Chapter 281 Your Highness, Please Have Mercy
Near noon, the long street was bustling with activity.
"Second sister, how about we go to Zuixianlou for dinner later? I kind of miss the food there."
"OK."
After getting Hu Erniang's approval, Hu Siniang turned around and asked the woman in yellow beside her: "Miss Caiwei, will you come with us?"
Cai Wei said softly, "I'm unfamiliar with this place, so the Fourth Madam will make the decision."
"Okay, we're only half a block away. Your Highness likes the chestnut cake from Zuixianlou. When we finish eating and leave, you must remind me to bring some back."
As Hu Si Niang was speaking, she caught sight of a small stall selling silk scarves ahead and pulled the two of them over.
"Fourth Madam, we just passed by Chen's Dim Sum Shop, and I suddenly want to eat their shortbread. You guys pick them first, and I'll go buy some."
Hu Si Niang's eyes were all on the silk scarf in front of her at the moment. When she heard Cai Wei say that she was going to buy some snacks, she just casually replied, "Okay, go ahead. We'll wait for you here."
Caiwei turned and left, walking diagonally across the street.
Hu Si Niang did not look back, but took out a palm-sized bronze mirror from her bosom and pretended to look in the mirror, but in fact she was observing Caiwei's movements through the mirror.
Looking at the direction Caiwei was heading, it was indeed the Chen’s Dim Sum Shop.
Hu Si Niang adjusted her hair and whispered, "Second sister, what do you think of this Miss Caiwei?"
"She has a great singing voice and an outstanding appearance." Hu Erniang paused and said, "Your Highness knows that she is the princess of Xiling Country's woman, but he still treats her so well. And I can see that your Highness's expression does not seem to be false courtesy. Could it be that he is really interested in her?"
Hu Si Niang chuckled, "Even you think so, Miss Caiwei herself would probably have the same guess."
"You mean... His Highness is actually being hypocritical towards her?"
"That's not the case. His Highness's compassion for women is never fake, it just gives people a false impression. He seems to be sentimental, but in fact he is not. So when facing him, no matter how gentle he is, you must never be sentimental."
On the other side of the street, Caiwei had already walked to the dim sum shop and asked the shopkeeper for a piece of pastry.
She saw someone approaching from the corner of her eye. The person asked the shopkeeper for the same cakes as hers. When the shopkeeper turned around to pack them, he asked her quietly, "Have you made any progress in the past two days?"
"No. I haven't seen Prince Ning since yesterday. I heard that he stayed in the palace for some reason. The women in his house always stare at me. They even take me with them when they go out. I guess they are trying to prevent me from competing for his favor."
"Since Prince Ning is interested in you, you should work harder and stop wasting your time on those women in the backyard."
"I have my own arrangements."
…
When Hu Siniang and others returned to the palace after lunch, Song Yunchu had also returned from the palace and was teaching Zhong Nanyue kung fu in the courtyard.
"Don't be too hasty when turning around, otherwise your feet will slip easily. Yes, that's it... Follow it up with a somersault. Great! Your comprehension is no less than Zhao Jingheng's."
Song Yunchu once promised the King of Medicine that he would teach Zhong Nanyue some moves from the Piao Miao Zhen Jue, and she would learn as much as she could.
Although Zhong Nanyue is a bit lively and playful on weekdays, she is still very serious when learning martial arts, and her progress makes Song Yunchu quite satisfied.
"Miss Nanyan is really agile."
Suddenly, he heard a familiar laughter behind him. Song Yunchu turned around and saw Hu Siniang and others slowly walking towards him.
Her eyes fell on the food box in Hu Si Niang's hand, "What good things did she bring back?"
"The chestnut cake from Zuixianlou is what you like to eat."
Hu Si Niang placed the food box on the table, then took something out of her sleeve pocket and handed it to Song Yunchu, "Yesterday was the Weaver Girl's Day. I wanted to give you this purse, but you were too busy to come back, so I can only give it to you today."
Song Yunchu looked at the purse in front of him and almost laughed out loud.
The purse is light green in color, and the pattern on it is a few thin but... crooked bamboos.
Song Yunchu took the purse with a forced smile and said, "Yes, I like the integrity of bamboo."
Hu Si Niang played the role of the concubine very well. Even though she was not very skilled, her intention was there.
