"Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your grace."
For a moment, the two of them were silent. Shi Muyuan twisted her skirt and thought to herself that this man was really strange. She had already said that she was here to see Heng'er and the others, so why wouldn't he let her in?
Just as she was worrying about how to break the silence, a small head suddenly popped up by the window beside them.
"Grand Empress Dowager, did you bring something delicious for Ling'er?" Ji Ling looked at her eagerly, or rather, at the box of pastries in Shi Muyuan's hand.
Shi Muyuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, I've come to see if you've been studying hard. I also brought some new pastries made by the imperial kitchen."
"New ones!" Ji Ling exclaimed.
Children were still growing and had been studying hard for most of the morning, so they got hungry quickly. Ji Ling's stomach had long been empty, but the National Teacher was even more serious than Mr. Shi. She didn't dare to move around and endured the hunger while continuing to study with her elder brothers.
When she heard that Shi Muyuan had brought something delicious and it was a new style of pastry, her round eyes were full of expectation and curiosity.
Ji Ling got down from the window. Not long after, she ran out from the door and rushed into Shi Muyuan's arms, wrapping her chubby little arms around her tightly.
Since Shi Muyuan had hugged her when she returned to the palace that day, she had really liked this kind of hug. It was very comfortable.
Shi Muyuan ruffled her fluffy hair. "I knew you'd like it." She opened the food box in her hand for Ji Ling to see.
"Wow, it looks like a real plum blossom. Grand Empress Dowager, can we really eat this?"
"Of course we can. It's very delicious." Shi Muyuan picked up a plum blossom pastry and held it to her lips.
But Ji Ling pursed her lips and puffed out her cheeks. "I'm a bit reluctant."
Shi Muyuan gave a soft laugh and poked the little girl's baby fat with her index finger. It felt really good, and she couldn't help but poke it a few more times. "Just ask the imperial kitchen to make some more. Hurry up and eat. It would be a greater pity if it goes bad."
Huo Qizhou was standing beside her. Seeing her poke someone else's baby fat, his eyes involuntarily landed on her cheeks. She also had plump baby fat. A hint of a smile flashed across his eyes.
The little girl stared at the pastry for a moment, then squinted her bright eyes and ate it from Shi Muyuan's hand. It was so delicious that she kept nodding. There were plum blossom crumbs all over her mouth, and Shi Muyuan gently wiped them off for her.
Huo Qizhou watched silently, hardly believing that she could be so gentle.
Not only him, but even Ji Heng, who saw this through the window lattice, was a bit in disbelief. They all knew that in the past, Shi Muyuan had found it annoying just to take an extra look at them!
Everyone said that the Empress Dowager was cruel. Although she wasn't like that to them, her kindness to them these days was almost beyond their imagination.
"Take these in and share them with your elder brothers. Remember to study hard after you've eaten. How about I take you out to play when you have a break some other day?"
"Okay!"
Shi Muyuan looked at Ji Ling's obedient appearance and simply adored her. She was just like the legendary well - behaved child from other families.
Ji Ling skipped into the room to share the delicious pastries with her elder brothers. Ji Heng didn't move. His eyes were fixed on the slender figure outside the window. Ji Huang stretched out his chubby little hand and ate happily.
"Why has Grand Empress Dowager suddenly been so good to us? Did she like Third Sister this much before?" Ji Huang sucked his finger. Ji Ling took out a handkerchief in disgust and threw it in front of him.
"Maybe Grand Empress Dowager has started to like us again. Anyway, I like Grand Empress Dowager very much." Ji Ling tossed her head. "You can't say anything bad about Grand Empress Dowager. Maybe it was because we weren't close before that Grand Empress Dowager didn't like us."
Meeting Shi Muyuan's eyes outside the window, Ji Ling gave her a sweet smile.
Ji Huang frowned and didn't want to argue with his sister. He reached out his hand to take another pastry, but Ji Ling quickly took the food box away. She almost caught Ji Huang's hand when she closed the lid. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and pulled it back.
"Ji Ling, what are you doing?" Ji Huang pouted and shouted.
"Nyah, nyah. Since you don't trust Grand Empress Dowager, why do you still eat the food she sent? Be careful it might harm you." Ji Ling stuck out her tongue at him and put the food box behind her.
"You're getting bolder. Your elder brother hasn't eaten yet. Hurry up and take it out." Although Ji Huang still didn't quite believe in Shi Muyuan, the pastries made by the imperial kitchen were real. Ji Huang was a little foodie and couldn't resist.
Seeing that the two were about to quarrel, Ji Heng paused with the pen in his hand. "If you want to quarrel, when the National Teacher comes back, none of you will get to eat. Maybe you'll even get beaten with the ruler."
The two almost immediately fell silent.
Ji Huang unconsciously pinched his chubby little hand. Mr. Li had a silver ruler that he always carried with him. Every time Ji Huang got confused while reciting books, he would get beaten on the palm.
Although Ji Ling had never been beaten, she had seen Second Elder Brother get beaten on the palm. The ruler would whoosh through the air as it was swung, and it looked terrifying.
The National Teacher had never beaten them, but he looked very serious. If he got angry, he might be even scarier than Mr. Li. None of them dared to take the risk, so they obediently sat back at their desks.
When Shi Muyuan first saw Ji Ling, she thought the little girl was too shy and timid. She didn't look like a noble princess at all. Driven by her own feelings, she wanted this little girl to be more carefree and happy. So she doted on Ji Ling even more.
Huo Qizhou didn't stop her from disturbing the class. He just let her do as she pleased, but he remained silent all the time. This was scarier than constantly criticizing her. Although she knew it might be because she was the Empress Dowager and Huo Qizhou couldn't say anything.
Shi Muyuan stood up and suddenly met his eyes. A flash of evasion quickly passed through Huo Qizhou's usually cold eyes. Shi Muyuan was puzzled. Could it be that he was afraid of her?
Not wanting to stay any longer and to avoid disturbing the children's studies, Shi Muyuan consciously bid farewell to Huo Qizhou and turned to leave.
Huo Qizhou watched her petite back and suddenly remembered the scene he had seen in the imperial garden a few days ago when he was admiring the plum blossoms. It was a beautiful hibiscus flower.
...
The National Teacher lived in the palace. He also had a mansion outside the palace bestowed by the late emperor, but in order to teach the new emperor conveniently, he had moved into the palace.
That day, it was Shi Li's turn to give the lesson. He heard from his servant that the plum blossoms were in bloom and that the Empress Dowager was going to admire them. For some reason, he turned around and came to the imperial garden. Shi Muyuan was standing stupidly under the plum blossom tree, exclaiming in admiration. Then she hopped over to pick the plum blossoms.
Huo Qizhou thought he was going crazy. Maybe it was because she had been more well - behaved these days and had suffered that assassination. After all, they had traveled together for a while, and his kindness made him care about her a bit.
When she squatted down to hug Ji Ling just now, a small section of her neck was exposed, as white as jade. It distracted him for a moment. He thought of how she had been dressed like a hibiscus that day, and then of those white jade flowers. When he met her eyes, Huo Qizhou was completely flustered.
He turned around and walked into the study, spread out a piece of rice paper, and began to copy the scriptures.