Chapter 43 The Scholar

"No way, you're just trying to take advantage of me. I'm not sleeping with you!"

He dared to pounce on her and kiss her like that in broad daylight; if he came up at night, wouldn't things turn upside down?

Although Huiyi only glanced at the booklet her aunt gave her on her wedding day, she had a general idea of ​​what consummating the marriage would look like.

That's too dangerous.

Moreover, she felt that was highly unlikely. After all, she had measured it during her usual baths, and it seemed that even a finger couldn't fit inside, let alone a baby...

Huiyi looked both surprised and frightened, and refused without thinking.

The one in the booklet is already quite big; Lin Er is tall and strong, so he must be even more exaggerated. Just thinking about it makes one shudder.

Huiyi's wariness made Lin Lanting think to himself, "Just as I expected," but he was not discouraged. He remained calm and composed, saying, "What are you thinking? Do you think I'm that kind of person?"

"I'll just let you sleep, I won't touch you. We'll talk about other things after you agree in a month."

"The reason I said 'try' is to let the princess know about my bedding, such as whether I snore, steal the blanket, or kick people when I sleep."

"Since we're going to conduct an inspection, how can we not look at these things?"

After a few words, Huiyi felt that there was some truth to it.

Husbands and wives should share the same bed in life and the same grave in death.

As it happened, she had heard that soldiers were rude and few of them slept politely. If she heard Lin Erda screech at night, she would tell him to get lost.

Not to mention the future.

There was also the incident of someone stealing a blanket.

She didn't know whether Lin Er would steal it or not, but she did steal it.

Thinking of this, Huiyi couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile.

"Alright."

Huiyi's attitude softened considerably. She rolled herself inside the blanket, gesturing for him to come up.

"Each person covers themselves with their own blanket."

However, Huiyi still didn't want to sleep in the same bed with Lin Er.

But this guy seemed deaf, not hearing a thing, and just rolled up there.

Her bed was no longer spacious.

Huiyi's face was long and her expression was gloomy. For a moment, she had an impulse to back out of everything.

The situation was completely different for Lin Lanting.

It was as if he were in a warm sea of ​​flowers, the familiar, restless fragrance filling his nose and body, almost drowning him.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Lin Lanting finally came to her senses, turned to look at the person beside her, her eyes and heart filled with sweetness.

Even though Huiyi had her back to him, Lin Lanting thought it was fine.

"Give me some of your blankets."

Although he spoke politely, his actions were anything but. He went straight to the edge of the quilt that Huiyi had tucked in tightly, roughly pulled it out, and crawled inside.

"What are you doing? Didn't I tell you to bring yourself a blanket? Why are you crawling in like this!"

There is a significant difference in physical strength between men and women, and Lin Lanting was a rough and burly soldier. After a few tugs, Huiyi unsurprisingly fell into a disadvantageous position, and Lin Lanting took advantage of the situation, squeezing onto her like a monkey.

"Get out!"

"The princess smells so good in bed!"

The two spoke at the same time, but their opinions were worlds apart.

Seeing Lin Er sniffing her bed a few times like a lecherous man before uttering such shameless words, Huiyi was both angry and ashamed, and was about to kick him out.

Unfortunately, it was trapped by Lin Er, who had even longer legs.

"Why does the princess have to be so angry so late at night? Be careful not to hurt yourself."

"It's cold, I can't warm up by myself, let's share a blanket."

Not content with just talking, he snuggled closer to Huiyi, his warm body instantly warming the bed.

The distance was so close that they could feel each other's breath.

Huiyi's face was burning, but not wanting Lin Er to notice, she put on a tough front and scolded, "Stop pretending! With your ox-like body, you think you're afraid of the cold? Let go of me, or I'll break your legs!"

In Lin Lanting's eyes, the loud and boisterous creature was no different from an angry cat, making one want to provoke it further.

However, this matter needs to be handled gradually; we cannot push people too hard.

