The noblewoman sternly snapped, her eyes bursting with daggers as she looked at the old lady. “If you ever let me hear such words again, you will be severely punished!”
The old lady kneeled in terror. “Please don’t be angry, Niangniang. I’m just feeling sorry for you and the Seventh Prince, and said something out of turn in anger. Please forgive me, Niangniang!”
Only then did the noblewoman moderate her tone. She went forward to help the old lady up and said in a low voice, “I understand your sentiments, but this is the palace. There are some things that cannot be said.”
“I’ll bear it in mind.”
The lady patted the old lady’s hand, picked up a turquoise jade bracelet from the dressing table, and put it on the old lady’s wrist. “Momo (wet nurse) has always been loyal and devoted to me. I will always remember your hard work. In the future, there are still a lot of things that I need you to do. You are the most trusted person around me.”
“Yes, I will not fail Niangniang!”
The corners of the noblewoman’s lips hooked up, and her eyes swirled gloomily and distant.
The moment the boy stepped out of the palace, he went crazy and transformed into an entirely different person.
He chattered non-stop, following behind Feng Qingbai.
Street stalls, luxury stores, he bought everything that caught his attention and wanted to move them to the carriage.
“Imperial Uncle, this string of wind chimes is beautiful. It’s purple and must be beautiful when hanging in the window. Buy it and hang it for Aunt Liu.”
“Uncle, how about this bead curtain? Elegant and not flashy, it matches Aunt Liu’s character. Buy it, buy it?”
“Is there any calligraphy and painting in Aunt Liu’s room? Hanging calligraphy and painting looks more elegant. Shall we buy two paintings for ladies? Koi playing around lotus pictures are fine too! How about buying two authentic masterpieces?”
“This screen is also good. It’s embroidered with pure white fox fur. Buy it and put it on the dressing table for Aunt Liu. She will definitely like it!”
Feng Qingbai frequently rubbed his brow, and had an impulse to pack up the boy and throw him back to the palace.
The boy snatched everything he wanted to do. He couldn’t even insert a word or live in peace for a moment.
When the two returned to the royal residence, the carriage had been piled high – things from large to small pieces of everything. The variety of stuff was dazzling.
After the servants moved the things to the house, Feng Mohan was so excited that he rubbed his fists together and geared up. “Imperial Uncle, which courtyard does Aunt Liu live in? I’ll help her decorate it and ensure it will be in the style Aunt Liu likes!”
Feng Qingbai turned a deaf ear, pointed to those things the boy bought, and directly ordered his subordinates. “Move all these things in Liu Yun Pavilion.”
“Is Aunt Liu going to live in Liu Yun Pavilion? I’m going over there!” The boy said enthusiastically. He followed behind the servants and instructed on the way, “Be careful, everyone. These things are very valuable. Don’t bump them. Everything I bought is unique. If it breaks, there’s no copy!”
Behind, Feng Qingbai raised his brows toward the cheering and joyful back of the boy, personally picked up the remaining huge package and walked in the other direction.
The commotion also attracted Fu Yuzheng.
When she came out, she found the boy completely devoid of his usual teenage sophistication. He was actually jumping and walking behind the servants with his sleeves rolled up unceremoniously, admonishing them to be careful unceasingly.
After looking at the direction they were going, Fu Yu Zheng approached the boy. “Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”
“Aunt zheng.” The boy’s smile slightly converged. “There will be a valuable guest arriving in the house soon. I came to join the fun and help set up the guest courtyard.”
“You also know that a guest is coming?” Fu Yuzheng was somewhat surprised.
“I know. Imperial Uncle told me.”
“I don’t know what kind of guest is coming that even Your Majesty actually came out of the palace to help decorate the courtyard.” Fu Yuzheng asked with a smile, in a tone of teasing.
“It’s some friends I made outside when I was on tour. I stayed at their house at that time. Now that they’re coming to the capital, courtesy demands reciprocity. I should also entertain them and can’t let them say I don’t stand by my word. Before returning to the capital, I patted my chest and promised them. My words should be taken seriously. It’s just impossible for me to invite them into the palace, so let them stay in the royal residence temporarily.”
“Your Majesty’s friends? Then I guess they should be of the same age as Your Majesty, right?”
“No…oops be careful! You almost dropped the screen!” The boy shifted his gaze to the servants and saw someone’s hand shaking, almost dropping the fox fur screen. He quickly charged forward nervously and simply took over holding it. “Aunt Zheng, you will naturally know when the people come. No more talking. I’ll get busy first!”
Seeing the boy go into Liu Yun Pavilion with the servants, Fu Yuzheng stood in place for a while.
Out of curiosity, she headed toward Sheng Xiao courtyard.
It was no surprise when she saw the man’s figure in the courtyard.
He was building a rack with wooden slats with his own hands and putting bamboo wicker sieves one by one on the shelves. This was a kind of person that common skilled people could do, but he did it without a hint of inconsistency. He was even extremely careful and repeatedly tried if the shelf was stable enough every time he each added a wicker sieve.
She stood by the door and did not bother to go in.
From this angle, she had a clear view of his eyes. They were overflowing with a tenderness that he has never been shown before.
Fu Yuzheng quietly turned around and left.
Since returning to the capital, the king and the emperor have undergone subtle changes. In front of outsiders, they could still mask it, but she was too close to them. That change couldn’t escape her eyes.
Looking up at the sky, the sun was clearly shining, but she felt a little chilled.
Once, she thought she and they were a basic triangle, solid and unbreakable. At least, no one could easily replace the corner that she occupied, but now it seemed that she flattered herself.
In fact, they excluded her.
Once, she secretly thought of this place as home, because that person gave her a place to stay. She then slowly grew grateful and attached to him at her most desperate times.
In fact, she never really fit in here.
Honestly speaking, she had long known about it, but she just deluded herself.
In other’s eyes, she was merely a pawn.
She had been and always would be alone.
The wind blew and immediately dried up the tears that had just spilled out of the corners of her eyes.
In the Liu Yun Pavilion, the boy ordered the servants around.
“No, no, move this hanging screen a little more to the side. The upper left corner is a little crooked!”
“Move the cabinet over there. Move it behind the screen!”
“Here, put a bamboo lounger in here. I want something of an old color, not a new woven one!”
“Don’t touch that string of wind chimes, I will hang it!”
The servants almost called him the little devil.
In the end, they were confused what style of room the little devil wanted to decorate.
Feng Mohan didn’t care what they thought. He had no plans about the style of decoration and only wanted to make the room with the same layout as Aunt Liu’s room.
However, he has been there for so long, but never saw his Imperial Uncle’s figure.
It wasn’t right. With his uncle’s nature, would he let him toss about and ignore the place where Aunt Liu would live?
“Hiss!” Rubbing his chin, Feng Mohan’s eyes narrowed, and he flew out of the room the next moment.
Damn, his Imperial Uncle pitted him again!
Peek-Aboo 
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