Chapter 99
Wang Shuhuai's voice was not loud, with three parts of expectation and three parts of helplessness.
Xie Yunchu blinked his eyelashes slightly and was stunned for a moment.
The word "act coquettishly" had never existed in her life. When she was young, she used to feel a little envious when she saw her sister Xie Yunxiu acting coquettishly with Aunt Lu, or Xie Yunshuang acting coquettishly with Aunt Li. Then she would take her brother back to her own yard, and they would read books around the fire, or eat some fruits and peanuts together, quietly hiding those unfulfilled expectations in an unknown place.
After getting married, facing a cold husband, one has to think twice before even speaking to him, let alone acting coquettishly or throwing a tantrum.
Xie Yunchu had never experienced this in his two lifetimes.
She doesn't need it and she's not used to it.
She folded her hands in front of her stomach, twisting the handkerchief, and whispered,
"I've eaten too much, I need to digest it. I've walked this road countless times, just hold my hand."
If she was too tired to walk, it would be okay for Wang Shuhuai to carry her on his back. She had just had dinner and didn't need that at all.
Wang Shuhuai had no choice but to stand up, hold her hand, and slowly move down.
The autumn wind slapped her cheeks like cold water. Xie Yunchu didn't feel cold being held by him. She glanced sideways at Wang Shuhuai. Wang Shuhuai's brows were drooping and he was silent all the way. It could be seen that he looked a little depressed.
Xie Yunchu changed her mind and sighed. It was not that she was unwilling to do so, but she was simply not used to doing so, and she didn't even know how to do it.
"This is quite hypocritical. We don't need this between husband and wife." She even felt that Wang Shuhuai was being unreasonable.
Wang Shuhuai paused. The lights hanging in the corridor cast a dim light, which was imprinted in his eyes like deep waves. He stared at Xie Yunchu, feeling confused and not knowing what to say. He bent down instinctively, opened his long arms and picked up Xie Yunchu horizontally.
Xie Yunchu did not expect him to suddenly exert force, and subconsciously looked around. The two maids who accompanied him followed behind him with pursed lips and lowered eyes. Qi Wei has always been elusive, and the wind was strong at night, so the other stewards and servants were nowhere to be seen.
Xie Yunchu let him hug her.
She buried her head lightly in his shoulder and didn't speak to him.
When they arrived at the mountain gate, opposite was the Imperial Examination Hall, and there was a constant stream of people, who continued to come until late at night. Xie Yunchu said that Wang Shuhuai was not allowed to carry her out, and Wang Shuhuai didn't want to go against her wishes, so he put him down.
Xie Yunchu pointed at the wrinkled hem of her skirt and glared at him. Her look was full of shyness and anger, and her eyes were lively. Wang Shuhuai felt more at ease seeing her.
They returned to Chunjing Hall in silence, and Xie Yunchu learned from Nanny Lin that the eldest princess had returned.
"It has been a year since the Duke and the Princess divorced. Although the Princess's mansion next door has been built, the Princess has never left the palace. This is the first time that the Princess has returned to the mansion."
"Anyway, I'll go over and pay my respects tomorrow morning."
In her previous life, even though the princess fought to the death with Wang Shuhuai, she never made things difficult for her. Although she was a politician with a strong hand, she was an open-minded person and never used her power to make things difficult for a woman. In this life, she should value her even more and it is reasonable for her to pay her respects.
Nanny Lin said, "The eldest lady sent someone to tell her that the princess is not seeing anyone and that there is no need to go over to pay respects."
Xie Yunchu still personally made a blood-replenishing ointment and asked someone to send it over, and the eldest princess accepted it with a smile.
The next day, the fifth day, he went to the academy as usual and was busy all day. The sixth day was Er Ge'er's birthday, so Xie Yunchu had to stay in the mansion.
After all, he was Wang Shuhuai's legitimate son, and Jiang valued him very much. She had announced early on that she would be the one to host the family banquet. The other wives were very surprised, and Jiang felt very uncomfortable, but she still put on airs, "It's not easy for you to be busy all year round. From now on, I will host the child's birthday banquet."
