In Xia He Palace, the pond filled with pink lotus flowers and green leaves gradually faded with the changing season. The dark yellow duckweed, like the hollow shells left behind by cicadas, was thin and brittle. When the wind stirred, the soft sound of breaking leaves and twigs could be heard as they fell into the water and dissolved. On the bare surface of the pond, only a few lotus stalks holding full lotus seed heads remained.
Watching the fist-sized lotus seed heads rot away on their own, ignored by everyone, a bored ZiLi immediately called for someone to bring over a bamboo raft. In high spirits, he used a bamboo pole to move through the lotus pond, and collected lotus seeds! On the shore, several maids carrying small bamboo baskets also laughed and played while picking reachable lotus seed heads. Their delicate laughter dispelled the melancholy atmosphere characteristic of autumn.
The uncooperative bamboo raft spun in the pond as ZiLi clumsily maneuvered it. With great difficulty, he finally managed to row five or six meters away from the shore.
Ming Yue followed the bamboo raft along the shore, worriedly shouting to him, “Your Highness, be careful! Hey, you should come back and let us maids gather them for you, all right?”
“It’s fine, Ming Yue, this water is too shallow to drown anyone. You don’t have to worry about it!” ZiLi said, wiping the fine sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.
“Exactly, big sister Ming Yue, you should take a break!” Chun Lan, who was using a branch to hook lotus seed heads, giggled. “It is rare for His Highness to be in such a good mood. Don’t spoil the fun!”
“You silly girl, always saying unhelpful things. Never mind whether the pond is deep or shallow. In this late autumn, if he sweats and then catches a chill because of the wind, will he not suffer?”
“Am I that weak? Back then, I played basketball in just a sleeveless tank top in the dead of winter and then took cold showers at home. And what happened? Not even a single sneeze.” ZiLi dismissed her concerns, ripped off a lotus seed head, and tossed it into a nearby bamboo basket with a one-handed basketball shot. “Perfect shot, hehe. Tonight, we will have a lotus seed feast. Ming Yue, show off your best skills and make a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast
满汉全席
Mǎn Hànquánxí
A type of grand banquet that combines elements of Manchu and Han Chinese cuisine developed in the Qing dynasty.
1 with lotus seeds!”
Mǎn Hànquánxí
A type of grand banquet that combines elements of Manchu and Han Chinese cuisine developed in the Qing dynasty.
“Great, that’s great!” the maids nearby called out and clapped their hands, cheering upon hearing this.
“Xiao Yu’er, I am here――” A voice sounded before the person could be seen, but there was no need to guess who had arrived!
Hong Qing rushed three steps ahead to beat Hong Xu, thinking ZiLi was inside the house. Just as he lifted his foot to step onto the stairs, he was attracted by the laughter from the lotus pond. With a swift movement, he leapt over and saw ZiLi, dressed in white robes, rowing the raft and gathering lotus seeds, while a group of maids laughed and played along the shore. It was a lively scene. “Oh? Gathering lotus seeds? That looks fun, let me join!”
As he spoke, he tapped his foot on the water surface and leaped onto ZiLi’s bamboo raft. The sudden landing threw it off balance, making it rock from side to side. ZiLi staggered and just as he was about to fall into the water, Hong Qing hurried forward and caught him around the waist.
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 95 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
Hong Xu arrived shortly after and, upon seeing the two leaning against each other on the bamboo raft, a flash of cold light flickered through his eyes before vanishing.The maids, seeing Hong Xu and Hong Qing arrive, immediately stopped their playful antics and fearfully knelt to pay their respects.
“Your servants greet Your Majesty and Prince Qing!”
“Your master is ignorant, but are you all ignorant too? His body is weak, how could he withstand this cold wind? What use is it to keep useless servants?” Hong Xu said with a stern face.
“We deserve to die, asking Your Majesty for forgiveness!” The maids all kowtowed in fear, pleading for mercy.
ZiLi, displeased with Hong Xu for ruining the joyful atmosphere, broke free from Hong Qing’s grasp and shouted at Hong Xu, “This has nothing to do with them. I insisted on gathering the lotus seeds. If you want to scold someone, scold me, all right!”
Originally, Hong Xu only intended to scold them a little and did not really plan to do anything, but ZiLi’s words undoubtedly made him lose face in front of everyone. Seeing ZiLi still leaning closely against Hong Qing, he could not help but get angrier. His face darkened, and with a flick of his sleeve he turned to leave!
