Before the moon reached the treetops, the emperor couldn't hold back his nostalgia for last night and walked closer to Lan Yue Pavilion.
Qi Junce fiddled with the string of bracelets in his hands, making crisp click-click sounds, but his mind was unconsciously reminiscing about last night's entanglement.
Unknowingly, the footsteps have stopped in front of the gate of Lan Yue Pavilion, but there is no palace servant waiting in front of the door, and there is no candlelight.
Qi Junce frowned, and Ma Dong immediately understood and was about to knock on the door.
But at this time, the door of Lanyue Pavilion slowly opened with a creak. I saw Yue Nu holding a weakly lit candlestick in her hand, so she was not afraid of Qi Junce's anger and bowed.
"Where is Song Guibin? Why are you the only one coming out to pick her up?" Ma Dong walked forward anxiously and said in a lowered voice.
Yue Nu smiled sweetly and did not answer Ma Dong's words. Instead, he crossed Ma Dong and said to Qi Junce: "Your Majesty, since you are admiring the moon, please don't waste your good time. Please come in."
Ma Dong said hey, just about to scold Yue Nu for not understanding the rules. However, he was interrupted by the very interested Qi Junce who raised his hand and walked into Lanyue Pavilion leaving a group of followers behind.
Qi Junce saw nothing but darkness, but as both feet stepped into the courtyard, little bits of light began to emerge from every corner.
Only then did he realize that the courtyard was filled with lanterns made of flowers with patterns on them. And the huge peach tree also had red ribbons hanging down, like those in the Yuelao Temple.
There was a figure shaking in a trance, and Qi Junce followed the figure and walked over.
The lingering singing sounded again, tickling Qi Junce's heart. The woman's figure was clearly close at hand, but she couldn't catch it.
Until they chased each other under the peach tree, under the red ribbons all over the sky, the two of them had their arms full.
Qi Junce looked at Baozhu, who was as frightened as a deer, but his eyes were bright and proud, and he couldn't help but smile.
"I don't know what you are doing?" Qi Junce said, holding Baozhu to his feet.
Baozhu brushed her somewhat disheveled hair. Today, she was still wearing plain white clothes, with only two silver temple temples inserted diagonally.
"Your Majesty said he wanted to admire the moon, but he didn't mean to admire the moon." The girl's voice sounded, with a unique crispness, and mixed with a hint of blaming Qi Jun for being late.
Baozhu walked to the lantern on her own, and the gentle candlelight illuminated her hazy body. She turned the lantern with her delicate white fingers, and Qi Junce couldn't help but lean over and look.
On the lantern is a tall and straight man, as if outlining his daily life. There were meals, tea, and even horseback riding and archery.
The only regret is that this man has no face.
Qi Junce made a sound, vaguely feeling that this man was very familiar. Baozhu raised his head, with unknown emotions in his eyes.
"Who is this person?" Qi Junce asked.
Bao Zhu sighed softly and muttered pretending to be angry: "This is your Majesty."
Qi Junce looked at Baozhu's face full of disappointment, and a soft part in his heart seemed to have been hit hard.
So it turns out that the reason why this man has no face is because the woman in front of him was put into the palace without even seeing her own face.
"I don't know what your majesty looks like, but I heard that your majesty is upright and heroic." Baozhu said with tenderness in his eyes, "I wonder what your majesty is doing every day."
Baozhu clasped his hands together and walked while talking.
"After thinking about it, I drew it. Now when I look at it, it's not even one-tenth of His Majesty's elegance."
Listening to Baozhu's straightforward words, Qi Junce felt a little embarrassed, straightened up and coughed.
"Do you blame me for placing you in the Floating Lin Palace?" Qi Junce asked, staring into Baozhu's eyes as dark as night.
Baozhu tried his best to suppress his original resentment. Now was the time to seize Qi Junce's heart. If he had resentment, he was afraid that the situation in the future would not be as good as before.
Bao Zhu shook his head, with an unmistakable smile on his face.
"Your Majesty didn't know what kind of person Baozhu was before. Now that he knows, Baozhu believes that Your Majesty will not do this again."
As soon as these words came out, Baozhu's heart was beating fast. Because she couldn't guarantee that it was just a night of lingering, whether it could leave a trace in the heart of such a decisive emperor.
But the next second, a strong hand wrapped around Baozhu's waist, and Baozhu was trapped in the embrace.
"It's me who neglected you, and I won't do it again." Qi Junce's voice sounded in front of his forehead, and Baozhu felt unbelievable.
Glittering lights began to float all around. Qi Junce stretched out his hand, and it turned out that fireflies were rising from all around.
The two people hugging each other felt like they were in a brilliant starry sky.
Baozhu still boldly hugged Qi Junce and buried his head a little further.
"I don't dare to ask for anything," Baozhu raised his head, his eyes red with tears. "As long as I can stay with His Majesty."
Baozhu looked at the smile on the corner of Qi Junce's mouth, lowered his head and took back the unwillingness to be abandoned.
Yue Nu and Hai Tang, who were releasing fireflies in the distance, blushed and looked at the two people embracing each other, but no one noticed A Yan's loss.
For three consecutive months, Baozhu's name filled everyone's hearts like the scorching summer heat. The abandoned concubine who was once unpopular suddenly became an existence on par with Concubine Shu.
Of course, the jealousy of others is unavoidable. Every day in the Queen's Palace at dawn and dusk, the imperial concubine party will inevitably say a few sour words.
But these days, Baozhu has finally figured it out. Although Liu Guiren in the Queen's Palace has a hot temper and loves to be in the limelight, he is also the least scheming.
