Chapter 208 Regret
Under the instructions of King Qi, no one made much of the incident of Meimei falling into the river. They just said that the road was difficult to walk on and that they stumbled and fell until just now.
The Emperor and the Empress came in person to greet and greet them, and consoled them with smiles. Finally, everyone had returned to the team, and the personnel were intact. People happily gathered around the fire, cutting meat and roasting it, and grilling it under the moon. Even though they were starving, the fresh game and the mellow wine were so refreshing and comfortable.
Cuilian and Cuixi prepared a medicine box before leaving, and carefully cleaned Meimei's face and hands, and applied medicine. Zhang Jingyun asked a young imperial physician to bring a bottle of ointment, saying that it would heal faster if applied, and it was not obvious that it was medicine. Meimei took it and looked at it. The jade-colored ointment smelled like pear blossoms, which was much better than the light red medicine. So she asked Cuilian to apply it on her. As soon as it was done, Xu Junying returned to the tent and took a careful look. He asked her if she was tired and if the wound still hurt. If she didn't want to go out, she could rest in the tent, and he would go to get some food. Meimei said it was just a scratch on the skin, it was okay, and it didn't hurt after applying the medicine. She wanted to sit outside with everyone, so Xu Junying brought the master and servants out, first sent Cuilian and Cuixi to the seats of the maids, and then walked with Meimei to the other side of the happy and noisy crowd.
As soon as they sat down, Xu Junying took a fragrant roasted pheasant from the rack, cut it a few times with a sharp dagger, handed it to her and said, "I roasted it especially for you. Eat it first. You will have some wine later."
Seeing that people around were eating heartily, the wives of the marquis, despite their politeness, had to use their five-claw skills to tear apart the roasted chicken and roasted rabbit and eat them happily. Meimei had been hungry for a long time, so she didn't hesitate to tear off a chicken wing and started to eat it. The tender roasted pheasant meat was fragrant in her mouth. She had just eaten two chicken wings and a chicken leg when she saw the Marquis of Changle and his wife walking towards her. She quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands and mouth. The Marquis of Changle and his wife bowed and apologized with guilt. Xu Junying and Meimei stood up to return the greeting. Meimei smiled and said to the wife of the Marquis of Changle:
"I was wrong. I should have stayed where I was and waited for you to come back. I saw the beautiful flowers in the forest, so I went into the forest to pick them and missed the soldiers. Later, I heard voices and thought it was you, so I ran to see you and ran into the group of people led by His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi... It's all my fault. I shouldn't have run around and caused trouble to my sister and everyone else. I'm really sorry!"
The wife of Marquis Changle laughed and said, "No, it was because I was greedy for the golden pheasant. I chased it too hastily and left you behind. I caught the golden pheasant and it's very beautiful. I'm sure you like it. I'll give it to you to take back and raise. Just consider it as an apology for not taking good care of it!"
Meimei said hurriedly, "It's not your fault, sister... I appreciate your kindness, but you should keep the baby. I don't know how to take care of it, and it may become spoiled. I'll just come to your house to take a look when I have time!"
The wife of the Marquis of Changle smiled and waved to the back. A soldier came over carrying a gray rabbit. Meimei saw it and covered her mouth with her hands and laughed. The wife of the Marquis of Changle picked up the rabbit and showed it to everyone:
"Look! Madam Weiyuan didn't go to the mountains to play for nothing, she also hunted prey!"
The feather arrow on the rabbit's right leg was left there on purpose. People praised and congratulated him. Changxing Hou raised his glass and said with a smile:
"Respect the wife of Marquis Weiyuan! She is a powerful figure. The first time our wife went hunting with him, there were a flock of wild ducks waiting in the valley, but she didn't catch any!"
Everybody laughed. Lady Changxing and Meimei blushed. Lady Changxing pinched her husband secretly after her embarrassing secret was exposed. Meimei felt ashamed for catching a stupid rabbit and showing it off.
