CHAPTER 1041: A LITTLE SUFFOCATED
Lu Liangwei rested her chin on his shoulder, her fingers toying with his long hair cascading down his back. A sudden wave of emotion prompted her to say, "You must have had a hard time taking care of me all this while, Your Majesty."
"Why would you think that? I don't find it hard at all. You have it harder than me." Long Yang stroked her back tenderly.
She was the one who was suffering the most, bearing his child at such a young age.
Even so, she had never uttered a word of complaint.
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His heart ached for her, and he was determined not to make her pregnant again.
She was probably carrying two children in her womb, which was already enough for him.
Whether they were boys or girls, he would raise them well and pass the throne to the child who was more fit to rule the kingdom.
Actually, it would be even better if they were a boy and a girl, but even if they turned out to be both girls, it did not matter; he would still raise them with care. Surely one of them would have the potential to become a female emperor.
His mind wandered far and wide, and he had almost finished laying out all the pathways he wanted his children to take in the future.
"I don't find it hard either," Lu Liangwei said nonchalantly, unaware that he had generated so many thoughts in such a short time.
However, the next instant, she let out a sudden hiss.
It was a small sound, but Long Yang heard it at once and shot an arm out to hold her waist. "What's wrong? Are you having leg cramps again?" While he spoke, his other arm lifted her leg with practiced ease and he started massaging her gently.
As Lu Liangwei gazed at the man's loving yet anxious face, the discomfort from the cramps gradually subsided.
She leaned into his embrace quietly.
How lucky she was to be loved by him!
...
Time went by fast. In the blink of an eye, the fifth month of the year came as Lu Liangwei entered her eighth month of pregnancy.
Lu Liangwei suddenly had a craving for waxberries.
However, waxberries were not fully ripe at that time yet, and there was still a tinge of sourness mixed with their mild sweetness.
Currently, they were not yet available on the market-sales usually started during the middle of the month.
Nevertheless, there was a waxberry orchard in the imperial holiday home which produced high-quality fruit unmatched by those sold on the market.
The thought of the waxberries in the imperial holiday home made Lu Liangwei's mouth water. Eager to taste them, she begged Long Yang to bring her there to pick them.
Long Yang cast a hesitant look at her huge belly. "Why do you suddenly feel like going there? If you want to eat waxberries, I can order the servants to pick them right away so you'll get to taste the freshest ones. You don't have to go there yourself."
"I know, but I want to pick them myself." Lu Liangwei clung to his arm and pouted.
For the past few months, she had been staying in the palace to take care of her health, and she rarely even returned to the Grand Duke Mansion.
Long Yang knew that she was feeling a little suffocated, so after pondering for a moment, he agreed. "Very well, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. I still have some important matters to deal with today."
"All right. We'll go tomorrow, then." Lu Liangwei's smile made her eyes curve into lovely crescent-moons.
It was just one day. She could wait.
Long Yang bent down and kissed her on the forehead.
The next day.
Although the imperial holiday home was in the capital suburbs, which was not too far away, Long Yang brought Chief Physician Lin and Imperial Physician Wu along.
He would not allow anything undesirable to happen to Weiwei.
She had indeed been cooped up in the palace for too long.
Once they reached the imperial holiday home, Lu Liangwei grabbed Long Yang's hand and started touring every corner of the place, almost forgetting that the purpose of her trip was to pick waxberries.
Only when they reached the waxberry orchard did Lu Liangwei remember her craving.
The waxberries at that time were still an unripe shade of green.
However, Lu Liangwei could not help salivating at the sight of the fruit on the branches.
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CHAPTER 1042: STIFLED HER CRAVING
Long Yang burst out laughing when he saw her greedy face.
He plucked a clump of waxberries from the tree and studied them incredulously, unable to comprehend his pregnant wife's tastes. "Are they that delicious?" He had heard that waxberries were still very sour at this time of the year, and the mere thought of it made his lip curl.
Never mind-pregnant women had peculiar food preferences that differed from those of normal people.
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Some liked sour foods, while others liked spicy ones.
Remembering a casual comment Zhao Qian had made in front of him, he cast a significant glance at Lu Liangwei's stomach.
Apparently, sour cravings indicated that it was a boy, and spicy cravings pointed to a girl.
In that case, both children in Weiwei's womb could be boys.
However, he had forgotten that his young and feisty Empress had been whining for spicy food a while ago.
