Prince

The next day, Mu Qing abandoned his morning and evening greetings and spent almost all his time at Ningxiang Residence to avoid encountering Zhong Linlan in the mansion. However, this was not a long-term solution. A day later, Prince Xiao Yu arrived at the Lu residence.

In the flower hall, several white plum blossoms were placed in a jade vase, their shadows overlapping and their fragrance wafting in the air. Between a few nanmu armchairs, there was a bronze stove with honeysuckle patterns. The charcoal in the stove was burning red-hot, but there was not a trace of smoke. Only when you walked a short distance away did you realize how warm it was.

Xiao Yu sat lazily in a round-backed chair, his face pale, his lips light, his demeanor leisurely and handsome. His black hair was half-tied up, and his snow-white fox fur coat was only half-draped over his shoulders, revealing a dark blue and silver-threaded jacket on his left shoulder. He was as relaxed as if he were in a prince's mansion.

Seeing Mu Qing enter the hall, he smiled slightly, "The Third Madam said you were in a bad mood and stayed in your room all day. But you seem to be in a good mood. Come here quickly."

He beckoned with his finger, as if teasing a cat or dog.

Mu Qing was secretly annoyed, but as she moved over, she couldn't help but feel a little expectant. "Your Highness, what fun thing did you get this time?"

Xiao Yu was in poor health and had been bedridden for many years. In recent years, however, he had become as healthy as a normal person and had taken up amusements. Whenever he came to see Mu Qing, he would bring some novel and interesting things.

Last time, he acquired a rare musical instrument and played a piece with great enthusiasm, asking Mu Qing for her opinion. Mu Qing, fearing that he would play another piece in his excitement, honestly said that it sounded like a few ducks and geese arguing, which made him so angry that he scratched the table.

This time, he crossed his arms and looked at Mu Qing, saying, "Guess."

Mu Qing blinked. "It should be something I would like."

Xiao Yu clicked his tongue, "They've even learned to take shortcuts."

Mu Qing smiled and said, "Then you guessed right."

Seeing her eyes crinkle with joy, Xiao Yu smiled too. "I hope so." As he spoke, he took out a small wooden box from his pocket. "Open it and take a look."

The small wooden box, no bigger than the palm of your hand, is unpainted and undecorated, with a simple and common design.

When Mu Qing took it in her hands and opened the box, she found the edges to be smooth and felt somewhat familiar.

Inside the box were several grass crickets, withered and shriveled.

Mu Qing glanced at it briefly, her face turning pale. "This...this is..." something she had on Tianci Mountain.

“You made this, didn’t you?” Xiao Yu glanced at the grass cricket. “It’s obviously poorly made, but it’s somehow funny and cute. I knew it was yours as soon as I saw it.”

Mu Qing was stunned for a moment, then managed to find her voice: "Did Your Highness personally go to Tianci Mountain?"

Tianci Mountain is high and steep, shrouded in deep fog and heavy mud. Not to mention, at this time of year, the ice and snow have not yet melted, making it almost impossible to find the path up the mountain. The young prince is obsessed with cleanliness and is afraid of the cold. What kind of situation would he face there? Mu Qing couldn't imagine it no matter how hard he tried.

Xiao Yu's eyes were clear, and he stared at her intently. "Not only did you go up the mountain, but you also went to your treehouse."

The treehouse was so crude that it revealed her past poverty and hardship.

Mu Qing's heartstrings trembled, and her eyes flickered. "It's been cold lately, and even colder on the mountain. Why does Your Highness want to go there?"

"It was just a sudden urge; I wanted to know more about you." Xiao Yu leaned back lazily in his chair. "Why do you look so surprised? Didn't you hear about it the other day and worry about it a lot?"

A sudden whim? Mu Qing felt something was off, but she was certain that the gaze directed at her was still tender, so she felt reassured. "What do I have to worry about?"

Xiao Yu squinted at her, "Not worried at all?"

"His Highness is perfectly fine now, I have no reason to worry." Mu Qing lowered her head and closed the wooden box. "These are all very old, why did you bring them back?"

Xiao Yu took the wooden box from her hand, stuffed it back into his robes, and said irritably, "I'm happy to do it."

As a prince, he could do whatever he wanted in Weizhou, a place far from the emperor's reach. Mu Qing had known this for a long time, so she didn't argue with him. She only said that the grass cricket was something she had made when she was bored on the mountain, and she had picked some grass leaves to weave. She never expected that it would be preserved to this day.

Two years later, the treehouse had been neglected and was in a dilapidated state. When Xiao Yu went in, he accidentally stepped into a few holes. He didn't mention it and just said, "Living in the mountains is not easy. You must have suffered a lot in the past, but it's all in the past now. If there is anything you can't tell others, you can tell me. I am knowledgeable and will not be offended."

Mu Qing's heart skipped a beat. Seeing Xiao Yu's mischievous expression, she knew it was a joke, so she said, "Thank you, Your Highness. Let me think of something before I say it." She refused to say more.

Xiao Yu smiled, not taking it to heart, and chatted with her for a few more minutes until his leisurely gaze swept over the hall door and suddenly lit up.

He called out loudly, "Qi Sheng, go and invite Imperial Censor Zhong to have a talk."

Qi Sheng was his bodyguard, and Mu Qing's maid was waiting at the door.

The vermilion hall doors were wide open, and a figure in a bluish-green robe could be seen walking along the garden path towards the Pure Contemplation Garden. Qi Sheng followed, exchanged a few words, and gestured for the person to enter the flower hall.

Mu Qingxin's heart pounded like a drum. "Since Your Highness wishes to entertain guests, I will return first."