Everyone else was too frightened to make a sound.
ZiLi pouted and muttered, “Why is he so petty!” He threw away the lotus seed head in his hand and then said to Hong Qing beside him, “I am not playing anymore. Can you take me back to the shore?”
Hong Qing’s expression was full of disappointment. He had only just arrived and had not even had a chance to play before it was already time to stop! But seeing ZiLi’s unhappy expression, he still wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulder, and leaped back onto the shore.
ZiLi walked into the house and found that Hong Xu had not come in at all. Could he have left? Since they started living together, Hong Xu always came over to have lunch with him after finishing his work, and then held him in his arms and they would nap together all afternoon. Could it be that he left just because of what I said earlier? Was what I said really that angering? I was just telling the truth!
“Sigh.” He leaned on the table and sighed dejectedly.
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 95 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
Hong Qing scratched his head, not knowing what to say! He could only sit across from ZiLi and laugh awkwardly, “Ah, the autumn weather is really nice today! The hunting season will be here soon!” Glancing at ZiLi and seeing the other’s lack of interest, he racked his brain and added, “Ah, Xiao Yu’er, have you ever seen someone who looks exactly the same as someone else? Let me tell you, today I saw two identical people on the street. Their clothes were a bit tattered, but they actually looked pretty good. But for some reason, they were chasing my carriage.”ZiLi blinked and raised his head, pausing for a moment before asking, “Are they about eleven or twelve year old boys? Do they look like celestial children?”
Hong Qing thought for a while then said, “It seems so. Hey? How do you know that? Have you seen them too?”
“It really is Xiao Gong and Xiao Shou
It had been quite a while since these two were mentioned. ZiLi first encountered them in chapter 22, and they later helped him during his escape. In chapter 46, ZiLi told them that they should look for Hong Qing, who might be able to help.
2 ! Why are they so slow, taking nearly two months to get here!” ZiLi muttered to himself, then turned to Hong Qing and said, “They are twin brothers, the older one is Lin CunGong, and the younger one is Lin CunShou. I met them during the time I ran…… cough, went out. They came to the Capital to see the Emperor to bring an accusation against someone and clear their father’s name. If you see them next time, please help them, all right?”
“Uh, since they are Xiao Yu’er’s friends, I, Hong Qing, will of course, help! No problem, leave it to me!” Hong Qing patted his chest and promised.
***
It seemed Hong Xu was really angry!After waiting for him to come for lunch and waiting for him to come for dinner, only to see the salted egg yolk sun hiding half its face behind the roof, ZiLi came to this conclusion!
Listlessly sitting on the doorstep, ZiLi propped his chin with his hand, facing the sunset, letting the orange-red glow cover his entire face.
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 95 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
“Your Highness, please eat something. Ming Yue made lotus seed soup with the seeds we gathered this morning. Your Highness, would you like to try it?” Ming Yue gently persuaded as she walked to ZiLi’s side.ZiLi shook his head. He was not in the mood to eat right now! He just wanted to wait for that petty man to come back and eat with him!
“Your Highness, you did not eat lunch, and now you are skipping dinner too. First, you will harm your health, and second if His Majesty comes over later and sees this, we will be scolded again!” Ming Yue, seeing her persuasion was ineffective, had no other option but to resort to pulling the pity card! But who would have thought, her usual trick did not work this time.
She only heard ZiLi snorting twice and then say, “Who said he would definitely come? Maybe he is off somewhere having a good time!” The thought of it made ZiLi feel a wave of resentment well up inside him!
That lecherous Emperor, with so many beautiful concubines in the harem. He must be enjoying himself now with beauties on both sides and having a feast! Hmph!
“Well, Your Highness, perhaps His Majesty is delayed because he has matters to attend to. How could His Majesty ignore Your Highness and be off somewhere having a good time?” Ming Yue said, a little lacking in confidence. Although Hong Xu had been extremely attentive and protective of ZiLi lately, they still could not guarantee the Emperor’s thoughts!
“......”
“Then, Your Highness, why not apologize to His Majesty? Maybe that will calm his anger!”
“Hmph, what a joke! I did nothing wrong, why should I apologize to him? That petty man, if he wants to be angry, let him be angry to his heart’s content. Why should I let him affect me and not eat? Ridiculous! I am hungry, let’s eat, I want to eat fried dragon meat!”
“Eh! Ah?”
Hong Xu is such a vinegar jar (´∀｀;)
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