PFC Chapter 149
Chapter 149
After days of hard work on government affairs, Hongli finally came to the Imperial Garden and naturally wanted to relax a little.
So he nodded and said, "I'll go and take a look. No need to let anyone follow me."
"Your Majesty, this..."
Wang Qin wanted to say something else, but Hongli waved his hand and strode towards the direction where the voice came from, leaving Wang Qin standing there in shock, not knowing whether to follow.
During this hesitation, Hongli had already seen the figure in the pavilion in the distance.
She is weak and delicate, and I don’t know what she looks like.
With his hands behind his back, Hongli walked towards the pavilion.
When I got closer, I found that the person in the pavilion was indeed a young woman with bright eyes and white teeth.
But the other person had his eyes closed at the moment and did not notice that there was an extra person outside the pavilion.
The sound of the pipa became more intense, and Hongli couldn't help but caress it with his palms.
But even this small movement happened to startle the person playing the piano.
As soon as he opened his eyes and saw Hongli, his expression changed instantly.
He suddenly used a little more strength in his hand, and with a slight "snap" sound, the string broke.
What followed was the woman's scream.
Seeing this, Hongli couldn't help but find it a little funny.
She walked into the pavilion leisurely. "Where are you from? Why are you playing the pipa in the Imperial Garden?"
The woman looked a little frightened and knelt down. "I am the new pipa musician in the Southern Palace. I wonder if you are... the emperor?"
Hongli chuckled and walked over to sit down. "You're quite clever. What's your name?"
"In reply to the emperor, my surname is Bai, and my name is Ruiji."
"Bai Ruiji? It's a nice name, but she doesn't seem to be very proficient in playing the pipa."
Bai Ruiji blushed slightly when she heard this. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I..."
"But why are you the only one here?"
"Your Majesty, I admit that my skills are not very good, but the Mid-Autumn Festival Palace Banquet will be held in less than three months. I am worried that the banquet will go wrong and displease the nobles, so I quietly left the Southern Mansion and practiced in the Imperial Garden..."
“It’s a rare effort.”
Hongli smiled and praised, then raised his hand again, "Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Holding a pipa with a broken string, Bai Ruiji's face was slightly red as she stood in front of Hongli. Her timid appearance made Hongli more interested.
"Which family are you from?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am of humble origin and have come all the way from Gusu. Both my parents are dead, and I have no family left."
"His life experience is so pitiful, and he is also so pitiful."
Hongli's voice lowered slightly.
Bai Ruiji's eyes were filled with sparkling tears when she heard this.
"I am a humble servant and dare not ask the emperor to support me. Now I am living in the Southern Palace, which is much better than the days when I had to beg for a living."
Hongli looked Bai Ruiji up and down again for a moment, and suddenly raised his hand.
Bai Ruiji was stunned for a moment, and when she came to her senses, her face immediately turned even redder.
She bit her lip for a moment, but ultimately couldn't withstand Hongli's fiery gaze.
Holding the pipa pillar in one hand and the hem of her clothes in the other, she took two steps towards Hongli.
Hongli reached out and held the other person's hand, looked at it carefully for a moment, and then nodded.
"It seems like she's really working hard. Even her delicate hands can't resist these calluses."
Bai Ruiji's fingertips trembled slightly. "Your Majesty, this servant..."
"It doesn't matter."
Hongli let go of Bai Ruiji's hand and said, "It's just that the skill of playing the pipa is very arduous. Do you plan to serve somewhere else?"
Bai Ruiji's eyes flashed with surprise, but she seemed hesitant to agree immediately.
"Your Majesty, I am of humble origin, a mere pipa performer in the Southern Palace. How can I be worthy of..."
"It doesn't matter what your background is. In this harem, how can you know there won't be a good opportunity to rise to the top overnight?"
Hongli's voice was gentle, which seemed to give Bai Ruiji great courage.
She raised her head slightly and glanced at Hongli, "Your Majesty, this servant... this servant is willing..."
A hearty laugh.
Hongli took the pipa from Bai Ruiji, threw it on the stone table beside him, and then held her hand again.
"How can such a slender hand be matched with something so vulgar? In the storeroom of the Yangxin Palace lies a red sandalwood and mother-of-pearl pipa, a tribute from the Li Dynasty. In my opinion, it would be a very suitable gift for you."