Unable to refuse the hospitality and to thank everyone for their kindness, Xu Junying took Meimei to toast everyone. The couple drank three cups in a row, and everyone cheered. Then they went to another table to toast the emperor, the empress, the King of Qi, and the King's wife. Then the civil officials drank a cup, and the Duke Dingguo and his wife, and Zhang Jingyun drank a cup... After the whole process, Meimei felt a little dizzy, and returned to her seat. Everyone toasted them together again. Xu Junying was afraid that Meimei would get drunk if she drank too much, so he wanted to take the cup and drink it alone, but everyone refused and took the opportunity to urge them to drink from the same cup. Seeing that they could not get away with it, Xu Junying smiled and looked at Meimei. Meimei had no choice but to pick up the glass, cross her arms with Xu Junying, and drink it.
There was thunderous cheering. Everyone had eaten and drunk enough and started to have fun drinking. They said they would not sleep tonight and would drink and play until dawn. Almost all the couples at the table were caught and teased. The bonfire was red and the atmosphere was high. Even though Meimei could drink a little, she felt dizzy in the end. Xu Junying's face was redder than anyone else's. Meimei hinted at him, and the two of them took the opportunity to sneak out. They did not return to the tent, for fear of being found and caught and taken back to continue drinking. They came to the lawn on the river bank. Xu Junying turned around and found a flat stone about three feet long protruding from the ground. He took off his outer robe and spread it on it, saying:
"Sit here and sober up. You're really drunk! You're dizzy and dizzy!"
The two of them sat side by side at each end, looking up at the bright moon in the sky. Meimei thought of her relatives in her previous life and couldn't help but sigh:
"May we live long and share the beauty of the moon together even though we are thousands of miles apart! The bright moon in my hometown should be the same as the full moon in the sky!"
Xu Junying looked at her silhouette looking up at the sky and said softly, "Your parents in your hometown must be missing you too... Meimei, can you really go back?"
Meimei was drunk and said with a smile: "Do you believe it? How many times can such a wonderful thing happen in the world? I am not a god or ghost, I can come and go as I please!"
Xu Junying looked at her and said, "You scared me today! I was afraid you would fall into the river and die!"
Meimei smiled and said: "Maybe I won't die, I know... water nature!"
Xu Junying was surprised: "Didn't you... fall into the water and come to me?"
"That's because I was sitting in a car and fell off a bridge. I was knocked unconscious and couldn't get out!"
His hand was tightly held by him. Meimei struggled for a while, but Xu Junying slowly let her go, his voice full of infinite sadness: "You are right... I am indeed not good enough! Today I thought about it. I can't always protect my wife and children. Whether at home or in the wild, I can't do it! I want you, I want to keep you by my side and love you, but I will eventually let you be wronged and hurt. Among these people, I am not the only one who brought his wife to the mountain, but I lost my wife! Other wives were not injured, but you have so many blood marks on your face and hands, and you almost lost your life... How could I not know what the King of Qi meant? Even if I was unwilling, I had no choice but to agree! I have also experienced the despair of dying, and I know what it feels like. I don't want you to experience that kind of fear and pain again! Maybe I am really not suitable for you. If the King of Qi mentions it, I, I am willing to let you go!"
Meimei looked at him and said, "Are you serious? Give me a divorce letter?"
Xu Junying nodded slowly: "When the King of Qi rescued you, I said: I will agree to any conditions! Life is short, fate is unpredictable, and no one knows what the future will be like - although I don't understand what you want, if you don't want to stay with me, it means that I am not good enough! Empty liking will only make you sad, I should let you go!"
Meimei exhaled softly: "Great! I didn't expect it to be so easy, and he finally agreed."
Xu Junying looked at her with a complicated expression: "Meimei, I, I will agree to anything you say!"
"Yes, but you regret it the next moment. Is there such a thing?"
Meimei smiled and said, "Maybe that's just for me. You can't do that when dealing with others, right?"
