go home
"Your Highness, the Princess Consort is outside requesting an audience."
Xiao Yiqing called Shangguan Zeyu five times from outside the door, but Shangguan Zeyu did not respond. Zhang Qin hesitated.
Shangguan Zeyu then stopped writing furiously and looked at Zhang Qin.
With just a fleeting glance, Zhang Qin immediately knelt on one knee in self-reproach: "Your Highness, please punish me."
Shangguan Zeyu coldly shifted her gaze from him, looking towards the door, a forced, icy smile playing on her lips.
"Let her in!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Zhang Qin opened the door and invited Xiao Yiqing in.
As soon as Xiao Yiqing squeezed through the crack in the door, she rushed to Shangguan Zeyu, complaining as she ran.
"Your Highness, I miss you so much! Why don't you come to see me?" She wanted to sit in Shangguan Zeyu's lap.
Shangguan Zeyu did not stop her. He slowly closed the folded book in his hand and looked at her with a smile.
"Why did you leave Peach Blossom Valley, Princess? Didn't I order you to reflect on your actions in seclusion?"
Xiao Yiqing's expression was somewhat unnatural and frightened, but seeing that he wasn't angry, she rubbed her face against his chest like a cat trying to please him.
"Your Highness, I am innocent! I did not intend to harm Consort Liu. Your Highness, please believe me!!"
A faint smile remained on Shangguan Zeyu's face as he spoke.
"But Your Highness, those pastries were given to Wu Lanyu by you, and you specifically instructed Wu Lanyu to give some to Consort Liu to try. This..."
Xiao Yiqing hugged Shangguan Zeyu even tighter.
"Your Highness, do you believe me or Wu Lanyu?"
Disgust suddenly appeared on Shangguan Zeyu's face, but he still managed a forced smile.
"Your Highness, would you rather I believe you or Wu Lanyu?"
"Your Highness! Of course I hope you will believe me! I am absolutely innocent! I would never dare to deceive you!!"
"Hmm, alright, then I will trust you."
Xiao Yiqing burst into tears of joy, gazed at Shangguan Zeyu with deep affection, and lovingly wrapped her arms around Shangguan Zeyu's neck, rubbing her cheek against Shangguan Zeyu's chin repeatedly.
But Shangguan Zeyu's eyes only held coldness and disdain.
"My beloved consort, it's been quite a while since you last visited your father-in-law, hasn't it? Why don't I accompany you back today?"
"real?!"
Xiao Yiqing was surprised that Shangguan Zeyu would say these things. Excitedly, she hugged Shangguan Zeyu's neck tightly again, rested her face on Shangguan Zeyu's chest, and said tenderly.
"Your Highness, I knew that Your Highness only had me in your heart. Your Highness cares about me."
"It's getting late, Your Highness, please go back and prepare. I will wait for you at the gate."
"Yes, Your Highness. I will go and prepare immediately. My father will be very happy to see Your Highness."
Xiao Yiqing hadn't thought of anything else. She shyly kissed Shangguan Zeyu's chin, then blushed and lifted her skirt as she went out.
The moment she turned around, Shangguan Zeyu's face darkened as if it were about to rain.
He disgustedly pulled his dark blue handkerchief from his pocket and vigorously wiped the spot where Xiao Yiqing had just kissed him several times.
On the way to the Prime Minister's residence, Xiao Yiqing was extremely excited, talking nonstop with a smile on her face.
Shangguan Zeyu watched her with a faint smile throughout, giving the impression that she was making a fuss and he was just laughing along in a harmonious way.
They arrived at the Prime Minister's residence just past noon.
Xiao Yiqing got off the carriage first.
As soon as she got off the carriage, she called out to the two servants standing at the door, "Go and tell Father that Prince Duan and Princess Duan have come to see him."
One of the servants took off running back.
Another servant rushed over to see her, along with Shangguan Zeyu who had alighted from the carriage.
Shangguan Zeyu gazed thoughtfully at the plaque bearing the three large red characters "Prime Minister's Residence" and smiled.
"Why make such a fuss, Your Highness? If Father-in-law is busy, isn't this a disturbance?"
Xiao Yiqing walked over with a smile, took his right arm, and said sweetly.
"Your Highness, it's rare for you to accompany me back, so the Prime Minister's residence certainly cannot neglect you!"
Shangguan Zeyu looked at her with his eyes crinkled.
"Your Highness, please go inside."
Shangguan Zeyu let Xiao Yiqing pull her into the Prime Minister's residence.
Just as Shangguan Zeyu had guessed, Xiao Yiqing's father, the current prime minister, was not in the mansion.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yiqing's mother panicked. In her haste, she didn't bother to tidy herself up and hurriedly walked towards the gate of the mansion with a maid.
Xiao Yiqing was chatting and laughing with Shangguan Zeyu when she inadvertently looked up and saw that her mother looked flustered and unwell, being supported by a maid as she hurried towards them. Xiao Yiqing's face immediately darkened.
"Your Highness, Mother has arrived. I'll go and greet her."
After speaking softly to Shangguan Zeyu, Xiao Yiqing hurriedly walked towards her mother with a disgruntled expression.
"Mother, what are you doing?" she said, glancing behind her. "Where's Father?" she asked, her displeasure growing.
“Your father and brother are not home. Why didn’t they tell me in advance that they were coming so that your mother could be prepared?”
"What is there to prepare? Is Father coming back today?"
"Your father has gone on a long trip and won't be back for a while."
Where did Father go?
"Keep your voice down. Let's not talk about this anymore. Take Mother to see Prince Duan."
