While Yin was working diligently in the Hall of Yangxin, writing notes and comments on the papers handed over by his ministers and servants, Ji Ling was enjoying the flowers and birds in the yard.
The hibiscus bird looked at Ji Ling for a while, then jumped to the other side of the cage, lowered its head and took a few sips of the clean water that had just been changed in the morning from the small blue and white porcelain clock, then raised its head and swallowed the water.
Then, it raised one of its wings, slipped its furry head under the wings, and combed its feathers one by one, enjoying itself.
Ji Ling circled around the cage, pointing to Bixue with a smile: "Look, it's cute and clean!"
Seeing her master's excitement, Bixue laughed to herself. There were not many living creatures in Jingyang Palace. This was the first pet that her master had raised. I don't blame her for not seeing enough of it.
Ji Ling looked at it for a while, wiped his sleeves, reached out with great interest, took a piece of green vegetable leaves from Bi Xue's hand, and stuffed it into the cage. The small handful of green vegetable leaves was what Bi Xue asked Xiao Dazi for from the kitchen.
The thick, rich green color seems to be dripping down, the leaves are shiny and smooth, and the stem veins are clearly visible.
The hibiscus bird tilted its head slightly and glanced at the green vegetable leaves with disdain. Ji Ling shook the vegetable leaves several times. The hibiscus bird then moved little by little from the bamboo pole in the middle of the cage, looked sideways, and suddenly lowered its head to peck.
I took a bite of vegetable leaves.
Its pale red mouth, which looked like it had been waxed, moved quickly a few times, and a little green juice from green cabbage leaves spilled from the corners of its mouth.
Ji Ling smiled and said: "Little darling, you eat more!"
The hibiscus bird probably tasted a few mouthfuls and thought it tasted pretty good, so it lowered its head and pressed its talons on the other end of the leaf, and started to peck at it. When there were not many leaves left and only the white stems were left, it slowed down.
Carefully look around the stalk for a place to put your mouth.
A bird flapped its wings in the sky and flew over the roof of the east courtyard.
The hibiscus bird suddenly stopped eating the vegetable leaves and looked up for a moment.
Ji Ling also followed its gaze and looked up at the sky.
The sky is as blue as a wash, cloudless, and only the sun shines down from the leaves in spots. The courtyard is full of greenery and the wind is refreshing, which makes it a unique and cool world.
Because of Doctor Di's repeated warnings, Ji Ling has replaced the bamboo mat with silk sheets when she sleeps. She no longer dares to use ice buckets. Instead, she only puts a bucket of cold water in each of the four corners of the room to lower the temperature.
The temperature in the room.
There are also cold water buckets in the yard. The water in the buckets is made from local materials directly from the well in the main courtyard of Jingyang Palace. A large ice cube is placed in each bucket, and white peony root, strip cens, and jiaobai are spread underneath.
Peony, perilla, etc. are used to repel mosquitoes. Every two hours, Xiao Kezi will change the ice cubes.
Nowadays, the auspicious nobleman is favored, and the eunuch responsible for delivering ice from the Ministry of Internal Affairs is very attentive. Regardless of whether the ice storage is sufficient or not, the ice supply of Jingyang Palace must be guaranteed.
While Ji Ling was teasing the little hibiscus bird, his eyes slipped over to a cold water bucket at the entrance of the courtyard. Little Dazi was squatting there, holding a melon in his hand, and dipping shakily into the cold water in the bucket.
After repeating this several times, he half-turned around, took out a straw rope from a wooden barrel on the side, tied the melon around his waist, and hung it on a wooden shelf nearby.
Ji Ling looked surprised and stuffed the remaining vegetable leaves into the cage. Bixue had already handed over the handkerchief.
Ji Ling wiped the vegetable juice on her hand on the handkerchief, clapped her hands together, and asked in a loud voice: "Xiao Dazi, what are you doing?"
