Chapter 39: Friend Jingyue made friends for the first time, so she thought about reciprocity...
Chapter 39
The carriage stopped at Xuanwu Street, and the Dali Temple was not far away.
Before getting out of the car, Ye Changning saluted Jing Yue again: "Prince Consort, take care. Today... thank you for seeing me off."
Jing Yue: "Master Ye, take care."
After watching Ye Changning enter the Dali Temple, Jing Yue restrained her gaze and secretly looked at everything outside the palace.
He had certainly seen maps of the capital, and when he went out hunting in the spring, he had passed by some streets and government offices that were familiar from the maps.
But being there, like now, watching the children playing, the shops brimming with activity, and the people walking by so close up... was his first time. So, he was quite excited.
"Stop." He ordered and got out of the carriage.
The guards assigned to the young marquis came closer upon seeing this, their expressions nervous: "Young marquis...you'd better hurry back to the mansion."
"I've been sitting around for a long time today, so I thought I'd take a walk and stretch my muscles." Jing Yue also knew that the danger this body carried had not been completely eliminated, so she added, "Just follow to one side."
"...Yes, young marquis."
Jing Yue found everything new and although she was restrained, the smile on her face remained.
He had read many books on travelogues and scenery, all relying on his imagination, and now he could finally connect them with the knowledge in the books that had previously interested him.
After shopping for a while, he entered a bookstore and was choosing a book he liked when he suddenly noticed someone tiptoeing towards him. The guard was right beside him and did not show any intention of stopping him. Jing Yue knew that the person must be Lin Zhiyi's friend and had no hostile intentions.
An arm was placed around her right shoulder and neck. Jing Yue relaxed and tilted her body with the force. Then she turned her head and saw a familiar face.
It is a famous Zhou inkstone.
Zhou Mingyan said in a friendly and familiar voice, "Xiuyuan, it really is you! I felt your figure looked like yours just now, but my eyesight is poor and I didn't dare to recognize you. I ran up to you and then I dared to confirm it. Why didn't you take a carriage, but came to the bookstore?"
Jing Yue frowned secretly. Aren't the Zhou family's young master and his wife too close? He actually hugged her directly?
Although the prince consort is a real man in front of outsiders, he should be careful with his words and actions... What if he accidentally reveals his identity?
"What about you? What are you doing in the bookstore?" Jing Yue turned around calmly, dodged Zhou Mingyan's arm, and then went to a bookshelf next to her and picked up a medical book.
Zhou Mingyan followed him, but this time he didn't hug him. He just said, "I came to buy some wine for my father and just happened to pass by. I went to look for you this morning, and the doorman said you went to the palace today. Did you just come back?"
"Um."
"It's already 3 p.m.! You've only just returned!" Zhou Mingyan exclaimed in surprise, "It seems the princess is very satisfied with you as her consort."
Jing Yue did not comment, but picked up another collection of poems and started reading.
The books in this bookstore are of all kinds, covering all kinds of topics. Everything he reads now is new to him. Medical books, poetry collections, craftsmanship, shipbuilding records... are all in his hands.
Zhou Mingyan leaned over to take a look and was stunned: "Wow! You are even interested in the Chronicle of Shipbuilding?"
"Just looking around." Jing Yue looked at him for a moment, and seeing that he had nothing in his hands, she said, "Aren't you going to buy some wine for the general? Why aren't you going yet?"
Zhou Mingyan said with a smile: "Let's go later. You can go with me. I'll wait for you."
Jing Yue: “…”
This person is indeed the prince consort's best friend, very clingy.
Jing Yue quickly selected two books related to planting, and then placed the books he had selected on the counter - this was the first time he had personally selected and bought books.
The shopkeeper was an old man with a long beard and a rather sage-like air. He glanced at the pile of books and said, "A total of three taels and seven cents."
Jing Yue poured a few coins from Lin Zhiyi's purse. He had never had to spend money in the palace, so he didn't know how to calculate it. So he asked Zhou Mingyan, "Do you have any books you want to buy?"
Zhou Mingyan shook his head and came closer: "You bought so much, can you handle it?"
"Take your time to read it." Jing Yue said.
Sure enough, when he was talking to Zhou Mingyan, he smiled and made a gesture of invitation to the old man, and the old man took out three taels and seven cents from the pile of silver. Jing Yue was multitasking and wrote down the amount of three taels and seven cents.
He put the remaining change back into his purse and picked up the book again: "Let's go."
Zhou Mingyan took him to a tavern and ordered two kilograms of wine.
Jingyue was curious and wanted to try it, so she also ordered two taels of wine.
Zhou Mingyan rushed to pay him the money.
This was Jing Yue's first time making friends, so he thought about reciprocity. He handed over his stack of books and asked, "Would you like to pick one to read?"
Zhou Mingyan shook his head like a rattle: "Please spare me!"
Jing Yue: "Then... I'll treat you to a meal?"
Zhou Mingyan patted his shoulder and said, "Why are you being so polite? Next time, next time you go to rest, just treat me to a meal at Piaoxianglou."
Jing Yue nodded seriously: "No problem."
When the two of them got on the carriage together, Zhou Mingyan asked curiously, "What does Second Sister like?"
Jing Yue: "Why do you ask?" He quickly recalled the character traits he had just learned today - the second lady of the Marquis's Mansion, Lin Zhiqi, who loves martial arts, is cheerful and generous, and likes weapons.
Zhou Mingyan smiled flatteringly: "I also want to compete with my second sister. Can you help me make an appointment?"