Everyone stood up and said hello.
Since Xie Yunchu didn't need to work any more, she took some time off to come to the Nan Mansion.
The alley in front of the Duke Wang's Mansion was built with a high wall. It was heavily guarded and only the carriages from the Prince's Mansion and the Princess's Mansion could drive in. Xie Yunchu went out of the alley, walked along the west side, and went around the alley. There was a corner door, from which he entered the courtyard of the South Mansion.
Compared with the magnificent and majestic North Palace, the South Palace looks much more shabby.
Rockeries and flowers and rocks can be seen everywhere, but they are not as exquisitely maintained as those in Beifu.
The people in charge here are the two half-brothers of the Duke, the Second Old Master and the Third Old Master. They each have several sons, seven or eight branches in total. Jin is the wife of the second young master of the Second Old Master.
Xie Yunchu didn't want to disturb others, so he chose a secluded stone path to Jin's yard.
However, the Nan Mansion was densely populated, and people could be seen from time to time. The sharp-eyed maid spotted Xie Yunchu and was so frightened that she quickly came forward to kowtow and greet him.
"It turns out that it's the Second Madam of the Bei Mansion. How come you have time to come here on my brother's birthday?"
Xie Yunchu smiled and asked the maid to stand up, motioned Chunqi to take out some silver to reward the guests, and replied,
"I usually have to go to the academy and I am busy. Today I am finally in the mansion. I heard that your second sister-in-law Jin was sick, so I came to see her."
Jin was also very famous in the Nan Mansion. The grandmothers praised her. As Xie Yunchu walked towards Jin's courtyard, the grandmother said,
"Thank goodness that Second Madam is a bodhisattva-like person, managing such a large family business, she is so busy that she still misses our Second Madam Jin. Alas, Second Madam Jin has a miserable life."
In a short while, they arrived at Jin's courtyard. A nanny had already come out to greet them. She was shocked to see Xie Yunchu and excitedly led him into the house.
Xie Yunchu sent the old woman away and told her, "Don't make any noise. I'll just sit for a while and then go back."
The old woman said obediently, "My brother's birthday is still waiting for you to prepare. I dare not make it public."
Jin's personal nanny led Xie Yunchu in. Xie Yunchu walked slowly and asked her in a serious tone,
"What is Sister Jin's illness?"
The nanny's eyes were sore and she cried, "Our grandfather loved to go to brothels and prostitutes. When he got sick, he hooked up with our grandmother..."
Xie Yunchu's face darkened when he heard this.
Just as he lifted the curtain and went in, he heard Jin's weak voice coming from inside.
"My mother-in-law likes to eat a bowl of bird's nest every noon. Ask Manager Liu to get some from the storehouse, and then ask Sister Han to make it in the kitchen. Remember to soak it for an hour to get rid of the fishy smell... By the way, Zhuge'er's inkstone is broken. Go ask Second Master to get a hundred bucks to buy a new one. If that doesn't work, ask Second Master to give Zhuge'er his unused inkstone... cough cough cough..."
Before he could finish his words, he coughed again.
Xie Yunchu paused when he heard this.
Through the sparse bead curtain, she saw Jin lying on the couch with her back facing away. Her body was as frail as a dried vine that had been squeezed dry. Her forehead was furrowed in a frown that could never be relaxed, as if she had endless worries on her mind.
Xie Yunchu lifted the curtain and entered. The maid inside immediately came over to kowtow. The nanny went to Jin first.
"Look who's here to see you."
The beautiful woman on the bed looked over with tearful eyes. Seeing that it was Xie Yunchu, hot tears rolled down her cheeks and she said with emotion,
"My dear sister, today is my brother's big day, why are you coming to my place? This is absolutely not allowed."
Xie Yunchu walked over and looked at Jin carefully. Jin was already skinny, with the flesh on her cheeks completely gone, leaving only two cheekbones sticking out, which made her dark eyes look even more pitiful and terrifying.
"It's been such a short time since we last met, how did you get yourself into this state?"
