Shui Xinyuan put the half-sewn belt on her legs and couldn't help but sigh.
She had expected that when Lu Fusu set off, the princes and nobles would come to the palace again to mention the harem, but she did not expect that people would come to her door every day, and more people would ask for meetings and memorials than before.
She couldn't help but began to regret that she should have asked Lu Fusu to take her along if she had known better.
"Are you tired, empress?"
Seeing the queen holding a needle in a daze, the maid Chunxiang thoughtfully placed the tea in front of her.
"I have refused all meetings today. Don't see anyone again before the emperor comes back. There is no need for the empress to read those memorials."
"...Chunxiang, thank you."
Shui Xinyuan put away her needlework, put away her belt, and drank tea.
She was sewing Lu Fusu's belt. This time she chose a color that matched her summer clothes. She was not in a hurry to use it, but if she didn't rely on sewing to relieve her boredom, she would be even more irritable.
"Empress."
"What's up?"
"Do you want to go practice dancing? You have been resting for a long time..."
"...dance practice?"
After hearing Chunxiang's words, Shui Xinyuan suddenly raised his head.
...When I left Chunying Palace, I was worried that it would be troublesome if I were caught by the princes and nobles, so I stayed in the palace all the time. However, as long as I moved my body, it should be more relaxing than sewing clothes.
"……I wanna go."
"Then let's go!"
Chunxiang said firmly, and Shui Xinyuan finally smiled.
"...Yes, if I don't go, you won't have the chance to practice pipa."
"Yes, I also want to learn more songs."
When Shui Xinyuan dances for Lu Fusu, Chunxiang always plays the pipa for her.
Before Chunxiang became a maid, she could hardly play dance music, but she often went to dance practice with Shui Xinyuan and worked hard to learn to play music.
"Then...be careful not to be discovered."
"As you command!"
Chunxiang changed into simple clothes, held the bag with the lute in her arms, and asked other maids to make sure there were no outsiders around.
Then Shui Xinyuan and Chunxiang went to the palace dancer's dance studio together.
When I came outdoors after a long absence, I found that the wind was not as cold as a while ago, the weather was sunny, and the warm sunshine shone on the earth.
When they came to the road leading to the dance studio, a familiar guard greeted them.
“It’s so comfortable outside.”
"yes!"
"Ah, it's Uncle Fu."
Shui Xinyuan saw an old man carrying a big bamboo basket on the way and waved to him vigorously.
The old man who was staggering towards him also noticed Shui Xinyuan and straightened his back and looked over.
"It turns out it's you...I thought it was a young lady from some family."
"Uncle Fu, long time no see. Where are you going to the garden today?"
"I just went to see the garden of the Jiaofang, and now I'm going to the Rising Sun Palace."
Fu Bo, the gardener whom Shui Xinyuan had known since he was a court servant, narrowed his eyes.
"If I'm free tomorrow, I'd like to take a look at the newly planted plum trees last time."
"I will wait for the plum blossoms to bloom."
"Then see you tomorrow..."
Fu Bo bowed and walked away.
Chunxiang looked at his back and then at Shui Xinyuan with a puzzled expression.
"...Isn't he a gardener?"
"Yes! He is Uncle Fu. Chunxiang, don't you know him?"
"I recognize his appearance, but I don't know his name... I know more common people than princes and nobles."
"Maybe……"
Although she also felt that she should have a good relationship with the princes and nobles, it seemed that those people didn't want to make friends with her at the moment.
Although she is a queen, she is not a noble.
Arriving at the dance studio, Chen Shaowu, who has taught dancing for many years, and Mingyan, the eldest of the palace dancers, are teaching the new palace dancers how to dance.
"Ah... Queen, you are finally here."
Mingyan saw her and came forward with a smile on her face.
"Long time no see, where do you start practicing today?"
"A lot of people have left recently, and a new group of people have come in, so I will review 'Longshan Qiu Meng' first. Madam, can you please demonstrate 'Qing Yu'?"
"good."
Mingyan immediately turned around and continued to teach dance. Shui Xinyuan walked to Chen Shaowu who was sitting on a chair giving orders.
"Your knees lately...?"
"I'm already old, I'm afraid I won't get better, but now I don't have to demonstrate in person, it's much easier than before."
Chen Shaowu smiled bitterly and looked up at Shui Xinyuan.
"...If you don't become queen, I will hand it over to you without hesitation."
"I'm too... Mingyan is more suitable."
After Shui Xinyuan became the queen, all the aristocratic daughters who became palace concubines in order to become imperial concubines left and returned to their natal families. Only Mingyan stayed.
Although she is a noble daughter, she prefers dancing to being a royal concubine, and now she often takes the place of Chen Shaowu to guide new palace concubines.
"Mingyan is tall, has a good personality, and dances gracefully. She dances dances such as 'Feng Qiuhuang' and 'Cangtian Dance' much better than me. Mingyan is more suitable to teach dance."
"……Right."
Chen Shaowu felt a little regretful and turned his attention to the palace dancer who was practicing dance.
