Chapter 98 Chapter 98 May the four seasons flow, and I will always be with you...
Although the days after returning to Beijing were not leisurely, they were comfortable and relaxing.
When Chen Qingchen went to court to handle government affairs, Jiang Hexue went to Qianxiangfang to receive customers and make incense.
Qianxiangfang had white sandalwood for sale, and the two sisters He Fu and He Xin started making incense. She finally became a hands-off boss as she wished.
Only occasionally would he synthesize a new kind of incense, and he would then work out a plan and teach them.
When Chen Qingchen was not in court, she would not go to Qianxiangfang. She would stay at home with him, teasing Xiao Qionghua and Xiao Hehe, or strolling around the capital with him.
Thinking that they were almost settled, as autumn deepened, Ruan Yueyi arranged a welcome banquet for them at Zhiwei Temple, inviting all their relatives and friends.
"I heard this was a new idea her niece and her husband came up with: renting out a lake and holding a banquet on a pleasure boat." Jiang Hexue finished packing and walked out arm in arm with Shen Qingchen, saying as they walked. "How novel."
The pleasure boat was parked at the shore of Jingbo Lake. When they boarded, Ruan Yueyi and Jiang Xingcong were already on board, as well as Prince Gong Chen Zeqian, whom Jiang Hexue had met a few times before, and a young lady she didn't recognize.
He was standing in front of Shen Zeqian with his hands behind his back, looking listless.
"Who is this young lady?" Jiang Hexue asked, seeing that she was only in her teens.
"My name is Zhu Yuan." The young lady turned around and answered crisply.
"The daughter of the newly appointed Minister Zhu of the Ministry of Revenue." Shen Zeqian stood up and saluted them both. "Uncle and Aunt, how are you?"
"Mingzhuo." Chen Qingchen nodded slightly. "Thank you."
Shen Chuning had told them that day that it was Shen Zeqian who reported Shen Zelin's life experience to Emperor Hengshun.
"It is my duty to share the country's worries and to be clear about my responsibilities." Shen Zeqian said.
After exchanging a few polite words, they turned around and saw that Zhu Yuan, who had been standing listlessly on the side, had pulled Ruan Yueyi aside and started chatting with Jiang Hexue.
"Zhu Yuan." Shen Zeqian opened his lips.
"Cousin." Ruan Yueyi slightly blocked her way. "Let me chat with my new cash cow for a few words."
"Ms. Zhu is an excellent cook. I asked her for some recipes, and the chefs at Zhiweiguan learned from them. The flavors have improved a lot," she explained to Jiang Hexue. "And business is booming."
"You are so amazing." Jiang Hexue looked down at her with a smile and praised her.
Zhu Yuan blushed a little, and glanced at Shen Zeqian secretly again, but didn't go to him.
The latter did not ask for anything else, but just stared at her and said, "Show me the academy homework tomorrow."
Zhu Yuan, who had just been chatting slowly with the two of them, became listless again.
Jiang Hexue couldn't help laughing: "When I was little, I also hated doing homework the most."
"His Highness has lived in Liangzhou before, and he wrote almost all of my homework for me for half a year."
"I really had a blast during that six months."
As soon as she said this carelessly, Jiang Xingcong looked at Shen Qingchen in surprise, and even Shen Zeqian, who usually had a gentle and smiling face, couldn't maintain it a little.
Shen Qingchen took a sip of tea without changing his expression and responded calmly.
"Your Highness Prince Gong sees that you have such a tight schedule. You can ask him to help you with your studies." Jiang Hexue had noticed the subtle feelings between Chen Zeqian and her early on and teased her on purpose.
“Auntie Huang.” Shen Zeqian coughed lightly uncomfortably.
But Zhu Yuan nodded, thinking it made sense, and ran to Shen Zeqian again with a "tap-tap" sound: "Brother, look at him."
While they were talking about their schoolwork, Jiang Hexue leaned against Shen Qingchen and happily drank grape water. While watching, she chatted with Ruan Yueyi and Jiang Xingcong.
"Where is your sister-in-law?" Shen Chuning, as well as the two couples of Prince Jin and Princess Jin, and Prince Jing and Princess Jing, arrived one after another. Jiang Hexue looked around and asked.
"I'm going to see His Royal Highness Prince Xiang." Ruan Yueyi said.
"My jade cabbage seems to have been eaten by a wild boar." Jiang Xingcong added in a quiet tone. "It should come later."
