Chapter 32 Spring Outing "Miss Chu... should be an extremely..."
As dusk settled and the sky grew darker, Jiang Chen asked Zhu Yu, "Has the Crown Princess not returned yet?"
Zhu Yu sent a eunuch to inquire, and when he returned, he looked unwell: "Your Highness, the Crown Princess returned this afternoon, saying she was feeling unwell and has already gone to rest."
"Resting?" Jiang Chen looked up at the fiery red sunset sky. Had he gone to bed without even having dinner?
Thinking that she had only recently recovered, Jiang Chen was still worried, so he got up and went back to the main courtyard. As soon as he entered the bedroom, he saw Shen Yujiao lying on the bed with her clothes on, her back to him.
"Are you asleep?" Jiang Chen asked tentatively, "Jiaojiao?"
"Don't come any closer, I want to lie down for a while," Shen Yujiao said listlessly.
Noticing that something was indeed wrong with her, Jiang Chen didn't stop walking: "Should we call the imperial physician?"
"I said you should go out first!"
Shen Yujiao sat up abruptly, her eyes filled with struggle as she looked at Jiang Chen. Her feelings were very complicated, and she just wanted to be alone.
"What's wrong with you?" Jiang Chen stood there stunned for a moment, then took a few steps back. "I... I won't go over there. I'm just worried about your health."
Seeing that although he was at a loss, the worry in his words was genuine, Shen Yujiao felt a surge of self-loathing well up inside her again, and she buried her face in her knees in utter frustration.
It's happening again.
Every time she thought of Chu Rou, a bitter feeling would well up in her heart. She disliked being swayed by her emotions like this, especially since Chu Rou hadn't done anything wrong. Whenever this happened, she would feel increasingly disappointed in herself.
If she wanted to get out of this mood... Shen Yujiao looked up at Jiang Chen, whose face was full of worry. After a while, she said, "I'm really not feeling well, Jiang Chen. Can you stay in the study for the time being? I'll have Mu Jin come and take care of me."
“Okay.” Jiang Chen’s intuition told him that Shen Yujiao might not be feeling unwell, but he still nodded and left the bedchamber.
After Jiang Chen finished his eighth lap at the training ground, panting heavily, he walked over and instructed Zhu Yu, "Have the kitchen send a bowl of easy-to-eat noodles to the Crown Princess tonight, but don't put any cilantro in it."
"yes."
When Mu Jin brought in a bowl of thin noodles, Shen Yujiao was still leaning against the bed railing in a daze. Her feelings were completely different from when she learned that He Zhiju might appear in Daxia. At this moment, her mind was a mess.
"Your Highness," Mu Jin placed the noodles on the table and came over to persuade you, "You can't go on without eating. The Crown Prince just sent over a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Why don't you have some?"
Shen Yujiao sighed softly and shook her head: "I'm not hungry at all."
“You have to eat even if you’re not hungry,” Mu Jin squatted down, her eyes filled with both pleading and heartache. “If you don’t eat, Mama Liu will scold you again.”
Her expression at this moment caught Shen Yujiao's eye, making her unconsciously recall the scene before Miss Shen died, and a feeling of pity washed over her. Mu Jin was a loyal servant.
"good."
Supported by Mu Jin, Shen Yujiao sat down at a small round table. She held chopsticks in her hand, but had no appetite to eat. She forced herself to eat a few bites before putting the chopsticks down. Seeing her like this, Mu Jin became even more worried.
"Your Highness, if you are in a bad mood, how about having His Highness the Crown Prince take you out for a walk tomorrow to cheer you up?"
"No, thank you." The last person Shen Yujiao wanted to see right now was Jiang Chen.
"Then...then how about we send a message to the young master? Just like when Miss was little?"
General He? Shen Yujiao looked up at Mu Jin, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Miss, have you forgotten that when you were little, whenever you wanted the eldest young master to take you out to play, you would have someone send a kite to the front yard. When the eldest young master saw it, he would find a way to take you out of the manor."
So that's how it is. A faint smile unconsciously appeared on Shen Yujiao's lips. The siblings had a good relationship. She thought for a moment and then nodded, "That's fine too."
In any case, she didn't want to let herself get stuck in this mood anymore, so going out for a walk to clear her head was probably a good choice.
So the next day, a carriage was waiting outside the East Palace. After Shen Yujiao got into the carriage, she fell into a daze and fell asleep. When she woke up, she was already outside the capital.
"Mu Jin." Shen Yujiao woke up and, finding the carriage empty, called out to the outside. Upon hearing the voice, Mu Jin bowed to He Zhiju, then quickly returned to the carriage: "Your Highness is awake?"
Shen Yujiao rubbed her sore neck and asked her, "Where is this?"
