◇ Chapter 97 (97) Let’s kiss again
Chang Yuzhu looked haggard and had lost a lot of weight in just a few days. When he saw Bo Kang, his eyes were confused for a moment.
"Do his father and grandfather know you're here?" Bai Kang asked. Then, remembering that Yuyao didn't know anyone in the Chang residence, he stepped forward and shook Chang Yuzhu twice. "Shall I take you home?"
"I won't reply..."
Chang Yuzhu said hoarsely, "I saw it all. My father and I saw the King of Longxi enter the palace... Xi Niang was following the King of Longxi's procession. Why didn't she tell us? I didn't even know she knew the King of Longxi. I wanted to chase her, but with my official position, I can't enter the palace. My father and grandfather also wouldn't let me go and asked her to leave. You can enter the palace, Bai Kang!"
He suddenly grabbed Bo Kang's sleeve and begged, "Bo Kang, please take me to the palace! I want to see the King of Longxi, please..."
Before he finished speaking, Bai Kang pulled out his sleeves and pushed Chang Yuzhu hard: "Wake up!"
"He is in a bad mental state, don't provoke him!" Yu Yao protected Chang Yuzhu.
If Yuyao hadn't been here, Bai Kang really wanted to scold Chang Yuzhu harshly: "Haven't you thought about it carefully? She wanted to hide it from you from the beginning. She never thought of confessing to you. Don't you understand?"
Chang Yuzhu was stunned and did not respond.
"There's still a chance." Bo Kang suddenly lowered his voice again. "You still have a chance. Judging from the current situation, the King of Longxi will definitely stay in the capital. Go back home now and explain everything to your father. Wait until tomorrow... when you see her again, you can ask her clearly."
But Xi Niang stayed with the King of Longxi, so how could they possibly meet again? Chang Yuzhu didn't understand why, so Bai Kang said in a tone of regret: "If they were in love, Miss Yan would be the Princess of Longxi now."
Chang Yuzhu suddenly understood and immediately jumped up and said in surprise: "I understand, I'll go back now!"
"I'll take you there." Yuyao followed. Chang Yuzhu was stunned for a moment, but then he thought about how much Yuyao had taken care of him these past few days and couldn't refuse: "Thank you."
When they left, Lianzhi had just finished re-bandaging the wound on her head. She had a silk scarf wrapped around her head, which made her look a little funny. She sat at the gate of the yard and waved goodbye to Yuyao. She looked both obedient and pitiful.
"Do you have a headache?" Bo Kang walked over and wanted to touch his head. "I'm late. It's my fault."
Lianzhi shook his head, but when he did, his head ached, and he subconsciously raised his hand to cover his head. Bo Kang laughed, and Lianzhi glared at him.
"What's so funny?" Lianzhi muttered, then looked at Bo Kang with concern, "Where's your head? Aren't you injured too?"
"How can you compare with me, you have such a small body? Even if my head was chopped off, it healed faster than you." Bai Kang picked him up and sat on the bamboo chair himself, holding Lianzhi in his arms. Lianzhi lay down and called softly, "Brother Kang."
Bo Kang patted his back intermittently: "Hmm?"
"I've got a bad idea again," Lianzhi said sincerely. "I just heard you talking. I'm a little relieved that Miss Yan is staying with the King of Longxi as a lady-in-waiting. Maybe Yuyao can finally get what she wants. Brother Kang, do you think it's really possible for them to be together?"
Bai Kang was not sure about this matter. He did not answer, and Lianzhi answered herself: "Forget it, it's all their fate, it has nothing to do with us."
"Yes. It's none of our business." Bo Kang kissed him on the forehead. "Baby, Emperor Huan is dead, and your revenge has been avenged."
Lianzhi snorted. Bo Kang said, "Shouldn't we get married again?"
Lianzhi looked up.
"Didn't you say you wanted to hold a wedding in the North Sea?" Bai Kang asked. Seeing Lianzhi's confused expression, he was shocked and said, "You're not lying to me, are you? You can't do that?"
"No. You can do it if you want." Lianzhi said. He had just heard Yuyao and Yan Xiniang talking about this matter, so he said it. Bai Kang knew about it, and he just said it to comfort Bai Kang. Unexpectedly, he actually remembered it, "You still remember it. But the new emperor hasn't ascended the throne yet. What if the King of Longxi ascends the throne and you are no longer the Shangshu?"
"Now that the King of Longxi has ascended the throne, you don't want me anymore?" Bai Kang asked.
That wouldn't happen. Bo Kang sighed deliberately: "What if I'm no longer the minister? Then we'll have to get married again. If the new emperor drives us back to our hometown in Rongcheng, where will we get the money?"
"Who wants to go back to my hometown with you?" Lianzhi's cheeks felt slightly hot, but she didn't object to the idea of getting married again.
The Ministry of Rites was still calculating an auspicious date, and since Bai Kang's injuries hadn't healed yet, he had to take two more days off. He was also happy to have some free time, and during these few days, he had begun planning his second wedding with great fanfare. No one in the palace objected to this; at this point, they all agreed that whether Young Master Lianzhi was an actor or a foreign prince, he was a perfect match for their master.
