Chapter 5, The Sky

There were footsteps again, and this time she heard them in time, having enough opportunity to either hide or reveal her presence. After all, hearing such a conversation made everyone feel quite awkward

What is this for? A low murmur mixed with a hint of annoyance startled Meili, causing her to instinctively crouch down and retreat into the fork of the tree.

Children are, after all, children; when it comes to things that interest them, they easily forget what they were sad about just moments ago, and she was the same way in the past

Do not make it obvious in front of our ancestors that you lack women, as I have heard from my mother that our ancestors have hinted at finding a match for Meili. If our ancestors see your hungry wolf-like demeanor, they will undoubtedly, without a second thought, send that jinxed woman over.

Meili nodded, indeed it was quite unbecoming

Lost in her own thoughts, she only heard the sound when it was very close. The rustling seemed to be the footsteps of several people, who were laughing and had already come too near, leaving her no time to hide.

"I like to eat sour things," Qiu Yuan said with a troubled expression

Being with the child, her mischievous nature seemed to return a bit. She raised an eyebrow, deliberately putting on an air of pride, "Look!" She took a few steps back, charged forward, jumped up, and grabbed the base of a relatively low branch. Today, while out hunting, she wore flat little boots. With a strong pull of her arms, her body swung lightly, her feet pressed against the trunk, and she had already straddled the fork of the branch.

Sister Meili! The two little ones stared at her in astonishment, "Is it really you?"

Meili lowered her eyes, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of her lips, "I learned this in the cold palace; there is a persimmon tree in my courtyard"

I went to a very distant place ... ... it is very far

The sound of horns echoed, and the drums beat rhythmically. Su Ying tugged at Jing Xuan's sleeve, "Hurry back, the hunt has begun."

She smiled, just as they were not interested in her affairs, she was also no longer interested in theirs. Cheering for those men was something she enjoyed doing in her childhood

Now she ... would rather be alone, gazing up at the vast and high blue sky. This enjoyment is something she has longed for in the Hall of Tranquility for a very long time.

I still find it quite interesting that she used to be so rosy-cheeked, although her temper was annoying; thinking about it, it does have a bit of a thrill when it comes to the bedroom. Another man's words elicited laughter from others, who repeatedly scolded him for being vulgar

Is this a matter? I suppose it is

"Are you still waiting for him to get into bed? I guess he has already climbed into Jingxuan's bed by himself." Because there was no one around, these men joked and spoke freely.

Yin Di and Sang Zhu both laughed, and Yin Di seized the opportunity to sarcastically say: "Well, you certainly didn't waste your time, having learned such a skill."

Come on, why does Su Ying have to choose Jing Xuan? There are plenty of handsome men in the Qing Dynasty, and I! I am no worse than him!

Sister Namiri will go pick them for you." She smiled

How are you so good at climbing trees

Can you climb up or not, fool

She stood up, and from behind the slope, a childish voice could be heard engaging in conversation

This sound invigorated everyone, and even Qiuquan and Qiuyuan joyfully ran ahead of the crowd, while Jingxuan and Yonghe quickened their pace to catch up.

"Do you want the begonia?" She suddenly did not want to hear the two children awkwardly express their feelings of parting, "That one is inedible, very sour"

Sister Meili is picking fruit for us, she hasn't caused any trouble!" Qiuyuan puffed up her chubby cheeks and said protectively, while glaring at Yindi.

She could not discern whose voice it was; this time, there were many people whose names she could not recall

Yonghe took a step forward, wanting to help her down. She smiled and shook her head, then slid down the tree trunk effortlessly and smoothly. Yonghe chuckled a few times.

Danger! She hurried over to embrace Qiu Yuan, who was riding on Qiu Quan's shoulder. They are the grandchildren of the Ninth Prince and used to enjoy pestering her to play together.

