Chapter 55: The First Time I Don’t Want to Take a Rest

Shi Jianli sat on the bed for a while.

Xianyue saw a figure sitting up in the bed curtains and came over to lift and hang up the curtains. "Miss, would you like to have dinner?"

"Yeah." Shi Jianli suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her mind, put on her coat and went to the main room.

After dinner, the new moon rose in the east and the faint starlight became brighter, so she sat in the yard to watch the stars.

"Grabbing the stars."

"What's wrong, girl?" Lanxing, who was eating peaches and chatting with Xianyue, heard her calling him and immediately moved to Shi Jianli's side.

"There's a copy of the business adjustment plan for each shop in the second half of the year on the desk. Go out tomorrow and give it to the shopkeepers. And check last month's accounts while you're at it."

"Okay girl."

Xianyue also came over and sat on the other side of Shi Jianli. "Miss, would you like to eat Sushan or Bingsuyu tomorrow?"

"Smooth mountain."

"I'll make it for you tomorrow. There should be some ice at home."

"good."

Lanxing left home early in the morning, and it was Xianyue who followed Shi Jianli to the private school.

Shi Jianli slowed down her pace and walked slowly. She thought Mingzhao should have left by now, but she didn't expect that he was still waiting there.

She seemed to be excited, but also seemed to be nervous. She quickened her pace, walked to his side, looked up at him, and said, "Cousin."

"I thought you were not feeling well again today." Mingzhao was relieved to see that she looked good.

"I'm late." Shi Jianli pursed her lips slightly, "Did you wait for me here on purpose?"

He nodded and smiled, "If you don't go out after school, I can only see you once a day, so I naturally don't want to miss it."

Sometimes the pear's eyes trembled slightly.

She used to be able to respond to other people's words smoothly and freely, but now she couldn't organize her words for a long time.

Xianyue couldn't help but look up and glance at Mingzhaohuan. The prince spoke even bolder than yesterday.

Seeing her looking at him in a daze, Mingzhao handed her the black wooden box in his hand and said, "I waited for you today because I wanted to give you a small self-defense gadget in case of emergency."

Shi Jianli looked at him, reached out to take it, and said, "Thank you."

"I'm going to court." Seeing that she had accepted it, Mingzhao turned around, and Tianfeng and Tianyu followed him.

It's almost late for court.

Shi Jianli opened the box with his head down, and inside was a sleeve arrow made of fine iron.

She picked up the instrument with her fingers, studied it for a while, then closed the box and went to the private school to learn the art of playing the qin.

When entering the school, Shi Jianli handed the box to Xianyue, and Mingyue happened to come over at this time.

"Sister Li, what did you take?"

"Hidden weapon." Shi Jianli replied concisely. He took her wrist and led her inside, changing the subject: "Today we're learning 'Drinking Spring Song'. Last time I was distracted and couldn't figure out a part. Can you teach me?"

"OK."

Mingzhao had just returned from the camp outside the capital and went into Langganyuan to change his clothes. He specially chose a long robe with a gold-colored cross-collar and put on the cuffs that Shi Jianli had given him.

Just as I finished tidying my clothes, I heard Tianfeng say, "Sir, the second lady is here."

Mingzhao nodded and strode out of the dormitory.

Why did Second Aunt come to see him?

"Aunt, why did you suddenly come to my nephew's house? Do you have something to tell me?" Mingzhao also saw Qiao Ruoying and greeted her with a smile.

"It's nothing serious." Qiao Ruoying waved her hand. "I came here today to thank you."

"Thank me?"

Qiao Ruoying beckoned Dong Shuang to bring the clothes over, and said gratefully, "You helped Li'er with the Xie family matter, and I don't have much to offer. Your third brother often praised me for the beautiful clothes I made for him, so I thought of making you some clothes too. I hope you don't mind."

"Cousin Li is one of our family members. As a capable elder brother, I naturally cannot let my family members be bullied. Aunt, you are so polite. You have worked so hard to make clothes for me." Mingzhao also took the tray and said, "The clothes made by Aunt are very beautiful. How could a nephew dislike them?"