Jing Yue hesitated: "I need to ask my second sister first."
Zhou Mingyan: "She would definitely like to. Didn't you always say that she always wanted to compete with others?"
Jing Yue: "Did I say that?"
Zhou Mingyan: “I did!”
Jing Yue: "...Oh. Okay. Then...are you going to prepare a gift for her?"
Zhou Mingyan: "Yes!" He said in distress, "What should I give her?"
Jing Yue whispered, "She likes weapons."
Zhou Mingyan's eyes lit up. "Right! Why didn't I think of that!" He held his chin in his hand and pondered for a moment, then pounded his fist into his palm. "I got it! I made a bow in archery class before. It's a bit crude, but I think I can modify it to be more practical. Maybe my second sister will like it."
Jing Yue: "Well, you can try."
Zhou Mingyan bumped his shoulder and said, "Thanks, brother! I'll visit you next time I have a day off. Remember to make an appointment for my second sister in advance!" He lowered his voice and said, "And remember to keep it a secret from the Marquis. I'm afraid he'll beat me up."
"No." Jing Yue heard from Lin Zhiyi that Marquis Ding'an was very kind and steady, and he would not beat people at will.
"Anyway, it's better to be careful. If he says anything to my dad, he'll have to beat me up."
Jing Yue listened to him rambling on about how his father wanted him to be a successful man, hoping that one of him and his brothers would be a talented writer, but over the three generations of the Zhou family, each one was more burly and belligerent than the last...
Now his father has slowly changed his goal - he is looking forward to marrying his sons to girls from a scholarly family, to lay the foundation for the next generation's literary talent from the source...
So this is the family affection outside the royal family?
It sounds very enviable.
General Zhou's grumpy and helpless demeanor is vivid and endearing, while Zhou Mingyan's playful side is also amusing. The other sons of the Zhou family each have their own unique characteristics, with both strengths and weaknesses—because they are family and support to each other. They can be more relaxed and at ease, quarreling, getting beaten, and resisting, but their lives are not in danger.
Recalling what Lin Zhiyi had told him today, Jing Yue knew that the atmosphere in Ding'an Marquis Mansion should be quite good.
Lin Zhiyi knows clearly the preferences of his sisters, his parents' birthdays, and the weapons that Master Gu is good at... It can be seen that everyone in the Marquis' Mansion is easy to get along with.
There is no place more humane than the royal family.
Jing Yue's envy lasted only for a moment. He laughed at himself and thought that if he wanted to be treated kindly in the royal family, he would never get it even if he died many times.
Don't be naive.
"Xiuyuan, Xiuyuan?" Zhou Mingyan's voice brought Jingyue back to her senses.
He looked at Zhou Mingyan, "What?"
Zhou Mingyan looked him up and down, frowned, and said, "You seem a little strange today. Did something happen during your meeting with the princess?"
Jing Yue: "No. What's wrong with me?"
Zhou Mingyan: "You used to talk all about the princess, but today, after meeting her, you're completely silent. Abnormal...abnormal...something must have happened. Can't you even tell your brothers?"
Jing Yue: “…”
Does Lin Zhiyi often mention him?
He cleared his throat and asked, "You really want to know?"
Zhou Mingyan approached cautiously and lowered his voice, "Can you speak?"
Jing Yue followed Lin Zhiyi's lead and, with a playful heart, confessed: "Today, while admiring the lotuses on the lake, the princess and I...had some physical contact."
Zhou Mingyan's eyes widened. "What?! You! You're so bold!" He glared at Jingyue angrily, but couldn't suppress his curiosity. "You... held hands?"
Jing Yue didn't say anything, just raised her hand and gently touched her lips.
Zhou Mingyan immediately understood: "!!! You are so bold!"
Jing Yue: "It was just an accident." He made up a lie, "The boat was shaking so much, I went to help the princess, and... I bumped into her by accident."
Zhou Mingyan looked at him with longing: "Wow, isn't that the kind of situation that only appears in storybooks? You and the princess really are destined to be together."
Jing Yue: "Indeed. We were born on the same day of the same month of the same year, and..."
Zhou Mingyan: "What else?"
Jing Yue almost said that they were reunited after the yin and yang were reversed, but he changed his words, "Monk Kong Nian even said it was a match made in heaven."
Zhou Mingyan: "That's true. Generally speaking, those who have had their horoscopes and fortunes calculated by Master Kongnian usually have good marriages. Aren't your parents a ready-made example?"
Jing Yue raised an eyebrow - it turned out that Marquis Ding'an and his wife had also been blessed by Monk Kongnian.
Let’s just believe this master for now.
Jing Yue took a detour to send Zhou Mingyan home before returning home.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, someone came with a message: "Young Marquis, the Marquis wants you to go to Lingxi Hall to answer."
Jing Yue handed the books and wine he bought to the servants and went directly to Lingxi Hall.
He could guess why Marquis Ding'an wanted to see him - he had been in the palace for so long, it was normal for his father to ask him.
After all, Young Marquis Lin and the princess have not yet married.
Lin Shuo was worried that Lin Zhiyi had offended the princess.
Someone had indeed offended the 'Princess' today, but he didn't mind.
He was at a disadvantage because he was too shocked at the time. Now that he has calmed down, he finally realized that even the female prince consort is not afraid of being offended, so how could he, a male princess, suffer?
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The author has something to say: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2023-07-16 20:09:45 and 2023-07-17 21:09:45~
Thanks to the little angel who cast the mine: it’s KAKA 1;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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