The Eldest Princess truly had a talent for music, learning the tune after just following along twice.
Holding the lotus flower, she sang it through once more by herself before feeling rather sleepy.
"Aunt Hui, this breeze is too soothing..." the little one even made an excuse for her drowsiness.
Qi Daiyu found it amusing. "Clearly, it's because you were playing during your nap today and slept half an hour less than usual." Even as she said this, she reached out to hold the Eldest Princess.
The bench on the boat was wide enough for the Eldest Princess to lie down in her arms.
Almost as soon as her eyes closed, the Eldest Princess was asleep.
Qi Daiyu turned her head and signaled to Zhuyi to drape the thin blanket they had brought over the Eldest Princess, lest she catch a chill from too much lake wind.
No one spoke. It was extremely quiet among the lotus leaves and stems, as if this was the only place left in the world, with only the occasional sound of fish swimming.
Utterly blissful.
Qi Daiyu tilted her head back slightly, closed her eyes, and savored this tranquility, until the small boat rocked.
She opened her eyes and was startled.
When did the Emperor appear?
She almost thought it was a hallucination, but upon turning, she saw Zhuyi, Shiliu, and the others had all knelt down. Only then did Qi Daiyu come to her senses.
She made to rise and pay her respects, but was stopped by Jiang Yuan's raised hand.
"You're holding the Princess. There's no need for formalities."
Qi Daiyu: "When did Your Majesty arrive? Your concubine was quite startled."
Jiang Yuan smiled. "I heard singing and came to investigate, only to find it was you and the Eldest Princess." He leaned down and pinched the Eldest Princess's cheek. Lifting his gaze, his eyes met Qi Daiyu's, a hint of teasing within them. "You were so absorbed in the beautiful scenery, I thought you had fallen asleep, so I told them not to make a sound."
Qi Daiyu: "..." If only she hadn't sung.
There was another bench opposite. Jiang Yuan sat down. "I've heard these past few days, it's you who has been instructing the Eldest Princess."
Naturally, Jiang Yuan knew about the Empress having Qi Daiyu look after the Eldest Princess, and he had even instructed Quan Fuhai to pay special attention for a few days.
"My perfectly good Princess, at an age where she should be studying to understand principles, and you spend all day taking her boating on the lake and singing ditties?" He deliberately assumed an accusatory demeanor.
Qi Daiyu's heart tightened, and she defended herself. "'What you learn from books is superficial; to understand deeply, you must practice personally.' The Eldest Princess is only four. Your Majesty wishing for her to comprehend all the principles and allusions in those books would be like pulling up seedlings to help them grow. It would be better to do as your concubine does, letting the Princess see with her own eyes and experience firsthand, to better grasp the true meaning within the books."
She explained the reason for taking the Eldest Princess boating today, pointing at the lotus flowers they had picked. "If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, how could the Princess deeply appreciate the beautiful scenery described in the poem?"
Jiang Yuan chuckled. "All sophistry."
Yet inwardly, he felt there was some truth to what Qi Daiyu said. He recalled his own childhood, reading in the Book of Rites the line "The Son of Heaven plows a thousand acres," and not truly understanding how vast "a thousand acres" was. It was only later, when he followed the late Emperor to participate in the Imperial Plowing Ceremony, that he gained a tangible understanding.
He looked at Qi Daiyu. The woman wore a lake-green gauze dress, seeming to blend into the lakeside scenery. The green complemented her skin, making her already fair complexion appear almost radiantly white against the fabric.
Her hairstyle today was also simple, merely a single coiled bun secured with a hairpin, adorned with a single pink water lily hairpin that dangled by her left ear. The style was loose, and with her movements, it always seemed on the verge of falling apart, making one want to pull out that hairpin and let the dark tresses cascade down.
"Sing another song," Jiang Yuan said suddenly.
"Hmm?"
Jiang Yuan: "The tune you were just singing. Sing it again." Such a fresh, simple melody was rather uncommon.
Qi Daiyu hesitated. "The pitch of that song just now is a bit high, it might wake the Princess. Could your concubine sing a different one?"
Jiang Yuan glanced at the Eldest Princess in her arms and nodded.
