Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Third Prince...Is it not possible...
It was the height of summer, and Han Xu ordered a large blue and white porcelain jar to be placed in the hall. It was filled with white ice and colorful fresh fruits.
Occasionally, the ice melts and hits the celadon, making a light and crisp tinkling sound.
Starting from outside the door, there were two maids standing in front of each door, fanning the air, making the room feel pleasant and cool.
These times, without hearing Aunt Wu urging him, Nie Xiangyi was happy and at ease. He simply stopped looking at the account book, spread a Xiangfei bamboo mat on the couch, and lay on it reading a storybook.
She was most afraid of heat, so today she was only wearing a honey-colored tube top and a narrow-sleeved khaki gauze jacket over it.
The thin gauze covered her body, revealing a large area of fair skin beneath the delicate color. Nie Xiangyi herself was unaware of this, and as she watched with such amusement, she tossed and turned on the couch, giggling foolishly.
She didn't even notice when a corner of the gauze was rubbed off.
Xie Zhi looked at the faint whiteness on Nie Xiangyi's shoulders, which looked like a piece of white jade tofu that would burst with a poke.
His throat moved slightly, and he frowned and scolded softly, "There's a proper way to sit. This is not proper."
Nie Xiangyi sat up reluctantly, muttering, "You just think I'm unruly..."
Xie Zhi was about to say something when he suddenly heard Ling Zhu come in from outside, "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine wants you to come into the palace."
Nie Xiangyi's brow furrowed as soon as she heard she was entering the palace. The hot and humid weather, coupled with the palace's countless red tape, made her feel quite constrained.
She pouted and got up reluctantly to change her clothes.
Xie Zhi couldn't help noticing her reluctance. He glanced down at her and said, "Since I didn't summon you, you don't have to go."
Nie Xiangyi then smiled happily, "Then I will wait for His Highness to come back!"
After Xie Zhi left the house, she lay back on the couch with her arms and legs spread out.
"Madam, the wife of the Duke of Qi's son is here."
Hearing the servant announce that Zhong Lingyu had arrived, Nie Xiangyi's eyes lit up, "Please come in! I'm so bored all alone!"
A moment later, Zhong Lingyu opened the Nanzhu curtain and came in. Seeing Nie Xiangyi's lazy look, she couldn't help but tease her, "You seem so relaxed!"
Nie Xiangyi ordered someone to take out the fruits from the jar and served a bowl of iced osmanthus and plum soup.
She smiled and said, "I was bored alone, so my cousin came to keep me company."
"You're newlyweds, and I was afraid to disturb you by coming here so suddenly. How come you're bored?"
"Cousin, I don't know!" Nie Xiangyi pouted. "I'm being watched all day long, learning the rules and looking at the account books. Whether I understand or not, they use the words about being the daughter-in-law of the royal family and the royal family's reputation to shut me up. It's really boring!"
Zhong Lingyu poked her forehead and laughed at her, "You were the one who wanted to get married in the first place. Besides, this is nothing! Let alone you are the prince's consort, even if you are an ordinary family, as the mistress, you should learn to manage the household, right?"
As she spoke, she casually asked, "Where is the Third Prince? Isn't he at home?"
"The imperial concubine has summoned him into the palace." Nie Xiangyi answered casually.
Zhong Lingyu frowned slightly upon hearing this, "Since he's entering the palace, why doesn't he take you with him?"
If the Imperial Concubine summoned them, it must not be a matter of state. They had been married for only two weeks, and according to the rules, they should have been together in all directions.
"His Highness said that if I'm not summoned, then I don't have to go." Nie Xiangyi shook his head proudly. "I don't want to go anyway, so isn't this just perfect?"
"How can you say that!" Zhong Lingyu tapped her head lightly in annoyance. "You are husband and wife now. If others saw him kowtow to the imperial concubine alone, I wonder how much they would worry!"
"Ah?" Nie Xiangyi's eyes widened as he asked blankly, "How could you possibly think about something so trivial?"
"My silly sister," Zhong Lingyu couldn't help but sigh. "There are already many rumors out there, saying that your marriage to His Highness was arranged by the Emperor, and that His Highness was unwilling to accept it. If he doesn't even enter or leave the palace with you, wouldn't that just confirm those rumors? It means His Highness doesn't like you!"
Nie Xiangyi was stunned when he heard this.
I should have been secretly happy that I didn't have to enter the palace, but suddenly I became hesitant.
Is this the reason why Xie Zhi didn't bring her into the palace today? Or is it because he thinks she is unruly and it would be too rash to enter the palace?
She laughed dryly, "No... no way..."
I don't know whether he was responding to Zhong Lingyu or telling her about himself.
Seeing her empty expression, Zhong Lingyu couldn't help but show worry on her face. She lowered her voice and asked her, "Ah Si, tell me the truth. How does the Third Prince treat you now?"
Nie Xiangyi thought about it again and again, but seemed to have no idea how to answer.
If she said she liked him, then since their marriage, she and His Highness had never even consummated their marriage. But if she said she didn't like him...
How could he allow himself to go further?
That night on Yudai Street, she raised her face and moved closer to Xie Zhi, as if she was constantly testing Xie Zhi's bottom line.
Xie Zhi's face clearly showed an expression of helplessness and intolerance, but in the end he still gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
Nie Xiangyi was suddenly distracted, not knowing how to answer. He looked confused and flustered, "I... I don't know either..."
"Alas." Seeing her so confused, Zhong Lingyu couldn't help but sigh. "I came here today for this matter. There are rumors everywhere that His Highness dislikes you. Grandfather was afraid that you would get carried away by these words, so he asked me to comfort you."
Nie Xiangyi felt warm in her heart, "Thank you, cousin, and thank you, grandpa."