Mu Jin prepared the cloak and reached out to support her: "Your Highness, please get out of the carriage and relax. This is the outskirts of the capital, and there are not many people around. The young master is waiting for you outside."
"You know... General He is outside?" Shen Yujiao was caught off guard. She had just woken up and was afraid of saying something wrong in a moment of mental lapse. She hesitated and sat back down, saying to Mu Jin, "Please tidy my hair first."
After Mu Jin tidied her hair, Shen Yujiao also composed herself. As soon as the sedan curtain was opened, the boundless wilderness outside came into view, instantly making her feel refreshed and relaxed.
Shen Yujiao stepped down from the carriage, and faced with the expansive and beautiful scenery, she was speechless for a long time.
Since arriving in Daxia, she had spent her days either in the East Palace or serving in the palace. Having seen so many square red walls and golden tiles, she felt suffocated by them. Now, standing under this beautiful spring scenery, she was able to take a long-awaited breath.
Seeing her close her eyes and take a deep breath, He Zhiju did not go forward to disturb her, but simply stood quietly to the side. When she opened her eyes again and looked at him, he respectfully bowed to her and said, "Your Highness."
Recalling her earlier demeanor, Shen Yujiao felt a little embarrassed. She nodded to He Zhiju and said, "Please rise, brother."
After He Zhiju got up, he didn't say much. He just whistled into the distance, and then two horses, one black and one white, came galloping over. When they reached them, the two horses snorted at them.
"Yanyu, don't be rude." He Zhiju stepped forward to soothe her a few times, while Shen Yujiao stepped forward with some curiosity, "Is this the general's horse?"
He Zhiju turned to Shen Yujiao and smiled brightly: "Your Highness doesn't remember Yanyu? This is the little white horse I mentioned in the letter. Because Your Highness was delighted when you received the letter, I kept it by my side to train it and named it Yanyu according to Your Highness's wishes."
Yan Yu was a very beautiful horse, with snow-white fur all over its body, except for a tuft of gray hair on its forehead. Its two big eyes seemed to hold the spring waters of Jiangnan, and they were so bright and clear that Chen Yujiao felt happy just looking at it. She walked over, stroked the horse, and murmured softly, "Yan Yu..."
"Your Highness, would you like to try riding a horse?" He Zhiju suggested.
Shen Yujiao paused in stroking the horse. She didn't know how to ride a horse. Just as she was thinking, she heard He Zhiju continue, "Didn't Your Highness say when you were young that you wanted to try riding a horse when you grew up?"
So Miss Shen couldn't ride a horse either. Shen Yujiao nodded in agreement, "Okay."
He Zhiju was an excellent horseman and a master at riding horses. Although Shen Yujiao had never ridden a horse before, under his guidance, she was soon able to hold the reins and ride slowly on her own. Although she dared not run, she was quite relaxed sitting on the horse and walking slowly.
"Why did Your Highness think of sending me a kite?"
The two strolled side by side across the field when He Zhiju suddenly asked a question in a soft voice. Shen Yujiao looked intently ahead. It was still early spring, and the grass in the field had not yet fully grown, making it look rather desolate.
Seeing that she didn't answer for a long time, He Zhiju thought she didn't want to talk, so he didn't force her. Instead, he accompanied her on a bike ride. After they had gone quite a distance, he heard the girl say with some disappointment, "In this year's election, His Majesty wants to bestow a new concubine upon the Crown Prince."
So that's what it was about. He Zhiju sighed slightly. They had known the price of marrying into the royal family for a long time, but seeing his sister so sad now, he felt bad too. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but he didn't know how to start, afraid that if he said the wrong thing, his comfort would turn into pity.
Shen Yujiao didn't expect him to say anything. She looked up at the distant woods and asked softly, "Brother, do you know anything about Grand Tutor Chu's family?"
He Zhiju frowned slightly upon hearing this: "Grand Tutor Chu?"
"Yes, His Majesty wishes to bestow upon the Crown Prince Chu Rou, the eldest granddaughter of the Grand Tutor, in marriage."
"Miss Chu?" The black horse beside him suddenly neighed and then stopped in its tracks.
Noticing that the person next to her had suddenly stopped, Shen Yujiao also pulled on the reins and looked back. However, she was learning to ride a horse for the first time today and was not yet skilled at controlling the reins. She didn't pay attention to the strength of her hand, and Yan Yu was pulled so hard that she suddenly lost her footing. Shen Yujiao, sitting on the horse, suddenly felt uneasy.