Truthfully, he didn't care what Qi Daiyu sang; he just wanted to hear her sing.
Qi Daiyu thought for a moment. Most nursery rhymes were too cheerful and lively, not quite fitting for this moment. There was one softer song, though it wasn't entirely appropriate for the time and place either.
"The stars at night hang low, bright shining stars follow..."
Qi Daiyu's voice was gentle, well-suited for such a tender song. Amidst the quiet lotus clusters, the fresh melody, carried by the lake breeze, seemed to blow away the weariness in one's heart.
Jiang Yuan listened with his eyes closed, feeling the fatigue from days of handling state affairs vanish entirely.
When he opened his eyes again, there was a touch of complexity in his gaze.
"You... wish for me to spend more time with you?" His tone held a note of uncertainty, yet also a hint of pleasure.
Huh? Qi Daiyu: "What?"
She quickly realized—it was the lyrics from the song just now!
The Emperor misunderstood, thinking she was using the song to express her feelings. Lines like "Who are you missing?" and "As long as you are with me"—who wouldn't misunderstand upon hearing that!
Qi Daiyu wanted to explain, but couldn't immediately think of a plausible excuse, flustering until her face turned bright red.
Yet the redder her face became, the more convinced Jiang Yuan was that he was right, and joy sprouted in his heart.
During these months of neglecting Consort Hui, had she finally regretted it? Had she been thinking of him daily, hoping he would visit her?
"Your concubine, your concubine..."
Jiang Yuan: "Enough, I understand. However, my duties keep me exceedingly busy, and I truly have little time for the rear palace. As a consort, you must be understanding. Still, it has indeed been some time since I last visited your quarters."
He even started explaining himself. Qi Daiyu felt like crying but had no tears. She truly hadn't meant that.
Life now was so good. Especially after the Emperor had seen through her "true nature" and stopped coming, "Vast Sky and Water" had become incredibly carefree. She was living very comfortably every day.
To continue her carefree life, Qi Daiyu attempted to explain. In her slight urgency, her movements unavoidably became a bit larger, causing the Eldest Princess in her arms to stir, as if about to wake.
"Too much lake wind can lead to a chill. Take the Eldest Princess back to sleep," Jiang Yuan instructed Zhuyi.
Then he looked at Qi Daiyu. "You, follow me."
He stood up and walked towards his dragon boat, giving Qi Daiyu no further chance to speak.
Zhuyi took the Eldest Princess from Qi Daiyu's arms. "Then this servant and the others will first take the Eldest Princess back to 'Vast Sky and Water.'"
Qi Daiyu pressed her lips together. "Very well."
She looked towards the dragon boat. Jiang Yuan stood at the bow, watching her, his gaze seeming to say: Aren't you coming over?
She had no choice but to walk over.
Shiliu and Xiao Li initially wanted to follow, but heard the Emperor order: "No need to attend."
Then Quan Fuhai said, "You two, come onto this boat."
Shiliu cast an excited yet worried glance at Qi Daiyu, then went with Xiao Li to the boat where Quan Fuhai was.
Qi Daiyu moved her steps slowly. As soon as one foot stepped onto the dragon boat, Jiang Yuan reached out, took her wrist, and pulled her into his embrace.
Fragrance filled his arms.
Seeing her steady, Jiang Yuan released her hand and led the way into the cabin.
As Qi Daiyu walked inside, she surveyed the boat.
The Emperor's boat was more than twice the size of the small boat they had been on earlier. A chain was fastened to its bow, the other end tied to the boat where Quan Fuhai was. Thus, this boat required no boatman; it simply followed as the front boat moved.
The bow of the boat also held a small table, upon which lay an unfinished game of chess, with a bowl of lotus flowers placed at its corner. One could almost picture the Emperor sitting there, playing chess against himself.
Entering the cabin, which was roughly four square meters and quite spacious, the floor was covered with a soft carpet and several cushions were scattered about for sitting. In one corner stood another small table holding two books and a tea set.
Qi Daiyu glanced at the title of the top book: "Miscellaneous Records of Yuanzhou." It was likely a book about the local customs and culture of Yuanzhou. So, even the Emperor read such leisurely books in his spare time.