The nanny brought a brocade stool to Xie Yunchu, and she sat in front of Jin's bed.
She wanted to reach out to hold Jin's hand, but Jin refused and just brushed her away. Tears fell like rain, her heart was bitter, but she pretended to be strong.
"It's the root cause of the disease I got when I gave birth to my sister. I had some signs of it a few years ago, but it broke out when I caught a cold this year. Don't worry, it will get better after taking a few doses of medicine."
She came to comfort Xie Yunchu first.
When Xie Yunchu looked at her bony appearance, he felt as if he saw himself in his past life. In his past life, she was lying on the hospital bed in exactly the same state.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she turned around and told Xia An, "Take my second master's name card to the Imperial Hospital and be sure to invite Doctor Fan."
Xia An turned and left.
When Jin's nanny heard this, she fell to her knees and cried,
"Thank you so much for your kindness, grandma. No one else cares about us except you."
Jin rolled her eyes at the nanny, then covered Xie Yunchu's palm and said in a trembling voice,
"I always make you worry about me."
The maid brought tea, but Xie Yunchu had no appetite to drink it. He put it aside and held Jin's skinny wrist, feeling heartbroken.
"Listen to my advice. From today on, don't worry about anything else. Just take care of your body. Once a person dies, everything is gone. No one can open your wounds and rub salt into them except me. You must listen to me."
Jin nodded repeatedly, "I understand, don't worry, sister-in-law..."
Xie Yunchu looked at Jin's usual expression and knew that she didn't take it seriously.
Wasn't she like this in her previous life? Nanny Lin advised her, her second aunt from her natal family advised her, and even the third wife came to visit her occasionally, but unfortunately she wouldn't listen. She always felt that without her, the Wang family would not be able to function. As a result, after she died, others continued to pick a capable person to serve her, and she continued to live a comfortable life as before.
Nothing can be accomplished without anyone.
Women, how can you be so stupid?
You have to die once before you can let go.
Xie Yunchu continued to persuade them earnestly, and told Nanny and Jin all the precious medicinal herbs he had brought. Jin was flattered and only cared about expressing her gratitude.
There were guests at home, so Xie Yunchu couldn't stay for long. He sat for a quarter of an hour and then left.
When he went back, there were still tears in his eyes. He stood in the wind and wiped them away. Only after he calmed down a little did he return to Beifu.
When I returned to Chunjing Hall, I saw Madam Ming and Sister Ke sitting under the corridor, basking in the sun. The two of them were humming some little tune in unison.
Mrs. Ming always exudes a kind of gentleness that can make time bow down, which makes people yearn for her.
Sister Ke handed the new candy to Madam Ming. Madam Ming opened the paper seal and stuffed it into her mouth. Sister Ke rolled around in Madam Ming's arms while chewing the candy.
Xie Yunchu smiled and went over to greet him, "Why didn't mother go to sit in the Glazed Hall?"
Madam Ming smiled and said, "Brother Yu was taken away by your father-in-law. Sister Ke pulled me and said she wanted to give me something delicious, so I took her here to wait for you. Why, where did she go so early?"
Xie Yunchu said calmly, "A sister-in-law in the Nan Mansion was sick, so I went to visit her. Where is Yunshuang?"
Madam Ming replied, "Shuqin called her over to play, so I took her out and asked Aunt Li to serve your father."
When Xie Yunchu saw that Sister Ke had a new necklace around her neck, he asked Nanny Lin,
"Why did you change to a new one?"
Madam Ming said, "Don't blame her. It was my idea. When I was packing up my dressing box some time ago, I found that the Queen had given me several strings of brightly colored gemstones. I was old and had no use for them, so I simply made a pure gold necklace for Ke'er."
Xie Yunchu frowned immediately, "Mother, I have everything, and my child also has everything. You are old now, you should save some money for yourself, and never spend money on your child in the future."
