First time seeing him?
Ning Xihua recalled the scene at that time. He was dragged by the woman in the street. He had a face full of anger and his eyes showed a trace of grievance of not being trusted. He looked like an angry wolf cub.
She laughed and said, "I thought at the time that such a handsome wolf cub should be running freely on the grassland. It is really unfair for you to be trapped in this capital and be wronged."
He Louche also laughed when he heard her description, "I am not a wolf cub. All of us in Beiqiong are proud wolves on the grassland."
Ning Xihua smiled and shook her head, deciding not to tell him. In fact, every time he looked at her, her watery eyes made her look more like a cute big golden retriever.
The two of them chatted and strolled along the way.
Suddenly, Ning Xihua saw an old man on the street selling small things made of grass. There were grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies, dragonflies, and so on, all of which were small and exquisite, and vivid.
She took out her change and bought the most exquisite grasshopper.
He Louche thought she was going to give it to him and was very happy. But he saw her wrap the grasshopper with her hands and put it in her sleeve.
He could not hide his disappointment, "I didn't expect the princess still has a childlike heart and still likes this kind of gadget."
Ning Xihua saw that he was disappointed, but did not explain anything. She just nodded in agreement.
After a while, the two arrived at the Yajiang Pier, where an exquisite pleasure boat was moored at the ferry.
"There is no river this wide in Beiqiong, nor is there a pleasure boat like this. This is the first time I have seen one. Please, Princess, accompany me to tour the Mijiang River."
He Louche looked excited and invited him warmly.
Ning Xihua looked at the river, then at the pleasure boat, feeling tangled in her heart. She had not forgotten that she had almost vomited to death due to seasickness when she returned to Beijing from Yizhou.
But when she saw the expectation in He Louche's eyes, she couldn't bear to refuse him.
Forget it, forget it, this person is leaving, so I'd better sacrifice my life to accompany him.
Ning Xihua gritted her teeth and stepped onto the pleasure boat with a stiff body.
The pleasure boat that He Louche rented was of the most common type in the capital, with two floors.
The first floor is a cabin for guests to rest. The second floor is elevated on all four sides, and the deck is made into an open-air observation deck. There are also screens and gauze curtains near the side of the ship.
The weather was fine today, so Ning Xihua and He Louche went up to the second floor.
Sitting on the soft couch and sipping tea, you can see the broad river surface and surrounded by gauze curtains fluttering in the river breeze. What a pleasant environment.
Because the wind was light and the waves were small today, Ning Xihua even felt that the pleasure boat was not that bumpy, and her worries about seasickness were temporarily put aside.
Looking at such a vast river that he had never seen before, He Louche suddenly felt emotional.
"Princess, if we are not destined to be together, this may be the last time we see each other in this life."
Ning Xihua's hand holding the tea suddenly paused.
Yes, Dali and Beiqiong are thousands of miles apart. After we say goodbye today, the journey will be over great mountains and rivers, and I am afraid I will never have the chance to see He Louche again.
Ning Xihua suddenly felt a little melancholy. It wasn't that she was reluctant, she just didn't like this kind of farewell.
"I really want to ask you, Princess. If you were not Princess Yuexi, the only daughter of Prince Ning, and if your Majesty was willing to allow you to marry, would you be willing to marry me and go back to Beiqiong with me?"
The boy looked serious, with a stubborn look in his eyes, as if he was determined to get an answer.
Ning Xihua let out a long sigh. She didn't want to comfort him with lies. She replied softly, "No."
The boy's eyes, which had always been bright, dimmed. He still asked stubbornly, "Why?"
Ning Xihua looked into his eyes and said seriously, "Because I don't love you anymore."
He Louche is very good, passionate and sincere. A girl who marries her will definitely get the unique love in this world. Beiqiong is also very good. There are not so many rules and constraints as Dali. You can jump freely in the vast sea and fly freely in the sky.
But she knew herself too well. She was at best a salted fish, not ambitious and content with pleasure. She did not need such a vast ocean and sky, and she could not make any splashes.
On the contrary, before she traveled through the book, although she lived in an orphanage, she had no worries about food and clothing and lived a stable life. After she traveled through the book, she was favored by Prince Ning and her living expenses were quite luxurious.
She had gotten used to this rich and glamorous capital, and to this life of luxury. She could go to Beiqiong for a few days, but she was unwilling to give up everything and accompany He Louche to run around in Beiqiong.
In the final analysis, it’s just a matter of not loving.
So I am not willing to give up for him, nor am I willing to change for him.
Ning Xihua smiled at him peacefully, her eyes calm and distant.
"I am just a passing scenery on your way of youth. You may feel sad now because you can't stay, but when you really meet the right person, you will feel that it is a good thing that you didn't stay, otherwise how can you see the more beautiful scenery in the future."
She tilted her head and raised the corner of her mouth, "This is all the best arrangement."
He Louche looked at her gentle eyes and suddenly felt sad. He thought to himself, never again.
There will never be another person like you who amazes me throughout my entire journey.
Ning Xihua raised her teacup and clinked it with He Louche's.
"It is my honor to have your favor. I will use tea instead of wine to wish you a bright future and good health."
After saying this, he raised his head and drank the tea in the cup.
A gust of river breeze blew, lifting her beautiful hair. Her white dress fluttered in the wind. She had a smile in her eyes, and her bright face was full of carefreeness and blessings.
He Louche thought, if only time could stop at that moment, this would be a scene he would never forget in his life.
Before leaving, He Louche handed Ning Xihua a sealed letter.
"I'll take it apart when I get back. We're saying goodbye today, please take care."
The boy's face still looked a little childish, but his sharp temperament was already showing.
Ning Xihua nodded, waved to him with a smile, turned and left, never looking back.
He Louche looked at her back and finally smiled with relief.
He looked up to the north in the sky. Beiqiong, that was the battlefield for the next part of his life.
After returning to Prince Ning's Mansion, Ning Xihua opened the letter from He Louche, which actually mentioned the conspiracy between Su Xu and He Louqing and the planting of spies in the Ning family army.
Ning Xihua sighed. Although she had already overheard it from Su Bi, she still remembered this favor from He Louche.
She had just returned home and hadn't rested for a while when Song Yi came to report that Huailiu was waiting for her at the back door of the palace.
"Didn't you say yesterday that you had something to do and didn't need to go to Linhua Palace? Why are you here to pick me up today?"
Song Yi was also unclear and shook her head, "Huai Liu's guards only said that it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's order, and he also mentioned that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was not in good condition."
What does it mean that the situation is not good?
Ning Xihua was a little worried, so she took Song Yi and went straight to Linhua Palace.