Releasing Huiyi, Lin Lanting frankly admitted to the sulking Huiyi, "Fine, I admit it, I just want to share a bed with you, so just agree~"

Lin Lanting was very polite when asking for help. He was humble and his tone was soft. In particular, he dragged out the last sentence, which sounded like he was being coquettish.

Huiyi's ears tingled at the sound, and she was stunned for a moment.

It has to be said that Lin Er used the right tactic this time. She always responds better to gentleness than force. The more forceful the approach, the more she dislikes it. However, if the other party adopts a soft and pleading attitude, Huiyi's temper will soften a lot.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes!"

This subtle change was also noticed by Lin Lanting, who had sharp eyesight, and he seized the opportunity to try and make his move.

Huiyi glanced at him with a strange expression. The light inside the brocade tent was dim, and Huiyi could only see a pair of bright eyes.

"what ever."

"But you're not allowed to bother me."

Huiyi felt a soft ache in her heart and mumbled incoherently.

Since he insists on this, let him experience what it feels like to have his blanket stolen from him in the middle of the night.

She loved to steal blankets since she was little. Her older sister slept with her, and at first they shared one blanket. But after she stole it so often, her mother made them each have their own.

So many years have passed, and Huiyi doesn't know if this habit of hers has changed.

Huiyi stood facing the wall, lost in thought.

Lin Er didn't cause any trouble; he lay obediently behind him without making any sudden movements.

Nevertheless, the presence of a young man was still too strong, so strong that even though Lin Er didn't touch her, Huiyi could feel the hot body behind her.

It felt as if I were nestled in the other person's arms.

This made Huiyi feel a little awkward, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet.

But the warm atmosphere made Huiyi feel sleepy faster than usual.

Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed, Huiyi fell asleep and lost consciousness.

Behind Huiyi, Lin Lanting felt the shallow breathing gradually become steady, confirming that the person had fallen asleep.

He then broke with his previous rules and moved closer, carefully embracing the woman in front of him who was becoming increasingly limp from sleeping, pressing them together.

With the warm, soft flesh in his arms, Lin Lanting finally satisfied his craving and let out a sigh.

He would have continued to smell from the top of her head to the back of her neck, and if he hadn't been reluctant to let go, he would have continued to feel her scent further down.

Is this the lady?

Every part of her body was soft and fragrant, making one want to crush her and melt her into one's own bones and blood.

The thought of what else he could do in the future made Lin Lanting's blood boil, and a certain part of him stirred with excitement, becoming active along with his thoughts.

But clearly, this was not the time for it to be active, so Lin Lanting could only grit his teeth and bear it, comforting himself to wait for another day.

After embracing for a while, Lin Lanting also felt sleepy, and gently wrapped his arms around the slender waist of the person in his arms and quickly fell asleep.

In a half-dreaming, half-awake state, Lin Lanting felt something being ripped from her body.

He opened his eyes and found that all the blankets covering him had been pulled away.

After a few silent laughs, Lin Lanting decided to discard everything else and simply hold the rolled-up emblem tightly in her arms.

The two were quite different in size, and Lin Lanting was able to hug them tightly.

...

Huiyi sometimes wondered if she should never have made that promise in the first place.

She shouldn't have given Lin Er any illusions; otherwise, she wouldn't have to face that clingy Lin Er every day.

Huiyi ate seven grilled fish in five days, and she was starting to get tired of them.

Not to mention the strange, overt concern and sweet talk they exchange every day.

He had to report to her before leaving for work, and when he returned, he would bring back food or jewelry.

How many stomachs and how many heads does she have?

However, Lin Er was sensible and noticed her weariness with the grilled fish, so he immediately started grilling other things.

Flying creatures, running creatures, and swimming creatures come in different forms every day, without repeating any.

One day, he even made her a soup, and with a shy expression on his face, he let her taste it.

Although that expression made Huiyi feel a little strange, she had to admit that the taste was quite good.

"You do have some cooking skills."

Having enjoyed the meal, Huiyi naturally had a pleasant expression on her face, and she greeted him with a smile.

