Chapter 183 Best Friend Cries Out: Lord Marquis, I'd Rather Die Than Marry You!
Meng Yanzhi immediately shook her head and refused. She was just a lowly woman; what merit did she have?
"Rouge, in my eyes you are a treasure, you deserve the best."
"I can't rest easy leaving you alone. Only when you are well can I be well!"
Xiao Xingyuan held Meng Yanzhi's hand and smiled gently.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yanzhi blushed slightly, but still nodded obediently and whispered, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Go." Xiao Xingyuan waved his hand, signaling Meng Yanzhi to leave.
Meng Yanzhi knew that Xiao Xingyuan had too much to do. Although she felt sorry for him, she was powerless to help and could only turn around and walk outside.
She walked to the door and looked at Wang Huanhai with some curiosity: "Your Majesty has been staying up late every day lately. What exactly have you been busy with?"
“There is flooding in the south and food shortages, so His Majesty is very anxious.” Wang Huanhai sighed. “It’s been so many days and he hasn’t had a proper rest. Fortunately, Miss Meng’s cooking is delicious, otherwise His Majesty would probably not be able to eat well.”
Meng Yanzhi knew that she couldn't make the decision herself, so she could only sigh helplessly and turn back to the small kitchen.
There weren't many things she could do, but she was very good at cooking. Meng Yanzhi quickly made some beautiful pastries. The taste of these pastries was secondary, but they were absolutely pleasing to the eye.
Looking at the pastries Meng Yanzhi had made, Qingdao was incredibly amazed: "Miss, how come these are so beautiful?"
"It's delicious!" Meng Yanzhi smiled, picked up a piece, and casually popped it into her mouth. She said with a smile, "Isn't it delicious? This is my new invention. It's fruit-flavored. Using the juice squeezed from this juicy fruit, the taste is definitely different. What do you think?"
Qingdao had never paid much attention to food and drink before, but the taste of the peach spread in his mouth and he found it incredibly novel. Before he could fully appreciate what it tasted like, the pastry had already melted and lost all its flavor.
She was still not satisfied, but felt embarrassed to ask for another piece.
After preparing everything for Xiao Xingyuan, Meng Yanzhi took a plate from the side and handed it to Qingdao: "This is yours!"
"For me?"
"Um!"
Meng Yanzhi nodded, took the pastries, and went into the Imperial Study.
She carefully placed the pastries on the table in the imperial study, then began tidying up Xiao Xingyuan's desk. She smiled and said, "This is something I recently made, peach cake. Would you like to try it?"
"It tastes so good, and it looks so pretty too." Looking at the peach-shaped pastry, Xiao Xingyuan felt a warm feeling in his heart. After taking a bite, he was overjoyed and said with a smile, "Delicious!"
Meng Yanzhi discovered that although Xiao Xingyuan was not young, he seemed like a child. He liked to eat sweets and was very happy when he ate something delicious.
Seeing Xiao Xingyuan like this, Meng Yanzhi felt much better. She looked at Xiao Xingyuan, thought for a moment, and then sat down on a chair to start embroidering. The two of them, one reading memorials and the other embroidering a purse, were incredibly harmonious. The light shone on them, and they would occasionally look up at each other. A warm atmosphere spread throughout the room, and Xiao Xingyuan felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and happiness.
This is the feeling Meng Yanzhi gave him, the feeling that only Meng Yanzhi could give him—a sense of belonging and happiness, all stemming from this one person.
A day passed quickly, and Meng Yanzhi finally finished repairing the purse. She stepped forward, handed the repaired purse to Xiao Xingyuan, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, do you like it?"
"It's beautiful. I like anything you make by hand."
"Rouge, wait a little longer, we'll be able to leave here soon."
Xiao Xingyuan looked at Meng Yanzhi very seriously.
Meng Yanzhi knew in her heart that, according to the timeline of her previous life, Xiao Xingyuan would completely withdraw from the stage of history in at most one year, and Xiao Ce would become the true crown prince.
These were all things that should have happened, but for some reason, Meng Yanzhi felt even more flustered, as if something terrible was about to happen.
Seeing Meng Yanzhi's expression, Xiao Xingyuan pinched her cheek and said softly, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"
"I'm not unhappy," Meng Yanzhi said sullenly, leaning against Xiao Xingyuan. "I just can't believe it. I can't believe we can find happiness so easily!"
In her previous life, Meng Yanzhi tried her best, but she never got the happiness and love she wanted. But for some reason, happiness seems to be right in front of her now, within easy reach, but she is timid and doesn't even dare to reach out and accept this so-called happiness.
Xiao Xingyuan had to discuss matters with the Grand Councilors that evening, so after Meng Yanzhi prepared a late-night snack for him, she returned to her room. Before she could even sit down properly, Zhao Bailu came in crying.
"Rouge, sob sob, Rouge!"
As soon as Zhao Bailu entered the room, she hugged Meng Yanzhi tightly, crying with tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong? What's wrong with you? Why are you crying?"
"Quick, let me see. Stop crying, what's wrong?"
Meng Yanzhi quickly grabbed a handkerchief from the side and gently wiped away Zhao Bailu's tears, only to find that her eyes were swollen like peaches.
"You've always been the strongest, like a boy, why are you crying?" Meng Yanzhi looked at Zhao Bailu with a face full of curiosity.
Zhao Bailu took a deep breath, then lay on the bed and said in a muffled voice, "My parents have arranged a marriage for me, but I don't like the young marquis at all. I don't want to marry him, but my parents won't listen to me. What should I do? Yanzhi, what should I do now?"
Meng Yanzhi never expected things to turn out this way.
She picked up a towel from the side, wiped Zhao Bailu's cheeks, and then said softly, "Tell me, do you have someone you like? Don't lie!"
"I don't have anyone I like," Zhao Bailu said, her eyes red-rimmed. "But I don't like him either, and I don't want to marry him!"
Meng Yanzhi lowered her head and said in a muffled voice, "Since ancient times, the fate of women has been determined by their parents' orders and the words of matchmakers. Even if you are unwilling, I'm afraid you can't change anything. Bailu, I'm sorry, I really can't help you with this."
Zhao Bailu knew that Meng Yanzhi was telling the truth, so she didn't intend to ask Meng Yanzhi for help. She just looked at her with pleading eyes, her eyes red: "But I don't want to, I don't like it, I don't want to, what should I do, what do you think I should do? Should I die!"
"Shut up!" Meng Yanzhi said anxiously, "You're not allowed to say such things!"
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