Madam Ming spoke earnestly, "Yun Chu, I caught a cold this time. You asked someone to invite a doctor to me and sent me the best medicine. Yun You and Yun Shuang personally served me the medicine. I wondered how I could have been so kind to you. I married your father, and the luckiest thing was not having a companion in my old age, but having you as my children. I am all alone. Money cannot be brought into this world and cannot be taken away from this world. What can I do with it? Even if I die one day, I will not regret it. I will give you everything I have now."
Xie Yunchu hugged her arms and said, "Don't say that word. You treat us like your own children, and it is our duty to serve you."
In the past, Xie Yunshuang was confined in the backyard and had very few opportunities to go out and meet guests. Now, with Madam Ming as her guide, she can make friends with the powerful and wealthy at will, and is becoming more cheerful and generous.
Xie Yunyou’s success is due to Madam Ming’s day and night supervision and guidance.
Xie Yunchu could only feel gratitude towards Mrs. Ming.
"By the way, how is Yun Zhou's marriage going?"
Madam Ming thought of how Xie Yunxiu had implicated Xie Yunzhou, and shook her head and sighed, "The other party broke off the engagement, and we didn't force him. Yunzhou was devastated and resigned from his position at the county school, living in poverty at home every day."
"Two days ago, Zhuangzi sent me news that his aunt had passed away. I asked him to go to the temple to perform a ritual to express his condolences."
Xie Yunchu didn't say anything.
"What about Yunyou's marriage?"
Madam Ming was overwhelmed when she heard this. "Don't mention it again. I can manage Yunyou's studies, but I can't do anything about his marriage. He asked me to marry Yunshuang first and talk about it later."
It can be seen that Mrs. Ming is helpless in the face of her stubborn brother.
Soon the banquet started in the Glazed Hall, and Xie Yunchu took Madam Ming over and sat down.
There were ten tables filled in the Glazed Hall. No outside guests were invited. Only relatives of the family came, and all the married aunts had returned.
By noon, everyone started to take their seats.
Wang Shuyi was pregnant and sat next to Jiang with her bulging belly. Jiang specially placed an armchair for her with a thick mattress and a backrest.
Wang Shuqin and Wang Shuya leaned against her and asked her if the pregnancy was difficult.
The third wife looked at Wang Shuyi with envy and teased her daughter, "Aren't you going to marry? How can you be so embarrassed to watch others?"
Wang Shuqin lifted her skirt and sat next to Xie Yunchu, away from her mother, and said unyieldingly, "It's better for me not to marry than to marry someone who is not satisfactory and makes you angry."
The third wife was choked, and now she and her daughter can no longer communicate with each other.
Wang Shuqin is twenty years old, a real old maid.
The third wife was afraid that her daughter would lead Wang Shuya astray, so she asked the fourth wife,
"How is the Ninghou Mansion's marriage plan?"
The fourth wife was still struggling, "I want her to be the mistress of the house, but her father is happy to let his daughter live a leisurely life."
This is because they are disgusted with the third son of the Ning family for not being able to inherit the family business.
The third wife was more open-minded than she was. "A stable life is more real than anything else. What's the point of having so many properties? Listen to me. As long as she is willing, marry her off quickly. If you keep delaying, you will suffer."
For example, she and Wang Shuqin.
Wang Shuqin now stays in the academy for most of the month and never comes back. The third wife has no way to deal with her.
Wang Shuyi rarely spoke up for her sisters.
"Third aunt, fourth aunt, I envy my second and fourth sisters. If I were asked to choose, I would rather not have married. Take me for example. I am a noble in the Xunyang Marquis's Mansion. My mother-in-law trusts me, my father-in-law values me, and my husband treats me well. I should be satisfied with my life, but every day I am like a spinning top. I either go to the upper room to serve my mother-in-law or go to the meeting room to do housework. I take a break at noon, and my sister-in-law comes to visit again. There is never a moment to rest. Now I understand the hardships of my sisters-in-law. I regret that I was ignorant when I was young and never helped them."
When Wang Shuyi said this, his eyes fell on Xie Yunchu.
Xie Yunchu didn't look at her.
Whenever Jiang heard her daughter complain, she felt distressed and subconsciously wanted to blame the wife of Marquis Xunyang for not being considerate of her daughter-in-law. However, when she thought of her past behavior, she suddenly shut up. She wondered if this could be considered tit-for-tat.
