Here, one could feel the breeze from Huaxi, and see the full courtyard of roses; Yuan Shangyi liked it very much.

"Is it good?" Feng Yun looked at the Young Emperor, who was polite and cultured, her eyes filled with maternal care.

In places without others, she seldomly bothered with formality, bestowing upon this motherless child all the maternal love she could not express to her own Queque.

Yuan Shangyi nodded, "I like it very much."

So much so that he wished he did not have to return to Yangxin Restaurant.

From then on, he considered following the Princess of Yonghuai...

But he dared not speak. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

It was against reason.

Feng Yun served him food personally, "Whatever you want to eat in the future, just tell me, and I’ll do everything I can to get it for Ayuan."

Yuan Shangyi, looking at the freshly stir-fried lotus root slices in his bowl, felt a sudden sourness in his nose.

"Mother..."

He had never called anyone ’mother’ before.

He really wanted to call out just once.

Yet he dared not.

Previously, the Empress Dowager had taken care of him, never daring to claim that she was his mother; later, Li Sangruo had deliberately lowered Yuan Shangyi’s status, making him perform a grand ceremony to be formally adopted by the Empress Dowager, and he only addressed her as "mother" once.

The Empress Dowager treated him well, too.

There was love, as well as fear.

Their relationship was somewhat complicated.

Yuan Shangyi could not understand it before, but now, with something to compare, he finally understood...

Not all love is the same.

"What’s the matter?" Feng Yun saw the child staring at her, his eyes moist and faintly red, and she couldn’t help but pause.

"Why are you about to cry?"

Yuan Shangyi swallowed the mouthful of food he had.

"Princess treats me so well."

Feng Yun started to smile, "Just for feeding you, you think I’m good? Fool, don’t trust people so easily."

Yuan Shangyi shook his head.

He said nothing, but his gaze on Feng Yun burned with an intensity that only a child’s dependence on a mother could reflect, indescribable.

Feng Yun: "Go ahead and eat, be good."

The two, one big and one small, enjoyed the first lotus root meal of the summer alone.

They ate slowly, and talked a lot.

When it was time to leave, Feng Yun escorted Yuan Shangyi back to Yangxin Restaurant, catching the reluctance in the child’s eyes and feeling a touch of compassion in her heart.

"I live just over there..."

She pointed towards the location of her bedroom, smiling as she said:

"If you need anything, just yell, and I’ll be able to hear you."

Yuan Shangyi’s face finally brightened.

"It’s very close."

"Yes, very close." Feng Yun bent down, touched his head, "I am right beside Ayuan, I will protect you."

Yuan Shangyi nodded gently, brought his hands together, and bowed to her.

"Princess, please rest early. I will head back."

Feng Yun said with a smile: "Go on in, I’ll watch you go."

Yuan Shangyi stepped over the threshold, filled with joy.

At the entrance of the courtyard, the Female Historian stood in the shadow of the flowering trees, watching this scene and muttered to herself before putting on a smile to welcome the Emperor.

-

Feng Yun stood outside Yangxin Restaurant for a moment, then called Alou and went to Yun Village.

Today, Chunyu Yan obviously intended to dine at Changmen; Feng Yun didn’t retain him, not wanting him to have an excuse to refuse payment for Queque’s board.

One thing is one thing, another is another.

Feng Yun would not unfairly take advantage of him.

On the way to Yun Village, she also instructed Xiaoman to carry a basket of lotus root slices.

They were specially reserved for this neighbor.

The stars were scattered like sand, the moonlight like water.

Chunyu Yan lounged lazily by the window, one leg bent, holding a flask, chuckling softly as he watched Feng Yun enter the village, then exhaled and adjusted his collar.

The architecture of Yun Village was exquisite; from the window, he could see the path from Changmen to Yun Village, but for Feng Yun to reach the village took quite a while.

And so, to Chunyu Yan, that distance felt exceptionally prolonged today...

It seemed like a long wait before he heard soft footsteps approaching.

The speaker was Xiang Zhong.

"Princely Heir, the Princess has come to pay for Queque’s board. What... should we do?"

Chunyu Yan’s eyes darkened, his voice was floating lightly.

"Tell her to get lost!"

Xiang Zhong gasped.

It was as though someone had choked him, and he said nothing more.

Then, Feng Yun’s quiet laughter could be heard.

"I had intended to personally thank the Princely Heir and to be thoroughly courteous. Since the Princely Heir does not wish to meet, I will leave the money and go."

Chunyu Yan’s back stiffened, and he sat up abruptly.

Why hadn’t Xiang Zhong said a word to him that Feng Twelve was outside?

Feng Yun showed no emotion, indicating Xiaoman to leave the lotus root slices and money, and turned to leave.

Behind her came Chunyu Yan’s cold laugh.

"Try taking one more step, see what happens!"

Feng Yun frowned and turned back to look.

The room was dimly lit; moonlight spilled on the half-closed door, behind which stood a tall, straight figure...

Apparently without a mask?

From this distance, she couldn’t see clearly.

"I have seen the Princely Heir." Feng Yun greeted him curtly.

Chunyu Yan let go of the door he was holding and softened his voice.

"Come in! I have something to say."