Farewell Flower Festival

The afterglow of the setting sun flickered on the branches, and the orange-red light shone into the room through the window lattice. The person lying on the bed moved his eyelids and began to wake up. After fully waking up, Chao Yan sat up quickly, thinking that it was over, she had overslept. She had originally planned to take a nap, but accidentally fell asleep.

When she opened the door, she saw that the sun was about to set. She was a little dumbfounded and was too embarrassed to go out.

"Miss Xiao Lian is awake."

She turned her head and saw Eunuch Wu coming towards her. She explained, feeling a little embarrassed, that she had accidentally fallen asleep. Eunuch Wu did not blame her, but wanted to ask her for help with something.

After Eunuch Wu finished speaking, Chao Yan said in embarrassment, "Uncle, I think His Highness probably doesn't want to see my face when he's eating. I'm not good-looking, so I'd better not bother His Highness." Eunuch Wu smiled and encouraged, "His Highness doesn't hate you and won't bother you." He sighed again and said, "His Highness has always been alone. It would be nice if there was someone to eat and talk with him."

Chaoyan complained in her heart, Uncle, aren’t you a human being?

"What do you want to eat later? I'll make it for you."

“……”Forget it, forget it, we’re just eating together, it’s not like we’ll lose any meat.

Chaoyan originally wanted to go to the kitchen to help and taste the food, but Eunuch Wu asked her to go check on Mu Tianling so that he wouldn't be bored alone. She thought that the little boy might not be bored alone, and might even enjoy the peace and quiet without anyone disturbing him.

But when she hid against the wall and saw Mu Tianling standing alone in the yard looking at the sky, she suddenly felt that his back looked quite lonely. She thought that they would be living under the same roof in the future, and their food and shelter would be provided by others, so she should show her concern.

"Cough," Chao Yan coughed lightly, and seeing that the other party did not respond, she shouted again, "Your Highness?" Mu Tianling did not even turn his head, completely ignoring her. Her eyes moved to the back of his head, a sly smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she stretched out her finger to poke it, but before she touched it, he turned his head and glanced back. She immediately put her hands behind her back with an innocent smile on her face, thinking that he reacted very quickly, could it be that he had a pair of eyes on the back of his head?

"What are you looking at, Your Highness?"

Chaoyan took the initiative to talk to Mu Tianling, but he ignored her and turned away. She kicked the air behind him and saw that he had stopped and seemed to have sensed something. She immediately acted as if nothing had happened and looked up at the sunset.

After everyone entered the house, she sneaked into the small kitchen to see what delicious food Eunuch Wu was making. She smelled the fragrance of food before she entered the door, and then saw a few fat old hens walking in the yard. She thought to herself, maybe they were stolen, and then she comforted herself, saying that stealing a few chickens was nothing. If it was according to the normal ration, she didn't know how many chickens she would have to make up. She and Mu Tianling were both growing up, so how could they not eat something good~

"Don't worry, uncle. I understand you." She said silently in her heart, and then sneaked in. The old hens that were foraging for food raised their heads and stared at her, the newcomer, making her feel very pressured. She finally walked to the window, but before she stuck her head out to see anything, she suddenly felt a murderous aura coming from behind. She instinctively turned around and screamed in fright.

A big white goose pounced towards her. Chaoyan was most afraid of this kind of creature. When she was a child, she was chased by it when she went to her grandmother's house in the countryside. It would not stop until it bit her. She still remembers the terrifying impression it left on her. Fortunately, her brother rushed over with a broom and fought with it for three hundred rounds, so she was saved.

"Xiaobai, come here." Hearing the voice of "Xiaobai", the big white goose turned around and ran towards the kitchen door. Chaoyan stood there gasping for breath in shock. When she saw Eunuch Wu reaching out and touching the big white goose's head, the big white goose obediently returned to the nest. She was immediately impressed. He could actually subdue such a terrifying creature. He was really not an ordinary person~

After recovering from the shock, Chao Yan came over and asked, "Uncle, did you raise that big white goose?"

Eunuch Wu smiled and replied, "I have been raising it for three years."