The fourth wife was afraid that Shuya would refuse to discuss marriage after hearing this, so she quickly advised Shuyi,
"That's how life goes on. You'll get used to it slowly." He turned around and whispered to the third wife again.
"It seems that being the eldest daughter-in-law also has its own hardships. If it really doesn't work out, I'll ask my eldest sister-in-law to reply so that the two children can see each other."
Speak of Cao Cao and he will appear.
The eldest wife came over in a hurry with Miao and apologized to the guest.
"My apologies, I'm a few steps late."
Everyone stood up and saluted.
The eldest wife was the oldest, so Jiang gave up the main seat to her. The fourth wife took the initiative to ask about the eldest princess.
"How is mother? Can we go over to pay our respects later?"
The eldest wife said, "I had a headache, so I came back home to rest. I just sent a message to Chaoyun, saying that I would like my brothers and sisters to come over to talk this afternoon."
The third wife pursed her lips and said nothing, while the fourth wife nodded in agreement.
In the past, the several families fought openly and secretly for titles and property, but now everything is clear.
The title has been given to Wang Shuhuai. The eldest princess took advantage of the last divorce to divide the family property into several parts, one part each for the first, third and fourth wives. As for the Wang family's property, the Duke gave the answer that the largest part would definitely go to the second wife, and the third and fourth wives would have no objection.
The eldest princess has given enough. If nothing unexpected happens, each family will never have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of their lives.
Now that everything has settled down, the sisters-in-law get along with each other with less grudges.
At noon, Wang Shuhuai had not returned yet. The Duke was a little unhappy. He held his little great-grandson in his arms and rebuked the Second Master unhappily.
"When he comes home tonight, you can say a few words to him. He is very busy, but today is his son's birthday and so many people are coming to the banquet. He should at least show up."
The second master had to smooth things over for his son, "He has just entered the cabinet, and the old foxes in the cabinet are not easy to deal with. It is understandable that he can't take care of it for the time being. Besides, he knows that with you in charge, everything will be fine, so he dares to let go and not care about anything."
The Duke smiled and said nothing more.
It was the Sixth Young Master Wang Shuye who took over the conversation in a daze.
"Not very busy, is he? Yesterday I went to the Imperial College and saw my second brother riding a horse towards the academy from a distance. It was still light at that time, so he must have gone to pick up my sister-in-law."
After he finished speaking, the Fifth Young Master Wang Shuxu beside him knocked him on the forehead.
"If you don't speak, no one will think you are dumb." Wang Shuye never knew what to say and what not to say.
Wang Shuye scratched his head. "I'm telling you the truth. You've been following your fifth sister-in-law around every day, and you didn't even go to the last Liangyuan Burning Tail Banquet."
Wang Shuxu's face immediately turned red, "You stupid boy, that's a banquet for girls to find a husband, why would I go there when I already have a wife?"
Third Master Wang Shukuang squeezed Wang Shuxu's arm and said, "Come on, loving your wife is not a shameful thing, just admit it."
Wang Shuxu smiled awkwardly and shut up.
The Duke was quite surprised to hear that Wang Shuhuai went on horseback to pick up Xie Yunchu in the evening. This kid has finally made progress.
After lunch, the Duke was worried that the younger generations would not be able to drink to their heart's content if he was present, so he simply handed the child back to the Second Master and left the table. When he left the Glass Hall, he happened to run into the Fourth and Third Madams following the First Madam to the Princess's Mansion next door.
The daughters-in-law also noticed their father-in-law and stood at the bottom of the steps to pay their respects.
The Duke stood under the corridor and asked, "What is this for?"
The third wife replied, "Mother has returned to the princess's residence. We are going to pay our respects to her."
The Duke looked obviously surprised and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he waved his hand to signal them to go.
The last time Xie Yunchu got into trouble, the Duke rushed to the palace upon hearing the news. It was the first time the couple met after their divorce.
