Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

Day two.

When Liu Yunshu went to pay her respects to Madam Tong, she asked her to go to another courtyard to recuperate for a few days.

Madam Tong paused, holding her teacup, and glanced at her simple cheongsam, her gaze lingering on her slightly pale face for a moment.

She was aware of the troubles in the household, but she couldn't be bothered to care.

Li Si'er came from a humble background, and... she looked down on her in every way.

But since she was the apple of Longkodo's eye, and Longkodo was her beloved son, she had no choice but to turn a blind eye.

Empress Hesheli was weak-willed and unable to control her concubines; it was also due to her own incompetence.

Madam Tong took a sip of tea and said in a light tone, "Since you are not feeling well, it would be good for you to go to the other residence to recuperate, so as not to cause Longkodo any trouble in the mansion."

There wasn't a single word in his speech that suggested he was defending the mistress.

Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing the coldness in them, and her tone remained respectful.

"Thank you for your understanding, Mother. Your daughter-in-law has moved to the other residence, but will often send someone back to pay her respects to you."

Madam Tong waved her hand, clearly not taking this "greeting" to heart.

"Alright, just take care of yourself." With that, he picked up his teacup, indicating that she could leave.

As Liu Yunshu curtsied and turned to leave, she happened to bump into Longkodo accompanying Li Si'er as they entered from outside.

Li Si'er, dressed in a bright pink cheongsam and adorned with jewels, held Longkodo's arm with a smug smile on her face.

Upon seeing Liu Yunshu, a flash of disdain crossed her eyes, but she deliberately stopped and asked in a coquettish voice, "Where are you going, sister?"

Longkodo glanced at Liu Yunshu's plain attire, his brows furrowing slightly, and said with a hint of impatience, "You're not feeling well, so don't go out too much and cause trouble for the household."

Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them, her tone calm and unwavering: "Replying to Your Highness, I am feeling unwell and will be resting at the Yuquan Villa in the suburbs for a few days."

Miss Hesheri, I used to obediently greet you, but now you're obediently making room for me!

It wasn't for nothing that I went to all that trouble to get close to Longkodo.

Li Si'er secretly felt smug.

Longkodo already thought Liu Yunshu was dull, and now he saw her being so "sensible".

He didn't say anything more, just waved his hand: "In that case, you may go. If you need anything, just have the butler send it to you."

"Thank you, Master." Liu Yunshu curtsied, her movements dignified and proper. As she turned, the hem of her dark cheongsam lightly swept across the ground without a trace of lingering affection.

After she walked away, Li Si'er tightened her grip on Longkodo's arm, her voice tinged with grievance: "Master, look at my sister, it's as if we've bullied her."

Longkodo pinched her chin, his eyes full of affection: "Don't overthink it, she's just quiet by nature. You can stay here in the manor without worry."

Li Si'er then smiled broadly, tiptoed and kissed him on the lips. The two chatted and laughed as they entered the inner courtyard, having long forgotten about the legitimate mistress who was "going to rest."

Meanwhile, Liu Yunshu got into the carriage and lifted a corner of the curtain.

As the vermilion gates of the Tong residence gradually receded into the distance, the gentleness in his eyes vanished instantly, leaving only a chilling coldness.

Biyu said indignantly from the side, "Miss, look at how smug Li Si'er is, and what about Fourth Master? They don't protect you at all!"

Liu Yunshu withdrew her gaze, her fingertips gently stroking the embroidery on her cuff, her tone indifferent: "Protect? Longkodo only has eyes for his beloved, how could he possibly see me, his 'eyesore' legal wife?"

Seeing that her young mistress was speaking calmly, Biyu assumed that she was heartbroken and stopped talking, afraid of upsetting her mistress.

As the carriage traveled to the outskirts of the city, the blue bricks and gray tiles of Yuquan Villa could be seen in the distance, hidden among the green trees.

As soon as the carriage stopped and Liu Yunshu got off, she saw Xiao Ba's phantom swaying beside her.

"Host, I've secretly renovated the villa. The tables, chairs, and bed curtains have all been replaced with new ones, and a small heated room has been added so you can sunbathe in winter."

Liu Yunshu looked up and saw that the originally slightly dilapidated courtyard gate had been repainted, and the wooden plaque "Yuquan Bieyuan" hanging on the lintel was polished to a shine.

Stepping into the courtyard, the path paved with blue bricks was spotless, the lanterns hanging under the eaves had newly pasted silk covers, and even the weeds in the corners of the walls had been cleared away, leaving only a few neatly trimmed green bamboos.

"You're quite sensible." Liu Yunshu nodded in satisfaction and walked into the main room.

The interior is simply and elegantly furnished. A pear wood desk is placed by the window, with the Four Treasures of the Study on it. Several simple and elegant porcelain pieces are displayed on the antique shelf in the corner.