Chao Yan looked at the fat hen behind him and said, "What about these chickens? Are they also raised by you, uncle?"

Eunuch Wu smiled and nodded.

It wasn’t stolen, Chao Yan thought.

"Since you are here, help your uncle taste the food and see if it is delicious."

"Okay~"

……

When she came out of the kitchen, Chaoyan found a vegetable patch by the wall, surrounded by a fence. She turned her head to look at the big white goose in the nest, walked over carefully to take a look, and saw green cabbage, onions, eggplants and a few unfamiliar vegetables planted in the patch. They should be the local specialties, planted very neatly in each patch, and there were cucumber vines tied to the fences on both sides. It can be said that although the sparrow is small, it has everything.

She stood there and watched for a long time before leaving. She really liked this lively little vegetable garden.

While eating, Mu Tianling glanced at Chao Yan who was sitting opposite him and asked Eunuch Wu what was going on. Eunuch Wu replied with a smile, "I feel at ease as long as Miss Xiao Lian is here." Chao Yan thought to himself, what is there to be at ease about? Are you afraid that he will choke to death while eating alone?

After Eunuch Wu left, Mu Tianling didn't chase Chao Yan away, but he didn't speak to her either. In fact, he didn't even look at her, completely treating her as a transparent person. She was too lazy to find words to talk to, and focused on eating. The most important thing was to get her body back in shape.

……

Unconsciously, the leaves turned yellow, and the leaves blown down by the wind floated over the palace wall and fell into the yard. Cleaning up these fallen leaves every day became Chao Yan's job. In her spare time, she helped Eunuch Wu feed the chickens and water the vegetable garden. Her relationship with the big white goose also improved a lot. After getting familiar with it, she no longer found it scary, but rather a little cute. It would come over when she called it, and was more obedient than a dog.

The days in the cold palace were not as lonely, desolate and miserable as she had imagined. Instead, every day was very fulfilling.

During this period, cook Aunt Sun took over Aunt Li's position in managing the small kitchen. The two meals a day delivered before became three meals a day. Although there were no delicacies from land and sea, at least every meal was fresh, and Eunuch Wu went out less frequently to look for ingredients.

Another major event happened during the Mid-Autumn Festival shortly afterwards: Concubine Chen's child was gone.

According to eyewitnesses, after the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner that day, Concubine Chen and Concubine Zheng had an argument. The two did not get along well with each other on a daily basis. Because Concubine Zheng was walking in front and blocking the road, the two started quarreling. Concubine Chen relied on her pregnancy and slapped Concubine Zheng in the face. Concubine Zheng was not someone to be trifled with either, and she slapped her back immediately. The two wrestled with each other, and Concubine Chen accidentally rolled down the stairs, and Concubine Chen's child was not saved.

Afterwards, Concubine Zheng was fined half a year's salary and demoted to Concubine Zheng.

These were all told to her by Eunuch Wu. When they were free, they would drink afternoon tea and chat about palace gossip. Chaoyan also learned about the situation in the harem from these gossips.

Since the death of the late queen, the imperial harem has been vacant for a long time. Now, Concubine Yin is in charge of the harem, and Concubine Rong is assisting. The former gave birth to the second prince, Mu Tianqi, and the latter gave birth to the eldest princess. The crown prince, Mu Tianyuan, was born to the late queen and is also the eldest son. The third prince, Mu Tianchen, was born to Concubine Shu. Concubine Shu is indifferent, rarely shows up, and rarely asks about the affairs of the harem.

Below the rank of concubine is the noble lady, followed by the beauty, and finally the talented lady.

There are currently eight noble ladies in the palace. Excluding Noble Lady Zheng who was just demoted to a beauty, there are seven others, all of whom are ladies from prominent families selected from aristocratic families.

Concubine Chen entered the palace only in the past two years and was in favor. Now that she has lost her child, I am afraid her life will not be easy in the future.

It was only because she was too ostentatious in normal times, and became even more spoiled after she became pregnant. She looked down upon most people, and secretly incurred the hatred of countless people.

It's easy to dodge a spear but hard to guard against an arrow from the dark.

After the incident involving Concubine Chen was settled, the palace was peaceful for a while.