She looked towards the back door, intending to leave quietly.

Xiao Yu stopped her, saying, "No rush. I'll introduce him to you. He's from the capital and has quite a bit of experience."

Mu Qing wanted to say that it was inappropriate to introduce him, but the young prince always disregarded etiquette, and she couldn't think of a reason for the moment. She could only sit aside and watch helplessly as Zhong Linlan entered the hall, greeted the young prince, and exchanged pleasantries. The huge flower hall suddenly felt cramped.

Xiao Yu turned his head and introduced, "He was once your father's student and now lives in the Lu residence. Did you know that?"

Mu Qing nodded, and then saw Zhong Linlan, who was sitting at the lower end, bow to her.

He was composed and elegant, a true gentleman, as if she were the only one with a guilty conscience.

Mu Qing tried to remain calm and responded coldly.

"The case that Imperial Censor Zhong recounted was truly heartbreaking," Xiao Yu said with great interest. "Could you tell me about another case? Preferably something lighter, not so heavy."

Zhong Linlan pondered for a moment and said, "The cases I've been involved in all have heavy details, but some of the stories I've heard are quite lighthearted."

Tell me about it.

"A man, whose parents had died early, lived alone. One night, a woman broke into his house, demanding food and clothing. She was clumsy and fierce, but she was injured and would faint easily. The man had no choice but to find medicine to treat her wounds. After being taken care of, the woman gradually became less fierce."

"The two spent their days together and gradually developed feelings for each other, promising each other a lifetime of love. But one day, the woman disappeared, leaving behind a trail of blood."

Xiao Yu was initially uninterested, but he perked up as he heard the rest, "Is she dead?"

"Of course he's not dead," Mu Qing said coldly, cursing Zhong Linlan inwardly. "This story is clearly not a story, and besides, where is the blood?"

“His fate is unknown.” Zhong Linlan said calmly, “The man was very worried and searched for her everywhere. From then on, he focused on finding his beloved in all aspects of his life. Until many years later, he found that his beloved had become someone else’s wife in someone else’s house.”

"Oh?" Xiao Yu asked, "Why did that woman disappear back then?"

Zhong Linlan gently shook her head, "After all, she is someone else's wife, so it's inconvenient for her to speak. The man didn't want to disturb her life either, but he was secretly resentful that his feelings had been betrayed."

Is that really the case?

Mu Qing stiffened and said, "That woman may not have meant to disappoint you; she may have had her own reasons."

Zhong Linlan turned to her, glanced at her briefly, then lowered his eyes, his voice sincere: "In Miss Lu's opinion, what could be the reason that would cause a woman to leave her lover without saying goodbye and not hear from him for so many years?"

Mu Qing's face flushed. Back then, they had only reached the point of expressing their feelings; how could he be considered a lover? For him to ask such a question to his face was truly excessive.

Xiao Yu looked at her with curiosity and said, "You are a woman yourself, so perhaps you can understand a little. Why don't you guess the reason?"

Mu Qing forced a smile and said, "For example, being coerced into not being able to appear in public or send a message through someone else."

At that time, the wanted poster for her was posted on the bulletin board. How could she dare to risk going back?

Uncle Huai and Ayu, who had been together for many years, secretly hated her. Zhong Linlan had only known her for a few months, so perhaps he was just pretending to like her? After all, their acquaintance began when she robbed his house, and she wasn't very nice to him.

Zhong Linlan stood in front of the wanted poster for a long time, staring at it. Did he really still want to be with a fugitive like her? What a joke.

Mu Qing glared at him quickly, and saw him nod as if he had realized something.

Xiao Yu continued his analysis: "Being coerced? That matches the bloodstains left behind. In that case, the woman may not have wanted to be someone else's wife. If the man wasn't a coward, he should have asked her clearly. If they still had feelings for each other, he should have tried to win his beloved back."

Zhong Linlan cupped his hands, seemingly quite enlightened, and said, "What Your Highness says makes sense."

Mu Qing's eyelids twitched, and she immediately said, "Your Highness is wrong."

"What's wrong with it?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow at her.

Mu Qing racked his brains and finally found something to say, “There’s a poem that says, ‘Use the old feelings to cherish the person in front of you.’ The feelings of youth are long gone, so why hold on to them? This woman is already married to someone else, and she’s probably living a peaceful life. Why disturb her peace? That man should look forward. There are plenty of fish in the sea. He can find someone else he loves.”

She spoke quickly and urgently, and as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but worry that she might have said too much or made a mistake.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Yu looked up at her as if she were a rare and exotic creature, clapped his hands and laughed, "You can use poetry now, you've made progress."

Mu Qing: "..."

I really don't know what this young prince is thinking. He always boasts that she is not well-educated. Is it something to be proud of to marry a princess who is not very knowledgeable?

"I will cherish the people before me with the same affection I had in the past."

The following line is repeated softly, as if one is savoring the poem.

Mu Qing didn't dare to look in that direction. As she turned her gaze back, she heard Zhong Linlan continue, "That man isn't carefree enough. He really should listen to this explanation."

As if relieved, he echoed a few more words, but quickly took his leave.

"Your Highness, I have other matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I can only keep you company for today."

As Xiao Yuyun left, Mu Qing looked up and saw that his departing figure was as lonely as a lone goose, somewhat pitiful.

But then a voice came from the side: "Is he more handsome than me?"

Mu Qing turned around and saw the young prince inexplicably tossing his hair. She shook her head repeatedly: "Of course, Your Highness is more handsome."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the figure leaving the house freeze for a moment.