Xiao Dazi was busy working when Leng Buding heard his master asking a question. He was stunned for a moment before he realized that he was asking himself.
He quickly put down his work and took two quick steps.
When he was in front of Ji Ling, Xiao Dazi held his knees with his left hand, lowered his right hand, made a Qian'er move, wiped the sweat on his forehead, and then said diligently: "Return to the master, this is not the case! In the evening the emperor wants to
Come over for dinner. There is a Jade Dew Fruit Drink on my menu today, which requires melon.
He paused, turned back and pointed at the melon, and while explaining, he gestured: "Master, when the melon is soaked in cold water, the sweetness can be better stimulated. After soaking like this for half an hour, a knife will 'click'
Cut it open, and the sweet aroma will overflow, and the cold flavor will come out!"
Ji Ling listened to his vivid words, and knew in her heart that according to the instructions of Imperial Doctor Di, the cool and sweet "Jade Dew Fruit Drink" had nothing to do with her. If she was greedy, she could only eat some boiled melon with brown sugar.
After all, Fourth Master can finally enjoy it all.
Ji Ling couldn't help but swallowed, raised his chin and said: "Okay, I'm always at ease when you do things. You can continue to work!"
Xiao Dazi rubbed his hands and just smiled innocently.
Ji Ling looked at his back and couldn't help but nodded, then turned to Bixue and said: "I'm a little sleepy, let's go in."
Bixue agreed. When she walked past the hibiscus bird cage, she took a look and said softly: "Master, it's hot outside, so I'd better take it off and put it in the house."
After entering the house, Qixi had already made the bed and ordered hot water for the master to take a simple bath and change into clean clothes.
When Ji Ling lay down, she did not forget to tell Qixi carefully: "Qixi, I'm just going to take a nap for a while, so be sure to wake me up early. The emperor will come over in the evening, and I have to change my clothes and comb my hair!"
Qixi nodded repeatedly: "Master, don't worry, can this slave be alert? Squint for a while, squint for a while!"
She hugged a new silk quilt and covered Ji Ling gently. Over there, Bixue had already lowered the window curtains one by one, and the light in the room suddenly dimmed.
After seeing Ji Ling close her eyes, Qixi put down the hook of the bed tent and couldn't help but yawned. Seeing this, Bixue whispered: "Sister Qixi, why don't you go and take a nap for a while? Master, I'll stay here."
Just leave it alone.”
Qixi shook her head, stretched out her hand to rub Bixue's back, gently pushed her out of the house, then turned around and closed the door very slowly.
Ji Ling slept very sweetly in this dream. Although she kept in mind that Yin would come over in the evening and must not sleep for too long, the bed seemed to have magic power. Once she lay down on it, she would never get up again.
I don't know how long it took, but when Ji Ling finally became slightly conscious, thinking that Yin was coming over at night, she finally opened her eyes from her sleep.
…
"Are you awake?" Yin's voice sounded low.
What? Fourth Master... Fourth Master is already here?
Ji Ling stirred up, lifted up the quilt, and sat up immediately.
There was a lamp like a bean in the house, the sky outside the window was completely dark, a clear moon hung on the branches, the stars flickered slightly, and the shadows of flowers flickered on the small window pane.
Yin sat at the table at the other end of the room, holding only a book in his hand. The palace lanterns in the room were bright and dim, and the lights on his side were bright, while the lights on the side near Ji Ling's bed were not lit.
"Your Majesty...you...oh, this Qixi!".
Ji Ling climbed out of bed with a look of embarrassment.
Seeing that she was anxious, Yin closed the book and said, "Don't blame her. I don't allow my servants to notify you and wake you up."
He looked at her tenderly from the shadow of the light, his voice was low, with a hint of a smile that could not be concealed: "I said I came to see you in the evening, but unexpectedly, the affairs in the court today were handled very smoothly.
I came here early."
He paused and said with a sullen face: "I miss you."