Mei Qingxue was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling boredly while recuperating. Her legs weren't injured, so why wasn't she allowed to get out of bed? Those who knew would say she was recuperating; those who didn't might think she was pregnant!
"Your Majesty, the medicine is ready," Xuan Yue came in with a bowl of medicine, looking as if she was about to cry. Every time she tried to persuade the Empress to take her medicine, it was like a battle.
"Just put it there," Mei Qingxue frowned at the sight of the dark - red medicine. It made her feel nauseous. She even wished she could force all that medicine down Du Guqing's throat.
What kind of person was he? Did he really think she was that fragile?
"Your Majesty," Xuan Yue stamped her feet in anxiety. The old lady from the Prime Minister's Mansion had said that she should coax the Empress gently, but she had tried so many times. God, please have mercy on her!
"Xuan Yue, do you want to drink it?" Mei Qingxue raised her eyebrows. Xuan Yue immediately knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, please spare me." She had already drunk several bowls of that medicine.
"Xuan Yue doesn't want to drink it. What should we do then?" Mei Qingxue was so frustrated that she wanted to pull her hair. Screw it! She was going to get out of bed and take a walk today. With that in mind, she slowly sat up.
"Your Majesty," Xuan Yue didn't dare to say the rest - to drink the medicine. If she did, she was sure she'd have to drink it herself. Mei Qingxue gave Xuan Yue a smug look, knowing she didn't dare to finish her sentence.
She slowly walked out of the Qingxue Pavilion. Xuan Yue followed behind her with a bitter face, holding the bowl of medicine. The Emperor had ordered her to make sure the Empress finished the medicine, but the Empress refused. She couldn't disobey either of them.
So she followed Mei Qingxue with a worried face, watching her walk into the imperial garden and sit down in a pavilion by the water. Xuan Yue brought the bowl of medicine in front of Mei Qingxue and knelt on both knees.
"Your Majesty, please don't make things difficult for this servant," Xuan Yue's eyes were filled with tears. Being a servant was so hard!
"Fine, fine!" Damn it! Who taught her this? How cruel! They knew she was soft - hearted and used this trick on her. Mei Qingxue took the bowl of medicine and was about to close her eyes.
"Xuan Yue, who taught you this?" If no one had taught her, this girl Xuan Yue wouldn't have come up with such a method. She just couldn't resist soft persuasion.
"Your Majesty, please drink it first, okay?" Anyway, this was the last bowl. She wouldn't have to drink medicine tomorrow.
"Sigh..." Mei Qingxue glanced at her maid. She knew that if she didn't drink this bowl, Xuan Yue would be in a difficult position. She gulped down the medicine and put the empty bowl back into Xuan Yue's hand. "Tell me," Mei Qingxue glanced at Xuan Yue, curious about who knew her so well.
"It was the old lady," Xuan Yue admitted dejectedly. Sure enough, mother and daughter were of one mind. The old lady had said that if the Empress asked, she should just admit it.
"Sigh..." Sure enough, Mei Qingxue let out a wail.
What kind of person was she? How could she bully her only daughter like this? She had missed her family so much! "Xue'er," while Xuan Yue was kneeling, she saw a pair of golden boots. She knew it was the Emperor and didn't dare to look up.
"How did you know I was here?" She had no freedom. Damn it! There were the bastard's spies everywhere.
"I saw you come here," It was easy to find out with so many eunuchs and maids around. There was no need to put in any effort.
"Why aren't you lying in bed? Your injury isn't fully healed yet," Du Guqing gently took her hand, his eyes full of affection.
"If I lie in bed any longer, I'll grow maggots," Mei Qingxue said resentfully.
"Maggots? What's that?" Du Guqing had never heard of such a thing. Hearing Mei Qingxue's words, he asked curiously. Mei Qingxue knew she had slipped up and quickly said, "A kind of disgusting bug. I don't know what it's called exactly."
Du Guqing knew it must be something from that other world. Thinking of this, he wasn't surprised anymore.
"Let me help you take a walk around?" Du Guqing tried to be helpful.
"Do I need help?" Mei Qingxue rolled her eyes. She thought the ancients were so troublesome. They always had to stay in bed. Were they really that fragile?
"I'm worried about you," Du Guqing said in a cheesy way. Xuan Yue buried her head even lower.
"Why are you still here?" Mei Qingxue was about to speak when she saw Xuan Yue's ostrich - like posture.
"Your Majesty didn't order this servant to get up," Xuan Yue said aggrievedly. Since she became Mei Qingxue's maid, this was the first time she had knelt for so long.
"Get up quickly. Go and see what delicious food the cook has prepared today."
"Your Majesty, this servant has already given the order," Eunuch Tang waved his whisk, smiling like an old chrysanthemum spirit. Mei Qingxue had forgotten that she was the real old monster.
"Eunuch Tang, what delicious food is it?" Mei Qingxue looked at Eunuch Tang, who was smiling at the two of them.
"They're all your favorite dishes. You can rest assured," Eunuch Tang swayed his body. "This servant will go to the imperial kitchen to supervise. Xuan Yue, come on. An old man like me has trouble moving. You should give me a hand. You don't have any good virtue of respecting the old and caring for the young at all."
"Yes! Please go ahead, sir!"
Xuan Yue helped Eunuch Tang and they slowly walked away. It would be better to stay away in case the two of them got cheesy in the garden later.