Unaware of his elusive thoughts, Lu Liangwei stared at the waxberries in his hand and nodded, gulping her saliva. "Of course." Actually, she had not been that fond of waxberries before she got pregnant, but now her mouth watered at the mere imagination of their taste. Of course, she sometimes yearned for spicy food too.
Nevertheless, spicy food could irritate the baby, so she stifled her craving and only allowed herself to appease it once in a while.
Long Yang paused. Seeing how eager she was, he said softly, "Then wait here while I wash them, and then you can eat them."
There was a clear stream nearby, and he planned to wash them there.
"You can't eat them right away just by washing them like that." Lu Liangwei grabbed his arm.
Long Yang was startled. "Then how should I wash them?" He was even more surprised that Weiwei could still contain herself despite how hungry she was.
"There are usually insects hidden inside the flesh of waxberries. They have to be soaked in salt water for fifteen minutes first to be cleaned thoroughly," Lu Liangwei explained.
Although she was dying to eat the waxberries right away, she still prioritized hygiene.
If it were other fruits, she would not be so fussy.
After all, the air in ancient times was fresher and less polluted, so most fruits could be eaten right away.
However, waxberries were different from fruits like apples-their flesh made it easy for insects to hide inside.
Long Yang, having never washed fruit with his own hands before, naturally had no idea about this.
As he listened to Lu Liangwei's clear explanation, he was stunned.
A moment later, his slender fingers squeezed her rosy cheek. "You're quite knowledgeable, Second Miss Lu. Did you read it from some random book again?"
Sometimes, she really did not seem like the Grand Duke Family's daughter.
Most young noblewomen would never lift a finger to do any sort of labor.
Moreover, Weiwei had grown up being pampered by the Grand Duke.
He had never expected that she would know something so trivial.
He was certain that no other young noblewoman had this sort of knowledge.
Detecting the hint of confusion in his teasing remark, Lu Liangwei decided to play along. "That's right. Some of the general knowledge in these books can be applied in daily life too."
"Really? Then you'll have to lend me that book sometime." Long Yang gazed at her smilingly.
"No problem," Lu Liangwei mumbled half-heartedly. There was no such book, and even if there were, it would not contain this sort of information.
Standing on tiptoes, she plucked a cluster of waxberries from a dangling branch and turned to put them into the basket prepared by Zhu Yu. She then took the other bunch from Long Yang and stowed them inside as well.
Some trees in the orchard were impressively tall, while others were much shorter.
Lu Liangwei made her way through each row, and sure enough, she managed to pick several relatively ripe fruit.
Zhu Yu could feel her teeth ache as she stared at the basket full of waxberries. "Miss, let me take them back and soak them in salt water."
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CHAPTER 1043: GREEDY CHU QI
"All right, go ahead. We'll be back in a while." Lu Liangwei nodded in approval.
Zhu Yu left, carrying the basket in her arms.
Long Yang had been watching Lu Liangwei all this while, and seeing that she had stopped picking waxberries, he took her hand.
"Do you still want to continue your walk?"
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Lu Liangwei thought for a while, then said, "Let's go to the peach orchard." The peaches during this time were the juiciest and sweetest.
Some time ago, the imperial holiday home had started delivering fresh peaches to the palace every day for her to sample, but since she was already here, she wanted to visit the orchard personally.
"All right," Long Yang agreed warmly, then took her hand and led her to the peach forest.
Zhao Qian, Chu Qi, and Chu Jiu followed them all the way.
When they arrived at the peach orchard, there were already a few farmers picking peaches.
Taken aback by the Emperor and Empress's visit, they froze in place, at a loss for how to react.
The housekeeper of the imperial holiday home hurried over and scolded them, "What are you standing there for? Get on your knees and greet His Majesty and Her Highness!"
Seeing that the farmers' hands were full, Long Yang cast a glance at the housekeeper and said to them, "That won't be necessary. For the time being, all of you may leave and take a break from work."
More people meant more chaos. Although they may not harbor any malicious intentions, he disliked the idea of Weiwei being spied on during her fruit picking.
The housekeeper quickly led the farmers away.
The peach orchard returned to its tranquil state.
.....
Looking at the tall and sturdy peach trees, Lu Liangwei remembered how she had been able to climb them agilely at this time last year, but now, she could only gaze at them wistfully.
However, that did not dampen her enthusiasm for peach picking in the slightest.
She made her way to the base of a tree, and looking up at one of the branches drooping from the weight of the peaches, she said to Long Yang excitedly, "Your Majesty, can you reach that branch?"
