Chapter 173 I Want Exclusive Love
Song Lingyi's face flickered, and she asked in embarrassment, "Don't you have hands?"
"A-Li, don't you need a favor from me?" Xiao Mingyi leaned back in his chair without changing his expression and handed the peach blossom pastry to her. "Since you need a favor from someone, you have to show some respect."
Holding the peach blossom pastry between her slender fingers, Song Lingyi glanced at him calmly, "It's not that I'm asking for anything. When I first returned to Huaizhou City, the governor took good care of me, whether out of selfishness or as an uncle. Now that he's seriously injured, if I just return the jade porcelain bottle, it would seem mean of me, so I thought of donating it."
Xiao Mingyi listened quietly as she continued:
"I haven't thought about currying favor with you or asking for anything on his behalf. I can't control the appointment and dismissal of officials, not even whispering in your ear. More seriously, if I get involved in this kind of thing and become someone's patron, I'll have no way of clearing myself from the turmoil if something goes wrong in the future."
Her decision to marry Xiao Mingyi was not made on impulse, but was the result of careful consideration.
I didn't want to respond before because I was worried that he would change his mind in the future, but when I think about it carefully, we have all grown over the past year.
Pei Zhao, for his brother's sake, resolutely accepted his post in Qizhou; Lu Qian, after years of living in a daze, finally realized what he wanted and went for it. She couldn't let those uncertainties hold her back and ignore her inner feelings.
But what Lu Qian said made sense. If she wanted to secure her position as Crown Princess, or even Queen, she couldn't just rely on the background of the Duke's Mansion.
Since you have decided to marry Xiao Mingyi, you can't just look at the present.
Throughout the dynasties, how many emperors were willing to let the queen interfere in state affairs, not to mention that they have not yet married. Xiao Mingyi likes her now, so he doesn't care about these trivial matters, but she can't get carried away.
After all, marriage is a partnership project that requires long-term management.
Xiao Mingyi was a little surprised by her words and smiled: "A-Li really has a very smart mind, thinking so far ahead."
"Since I've agreed to marry you, I can't continue to be as reckless as before."
"Why not?" Xiao Mingyi held her hand and said slowly, "Marrying me is not a grievance. You can still be yourself. Even if you get into trouble, I will take care of it. You don't have to look at anyone else's face."
Song Lingyi snorted softly and glared at him, as if to say, 'You weren't like this before.' She raised her hand and grabbed the man's collar, saying solemnly, "I've heard these words from you many times, but you also know how worried I am. Marrying you is the biggest gamble I've ever made in my life, Xiao Wuhui. What I want is exclusive favor!"
"Don't worry." Xiao Mingyi opened his thin lips slightly, looking at her deeply with his phoenix eyes, "I won't let you lose."
"..." Song Lingyi shyly avoided his burning gaze.
I heard two low laughs from the man.
"I already promised you, can you please loosen your grip for a moment?"
Hearing this, Song Lingyi belatedly loosened her hand that was grabbing his collar, turned around and saw that he was patting the peach blossom pastry crumbs off his collar.
I forgot, this hand grabbed the peach blossom pastry. If I remember correctly, this person seems to have mysophobia...
Noticing the girl's hesitant gaze, Xiao Mingyi raised his eyes and glanced at her calmly: "I'm not disliking you, but I have to meet with officials later, so I have to pay attention to my appearance."
Song Lingyi complained in a voice as soft as a mosquito, "hypocritical", but the sharp-eared man still heard it and looked at her with a half-smile.
"Hypocritical?"
Xiao Mingyi curled his lips, his phoenix eyes shimmering with deep longing. His voice was mellow, but his words were quite shameless. "It seems that Ah Li is very unhappy that I only let you feed her peach blossom pastry today."
Did she say that?
A series of footsteps were heard in the corridor outside the government hall. Song Lingyi was startled and struggled to get up, but was pushed down again by Xiao Mingyi.
"Why are you running? Didn't you say I'm a hypocrite—"
Before he could utter anything earth-shattering, Song Lingyi covered his mouth with her hand, her dark eyes filled with shame and helplessness, and whispered, "That's enough! Don't push your luck!"
Xiao Mingyi blinked very slowly, with a smile in his eyes.
“Ahem…”
There was a cough at the door.
Song Lingyi's back stiffened slightly, and when she turned around, she saw that it was General Yun Hui and Du Xuan.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
General Yun Hui lowered his hand from his lips, a meaningful smile on his face. "Your Highness, I have come to report on the situation in the city... Do you need to step aside?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's mouth was still covered by Song Lingyi, and he couldn't speak at all. The latter reacted and immediately withdrew her hand, getting up from his legs, her fair little face flushed red.
"No need to avoid me." She turned to look at Xiao Mingyi, kicked him with her foot, and smiled through gritted teeth, "Your Highness, I'm leaving first. I've been very busy these days. You don't need to come to me."
"Hiss~" Xiao Mingyi felt pain.
Those who have no conscience will act like bullies in their own home.
After the girl left the government hall, General Yun Hui stepped in, smiling broadly and saying, "After this incident, the relationship between Your Highness and Miss Song has truly grown by leaps and bounds."
Before, he had sent people to secretly follow and escort his wife, and he stayed in Kyoto alone as a wife-waiting stone. Now they can hug each other.
The future Crown Princess must be quite capable to be able to make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince care about her so much. She must curry favor with him when she returns to Kyoto.
Xiao Mingyi raised his eyes and looked at him: "Aren't you going to report? Hurry up."
It was noon and the sun was warm.
The two weeping crabapple trees outside the yamen are in full bloom, emitting a rich fragrance.
Song Lingyi came out of the yamen with a red face, took two breaths of fresh air, calmed herself down, and walked slowly towards the Song residence.
The streets gradually returned to their former bustle and hustle. If it weren't for the ruins of the bombed-out buildings that could still be seen in the market, one would not be able to tell that this city had just experienced a pirate invasion.
For many days, Xiao Mingyi was busy handling official business at the government office, and he was too busy to handle everything. It was not until one evening that he found time to go to the Song residence and accompany her to pay tribute to Song's father and mother.
The return date had not yet been set, but the Duke's Mansion and the Governor's Mansion had sent several letters, urging Song Lingyi to return to Beijing as soon as possible, and "incidentally" asked some questions about Lu Qian.
Lu Qian was going to join the army, but the Duke and his wife were still unaware of it. According to his pace, he would probably arrive in Youzhou by mid-May.
Song Lingyi couldn't reveal this too early, otherwise her uncle would go directly to Youzhou to stop them. When she replied, she made it vague on the grounds that she was not very clear about it, and planned to explain it in detail to the elders of the Lu family after returning to Beijing.
Early May, midsummer.
On the day of return, the army was ready to go.
General Yunhui led the way, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince rode alongside on horseback, several elite cavalrymen sandwiched the eight carriages in the middle, and thousands of elite soldiers followed behind, and they set out on a mighty journey back to the capital.
The return journey did not require traveling day and night. They rode at full speed and had a smooth and uneventful journey. By the middle of the month, the team arrived in the suburbs of Beijing.
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