The emperor said calmly, "The prince is only a hundred days old. Such a tiny baby doesn't need much sponge. Besides, it's just for bathing. I've heard that harvesting the sponge is extremely dangerous. If something were to happen to Lord Lu for the sake of this small sponge, how could I bear it?"
Li Ying sneered inwardly.
This emperor was truly a master at winning people's hearts.
If Lu Xunguang were a rigid and blindly loyal man, upon hearing the emperor's kind words, he would surely be deeply grateful and would wish to give his all to repay the emperor.
Empress Pei forced a smile. Moments later, Lu Xunguang changed his clothes and respectfully presented a glass bottle with both hands.
The emperor looked into the bottle and saw a jade - flute - like object floating in the clear sea water. A look of mild confusion crossed his face.
"Lord Lu, what is this?"
The object was as white as snow, with faint patterns all over it. It did look quite delicate.
However, compared to the carved works used in the palace, it was still far from being as exquisite.
But Li Ying immediately noticed something unusual.
Sure enough, Lu Xunguang bowed and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, this object is called 'the sponge of eternal togetherness'. I accidentally discovered it while searching for sponges."
"This item is rare and has a good omen. I specifically searched for it to present to Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress. Your Majesty and Her Majesty are deeply in love and a perfect match. The meaning of the sponge of eternal togetherness is most appropriate."
Li Ying understood at once.
When she was underwater just now, she had already seen this "sponge of eternal togetherness".
In fact, it was also a type of sponge, looking like a tube with a hollow inside.
It got this name because two pairs of shrimps often took shelter in its cavity.
A pair of shrimps originally just wanted to find a safe haven. But as the sponge grew older, the opening at the top gradually closed. The shrimp couple living inside could no longer leave.
The sponge was porous, so the shrimps could still obtain the tiny plankton in the sea and survive. They shared the same bed in life and the same grave in death.
It was precisely because of this meaning of "growing old together" that the countries in the East regarded the "sponge of eternal togetherness" as a very auspicious and loyal object. It was often given as a wedding gift to newly - wedded couples.
At that time, the current underwater was very strong. Li Ying didn't have time to get close to the sponge of eternal togetherness and had to quickly float up with Lu Xunguang.
Lu Xunguang knew her well and naturally noticed that she was absent - minded. After some questioning, Li Ying told him the story of the "sponge of eternal togetherness" and the shrimps.
She just regarded it as a story and didn't think much of it after telling it. But she never expected that Lu Xunguang would quietly go underwater again and harvest the sponge of eternal togetherness!
The emperor was half - believing and half - doubting. He took the glass bottle and carefully examined it. Sure enough, he saw a pair of small shrimps swimming leisurely inside.
He looked at Empress Pei beside him. This beautiful and pampered woman was no longer young. At this moment, she was staring intently at the shrimps in the bottle with a glint in her eyes. For a moment, he felt as if he had traveled through time.
Years ago, Empress Pei was just a young girl in the prime of her youth, shy and in love. On their wedding night, she looked at him coyly with tender affection in her eyes. That scene was vivid in his mind.
Touched, the emperor gently put his arm around Empress Pei and said softly, "Send this sponge of eternal togetherness to your bedroom. I'll enjoy it with you."
Empress Pei was overjoyed.
The emperor and the empress left hand in hand, and the officials also withdrew.
Li Ying returned to her cabin. Thinking of the tearful look on Empress Pei's face just now, she felt rather sad.
As the saying goes, every coin has two sides.
The sponge of eternal togetherness, holding hands and growing old together, was indeed a beautiful omen.
But if you thought about it from another perspective, this sponge was just like the besieged city of marriage. When the shrimps were young and naive, they rashly rushed in. When they finally realized, it was too late to leave. They had to spend their whole lives trapped in this beautiful and delicate cage. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, only they themselves knew.
Empress Pei adored the emperor. But even though she had become the mother of the country, the emperor was wary of the Pei family. She still had to be extremely careful with her husband, walking on thin ice at every step.
In Li Ying's eyes, the so - called "sponge of eternal togetherness" was like a silent sneer.
Lost in these thoughts, she felt rather sad. Just then, she heard a soft sound on the window lattice, as if a pebble had hit it.
Li Ying knew it was Lu Xunguang. She quickly got up and invited him into the cabin.
"A Ying, are you angry with me?"
As soon as the man entered the door, he noticed that her expression was off. He grabbed the back of her head and pinned her against the cabin door.
The faint sandalwood on his body wafted towards her, and his warm breath gently brushed against her face, making her face itch.
She smiled and said, "Why would I be angry with you?"
The more nonchalant she was, the more dejected Lu Xunguang looked. He lowered his head and leaned against her neck, muttering like a big dog that had done something wrong and was waiting to be scolded.
"A Ying, I didn't mean to present the sponge of eternal togetherness to the emperor on purpose. I know you like these novel things. I originally harvested the sponge of eternal togetherness to make you happy..."
The big dog fumbled around and took out another glass bottle from behind him. He held it in front of Li Ying like a precious treasure.
"A Ying, I'm not a flattering official who uses your favorite things to curry favor with the emperor for promotion. But there are many people on this dragon boat. If someone with ill intentions saw the sponge of eternal togetherness, it might bring you the crime of overstepping your bounds."
Didn't Li Ying understand such a simple truth?
The emperor was the lord of the world. All the rare treasures in the world should belong to him.
It was only natural for him to bestow treasures on his servants when he was in a good mood. How could a low - born fisherman girl like her possess a precious treasure while the emperor could only look on enviously?
She looked at the man in front of her rather helplessly. With his furry head down, looking so pitifully waiting for her forgiveness, she said with a smile, "If people saw the head of the Lu family looking so pathetic, what would they think?"
She was just joking. When she casually glanced at the glass bottle Lu Xunguang brought, she was immediately stunned.
"Lu Lang, where did you find another pair of shrimps?"
The sponge of eternal togetherness was not a common item. She couldn't even imagine how long Lu Xunguang had stayed in the cold sea water before he finally found a second one.
Lu Xunguang didn't seem to care and said calmly, "As long as A Ying likes it. The pair of shrimps presented to the emperor was just for show. This pair of shrimps represents my true feelings."
"A Ying, the only one I want to grow old together with in this life is you."
Li Ying held the glass bottle with both hands. The faint sadness she felt when thinking of Empress Pei just now instantly vanished.
After all, there was a soul from a thousand years later living inside her.
Marriage was a besieged city, the tomb of love. People outside wanted to get in, and people inside wanted to get out. If you married the wrong person, it would be like walking in mud with rubber shoes, unable to move forward or backward.
She had heard these truths so many times that she was sick of them.
But if the other shrimp was Lu Xunguang...
Even if she had to be trapped in this sponge of eternal togetherness for the rest of her life, she would be willing.