Shen Youying barely managed to suppress her laughter, and with dignified bearing, she gave a slight nod to Xue Liulang, who stood a step away, maintaining proper decorum.
Xue Liulang bowed deeply, glancing first at Xie Qinglan before turning to Shen Youying. His voice was clear and gentle: "According to seniority, I should also address His Highness Prince Qin as cousin. Since the Princess Consort is Qinglan's good friend, it would be too formal for me to call her Princess Consort. How about calling her sister-in-law?"
Shen Youying glanced at Xie Qinglan meaningfully, covered half of her face with her fan and laughed, "If you call me sister-in-law, doesn't that make Qinglan seem inferior to me for no reason?"
Xie Qinglan blushed as she was teased, and kept poking her lower back.
Shen Youying then stopped talking, smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with the other guests she knew before being led by Princess Yuxian to the third floor.
Once up there, Shen Youying discovered that the third floor was empty except for them. However, the ship's layout was clearly thoughtfully arranged. Princess Yuxian, noticing their confusion, smiled and said, "Sixth Prince said the Princess is busy and likely doesn't have many opportunities to spend time with Qinglan. He knew the friends must have much to talk about, so he specially left this space. If anything is missing, just pull the bell on the side, and a servant will come."
As she spoke, she winked at Xie Qinglan and said, "You can't hear what you're saying up here."
After being teased repeatedly, Xie Qinglan's fair face turned completely red.
After Princess Yuxian left, Shen Youying immediately reached out and pinched her cheek: "Let me touch it. Is it too hot?"
Xie Qinglan dodged her hand and said angrily, "If I had known you would make fun of me like this, I wouldn't have let you come."
Shen Youying laughed: "You're about to get engaged, how can you still be so shy?"
Xie Qinglan blushed even more upon hearing this. She leaned on the table, buried her face in her arms, and whispered quickly, "The wedding date has been set."
"How could it be so fast?" Shen Youying asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yes, the wedding date is set for the end of the year." Xie Qinglan cupped her cheeks in her hands: "Xue Liulang is three years older than me. The Xue family said that he was studying at the temple and that his marriage was delayed. Now he wants to get married as soon as possible so that he can start a family before he can establish his career."
This explanation makes sense. Most of the marriages of young men and women from prominent families are arranged long ago. Those who haven't been engaged or married yet are either like Xie Qinglan, who doesn't have a suitable candidate at the moment and whose family wants to keep them for a couple more years, or they have some kind of hidden illness that prevents them from getting married.
For a young man like Xue Liulang, who comes from a good family and is good-looking, and who passed the imperial examination without relying on his family's influence, it is indeed a bit late for him to be unmarried after reaching adulthood.
"But with the wedding date set so soon, is there enough time?"
Xie Qinglan seemed unconcerned even if the sky were to fall, saying, "Anyway, I don't need to worry about it. If it's too late, that's my parents' and Xue family's problem."
Shen Youying smiled and popped a fruit into her mouth: "That's not wrong, you should just relax and be a good bride."
As the two were talking, the pleasure boat suddenly stopped, and the sound of conversation could be faintly heard from the bow, as if they had encountered someone.
Shen Youying and Xie Qinglan looked down from the gunwale and saw another painted boat not far away. Judging from the discussions below, it seemed to be the Crown Prince's boat.
After a brief commotion, the Crown Prince indeed appeared, accompanied by several familiar young men from prominent families who emerged from the cabin.
Xie Qinglan glanced at the young man walking to the right of the Crown Prince and subconsciously looked at Shen Youying: "Isn't that Lu Minghe?"
Shen Youying also noticed the person. She lowered her eyes and looked around, somewhat puzzled: "Why is he getting so close to the Crown Prince?"
It's not that the Crown Prince isn't worth following, but in her impression, Lu Minghe is quite aloof.
Emperor Gaozu once said, "The emperor and the scholar-officials share the world," which shows that scholars held a high position in the dynasty.
Among the literati, those in the Censorate and the Imperial Censorate were considered the most prestigious and respected. Lu Minghe's father was a Hanlin Academician and held the title of Grand Master of the Palace. However, Lu Minghe did not benefit from his father's influence. He passed the imperial examination with his own talent and entered the Imperial Censorate.
Given his talent and integrity, he was never willing to associate with or curry favor with the powerful, let alone do something like going boating on the lake with the Crown Prince, thus getting involved in the struggle between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Chen.
Xie Qinglan listened and thought for a moment, then said, "My father said that Lu Minghe has recently gained the Crown Prince's favor, and has even been seen entering and leaving the Eastern Palace several times. Because he is an official in charge of remonstrance but does not know how to avoid suspicion, he has attracted a lot of gossip. However, it seems that the Crown Prince has suppressed those rumors for him, and it has not affected his career."
Looking at Lu Minghe, who was dressed in black robes and had a cold expression, she asked Shen Youying with some doubt, "Don't you think he seems to have changed a lot?"
Lu Minghe is Shen Youying's cousin, so she is naturally familiar with him.
Lu Minghe used to be gentle and refined, a true gentleman whose presence was always comforting and welcoming. But now, his stern, unsmiling face is rather gloomy and intimidating.
Xie Qinglan noticed Lu Minghe's behavior, so Shen Youying naturally couldn't miss it either.
However, since she no longer had any connection with him, she didn't want to pay too much attention to it. She lowered her eyes and said calmly, "People always change, don't they?"
Xie Qinglan glanced at her, thought about what happened between them, and ultimately didn't say anything more.
Lu Minghe seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up.
Caught off guard, Shen Youying met his gaze, paused for a moment, nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and then retreated to the side of the table.
But to everyone's surprise, just moments later, Princess Yuxian sent someone to inform them that the Crown Prince had arrived.
The Crown Prince is of noble status and has a close relationship with Xue Shen. Now that he has condescended to come here, Shen Youying must go down and show her face no matter what.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