Lin Lanting knew that it was his skill that had satisfied Huiyi, and his ego swelled up. He said smugly, "Of course! Don't you know who I, Lin Lanting, am!"

Huiyi ignored him, only lingering over the taste of the soup, and said, "I'll make this again tomorrow."

Lin Lanting didn't respond, but just smiled and said, "Making soup is fine, but the princess must also give me something in return."

Huiyi frowned and asked, "What do you want?"

She wouldn't tolerate anything too excessive.

As soon as he finished speaking, the sachet tied around his waist was snatched away and stuffed into Lin Er's bosom.

"This one is fine."

Huiyi's thoughts raced, but in the end she didn't hold it against him.

It's just a sachet; she has plenty of those. It's worth exchanging it for a bowl of delicious soup.

...

As September arrives and late autumn begins, the wind outside grows increasingly chilly and biting.

With the arrival of late autumn, my third brother also returned from Jiangnan.

Family reunion is a joyous occasion, but what's even more important is that the third brother brought home a young woman.

He said it was someone he loved and that they were going to get married.

Huiyi couldn't help but marvel at her third brother's speed and boldness.

Upon receiving this news, Huiyi could not sit still and immediately rode in her chariot to the palace.

She left so suddenly that Lin Lanting only found out at noon and immediately took leave to chase after her.

That heartless person, how could they not take him along!

After grumbling and cursing all the way, Lin Lanting rode his horse to the palace gate.

When Huiyi arrived at her parents' Zichen Palace, she was able to see the young lady that her third brother had brought back.

At the tender age of sixteen, she possessed a beautiful face and a delicate, sweet voice that could make anyone's ears feel soothed.

Her name is Yan Zhenzhen. She comes from a family of merchants for three generations and is the only daughter in the family.

From a conventional perspective, it would be almost impossible for a woman from a merchant family to become a wife of the emperor, but their family was different.

Having already endured hardship, and being a free spirit, the third brother, after repeatedly confirming that he was serious about that Miss Yan and that it wasn't just a passing fancy, had his parents arrange a marriage between the two of them.

The moment this marriage decree was issued, not to mention the commotion in Ningzhou, Jiangnan, Chang'an was in an uproar.

Those who wanted to marry their daughters into the imperial family couldn't help but sigh and lament.

But these are not things a family should care about.

Because the sixth day of next month is the wedding day of the Crown Prince and his wife, after some discussion, the parents originally wanted to set the wedding date of the third brother for the beginning of next spring.

However, the third brother was too impatient and said he really couldn't wait until next year. He argued for his marriage and, under the shy gaze of Miss Yan, he forced the wedding date to be moved forward to before the new year.

The sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

After saying a few disdainful words to her third brother, Huiyi pulled her future sister-in-law aside to talk.

The future third sister-in-law was a gentle and shy person. When Huiyi asked her how she met the third brother, Lady Yan's face remained rosy.

After some probing, Huiyi listened to her third brother's amusing tale and became quite satisfied.

As expected, the third brother fell in love with Miss Yan at first sight while boating, but couldn't get a chance to get close to her. So he rowed the boat over and deliberately fell into the water, where Miss Yan rescued him.

Under the persistent shamelessness of the third brother, he not only got entangled with Miss Renyan, but also cunningly ruined the marriage that Miss Renyan was discussing.

Yan Xiaoniangzi was too embarrassed to elaborate on the subsequent methods she used to win over her beloved, and Huiyi was too lazy to listen, only laughing incessantly.

It was at this moment that Lin Lanting caught up with her, greeted her parents, and then came to find her with a warm smile.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going back to your parents' home? I could have accompanied you."

I don't know if he's gotten too bold, but he just started talking and even took my hand.

As if afraid she would run away, it held her very tightly, and Huiyi could not break free.

As a result, the gazes of the whole family drifted over, which Huiyi found somewhat overwhelming.

Especially when her future third sister-in-law blinked and looked over, Huiyi's face started to flush.

"This is my husband, please excuse my poor appearance, Third Sister-in-law."

Upon hearing this, the shy young lady blushed instantly.

