nashuaworldcup Chapter 412 Warm Daily Life
Chapter 412 Warm Daily Life
As soon as May arrived, the heat of summer swept in eagerly. The Forbidden City was enveloped by the heatwave, its crimson walls towering. Each brick and stone, polished by time, had a distinct texture, and the sunlight shone a deeper, more intense crimson. Layers of glazed golden tiles shone with a dazzling light, even the auspicious beast sculptures on the eaves were clearly defined and rendered more lifelike.
In the imperial garden, the delicate flowers drooped slightly under the scorching sun, but still tried their best to bloom with their final splendor. The dew on the petals was refracted by the sunlight, emitting colorful light, and then evaporated in an instant.
The waters of Taiye Lake shimmered in the sun, and fish occasionally surfaced, emitting bubbles before quickly diving back into the cool depths. Willow trees swayed gently along the shore, their slender branches swaying in the breeze, creating an invisible fan to counteract the parched heat.
In Yonghe Palace.
An Lingrong was half-lying on the couch lazily, while Juqing stood beside her with a round fan in her hand, fanning her gently from time to time, but the wind she fanned out also carried a warm breath.
"hot!"
An Lingrong sighed softly, her brow furrowed slightly as she gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with a silk handkerchief. She peered through the carved window lattice at the glaring sunlight outside, a slight irritation rising in her heart.
Seeing this, Juqing quickly increased the frequency of fanning, but the wind still carried the sultry summer heat, as if even the air was baked and solidified.
"Your Majesty, do you want someone to bring some ice?" Ju Qing asked cautiously, with some concern in her voice.
An Lingrong's eyes lit up, then dimmed after a moment: "Forget it, even the Emperor's Yangxin Palace hasn't started asking for ice yet, so it's not appropriate for me to ask for it so early, right?"
Hearing this, Shen Meizhuang put down the account book in her hand and came to her side. She took the round fan from Juqing's hand and fanned her while saying, "I know you are afraid of heat, so I asked them to send ice here early. Don't worry about the emperor. If he doesn't use it, it won't affect our use."
Then he called Xiao Shi in and gave him some instructions.
Not long after, Xiao Shi was followed by several young eunuchs, carrying a basin of ice into the hall.
As the ice basin was carefully placed in the hall, a cool breeze instantly spread, dispelling the summer heat.
An Lingrong felt the coolness, and the irritation between her brows gradually relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on the corners of her mouth. She looked up at Shen Meizhuang with gratitude in her eyes: "Sister is always so thoughtful, even thinking of these little things."
Shen Meizhuang smiled slightly, still gently waving the round fan in her hand, and spoke in a gentle tone: "This is no small matter. You are weak and cannot stand the heat. If you get heatstroke, it won't be solved by a few pieces of ice. Besides, life in this palace is hard enough. If you have to put yourself in a difficult position even for such a small matter, wouldn't it be even more miserable?"
An Lingrong felt a surge of warmth in her heart when she heard this. She moved closer to Shen Meizhuang and whispered, "With my sister here, life isn't hard at all."
Outside, the sun blazed fiercely, the heat wave coming in waves, but inside, thanks to the coolness of the ice basin, it felt exceptionally comfortable and pleasant. The ice in the basin was slowly melting, and the subtle, rhythmic "crackling" sound echoed in this quiet afternoon, playing a refreshing melody unique to summer.
An Lingrong didn't sleep well last night, so she leaned on the couch with her eyes closed. After a while, she fell into a light sleep.
Shen Meizhuang listened to her shallow breathing, gently handed the fan in her hand to Juqing, then returned to the couch and continued to flip through the account book.
Sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the ground. A gentle breeze blew, and the curtains fluttered gently. The entire hall was filled with a warm and harmonious atmosphere, and time seemed to slow down quietly at this moment.
When Zhen Huan arrived, she saw such a beautiful scene. Her frown, which had been caused by accompanying the emperor, instantly relaxed.
Shen Meizhuang stood up lightly, put her index finger to her lips, made a hushing gesture, and then gently pointed at An Lingrong who was sleeping soundly.
Zhen Huan understood what she meant and walked lightly to Shen Meizhuang's side. She lowered her voice and asked, "What happened to Rong'er? Why did you fall asleep at this time? Are you feeling unwell?"
Shen Meizhuang shook her head slightly and responded in a low voice, "She didn't get enough rest last night, so she didn't look very well this morning. Plus, it was hot, and she was afraid of the heat, so she looked a little listless. I felt sorry for her, so I asked someone to bring her some ice, which helped her calm down a little and she fell asleep."
Zhen Huan's eyes flashed with concern as she whispered, "I was thinking she couldn't stand the heat, so I was thinking about sending some ice. I didn't expect you to have already made arrangements. How thoughtful."
As they talked, the two of them tiptoed out of the inner hall and sat down at the tea table outside.
Caiyue had already prepared some refreshments, and upon seeing the two of them emerge, she quickly served them two cups of tea. The cups were made of fine celadon, with a warm glaze. When the lids were removed, the tea inside was crystal clear, with a few mint leaves floating on the surface, emitting a light, refreshing aroma that was refreshing.
Zhen Huan picked up the teacup and took a sip. The coolness slid down her throat, slightly easing the heat in her heart. She put the teacup down and smiled, "This tea is quite refreshing. The mint aroma is just right. I feel a lot better after drinking it."
Shen Meizhuang also picked up the teacup, took a sip, and nodded, saying, "The weather has been hot these past few days, and Rong'er has been clamoring for cold drinks. I was afraid she would upset her stomach, so I asked Su Ye to make some mint tea. It can relieve the heat without hurting the body, which is the best of both worlds. If you like it, ask Cai Yue to pack some to take back later."
Zhen Huan shook her head and chuckled, a hint of playfulness in her eyes. "Sister is always so thoughtful, even thinking of these little things for us. Although I didn't come here to ask for tea today, since you said so, I have to bring some back to appreciate your kindness."
After hearing this, Shen Meizhuang raised her hand and lightly tapped Zhen Huan's forehead, her tone filled with a hint of doting: "You, even though you're an Imperial Consort, are still so slick! If others saw this, they would probably laugh at you for not being dignified and steady enough."
Zhen Huan pouted in a feigned grievance, but her eyes were full of smiles: "Sister Mei, you are becoming more and more partial. Rong'er is slick and you say she is innocent; I am slick and you say I am not dignified enough. This kind of differential treatment is really chilling!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Meizhuang couldn't help but laugh out loud. She shook her head and said, "Your mouth is really getting more powerful. Rong'er is young, so it's okay for her to be a little lively. But you are the Imperial Concubine, so you naturally have to be more dignified and steady. How can you compare with her?"
Zhen Huan blinked and said in a serious tone, "Sister, that's not right. The Imperial Concubine is also a human being. It's harmless to be naughty occasionally! Besides, if I always act arrogant and act like an Imperial Concubine in front of you, wouldn't it seem strange?"
Shen Meizhuang was amused by her and couldn't stop laughing. She shook her head helplessly: "Okay, okay, I can't argue with you. Your mouth is getting more and more powerful."
Zhen Huan raised her eyebrows proudly and said with a smile, "Of course, otherwise how could I be worthy of my sister's careful care?"