This was the first time in Song Xizhi's life that he had heard such passionate and straightforward words.
This was the first time she had been chosen with such conviction.
She looked up at the man's taut chin, which seemed to have wet tear stains.
The smile on Song Xizhi's lips gradually faded, and her eyes gradually welled up with tears. She reached out and hugged the man in front of her tightly.
Listening to the pounding of a man's heart beside her, she slowly spoke, her voice muffled: "Me too."
Not long after Song Xizhi finished speaking, a gentle male voice urged them from outside:
"Zhizhi? Zhizhi? Are you here?"
Song Xi was taken aback, and immediately recognized the voice as belonging to He Jingyan.
She frowned slightly, quickly released Pei Yunyi's embrace, wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, and then spoke to the outside, "Yes, I'm inside. What's wrong?"
The man outside the hall breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "I saw that you had been away for a long time and was afraid that something might have happened to you, so I left the banquet to come and find you."
"Have you changed your clothes? May I come in?"
Upon hearing this, Song Xizhi felt a chill run down her spine. Looking at Pei Yunyi in front of her, she instantly felt like an ant on a hot pan, pacing around anxiously.
"...Wait a moment, I haven't changed my clothes yet..."
As Song Xizhi spoke, he looked up and gazed around.
When she discovered a bed in the inner bedroom, she hurriedly urged Pei Yunyi to hide under the bed.
Following Song Xizhi's instructions, Pei Yunyi stared at the area under the bed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and his pupils trembling slightly.
"You mean you want me to hide under the bed?"
Even though the man lowered his voice, you could still hear a hint of grievance in it.
Song Xizhi didn't have time to coax him: "Don't you know what your status is now?"
Pei Yunyi's eyes held a hint of confusion: "...You mean the Crown Prince?"
Song Xizhi rolled his eyes: "I meant the adulterer!"
Pei Yunyi choked up. He was pushed a few steps by Song Xizhi and then quickly crawled into the bed.
Poor Pei Yunyi, clearly the dignified Crown Prince of Da Gan, was now frantically trying to crawl under the bed.
He rolled away quickly and tiptoed under the bed.
Seeing the hem of his clothes sticking out, Song Xizhi hurriedly kicked it under the bed as well.
The magnificent dragon pattern embroidered on the hem of the garment now bears a shoe print and looks dusty.
After Song Xizhi finished all this, he hurriedly returned to the soft couch to change his clothes.
Siqin appeared out of nowhere and helped Song Xizhi change his clothes.
Song Xizhi felt the hand tying her clothes behind her back, and slowly turned her head to see Siqin's face.
Her eyes lit up, and without stopping her work, she asked, "Siqin, where were you hiding just now?"
It's better to let Pei Yunyi hide where Siqin is hiding than to let him hide under the bed.
Siqin looked a little uncomfortable upon hearing this: "The place under the bed where Your Highness is hiding is the same place where I hid before."
Upon hearing this, Song Xizhi's lips twitched violently: "So that's what it's like under the bed."
Before the two had even changed their clothes, they heard the tightly closed palace doors creak.
Siqin quickly shielded Song Xizhi, and the two of them looked towards the door again.
What I saw was He Jingyan's somewhat worried look.
Seeing this scene before him, he seemed to realize something and took a few steps back: "Sorry, I was thinking..."
Song Xizhi curled the corners of his mouth and walked out while tying his outer robe: "It's okay, I'm almost dressed."
"The clothes provided by the palace are complicated, and I, as a maid, usually practice martial arts and don't know how to serve, so it took me a while to get dressed."
"I'm sorry to have worried you."
He Jingyan followed Song Xizhi out of the hall. He looked down at Song Xizhi's clothes and couldn't help but smile, as if he was completely satisfied with her.
"Your clothes...are beautiful..."
"I was in a hurry to find you because the banquet was about to end and the Empress Dowager would invite me afterward. I never expected to offend you like this."
Song Xizhi simply smiled and said, "It is I who have worried my husband."
Because the banquet was held in the imperial palace, Emperor Guangqi did not attend, and only a small number of officials were present, so the atmosphere was particularly relaxed.
So when the two returned to their seats hand in hand, everyone present, seeing how inseparable they were, started chatting and laughing again.
"I have only now truly witnessed Lord He's deep affection."
"Judge Song was just going out to change his clothes, but he was restless for a moment and still couldn't resist going out."
"Their love, stronger than gold, is nothing but a lie. Even I, the official, am starting to feel jealous!"
An official nearby chimed in with a smile:
"I missed Lord He's heartfelt confession in the small garden just now, which I found quite a pity. Now I've finally witnessed it with my own eyes... Come, come, this cup is a toast to Lord He and his wife."
Upon hearing this, He Jingyan stood up and drank the wine in his cup.
Song Xizhi had no choice but to stand up with He Jingyan and finish the fruit wine in his glass.
She didn't speak, but she heard He Jingyan smile at the assembled officials and say, "Thank you for your blessings, sirs."
"However, it is fine for you gentlemen to joke with me. Madam is thin-skinned and may not be able to bear such teasing."
Upon hearing this, the officials felt their teeth ache with envy, and they shook their heads with smiles: "Alright, alright, even Lord He is starting to show concern for his wife. Then this humble official will not say another word! Will not say another word!"
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