138

  Murong Feng smiled lightly and said: "It's still just a rough outline now, I'm thinking of a place with mountains and water, behind the mountain, built on the mountain, in front of the water, built by the water, the courtyard should be big, with trees, flowers, and grass, there should be a pavilion for drinking wine and appreciating the moon. The bedroom should be big, the study room is also bright and spacious, can hold many books. I want to plant many flowers, and also plant green vegetables, red fruits."

  "It sounds good." Sima Rui sat beside Murong Feng, holding her shoulder and smiling, "Why plant vegetables?"

  "It's so much fun." Murong Feng said with a smile, "Flowers only bloom in one way, year after year, but melons, fruits and vegetables are different, they can produce many different ones. Now I'm thinking of planting some red and green peppers, as well as long silk gourds and plump pumpkins - ah, just thinking about it is beautiful."

  "It sounds interesting," Sima Rui smiled slightly, "the palace is boring, I know there's a good place, we can build our home there and avoid the dull life in the palace. We can plant trees and flowers, and also grow some melons, fruits and vegetables."

  "You seem to have something on your mind." Murong Feng asked somewhat puzzled, feeling that Sima Rui seemed to want to say something but didn't. He seemed to like her suggestion very much, yet wasn't so enthusiastic, as if there was something bothering him in his heart, with a hint of hesitation deep in his eyes.

  "No." Sima Rui said immediately, but at the bottom of his eyes, a faint and inexplicable melancholy still flashed by. Some things, really didn't know how to say to Murong Feng, if she knew, what would she think?

  "If you don't want to say it, then forget it. You can talk about it when you feel like it." Murong Feng didn't force the issue, merely saying a couple of words before shifting her gaze back to the paper in front of her. Her entire mind was now focused on this future home of hers, where she could combine the best features of the Daxing Dynasty with the unique characteristics of the White Era, designing the most beautiful residence and living out her days in peace, no longer bothering herself with the rights and wrongs of the imperial palace.

  "How long has it been since you last saw your father?" Sima Rui asked, seemingly nonchalantly, but his eyes darted elsewhere, making it seem like he was just casually asking.

  "Is that my father?" Murong Feng was slightly stunned, oh, so it's about Murong Qingliang. It's actually easy to accept being Murong Feng, but accepting Murong Qingliang as his own father is still a bit difficult. When Sima Rui suddenly mentioned it, he almost forgot who he was referring to. "Yes, it's been a long time since we last saw him. He's always with Chun Tao now, and I heard they're doing well. Since he can be so open-minded, that's good news. Why did you suddenly think of asking about him?"

  "Your father is really a broad-minded person, able to put down his own daughter and wife's affairs. Murong Xue is his most beloved daughter, and the madam is his wife of many years, yet he can put them both down. Don't you think it's a bit strange?

  Si Ma Rui smiled faintly, with a somewhat bewildered expression, "Even when I invited him to He Yi Yuan, he didn't come, only saying that Chun Tao was pregnant and it wouldn't be convenient for him to travel far. Is a servant girl more important than his own daughter?"

  "How he chooses, it's not for me to decide, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters. Although I'm his daughter, I couldn't be by his side every moment, and even though Chun Tao is just a maid, if she treats him well, that's good enough. Status isn't that important." Murong Feng said with a hint of skepticism, smiling slightly, "You went to the Fourth Prince's estate and received some kind of stimulation, how did you suddenly become so sentimental? Or is there something about my father that you're not comfortable saying?"

  Simarui smiled slightly and changed the subject, saying: "Let's not talk about these meaningless things. Instead, let's talk about your ideas. What kind of dwelling do you plan to build for us, so that we can spend the rest of our lives in peace?"

  Murong Feng smiled lightly: "It's not time to say yet, okay? After Grandma's birthday, will you accompany me to see Su Niangzi? She is my lifesaver, her family took care of me for half a year, I really need to thank them properly."

  "That's natural." Sima Rui lovingly wrapped his arm around Murong Feng's shoulder and smiled.

  In front of the mirror, she is as beautiful as a flower. The woman in the mirror has a natural beauty that is pleasing to the eye. However, her beautiful eyes hide a cold indifference, as if looking at someone unrelated to herself, or even like looking at an enemy.

  "Xuě ér, you are truly beautiful." The emperor couldn't help but praise her. He was still sitting on the bed, his clothes disheveled, looking lazy and relaxed. He could vaguely see the side of Mùróng Xuě's face, with soft and delicate features, tender and smooth, exuding a charming and moving beauty.

  Murong Xue turned her head, and there was no longer any sorrow or indifference in her eyes. Only gentleness and charm remained, with a soft voice saying: "Your Majesty, you're speaking sweet words again, making Snowy (Xue) unsure of who she is. If you continue to pamper me like this, I'm afraid Snowy will really forget who she is." Her gentle gaze had captured the Emperor, but beneath her eyes, there was a hint of coldness and melancholy that she tried to conceal, hidden behind all the warmth and affection, invisible to the naked eye.

  "Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday. Now that you reside in the Hanyang Palace, you can be considered the new mistress of the palace. Today, I will mention to the Empress Dowager that I intend to have you ranked among the three palaces and take Liu's place. If you can give me a son and a daughter, it would bring me even greater joy. As long as you give birth to a dragon son, I will immediately appoint him as the Crown Prince. Who knows, he may even inherit my throne."

  The Emperor continued with a smile, "With your beauty and my wisdom, we will certainly have a child who is unparalleled in the world. Zhe'er, although he holds the position of Grand General, has a personality that is too gentle and lacks boldness and ruthlessness, so he cannot become a great leader. At most, he can only be an assisting prince. Actually, I am currently most satisfied with Rui'er, but unfortunately, he was born without ambition. Don't underestimate that young man; on the surface, he appears to be a mischievous rascal, but in reality, he is as clever as my younger brother. He just doesn't want to... otherwise, Zhe'er would not be his match. If you can give birth to a dragon son and after twenty years of cultivation, we will have a suitable new emperor."

  Murong Xue's heart was filled with anger, but on the surface, she wore a warm smile and said: "Your Majesty is really joking. The eldest prince was originally Snow's sister's husband. Even if Snow gave birth to a dragon son and gained Your Majesty's favor, how could you take away someone else's everything? Sister's husband is a kind and virtuous person, he will definitely become a wise and enlightened ruler in the future. Your Majesty shouldn't make this kind of joke, it scared Snow."

  "Hmm," the Emperor hummed softly, leaning back on his bed and beckoning Mu Rong Xue to come sit beside him. He let out a sigh and said, "Zhe is a good person, but he's a well-meaning troublemaker. If it weren't for some unexpected events back then, he wouldn't be in the position he is today. Now, I see that he's still muddled about some things, and isn't as decisive as your sister when it comes to getting things done. It's quite worrying - if the fate of the Great Xing dynasty were to fall into his hands, who knows what would happen?"