Xiao Ba whispered in her ear, "I also set up a small tea stove in the warm pavilion, so the hostess can brew tea whenever she wants. By the way, Emperor Kangxi will be returning to the capital in about half a month, and he will rest at the nearby imperial palace."

Liu Yunshu gently traced the grain of the pear wood desk with her fingertips, a smile spreading across her eyes: "Half a month, the timing is just right."

Then, leaning against the chaise lounge by the window and gazing into the distance, she said, "Now let's enjoy ourselves."

In the days that followed, Liu Yunshu began to cultivate her mind and body in the villa.

I play the piano, practice dancing, and occasionally take a walk in the nearby woods.

Seeing her young mistress's smile growing brighter each day, Biyu was overjoyed and wished she could stay in the villa forever.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After Emperor Kangxi's great victory over the Dzungars, his returning army was adorned with banners, and the horses' hooves kicked up clouds of dust as they rode along the official road.

The bright yellow imperial carriage traveled in the center of the procession. Emperor Kangxi rode his horse, his gaze sweeping over the green hills and clear waters along the way, and the fatigue from the days of battle dissipated somewhat.

"Are we almost at Qingyan Palace?" His voice was low and somewhat hoarse.

Li Dequan, who was standing beside him, quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, it will take another half an hour to reach the imperial palace. Hot water and meals have been prepared there, so you can rest when you arrive."

Kangxi gave a soft "hmm," looked at the woods not far away, and said to Li Dequan, "Let the troops go to the palace to rest first. I'll go for a stroll in the woods ahead."

Li Dequan quickly advised, "Your Majesty, you have been fighting for days and are exhausted. Why don't you go to the palace to rest first? If you want to relax, wait until you are fully rested before having your guards accompany you, so that we can ensure your safety."

Kangxi reined in his horse, his gaze still fixed on the lush, verdant forest.

"It's alright, we're just taking a stroll. We can have a few guards accompany us."

Having fought for many years, he had long been accustomed to not being bothered by trivial matters. Looking at the greenery in the forest, he felt the restlessness in his heart lessen.

Li Dequan dared not persuade him any further, and quickly signaled his guards to follow secretly, while he stayed in the group and ordered someone to go to the imperial palace to make arrangements.

Kangxi dismounted and led his horse deeper into the woods.

The breeze in the woods carries the fragrance of grass and trees, and feels especially refreshing when it brushes against your cheeks. Occasionally, birds chirp on the branches, adding to the vitality of the place.

As we approached the riverbank, a melodious female voice drifted from a distance.

"Jade, how about we brew some tea by the river today?"

Kangxi paused slightly and gently pulled the reins on his horse.

The woman's voice was sweet and melodious, like a mountain stream flowing over bluestone, carrying a touch of lazy ease, which made him subconsciously slow his breathing and look in the direction of the voice.

Not far away, Liu Yunshu was seen carrying a food box and walking towards the river.

Today she changed into a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her black hair loosely tied with a pink ribbon, a few strands of hair hanging down beside her cheeks, swaying gently in the wind.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a soft glow on her pale white dress and shimmering even on her profile as she lowered her eyes.

Biyu followed behind carrying the tea stove, smiling as she replied, "Wherever you say, Miss, we'll go! It's cool by the river; brewing a pot of your sun-dried osmanthus oolong tea the other day, along with a few pieces of mung bean cake, would be perfect."

Biyu placed the low table on an open space by the river, then steadily placed the tea stove on the table, and deftly started a fire and poured water.

Liu Yunshu then gathered her skirt and sat down on the ground.

As soon as Liu Yunshu sat down, her fingertips lightly brushed the edge of the food box, her gaze falling on the shimmering waves on the river, a faint smile playing on her lips.

She seemed unaware of the figure not far away, only listening to the sound of the flowing water, occasionally raising her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.

Kangxi stood behind the tree, his gaze unable to leave.

He had seen many dignified and composed women in the palace, and he was used to the deliberate flattery of noble ladies, but he had never seen a woman like this before.

Dressed simply and without makeup, she was like the purest moonlight in the forest, exuding a natural ease, as if even her breath was blending into the landscape.

At this moment, Biyu had already boiled the water, and wisps of white smoke rose from the tea stove, mingling with the fragrance of herbs and trees as they drifted towards Kangxi's direction.

Liu Yunshu picked up the tea canister, her fingertips twirling a pinch of dried osmanthus oolong tea. Her movements were slow and gentle, and the tea leaves, as they fell into the gaiwan, still carried a hint of the fine golden osmanthus fragrance.

"This tea needs to be brewed with freshly boiled spring water to bring out its flavor."

She spoke softly, lifting the kettle to fill the covered bowl. Amidst the rising steam, her lowered gaze made her appear even more gentle.

"Let it steep for a while, and the aroma of tea mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus will be at its sweetest."