The princess didn't pay much attention to him at first, describing his behavior as official. The duke didn't say anything extra. Later, the emperor asked him to stay and talk, but the princess went to the next room instead.
When they were about to leave, they sent the bird cages left in Changchun Palace. The couple did not talk to each other, as if their marriage had never existed.
The Duke returned to the attic in silence.
Princess Palace.
The eldest princess met several daughters-in-law in the warm room of the side hall.
After separating from the Duke, the Princess's living room and study were combined into one. The east wall was covered with carved window lattices, which were piled with densely packed books and scrolls, as well as some antique toys. The south window had a bright moon-shaped window, which framed a beautiful garden scene, covered with colorful silk and filled with the faint scent of sandalwood, creating a unique artistic conception.
There was a long soft couch under the window, and the eldest princess always liked to sit here and meditate after finishing her work.
The wind was a little chilly today, so the eldest princess was placed in the warm room on the north side. On the wide platform was a long table with writing brushes, inkstones, paper and some memorial papers on it. Several daughters-in-law were invited to sit on the brocade stools below.
As always, the Fourth Wife inquired about the eldest princess's daily life. The eldest princess would answer if she was happy, and remain silent if she was not happy.
Over the past year, everyone went to the palace to pay their respects as usual, but the eldest princess was much quieter around them than before.
The fourth wife livened up the atmosphere by chatting about family matters.
The Third Wife's eyes fell on the eldest princess's desk, where a memorial was spread out, which she had not finished reading. On top of it was a mutton-fat jade bookmark, which was given by the Duke on New Year's Eve of that year. Unexpectedly, that was the last New Year's Eve for the Duke's Mansion to be reunited.
Seeing that the Third Wife remained silent, the Fourth Wife also took the opportunity to nag the Third Wife about the affairs of the Third House.
"Nah Xu'er's son is so cute, and I am so envious of him. I hope to find a wife for Ye'er as soon as possible, so that he can have a great-grandson and live in your arms."
It was not known whether the eldest princess had heard it or not, and she did not react to it at all.
At the end, he asked, "Is your father okay?"
The fourth wife was not very clear about the Duke's affairs, so she looked at the third wife, who replied,
"Much better. My old cold legs don't come back as often as before."
The princess didn't know what to feel for a moment, she just said calmly, "That's good."
That night, the eldest princess suddenly called Chaoyun to fetch the Boya qin that she often played when she was young.
The old man plucked the strings with his bare hands, and after trying for a long time he finally played the song "Pozhenzi".
There is not much technique, and the melody is passionate and full of conquering spirit from beginning to end.
After a while, the tune became faster and faster, with a desperate momentum. At this moment, a faint sigh came from outside the window.
The eldest princess' fingertips trembled and she slowly stopped talking.
There was no light in the side hall, and the room was pitch black. The eldest princess stood in front of the window with her hands behind her back. Outside the window, there were shadows of people and the lights were dim. A towering figure was faintly cast on the ground.
"The Jin Dynasty is sending troops to Western Chu, and the Mongols are ready to make a move. Prince Xin took this opportunity to make some moves in secret. Your Highness must be under a lot of pressure recently."
The princess closed her eyes and said straight to the point, "Yesterday, many court officials submitted memorials to Your Majesty, requesting that Prince Xin be made the Crown Prince. Your Majesty was thinking of the powerful enemy nearby and the country's reliance on the eldest prince, so he was somewhat inclined towards Prince Xin."
"Wang He, Shu Huai will soon go on his second expedition to Western Chu. He needs my support, and I also need the Wang family's help. Prince Xin and Shu Huai have had a disagreement. Once he ascends the throne, it will not be good for the Wang family. Why don't we join forces to completely eradicate the problem? As long as the fifth prince ascends the throne, I will ensure the prosperity and wealth of the Wang family."
The Duke stood outside the window and smiled, "What does Your Highness want me to do?"
The princess said, "You take people to write a letter to refute Prince Li Xin's proposal. You and the Duke of Zhenguo are very important in the court, and His Majesty will never ignore your opinion."
The Duke smiled gently.
The eldest princess wanted to completely pull him and the Duke of Zhenguo into her camp.
