Chapter 19
Accidentally Meeting the Empress
Early in the morning, Qin Yu brings Zi Er and Xiu Er with her to stroll in the imperial garden, her very first destination.
The imperial garden is really big with many kinds of flowers, the sweet smelling ones, the red ones, the yellow ones all intertwined together. To put it simple, it looks like a breath taking landscape painting. The feeling of standing in the garden could not be put into words. Once you walk deeper into the garden, you can see a deep pond. Above it is a stone bridge that crosses the pond. Seeing the bridge reminds her of the plot of dramas, where a thin and frail maiden sits on a stone bridge to feed fish, watching the carps swimming around. But the most memorable one would be Lin Dai Yu’s crying scene on a stone bridge. Lan Qin Yu laughingly shakes her head. She would never be able to cry a river like that.
She can’t see the fish in this pond. She can see lotus plants a little further away, but she did not like lotuses that much. Their leaves are too large and ruin the beauty of the flower. Roses and lilies fits her taste more. After the bridge, the road will lead to multiple open s.p.a.ces, each open s.p.a.ces has stone tables and stools for people to sit at. Each of the tables are covered with white clothes and on top of them are numerous snacks and pastries.
Zi Er noticed her expression and explains, “These are all prepared for the princes and concubines. They always visits the imperial garden, so teas and pastries must always be ready.”
What makes her puzzled is not that. She just finds it weird, aren’t these people scared the pastries will be contaminated by dirt? Besides, not every table will be frequented. Wouldn’t it be easier to take it out only if they want eat, this is such a waste!
Anyway, these are all prepared for the people, might as well not let it go to waste. Besides, she is feeling a little hungry right now. At that moment, she stops in front of a pavilion. The pavilion also has pastries on it’s table. It is such a good place, of course she has to enter to rest! Even the place to sit is a lot better than the previous tables, their stools has pads. Not bad! How comfortable!
Xiu Er saw her enter the pavilion and panics. “Miss, you are not supposed to sit there! This is specifically prepared for the empress, others cannot simply sit in there!
Eating is the priority of the common people, how can she spare a moment to care that it belongs to the empress. She sits down and starts eating. It smells so good, they are all pastries that she did not know. She has never eaten such elaborate pastries before!
“Did it taste good?” a soft voice asks from behind.
“It’s good! I have never tasted such delicious pastries before! I did not come in vain!”
The person behind her laughs lightly. She finally realize the presence behind her, the person who asked the question just now was not Xiu Er and neither was she Zi Er.
She knows this person! Remembering other people’s faces is an expertise of hers! Isn’t this the beautiful auntie who sat beside the emperor on the banquet the other night? Upon a closer look, she is really beautiful. She should be in her late 30s approaching 40s but she does not have a single wrinkle. She must have taken really good care of her face. En! Must be because of that! The people in the palace all has great skin, must be the food!
Hang on… Sitting beside the emperor? Right, she sat beside the emperor that night! Then she must be….. the empress. Kao! (TN: a swear word)
“You are the girl who answered the envoy’s questions that day, right?” the empress asks.
Qin Yu quickly stand up, laugh nervously and answers, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“No need to be nervous, let’s sit together. Didn’t you said they taste good? Then, eat with me,” the empress tone is warm. She looks at her and continues, “I heard the emperor said you are my imperial son’s personal maid.”
Imperial son?