"Right!" Dongfang Yi responded to her with a smile.
She even reached out and gently tapped the tip of her nose.
On the side, Concubine Dong and Concubine Jia were both full of surprise. They didn't expect Dongfang Yi to so easily lend out the treasure she had just obtained.
"A treasure can only show its value when it's shared," Dongfang Yi continued.
She really thought so. After all, such a precious pearl would just be sitting in her palace. Since Concubine Shu liked it so much, lending it to her for a couple of days wouldn't hurt. In this palace, how could a night - pearl go missing?
Concubine Shu on the side was extremely excited. Her admiration for Dongfang Yi deepened, and her eyes shone with more respect when she looked at her.
When the three of them were about to leave, Concubine Shu even sent her personal maid to carry the wooden box back to her palace.
Dongfang Yi watched their receding backs and couldn't help but smile.
It turned out that sharing wonderful things could make oneself so happy. It was like having a jar of honey. Eating it alone would make one feel cloyed, but sharing it with others could bring out the sweetness.
"Your Majesty, this night - pearl was just sent by the Emperor. Isn't it a bit inappropriate to just give it away to someone else?" Donghua asked with a hint of worry.
Hearing this, Dongfang Yi thought of that man. Then she smiled and said, "It's okay."
"Do my hair for me. I'll go and visit the Emperor this afternoon. You go and ask the imperial kitchen to make a bowl of tremella and lotus seed soup. I'll take it with me later," she continued.
She remembered that Helian Qi liked tremella and lotus seed soup. Back in Dongguan, she could see him order a bowl of it from the shop every morning.
After all, he had given her such a huge night - pearl. Sending him a bowl of soup was nothing.
It was just to return the favor. She couldn't owe him a debt of gratitude. Dongfang Yi tried to convince herself like this in her heart.
But deep down, she couldn't get rid of that thought.
She just wanted to see him. All that talk about owing a debt of gratitude was just an excuse.
When Donghua heard that the woman in front of her wanted to visit the Emperor, she was even happier than the woman herself.
She thought that the Empress had finally decided to take the initiative. She had clearly seen how well the Emperor treated the Empress.
So she nodded vigorously, then told Xiao Qian to go and make a bowl of tremella and lotus seed soup. She pushed Dongfang Yi in front of the dressing table and said,
"Your Majesty, I'll do a coiled - cloud hairstyle for you today and put a pearl hairpin on. You'll surely outshine everyone!" Donghua said.
Hearing this, Dongfang Yi felt as if her secret had been exposed.
So she said a bit angrily, "Outshine everyone? I'm just going to send a bowl of soup. There's no need to be so grand!"
Then she reached out and slapped Donghua's hand that was doing her hair away and said, "Just tie it up simply!"
Donghua looked at the woman in front of her, who said one thing but actually wanted another. The corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, and she let out a series of giggles.
Dongfang Yi saw her expression in the mirror. She felt ashamed and angry but didn't say anything.
After all, she understood the truth that the more one tried to explain, the more it seemed like a cover - up, and a cover - up meant there was a truth.
After she finished dressing up, she rushed towards the Qianqing Palace.
When they arrived, Ru Yi was still guarding the palace gate. When he saw who was coming, he quickly ran down, bowed to her and said, "Your humble servant greets the Empress. The Emperor is taking a rest in the palace now."
Dongfang Yi nodded at him and then pushed open the door of the Qianqing Palace.
The whole palace was very quiet, without a single sound.
Presumably, since the Emperor was resting, all the palace servants didn't dare to make any noise.
After lifting a bead curtain, she saw Helian Qi taking a nap on the couch.
His eyes were tightly closed, his eyelashes were fluttering, and his breathing was very even.
He must be extremely tired to sleep so soundly.
Thinking of this, Dongfang Yi felt a bit reluctant to disturb him. So she tiptoed to his bedside and put the bowl of tremella and lotus seed soup on the table.
She originally wanted to put down the things and leave quickly, but unexpectedly, the man on the bed suddenly woke up.
"Empress?"
The man on the couch suddenly spoke, his voice still hoarse from just waking up.
Dongfang Yi's heart skipped a beat. When she turned around, she looked into the man's eyes.
For a moment, she couldn't move her eyes away.
She always knew how good - looking Helian Qi's eyes were, but every time she looked into them, she couldn't help but be lost.
After she managed to pull herself out of his gaze, she quickly bowed and said, "Your servant greets the Emperor!"
Hearing this, Helian Qi frowned a bit unhappily. He seemed to dislike her distant manner very much.
"Did the Empress come here for something?" he asked with a hint of coldness in his tone.
But out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bowl of tremella and lotus seed soup on the table. He knew what she had come for. His heart was like a calm lake into which a stone had been thrown, and ripples began to spread out.
So this woman had come to send him soup.
Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth began to rise uncontrollably.
"Your servant came here specially to thank the Emperor for giving the night - pearl to your servant," Dongfang Yi still answered with her head down.
But her tone was very weak. Probably even she herself could realize her impure thoughts.
"Oh? Does the Empress need a reason to send me a bowl of soup?" Helian Qi sat up straight on the bed, then raised an eyebrow and asked the woman in front of him playfully.
Dongfang Yi felt as if her thoughts had been instantly exposed. Her ears began to burn.
It seemed that she would always feel shy only when facing this man.
"No, Your Majesty. Your servant just cares about the Emperor!" Dongfang Yi said.
After saying this, she felt that what she had said seemed a bit inappropriate.
"Oh? Care about me?" Helian Qi continued to raise his eyebrow and ask.
The smile on his lips deepened.
It was as if the embarrassed look of the little woman in front of him could bring him extreme pleasure.
He stood up and looked down at the woman in front of him.
Dongfang Yi suddenly felt that her body was covered by a shadow.
She immediately had a bad premonition.
Helian Qi's head slowly leaned down. He stopped when he was only a few centimeters away from her face.
He stared at her without blinking and said, "Tell me, Empress, what exactly do you care about me?"
"Your Majesty, you are your servant's Emperor, your servant's sky. Does your servant need a reason to care about you..."
Dongfang Yi argued word by word, but her voice became weaker and weaker because she felt that the man in front of her was about to kiss her.
But her hands and feet were so disobedient that she couldn't move at all.
Moreover, the most disturbing thing was that there was even a hint of anticipation deep in her heart.