bookbashuk Chapter 8 Half-Day Tour of the Eastern Palace
Chapter 8 Half-Day Tour of the Eastern Palace
After finishing the snacks Xiao Qingyi brought, the two still felt the lingering fragrance on their lips and teeth, and couldn't help but savor the taste.
The child's origins are shrouded in mystery, but the food she brought was truly exquisite. One wonders what kind of craftsmanship was required to create it, and whether the imperial chefs could replicate it. The smooth, glass-like materials used for wrapping the food were even more unusual; with the current craftsmanship of the Tang Dynasty, it would be difficult to reproduce them.
She kept calling herself "Ancestor," so perhaps... keeping her around might not be without benefit to the Tang Dynasty.
Li Chengqian softened his voice and tentatively asked, "You've always addressed me as 'Ancestor,' could it be... you've mistaken me for someone else?"
"No way!" Xiao Qingyi answered decisively, her little face full of seriousness. "Our ancestor looks exactly like the one in the painting! Daddy said you are our ancestor, and Yiyi wouldn't mistake you!"
Li Chengqian was silent for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject: "What is the situation like in your home?"
"Home?" Xiao Qingyi blinked, looked around at the magnificent palace, and began to think seriously.
"My home is a really big house!" She stretched out her arms and gestured. "There are so many people inside! There's Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa, Daddy, and Xiaoling, Uncle Wang, Aunt Li..." She looked down and counted carefully on her chubby fingers, but there were just too many people, and she soon got confused.
She looked up, her little face flushed with anxiety: "Grandma, I don't have enough fingers... Could you lend me your hands to count?"
Li Chengqian was speechless for a moment.
...That's not what I'm asking.
Fine, why make things difficult for a four-year-old? This is clearly just making things difficult for himself.
"Du He," he rubbed his temples, "take her downstairs first."
"Is Grandpa going to work?" Xiao Qingyi sidled up to the desk, her round eyes looking at him and then at the mountain of books.
"Hmm," Li Chengqian replied calmly.
"Then let's get to work, Grandma!" Xiao Qingyi said matter-of-factly. "You're busy, I'll just sit here and relax!"
That self-righteous little face, coupled with that childish, innocent tone, made it impossible to get angry at all.
Li Chengqian: "..."
I have never seen such a frank person.
"Grandpa, hurry up and get to work!" Xiao Qingyi urged earnestly from the side. "My daddy works while holding me!"
Du He, standing to the side, pursed her lips tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Li Chengqian glanced up at him. Du He immediately composed himself, realizing it was inappropriate to further embarrass the Crown Prince, and quickly stepped forward: "Your Highness needs to concentrate on your studies. Why don't you let your uncle take you outside to play?"
Upon hearing the word "play," Xiao Qingyi immediately let go of Li Chengqian's sleeve, turned around, and grabbed Du He's hand: "Okay! Uncle, let's go play!"
Du He was taken aback—he had thought it would take some effort to coax and persuade the child, but he hadn't expected the child to be so easy to "lure".
Outside the East Palace, deep within the courtyard.
"Uncle, let's play hide-and-seek!" Xiao Qingyi looked up, her eyes full of anticipation.
Du He: "..."
……
Fifteen minutes later.
"What exactly are we doing?" Du He squatted in the crevice behind the artificial hill, hugging her knees, staring at the deep green moss in front of her, and began to question the meaning of life.
"Uncle is so silly," said Xiao Qingyi, covering her eyes tightly with her chubby little hands, her voice muffled. "I told you, we were playing hide-and-seek!"
Du He's lips twitched slightly.
He felt he must be going crazy—he had stayed with the child, motionless, among the artificial rocks for a full two hours.
"What...are you doing here?"
A deep and dignified voice suddenly came from outside the artificial hill.