Long Yang's towering height enabled him to reach it effortlessly.
He already knew what Lu Liangwei wanted without needing her to explain. With a little force, he pulled down the branch laden with peaches and angled it toward her. "Go ahead, pick them."
Lu Liangwei plucked the largest one.
"The others look good too," said Long Yang.
Lu Liangwei shook her head, holding the large pink peach in her hands contentedly.
Long Yang could only release his grip.
Without the pressure to hold it down, the branch snapped back in place, quivering a little before finally returning to its motionless state.
After taking a few more steps, Lu Liangwei set her eyes on another large peach, and Long Yang repeated his action of bending the branch.
Lu Liangwei's hands were full now, so she had no choice but to turn and pass the first peach to Chu Qi who was standing closest to her.
Chu Qi's lips twitched slightly as he stared at the peach in his hands.
Zhao Qian could tell from his expression that he was scheming something, and he quickly warned, "Her Highness only wants you to hold it for her. It's not for you to eat."
Chu Qi shot him a look. "Meanie!"
Zhao Qian, "..."
How was he a meanie?
After working together for so long, he had come to know this brat like the back of his hand.
He had clearly been eyeing the peach greedily just now.
Chu Qi glanced at Lu Liangwei, who was standing in front of another tree, her eyes fixed on another peach.
Seeing this, Chu Qi suddenly shot his hand out and felt around Zhao Qian's pockets for a while before fishing out a spotless white handkerchief.
Zhao Qian glared at him. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
"Lend me your handkerchief," said Chu Qi flatly.
Zhao Qian was still trying to figure out why Chu Qi wanted to borrow his handkerchief when he saw the insufferable brat wrap it around the peach in his hands and rub it vigorously.
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CHAPTER 1044: I'M NOT A MAN
Zhao Qian gaped at him, his mouth open.
Why did this brat look like he was wiping the peach?
When he finally came to his senses, Chu Qi had already wiped the peach clean, refolded the handkerchief, and stuffed it back into Zhao Qian's pocket.
Zhao Qian, "..."
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Chu Qi brought the clean peach to his lips and took a bite.
It was juicy and sweet-a delectable peach indeed.
"Chu Qi, you little brat! How dare you use my handkerchief and stuff it back into my pocket without washing it! You're abominable!" Zhao Qian roared and lashed out at the boy with his fly-whisk.
Having predicted his attack, Chu Qi shielded himself behind Chu Jiu.
Zhao Qian stopped short, fuming at the sight of Chu Qi hiding fearlessly behind Chu Jiu.
He jabbed a trembling finger at him. "Chu Qi, if you're a man, get over here."
"If you're a man, come and get me," Chu Qi drawled and took another bite of his peach.
Zhao Qian blurted out somewhat smugly, "I'm not a man."
A muscle twitched in the corner of Chu Jiu's mouth. Had Butler Zhao lost his mind in a fit of rage?
Chu Qi gave him a significant look. "I see. Then I guess I'll go to you."
However, when he was about to reach Zhao Qian, he suddenly turned on his heel and darted toward Long Yang and Lu Liangwei.
Staring at the boy walking away, Zhao Qian came to his senses with a start, and his face turned beet red with anger.
Chu Jiu gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before making her way over to the Emperor and Empress as well.
Naturally, Lu Liangwei had heard the commotion.
However, she was already used to it.
She had long known that the Emperor's trusted subordinates were a bunch of goofballs.
Although they sometimes seemed unreliable, they had never failed any task given to them, and they were steadfastly loyal to Long Yang.
That was probably why the Emperor could tolerate their shenanigans.
They were his servants, but they seemed more like his brothers and friends.
Back then, Frostbite had made the Emperor's life a living hell, but fortunately, he had Butler Zhao and the others by his side.
Seeing Chu Qi approach them, she said in amusement, "Lil Qi, why are you being mean to Butler Zhao again?"
Chu Qi's voice was as frigid as ever. "He was the one being mean."
Lu Liangwei was speechless.
Given how close they actually were, their fight would likely blow over by tomorrow.
She shrugged and did not make any further comment.
She passed both peaches in her hands to Chu Jiu. "Leave one for Butler Zhao."
"Yes, Your Highness." Chu Jiu took them from her.
"Oh, I should get one for Zhu Yu too," Lu Liangwei said, scanning the area to see if there were any more extra huge peaches.
Sure enough, she found one soon.