Jiang Hexue was very lively and gossipy. He whispered a few words to Ruan Yueyi, and then couldn't sit still and chatted with the girls in the circle.
Shen Chutang was still in confinement after giving birth, and neither she nor Xie Junxiao were present.
Hasiqiqige was diagnosed with a pregnancy of more than three months. At this moment, Jiang Hexue was leaning beside her, listening to her talk about trivial matters.
Shen Qingchen just sat aside, listening to the young people chatting, playing with the vermilion bracelet on his wrist, his eyes fell on Jiang Hexue in the center, with a smile in his eyes.
While they were chatting and laughing, Jiang Jinci and Xiang Wang Chen Zeshu arrived one after another. The waiter who had been waiting for a long time also began to serve the dishes one by one.
After everyone took their seats, the pleasure boat slowly started moving.
When they were friends, they would not sit at separate tables because of the distinction between men and women. Jiang Hexue sat on one side with Shen Qingchen, and on the other side with Ruan Yueyi.
"Today, we have distinguished guests visiting Zhiwei Temple, and our humble establishment is truly honored," Jiang Xingcong said briefly. "We have gathered on the pleasure boat to welcome His Royal Highness Prince Heng'an and his wife, as well as Prince Jin and his wife, and to welcome back the four heroes of our Dragon Neighborhood!"
"Good!" Shen Zelan led the applause.
Jiang Xingcong cleared his throat again and said, "Please allow the two representatives to speak briefly."
"Youngsters go first." Jiang Hexue was so engrossed in the conversation that he forgot about this part. He said immediately after hearing this.
While Xie Junyi was talking, she nudged Shen Qingchen again and whispered, "Zhaohua, what do you say?"
Shen Qingchen looked at her and said calmly: "That's what Princess Jin said over there."
"She spoke so elegantly, I wasn't prepared." Jiang Hexue winked flatteringly. "My husband is very eloquent, my husband said."
Shen Qingchen didn’t say it was good, nor did he say it was bad.
"How about we play rock-paper-scissors?" He stepped forward like this. Jiang Hexue knew she should act coquettishly, but there were so many people around, so she had no choice but to do so.
Shen Qingchen acquiesced, and she stretched out her hand under the table: “One, two, three!”
She provided the hammer, but he provided the burden.
"Best of three, then let's go again." Jiang Hexue was reluctant.
This time she brought out the scissors, and Shen Qingchen brought out the hammer.
"...How about a best-of-five game?" She continued to play dirty.
"Hexue." Shen Qingchen listened attentively and called her.
"Husband—" Jiang Hexue lowered her voice and spoke coquettishly, twirling the edge of his sleeve slightly. "I don't want to."
Shen Qingchen remained indifferent, and she became a little anxious.
If she had thought of the words at the beginning, it wouldn't have been like this; but now there was very little time left and she couldn't think of anything.
Jiang Hexue rubbed the ground with the tip of his shoe anxiously, then simply lowered his head and kissed his hand under the table.
Shen Qingchen was stunned.
"Ouch—" After a moment of silence, Shen Zelan's joking voice sounded first. "Uncle Huang, please don't embarrass Aunt Huang."
Jiang Hexue looked up in surprise, only to realize that Xie Junyi had finished speaking and sat down without him knowing. At this moment, everyone on the boat was looking at them, some with more or less joking smiles.
She let go of his hand shyly, and Shen Qingchen coughed uncomfortably, then stood up with the wine cup in hand.
"I have come back from a long journey to Beijing. I am grateful for your hospitality. I will never forget your kindness. Let us drink this cup together."
He raised his glass, and everyone drank it down.
"This tastes really good." The sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers, the mellow and sweet milk, and the unique flavor of glutinous rice wine, Jiang Hexue praised sincerely and asked Ruan Yueyi. "What is this?"
"This is the milk flower wine specially prepared by Miss Zhu." Ruan Yueyi explained with a faint smile. Zhu Yuan on the opposite side heard it and smiled happily.
Shen Qingchen sat down and nodded at the corner of his lips.
Jiang Hexue understood and wiped it with a silk handkerchief.
"The royal uncle and the royal aunt have a very close relationship. Now that they have some free time, are you planning to add a child to the royal palace?" Shen Zelan asked again.
"It depends on fate." Jiang Hexue said with a smile.
"It's usually Father who urges us, why is it your turn now?" Shen Zeqian asked with a smile.