The Crown Prince also brought Madam Yao over, and the family had a lively lunch together in the Zichen Palace.

Emperor Yongxi and Empress Du sat at the head of the table, secretly observing their children and younger relatives while whispering and discussing among themselves.

Although the eldest son was cold and restrained, the Yao family girl was lively and enthusiastic, so the two of them never had an awkward silence.

Needless to say, the third brother and the girl from the Yan family were even more intimate. The third brother was all smiles and fawning, his words practically whispering in the girl's ear. I don't know what he said that was so offensive, but the girl was so embarrassed from beginning to end. They were all lovey-dovey, like a newlywed couple.

The next couple is his rhinoceros servant and his son-in-law.

This couple was the most unexpected by the couple.

I vaguely remember that the last time I came here, the two of us were not on good terms, especially Xi Nu, who would belittle himself as the prince consort every few words.

But this time the atmosphere seemed much more harmonious. Lin Erlang was clearly trying to curry favor, and the two of them could even exchange a few jokes from time to time.

Not to mention the overflowing bowls of food in his rhinoceros slave's bowl.

A quick glance revealed that these were mostly the foods that the rhinoceros usually liked to eat.

The couple nodded in satisfaction.

But the smile faded when he saw his eldest daughter, who was all alone.

"We should start making plans for Yue Nu."

Emperor Yongxi held his wife's hand and sighed softly. Empress Du returned the gesture, saying, "That's right. Since Yue Nu doesn't care, we, as parents, should put in more effort."

"If I had known this would happen, I should have been more forceful back then and not let Yue Nu marry into the Xie family. She wasted five years of her youth for nothing."

"This time we must choose the right person for Yue Nu carefully, we can't be careless."

Emperor Yongxi nodded solemnly and said, "That's natural. The new consort must be kind and gentle. His family background doesn't have to be high, but he must be talented and good-looking. We can't mistreat our Yuenu."

Empress Du nodded in satisfaction, and the couple continued their discussion.

"To be honest, I recently looked at the tribute students sent from various prefectures, and there were a few good young men among them. One of them was a young man surnamed He, the son of the governor of Cangzhou. He was also the top scholar in this year's Cangzhou provincial examination. He is known for his gentle and refined manners. I just don't know what he looks like. I need to find an opportunity to have someone take a look at him and preferably get a portrait."

There are already many aristocratic families in Chang'an, so Emperor Yongxi doesn't need any more aristocratic families for marriage. He has inquired and found that Governor He of Cangzhou has a very good reputation and achievements. If his son is really suitable, then it would be best if the father and son came to serve together.

Empress Du was surprised and didn't know whether to laugh or cry, as her husband had acted so quickly.

"Then let's do it that way."

...

The couple acted swiftly, and within three days, they had thoroughly investigated He Langjun's portrait and background, presenting it to the Emperor and Empress.

After carefully examining the man's character and virtues, the couple smiled with satisfaction and, without saying a word, summoned their eldest daughter.

After divorcing Xie Yun, Li Huaiyu returned to the palace to live with his daughter, leading a quiet and leisurely life.

Upon hearing his parents' summons, Li Huaiyu immediately changed his clothes and went over.

Upon entering the hall, Li Huaiyu was met with the loving and expectant gazes of his parents, and a sense of unease crept into his heart.

After a long while, Li Huaiyu stepped out of the threshold of the Zichen Palace, her jade-white skirt swaying like a lotus.

His parents' words echoed in his mind again, and Li Huaiyu's face was filled with worry. This continued until he returned to his own bedroom, and he still had no clue what to do.

Tired of thinking, Li Huaiyu remembered his younger sister, Xinu. He thought that since his sister was always quick-witted and full of ideas, it would be good to talk to her.

The following day, Li Huaiyu brought her daughter Minghui to the Lin family, hoping her sister could give her some advice.

What should she do about that scholar surnamed He?

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Author's Note: Updated! Updated! [heart emoji]

The second rival is about to appear.

I can't resist anymore, I need to get this young couple to do it! [Let me see!]