After plucking it from the tree, she gave it to Chu Jiu too and instructed her to pass it to Zhu Yu later on.
She bustled around, gathering peaches for everyone-all except Long Yang.
He could not help getting upset. "Weiwei, I think you've forgotten someone."
Lu Liangwei thought for a moment before exclaiming in realization, "Oh, right! There's Chu Yi too." She then started her search for large peaches all over again.
Long Yang's handsome face clouded over.
Both Chu Jiu and Chu Qi backed away at the same time.
Finally sensing the change in the atmosphere, Lu Liangwei turned and was surprised to find Long Yang glowering. "What's wrong? Did someone make you angry?"
"Have you forgotten me?" Long Yang said sulkily.
Lu Liangwei blinked, finally understanding the reason for his displeasure.
She could not help cracking a smile. "You're the last person I'd forget, Your Majesty. But I thought you didn't like peaches."
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CHAPTER 1045: SLENDER WAIST
A smile appeared on Long Yang's lips at those words. "I would like to eat them now."
Lu Liangwei rolled her eyes. "Let's continue picking them. I haven't been able to keep any for myself since I've given it all to them."
The pair walked around the peach orchard once more.
When they eventually called it a day and left, Chu Jiu was carrying a basket full of peaches picked by Lu Liangwei and Long Yang.
It was rare for them to leave the Palace and Lu Liangwei planned to stay a night at the imperial holiday home before returning to the Palace the following day.
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Long Yang was worried about leaving her here by herself, so he decided to stay as well.
They had spent the morning picking waxberries and peaches and in the afternoon she would accompany Long Yang fishing by the lake.
It was the beginning of summer and the ice that coated the surface of the lake had already melted.
The weather was neither too hot nor cold at this time of the year; it felt just nice.
Lu Liangwei sat next to Long Yang, watching him fish.
Long Yang gripped the fishing rod in one hand and his other hand was holding hers.
They never felt bored with each other's company even when they sat in silence.
Lu Liangwei was propping her elbow on her knee while her chin rested on her palm. She was savoring the wind blowing on her face.
The gentle breeze was pleasant and cool, making for a rather comfortable experience.
A group of maidservants from the imperial holiday home walked by the lake a fair distance away from them.
One rather slender maidservant snuck a few extra looks in their direction while walking past.
Lu Liangwei was busy staring at the lake and did not notice this.
However, Chu Jiu had.
After all, protecting the Empress was her responsibility.
It was her duty to make sure that every movement that took place around them was within her grasp.
The maidservant earlier had merely taken a casual look at them.
However, Chu Jiu was astute and observant, and she sensed that this maidservant was different from the other servants.
The others would all look straight ahead and move on tip-toes, but this maidservant did not fit that description.
At the very least, she gave off a different vibe.
Chu Jiu informed Chu Qi about this, then she quietly followed the maidservant.
There were not many maidservants at the imperial holiday home. Most of them were in charge of cleaning the courtyard. There would usually be more farmsteads at the imperial holiday home.
The Emperor and Empress would bring palace maids along during their trips, which was why even when they were at the imperial holiday home, the maidservants stationed here were unable to get close to them.
The servants at the imperial holiday home were responsible for miscellaneous chores such as cleaning up.
These servants had been instructed to tidy up the courtyard where the Emperor and Empress would be staying after they suddenly arrived today.
They had just finished their work at this time.
A few of the maidservants were about to return to the courtyard allocated for the servants to rest.
As there were not many of them-and the compound was huge-each servant at the imperial holiday home had a room of their own, all of which were quite spacious.
Chu Jiu followed the maidservants into their courtyard.
Her eyes flickered sharply at the few people and her gaze finally fell on a slender maidservant.
Some of these servants were laborers and had thickset builds, but this maidservant was the only one who seemed different.
One could still make out her slender waist even though she was wearing a huge and rough dress, and she carried herself quite gracefully.
Chu Jiu tailed the maidservant and right before the maidservant could enter her room, Chu Jiu suddenly approached her and grabbed her by the wrist.
Startled, the maidservant whirled around. Her eyes bulged wide and her expression changed at the sight of Chu Jiu.
She immediately lowered her head when she realized she had been found out. She pulled her hand away forcefully and retreated a few steps back.
"Li Tong'er, what are you doing here?" Chi Jiu asked coldly.
She was sure Li Tong'er recognized her as well.
The maidservant said fearfully, "Respected Miss, I don't understand what you're saying. Who is Li Tong'er? I don't know her at all."