The Duke will never change the Wang family's position because of anyone.
"Your Highness, if you want to get rid of Prince Xin, you must first make His Majesty lose trust in Prince Xin. I have a plan that can relieve your Highness's worries."
Seeing that the Duke was unwilling to enter the palace, the Princess sighed deeply, and after a moment of silence, she asked, "Tell me, what is the plan?"
On the tenth day of August, there were rumors in the court that the Emperor Dao was old and it would be better for him to retire as soon as possible and let Prince Xin ascend the throne. With a young monarch in charge, they could resist foreign aggression and reassure their subjects.
The emperor was so angry at the news that he vomited blood. He issued an imperial edict to deprive Prince Xin of his military power and ordered Duke Gao and Duke Zhenguo to replace Prince Xin in garrisoning Xiaoguan and Yulin.
The emperor was still worried. Thinking that the only minister in the court who could compete with Prince Xin was Wang Shuhuai, he immediately summoned Wang Shuhuai into the palace and asked him to restrain Prince Xin in his capacity as the Minister of War. Wang Shuhuai readily agreed.
In addition to using him to check and balance Prince Xin, the emperor also mentioned the proposal to conquer Western Chu. It seems that the emperor also realized that his time was running out, and he intended to accomplish amazing achievements before his death and leave his name in history.
Wang Shuhuai agreed to all of them and walked out of the Fengtian Hall. The sky was filled with brilliant red rosy clouds and the vast osmanthus fragrans was covered with a vast brocade carpet. The palaces under his feet were lined up one after another, magnificent and golden. Wang Shuhuai stood on the osmanthus fragrans and looked at the scene. His heart was filled with excitement, as if there were the clanging of iron horses.
Isn't this a move by the Duke of Guo just like "while the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits"?
Soon he walked out of the Meridian Gate, got on the palace's carriage, took off his crimson official robe, put on a moon-white gown, and walked slowly towards the First Women's Academy.
Xie Yunchu finished dealing with the miscellaneous affairs that had been piling up for several days, and left the mountain gate early that day with Wang Yining and others.
The children had finished school, and several young ladies' carriages were parked on the ground in front of the mountain gate.
Gao Zhan would pick up Wang Yining at the mountain gate on time every day. Since the prince got into trouble, he was transferred from the deputy commander of the Huben Guard to the deputy commander of the Yulin Guard. He usually guarded the Fengtian Palace. There were six groups of guards rotating in the Fengtian Palace. Gao Zhan's life was much more relaxed than when he was serving the prince in the past.
Seeing Wang Yining being the first to step out of the mountain gate, Gao Zhan strode over, and their eyes were fixed on the same thing from a distance.
Wang Yining's complexion has improved over the years. She was naturally coquettish. Seeing Gao Zhan's fervent gaze, she glared at him.
"You have so much free time all day, be careful that the Emperor uncle will deduct your salary."
Wang Yining was holding a scroll in her hand. Gao Zhan took it for her and naturally came to hold her hand.
"If you deduct my salary, I will be your groom. At least the princess won't starve to death, right?"
How could Wang Yining hold his hand in public? She rudely waved his hand away and said, "Go away."
But he still followed Gao Zhan towards the carriage with a smile on his face.
Gao Zhan laughed loudly, and when he looked up, he saw Prince Zhu walking towards him leisurely, holding a scented fan in his hand. He stopped and asked,
"Why are you here today?"
Prince Zhu didn't come here often, but if he got off work early, he would come to pick up Xiao Youran and take him back home. He smiled and saluted Wang Yining and the others.
"There is nothing to do in the government office today, so I came here early."
Wang Yining saw that he was holding a few scented fans and asked, "Are these for Youran?"
Prince Zhu said with a smile, "You Ran said there were many flying butterflies in the academy, so he asked me to buy some fans and send them over. Princess, take a look and see which one you like. Pick one to play with first."
Wang Yining would not choose first, "I am old, I don't want to compete with girls, I will wait for them to choose the rest for me."
