Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Zijuan's Worry

The next day, Wu Tianyue had breakfast with Daiyu, Prince Zhongshun and his wife, and Jin Ling, and then sat and chatted for some time before returning to the Grand View Garden.

It was almost noon when they arrived at the garden. Daiyu was tired from playing yesterday, so she went back to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to rest, while Wu Tianyue went back to Yihong Courtyard.

Lan Ye stood at the door, directing the little maids to trim the flowers and plants. Seeing him return, she smiled and said, "The Emperor has sent a message that Madam Wang Ziteng's birthday is coming up in a few days, and he wants me to go there and deliver the Emperor's gift."

He really treats this place as my permanent residence, Wu Tianyue agreed while complaining in his heart.

Suddenly remembering how slow the Jia servants were to react when the horse was startled yesterday, he instructed Lan Ye, "Go and tell the Jia family that from now on, whether I or Miss Lin travel, we must use the carriages and people sent by the palace."

"Yes." Lan Ye had also heard about yesterday's events and quickly agreed, then reminded him, "And don't forget the banquet at Prince Beijing's mansion tomorrow."

"I don't know why he throws so many banquets every day," Wu Tianyue complained. "On the surface, he pretends to be indifferent to fame and fortune, but in reality, he's either meeting with this official or drinking with that important minister. And the Emperor even insisted that I accompany the Crown Prince."

He was speaking without restraint again. Lan Ye shook her head and advised, "Sir, please say less. If the prince hears you, he will scold you again."

"This isn't in the palace," Wu Tianyue muttered sarcastically. "Besides, my father says I can't say this, but he really wants everyone to know that I dislike Prince Beijing and Wang Ziteng. He wants to use this to prove that although he's on the side of the emperor like them, he won't use his royal status to collude with important officials. My uncle thinks the same way. Otherwise, how could the martial arts master he assigned to me have politically clashed with Wang Ziteng? Isn't he hoping that when I serve the crown prince, he'll be the only one I can rely on?"

Lan Ye pretended not to hear such outrageous words and continued, "Today, a man named Jia Yun came to see me and handed me some homemade Dragon Boat Festival sachets to thank you for your kindness yesterday."

Wu Tianyue only complained a few words. Resisting this would risk his parents being in trouble, the cost was too high, and there would be no benefit even if he won. Hearing Lan Ye change the subject, he fell silent and said with a smile, "This guy is quite good at taking advantage of others. Keep the sachet, and send one to his home for the Dragon Boat Festival gift, just like Fei Yan and the others did."

Lan Ye agreed to go, and Wu Tianyue took a rest. He had a casual lunch in the afternoon and then went to the literature class.

The next day, Wu Tianyue accompanied the prince to Prince Beijing's Mansion early in the morning. The two parties complimented each other for a while before sitting down at the table together.

The people waiting at the table hurried forward to pay their respects and bow, and after another round of hypocritical greetings, they took their seats.

It was then that Wu Tianyue discovered that Baoyu was there too. Although he was young and of lower status, he was very confident and knew when to act when communicating with others. He did not show any of the spoiled behavior he showed in the back house. He was considered a good young man from a noble family. No wonder he was suspected to be the male protagonist. But when he remembered that Daiyu was the female protagonist, he couldn't help feeling jealous.

Baoyu also saw Wu Tianyue. He looked very different from the way he was in private when he was so angry with Daiyu. He also didn't have the lively look when he told his sisters about what he saw and heard on the road. He looked more steady and noble, even more noble than Prince Beijing. He admired him a little, but felt uncomfortable when he thought of Daiyu.

After observing each other carefully, the two of them changed their minds about each other slightly, but they did not communicate much and still socialized with other people with a smile on their faces. Sometimes, they accidentally made eye contact, read the impatience in each other's eyes, and smiled at each other.

Wu Tianyue felt less contempt and rejection towards Baoyu, while Baoyu understood why Lin Daiyu treated him so differently. Thinking of this, he couldn't help feeling a lot more depressed.

After everyone at the table had their meal, the prince, who loved literature, naturally composed some poetry. The banquet ended in the evening.

Baoyu went home, while Wu Tianyue went to the East Palace with the prince. The next day, he accompanied him to several banquets. Afterwards, the emperor kept him in the palace to talk, and he did not leave the palace until he went to deliver rewards to Mrs. Wang Ziteng.

Although the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion, like Wang Ziteng, was on the side of the new emperor, the relationship between the two was average, and the emperor was happy to see it happen. So Wu Tianyue presented the reward, sat for a while, and then took his leave.

After returning to the garden, Daiyu thought that all the sisters in the Jia family were at Wang's house today, and she might be bored alone, so she went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion again.

The hall was quiet. Wu Tianyue walked out of the stone-paved corridor and saw Zijuan and Luchen sewing in the corridor. He smiled and said, "Where are your girls?"

Lu Chen nodded towards the room and said, "I'm taking a nap."

Wu Tianyue lifted the curtain and went inside. Seeing Daiyu lying on the bed reading, he sighed, "If you were to take the imperial examination, I'm afraid you would be able to see flowers even in spring before you even pass."

"You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth." Daiyu sat up straight and threw the book at him. "How did you find time to come to me? Didn't Sister Lan Ye say you were going to give me a gift today?"

"I'm just an errand boy." Wu Tianyue took the book and put it on the table. He picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. "Besides, I feel uncomfortable staying there for too long, and it would annoy others. I might as well come here and talk to you."

Daiyu smiled and said, "You still have time to talk to me. Why not practice your fishing skills?"

"I knew you were going to say that." Wu Tianyue heard this and stepped forward to scratch Daiyu's diaphragm. "You've got something to hold against me and you won't let go."