Chu Jiu sneered. Who was she trying to trick with such lousy acting?
However, Chu Jiu said nothing more and turned to leave.
The maidservant panicked when she saw this.
Afraid Chu Jiu would report her, she ran forward and stopped her. She said in a low voice, "Respected Miss, may we have a chat?"
Chu Jiu was getting a little annoyed. "What do you have to say that can't be spoken out here?"
Li Tong'er could only clench her teeth when she saw Chu Jiu's irked expression. She lowered her voice further. "If you can pretend you didn't see me here, I will not forget this favor if I manage to make my wish come true."
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CHAPTER 1046: BETTING IT ALL ON A SINGLE THROW
Chu Jiu had not expected Li Tong'er to try bribing her so openly.
The wish Li Tong'er mentioned was probably her goal of becoming His Majesty's woman.
Just the thought of this filled Chu Jiu with disdain.
She could not understand how a woman so full of herself could exist.
With Chu Jiu's temperament, she would usually have turned to leave immediately, but when she recalled the tactics Her Highness often employed, Chu Jiu stopped herself and said instead, "How do you plan to remember me?"
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Li Tong'er gave this some thought and said, "Please give me a moment, Respected Miss." She turned to look around her, and when she was certain no one was paying any attention, she quickly nipped into the room.
Within moments, she returned with a palm-sized box. She approached Chu Jiu and passed the box to her. "This is a humble gift that I hope you will accept, Respected Miss."
Chu Jiu accepted the box from her. She opened it and took a glance at the contents before shutting it again.
The box was filled to the brim with golden leaves. This piqued her interest slightly.
She recalled that golden leaves were a favorite of Her Highness's.
When Li Tong'er observed the stoic expression on Chu Jiu's face, she could not help but feel worried as she had no idea what Chu Jiu was thinking.
Did Chu Jiu find the amount too meager?
Just as she was contemplating this, Chu Jiu suddenly clutched the box in her arms and turned to leave without saying a word.
She was actually marveling at how Vice Minister Lee must be earning much more than she expected. A casual action from First Miss Li somehow produced a box of golden leaves. This was honestly quite remarkable.
Li Tong'er watched in a daze as Chu Jiu departed from the courtyard.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief when she was sure Chu Jiu was gone.
Since Chu Jiu had accepted the bribe, she would most likely keep her mouth shut.
However, despite that, Li Tong'er still felt worried. She sat in her room for a while, contemplating whether or not she should make her escape now.
If she ran away now, though, she would never get another opportunity in the future, and the time she spent hiding here would have gone to waste.
She had been pretending to be a servant here so she could one day meet His Majesty.
The day her parents left the imperial capital, she had chosen to stay behind.
Things had already escalated to such a level that she believed it could not get worse than this.
Her mother supported her decision too.
Then she learned that His Majesty and Her Highness frequented this particular imperial holiday home.
In a small stroke of good fortune, she managed to land a job in the place.
She had been staying here for close to a month, but had not seen so much as a shadow of the Emperor. She was about to give up when the Emperor and Empress suddenly arrived today.
This was a great opportunity.
Unfortunately, the Emperor and Empress were practically glued to each other the entire day and she never got a chance to get near His Majesty.
Instead, her existence was discovered by the female guard.
She wondered if she should continue her endeavor or leave while she still could.
After a brief consideration, she decided that leaving was not an option.
She had planned this for so long and could not throw away her previous hard work.
There was no reason to give up her plans over that female guard.
She clenched her teeth, got up, and walked out the door.
She had to give it another go. If she failed this time, she would just give up.
While Li Tong'er was making up her mind about betting it all in a single throw, Chu Jiu had brought the box of golden leaves back to the lakeside.
Lu Liangwei had realized quite late that Chu Jiu had left them. When she saw Chu Jiu return, she asked curiously, "Jiu, where did you go?"
Chu Jiu said nothing but retrieved the box from her arms and passed it to Lu Liangwei.
Lu Liangwei took it and observed the exquisite box in her hand. She was puzzled. "Is this for me? What is it?"
"Open it and you'll see, Your Highness," Chu Jiu said without revealing anything.
Lu Liangwei opened the box.
It was filled with golden leaves which instantly caught Lu Liangwei's attention.
Lu Liangwei blanked out for a while before turning to Chu Jiu. "Where did you get these golden leaves from?"
Zhao Qian had inched closer to have a look for himself and he gaped at Chu Jiu with some astonishment.
