Chapter 10 Thousands of Lights
The emperor was taken aback, then smiled genuinely. He picked up a piece of sesame candy, ignoring Desheng who was about to rush up to test for poison, and put it in his mouth, chewing it carefully.
Seeing this, Xie Mianmian picked up a piece of sesame candy and ate it, her eyes crinkling with laughter, "It's so delicious, isn't it!"
The child gave an exaggerated, wide smile, saying, "When you eat something sweet, you should be like me."
Xie Mianmian gestured by taking a big bite, chewing it, and then happily exclaimed, "Wow, this is so delicious!"
"Hahahahahahaha!" The emperor was amused by the child and let out a hearty laugh.
Not far away, Desheng, with his whisk slung over his shoulder, murmured, "It's been a long time since I've seen His Majesty smile so happily."
————
Xie Huaijin, who was waiting for his sister, finally received Xie Mianmian.
On the carriage ride back, he looked at the child who was happily swaying from side to side, frowned and asked, "Why are your clothes dirty? Were you bullied?" But the child's bright smile made it seem unlikely.
"Mianmian accidentally fell down."
The child excitedly exclaimed, "Mianmian has a friend now! It's the Sixth Princess!"
"The Sixth Princess probably only sees you as a little follower."
Xie Huaijin felt a wave of dizziness. Well, the child was going to the palace as a study companion anyway. It seemed she was quite happy about it. Looking at the dim-witted child, Xie Huaijin was speechless.
"We're friends!"
"Little follower."
"friend!"
"Tagalong".
...
The sun was setting, and a large expanse of crimson hue painted the blue sky, gradually blending together. The carriage swayed and rocked along the road home, and the faint sounds of a big and a small boy bickering could be heard from inside the carriage.
As soon as she got off the carriage, Xie Mianmian gave Xie Huaijin a slight smile before running into the mansion.
"Second sister, Mianmian is back!"
In the side room, Xie Mingyi put down her brush, exchanged a smile with Wen Shuwan, and the child returned safely.
Wen Shuwan hugged the child who had rushed into her arms, picked up the apricot and pear blossom cake on the table, and gestured for the child to eat, "Mianmian, have a taste."
Xie Mingyi thought for a moment, then tentatively said, "It's okay that Mianmian wasn't selected as a study companion."
With her mouth full of pastries, Xie Mianmian couldn't speak, only exhaling bursts of pear blossom fragrance.
Xie Huaijin walked in and said irritably, "My little sister is quite something, she's even become the Sixth Princess's friend." He emphasized the word "friend."
Xie Mingyi rubbed her forehead; her bad premonition had come true.
Wen Shuwan wiped Xie Mianmian's mouth and comforted everyone, "It's alright, we'll go for a few days first, then ask for leave and resign gradually."
Xie Mingyi poked the greedy child with exasperation, then picked up a plate of pastries and put it away. "Father doesn't like sweets, so this was made by my sister-in-law. Let my older brother have a taste too."
Wen Shuwan twitched the corners of her mouth, subtly deflecting the question, "He'll probably be home late again tonight, and he doesn't like sweets either."
Xie Mingyi placed the food box on the table and gestured with her lips, "Big brother will like it, and sister-in-law should go home early too."
After dinner, Wen Shuwan listened to her sister-in-law and went back to her room early, where delicate pastries were quietly placed on the table.
Xie Mianmian pulled Xie Mingyi into the inner room, not forgetting to secretly check if there were any servants around.
Having learned from past mistakes, Xie Mingyi felt that the child had done something wrong again this time. "Tell me, what trouble have you gotten into?"
Xie Mianmian cried out that she was wronged, took out a letter from her bosom, and whispered in her second sister's ear, "This is a letter from the Third Prince to you."
Xie Mingyi took the letter, her heart skipped a beat, and she frowned. She then dragged her mischievous little sister away and had the nanny help her wash up.
Xie Mingyi opened the letter, which began with a poem by the poet Du Sheng from a hundred years ago, followed by a lengthy analysis and personal reflections. The perspective was novel, and some of the views even coincided with her own.
Xie Mingyi's brows relaxed, and she felt joyful as she read the words in the letter, recalling her first meeting with the Third Prince.
