Chapter 36
Ling Jingchu's eyes were moist and dark, and he clenched his teeth. It felt as if more and more vines were slowly growing and climbing over his heart.
It was so tight he couldn't breathe.
He knew what Jiang Yunshu was about to say; that resolute, emotionless indifference sent shivers down his spine.
There was an extreme sense of dread, a feeling of wanting to completely expose his dark, shameful thoughts and lay them bare in the sunlight.
He suddenly realized that at that moment he didn't even dare to look Jiang Yunshu in the eye, as if those eyes could see right through him.
But he knew even better what he feared.
Jiang Yunshu resolutely refused.
He couldn't accept such words coming from Jiang Yunshu's mouth.
His fists were clenched tightly, and the veins on his wrists were faintly visible. He could not allow such a thing to happen.
"Miss, the food is ready. Come and see! This winter will surely be peaceful and safe!"
The table was set up in the yard. Jiang Yunshu smelled the aroma and lost her previous appetite. She walked lightly to the table and looked at the dishes on it, feeling a warm feeling in her heart.
Su Ye was serving up the stewed radish and beef soup when Qing Shuang moved up behind her and whispered something in her ear.
“Miss, these were all prepared by Young Master Jingchu. There’s also the chestnut cake. Su Ye said that Young Master Jingchu had his wife write down the recipe for him, and he’s been secretly practicing it for a long time.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yunshu felt a little scared and turned to look in Ling Jingchu's direction.
The man sat to the side with a sullen face. Su Ye whispered something in his ear, and he frowned, looking extremely suppressed.
Just as she was about to look away, Ling Jingchu suddenly looked up at her, his eyes seeming to hold a turbulent undercurrent. The moment their eyes met, Jiang Yunshu abruptly turned her head away.
Ling Jingchu suddenly loosened his clenched hand under his long sleeves, picked up his chopsticks, and put a hawthorn candy on Jiang Yunshu's plate.
"Eat."
Jiang Yunshu chuckled twice, but still ate the hawthorn candy in front of her.
Just then, a familiar voice came from outside.
"Are you so unwelcoming to me? No one has even come to greet me?"
Jiang Yunshu was both surprised and delighted. She got up and turned around to see the Second Prince walking over, looking radiant.
She quickly knelt down, and the Second Prince stepped forward to help her up, saying with admiration, "Get up, get up."
"If it weren't for your intelligence, I wouldn't be able to get out now."
She stood up, intending to say a few words, but the Second Prince turned his gaze to the table full of food and naturally sat down.
"You're quite thoughtful, but how did you know I would come today?"
As soon as the Second Prince sat down, Qing Shuang busied herself setting up bowls and chopsticks for him and pouring hot tea.
Jiang Yunshu pursed her lips and remained silent. Ling Jingchu said in a deep voice, "This humble subject was unaware. It is simply that today is Frost's Descent, and the Jiang family does this every year."
The second prince showed no embarrassment; instead, he smiled and asked, "Is Frost's Descent such an important day?"
Jiang Yunshu was too embarrassed to admit that she had come up with the festival from reading storybooks, so she lowered her head.
Ling Jingchu glanced at her subtly, a smile playing on his lips.
"I don't know either. It's been there since I can remember. I suppose it was decided by the previous generation."
The second prince didn't hesitate and started eating with his chopsticks.
He took a bite of the hawthorn ball, marveling at it, and was about to eat the chestnut cake when Ling Jingchu suddenly spoke up.
"Your Highness."
The second prince suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.
Su Ye quietly moved the chestnut cake aside a bit, and Ling Jingchu said calmly, "It is far too dangerous for Your Highness to come alone."
"I'm already here. Besides, I want the third prince to know that I'm not someone who can be easily overthrown."
The second prince was still somewhat indignant as he said this: "I never expected that the third prince, who is usually so quiet, would actually extend his reach to the Imperial Observatory and the Directorate of Ceremonial. I really underestimated him."
He snorted coldly: "But this person doesn't need my intervention."
Such a major event in Jiangnan could be covered up. Not only will the Emperor be wary of the Third Prince, but the Empress will also likely re-evaluate Consort Li.
