The atmosphere was a bit awkward. Shi Muyuan stood still, not knowing whether to move or stay. Huo Qizhou just stared at her, as if waiting for her next move. It was Ji Heng's laughter that finally broke the ice.
"This elder sister is really interesting. Aren't you the second miss of General Yao's mansion? I've heard all the rumors of these days. I was quite puzzled when I saw you just now."
Hearing this, Yao Kun turned to look at the young emperor. Suddenly, she leaned in, which completely confused Ji Heng.
Yao Kun was thinking that he was a good-looking lad, but just too young. The beautiful elder sister and the beautiful elder brother were still better.
Satisfied, she left Ji Heng and returned to Shi Muyuan's side. Even Huo Qizhou, who had been sitting calmly all this time, couldn't help rubbing his forehead.
"Miss Yao, if you continue to act so recklessly, don't blame me for taking action against you. This is the imperial palace."
Yao Kun peeked at him from behind Shi Muyuan. As if thinking of something, she shrank back and hid behind Shi Muyuan.
Shi Muyuan smiled. It seemed that these two had fought before! She took Yao Kun's hand. Sure enough, the little girl became obedient and let her lead her out. She bid farewell to Ji Heng and just nodded slightly when turning to Huo Qizhou.
She always felt uncomfortable when facing Huo Qizhou. She didn't know how to deal with him.
Logically speaking, after going through that assassination together, they should have gotten closer. But he still looked at her as if they were strangers. She really didn't know how to handle the situation.
However, when Shi Muyuan turned around to leave, Huo Qizhou's eyes fell on her.
Traveling with her these days had made him feel strange. The national teacher didn't like this feeling at all. So in the past few days, he had kept a cold face, scaring many people.
The slender figure of the woman disappeared at the door. Huo Qizhou retracted his slightly tilted head.
After watching the imperial grandmother leave, Ji Heng came back to his senses and continued to read the memorials he hadn't finished. Now he would read the memorials first and then discuss them with the national teacher.
After thinking for a while, Ji Heng still asked Huo Qizhou, "What's your opinion on this matter, National Teacher?"
"Your Majesty can rest assured. The Shi family won't take any action at this time."
Although the imperial grandmother was kind, the Shi family was different. After all, Ji Heng was still a child and had some worries in his heart.
As soon as Huo Qizhou walked out of the imperial study, he saw the figure in cyan not far away. It was Yao Kun.
His eyebrows furrowed slightly. Suddenly, he saw a figure in crimson squatting beside the cyan figure, playing with the snow. He paused and watched as the crimson figure rolled a snowball. She somehow took out two small stones and embedded them as eyes. After finishing, she happily showed it to Yao Kun, who also squatted down to play with her.
The woman was so excited while playing that the hem of her skirt was soaked by the snow. Huo Qizhou stepped forward.
"Empress Dowager."
Hearing his voice, Shi Muyuan stopped smiling and stuffed the snowball in her hand directly into Yao Kun's. Yao Kun wrinkled her little face but still caught it firmly.
"National Teacher, you're finally out."
"Is the Empress Dowager waiting for me?"
Shi Muyuan pursed her lips and looked at him. She couldn't figure it out and felt depressed. Seeing that Yao Kun looked at the imperial study reluctantly, she simply stopped and decided to wait for Huo Qizhou to come out and ask him clearly.
"Yes. I have something to talk to you about."
"The Empress Dowager could just summon me to the Palace of Longevity and Health. There's no need to wait for me here."
"It's not a troublesome matter. I can just tell you like this." Shi Muyuan made a gesture of invitation, indicating that Huo Qizhou should walk and talk.
As a result, they walked for a while in silence. Yao Kun followed behind them. If they looked back, they would find that the child's eyes were shining as she eagerly watched the two of them.
Shi Muyuan stole a glance at Huo Qizhou from the corner of her eye and looked quite tangled.
She didn't know how to start the conversation without being abrupt. She suddenly regretted waiting for him to come out.
After a moment of silence, Huo Qizhou still asked her, "Does the Empress Dowager have anything to ask? We're almost at the Palace of Longevity and Health."
"Um... nothing much. I just want to thank you for saving me several times before."
"The Empress Dowager is being too polite. I didn't do much and even caused you to be captured several times. I have to ask the Empress Dowager to intercede with General Shi for me." In these days, Shi An had been giving him a hard time.
Looking at the Palace of Longevity and Health gradually appearing in front of her, Shi Muyuan boldly turned around and faced him. She patted his shoulder with her small hand and said, "National Teacher, I think there may be some misunderstandings between us that can't be cleared up. But I'm no longer the old Shi Muyuan. I hope you won't always keep a cold face as if we don't know each other. That's all I want to say. National Teacher, take your time. I won't see you off."
After saying that, Shi Muyuan quickly left in the snow.
Yao Kun quickly followed her. When passing by Huo Qizhou, she stuffed two snowballs into his hands.
For the first time in his life, the national teacher felt a bit at a loss. Shi Muyuan had suddenly pulled him and said some strange things. He touched the place where she had patted him. It was really strange.
Looking at the two snowballs in his hand, one had two stone eyes inlaid on it, and the other had two faces drawn with nail scratches. One was a blank - faced face with a "Huo" written on the side, and the other was a big smiling face with a "Shi" written beside it. They should have been made by Yao Kun.
When Lin Shan came to pick up his master and return to the mansion, he saw his master holding two snowballs in his hand. The snow had wet his cuffs, but he still didn't put them down.
He was greatly shocked. When had his master ever been in such a good mood to play with snowballs, and even take them back from the palace?
He thought it was strange but didn't dare to ask more.
By the time they got off the carriage at the national teacher's mansion, the two snowballs had melted beyond recognition. Huo Qizhou stared at his cuffs that had changed color due to the wetness and fell into deep thought.
Shi Muyuan had indeed changed. She was no longer like her former self. She always did some strange things to attract his attention.
In fact, after saying that nonsense and running away with someone, Shi Muyuan herself thought it was strange. She had no appetite for lunch and only took a few bites.
Xiao Xiao kept worrying that she was feeling unwell somewhere. She had to say that she didn't sleep well last night and got up early this morning to look for Yao Kun. She was a bit tired and sleepy, which finally comforted Xiao Xiao.
As a result, Yao Kun received several disdainful looks from Xiao Xiao.
After lunch, Shi Muyuan drove everyone out and curled up in the quilt to start thinking. She felt that she had changed. In the past, when she was a junior urban management officer, she used to joke and have fun with others generously every day. Her salary was just enough for her to live a comfortable life.
Now, although she had fine clothes and delicious food, she felt a bit constrained. She always felt that as the Empress Dowager, she had to restrain herself, which made her act strangely.
She didn't like this feeling. Although everyone was very kind to her, there was no one like the friends in her previous life who she could talk to heart - to - heart. She felt very lonely.