Shui Xinyuan knew that Chen Shaowu really hoped that she could guide the palace dancers to dance the difficult "Snow Moon, Wind and Flowers".
But teaching dance is more difficult than practicing it...
Mingyan has always had a bold personality. Among all the aristocratic daughters, she is the only one who rarely asks Shui Xinyuan to do chores.
Now, knowing that Shui Xinyuan didn't want others to look at her differently because she was a queen, Mingyan took the lead in showing her usual attitude.
"I will take care of Mingyan... When you are short of manpower, you can always ask me for help."
Chen Shaowu looked at the palace dancer's dance and laughed softly.
"How is it possible to ask the queen to teach dancing at any time?"
"...If you need help, feel free to ask me for help."
"Then you stretch first, be careful not to get hurt, and teach those students the 'Qingyu' dance later. After that, you and the older palace dancers will review the 'Nanshan Spring Mountain' dance, right?"
"good!"
Friends of the former court ladies saw Shui Xinyuan and waved to her one after another.
Chunxiang has gone to the musician to learn new music.
…
"……not here?"
"The Queen has gone to dance practice."
After school, Shui Qiancheng came to greet his sister with his shoulders hanging down in disappointment... He didn't see his sister again today.
"It's a pity, but the Queen will not be back before dinner."
"Yeah……?"
After Shui Qiancheng came several times, he became very familiar with the maid Chun Cha.
She smiled softly and looked at Shui Qiancheng's face.
"Since you're here, do you want to chat with me? I just finished my work and am feeling bored!"
"this……"
Shui Qiancheng raised his gaze tremblingly, saw Chun Cha's smiling face, and couldn't help but nodded.
"Great, do you want to have a cup of tea together? There are delicious snacks."
"Okay...okay!"
Come here... Chun Cha held his hand. He seemed to be walking outdoors in the hot weather, and his whole head was dizzy.
Chun Cha took him to the maid's lounge. After making tea, he served cakes.
"Are you worried that the Queen is not in good spirits? You are so kind to your sister."
"Uh, ah, um..."
"I am also very worried, but the Queen likes to dance. After she comes back from dance practice, she feels better."
"Yeah……?"
Shui Qiancheng didn't know what kind of dance his sister danced. Was it different from the dance everyone danced at the rural temple fair?
Chun Cha's white and slender fingers were exposed under her sleeves, and she gently pushed the dessert plate in front of him.
"Try it!"
"Oh, okay...thank you."
As long as the spring tea is moved slightly, a sweet aroma will float out, attracting Shui Qiancheng's attention more than the snacks.
He took a sip of tea to quench his thirst.
"Shui Qiancheng, how old are you this year?"
"Thirteen……"
"Oh, you look quite mature. I thought you were about the same age as me."
"ah?"
He also thought Chuncha looked very mature.
"I'm sixteen."
"Sixteen years old?"
It turns out that she is younger than her sister... I thought she was definitely older than her sister.
Chun Cha covered her mouth with her sleeves and smiled gracefully.
"You're really shocked... I always look older than my actual age, but I'm really sixteen."
"Well, then... I think it's because you are very beautiful..."
"oops."
"And... you are very stable, that's why... you make people feel like this."
Shui Qiancheng couldn't express himself smoothly and couldn't help but stutter a little, which made Chun Cha burst into laughter.
"Shui Qiancheng, thank you. It's all because of my father's teachings that I look more stable. My father is a scholar and is very strict with me."
"Uh... you are the daughter of a scholar, but you come to be a maid?"
Shui Qiancheng felt that a conservative scholar's daughter was not suitable to be a showy palace maid, but Chuncha smiled meaningfully and leaned slightly towards Shui Qiancheng.
"Actually, I originally planned to enter the harem..."
"ah?"
"You must not tell your sister...that because the harem was abolished, she had no choice but to be a maid."
"Harem...you want to enter the harem...?"
Is it possible for Chun Cha to become the concubine who hates the emperor? Not only her sister, but also the beautiful Chun Cha wants to be his concubine?
"Although my father is very strict, he should think that I am very lovable! He said that if I entered the harem, I would feel very honored... However, I cannot fulfill my father's wish."
"..."
Seeing Chun Cha's lonely smile, Shui Qiancheng bit his lip.
He felt very unwilling to think that even Chun Cha had become the emperor's man, but the emperor was unable to satisfy Chun Cha's wish. He was indeed a narrow-minded person.
"Do you... still want to enter the harem?"
"..."
Chun Cha smiled noncommittally.
Shui Qiancheng wanted to do something for Chun Cha, so he couldn't help but hold her hand... Then he was surprised to find that he had lost his composure, and he hurriedly let go.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I..."
"……Thank you."
Chun Cha did not blame him, but whispered affectionately.
"You want to comfort me, right? You are so kind... Don't worry, your sister is very nice, and my life here is also very happy."
"Spring tea..."
"I know you have a hard time studying. If you have time, come and play again next time. I will be very happy if you come to see me in addition to your sister."
Shui Qiancheng was stunned by Chun Cha's friendly and charming smile, and was speechless for a long time.