Not to mention that Bo Kang said he would throw a big banquet, and even said he could do it again after returning to Rongcheng. Lianzhi felt a little embarrassed, but Bo Kang said, "We have to clear your name, baby. You are the little prince now. You can't let them look down on you."
"How about asking Lord Da Xi to preside over the wedding? If you return to the North Sea, we can hold a third wedding..."
Bai Kang rambled on, and Lianzhi, unable to bear it any longer, covered her ears and ran away. Bai Kang put the cloak on him, wrapping him up tightly. In fact, Lianzhi's injuries had almost healed in the first few days after leaving the palace. But Bai Kang forced him to rest, forcing him to lie down for several days.
Lianzhi couldn't stand it anymore and started to make a fuss about going out. Seeing that he was in good spirits, Baikang agreed.
The carriage was jolting, and despite Bo Kang's repeated requests for the driver to go slower, it was still shaking. Lianzhi nudged his arm, "Let go, I don't feel the jolting."
It was during those days of rest that Lianzhi discovered that Bai Kang's injuries were far from as serious as he had said, and he had several more scars on his body.
The capital had returned to its former bustle, and everything was the same as before. The people didn't care who the new emperor was, as long as the ruler was benevolent and could allow them to live their lives as usual. When passing by a street stall, Lianzhi pulled Bo Kang's sleeve and said, "Brother Kang, there are candy figurines for sale!"
Bai Kang asked the driver to stop and led Lianzhi out of the carriage. "What pattern do you want?"
Lianzhi stared at the album on the table carefully: "I want the one with kitten patterns."
He took the sugar painting, which didn't quite resemble a kitten, from the old craftsman's hand, his expression still beaming with joy. The only places in Beijing that sold sugar paintings and dough figurines were during the winter temple fairs. He had never left the palace in winter before, but when he saw a sugar painting stall in Rongcheng, he'd been tempted to buy one.
"Baby, eat quickly, it's all melted." Bo Kang urged. The charcoal fire in the carriage was burning fiercely, and the sugar water dripped onto Lianzhi's clothes. But Lianzhi shook her head: "Take it back and show it to Xiaobai."
Bai Kang's heart softened: "Eat it, I'll buy you another one later... No, I'll buy you ten!"
The carriage stopped in front of the newly opened Diancui Pavilion on West Street. He had ordered several sets of wedding jewelry and headpieces, all in rubies and jadeite, and Lianzhi was sure to like them. The shopkeeper took them upstairs to pick them up. Lianzhi finally understood his plan and curled her lips.
"Brother Kang, these are the styles for girls." Lianzhi held up a golden phoenix hairpin and pretended to complain, "Don't you care about me? I won't marry you."
"Ah?" Bo Kang was stunned. "Didn't you wear it when we got married..."
"Back then, everyone was just messing around, but not this time!" Lianzhi said. Bo Kang really didn't know the difference; this was the result of consulting the Prime Minister's wife. "Then I'll make you a new set..."
"I think there's something nice downstairs. I'll go check it out!" Lianzhi said, leaving Bo Kang behind and running downstairs. Bo Kang chased after her, shouting, "Slow down!" He then hurriedly said to the shopkeeper, "Pack these up first and send them all to my carriage."
The shopkeeper happily agreed. Bo Kang went downstairs and saw Lianzhi talking to a newcomer, a tall man. Bo Kang instantly became alert—that figure, why, looked a bit like Arus?
"Baby?" Bai Kang stepped forward, gently patted Lianzhi's shoulder, and glanced at the person opposite.
It wasn't Arus, but indeed an ordinary-looking man from Daning.
He felt that he might be a little suspicious. He mistook a tall and strong man for Arus. He hugged Lianzhi into his arms and asked, "Who are you?"
"Brother Kang, he wants to buy jewelry for his fiancée and came to ask me." Lianzhi shook Bai Kang's finger. Bai Kang immediately said enthusiastically, "Is that so? What kind does she like? Gemstones or jade, gold or silver? Come and ask me, I buy all my wife's jewelry!"
As he spoke, he pinched Lianzhi's face. Perhaps frightened by his enthusiasm, she excused herself and left. Lianzhi clearly saw his intention and poked him in dissatisfaction: "Brother Kang, what are you doing? I'm just asking a few questions."
Bai Kang brushed it off casually and left with Lianzhi. On the way, he bought Lianzhi some sugar paintings and dough figurines she wanted. As for snacks from outside, he absolutely wouldn't let her eat them until her injuries were completely healed. Lianzhi was so angry that she started hitting him again.
The jewelry he bought couldn't be wasted. He didn't dare let Lianzhi be blown by the wind outside. After returning home and untying the silk scarf, Bai Kang stroked his long hair, which was smoother than silk: "Baby, let me try to tie your hair."
"You can do it?" Lianzhi looked up at Bai Kang's hair. He remembered that Bai Kang only knew how to tie his own hair.
"We'll have to go back sooner or later. Sit down, sit in front of me." Bai Kang patted the soft stool in front of the dressing table.