Chu Jiu explained, "These are illegal goods that should be taken care of by you, Your Highness."
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CHAPTER 1047: PATHETIC AND LAUGHABLE
"Illegal goods?" Lu Liangwei was astonished. "What do you mean?"
"That's right, Jiu. What do you mean by this?" Zhao Qian chipped in.
Chu Jiu was about to inform them about Li Tong'er when there was a sudden splash in the near distance. It sounded like something heavy falling into the water.
Someone began to shout shortly after that.
"Oh no, someone has fallen into the water..."
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Chu Qi had spotted the person long ago, but did not bother to help.
His duty was to protect His Majesty-he would ignore everything unrelated to that.
Lu Liangwei peered over and saw a girl struggling in the water.
That person did look a little familiar.
Chu Jiu had recognized the person in the water. It was Li Tong'er.
She frowned.
What was Li Tong'er doing?
"H..Help..."
Li Tong'er did not know how to swim and it took all the courage she had to jump into the water. However, she was filled with indescribable fear now that she was inside.
She had swallowed a few mouthfuls of water during her panicked struggle. When she noticed the few people on the shore were ignoring her, her heart sank.
"Your... Your Majesty, it's me, Li Tong'er... H...Help..."
She suddenly shouted these words, throwing caution to the wind.
Lu Liangwei looked over in shock.
It was no wonder she found the girl familiar. Was that Li Tong'er?
That said, what was she doing here?
Lu Liangwei did not hesitate at all. She instantly said to Chu Qi, "Get her out of the water."
Chu Qi glanced at Long Yang. When he saw there was no reaction from the emperor, he jumped toward the lake. He leaped across the water's surface and fished Li Tong'er, who was on the verge of sinking, out of the water.
When they reached the shore, he tossed her unceremoniously onto the ground.
Lu Liangwei looked at the hard and rough surface. Even the thought of falling onto it made her wince. This kid, Chu Qi, was far too cold-blooded. Where did such a young boy learn this kind of behavior from?
Of course, Lu LIangwei had only gotten Chu Qi to save Li Tong'er because she did not want the lake water to be dirtied.
After all, she rather enjoyed eating the fish from this lake.
If Li Tong'er had drowned in this lake, it would be rather disgusting and she would probably not want to eat the fish from the lake anymore.
How could she let a lake full of delicious fish go to waste over Li Tong'er?
Despite being rescued, Li Tong'er had been submerged for too long and had swallowed a fair amount of water, making her look even more fragile than ever.
She lay on the ground weakly when she suddenly saw a pair of embroidered female shoes appear in front of her.
She raised her gaze slowly and the first thing she saw was a heavily-pregnant belly, which was followed by the beautiful face of a woman.
The face looked soft and tender because its owner was leading a comfortable and sheltered life. The girl's skin was smooth and youthful, like a high-quality white nephrite jade.
Anyone could tell at a glance that Lu Liangwei led a wonderful life.
The quality of her livelihood was not an effect of materialistic superiority, but rather the fact that she was healthy both mentally and emotionally.
Li Tong'er looked deeply into herself...
When she realized that Lu Liangwei was looking down at her from above, Li Tong'er bit her lip.
Lu Liangwei's sharp gaze made her suddenly nervous and too embarrassed to face her.
Li Tong'er suddenly felt like Lu Liangwei could see through all the thoughts in her mind.
Comparing herself to the Empress made Li Tong'er feel even more disheveled and dispirited.
What did she have that could possibly be able to attract His Majesty?
She had nearly drowned in the water moments ago and His Majesty did not even give her a second look.
He continued fishing as usual; besides the woman standing in front of her, there was nothing else that could pique his interest.
Not even a human life.
Li Tong'er felt like a complete failure right now.
If things were like this, her final gamble was nothing less than pathetic and laughable.
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CHAPTER 1048: ALMOST THREW UP A HUGE MOUTHFUL OF BLOOD
She looked up at the stunning woman in front of her and suddenly gave a short laugh. "You probably think I'm a joke."
Lu Liangwei raised an eyebrow. Her expression remained calm as she replied seriously, "Somewhat, but I'm not laughing at you, truly."
Li Tong'er clenched her fist and turned away. She felt embarrassed, but still forced herself to say, "Thank you for being willing to save me."
Lu Liangwei shook her head. "The one who saved you was that child, not me." At that, she pointed at Chu Qi who was standing at the side.
