However, things didn't turn out as Dongfang Yi had expected. Helian Qi didn't wait until the rain stopped either.
Instead, he let go of the hand around her waist after about half a quarter of an hour.
"Let's return to the palace," he added.
Dongfang Yi was utterly speechless. She wondered in her heart if all emperors were so fickle.
But on the surface, she obediently responded with an "um" and nestled beside him. The two of them walked in the rain under one umbrella.
Helian Qi looked at the petite and charming appearance of the woman beside him. Her feet were playfully stepping on the small puddles, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.
His mood instantly became extremely good.
He originally intended to visit his mother in Cining Palace, but unexpectedly met Dongfang Yi on the way.
It happened to be about to rain, and it happened that he had an umbrella, and it happened that the person was right in front of him.
Such a coincidence actually made his lonely heart ripple instantly.
So he couldn't help but pull her into his arms. He wished he could just stare at her without blinking until the end of the world.
While walking on the road, Dongfang Yi suddenly thought of something and asked, "Your Majesty, is the only purpose for you to send Prime Minister Nangong out of the capital to renovate the imperial mausoleum?"
Actually, she had been struggling for a long time whether to ask this question, but she wasn't sure in her heart. Maybe the rain today gave her the courage, so she just blurted it out naturally.
Helian Qi's eyebrows frowned imperceptibly, and his eyes were entangled with an unknown look.
Actually, he had long felt that Dongfang Yi might know something, but he had never dared to believe it.
But now the question she asked clearly indicated that she had anticipated something.
Suddenly, he admired her a little more in his heart, but he just replied with a faint "um" on his lips.
Hearing his response, Dongfang Yi's heart surged.
She thought that this was exactly as she had guessed. Helian Qi would surely not so easily forget his duty as an emperor.
Thinking of this, the corner of her mouth curled up into a knowing smile.
"It seems that the Empress is very happy?" the man beside her said.
Dongfang Yi slightly turned her head, bent her eyes and said to him, "I just think you're really an excellent emperor!"
Helian Qi looked at her smiling face, and his heart seemed to skip a beat.
"Hey! The rain has stopped!" Dongfang Yi said.
After saying that, she ran out from under the umbrella and took a deep breath of the post - rain air.
The fresh feeling instantly made her feel refreshed.
"Your Majesty, then I'll return to the palace first!"
As she said this, she ran forward, her feet splashing water all the way.
Helian Qi watched her lively and playful appearance gradually disappear from his sight.
He casually closed the umbrella. The post - rain wind blew through his hair with a chill, and the wet part of his clothes also exuded a slight chill.
Just one rain, but it felt as if his state of mind had changed completely.
And it seemed that there was also less estrangement between him and that woman.
On the other side, Dongfang Yi, who trotted all the way back to the Empress's palace, was gasping for breath and kept patting her chest.
When Donghua saw her coming back, she quickly greeted her and said, "Your Majesty, you're back!"
But Dongfang Yi didn't answer her. What she cared about now was why Donghua and Ruyi had suddenly run away just now.
There must be something fishy between the two of them.
Now Dongfang Yi was like a little journalist, full of the smell of gossip.
"Ahem, Donghua, what's going on between you and Ruyi?!"
There was a serious tone in her words.
But actually, she asked without much confidence. She just wanted to force her to tell the truth with her momentum.
Donghua showed a trace of uneasiness. "Your Majesty, there's really nothing between me and him. It's just that he sent me back to the palace during the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet that day..."
She told her exactly what had happened when she had misunderstood Ruyi for changing her clothes. After that, her face was still flushed with shame, and she lowered her head without saying a word.
After hearing this, Dongfang Yi suddenly wanted to burst out laughing. But looking at the ashamed appearance of the woman in front of her, she knew it would be unkind to laugh at this moment.
So she asked, "Do you really have no other thoughts about Ruyi?"
Hearing this question, Donghua immediately raised her head and kept shaking it, saying, "Absolutely not! How could I have any thoughts about him!"
Dongfang Yi suddenly felt that her gossipy heart was instantly shattered. She was a bit dejected and then returned to the inner chamber.
She saw Shen Fu still hunched over the table, motionless as he looked at a blueprint.
So she walked behind him.
"Hey? What are you drawing...?" she asked in surprise after seeing the drawing.
Shen Fu suddenly heard the voice coming from behind him. He got up nervously for a moment.
After seeing that it was the Empress, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this is a thing I newly researched called 'water machine', but I always feel there's something wrong with it."
After hearing this, Dongfang Yi looked at the blueprint carefully again.
Suddenly, it dawned on her. Wasn't this a water pump!
But it was indeed not very complete.
"Mr. Shen, in my opinion, for this water machine to pump water, it needs external force. But there's no place to exert force in your drawing," she said.
After hearing this, Shen Fu suddenly slapped his head. How could he not have thought of it? The problem was the lack of a force - applying point!
"Then in your Majesty's opinion, how should the force - applying part be done?" he asked.
"I think we can make a windmill to let the wind blow and drive the water machine, or make a waterwheel and let the water flow generate power," Dongfang Yi said without hesitation. It was so simple for her as a modern person. Wind and water power were precious wealth for thousands of years, and they were naturally practical.
After hearing this, Shen Fu lowered his head and thought for a while. Suddenly, he was enlightened. He was amazed that the woman in front of him could have such wonderful ideas.
The problem with this water machine had troubled him for more than a month, but now it was solved by her in just a few words.
After thinking about it, there was a trace of admiration in his eyes as he looked at Dongfang Yi.
Dongfang Yi could naturally see the admiration in the man's eyes opposite her. She felt a bit embarrassed for a moment. After all, she was showing off other people's wisdom at will. Even if no one would know, she still felt a bit ashamed.
So she changed the topic and asked, "How's the fireplace coming along?"
Shen Fu showed a proud smile and said, "The general shape is almost done. It only needs some later repairs and carvings."
"And since your Majesty wants to build a fire in this fireplace, we need to pour molten iron into the inner wall. Otherwise, the wall is easy to burn out," he said, with a confident look on his face.
This was something Dongfang Yi hadn't thought of, but he had indeed pointed out the deficiency. She couldn't help but feel that choosing him was an extremely wise decision.