Just as she was about to be thrown off, He Zhiju moved with lightning speed. He sat up straight, pushed off with his feet, and leaped from the black horse behind Shen Yujiao. He snatched the reins from her hand and pulled hard, shouting, "Whoa—"
Yan Yu was a fine horse that He Zhiju had trained for a long time. After he finished this series of actions, Yan Yu quickly calmed down.
Once the horse had recovered, He Zhiju quickly dismounted and respectfully bowed to Shen Yujiao, saying, "Your Highness, I have offended you greatly just now. Please forgive me."
Shen Yujiao's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, gradually calmed down. She shook her head and said, "It's an emergency, so I don't blame my brother. Help me down."
After dismounting, the two stopped riding. Shen Yujiao walked in front, while He Zhiju walked two steps behind her, holding the reins of the two horses. The two walked on and on.
"Your humble servant has only recently returned to the capital and is not very familiar with affairs here. Besides... Miss Chu is a young lady from a respectable family..."
Shen Yujiao sensed the hesitation in his words and shook her head with a smile: "I didn't say anything else. I just heard that Miss Chu is well-known for her talent in the capital, but I don't know anything else about her."
"Your Highness has been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood. In terms of talent and learning, Your Highness is no less than any noble lady."
"That's because the brother favors his sister. Miss Chu... must be an exceptionally outstanding young lady. Perhaps I truly am inferior to her..."
He Zhiju walked behind her, his heart filled with complicated emotions. Hearing her say that, he didn't know what to say. As the two were in silence, they saw two horses coming towards them in the distance. Upon seeing this, He Zhiju quickly stepped forward to protect Shen Yujiao behind him.
"Your Highness, please be careful."
Shen Yujiao stood behind He Zhiju, her brows furrowed as she looked at the two galloping horses. When she saw who was riding them, her expression suddenly turned cold.
"So it's General He. I went out of the city to inspect the fields today, and I never expected to meet General He here."
"Your humble servant greets Your Highness, Prince Huan."
Prince Huan waved to He Zhiju, signaling him to stand up, then looked behind him and asked, "Is the Crown Princess here too?"
Shen Yujiao felt she had nothing to say to him, so she simply nodded slightly: "Prince Huan."
Seeing her indifferent expression, Prince Huan did not press the matter, and instead began to chat with He Zhiju: "General He, did you bring the Crown Princess with you for horseback riding?"
"Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince has ordered me to take the Crown Princess out of the city for a spring outing today."
“That’s strange,” King Huan said with a playful expression. “After court today, I asked my fifth brother if he wanted to go on an inspection tour of the fields with me. He only said that he had things to do at the mansion, and I didn’t hear him mention that he wanted to go on a spring outing today.”
He Zhiju wanted to say something, but Shen Yujiao spoke first: "The Crown Prince must have other matters to attend to, which is why he didn't come. Besides, General He and I are siblings. He was just going out of the city for a spring outing. Does Prince Huan have to criticize such a small matter?"
Seemingly surprised by Shen Yujiao's sharp and confrontational remarks, King Huan was visibly taken aback for a moment, but he quickly recovered and smiled gently at the two of them, saying, "Of course not, I was just asking casually when I thought of it."
His voice was gentle and soothing, but Shen Yujiao only felt more annoyed. She tugged at He Zhiju's sleeve and said, "Brother, please take me back."
"General He—" Just as the two were about to turn around and walk back, Prince Huan called out to He Zhiju from behind: "If you have time tonight, would you like to have a drink with me? Since you returned to the capital, I haven't had time to welcome you back."
Even though she guessed that the two of them had known each other since they were young, Shen Yujiao still didn't want He Zhiju to associate with him again. She paused for a moment, and finally turned around and said to Prince Huan word by word, "Your Highness Prince Huan, my brother has only recently returned to the capital. Right now is a time of great prosperity and development. At such a sensitive time, please do not make things difficult for my brother."
Upon hearing her words, Prince Huan's expression was as if he had been stung. He nodded, his eyes dimming slightly, and said in a light tone, "I only wanted to catch up with Ziwang. If it is inconvenient for you, General, we can talk about it another day. Why is the Crown Princess so nervous? I will not make things difficult for you."
“Yes,” Shen Yujiao suddenly smiled, “I was being stingy. Now that we’re all family, my brother will be considerate of us. Thank you in advance.”
As she spoke, Shen Yujiao gave him a half-bow, and then, without waiting for him to say anything more, she turned around and pulled He Zhiju back. He Zhiju could only turn back and give Prince Huan an apologetic smile.
Watching the two figures walk further and further away, King Huan slowly closed his eyes, the words Shen Yujiao had just spoken still echoing in his mind.
After a while, he opened his eyes and instructed Jian Shan behind him, "Spread the word that the Crown Prince is about to marry the second young lady of the Chu family, the sooner the better."
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