Xiao Yiqing was very disappointed and her mood was not high at all. She casually responded and walked ahead, taking her mother to see Shangguan Zeyu.
"This old servant greets Prince Duan." Xiao Yiqing's mother was the typical lady of a large family, exuding both authority and kindness.
She was still ten steps away when she respectfully bowed to Shangguan Zeyu.
"Why be so formal, Mother-in-law?" Shangguan Zeyu strode forward and helped her up with both hands.
"This old servant has been unwell recently and has failed to greet you properly. I hope Your Highness will not take offense." With that, she bowed to Shangguan Zeyu again.
Shangguan Zeyu stretched out his right hand and blocked her.
"Mother-in-law, it's all my fault! You have difficulty walking, and I'm ashamed that you had to walk so far to greet me!"
"It's alright, it's alright. It's this old servant who failed to greet you properly."
Seeing her mother apologizing profusely, Xiao Yiqing said impatiently, "Mother, the Prince has already said he doesn't blame you, so please don't do this. Hurry up and go inside!" As she spoke, she supported her mother's left arm.
Her mother, supported by the maid, walked back.
Shangguan Zeyu looked relaxed and carefree, glancing left and right, occasionally exchanging a few words with Xiao Yiqing and Xiao Yiqing's mother.
But most of the time, he was exchanging glances with Zhang Qin.
Upon arriving in the living room, Xiao Yiqing's mother invited Shangguan Zeyu to sit in the central hall, but Shangguan Zeyu politely declined.
Xiao Yiqing's mother sat in her usual spot in the central hall, smiling as she looked at Shangguan Zeyu, nodding with satisfaction.
Shangguan Zeyu took a sip of tea as a maid brought it over. She smiled and looked at her, asking a question.
"Mother-in-law, I wonder if Father-in-law has not yet returned from court?"
"Your Highness is too kind. My master went out of town a few days ago on business and has not yet returned."
Shangguan Zeyu feigned concern: "But does my brother have an urgent matter that requires my father-in-law to handle?"
Xiao Yiqing's mother thought carefully for a moment and said, "This old servant doesn't know. I'm just a woman, and my master rarely talks to me about matters of the court. However, I've heard that the matter is indeed quite urgent."
Shangguan Zeyu feigned understanding and simply said "Oh".
Xiao Yiqing said, "Father is always like this, keeping everything to himself. He doesn't tell his daughter, nor does he tell you, Mother, but he only tells my eldest brother!"
"Qing'er, you are now a princess, how can you still speak and act so willfully? It's improper!"
Shangguan Zeyu: "Mother-in-law, the princess is straightforward and speaks her mind. I find her very sincere, which is good."
"See? Even the Prince doesn't mind, so why would you, Mother, mind?" Xiao Yiqing was incredibly proud and happy.
"Yes, yes, yes, your mother is old and can't talk to you young people anymore." Xiao Yiqing's mother said, looking at Shangguan Zeyu. "This old servant is not good at speaking. Your Highness must be bored sitting here. Why don't you let Qing'er accompany Your Highness to walk around other places in the mansion?"
"It's all up to my mother-in-law to decide."
"Qing'er, take the prince out to relieve his boredom."
Xiao Yiqing's face immediately lit up with a smile: "Your Highness, where would you like to go? Your concubine will take you there."
Shangguan Zeyu bid farewell to her mother and went out with her.
"Your Highness, this is your second time visiting the Prime Minister's residence. The Prime Minister's residence is different from before."
"I saw it too; the two stone lions at the entrance seem to be bigger than those at the Prince Duan's residence."
"No, not at all. The stone lions in the Prime Minister's residence are no bigger than those in the Prince's residence. Your Highness, would you like to see the newly built pond that Father ordered? It's planted with many lotus flowers, and you can even go boating there."
"Okay." Shangguan Zeyu replied casually, glancing around aimlessly.
Xiao Yiqing walked ahead happily, glancing back at him from time to time.
Zhang Qin followed closely behind them, about ten paces away.
Xiao Yiqing said, "Father said he wants to build an identical Peach Blossom Valley for me so that I can live there when I return. What do you think, Your Highness? That way, there will be a Peach Blossom Valley in both the Prince Duan's residence and the Prime Minister's residence."
Shangguan Zeyu gave a casual reply, his mind preoccupied with other things.
But Xiao Yiqing didn't care at all, still immersed in her happiness and talking to herself.
Suddenly, Shangguan Zeyu said, "I've heard that my father-in-law has a library filled with all sorts of books. May I take a look?"
"this......"
"Is the princess in a difficult position?"
Xiao Yiqing was indeed in a dilemma and looked at him.
"Your Highness, Father does indeed have a library, and it is indeed filled with all kinds of books, but..."
"But what?" Shangguan Zeyu gazed at Xiao Yiqing with tender eyes.
Xiao Yiqing was already unable to resist his charm, and now that he was deliberately bewitching her, she naturally surrendered instantly.
"My father wouldn't let anyone near him."
Seeing Shangguan Zeyu's sudden disappointment, she quickly tried to appease him, saying, "But Your Highness, if you wish to go, I will certainly take you."
Shangguan Zeyu pretended to consider her feelings.
“My Princess, since Father-in-law has already ordered that no one is allowed to approach, I think it’s best to let it go! If you anger Father-in-law and punish me just so I can see the library, I will be heartbroken.”
Xiao Yiqing's expression softened instantly, as if she were filled with a halo of love, and she gazed at Shangguan Zeyu with infatuation and shyness.
"Your Highness, I would do anything to make you happy."
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