The sun was bright these past few days, casting a warm glow. The flowers in the imperial gardens were mostly in bloom.
Nanzhi Yun, like a lazy kitten, brought the even lazier Lingdang to the imperial gardens. The reason for this outing... began with a certain dog emperor telling her, "Yun'er has been getting lazier lately, and seems to have gained weight. Your face is so round."
Thus, Nanzhi Yun resolved to be a bit "diligent" and came to the imperial gardens to admire the flowers. However, Nanzhi Yun didn't walk very far before she started to feel reluctant to continue.
"Is Your Highness tired? Shall we rest in the pavilion nearby?" Qianxia, having recovered from her injuries, had returned to her service.
"I've only walked a few steps! If I sit down in another pavilion soon, I won't want to get up. Then wouldn't my intention for coming out today just be a wasted effort?" Nanzhi Yun argued her point reasonably. Qianxia was left speechless. Fine, what Her Highness said made sense.
The flowers in the imperial gardens this year seemed more vibrant than usual, and there were many more varieties. Yu Jingchen had personally ordered people to transplant them. All this was to make Nanzhi Yun happy, as the imperial gardens were, comparatively, the place Nanzhi Yun visited the most. Moreover, Yu Jingchen had discovered that Nanzhi Yun seemed to particularly enjoy looking at beautiful scenery.
"If Your Highness is truly tired, perhaps you could put Lingdang down." Qianxia spoke again. Lingdang had become much heavier recently. It was unclear if it was a case of pets resembling their owners, but Lingdang had become incredibly lazy.
Speaking of Lingdang... kuAiδugg
"Is Jiang Ji any better?" Nanzhi Yun asked.
"The injury on his hand is quite serious; it's unlikely to heal anytime soon," Qianxia replied.
Alright, Nanzhi Yun didn't ask any further. Looking at the spring scenery all around, Nanzhi Yun felt incredibly bored, with nothing to play with.
Just as Nanzhi Yun was feeling uninterested, a young lady walked towards them from ahead. Nanzhi Yun had never seen her before.
"Who is that person?" Nanzhi Yun asked. Qianxia looked over, her expression not looking too good.
"She is the cousin of Consort De, a concubine's daughter from the Lu family. After Consort De left, the Lu family sent her into the palace. It seems she's here to take Consort De's place," Qianxia informed Nanzhi Yun. She had heard about this, but she felt His Majesty certainly wouldn't pay attention to this "Miss Lu," so she hadn't told Nanzhi Yun.
Before Nanzhi Yun could say anything, she saw Lu Ruo Ruo from across the way walking towards them.
"This humble subject, Lu Ruo Ruo, greets Her Highness the Virtuous Consort." Lu Ruo Ruo curtsied gracefully, her movements delicate like a willow in the wind, her voice like a yellow oriole's song. Truly a beauty.
"You recognize this palace?" Nanzhi Yun did not tell her to rise.
"I had the honor of meeting Your Highness a few times at banquets. Her Highness the Virtuous Consort possesses an outstanding demeanor and is uniquely favored by His Majesty, so naturally, this humble subject recognizes you," Lu Ruo Ruo replied.
"Banquets? The banquets in the palace are attended by legitimate daughters. Is Miss Lu a legitimate daughter of her family? My knowledge is shallow; does anyone in Miss Lu's family hold a position in court? What position do they hold?" Nanzhi Yun disliked such people. Seeing her complacent demeanor, Nanzhi Yun immediately found her unlikable.
Lu Ruo Ruo felt somewhat embarrassed by Nanzhi Yun's words. She was merely a Virtuous Consort, without any imperial heirs. Nan Su had already handed over his military power. She was nothing more than a paper tiger now, what was there to be proud of? Once she entered the palace, what would Nanzhi Yun amount to?
Seeing Lu Ruo Ruo's silence, Nanzhi Yun, not wanting to waste more time with her, prepared to walk past her and leave.
"Her Highness the Virtuous Consort!" Just as Nanzhi Yun walked past her, Lu Ruo Ruo suddenly called out and then stood up.
Nanzhi Yun turned to look at her. What was she trying to do?
"Her Highness the Virtuous Consort is indeed favored, but how long can a ruler's favor truly last? Your Highness, acting like this, aren't you afraid of blocking your own path in the future?" Lu Ruo Ruo was quite bold.