Last Mid-Autumn Festival, she guessed a rabbit lantern correctly at a lantern riddle stall, but the shopkeeper insisted that she had cheated and refused to give her the lantern.
"I'll take all the lanterns from your shop today!" she said angrily, and began to solve the puzzle. She had solved almost half of it, which made the shopkeeper sweat profusely. But soon, she got stuck.
The shopkeeper then became smug again, saying, "Oh, oh, oh, if you don't know how, don't try to be a hero. Little girl, go home and have dinner."
"Nine deaths and one life, yet one survives." A gentle, refined voice rang out.
Then the two of them teamed up and solved all the shopkeeper's riddles, took the shop's prized possession—a magnificent revolving lantern—and left satisfied.
"Today was truly enjoyable, thank you for your help, young master."
They chatted for a long time by the river and discovered an unexpected connection: they shared the same favorite books and admired the same poets.
We would chat briefly at banquets later, but there was no other contact between us in private.
Xie Mingyi asked herself honestly, and she did have some unrealistic ideas about the Third Prince, but she later realized that they were just casual acquaintances with similar interests.
Moreover, Xie Mingyi bit her lip. She had hinted at it to the other party, but the Third Prince had never responded directly. Now, he had Xie Mianmian bring her this unsigned letter. What was his intention?
Xie Mingyi glanced at the letter and suddenly discovered a hidden poem inside: "Whether I'm walking or sitting, I think of you."
She was furious and tried to burn the letter several times, but in the end she tucked it into a book.
As dusk approached, Xie Linyuan returned to his residence. Disliking the servants for walking too slowly, he snatched a lantern and hurried along the corridor towards the courtyard.
Wen Shuwan heard the servants in the courtyard greeting her, lifted her skirt and ran out the door, only to bump into a cold and handsome man.
The tall and imposing Xie Linyuan wore a rust-red official robe with dark patterns. His handsome face was faintly visible in the dim candlelight, and his deep eyes stared straight at her. Wen Shuwan felt as if she were being watched by a fierce wolf.
She curtsied, her voice trembling slightly, "My husband is back."
"Hmm." Xie Linyuan's Adam's apple bobbed. The candlelight illuminated his wife's face, her eyes sparkling, her skin as white as jade, and her arched eyebrows hidden at the corners of her forehead. He wanted to hold the lantern closer so he could see her more clearly.
Wen Shuwan became uneasy. Why was he staring at her so fiercely?
She stepped aside to welcome Xie Linyuan inside, feigning composure as she asked, "Husband, have you eaten?"
"Mm," Xie Linyuan responded softly.
Wen Shuwan bit her lip, racking her brains to think of something to say.
Xie Linyuan, with his sharp eyes, spotted the pastries on the table and sat down imposingly before them. "Did you make these?"
"Yes, would you like to try some, my husband?" Wen Shuwan asked cautiously, afraid that he wouldn't like it.
Xie Linyuan picked up a piece with his long, slender fingers and ate it in one bite. "It's very sweet." But his eyes were fixed on his wife.
Wen Shuwan sat opposite the man, took out a tea box, which contained tea she had specially sought out. "Would you like a cup of tea? This time the camellia is quite good."
"Okay." The man wanted to say something more, but she interrupted him.
"The spring chill is still in the air, my husband, you should not drink cold tea."
Wen Shuwan skillfully lit the tea stove, put in the tea leaves, washed the cups, brewed the tea, and served the tea—a series of actions that flowed smoothly and effortlessly.
As she busied herself, she slowly recounted the day's events: "Mianmian has been chosen to be the Sixth Princess's study companion."
Xie Linyuan simply watched the beauty brew tea for him. He already knew about these things, but he still enjoyed listening to his wife's ramblings and never found them annoying.
He leisurely sipped his hot tea and ate some pastries. "I understand."
He quickly devoured the entire plate of pastries.
Xie Linyuan pulled Wen Shuwan into the private room, saying, "Please trouble Madam to help me change."
Subsequently, Wen Shuwan also experienced the full fragrance of pear blossoms.
I slept well all night.
The following day, in the imperial palace court.
The emperor sat high on the dragon throne, looking down majestically at the civil and military officials below.
"You old scoundrel! Say that again!"
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