Daiyu was extremely ticklish, and she fell on the bed laughing so hard, gasping for breath as she said, "I'm trying to persuade you with all my heart, but you wouldn't listen, and yet you're still trying to annoy me like this."

As she spoke, she reached out to block Wu Tianyue's hand. Wu Tianyue, seeing that she still refused to beg for mercy, wanted to continue scratching, but he saw her face flushed, and tears from the corners of her eyes hung on her eyelashes, trembling like dewdrops on bamboo leaves in the morning. Her sleeves also slipped down, revealing her slender white elbow. The ten fingers that grasped Wu Tianyue's wrist were as delicate as fat and had a slight coolness.

Wu Tianyue was awakened by the coldness, and then felt the slender and soft waist in his hands. It was slightly warm under the temperature of his palms, which made him quickly withdraw his hands and stand up.

Daiyu didn't notice their behavior was too intimate. When she saw him stop, lie down to catch his breath, then turn over and get up, pinching Wu Tianyue's face with both hands: "Are you here to talk to me or to bully me?"

Her breath hit Wu Tianyue's face, and he was not used to it. He leaned back and apologized: "I was wrong, I was just teasing you for a while."

Daiyu refused to listen and forced him to promise not to do it again before she gave up. Then she turned around and looked at the clock in the room, pushed him away, lay back on the bed, closed her eyes and said, "The nap time prescribed by the imperial physician will be over in a while. Don't disturb my sweet dream. Go out for a walk by yourself."

Wu Tianyue was reluctant to leave, and after thinking about it, he squeezed onto the bed: "I'll lie down too, I'm so tired these past few days."

Daiyu was pushed aside by him, gave him the pillow, and scolded: "Don't press on my hair."

Just as she was about to get up to get a pillow, she saw Zijuan come in with tea. She stopped and told her, "Go get another pillow."

Zijuan didn't move, but smiled and advised, "Miss, you've been lying down for too long. Why don't you play chess with the prince for a while, so that you don't have a bad sleep at night and get sick again."

Although these words were said out of concern, Daiyu had not slept for long, and now was the time prescribed by the imperial physician for her to take a nap, so the two of them were stunned for a moment after hearing Zijuan's words.

Wu Tianyue recalled how Zijuan always found excuses to stay by his side when he and Daiyu were alone together, perhaps because Grandmother Jia had instructed her to do so. He also recalled how his mother had often warned him not to wander around the garden alone as he was getting older, lest he offend the girls of the Jia family. He had never considered Daiyu a girl from another family, and therefore had never avoided suspicion.

After a moment's pause, he suppressed his disappointment, forced a smile, and stood up, saying to Daiyu, "I've been busy these past two days and haven't paid my respects to my mother yet. I'll go today if I'm free."

Daiyu felt a little embarrassed and annoyed, but since Zijuan had said such words, she couldn't stop her and could only nod silently.

After he left, Daiyu frowned and asked Zijuan, "What happened to you today?"

Zijuan also knew that her behavior just now was rude, but she did not think she was wrong. Wu Tianyue was the prince, and even if there were any gossips, it would not hurt him, but the girl would definitely be affected. She could not gamble that the secret could be hidden in the Jia family.

So he didn't admit his mistake, but only lowered his head to remind him: "Miss, you are already grown up. If you continue to be so disrespectful to the prince, what will happen if others see you?"

If this had been said in the past, Daiyu would have simply said she had a clear conscience, but she had recently been getting along with Wu Tianyue in an ambiguous way, which was very different from before, so this remark hit home with her. Daiyu blushed and paled for a moment, and after a pause, she was unable to refute and could only say, "Get out."

"Miss, please don't blame me. The prince is a man, and no matter what happens, he won't be implicated. If the princess doesn't make the decision for you in the future, what will you do?"

Daiyu knew she was thinking of herself, but she felt a little embarrassed and annoyed, and was afraid that Wu Tianyue would think too much. She couldn't help but think of how she didn't act like this when Baoyu came to visit her. She said angrily, "I don't want to talk about this now."

Zijuan was about to persuade him again when she saw Lu Chen, who had seen Wu Tianyue leave in a depressed mood, come in, so she quickly stopped talking.

Lu Chen guessed that something must have happened, but since the three people involved were keeping their mouths shut, he didn't ask. He smiled and said to Daiyu, "It's still early, young lady, have a good rest."

Then he went to pull Zijuan: "I have forgotten the needlework you just taught me. Tell me how to do it again."

Seeing that Daiyu was still angry, Zijuan sighed and came out with Luchen.

Daiyu was no longer sleepy and sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. She felt indignant that she was no worse off than Wu Tianyue, and yet she was embarrassed that she was actually considering being with him.

After calming down, he felt that what Zijuan said was right. People's words are scary, and there is also the Queen in the middle. She treats him as her daughter. If he really has something going on with Wu Tianyue, wouldn't it be a waste of her love for him?

But if I stay away from Wu Tianyue from now on, I will have to watch him marry someone else in the future... Thinking of this, my heart ached and tears fell.

Although Wu Tianyue didn't know about Daiyu's entanglement and sorrow, he was also lost after coming out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Reason told him that Zijuan was right and she was just doing this to protect Daiyu. However, emotionally, he couldn't accept the fact that he would be alienated from Daiyu in the future. He returned to his room sighing and feeling depressed.

Lan Ye and the others saw this and thought he had just had another quarrel with Daiyu. They often quarreled but would make up after a while, so they ignored him and left him sighing alone for the whole day.

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The author has something to say: Thanks to the little angels "45572230" and "Yaya" for the nutrient solution~