In the early morning, a thick mist hung in the air. The world was blanketed in white snow. The snow on the tree branches suddenly shook down as if startled. It was quite rare for there to be any activity in the Shoukang Palace so early.
Shi Muyuan tossed and turned early, forcing herself out of the warm quilt. A gust of cold wind blew in through the accidentally lifted corner, making her shiver and wake up a bit more.
She wrapped herself in the quilt and walked to the carved wooden window, opening it. There, she saw a cold and beautiful face outside the window.
Shi Muyuan was stunned for a moment and then curved her lips. "Why are you here so early!"
She had planned to open the window so that Yaokun would know she was awake as soon as he came. But she didn't expect him to arrive so early. She quickly invited him in. "It's so cold outside. Why didn't you come in when you arrived?"
Yaokun shook his head, indicating that he didn't mind.
That day, Shi Muyuan wanted to get out of the palace, so she tried hard to persuade Yaokun to carry her and jump over several walls. Yaokun saw her excited face and thought she liked it, so he carried her around on the rooftops until she felt like vomiting.
However, in order to find a way to sneak out of the palace, she said she was willing to endure such training.
Shi Muyuan held his hand and felt the bone - chilling cold. She wanted to pull him to sit by the fire to warm up, but Yaokun rushed straight to her wardrobe. She couldn't stop him. In a short while, he came out with a bunch of clothes in his arms.
They were still in a fresh shade of green.
After getting along for a few days, Shi Muyuan had figured out his character. She reached out to take the clothes from his hand and pointed to the small couch beside the brazier. "You go and sit there to rest and warm up first. I'll change later. Otherwise, I won't do it."
Yaokun seemed surprised by her words. He pursed his lips and thought for a while, then obediently sat down.
Shi Muyuan nodded in satisfaction and walked behind the screen with the green clothes in her arms.
When she came out, she looked like a well - behaved young lady from a wealthy family. The lake - green brocade with golden threads was dotted here and there. A gauze ribbon of the same color was wrapped around her arm, and her long black hair was loose.
When Yaokun saw her come out, his eyes lit up. Shi Muyuan also stood in front of the bronze mirror for a long time, admiring herself. She touched her black hair and then looked at Yaokun's high ponytail, which was simply tied up but still shining like a star - filled sky.
Shi Muyuan was a bit jealous.
But looking at his appearance, she didn't seem like someone who could do hair. After thinking for a while, she decided to call Xiaoxiao. After all, she needed someone to cover for her when she sneaked out of the palace.
Yaokun acted quickly. In a short while, he carried Xiaoxiao over with the quilt. Shi Muyuan's delicate hand wearing the jade - inlaid emerald bracelet paused in surprise. After a short moment of daze, she quickly helped Xiaoxiao down.
"What are you doing! I told you to bring her here, not carry her over like this."
Yaokun frowned slightly, seemingly not understanding. He had brought her here. What was wrong?
Shi Muyuan knew he didn't understand, so she didn't plan to argue with him. Poor Xiaoxiao was wearing only a single - layer robe, dizzy and seeing stars.
It took Xiaoxiao a long time to come to her senses. Seeing Shi Muyuan already dressed neatly, she was quite surprised and even forgot to care about what Yaokun had done to her.
"Why did Your Majesty the Empress Dowager get up so early? Where are you going? Why didn't you call this servant earlier?" Xiaoxiao wanted to stand up, but as soon as she opened the quilt, a bone - chilling cold that the brazier couldn't block hit her. So she obediently shrank back into the quilt.
"Xiaoxiao, don't be excited. Listen to me."
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I'm not excited." Xiaoxiao was a bit confused.
"You will be in a moment."
Xiaoxiao frowned and listened to her continue.
"Ahem, I heard that there is an interesting foreign opera troupe in the civilian area today. You know how boring it is in the palace. So I want to go and see what this opera troupe is like."
"That's not difficult, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. You rest first. This servant will go and arrange it right away." Xiaoxiao said and wrapped the quilt around her and tried to get up. Shi Muyuan pressed her shoulder and shook her head under Xiaoxiao's confused gaze.
"It's so boring to invite them into the palace. I just want to go to the civilian area and have some fun."
Surprise showed on Xiaoxiao's face. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager wants to go out of the palace. But the common people will surely be scared. Then there won't be any fun. It will just be..."
Shi Muyuan put a finger in front of Xiaoxiao's lips to silence her. "I naturally know that. So I want to sneak out."
Xiaoxiao's eyes widened instantly. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this is not allowed. What if something happens to your noble body? And how can you sneak out? The Shoukang Palace is so heavily guarded."
"Isn't there Yaokun!" Shi Muyuan looked proudly at the silent and a bit dazed young man beside her.
Now Xiaoxiao understood why the Empress Dowager didn't get angry even though she vomited while playing with Miss Yao the day before, and even insisted on flying a few more times.
"But, but..."
"There are no buts. It's decided like this happily." Shi Muyuan smiled.
Xiaoxiao pouted. "But this servant also wants to go and see." When had the Empress Dowager ever been afraid of such things? If the sky were to fall, there would be the Empress Dowager and General Shi. She could just follow the Empress Dowager and protect her.
So, she also wanted to go and see. This opera troupe had been talked about in the palace for several days, and she was extremely curious.
Shi Muyuan's expression froze for a moment. She reached out and touched her chin as if thinking, then said firmly, "No. Yaokun can't carry both of us. Moreover, the Shoukang Palace needs someone to take care of it and cover for me."
Seeing Xiaoxiao's pitiful look, Shi Muyuan felt sorry for her. So she softened her voice to comfort her. "It's okay. I'll go and see first, and then come back and tell you in detail. I guarantee you'll feel as if you were there."
Helplessly, Xiaoxiao had to obediently put on the clothes Yaokun had brought for her, and then helped Shi Muyuan tie a beautiful chui - gui hairstyle and put two jade flowers with a bit of cyan on it.
Naturally, this was done under Yaokun's "forceful suppression". Xiaoxiao originally wanted to put a tasseled hairpin on Shi Muyuan, but she couldn't fight.
She was so angry. She couldn't go out and play with the Empress Dowager like Yaokun, and she still had to be bullied. She felt so wronged just thinking about it. She would definitely go and complain to Zeze later. She hoped they could find a way to get rid of this "fiend".
Thanks to Xiaoxiao. After she did the hair, Shi Muyuan looked like a sixteen - or seventeen - year - old young girl, delicate and charming. The lake - green dress made her fair skin look even more delicate. With red lips and white teeth, and a bit of baby fat on her cheeks, who would recognize her as the Empress Dowager when she walked out?
Shi Muyuan didn't hesitate to praise Xiaoxiao greatly. Only then did the little girl feel a bit better, but the hostility in her eyes towards Yaokun remained unchanged.
Yaokun didn't care about such things at all. He didn't even give Xiaoxiao a look. He followed Shi Muyuan to the place they had scouted in advance, picked her up, and in a few leaps, they disappeared.
Feeling ignored, Xiaoxiao stamped her feet in anger and immediately turned around and ran to find Zeze.