Chapter 317

If one point is not met, it cannot be considered top-grade. She had been looking for it for so many years, and so far she had only collected a little, and she couldn't bear to drink it herself. This Consort Qing is even more picky than the Emperor!

Looking at Xiao Yu's heartbroken appearance, Qingfeng knew she understood what she wanted and smiled: "Why, heartache? A bet is a bet."

Xiao Yu's apricot eyes widened. What kind of bet is a bet? It turns out this was digging a hole for her to jump into. Qingfeng only said that the loser had to agree to a small request from the other party, but didn't say it counted as a bet, let alone that the stake was top-grade tea.

It was rare to see Xiao Yu frustrated. Ming Jian, who had been standing outside the pavilion watching them play chess, raised the corners of his mouth. Speaking of which, Xiao Yu was indeed tricked by Qingfeng. Seeing that the Emperor was not here, Xiao Yu could only accompany the Consort to enjoy the scenery and serve tea. Seeing Qingfeng's eyes light up when she held the teacup, she must have been calculating in her heart at that time. However, it really takes some effort to get good tea from Xiao Yu's hands, a point he had experienced deeply.

"So winning a game of chess allows one to make a request. Then I'll try it too."

A low and slightly brisk male voice suddenly rang out. Except for Ming Jian, the two in the pavilion were startled. Xiao Yu was the first to come back to her senses. She stood up calmly without panic, bowed to Yan Hongtian, retreated to the side, took a new white porcelain teacup, brewed a cup of June for Yan Hongtian, and then squatted down to put the black and white pieces into the chess box separately.

Xiao Yu's fair, slender fingers were busy on the chessboard. Qingfeng finally came back to her senses from her trance. What made her stunned for so long was not Yan Hongtian's arrival, but that she saw... Ming Ze behind Yan Hongtian. Wasn't he a palace guard? Why was he following Yan Hongtian and came to the villa?

"The Consort looks in good spirits." Picking up the brown-red, clear, and bright tea soup and taking a sip, the domineering fragrance rushed toward him. He had always loved red artemisia, but he didn't expect the taste of this June to be so special. No wonder she liked it. Its nature of being quiet and light, but rich and fragrant when meeting water, was somewhat similar to her.

Qingfeng lowered the doubts in her eyes. When she raised her head again, only a faint smile remained: "That's thanks to the Emperor for letting me 'quietly' recuperate for so long." Seeing that Yan Hongtian had sat down opposite, Qingfeng picked up a black piece and played with it at her fingertips, "Does the Emperor really want to play chess with me? If someone loses, they have to agree to one thing for the other."

"Why not?"

After speaking, Yan Hongtian also picked up a white piece, waiting for Qingfeng to play.

Yan Hongtian, as the monarch of a country, although he didn't particularly like playing chess, had been taught by famous teachers since he was a child. Except for Lou Xiyan, he had never lost. Qingfeng naturally didn't need to say more. Qing Mo's chess skills were famous all over the world, and she, who cut her teeth with her younger sister all day long, how could her chess skills be weak? At first, both of them played carelessly, but the further they went, the more they marveled at each other's exquisite chess skills. Both were proud people, so how could they give an inch? The game of chess became more and more exciting.

The two focused on the game, Xiao Yu served on the side, and Ming Ze retreated silently outside the pavilion. Ming Jian wanted to go over, but after seeing Ming Ze's colder black face than usual, he decided to wait until his anger subsided before looking for him. After all, the Emperor was still here, and Ming Ze had such a foul temper. Ming Jian sighed in his heart. It was really not easy to be an elder brother. He was clearly thinking of him, but in the end, he couldn't get a good look.

Whether it was playing chess or martial arts, as long as there was a competitive heart, there would always be a winner and a loser. Finally, there was nowhere for the black pieces to go. Xiao Yu calculated carefully, then looked at Qingfeng and smiled: "The Consort lost by one piece."

I didn't expect Yan Hongtian's chess skills to be so high. Qingfeng was a little frustrated, but still asked very readily: "What does the Emperor want me to do?"

What did he want her to do? Looking at her increasingly large belly, Yan Hongtian found it funny. What could she do in her current state? Scanning the early winter scenery outside the pavilion, he said casually: "Just paint a picture for me."

Paint? Qingfeng thought for a moment and smiled slightly, "Okay."

Ruyi set up the painting tools, and Xiao Yu ground the ink on the side. She had long heard that Qingfeng was excellent in both calligraphy and painting, and later saw the hunting map she painted in the Emperor's study, which made her terrified and blood-boiling at the same time. It was a pity that she never had the chance to see Qingfeng paint in person. Today, she would not miss this opportunity.

Yan Hongtian didn't go to see what Qingfeng was painting, but lay down on the recliner on the side to close his eyes and rest. He was really tired recently. The celebration was finally completed successfully, but news of pirates ravaging the East Sea border came again. Qiongyue only bordered the sea in the east, and the sea area was not wide. For many years, the coast had been very calm, so Qiongyue's navy had never been strong. Now that pirates were frequently going ashore to harass the people, it gave him a headache.