"My craftsmanship is crude, I am sorry to make you laugh, Your Highness."
"This purse that Fourth Sister gave to Your Highness is quite nice." Hu Erniang said, and took out the purse that Hu Si Niang gave her, "Your Highness, please look at mine, and then look at the one in your hand."
Song Yunchu looked at the duck in Hu Erniang's purse and almost couldn't hold it in again.
She guessed that the prototype of this duck should be a mandarin duck, but it was embroidered incompletely.
Caiwei, who was standing nearby, saw the two purses clearly and her eyes twitched a little.
She had never seen such an ugly embroidery, and the Fourth Lady really dared to give it to her... The key point was that Prince Ning not only accepted it, but also praised it out of respect.
This shows how favored these four ladies are.
Caiwei couldn't help but have some ideas in mind.
She could clearly sense that Prince Ning was interested in her, but every time he summoned her she just listened to his songs and seemed to have no intention of taking the next step. It stood to reason that he was an expert in martial arts and had nothing to worry about with her. Could it be that his attitude depended on her performance?
She always behaves gently and modestly, unlike Hu Si Niang who is lively and unrestrained.
Perhaps she should try a different method to test King Ning's attitude.
That night.
Song Yunchu was just about to put out the candle and go to sleep when he suddenly heard the sound of a pipa coming from outside the window.
The sound was not far away, and the melody seemed to carry a hint of sadness.
Song Yunchu raised his eyebrows slightly, then opened the door and told the secret guard to call Caiwei.
Soon, Caiwei came into the house holding Pipa and bowed to her.
When Song Yunchu saw that she was wearing thin clothes, he poured her a cup of hot tea and asked, "Miss Caiwei, does she seem to be worried?"
Caiwei raised her eyes and looked at her, "Does Your Highness want to hear it?"
"It doesn't hurt to listen."
"Does your highness have any good wine? I would like to drink some."
"The thing that is most in short supply in my palace is fine wine." Song Yunchu said, turning around and taking out a small jar of good wine and two wine glasses from the cabinet.
She tore open the seal of the jar, and the rich aroma of wine instantly filled the room.
Caiwei took the initiative to pick up the wine jar and poured two cups, then picked up the cup in front of her and drank it all.
"Your Highness, I was originally a gift from the princess to your Majesty. Your Majesty and you probably know this, right? But I didn't catch your Majesty's eye, otherwise he wouldn't have given me to you."
"I know that I am of humble status and do not deserve a good fate. I have been sent here and there since I was a child. When I was seven years old, my stepfather sold me to a wealthy man for fifty taels of silver. When I was thirteen, I was chosen by a nobleman because of my good singing skills..."
Caiwei said this with bitterness in her eyes, "That man was over fifty years old and still had improper thoughts about me. Fortunately, his wife stopped him. That lady gave me to her niece. Because her niece loved to listen to music, I sang a few songs at her birthday party and amazed everyone. Not long after, I was summoned to the palace and won the princess's love."
"I thought entering the palace was the best destination, and the princess treated me well. But who knew that the princess would bring me along on this mission, and I became the princess's gift to His Majesty. When His Majesty said she wanted to transfer me to you, Your Highness, do you know how complicated my feelings were at that time?"
"Your Majesty clearly doesn't care about me. Your Highness is of high status. I was so afraid that I would make you angry and lose my life if I wasn't careful. But after arriving at the palace, I realized that I was worrying too much. Your Highness is very elegant and treats me very well. I should have felt at ease, but I couldn't help but wonder, how long can I stay by your side? Will the next person who owns me treat me as well as you do, or will he despise me and trample on me?"
Caiwei talked about her sad moments and drank two or three glasses of wine. Seeing that Song Yunchu looked moved, she stood up and knelt beside him.
She reached out and put her hand on Song Yunchu's knee. "Your Highness, will you give me to someone else? If possible, I beg you to have mercy on me. I don't want to be a gift anymore."
"Get up."
Song Yunchu helped her up from the ground. "Go to the housekeeper tomorrow to get some banknotes. It will be my reward for listening to the music these few days. From now on, you are free. You can leave at any time and go wherever you want. As for the princess and His Majesty, you don't have to worry about them."
A hint of surprise appeared in Caiwei's eyes.
This situation did not develop in the same way as she expected...
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