"There are some things that Grandfather can't tell you directly, so I'll tell you." Zhong Lingyu suddenly lowered her voice mysteriously. "If His Highness doesn't have any feelings for you right now, it doesn't really matter. There's still a long way to go. If you could have a child, things would be much better."
Nie Xiangyi had been listening attentively, but when she heard this, her face suddenly turned red, like a burning persimmon, "I...you..."
Not knowing what she was thinking about, she pursed her lips and looked lost.
"What's with that expression?" Zhong Lingyu asked with a puzzled look. "I'm talking to you seriously."
Nie Xiangyi hung her head, like a dejected little quail, and muttered in a low voice, "But... Your Highness and I... haven't consummated our marriage yet..."
"What?!" Zhong Lingyu's eyes widened. "You've been married for over half a month, and you haven't consummated your marriage yet?"
She took a look at Nie Xiangyi's outfit today. Her skin was as white as cream and very attractive.
She said doubtfully, "Third Prince...is this impossible?"
When Nie Xiangyi suddenly talked about this with others, she was inevitably shy and almost dared not look Zhong Lingyu in the eye.
She suddenly recalled the day when she fell on His Highness' waist and was mistaken for a dagger. She rubbed the corner of her clothes and said softly, "It should... not be..."
Seeing Nie Xiangyi's embarrassed and annoyed look, Zhong Lingyu almost buried her head in the ground.
"His Highness seems to be a pure and unselfish person." She sighed and thought for a moment, "How about... you give him some wine and try?"
At the same time, Xie Zhi entered the palace to meet the emperor.
"Ruheng is here." The imperial concubine looked at him gently, "Look what this is?"
The imperial concubine was holding a palm-sized kitten in her arms. The kitten was snow-white, with a pair of big blue eyes staring at her, and looked quite arrogant.
"This cat was sent as tribute from Persia. I'm just a bit tired, and since you and Xiangyi are newlyweds, why don't you raise one for fun?"
As she said this, she put down the kitten in her hand.
The kitten raised its tail high and walked towards Xie Zhi with its head held high. It seemed to sniff at his legs for a moment, and then rubbed its furry head against his legs.
"Look! This cat likes you very much."
Xie Zhi leaned over and lifted the cat by the scruff of its neck. He heard a "meow", and the cat stretched out its short claws to scratch the air, and then a pair of light blue eyes looked at him innocently.
For no reason, a young girl's face appeared in his mind.
Exactly the same.
Xie Zhi pursed his lips and said, "Thank you, mother."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a message from outside, "Your Majesty, Mo Jiu, who is with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, is here."
"Spread it."
Mo Jiu stepped into the palace and glanced at the cat in Xie Zhi's hand. "Greetings to the Imperial Concubine, and to the Third Prince."
He cupped his hands and said calmly, "Your Highness heard that the Imperial Concubine has just acquired a Persian kitten. She's curious and wants to bring it back to the Eastern Palace to raise."
It is true.
Xie Zhi was no longer surprised by such things.
From childhood to adulthood, Xie Chengxin has always been so concerned about his things.
Even if he doesn't like it, he still takes the trouble to snatch it away.
The imperial concubine couldn't help but reveal an embarrassment on her face, but she was first worried about Xie Chengxin's health, "Yu Ru's cough hasn't been cured, how can she keep these things? What if the cough is triggered by cat hair..."
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that he would just keep them at a distance and that it wouldn't be a problem."
The imperial concubine looked at Xie Zhi, her eyes filled with helplessness, and pleaded, "Ruheng..."
Xie Zhi knew that she had already made the decision for him.
He put the kitten down indifferently.
He knew that Xie Chengxin just liked to see his reaction after his things were taken away.
Let’s see how much the Third Prince, who is always regarded as aloof and dignified by outsiders, can lose his composure.
Xie Zhi just watched Mo Jiu take the kitten away without any attempt to stop him.
The imperial concubine still said the same thing, "Ruheng, he is the crown prince. Please give way to him."
"If you have nothing else to say, mother, I will take my leave first." Xie Zhi turned and left.
He's used to it.
But when he passed by the East Palace, he suddenly thought of the cat again. He thought of Nie Xiangyi's face with her round eyes.
For some reason, he didn't want to give in this time.
He suddenly stopped and turned to go to the East Palace.
Xie Chengxin was suffering from a cough and was not suitable for raising kittens. As expected, after he got it from the imperial concubine, he only placed it in the palace with lukewarm care, letting it wander around on its own.
"It seems that Third Brother really likes this cat."
Xie Chengxin seemed a little surprised by his appearance. He looked at the cat wandering around in the hall with a half-smile and said meaningfully, "It's really rare."
Since he was a child, he couldn't stand Xie Zhi's hypocritical appearance of being indifferent and self-disciplined.
No matter what he took away from Xie Zhi, he always had an indifferent expression.
The more he acted like this, the more Xie Chengxin wanted to see him lose his temper and get angry.
"I thought there was really nothing in this world that Third Brother cared about."
As soon as the kitten saw Xie Zhi, it ran to him with its tail wagging, looking very affectionate.
Xie Zhi leaned over and picked up the kitten, looking at him indifferently, "You can't take my things away."
Unless I want to.
It was an ordinary time, but Xie Chengxin inexplicably saw a condescending look in his eyes.
What Xie Chengxin hated most was this expression on his face.
He seemed calm and composed, as if everything was under his control.
A sinister sneer flashed across his pale face. "Really?"
Xie Zhi just looked at him with his usual calm eyes.
He put the kitten in his arms, but suddenly he caught a glimpse of something in the hall out of the corner of his eye, and his whole body froze.
His dark pupils suddenly contracted.
It was a beautiful white jade mask.
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