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Chu Qi darted a look at her and turned to leave, sword in hand.
They were both about the same age, so why was she pretending to be more mature and call him a child?!
Chu Qi was a little annoyed.
Li Tong'er watched the young man walking away as she looked over at him.
She suddenly found this to be a little incredulous.
The Empress was about the same age as the boy, yet she was calling him a child.
Did Lu Liangwei somehow think she was closer to His Majesty's age instead? That would explain why she was comfortable with calling the young man a child.
It was not difficult to guess that the young man was put in a foul mood by this.
"If you didn't give him the order, he never would have saved me." Li Tong'er sat up. She still looked quite disheveled but was significantly calmer than before. "Which is why I still need to thank you."
Lu Liangwei waved her off. "There really is no need to. I asked that child to save you because the fish living in these waters are fat and delicious. I can't bear the thought of you contaminating them."
Li Tong'er felt a metallic sweetness in her throat as she almost threw up a huge mouthful of blood.
What was she saying?
The Empress had no choice but to save her because she enjoyed eating the fish from the lake?
Meanwhile, Li Tong'er had been feeling so self-conscious, even feeling grateful to Lu Liangwei.
Li Tong'er was put in an awkward position.
She looked at Lu Liangwei's young face, her sharp eyes, her bright spirit. Li Tong'er suddenly found herself unable to face her.
While she was feeling awkward and embarrassed, Lu Liangwei suddenly spoke out compassionately, "The weather may be warm now, but you could still easily catch a cold if your clothes are wet."
Li Tong'er looked at her hesitantly.
She tried to decipher the expression on Lu Liangwei's face, trying to figure out the implication of her words.
"Jiu, help Aunt Li get a change of clothes." Lu Liangwei suddenly turned to instruct Chu Jiu.
The corner of Chu Jiu's lips twitched.
She was thinking about how Her Highness was pretty mean with her words.
Chu Jiu could clearly see Li Tong'er's pale face suddenly flushed red.
She suddenly felt a little sorry for Li Tong'er.
Her Highness was quite petty.
Even though Li Tong'er had not been successful with her plans for His Majesty, it did not mean that Her Highness had paid it no heed.
Her Highness could be very petty with anything that concerned His Majesty.
Li Tong'er could now taste the blood in her mouth.
This was the first time she went up against Lu Liangwei face-to-face. She was almost angered to death after only a few exchanges.
She took a deep breath and felt that if she continued staying here, things would not get better for her, and she might instead die of anger.
Li Tong'er stood up by herself before Chu Jiu could help her up.
However, this time, her eyes did not look in the direction of Long Yang.
She was practically running away toward her living quarters.
Chu Jiu did not give chase when she saw this.
Li Tong'er might learn to act more wisely after going through this.
Lu Liangwei weighed the box with her hand and asked, "Did Aunt Lu use this box of golden leaves to bribe you?"
Chu Jiu nodded. "I accidentally discovered her. She was probably afraid that I would report her to you, so she tried to bribe me with this box of golden leaves." Chu Jiu did not hide anything. She talked about the bribe casually, as if talking about the weather.
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CHAPTER 1049: LU LIANGWEI ALLOWED HIS MAJESTY TO DO AS HE DEEMED FIT
Lu Liangwei said pointedly, "Did she give you such a small amount? Or did you hide the rest, Jiu?"
Chu Jiu glanced at her. "Is this too little? Please give it to me, then. I was the one she wanted to bribe, anyway, and I've done what she asked. I didn't reveal her presence to you." Chu Jiu had initially planned to inform Lu Liangwei about Li Tong'er's presence at the imperial holiday home after taking her money. However, Li Tong'er had conspicuously jumped into the lake before she could do so.
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Lu Liangwei took a sharp breath and rubbed her arms, laughing drily. "Your Majesty, the fish is nibbling on your bait."
Long Yang grunted coldly. "I wanted to catch a few more for you to boil into soup tonight, but I think it's not necessary now."
Lu Liangwei noticed he was looking grimly at the box in her hand. She blinked and very dutifully passed the box over to him. "Please do as you deem fit, Your Majesty."
Long Yang took the box and threw it into the middle of the lake without looking at it.
Lu Liangwei gave a shout when she saw where the box landed in the water. It was such a waste.
That was an entire box of golden leaves.
Even though she was not short of money, and had plenty of gold, who would ever say no to having more wealth?
"Do you find it a pity?" Long Yang's eyes narrowed.
