxi and Feng Xingzhi to the palace for something?"
Hua Qi'an didn't know how to answer for a moment. Then she remembered the Prince Feng outside the door.
"Miss Yunxi, I heard that there was a man traveling with you on this journey. Is the one outside..."
"He's my fiancé, Feng Xingzhi, the Prince Feng of Nanyan."
Hua Qi'an saw the tenderness in Ji Yunxi's eyes when she mentioned Feng Xingzhi. She smiled faintly and reached out to rest her hand on Ji Yunxi's. "Then let him in."
Hua Siyun was happy. She walked up cheerfully and opened the door of the palace hall. "Brother Xingzhi! Mother asked me to invite you in."
She smiled sweetly, but unfortunately, Feng Xingzhi only had eyes for his Xixi.
He even just slightly arched his hands towards Hua Siyun and then walked in.
Hua Siyun sighed silently in her heart. She had been trying for a long time, but Feng Xingzhi still didn't notice her. She really didn't know what was so special about Ji Yunxi.
Feng Xingzhi stepped forward, head held high.
His eyebrows and eyes came into Hua Qi'an's sight, and she was extremely shocked.
This man... was clearly the sweetheart of her elder sister back then!
She stared blankly for a while, then stiffly turned her head to look at Ji Yunxi.
Thinking that her elder sister's death was related to this man in front of her, Hua Qi'an suddenly got a bit excited. But because of Hua Siyun, she couldn't say what was in her heart.
"You..." Hua Qi'an pointed at him. It took her a while to see the concerned look in Ji Yunxi's eyes, and she immediately deflated.
She understood. Since Ji Yunxi entered the palace hall, she had shown no estrangement towards her. She should have guessed it at that time.
"So, this is fate..."
"Greetings to the empress." Feng Xingzhi bowed, and there was nothing wrong with his etiquette.
Hua Qi'an waved her hand. Her face looked a bit pale. "I'm sorry I didn't greet the Prince Feng properly."
"The empress is too polite. Now I'm just Feng Xingzhi, not the Prince of Nanyan." Feng Xingzhi looked at Ji Yunxi with full of love in his eyes. "I'm just accompanying my sweetheart."
Hua Qi'an was stunned for a while, then suddenly laughed. "Very well. Miss Yunxi and Mr. Feng, why don't you stay here for a while?"
Ji Yunxi looked a bit apologetic. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. But the matter is urgent. We're in a hurry to get the Fuxuecao, so it's inconvenient for us to stay for long. I'll surely come and stay for a while when I come back."
Since she had said so, Hua Qi'an couldn't say anything more. She could only nod and let them leave the palace.
She followed them all the way and watched the two leave the palace, mount their horses, and head north.
Hua Siyun stood beside her, pouting unhappily.
"What's wrong with you again?" Hua Qi'an looked at her daughter and felt a bit helpless.
"Mother, I also want to go..."
"You just came back and now you want to run outside again." Although Hua Qi'an complained, she then thought that Ji Yunxi might not be familiar with the current Beidi. If Hua Siyun could lead the way, it would surely be more efficient.
"It's not impossible for you to go..."
Ji Yunxi followed Feng Xingzhi out of the imperial city. After a long silence, she suddenly said, "Azhi, do you think... is she unhappy?"
Feng Xingzhi comforted her. "The empress is not such a person. After we're done with our business, I'll accompany you to stay here for a while."
She was about to say something else when she heard the sound of carriages and horses behind them.
The two turned around and saw Hua Siyun leading a team of people catching up.
"Yunxi! Brother Xingzhi!" She smiled brightly. "Mother asked me to lead people to escort you to get the herb."