Shen Zelan scratched his head uncomfortably under the gaze of his younger uncle and eldest brother: "I was thinking that the emperor's uncle is not much older than us, but he is a generation older."
"The Rouyang family will have to call the emperor's children 'cousin' or 'cousin', and next year my family will have to call them 'cousin uncle' or 'cousin aunt'. If the emperor's son has children late, then our families will gather around the youngest as the elder, and then..." He paused. "It's quite interesting."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone laughed.
"Ah Xiao showed off his daughter to me for several months, but unexpectedly it became a son. Now I am afraid I hate him so much that I want to pull him to do horse stance." Shen Zeyuan also said with a smile.
There was another burst of laughter, and the atmosphere became more lively as people toasted each other.
The dishes at Zhiweiguan have always been to Jiang Hexue's taste. Since they were all friends, they didn't follow the rule of "no talking while eating and no talking while sleeping". She chatted, ate the exquisite and delicious dishes, and drank the fresh milk flower wine. When she was enjoying herself, she realized that she had indigestion.
"Go out and get some fresh air?" Shen Qingchen noticed and asked.
The pleasure boat was luxurious and had a wide deck. She leaned over the railing and couldn't help but burp. "It's not a good time to walk around and digest my food now."
"I don't want others to find out that I have indigestion." She met Shen Qingchen's slightly puzzled look and explained.
Shen Qingchen curled his lips slightly, hugged her from behind, put his palm on her lower abdomen, and rubbed it slowly in circles.
Jiang Hexue leaned in his arms and squinted comfortably. She felt that all her bones had softened and she just wanted to stick to him.
"Greedy." Shen Qingchen lowered his eyes, his gaze landing on her slightly red ears and cheeks, and whispered. "And also greedy for wine."
Jiang Hexue wasn't drunk, but her mind was no longer as clear as before due to the alcohol. "It's not like I can drink any more than my husband."
Shen Qingchen hadn't drunk a drop of wine tonight. After a moment's reaction, he chuckled, "I never meant to hide it from you."
"Whenever he drinks alcohol, his face turns red, and he looks like he's easily drunk."
Jiang Hexue didn't argue with him. She felt the autumn breeze and looked at the orange light of the stars on Jingbo Lake. "Zhaohua, I want to release stars too."
"It's a river lantern." Shen Qingchen pinched her fingertips helplessly and sent someone to ask for one. Not long after, the river lantern was delivered along with paper and pen.
"You can even write down your wishes." Jiang Hexue's eyes lit up and she bent down. "I want to write..."
There was no desk, and she was too lazy to go into the house, so she simply pressed the paper on his back and wrote.
The tip of the charcoal pencil touched her back through the paper and the fabric. She fell with the aroma of wine. Shen Qingchen's breathing was disordered for a moment, and she asked her, "What are you writing?"
"Happiness every moment, every day, every year!" Jiang Hexue finished writing, walked around to him, and held it up for him to see. "You write."
It was a moonlit autumn night, and the girl's eyes were bathed in the clear and gentle moonlight. Because a lot of fermented rice wine was used, they were slightly hazy, making them even more charming.
Shen Qingchen took the river lantern, put her note away, and put it directly into the lake.
"Aren't you going to write?" Jiang Hexue was confused.
The river lanterns drifted farther and farther away in the water until they were as small as a spark. Shen Qingchen then withdrew his gaze and whispered, "My wish has come true."
"What is it?"
He leaned down and gently held her cheek, his smile bright and incredibly gentle in the hazy moonlight.
"May the four seasons flow, and I will always be with you."
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The author has something to say: I can’t do it anymore, the sky is falling [burst into tears]
I finally remembered to fight against plagiarism [burst into tears]
I only updated chapter 98 today, and it has already stolen chapter 97 [burst crying]
In the corner, Ye Zi knocked on the bowl: Today's goal is to earn one dollar [burst into tears] (in reality, it is impossible to achieve [burst into tears])
Ahhhhhh I burst into tears [burst into tears] I'm going crazy [burst into tears] I hate plagiarists [burst into tears]
(I don’t really understand, my anti-theft setting is 72 hours, and the subscription is 80%, how can it be so fast)
Don't tell me that there are plagiarists among my few high-subscription readers and I'm still giving them lucky draws! [bursts into tears] I'm crying my ass off [bursts into tears] I'll definitely set up a comment lucky draw in the future [bursts into tears]
Ok, suddenly I remembered to look at the new cover of the pre-collected [let me check it out]
I feel like this is quite elegant [shy][starry eyes]
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