Xu Junying lowered his head in pain: "So you discuss it with King Qi..."
Meimei knew that he was thinking the wrong thing again, and said with a smile: "It's possible that I fell off the cliff on purpose!"
"No, no, how dare you think that!" Xu Junying looked at her with sparkling eyes: "Meimei, you were at the bottom of the cliff, didn't you talk to King Qi?"
"Yes!"
“…”
Xu Junying took out a white handkerchief from his arms and unfolded it. There were delicate and exquisite red plum blossoms, attracting pairs of pink butterflies, and they looked lifelike under the moonlight.
"You gave me this. I washed it in the temple and I couldn't bear to use it."
Meimei reached out to take it, but Xu Junying dodged and said, "Meimei, this handkerchief has been given to me. I will keep this love in my heart and never forget it for the rest of my life!"
Meimei said: "There are many handkerchiefs like this. You can take them. They are not embroidered by me..."
"That's not important. You gave it to me with your own hands..."
He folded his silk handkerchief, stopped talking, and suddenly turned around. He refused to turn back for a long time. Meimei looked at him twice, both times seeing a broad back, and said:
"The moon is high in the sky, and the dew is getting heavier. We are not near the fire, so we will catch a cold. Shall we go back?"
Xu Junying finally turned around and said in a strange voice: "Sit for a while, then leave!"
Meimei sighed: "Xu Hou..."
Xu Junying said: "Your name is Zhao Bao, your name is Jingyun, can you call me Junying?"
Meimei lowered her eyes: "Xu Junying! Actually, you did nothing wrong today. You don't need to blame yourself. No one will say anything to you. Others have experience in hunting in the wild, but I don't. I have seen such a barren mountain with lush vegetation, but I have never stepped into it myself. It may seem embarrassing to you, but I had a lot of fun and was very satisfied. I felt that I gained a lot. If there is another opportunity like this, I will definitely make progress and will not make the same mistake - that is only my problem, not yours. Since we are husband and wife, I think that you, as a husband, have done your best!"
Xu Junying's hand touched Meimei. She looked down and saw Xu Junying's long legs close to her knees. Their hands were on their knees. He was about to cross the line, but Meimei took her hand back. Xu Junying simply grabbed it quickly:
"Meimei! I...I want to regret it again!"
"No!"
"Please, give me one more chance, one last chance to regret!"
Xu Junying pressed Meimei's right hand to her left chest: "Feel it! This whole heart has been beating for you since I knew you. Today it's about to burst because I lost you and because I want to let you go..."
He panted heavily, tears dripping from his eyes: "If I really let you go, I will only have one way to go - go back to the border and defend the country until the end of my life!"
"What about me? What about the King of Qi who forced you to divorce your wife? What should I do?"
Meimei looked at him and said, "If you want to leave, it's fine if the emperor lets you go. If not... can I get away from the relationship with the King of Qi? You know how to do it!"
Xu Junying was stunned for a moment, wiped his tears, and said in a hoarse voice: "What should I do? I would rather watch you marry someone else or leave with someone else..."
"If I marry someone else and live happily, can't you just watch me live my life in peace?"
Meimei's words were so heartless that Xu Junying was dumbfounded: "You are so cruel..."
"You can also marry a suitable wife, like the couple of Marquis Changle and Marquis Changxing. They are very good and we can be friends..."
“I can’t do it!”
Xu Junying became angry: "If we can't be husband and wife, we will never have any contact with each other again!"
Meimei said: "You are so narrow-minded! You are extremely narrow-minded!"
Xu Junying lowered his eyes: No one has ever said this to him.
He didn't let go of Meimei's hand: "Okay, even if I am narrow-minded, let me slowly reflect on myself - please forget what I said before and allow me to regret it, okay?"
"What's the point of me agreeing to your request? You yourself agreed to the King of Qi's three conditions. He can ask for anything he wants!"
Xu Junying couldn't help but be delighted: "You, you promised me?"
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