Wen Stingy

Yuanli picked up the peach blossom cake and sat next to Prince Su Qingji. Looking at the dejected little boy, Yuanli subconsciously reached out and rubbed his head, completely unaware that someone sitting in the hall was staring at that white and tender hand.

Although he is the crown prince, Su Qingji is five years younger than her and is only eighteen years old now. He has been an orphan since childhood and grew up alone in the East Palace.

"Xiao Ji, don't worry. Tell me which girl you like and I'll make the decision for you."

"The daughter of the Protector General, Yun Zhaowan."

Yuanli had heard the name Yun Zhaowan too many times. Although she was a legitimate daughter and came from the General Protector's Mansion, no one in the Kyoto family was willing to marry her.

The daughter of a military commander, Yun Zhaowan, was a brave warrior. She was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and her poetry was excellent. However, due to her female status, she was disliked by many scholars. Also, due to her high martial arts skills, she was disliked by the young masters of Kyoto.

Seeing that her elder sister was silent, Su Qingji quickly said, "Sister, Zhao Wan is not as the outside world has said. I had a brief chat with her at the celebration banquet. She is different from the delicate ladies in Kyoto. I am very satisfied with her."

"Look at you. It's not like I don't like Miss Yun, but you're protecting her now? I'm just thinking of a way to invite her over to ask her. If I want to marry her, I should first ask for her opinion, right?"

Su Qingji smiled shyly, lowered his head and nodded, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I made some peach blossom cookies for Ah Ci today, and there are some left. Want to try some? If you like them, take some back."

"The peach blossom cookies made by my sister are so delicious. Thank you so much, sister."

Su Qingji was eating the peach blossom cake with satisfaction. Before he could finish half of it, he felt the burning gaze from King Wen. He swallowed the remaining half in one gulp with reluctance, choking a little.

Seeing that he liked it, Yuanli found a beautiful food box and packed up the remaining cakes.

After dinner, Yuanli saw him off. Before parting, looking at his frail figure, Yuanli stopped him and said, "Born into the royal family, you had no choice. Growing up alone in the Eastern Palace, you've suffered a lot. In the future, if you need anything, you must come to find me like you did today."

Moisture welled up in the prince's eyes. If it weren't for his brother-in-law staring at him fiercely from behind the door, he really wanted to hug this sister who was a head shorter than him.

Su Qingji deliberately lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "The husband that Sister chose this time is not bad."

After he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of Prince Wen's overflowing thirst for knowledge. Having achieved his goal, Su Qingji got on the carriage and returned to the East Palace.

After seeing the prince off, Yuanli turned around to look for her husband, but Wen Yici looked at her and then turned and left.

Yuanli couldn't help laughing, and hurriedly chased after him and hugged his arm tightly. Wen Yici snorted arrogantly.

Heqi, standing far away, looked on with a lost expression. Tianshu, who was sweeping the peach blossoms with a broom, said, "Are you envious? Lord Demon, Ari is really good to his brother, isn't she?"

"Xuan Du, the cobwebs in the warehouse are too thick. Clean them up before dinner."

·

The moon was as bright as day, and the ground was covered with silver light. The branches and leaves of the flowers and trees in the courtyard were distinct under the moonlight, and the dark shadows covered the ground. A gentle breeze blew by, and peach blossoms fell, falling into the arms of Wen Yici who was sitting alone by the carved window.

After finishing preparing snacks for tomorrow, Yuanli ran into the yard, feeling slightly cold. From a distance, she saw the bright candlelight in the room and Wen Yici staring thoughtfully at the last piece of peach blossom cake.

"My dear husband, you are staring at the peach blossom cake, but are you thinking of me? I made some new fruit for you, can you try it tomorrow?"

Seeing that he ignored her, Yuanli had no choice but to snuggle into his arms, put her arms around his neck and sit cross-legged on his legs, "Husband~ You smell so good~" After saying that, her restless legs were still shaking.

"What did he say to you?"

Yuanli chuckled against his neck, her warm breath tickling his skin. Yuanli sat up close and whispered in his ear, "It's a whisper between a sister and a brother. If you want to hear it, you have to take some action."

Wen Yici remained unmoved. Yuanli raised her head helplessly and glanced at his stern face. Knowing that she had failed, Yuanli wanted to get off his legs. As she stepped back, Wen Yici's big hand wrapped around her waist.

"No, don't go."

"Husband, are you still going to listen?"

Wen Yici pursed his lips, held her tightly in his arms, and lowered his head to kiss her.

After releasing it, Wen Yici asked, "Is that enough?"

Yuanli nodded blankly, and Wen Yici's hand moved more and more around her waist. When he found her waistline, Wen Yici pinched it lightly.

"Is the newly harvested fruit just mine, or does it belong to everyone else?"

"It is my husband's only one."

Hearing this, Wen Yici smiled with satisfaction, picked up the soft person in his arms, blew out the candle on the small table, and walked towards the bed. Yuanli said, "Sister, the husband you chose this time is not bad."

"Of course it's good."

The next morning, there was a light rain, which dripped against the window sill. The carved window was half open, and a slight cool breeze seeped in.

As soon as Yuanli got up, she was busy washing and dressing up to prepare fruits. Yesterday, she asked Ziyun to go to the general's mansion early in the morning to deliver the superstition.

She secretly pointed out her purpose in the letter, saying that if Yun Zhaowan also had feelings for the prince, she would definitely come to the mansion today.