He can then reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
Jiang Yunshu didn't say anything, just kept eating in silence.
Ling Jingchu didn't say anything more.
Only the Second Prince seemed to have opened a floodgate of words, pulling Ling Jingchu aside and talking on and on.
Finally, they even praised their food.
"The cuisine in Jiangnan is more refined than ours. In fact, it tastes better than the food prepared by the imperial chefs in the palace!"
As she spoke, she took another piece of dried persimmon, which melted in her mouth with a sticky, gooey texture and carried the natural aroma of persimmon.
"Even these persimmon cakes taste better than those from Jianyang Palace."
Jiang Yunshu smiled and urged Mo Tingyu to eat more.
After the meal, Mo Tingyu swaggered away again.
For some reason, Jiang Yunshu felt inexplicably uneasy after seeing Mo Tingyu off, as if something was about to happen.
Seeing that her expression was not right, Qing Shuang came up to help her back to her room, while Ling Jingchu stood in the shadows under the corridor and watched the person.
Her heart was churning with emotions. During the banquet, she smiled brightly at the Second Prince, a smile she had never shown him before.
Recalling the other person's previous attempt to distance himself from him, he clenched his fists even tighter under his long sleeves, the veins on his wrists bulging.
Why are your eyes so dark and melancholy?
Is it true that everyone except him is qualified?
He refused to let her have her way.
He wanted to keep her by his side for the rest of his life.
Whether it's Chu Shuangfeng or the Second Prince, she shouldn't even think about either of them.
Only him, and only him.
At this moment, Jiang Yunshu, who was in a state of panic, did not expect that Ayao was being tormented by Consort Li because of this matter.
Inside the Chang Le Palace, Princess Roujia was pointing at A Yao and accusing Consort Li.
"Mother, Shen Qingyao ate all my pastries. These were made for me by the nanny!"
"I don't like her, Mother!"
Princess Roujia raised an eyebrow, sniffed, and snorted coldly, "Mother, kick her out!"
Consort Li glared at A Yao with a cold gaze. A Yao knelt down, her legs trembling, and said, "Your Highness Consort Li, this servant didn't know that it was given to the princess by the nanny..."
"Still dare to argue, Shen Qingyao!"
Princess Roujia was so angry that her voice was distorted: "Isn't it just because I asked you to help me with embroidery a couple of days ago, and you were resentful and wanted to take revenge on me by not letting me eat what I wanted!"
"Shen Qingyao, I hate you!"
Princess Roujia angrily tugged at Consort Li's hem: "Mother, you must stand up for me! What kind of person is she, daring to eat my pastries!"
Consort Li gently stroked Princess Roujia's head, wiping away the tears on her face: "Good girl, you won't look pretty if you cry. Roujia can do whatever she wants. You are a princess, she..."
Consort Li turned her gaze to the person kneeling on the ground not far away, her voice deep and resonant: "Just a lowly servant girl."
Princess Roujia then put away her aggrieved expression and turned to look at Ayao triumphantly: "Drag her out and make her kneel outside to reflect on her actions."
"Come back to me when you realize you're wrong."
Ayao stared blankly at Roujia, knowing that begging for mercy was useless, and could only let them drag her outside.
She had only been kneeling for a short while when the wind picked up outside, and soon the rain began to fall, hitting her thin shoulders and causing them some pain.
She couldn't tell if the pain was in her heart or in her body; she just felt extremely uncomfortable all over.
She misses her mother.
I want to go home.
Tears mingled with the rain as they streamed down her face. Her clothes were soaked through in no time, and the cold, damp wind swept through her body, bringing a chill.
It's so cold...
Roujia, who was inside the hall, said anxiously, "Mother, why don't we let Shen Qingyao come in and kneel?"
Consort Li glanced at Roujia and smiled.
He pulled her into his arms and whispered, "Roujia, in the deep palace, feelings are the most useless thing. You pity her for getting caught in the rain, but she will only remember that you were going to punish her."
"Some things, once done, can never be undone, understand?"
Li Fei's voice was very soft, and Rou Jia listened with a mixture of understanding and confusion.
He seemed to want to say something more, but ultimately remained silent.
He just stared blankly outside.
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