"It's done."

So fast? It had only been half an hour. Yan Hongtian opened his eyes and saw Qingfeng throwing the brush into the brush washer on the side, her face full of pride. And Xiao Yu, who was standing beside her, had a look of wanting to laugh but not laughing. Yan Hongtian's curiosity was aroused, and he got up and walked over.

Glancing at the painting on the stone table, Yan Hongtian's face turned black immediately. She actually painted... him?

On the plain white painting paper, only a recliner was sketched, and he was lying on it like that. Different from her magnificent and detailed painting style when she painted landscapes in the past, the whole painting was simple to the point of paleness, and he in the painting had his eyes closed, his brows slightly furrowed, and he was full of... fatigue, which really lacked the style of a monarch. Yan Hongtian's originally angry heart suddenly tightened. Was he really so undisguised about his fatigue just now? Was he really so careless, or was she that careful?

Seeing his sword-like brows tightly furrowed and his black eyes dark, although she didn't know what he was thinking, his mood was definitely not happy. Qingfeng took the painting to prevent Yan Hongtian from tearing it up directly, and still smiled unforgivingly: "Didn't the Emperor say, 'Paint a picture for me', so I painted one for you."

Qingfeng's provocative joke broke the faint coldness on Yan Hongtian. Yan Hongtian raised his eyebrows slightly. Was this his fault instead? Not having fought for many days, he had forgotten her sharpness.

"Another game?"

Her hands were empty, and Yan Hongtian had already pulled back the small painting paper from her hand, folded it, and placed it in his sleeve. Qingfeng retracted her hand indifferently and shook her head decisively, "No. Knowing that you are not capable, you shouldn't force it." Just now she had tried her best, but still lost, so playing again was futile.

"So, you know this truth." The low voice, as if just said casually, made Qingfeng's heart tremble for no reason. What did this mean? Looking closely at Yan Hongtian's face, he still had that unfathomable face. Was this a reminder or just a casual remark? Unable to guess for the time being, Qingfeng pondered and replied with a relaxed smile: "You have to try to know if you are capable."

"Is that so?" Yan Hongtian laughed, as if he was quite satisfied with her answer, but without waiting for her to answer, he walked out of the pavilion first. Qingfeng froze in place. Did he... discover something? Why did he bring her to this villa... for what?

With countless questions in her heart, Qingfeng didn't eat much for dinner, but Yan Hongtian had a good appetite. After the two finished dinner, the sky had darkened. The two walked for a long time on the winding path before arriving in front of a wooden house. This wooden house was larger than the ones Qingfeng had seen before, built of solid wood, and still simple. As soon as Qingfeng entered the courtyard, she was immediately captivated by the large plum forest in front of the wooden house.

It was early winter, and the plum blossoms had not yet bloomed. In the dark night, one could only see the tall, upright branches growing wildly, having already set a posture of facing the wind and snow.

"The plum blossoms haven't bloomed yet, what a pity." Haoyue was a small country, and the climate was warm. Occasionally, in a cold winter year, one could only see a few flowers blooming on two or three plum trees, without any style of facing the frost and snow, which was disappointing. The plum forest in front of her was very different. Even if the flowers hadn't bloomed, the vigorous and thick plum branches seemed to be telling of their urgent waiting for a heavy snow. Taking a deep breath, just imagining the hot, bright red under a piece of snow-white, Qingfeng felt her heart beat faster.

Qingfeng stared at the plum forest with eyes too hot, so much so that Yan Hongtian, who had long been numb to plum blossoms, couldn't help but take a few glances. The plum forest under the moonlight was just a dark piece, with tree shadows and branches intertwined, which had a kind of desolate beauty and a different style. The night wind rose, and seeing that she had no intention of entering the house, Yan Hongtian didn't urge her, just said faintly: "They will always bloom."

"Yes, it's a pity that I have no fate with them this year." The season of blooming should be when she gives birth, right?

That disappointed and lonely remark seemed as if she had missed some treasure in the world. Yan Hongtian smiled. It was just a plum forest. "If you really like it so much, I will allow you to come and enjoy the flowers when they bloom next year."

Next year? Year after year the flowers are similar, year after year the people are different. Who knows what the scene will be like next year? Who will be standing here listening to the wind and enjoying the snow next year? But Yan Hongtian wouldn't understand. Having too much, one cannot feel what is precious. Is this another kind of sadness?

Yan Hongtian naturally didn't know that Qingfeng was slandering him in her heart, and looked at the plum forest he had long been tired of with a good mood.

"How is the Emperor's mood today?"

Not eating or drinking all night, finally want to talk? Yan Hongtian remained calm, "Not bad. Do you have something to say to me?"

Qingfeng finally turned around, the night wind blowing her sleeves. Yan Hongtian frowned. She was already so big, why was she still so thin? "I don't know if I should say it." Qingfeng was a little confused. Just now she was full of smiles, how could she have a cold face in an instant?

(End of chapter)