Shi Muyuan stared blankly at the silly Xiao Xiao in front of her.
Right after the morning court, Shi Muyuan was eager to go back and catch up on sleep. She had just taken off her cumbersome dress and lain down when Xiao Xiao led a group of people in and roused her up.
"What's going on?" Shi Muyuan asked her weakly.
"Has Her Majesty the Empress Dowager forgotten? It's the plum - viewing banquet today."
"Doesn't it start at noon? It's still early."
"It's not early. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager must dress up properly."
Shi Muyuan curled up the quilt, frowned, and backed away towards the back of the bed. "No need. I'm going to rest now. I'll get up and freshen up later."
"But, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager..." Before Xiao Xiao could finish her sentence, Shi Muyuan gave her a glare, looking cute but fierce. Helpless, she had to lead the people out, leaving Shi Muyuan in peace.
However, Shi Muyuan hadn't fallen into a deep sleep when she felt something was wrong. She closed her eyes, tightened the quilt around her, and tried to hypnotize herself in her mind.
After a while, that strange sense of presence was just too odd. Shi Muyuan suddenly opened her eyes and saw a little girl standing abruptly three feet in front of the couch, staring at her with big eyes.
Shi Muyuan almost let out a scream. She thought the girl was a maid left by Xiao Xiao, so she rubbed her forehead and said, "Why are you standing here? Step back. I don't need you to attend to me."
The girl seemed not to hear and just stood there motionless. Shi Muyuan frowned and looked at her.
The girl was wearing a simple, plain - colored long gown with silver - trimmed cuffs, which looked like martial clothes. Her hair was tied up high with a cyan silk ribbon, and there were two small silver teardrop - shaped bells at the ends of the ribbon. They made a slight sound from time to time as she moved, but it was not at all annoying.
She had elegant green eyebrows and a pair of clear, black - and - white eyes that stared intently at Shi Muyuan. The little girl bit her pink lips with her white teeth and looked at her timidly, looking just like a grown - up Ji Ling.
Her eyes seemed to be accusing Shi Muyuan of scaring her.
Shi Muyuan also sensed something was wrong. She gently waved to the girl to come over, and the little girl then shuffled over step by step.
"What's your name?"
The little girl hesitated for a while and finally whispered two words.
Shi Muyuan didn't hear clearly and leaned down close to the little girl's mouth. The girl was startled and took a step back, shouting two words.
"Yao Kun."
Yao Kun sniffed. The faint fragrance from before seemed to be fading. She tentatively took a step forward. Seeing that the beautiful lady in front of her didn't reject her, she felt a bit happy.
A wisp of the beautiful lady's hair had fallen down, and she was about to tuck it back.
Shi Muyuan knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. Although the girl was simply dressed, the fabric clearly wasn't ordinary. It had a strange sheen, so she must be the daughter of some noble family.
How did she get into her palace? Didn't the guards stop her?
Shi Muyuan didn't know that the Yao family was a military family, and both men and women were good at martial arts. Naturally, the two sisters, Yao Yao and Yao Kun, were no exception.
Although Yao Kun was a bit muddle - headed, she was a prodigy in martial arts among the younger generation of the Yao family. General Yao often sighed about this, saying that God was jealous of Kun'er, which was why she was a bit muddle - headed.
Yao Yao was not as good at martial arts but was excellent at embroidery. Both sisters were the apple of General Yao's eye.
So when Yao Kun saw the kitten by the pond, she easily followed it into the Shoukang Palace.
Shi Muyuan asked the girl to sit on the small couch beside her and then went to the door to call Xiao Xiao in.
Xiao Xiao had been waiting outside the door for a long time, just waiting for her Empress Dowager to call her in for dressing up. She was so impatient that she had pinched Ze Ze several times. Ze Ze, adhering to the principle of a gentleman not fighting with a woman, covered his arm and ran away.
Hearing Shi Muyuan's call, she excitedly led the people in. When she saw the girl on the small couch, she was stunned.
When did Her Majesty the Empress Dowager secretly find a new personal maid behind her back? Did she find her annoying! She pursed her lips and was about to shed a couple of tears when she heard Shi Muyuan calling her over while sitting in front of the bronze mirror.
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, who is this girl?" Xiao Xiao asked nervously.
Shi Muyuan twisted her neck. Hearing a sound, she then said, "I don't know which noble family's daughter got lost and came in. By the way, where are the guards of our Shoukang Palace? How could they let such a big person in?"
"That's impossible. Since Your Majesty the Empress Dowager was assassinated last time, the security in the Shoukang Palace has been strengthened. And I've been guarding at the door, and I didn't see her come in!" When Xiao Xiao said the latter part, she glanced at Yao Kun and lowered her voice.
"She said her name is Yao Kun. Do you know which family she's from?"
"Yao Kun?" She knew all too well.
Xiao Xiao couldn't help but look at the girl again. It seemed to match. It was most likely her.
"Yes, she's the second daughter of General Yao's family. She and the eldest daughter of the Yao Mansion are twins, but this second daughter was born a bit muddle - headed and silly. The eldest daughter, Yao Yao, is very well. Her embroidery skills are well - known. The two sisters have a very good relationship and are inseparable. I'm afraid the eldest Miss Yao is looking for her right now."
"Then hurry up and send someone to take her back. Don't let people worry too much."
"Yes."
Xiao Xiao turned around and told Zihuan to do this, but Yao Kun actually refused to go with her. When she saw Zihuan approaching, she leaped to the pillar behind Shi Muyuan and clung to it, looking at Shi Muyuan in the bronze mirror.
Her furry eyebrows were knitted down, and there were tears in her cold eyes. She looked so aggrieved.
Heaven! Who could tell her how someone with such a cold, beautiful, and worldly - free little face could be so cute? It just hit her right in the heart.
Seeing there was no way, Shi Muyuan had to let Xiao Xiao dress her up first and then take the girl out herself later.
It was okay when Xiao Xiao was combing her hair, but when Xiao Xiao was putting hairpins in Shi Muyuan's hair, Yao Kun stepped forward, snatched the gold hairpin from Xiao Xiao's hand, and put on a set of jade hair ornaments for Shi Muyuan on her own.
Seeing Xiao Xiao hopping mad with anger, Shi Muyuan couldn't help laughing. If Ze Ze were here, he would surely mock them.
When it came to dressing, Yao Kun also consciously picked out a dark - green silk dress with a delicate pattern and a cloak made of brocade satin. She looked at Shi Muyuan eagerly. How could Shi Muyuan refuse? She had no choice but to abandon Xiao Xiao's suggestions.
After a long while of fuss, they finally got dressed. Then a large group of people swaggered out of the Shoukang Palace.
Yao Yao only realized that Yao Kun was missing after Chen Leran said something in a daze and then wanted to tease Yao Kun.
The two of them were so startled that they jumped up from the stone bench. Chen Leran even moved the stone bench.
"When did Yao Kun disappear?"
"There's no one around, and I didn't notice either."
Chen Leran looked around and patted Yao Yao on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much. Yao Kun is just a bit silly when it comes to interacting with people and doesn't know how to socialize properly. But she's very smart. And isn't she the most powerful among the younger generation of your Yao family? No one can hurt her. Besides, who would be so stupid as to hurt the apple of General Huaihua's eye in the palace?"
Hearing her words, Yao Yao felt much more at ease. Indeed, it was very difficult for an ordinary person to hurt Yao Kun.