A few men finished their business and walked to the riverbank to wash their hands. It was only then that they noticed Meili sitting behind the slope, and they were all taken aback. Someone casually mentioned something about horses, and they all focused intently on that topic, awkwardly finished washing their hands, and left without casting another glance at her

Meili gazed at the sky across from her, so vast and expansive. When she was in the Tranquility Palace, she could only see a small patch of sky cut out by the square palace walls. She looked and looked, wondering how long it would take for the same cloud to drift by.

It is estimated that she has given up this time. Not to mention back then, even now, with her family background and status, how can she compare to the daughter of the salt governor? The Emperor and the ancestors currently need Zhamulang, and have conferred the title of Duoluo Gege upon Su Ying. Did you see the pendant hanging from Su Ying's waist? That is a treasure I hesitated to buy for over half a year.

She silently walked to the slope by the river, where the wildflowers were in full bloom, untouched by horse hooves, the mountains and fields adorned with vibrant colors, a beauty that made her sigh. In fact, every spring the flowers bloom this beautifully; it is just that she does not know how to appreciate it

This voice sounds familiar. She turned around the dirt slope and saw a boy and a girl, two little children, stacking themselves to climb up a wild crabapple tree, trying to pick the still green crabapple fruits.

What is there to be afraid of! A man scoffed nonchalantly, "Just her, at most she is merely a lowly concubine, in a better family, she would only be fit to be a minor wife! With that appearance, even being a side consort would be considered a return on investment.

When a person reaches the extreme of loneliness, they often exhibit strange behaviors. She might climb a tall, straight persimmon tree, just to see a larger expanse of sky from a higher vantage point. Sometimes, she would see palace maids and eunuchs passing by, or elderly women sitting in the courtyard nearby, lost in thought. This would bring her a moment of joy, the delight of seeing that there are others so close to her, though these people would not understand.

He is overly concerned about her! His disdain for her and his reprimands have seemingly become his helpless habit. After two years of tranquility, this flaw has surprisingly not been corrected.

"Can you climb up there?" Qiuchuan clearly did not trust her much

... is somewhat more flavorful than before, but it lacks interest; that tune from the young man from Jiangnan is much better than hers

She stopped in her tracks, gazing at the clear river water flowing gently, her heart momentarily unable to discern its feelings, as if encountering a long-lost friend. She had forgotten how many years ago it was when she, heartbroken, ran to a desolate place to weep, and occasionally discovered the beautiful scenery behind this hillside. Ever since, every time she came to the enclosure, she would come here to take a look, and she had once thought of bringing him along as well

Haha. Several men were happily chatting and teasing each other

"Ha, where are you looking at the young lady?" A malicious laughter erupted once again.

Meili walked slowly, the surrounding area still lush and green as before, winding around several low trees and climbing over small hills... That small river was still there, not dried up.

She took two deep breaths of fresh air, and that was enough for her

Under the tree stood four or five people, and Jingxuan was coldly glaring at her. Behind him, Suying covered her mouth and chuckled, clearly finding the scene quite amusing. Yonghe looked at her in the tree with a half-smile, while beside him, Yindi Gege glanced over, seemingly saying to her cousin Sangzhu, but her voice was loud, "Still as fond of climbing high and causing trouble as before."

Sister Meili! The two of them rushed over from either side, each wrapping an arm around her, "Weren't you in a faraway place? You've finally returned!"

"Come down!" Jingxuan frowned and said.

Wow! That's amazing! The two children are in awe.

Hmm, hmm. Meili nodded vigorously, not even knowing what she was excited about; she used to find these two pesky little ghosts the most annoying.

Meili smiled as she stood up on the tree trunk to pick the larger green fruits. The crabapple tree was not robust to begin with, and even though her body was slender, it was still quite a strain, causing the entire tree to tremble slightly

Meili walked at the back, gradually slowing her pace until she finally came to a stop... Silently watching them leave. No one turned back to beckon her to catch up, and no one noticed that she had fallen behind