His injury hadn't healed yet, and the shallow scar was hidden beneath his dark hair. Bo Kang didn't dare touch it, so he simply tied his hair up for him and said proudly, "How is it?"
"Not very good!" Lianzhi pulled out the hairpin, "You don't even know how to comb your hair."
Even so, he still had Bo Kang comb his hair again. He wore that distorted hairstyle for the rest of the day. The small dough figurines he had bought were placed on the edge of the table, sculpted to look like lifelike lotus branches.
Perhaps because Emperor Huan was dead and Lianzhi's revenge was complete, he no longer had any worries. He had been very obedient recently. Aside from not cooperating with the wedding preparations, he listened to Bo Kang in everything else.
On the last day of his vacation, Bai Kang was practicing swordplay in the courtyard. Lian Zhi squatted beside him, feeding the cat and occasionally asking Qing He to come over and refill Bai Kang's cup of hot tea. Bai Kang suddenly came over and leaned on Lian Zhi: "You don't want to go back to the Ministry of Rites to take up your post."
"Don't lean on me, you're all sweaty." Lianzhi dodged.
"How can I sweat in winter?" Bo Kang didn't care. When Lianzhi glared at him, he wiped his sweat with a handkerchief. Lianzhi said angrily, "If you don't want to go back, why not resign?"
"Forget it then." Bai Kang said.
If I quit my official position, how would I get the money to maintain my lotus roots?
Seeing that he wasn't really tired, but was just trying to hug him, Lianzhi pulled away wordlessly and continued playing with the cat. Xiaobai had grown fatter and didn't look like a kitten that was only a few months old. Bai Kang heard what he was doing with the cat and asked, "What's your cat's name?"
"Xiaobai." Lianzhi said.
"Isn't it Xiaobai?" Bai Kang was stunned. Lianzhi was also stunned, her face a little red: "What Xiaobai? Why should my cat have your last name?"
Bai Kang was a little disappointed that the cat wasn't called Xiao Bai. Hadn't Qing He and Liang Ye assured him that the young master cared deeply about him and loved the cats he brought home, naming them after Master Bai? And they were lying to him about something like that.
He originally treated the kitten as his own son... Never mind, Xiaobai is just a little white cat.
But the cat's name wasn't Xiaobai anymore. Seeing Lianzhi hugging the cat every day, Baikang became even more jealous than before. When Lianzhi went to bed at night, she hugged the cat again. Baikang picked up Xiaobai and put him in the cat bed outside.
"Are you still angry?" Lianzhi's eyes flashed.
"Who is angry? Why would I be angry with a cat?" Bai Kang said stubbornly.
"You still don't admit it? I didn't say I was referring to Mao'er." Lianzhi said, then crawled into Bai Kang's quilt and kissed him on the cheek: "I lied to you, I just called you Xiao Bai... Hmm? What are you doing?"
Lianzhi thought that since Bai Kang had to get up early to attend court the next day, it was nothing for him to tease her.
It turned out that compared to him, Bai Kang was still too energetic. The next morning, he didn't even hear when Bai Kang left. He was so tired that he fell asleep.
Bai Kang was in a good mood. He hadn't been at the Ministry of Rites for a few days, and the others missed him quite a bit. Now that there was a new emperor, no one at court knew the Longxi King's temper, and everyone was trembling with fear.
At times like this, everyone remembered how good Bai Kang was. Having someone like him who could liven up the atmosphere was incredibly important. After the hour mark, Bai Kang entered the Ministry of Rites and began handing out invitations, a smile on his face. "I'm getting married, everyone, come. Just a small gift will do. Thank you."
"Brother Bo, where's your wife?" The doctor from the Ministry of Rites cautiously pointed to the very familiar name of the young prince of the Helan tribe on the invitation. Bo Kang didn't try to hide it. Emperor Huan was dead, and he hadn't issued any imperial edicts related to the lotus branch—even if there had been one, it had been destroyed during the palace coup. "Oh, yes, I haven't told you yet, my wife is the prince of the Helan tribe. I just found out recently, haha. She must come this time."
Everyone was stunned.
Because of the palace coup, they hadn't been able to celebrate the Lunar New Year properly this year. The clan members who remained in the capital were supposed to wait until after the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival before returning to their respective fiefdoms. Now, it seemed they would have to wait until after the new emperor's coronation ceremony before returning.
However, Princess Jinyang wanted to return home early. She had reportedly submitted a memorial to the palace, stating that she had important matters at Yanmen and requested to return first, with permission to enter the capital before the coronation ceremony. This imperial decree remained with the palace, but a Qiang merchant caravan in the capital, intending to follow Princess Jinyang's group, had been reported to the Ministry of Rites for a decision.
This matter ultimately had to be decided by the Zongzheng and the Prince of Longxi, now the new emperor. Bo Kang put it aside. However, the matter soon came to a conclusion. Just before the end of the afternoon shift, news arrived from the Imperial Study that the Zongzheng had approved it.
At the same time, a letter from the Helan envoy requesting immediate return was delivered to the Ministry of Rites.
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