But Zhencai was silent, which always made Baozhu feel a little creepy. He felt that this person was deeply scheming.
Among the many women, Bao Zhu had the most favorable impression of Cheng Fei. Because Concubine Cheng is one of the few kind-hearted people, she is most touched by food every day. Everyone she sees smiles and is very kind, so everyone likes her very much.
Concubine Shu was as beautiful as the first time she saw her. Her eyes when looking at Baozhu were not malicious, but they always had a meaning that made Baozhu uncomfortable.
After today's morning and dusk, the orb was left behind again, and it was still used to decorate the queen's hairpin. Bao Zhu carefully selected a pink and white peony and gently put a hairpin on it for the queen.
"You have done a good job. You are very favored in the palace. Apart from the former Concubine Rong, I am afraid you are the only one." The queen's voice sounded faintly, and Baozhu's fingers almost became stiff.
After Yue Slave was poisoned, Bao Zhu was really afraid of the queen, fearing that he would make her dissatisfied and cause trouble again.
The queen with a Buddha's mouth and a snake's heart is far more terrifying than pure viciousness.
"Concubine Rong is also in this palace. Speaking of which, I haven't visited her yet." Bao Zhu didn't understand why the queen suddenly mentioned Concubine Rong, so she could only stand silently.
"What about you, have you ever met Concubine Rong?" The queen's eyes reflected from the bronze mirror and stared directly at Baozhu, who felt a little guilty.
But he still shook his head firmly and said, "I have never seen any concubines other than concubines."
The queen said meaningfully, and then let Baozhu leave.
On the way, Baozhu always felt something strange in his heart. He vaguely felt that the Queen might not be able to escape Concubine Rong's madness.
But with empty words, one cannot rely on feelings to vindicate Concubine Rong. Thinking of this, Baozhu couldn't help but smile and shake his head. People who can't even see their own way forward are not qualified to hold umbrellas for others.
Bao Zhu shook her fan, and she and Yue Nu carried pastries and walked towards Qi Junce's Palace of Eternal Life. But before they reached the palace, they saw many people in official uniforms coming in and out.
Bao Zhu paused in confusion. Ma Dong at the door saw Bao Zhu's figure and hurriedly came over to greet him.
Baozhu fanned his head slightly in front of him and asked curiously: "What happened?"
"Hey, my concubine," Ma Dong gestured to Baozhu to follow him, his face wrinkled with laughter. "Slaves don't dare to discuss state affairs arbitrarily."
Baozhu nodded silently, understanding something in his heart. Ma Dong placed the orb in a side hall separated by a wall. The orb was used in various ways, and the sounds from the next door reached his ears.
Yue Nu poured tea for Bao Zhu. Looking at Bao Zhu's interested expression, she couldn't help but ask, "Girl, what are they talking about? I can't even understand."
Bao Zhu chuckled, "Silly Yue Slave, it's about the southern salt tax."
"Oh, it sounds quite serious." Yue Nu said to herself.
Bao Zhu nodded, and the fanning movement on his hand slowed down a bit. “The salt tax has been a problem since ancient times.”
Baozhu took a sip of tea and continued: "But because the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, it cannot be cured. But if something goes wrong, it will endanger the country's foundation, and we cannot afford to slack off on this matter."
Yue Nu and Bao Zhu were chatting happily when Qi Jun called for Bao Zhu. Baozhu and Yuenu looked at each other and walked in silently.
The officials just now had dispersed, but the low-pressure atmosphere in the hall was all telling Baozhu how tense the atmosphere was at this time.
The orb silently lit the candles in the hall and lit a piece of soothing incense. The haze in the hall seemed to be dispersed.
He walked quietly behind Qi Junce, and massaged the emperor's tight temples with his slender jade fingers.
Qi Junce finally let go of his hand, his face full of exhaustion. He sighed and leaned back in the chair, patting Baozhu's arm in relief.
"You were next door just now, so you must have heard why I was worried about something." Qi Junce looked as usual and asked with his eyes closed to rest.
Baozhu's eyes flashed, and he didn't know what Qi Junce meant by asking at this moment, so he could only smile and answer: "I don't dare to discuss the government affairs arbitrarily."
Qi Junce slowly opened his eyes, looked at the bright orb, and said lightly: "It doesn't matter, in your opinion, what about the salt tax?"
Bao Zhu felt helpless. As a concubine, she kept thinking about how to make Qi Junce happy every day. Now she had to help with government affairs?
People can’t be broken into two pieces and used!
But seeing Qi Junce's eyes blazing, he had no choice but to speak: "Whether it's your Majesty or the previous emperor, emperors in the past have introduced various strategies for salt taxation, but they have had little effect."
Qi Junce's eyes changed slightly, and he looked at the serious Baozhu and made a confused sound.
"It is enough to show that this is not His Majesty's fault, but the people below did not do a good job when uploading and issuing the effect." Baozhu said, and the movement of his hand stopped.
Qi Junce also straightened up and looked at the serious-looking girl.
"I once heard a story. There was an emperor who wanted a beauty, but his subordinates began to hunt for beauties, causing a lot of resentment among the people."
Baozhu turned around suddenly and looked at Qi Junce, "Your Majesty, do you know why this is?"
Qi Junce put his face on his hands and listened patiently.
"This is because the people below are not doing things well and are too rigid." Baozhu said sincerely.
Qi Junce laughed and pinched Baozhu's porcelain-white face. "It's you, a concubine, who sees the problem. Okay, okay. Reward!"
Only when Baozhu found out did he feel scared, his words violated a taboo. But Qi Junce's reaction was very happy, which made Baozhu gradually feel relieved.