Gao Zhan was displeased when he heard this, "How old are you? Everyone here thinks you are eighteen years old, so don't underestimate yourself."
Wang Yining's pretty face turned red, and she grabbed his waist in anger, "Don't be so rude, I'm your elder, please give me some face."
At this time, Xiao Youran and Jiang Fan came out together, and they laughed when they heard this.
Jiang Fan's husband Zheng Jun arrived the earliest. When he saw Jiang Fan coming out, he jumped off the carriage and greeted her happily. Zheng Jun was a very considerate person. Jiang Fan had not yet finished her little life, but she insisted on coming to the academy. Zheng Jun was worried that she might have a cold stomach, so he immediately handed her a hand warmer and looked at her tenderly, "Are you tired?"
Jiang Fan took the hand warmer, his heart softened. Seeing that his forehead was covered with sweat, he took out a handkerchief and tiptoed to wipe it for him, saying softly, "How can I be tired? I eat, drink and have fun with my sisters in the academy every day. I'm afraid it's more comfortable than you in the government office."
"That's good." Zheng Jun hurriedly bowed to everyone and walked ahead holding Jiang Fan's hand.
It can be seen that the couple are usually very harmonious. When Jiang Fan came to Zheng Jun, she no longer sighed like she did among the sisters. Instead, she was in high spirits. While walking towards the carriage parked by the roadside, she was giving instructions. Zheng Jun just nodded and did what she said.
Xiao Youran picked one for Wang Yining according to her preference, and then handed it to Xie Yunchu and Shen Yi who followed behind her. Seeing that Zhu Shizi's clothes were a little messy, she brushed it for him. The long armor accidentally passed over Zhu Shizi's chin, and Zhu Shizi's Adam's apple rolled slightly. He just held his wife's hand like this. Xiao Youran saw the affection in his eyes, glared at him shyly, and tried to break free, but Zhu Shizi refused. Xiao Youran raised her fist and hit him a few times, and he let go.
Chen Yi knew that Xie Yunchu liked crabapple pink, so she gave her the pink scented fan and picked out a plum blossom fan for herself. Seeing that Zhu Shizi and Gao Zhan had come to pick up their wives, she looked around but didn't see her husband Li Chengji, and felt quite annoyed.
Just as she was frowning, a powerful black horse suddenly stopped in front of her. Her tall and mighty husband jumped off the horse. His face was still as cold as before, but his steps did not hesitate at all. He came to her without saying a word and said in a gentle voice,
"I'm a little late."
Li Chengji's appearance was not outstanding, but his aura was very fierce. One could tell at a glance that he was a general who was swift and decisive on the battlefield. He didn't see anyone else but his petite but exceptionally pretty little wife.
When Shen Yi saw her husband, she was completely different from when she was around other people. Unconsciously, her voice softened and her eyebrows became more charming. She pouted and gently hit her husband's chest, "Don't be late next time."
General Li said nothing, just nodded calmly.
Xie Yunchu stood gracefully, waving the crabapple scented fan, looking at her sisters having fun, feeling deeply moved. Even though there were conflicts and disagreements between couples, the daily necessities of life, they also supported each other and flirted with each other. Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure getting off the carriage in her peripheral vision, and she turned her head to look over.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and the autumn atmosphere is strong. Some orange fallen petals passed by his body. His eyebrows were impeccable, as handsome as the breeze and bright moon, and added a bit of extra coldness and nobility.
Compared with others, her husband is like a fairy in a painting, less worldly.
However, the next moment, the tall and handsome man walked out of the painting and slowly came to her.
He glanced at the other girls for a few times, and finally his gaze fell on his wife with her fiery eyebrows and eyes, with a hint of heat in his eyes.
Xie Yunchu followed his line of sight and walked around.
Some were as happy as birds flying into the forest, some were twisting ears and giving advice, and some were half acting coquettishly and half snuggling with each other, but the couple were the only ones looking at each other in silence.
Xie Yunchu's cheeks felt slightly hot, and his eyes finally met Wang Shuhuai's intimidating brows, and he spoke in a daze,
"Give me a moment."
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