While waiting, Yuanli took out the glutinous rice that had been soaked overnight and made peanut cheese for Wen Yici. The white and tender peanut cheese melted in the mouth, and the milky white surface was sprinkled with some peanut crumbs and peach blossoms for decoration.

Since Yun Zhaowan was late, A'li personally brought the peanut cheese to the study. The stone pavement was a little slippery after the rain, so A'li walked carefully with the bowl in her hand.

From the small kitchen to the study where Wen Yici was, one had to take a detour along a small path. The path was paved with cobblestones and was bumpy. It was spring and everything was reviving, so grass and moss were growing easily. Yuanli slipped and fell backwards suddenly when she relaxed a little. A nimble figure saved her and the bowl of peanut cheese steadily.

"It's slippery in the rain, be careful, Princess."

Yuanli looked up and saw the woman, a manly-looking woman with a high nose bridge. She was wearing fashionable Kyoto-style clothing, which, judging by the quality of the fabric, must have been newly made. Although she was dressed in the coquettish attire of a noble family, it still couldn't hide her heroic aura.

Yuanli was very fond of this heroic woman. She asked Ziyun to take Yunzhao to the main hall first, and she served the peanut cheese to Wen Yici first. It was just one bowl, luckily she didn't spill it.

When Yuanli rushed to the main hall, Yun Zhaowan was sitting stiffly and straight.

"Miss Yun, there's no need to be restrained. Prince Wen's Mansion doesn't follow so many rigid rules. You understand the meaning of the letter."

Yun Zhaowan nodded shyly and said, "Well, but none of the noble families in Kyoto are willing to marry a woman like me. Princess, aren't you afraid that I will become a tigress and bully the crown prince in the future, as the rumors say?"

"Don't worry. Now that you're here, I'll ask you once more, are you willing to be the Crown Princess? If you are, I'll immediately ask my father to grant the marriage. If you're not willing, that's fine too. I haven't told anyone else, not even your father, and I won't let you get into trouble in the future. Think it over carefully before answering. A woman's marriage is a very important one. Don't let my status worry you. Just treat me as an ordinary sister seeking marriage for your brother."

"Of course I'm willing, but I grew up in the frontier army and am used to being rough. I also don't have a good reputation in Kyoto. What if His Royal Highness doesn't like a woman like me?"

Yuanli sat beside her and recounted all the words and actions of the prince when he described her that day. Yun Zhaowan's expression gradually became delighted. She was a little unaccustomed to the complicated hairpins and skirt she was wearing. It must be that she dressed up specially to leave a good impression on her.

Yun Zhaowan agreed to the marriage, and Yuanli immediately called Ziyun to go to the East Palace to deliver the letter, and asked Yun Zhaowan to stay at home for lunch before leaving.

During their conversation, Yuanli grew fond of Yun Zhaowan's experiences and personality. She wasn't like a canary in Kyoto, but more like an eagle in the desert. Yun Zhaowan even generously promised her that when she chose a shop, he would personally write a plaque for her.

After seeing Yun Zhaowan off, Yuanli immediately took Wen Yici to the palace to meet the emperor. She and the prince were the queen's only bloodline, and her father cherished them very much, so she thought there should be no problem.

When her father, who had been bedridden for a long time, saw her, his face became much rosier. He kept chatting with her about his recent situation until he mentioned the candidate for the Crown Princess. His father asked her to recommend one, and she took the opportunity to mention the name of Yun Zhaowan.

"I have seen Yundai's daughter. If she were a man, she would have made great achievements. However, I thought you would do the same as others and recommend the daughter of the Grand Tutor or the daughter of the Liu family."

"The daughter of the Grand Tutor is indeed a good choice. She is well-mannered and well-mannered. Moreover, due to her father's relationship, a marriage between them would be a great success. However, I feel that Yun Zhaowan is more suitable. She is well-mannered and well-mannered. She is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and can better assist the Crown Prince. His mother died young, leaving Xiaoji without a mother to protect him. As his sister, I naturally want to consider him more. The Protector General is an important official in the court, and will be Xiaoji's foundation in the future. Both publicly and privately, Yun Zhaowan is the best choice."

The king listened to her talk very clearly. Although it involved state affairs, he did not blame her. Instead, he listened to her carefully. Then Yuanli knew that the matter was settled.

Seeing that her father was still hesitant, Yuanli added, "Both the Lin and Liu families are ministers. No matter who your father chooses, the one who is not chosen will inevitably feel disappointed with your father. Now everyone in Kyoto is wondering who will be the winner, and countless eyes are watching you. Why not choose a family with many military achievements?"

"Three generations of Yundai's ancestors sacrificed their lives for the country, and I only rewarded them with material possessions. I really treated them unfairly. Now that He'er can help me and the Crown Prince share their worries, I can finally rest assured."

Yuanli watched her father write the imperial edict with her own eyes before she left with peace of mind. The sun was shining brightly at this moment, and the water marks on the stone had evaporated a lot. The flowers that had just been bathed in rain were very delicate, which made people feel very happy.

The carriage drove through the bustling streets. Yuanli lifted the curtain slightly and looked at the shops on the streets of Kyoto. A black-maned horse galloped past and headed straight for the palace.

Wen Yici followed the direction she was looking and immediately recognized the man on horseback who shouldn't be in Kyoto.

"There are spies everywhere in the palace."