"You just came back from outside, so I won't disturb your rest." Qiao Ruoying's smile deepened. She glanced at the cuff on his hand, looked at the pattern for a while, and then asked, "This cuff looks very beautiful. Where did you buy it?"

Mingzhao met her inquiring gaze, thought for a moment, and decided to be honest: "It was given to me by my cousin Li. She said that I helped her investigate the Xie family, and she felt bad about it, so she gave me this cuff as a thank you gift."

"So that's the case. Li'er should thank you in person. I was wondering why this needlework seemed familiar to me. You should take a good rest." Qiao Ruoying nodded and left Langgan Courtyard with her maid.

Every woman has different embroidery habits, and Qiao Ruoying naturally noticed that the pattern on the cuff sometimes had the shadow of a pear.

"I'll take you there." Mingzhao also escorted the person out of the yard.

When he came back, Mingzhao was still stroking the tiger pattern on his cuff, thinking about Qiao Ruoying's attitude.

In the next two days, Shi Jianli met Ming Zhaohuan in front of the private school in the morning. After a simple greeting, they parted ways. She was a little afraid that he would say something blunt again.

Early in the morning on the first day of the monthly holiday, Mingzhao had breakfast and then walked out of the yard as usual.

Tian Yu hurriedly followed, "Sir, who did you meet today?"

Mingzhao paused and turned back, "I didn't have an appointment with anyone. I'm so used to going to court that I forgot today is the first day of the month."

This was the first time he didn't want to take a day off. If they hadn't met by chance, he would have been in the East Palace and she would have been in the West Palace, and he wouldn't have been able to see her.

Knowing what he was used to, Tianyu smiled silently.

Lying back in the rocking chair, Mingzhao said to Tianfeng, "Go get the Six Strategies."

"yes."

Then, he looked at Tianyu again and said, "Go ask the second girl what she is going to do today."

"Okay." Tianyu left Langgan Courtyard.

Not long after, Tian Yu returned and replied, "Today, the second young lady went to the palace to look for Princess Kangning."

"knew."

Tian Yu, a shrewd man, pointed it out: "Sir, you want to ask if Miss Li will go out to play with the second lady today?"

Mingzhao glanced at him and turned a page of the book. "You are the only one who knows the most."

…

Early in the morning, Qiao Ruoying asked the maid to come and call Shi Jianli.

As they reached the gate of the mansion, Qiao Ruoying said, "Lin'er has entered the palace today. I'm worried that Miss Zheng will feel awkward, so I'm asking you to come and keep her company. You can walk around with them for a while, and then find a chance to leave when the time is right."

"Okay." Last time, Shi Jianli was asked by her aunt to bring Miss Zheng to her cousin. This time, she felt like she was a matchmaker again.

When they arrived at the gate of the East Palace, they met Ming Zhouqing.

Shi Jianli greeted him: "Second cousin."

"Second Aunt." Ming Zhouqing first greeted Qiao Ruoying, then looked at Shi Jianli, "Cousin Li, are you going today too?"

Shi Jianli nodded and said in full play, "Well, I thought I was the only one accompanying the two elders today, but I didn't expect my second cousin to go too."

"I wanted to rest at home today, but then I realized I hadn't been out with my mother for a long time. My mother asked someone to call me, so I answered."

"Zhou Qing has always been filial to your mother." Qiao Ruoying continued.

Ming Zhouqing smiled and replied, "That's no match for my eldest brother. Mother always said that he was very obedient. When he was little, he could sit with her all day without getting bored."

"He was really well-behaved when he was little. He would smile and call out to people whenever he saw them, and he would listen to whatever your mother said." Qing'er and He'er were extremely naughty and would always get into trouble together.

While they were talking, Yuan Yuhe arrived. "What are you talking about? You look so happy."

"Speaking of Zhao, he was still a child, so well-behaved." Qiao Ruoying got into the carriage with her, "It's getting late, let's set off now."

"good."

Shi Jianli and Ming Zhouqing also got on the same carriage.

They left the city while talking, and arrived at Tongguang Temple two quarters after noon. From a distance they saw a carriage parked beside the stone steps.

After getting off the carriage, Yuan Yuhe and Qiao Ruoying looked at each other.