Upon arriving at the study, they found Meng Yuxiu frowning as he read a bookâhe was actually frowning as he read a book!
He didn't go to the military manufacturing department as usual, not because he was busy with military affairs, but because he was reading in his study during his leisure time.
Chang Lili found it somewhat unbelievable. She placed the small box containing the nine-section whip on the table, but turned to Meng Yuxiu, who was ignoring her, and asked playfully, "You're not still angry, are you? Because of what happened yesterday? You're so petty."
Meng Yuxiu's originally relaxed eyebrows furrowed slightly, clearly indicating his displeasure.
Chang Lili patted the small wooden box and said as if showing off a treasure, "Look at this."
Meng Yuxiu finally looked up from his book and glanced at the small wooden box. Under Chang Lili's expectant gaze, he opened the box and found the nine-section whip that had already been made inside.
He looked at Chang Lili with a smile in his eyes, as if waiting for her to say something.
"How was it?" Chang Lili asked, quite pleased with herself.
"Are you still obsessed with learning mechanical arts?" Meng Yuxiu asked with amusement.
Chang Lili was getting a little anxious and said, "You won't go back on your word, will you? You're a great general, and you promised me before that as long as I pass the three challenges you set out for me, I can learn mechanical arts! That agreement hasn't changed!"
Meng Yuxiu's smile deepened, and he put down his book, saying, "Indeed, nothing has changed, but there are still some things to deal with right now, so this matter will have to be postponed."
"You're going to postpone it again? You're not just making excuses because you don't want me to learn mechanical arts, are you?" Chang Lili said unhappily, hands on her hips.
Meng Yuxiu patiently explained with a sincere expression, "No, it's really something. Since you want to learn mechanical arts, why rush it? Haste makes waste. Once this is over, I'll tell you whether you've passed the second test."
"No, this is an additional condition. How can you add additional conditions to what happened before?" Chang Lili was unwilling to give up.
Meng Yuxiu remained calm and sighed helplessly, saying, "I shouldn't have done that, but I have to deal with the situation at hand."
Chang Lili wanted to say something more, but then she thought about it and realized that whether she could pass the second test depended on Meng Yuxiu's words. He was clearly trying to lead her by the nose.
Thinking about it this way, her anger intensified, but then she thought, "When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. What's a little grievance compared to learning mechanical arts?"
She smiled and asked softly, "What is it? It seems like a rather troublesome matter."
"It's just a courtly social event. News has come from the palace that Consort Lan is pregnant. The Emperor is overjoyed and wants to hold a grand banquet for all civil and military officials to celebrate," Meng Yuxiu said leisurely.
Chang Lili wondered what Lan Fei's pregnancy had to do with her, and how it would affect her learning mechanical arts.
Before she could speak, Meng Yuxiu said matter-of-factly, "Tomorrow you will come with me to the palace to attend the wedding banquet."
"Huh?" Chang Lili said in surprise, then her face fell. "Another boring banquet like this, I..." Her eyes darted around and she saw Meng Yuzheng staring at her, waiting for her answer. She quickly changed her mind, "Then I have to go!"
Meng Yuxiu looked away, suppressing a laugh.
"But you know, Consort Lan is just a concubine, yet she's pregnant and it's causing such a big fuss. Before, the eldest prince, the emperor's only son, was observing mourning for three years outside the capital. When he returned, it's said that the emperor didn't even bother to ask about him. What kind of grudge did these two have?" Chang Lili asked with great interest.
Meng Yuxiu seemed a little unhappy: "I never care about that."
Chang Lili glanced at him, seemingly a little incredulous. She pondered for a moment and said, "You say the eldest prince is so disliked, what if Consort Lan gives birth to a prince in the future? Wouldn't he be even more pitiful, and his status even more precarious?"
Meng Yuxiu shook his head helplessly and said, "You are quite farsighted, but these are all royal secrets, not for you or me to discuss. You must not tell others about these things."
"I know, I'm not stupid, I was just saying it casually in front of you," Chang Lili said calmly.
Meng Yuxiu's eyes lit up. He knew that Chang Lili trusted him so much because they were already familiar with each other. A smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.
Chang Lili's expression changed slightly. She thought of the only prince in the palace, who must look lonely and pitiful.
The image of Xiao Lingshou appeared in her mind. At that time, she knew that he was of extraordinary status, but she still regarded him as Su Ling.
But thinking back carefully, on that day when they met on the small bridge, Xiao Lingshou was dressed in extremely luxurious clothes, and the palace maid addressed him as Your Highness. If he wasn't a prince in the palace, she couldn't think of anyone else who could be dressed like that.
She was immediately shocked, and patted her face in disbelief. So the Su Ling she knew was actually Xiao Lingshou, the only prince in the palace? She had actually accidentally taken the eldest prince of Yun Kingdom as her disciple?
Good heavens! She was shocked but also pleasantly surprised. However, when she thought of Xiao Ling standing in the pavilion, his thin figure seemingly unable to bear the weight of his luxurious clothes, and his cold and aloof face, she felt a pang of pity.
"What's wrong?" Meng Yuxiu asked with concern, noticing Chang Lili's changing expression.
He invited Chang Lili to attend because he felt that although his relationship with Chang Lili was not officially settled, it was already a done deal, and bringing her to such a banquet was a way of announcing it to the world.
But if she really doesn't like it, he can try another way.
Chang Lili subconsciously wanted to speak to confirm Xiao Lingshou's identity, but remembering that Meng Yuxiu would be unhappy to hear Xiao Lingshou's name, she obediently changed her words.
"Well... attending banquets isn't so bad. Although banquets can be a bit boring, the fruits, pastries, and drinks are all top-notch, and there are walnut shortbreads too. It's good to go and enjoy the food. These are things that ordinary people can only dream of." She said wistfully, and then she felt a little hungry herself.
Meng Yuxiu couldn't help but laugh and said, "You don't need to worry about that. The people in the kitchen have already learned how to make walnut shortbread in the palace. Whenever you want some, just tell the kitchen to make some."
Chang Lili was stunned for a moment. Upon hearing this, she quietly pinched her face without making a sound and found that she could feel the pain.
But listening to his words felt like a dream.
When he said this, it was as if Chang Lili had lived here before and would inevitably live here in the future, and this place had become her home.
Chang Lili felt a bittersweet feeling in her heart, and her eyes involuntarily welled up slightly.
The word "home" is both close and far from her.
She had no parents from a young age, and her grandmother went to great lengths to raise her. However, they lived a hard life and often had no fixed abode.
Even though Chang Lili's life got better after she grew up, they still didn't have a house or a home of their own.
Meng Yuxiu spoke these words so casually and matter-of-factly, as if this were her home.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
