Qi Su: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
The young man opposite did not respond.
She simply asked her mother-in-law to cook wontons for her.
He raised his right hand to pour her tea, while his left hand, with its distinct knuckles, rested on the table not far from her.
Qi Su grabbed his left hand and touched it.
Very well, the person didn't react.
She took that hand and kissed it.
The man glanced at her, put down his teacup, and remained silent.
Qi Su then grabbed that hand and took a big bite.
This time, he didn't let go.
He simply opened his mouth to speak, his tone cool and indifferent.
"You're in a good mood, why pretend to be gloomy?"
Qi Su: "Ah, you noticed? But he really is depressed."
"Oh, what's causing your melancholy?"
"You knew all along, didn't you? When we met yesterday, I was still Qi San Niangzi. Today, alas, I'm already an unknown illegitimate child!"
Yun Wuyi: "..."
Her crying sounded so fake.
He didn't even know how to comfort her.
Qi Su cried twice, but he didn't react.
I grabbed his hand and pressed it against my face.
"Are you disgusted with me?"
Yun Wuyi sighed.
"You're not sad."
Qi Su: "Hmph, can't you at least pretend to comfort me a little?"
Yun Wuyi looked at her quietly.
"I'm already here."
Here, it's about appeasement.
Qi Su: ...That's right, it would be impolite to do it again.
She picked up the tea he had poured for herself and clinked her cup against his.
"Thank you."
Actually, she was still a little sad.
Just today, after learning that she was not Aunt Ji's biological daughter, but an infant brought back from an unknown place.
The little girl living in her heart let out a long sigh.
I've let it go completely.
The aunt didn't love her, not because she wasn't good enough or hardworking enough.
It was because she wasn't her aunt's biological daughter.
Therefore, no matter how much she gave, her aunt didn't love her.
The real Qi San Niangzi, that poor little baby girl, died not long after birth on the way to her exile in the countryside.
The adopted child was merely a tool, a ticket that might allow them to return to Ganjingzi.
It's just a ticket, why bother taking good care of it?
As long as they don't starve to death and can grow up, that's good enough.
It's okay if she has no family; she still has herself. From now on, she will take good care of herself and protect herself from the storms of life.
…
"How do you know about Granny Zhu?" Qi Su asked the person opposite her curiously.
His Highness the Prince of Qishan is a remarkable person.
Yesterday, perhaps fearing that Qi Su would break with Aunt Ji and be too heartbroken, I gave her Granny Zhu's address.
What happened next was quite good.
Aunt Ji and Qi Su had no mother-daughter relationship whatsoever; this wasn't just a rift, but a complete severance of ties.
Her round, dark eyes stared at him without blinking.
Yun Wuyi unconsciously stroked the teacup with his fingertips.
Lower your eyelashes.
"Discovered by chance."
Tch, they clearly don't want to talk about it. Oh well.
The steaming hot wontons were served.
Qi Su was sprinkled with chopped green onions, pepper, and a little bit of cilantro.
"Then I'll get started!" she announced to Yun Wuyi.
This bowl of wontons is clearly more effective than his.
Before she had even finished eating the wontons, a satisfied smile had already appeared on her face.
Yun Wuyi used the hand that Qi Su had bitten to wipe the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief.
"In a few days, the Crown Prince has invited me to go hiking in the countryside. If you are free, please come along."
Qi Su blinked.
"...Climbing mountains? The Crown Prince?"
Yun Wuyi: "The emperor has given me many servants, and they won't be an eyesore among them."
That's not the point.
The key point is—
"It's only the beginning of the first month of the lunar calendar, and the mountains near Ganjing are all bare. What's there to climb?"
Yun Wuyi: "It's just an excuse. The Crown Prince has a villa near Yuanxiang Mountain. Climbing the mountain is just an excuse; the real purpose is a banquet and gathering."
I see.
The Crown Prince's villa is definitely worth a visit.
Qi Su: "Okay, okay, then I'll trouble you, Young Master Yun."
Yun Wuyi reached out and patted her head.
"I'm leaving now."
Qi Su grabbed his hand, pulled it off, and hugged it to her chest.
I stroked it like I was petting a cat.
"You just came here to eat wontons with me? You didn't even eat any yourself."
Yun Wuyi: "I drank the tea."
Nothing in the capital was enjoyable. He just took advantage of his free time to go for a walk.
Seeing that she was alright, I was relieved.
.
February 6th.
The Crown Prince invited the Prince of Qishan to go on a spring outing to Yuanxiang Mountain, with the Fifth Prince accompanying them.
The carriage came from Daxiangguo Temple, went out of the city, and arrived at the foot of Yuanxiang Mountain.
Because a prince's villa was built on this mountain, ordinary people could not approach it.
Therefore, it is very quiet and a good place for gatherings.
The crown prince personally greeted them at the foot of the mountain.
When the King of Qishan alighted from his carriage, he was wearing the same ordinary clothes that had been sent to him that day.
The prince's smile immediately became much more genuine.
"It's been seven or eight years since the last time my brothers and I went hiking together."
The Crown Prince patted Yun Wuyi on the shoulder.
"I am truly happy that you are able to return to Ganjing this time."
Since we've said we're going to climb a mountain, we should actually do it.
After all, there were many eyes and ears around him. Although the emperor trusted the crown prince, he could not make any attempt to conceal it and openly establish a faction.
After exchanging pleasantries with the Crown Prince, Yun Wuyi looked back.
It landed on Qi Yuanlang, the Crown Prince's attendant, who was behind him.
Qi Yuanlang, dressed in blue casual clothes, was feeling somewhat surprised when the King of Qishan in front of him had already looked away.
It was as if it were just a casual glance.
Qi Yuanlang suppressed his surprise.
He thought to himself, "He probably didn't have any interaction with the King of Qishan before."
…
The group followed the mountain path to the halfway point, thus completing their mountain climbing mission.
They then turned back to the mountain retreat.
In a quiet courtyard.
Qi Su was dressed as a guard, with her hair tucked into her hat.
Her face was smeared with scorched yellow.
She felt that her attire blended in perfectly with the group of guards standing nearby, making her completely unremarkable.
The only missing thing is—
"Hey, do you want some of this?" The little monk Qingyan brought a plate of snacks to her.
Qi Su: "...Stay away from me. It's all your fault that I was exposed."
Qingyan glanced at her.
"You've painted your face so badly even your own mother wouldn't recognize you. Who would recognize you?"
After he finished speaking, he suddenly fell silent.
A look of shame appeared on his face.
"Amitabha Buddha, I am sorry, benefactor. This humble monk made an unintentional mistake."
Ha, it seems that her private affairs have now spread throughout the entire circle of friends of the King of Qishan.
Qi Su took a piece of mung bean cake from the plate of pastries in his hand.
Thanks.
The King of Qishan wanted to climb the mountain with the Crown Prince.
There's no need for so many people to accompany us on the climb; the rest of the entourage can wait in the garden.
In Qi Su's words, this villa is as big as a botanical garden, befitting the extravagant and decadent feudal class.
As unimportant guards of the King of Qishan, they turned directly from the foot of the mountain into a secluded mountain villa.
Upon arrival, they were politely invited into the courtyard reserved for guests.
Qingyan moved a little closer.
"There's something the Black Bird asked me to tell you. It also said that you must remain calm and not do anything crazy or rude."
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