The cabin door was a straw curtain; once lowered, the inside was hidden from outside view. Windows were set on both sides, so the cabin was not dim, making it suitable for reading or drinking tea.
Floating on the emerald waves of the lake, reading a book, sipping tea—the Emperor certainly knew how to enjoy himself.
A flicker of envy passed through Qi Daiyu's eyes, which was promptly caught by Jiang Yuan.
He had already sat down by now, leaning against the cabin wall, looking up at Qi Daiyu.
"If there were also one or two musicians playing the zither, it would be even more enjoyable, wouldn't it?" He had accurately voiced the very thought in Qi Daiyu's mind.
Seeing the woman's somewhat embarrassed expression at having her thoughts read, Jiang Yuan said with a hint of exasperation, "The Minister of War is blocking my approval of funds. I came here to find some peace and quiet, not to indulge in pleasure."
After so many days at the Summer Palace escaping the heat, today was the only half-day he had managed to steal for leisure. Though he called it hiding away, it was truly to relax and sort through his muddled thoughts after so many tiring days.
Qi Daiyu felt even more awkward. The man before her was the ruler of a nation and, from all appearances, a wise sovereign. She could privately critique his temperament, but she shouldn't have doubted his diligence.
Attempting to ease the awkwardness, she also began to sit down. "Your Majesty has some darkness under your eyes. Have you not been sleeping well? This concubine could..." Before she could finish her sentence, the dragon boat suddenly rocked, causing her to inevitably tumble to one side.
Jiang Yuan, quick-eyed and swift-handed, caught her by the waist.
Qi Daiyu fell right into the Emperor's embrace.
"Your Majesty, a school of fish gathered and frolicked, rocking the boat. This servant has already driven them away," the voice of Quan Fuhai came from outside the window.
"Mmm," Jiang Yuan acknowledged, and silence returned outside the window.
Qi Daiyu tried to get up, but her waist was held fast. The man's voice was right by her ear. "You could what?"
She could help massage his head. That was what Qi Daiyu had originally intended to say. But in this position, she couldn't possibly utter such words now; she only wanted to get up quickly.
But a certain someone wouldn't allow it, even going so far as to nip her earlobe.
"Didn't you say you wanted Us to spend more time with you, hmm?"
Qi Daiyu stiffened, reaching up to stop a certain mischievous hand. Surely he didn't intend to... here?
Her eyes widened. "Your Majesty, we are on a boat!"
"Quan Fuhai and the others dare not come near. As long as you keep your voice down, you won't be discovered." Jiang Yuan gave her no chance to resist, sealing her lips with his own.
Fish played among the lotus leaves, while mandarin ducks might envy their bliss.
Pressed by him, Qi Daiyu sank down, a soft moan escaping her lips despite herself. Jiang Yuan chose that moment to shake the red cord, the sound of the bell covering it.
"Row the boat. Row towards the center of the lake." Jiang Yuan's voice was unusually husky, but separated by the boat, it was indistinguishable.
It was still a long way to the center of the lake.
As the boat in front moved, the dragon boat followed. With the water rippling, no one could tell that the boat's rocking held another secret.
Qi Daiyu's face flushed crimson, like the water lilies in the lake. Jiang Yuan couldn't resist plucking them again and again, causing the budding lilies to fully unfurl their petals.
That dazed, misty look made Qi Daiyu burn with shyness. Even though her robes remained perfectly in place, she inexplicably felt the illusion of being utterly exposed.
Unable to bear it, Qi Daiyu raised a hand to cover Jiang Yuan's eyes. The man chuckled softly, his movements deepening.
Piercing straight to the heart of the flower.
Qi Daiyu bit her lip to suppress herself, but ultimately lost control, her vision gradually growing unfocused.
...
That day, the dragon boat traversed the entire Emerald Wave Lake until the setting sun cast its rays upon the water's surface, making it glitter and shimmer.
And Jiang Yuan finally got his wish, pulling out that hairpin, watching with satisfaction as her dark tresses cascaded down, entwining around his fingers.