Lu Liangwei sighed and said untruthfully, "No, I don't."
Long Yang's expression relaxed slightly. "I can give you however much gold you desire, but you're not allowed to accept any from others."
Lu Liangwei nodded vigorously and said obediently, "I'll listen to you, Your Majesty."
Long Yang finally felt satisfied and caressed her hair. He held her hand and both of them sat by the lake once more.
Lu Liangwei quietly criticized him. Could His Majesty be jealous of Jiu again?
Just because Jiu had given her the golden leaves?
That box of golden leaves was such a pity!
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CHAPTER 1050: HIS MAJESTY WAS EASY TO CAJOLE
"Someone had fallen into the water just now. Did you notice, Your Majesty?" Lu Liangwei was getting bored sitting there and began to strike up a conversation with Long Yang.
Long Yang did not even look at her. It was clear that he was still mad.
This did not bother Lu Liangwei, though.
It was not the first time His Majesty was being jealous.
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Instead, she found His Majesty to be quite adorable when he was having his jealous bouts.
She propped an elbow on her knee and nestled her chin in her palms. The more he ignored her, the more she enjoyed teasing him. "If not for Lil Qi being a busybody, His Majesty might have fished himself a great beauty from the lake."
Not far away, Chu Qi "..."
Was Her Highness not the one who was the busybody?
Long Yang felt even moodier when he saw how she was able to entertain herself so much by speaking to herself despite him ignoring her.
"Did you really not see her, Your Majesty? That was Li Tong'er. I wonder what was going through her mind to jump into the water." Lu Liangwei believed that His Majesty was fully focused on fishing. He had not been disturbed at all even when he realized someone had fallen into the water.
The longer they knew each other, the deeper Lu Liangwei understood this man.
He had always been gentle when he was with her. He adored her endlessly, but when facing someone else, he would not give the other person so much as a glance.
Li Tong'er had given everything she had to try to get involved with His Majesty's affairs, yet she did not even manage to cause a ripple in the end.
Even Lu Liangwei began to pity her!
However, Li Tong'er had been dealt a severe blow when she realized His Majesty did not care an ounce about whatever she did. It looked like she had given up on His Majesty for good now.
This was just as well. It saved Lu Liangwei the time and energy to take care of her.
Long Yang finally turned to look at Lu Liangwei as he replied nonchalantly, "I didn't see her."
This girl was well aware that he would not look at another woman besides her, yet she still teased him about this.
So what if he did notice that someone had fallen into the water just now?
This was the imperial family home. Commoners could not come in and the person who fell must have been a servant in the imperial family home.
Besides Weiwei, the life or death of any other human did not concern him.
Lu Liangwei stared at the man's stoic expression and she suddenly leaned in close to him and pecked him on the lips.
Long Yang's expression finally softened; a smile appeared on his previously stony face, expressing the joy he felt now.
Lu Liangwei laughed quietly.
Even though His Majesty got jealous easily, he was also pretty easy to cajole.
...
Long Yang and Lu Liangwei would be staying the night at the imperial holiday home, which was why Zhu Yu stayed back in the courtyard to arrange work for the servants.
Even though they were just staying one night, she would still need to ensure His Majesty and her Miss had a comfortable stay.
The servants at the imperial family home might have already carried out one round of tidying, but Zhu Yu was still not satisfied.
She got the servants to clean everything from the courtyard to the inner room one more time, and she also inspected the decorations in the room in detail.
After she was done with her last checks and was sure nothing was left out, Zhu Yu was finally satisfied. She led a few Palace maids who were brought over from the Palace and waited outside the courtyard for their master and mistress to return.
However, an unwanted guest appeared before Long Yang and Lu Liangwei were back.
Zhu Yu's expression changed when she saw the person at the door. "What are you doing here?"
Li Tong'er could only smile bitterly in her heart when she saw Zhu Yu treating her antagonistically.
She did not blame Zhu Yu for treating her this way.
Li Tong'er was silent for a while before saying, "I'd like to see Her Highness."
She had been living a dream and now she had woken up. It was time for her to leave.
However, she would like to speak to Lu Liangwei once before leaving.
Zhu Yu recalled Li Tong'er's impure intentions, and she spat brusquely, "Do you think you can see the Empress just because you want to? Some people just have no idea of their own status and are so full of themselves!"
Li Tong'er's expression changed slightly. She felt embarrassed and annoyed.
However, she managed to control her temper and did not express her emotions openly.
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