"Xue'er, the sun is really nice today," Du Guqing deliberately started a conversation.
"Yes, Qing. Just tell me what you want to say," Mei Qingxue said. He was so hesitant. There must be some hidden purpose. When something was abnormal, there must be something wrong.
"Wife, look, we're husband and wife, right?"
"That's right. And then?" Mei Qingxue raised the corner of her mouth.
"Shouldn't my wife fulfill her duties as a wife and give me my due benefits?" Du Guqing asked carefully.
Since Mei Qingxue got injured, he had been left on the sidelines for a long time. Now that Xue'er's injury was almost healed, he really wanted...
"No way. Can't you see I'm still weak?" Mei Qingxue flatly rejected Du Guqing's reasonable request. She was still weak and didn't have the energy to deal with that hyperactive guy.
"Xue'er," Du Guqing called out pitifully. If this continued, he would really go crazy. He saw his wife every day but couldn't touch her. He was so frustrated.
"Fine," Mei Qingxue said, considering his pitiful state.
"Really?" Before Mei Qingxue's voice had even faded, that guy was already overjoyed. Mei Qingxue thought to herself that something was wrong. Why was she being soft - hearted again?
"Re - really," She decided to just go for it. It was just some backache.
Looking into Du Guqing's eyes, Mei Qingxue felt a bit reluctant. She had seen the coldness of the world for a thousand years and had suffered for nine lifetimes before getting this love in this life. Her heart was already filled with his shadow.
She was afraid she wouldn't be able to forget him even in this lifetime.
"Okay," Du Guqing picked Mei Qingxue up in his arms and happily carried her back to the Qingxue Pavilion. Eunuch Tang turned back and saw the two of them. There was a smile on his lips. When the people in the imperial kitchen saw him, the smile on his face still hadn't faded.
"Eunuch Tang, what makes you so happy?" The cook saw his good mood and immediately asked. Xuan Yue knew what made Eunuch Tang happy and covered her mouth with a smile.
She didn't dare to talk about her master's affairs.
"Do you want to know?" Eunuch Tang said mysteriously.
"Yes, Eunuch Tang, please tell this servant. Let me share your happiness," The cook flattered. Eunuch Tang waved his whisk. "This servant will be happy if I give you ten lashes."
"Then this servant doesn't want to know," The cook said aggrievedly. "Why does Eunuch Tang always only give lashes as a 'reward'?"
"When our Empress gives birth to a royal heir, there will definitely be great rewards," Eunuch Tang also hoped that Mei Qingxue would give birth to a royal heir soon. Then he could take care of the prince or princess. As a eunuch, this was his only wish. He wouldn't have to worry about his old age.
When people got old, they always wanted to enjoy their grandchildren. As a eunuch, he had no such hope. The only thing he was looking forward to was the Empress's pregnancy. He had been hoping since she was a princess consort.
The child belonged to the royal family. He just wanted to help take care of it.
But he had been waiting for two years, and there was still no sign of pregnancy.
"Du Guqing, you bastard!" Mei Qingxue kicked Du Guqing off the bed.
"It seems my wife is quite energetic. Let's go again," Du Guqing was like a cat that had stolen fish.
"Wife, it's not my fault!" His wife was injured, and he hadn't done anything outside.
"Then who should I blame if I have a backache tomorrow?"
Du Guqing lowered his head. "Blame me!" But...
"Get out!"
"I'm already on the ground," That powerful kick from his wife was really a 'special honor'. He might be the first emperor in history to experience this.
"Roll twice," Mei Qingxue said and even found it funny herself.
"Should I really roll?" Du Guqing looked at Mei Qingxue's face while hesitating. Asking an emperor to roll on the ground...
"Get up,"
It was too embarrassing. There were still servants outside. After checking the imperial kitchen, Eunuch Tang was already waiting outside the door. Hearing their conversation, he shook his head helplessly. They were both grown - ups but still acted like children.
"Get up. Wife, I'm hungry," Mei Qingxue had been exhausted after several rounds with Du Guqing and was starving.
"Okay, Your Majesty, please get dressed," Du Guqing said with a smile as he helped Mei Qingxue up, taking the opportunity to be a bit naughty. Mei Qingxue was speechless. What kind of person was he? She couldn't bear it anymore and roared, "Get out! If you dress me like this, I won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow." What kind of person was he? A few hours weren't enough, and he still couldn't keep his hands to himself while dressing her.
"I'm sorry, okay?" Du Guqing looked at Mei Qingxue's face, afraid that she would really get angry. He was still afraid after almost losing her last time.
If he didn't have her, he really didn't know what his life would be like.
"Fine,"
"Call someone to serve the meal," Mei Qingxue quickly put on her undergarments and threw on her outer robe. Du Guqing very consciously helped her fasten the buttons and carefully helped her out of bed.
"Eunuch Tang, serve the meal. Just bring it in," Anyway, it wasn't the first time they had eaten in the room. Eunuch Tang was already used to it. After all, even the Emperor had to tolerate the Empress's temper.
They just had to follow the orders. Xuan Yue stood outside the door, not daring to go far in case Mei Qingxue called her.
"Yes!"
Eunuch Tang replied outside the door. Mei Qingxue glared at Du Guqing fiercely. He knew there were people outside but still made her lose face. Didn't he know she was shy?