Chapter 102 Green Plum

Si Tang's resolute expression cracked when he heard Hulu's words, "Second Miss Si, the white jade ball you put in is of inferior quality. It is made of egg white wrapped in the Dafu of Wanglaiju. You are trying to deceive the world and steal the reputation."

The whispers suddenly exploded for a moment, then became faint again. Someone muttered, "No wonder Miss Si reacted like that just now. It turns out that she knew her sister had done something wrong, but she didn't have the heart to expose her. Alas, she has good intentions but is foolishly filial. If the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince hadn't seen through it, we don't know how big Miss Si's heart is."

There was a buzzing sound in his ears, and Si Tang didn't know what expression to make for a moment. Madam Si suddenly turned her head and looked at Si Li, "It's all your fault! You colluded, you did it on purpose!" She was furious and wanted to say that it was Si Li who colluded with the Prince of Yue's Mansion to harm Si Tang, but her remaining rationality stopped her and made the maids of the Prince of Yue's Mansion who were looking at this side retract their gaze.

Si Li had not expected Si Tang to be so bold. This comment was actually a bit hurtful, but she was maliciously happy. This wording seemed to be Jiang Shizhi's idea. He was so bold that he told the chef that the food was unpalatable, and he was not afraid that others would poison him.

At this moment, Si Li blinked innocently at the look of her boss's wife, "If you want to learn how to make dim sum, why didn't you tell me? Besides, I think the crystal duck dumplings you made before were very good. How can you be so careless?"

Si Ji's throat was blocked by a mouthful of blood. All the letters she had written were with Si Li. They could not explain why Si Li was unwilling to teach Si Tang how to make snacks. As soon as she mentioned it, she would bring up the old things, making her husband lose face. Si Tang would never get any good results.

Crystal dove dumplings, Si Ji let out a bitter laugh, that was one of the three recipes left by Jian's daughter that the Jian family bought at a high price to be passed down in the big family, the other two did not look good when cooked, so the daughter only liked that one, who knew that it would be brought up and criticized at this time.

Mrs. Si's lips trembled. She held down her stunned daughter and knelt deeply. "I am a poor teacher of my daughter. Please forgive me, Your Highness the Prince of Yue and Your Highness the Princess." Her forehead hit the ground with a crisp sound. The sound of hitting the stone slab was so solid that it hurt to hear. However, no one in the hall sympathized with them, and the two masters of the Prince of Yue's Mansion also ignored them.

She lost, and Mrs. Si closed her eyes, not knowing whether to regret not taking action or not being nicer to Si Li.

They were in a daze, but Hulu's announcements did not stop, starting from the back and going forward, until the first one announced, "Ms. Si, the pork floss and small shrimp you served are the best. You are a kind-hearted person, and you appreciate the jade ruyi."

Previously, the best ones had won some small items, mostly jade pendants and hairpins, and the compliments they used were all varied. All the noble ladies in Beijing who wanted to gain fame and praise had praised them, but no one had ever received an evaluation like a jade ruyi or a virtuous and elegant heart.

Yu Ruyi, everything is going well. Who doesn't know that this flower show is secretly intended to select a concubine for the Crown Prince? Moreover, this time His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also brought his concubine mother, the Royal Concubine, out of the palace. If the Crown Princess is chosen instead of the Crown Prince's Concubine, then Miss Si will really be lucky.

There were all those who were envious and jealous, but when they saw the pretty and upright girl standing up in the hall to thank him, they suddenly remembered that in terms of identity, background, character and appearance, it seemed that the prince was worthy of her.

The ladies who had this idea quickly dismissed it. After all, the news that Wanglaiju had close contacts with the Prince of Yue's Palace was not false. How could it be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?

Si Li stood up to thank her and took back the jade ruyi. Si Tang finally came back to her senses from her trance and tried to get up, but was held down by Mrs. Si. "Mom?!" She screamed in panic, her eyes red, the words "deceiving the world and stealing the reputation" were still lingering in her ears, "I am not..."

Before he could finish, Si Tang was pushed to the ground by Madam Si, and his forehead hit the stone slab again. The words he wanted to say were immediately replaced by a cry of pain, which was particularly conspicuous in the silence after the announcement of the list.

"It's just a joke, it's possible that I had some wrong ideas for a moment, so why get angry?" Princess Yue said gently, "Hengyun and the other boy did say something a bit too much, Madam Si, don't take it to heart."

After all, Si Baifu was the Prime Minister, and Si Jishi had an imperial decree, so she couldn't let things get too ugly. Seeing that the mother and daughter admitted their mistakes, she asked someone to take the two people from the Si family to tidy up their appearance. The previous round of the banquet was almost over, and the next round was just right, so it didn't make much difference whether the two people from the Si family left early or late.

Mrs. Si kowtowed to express her gratitude, and grabbed her daughter's arm to pull her up. Both of their foreheads were a little red, but compared to Si Tang's panic and helplessness, Mrs. Si maintained her dignity and did not look too ugly when she left. As for what others thought in private, it was no longer her business.

There was a break in the middle of the banquet. Those who went to wash were led by someone, and those who went to appreciate the plum blossoms were followed by maids from the Prince of Yue's mansion. Si Li strolled leisurely with the main group, and when the Princess of Yue went back to rest and left for a while, he was too lazy to even do the superficial work and sat down on the bluestone under the plum tree, feeling sleepy.

Ah Zhu, who came with Si Li, was a child at heart. She changed from being scared and nervous at first to finding everything new. Seeing that Ah Zhu's curiosity was disturbing Si Li, the maid Qing He decided to take her for a walk nearby. Since they were closer, they could take care of Si Li.

Si Li looked at the flowers and the figures among them from time to time. The noble ladies who came to the banquet gathered in twos and threes, but Xiao Qi ran away. Flowers were blooming like clouds above her head, and when the wind blew, small petals fell on her body. Apart from the special meaning of the green color that people did not know at the time, Si Li could praise the beautiful scenery without hesitation.

Just as she was distracted for a moment, she heard someone calling Qinghe's name in front of her. She turned around and saw that Ah Zhu and Qinghe were nowhere to be seen. Si Li suddenly became nervous and felt that something was wrong.

Ah Zhu's appearance was the best in the nursery hall. She was the one who was favored by the master who had bad habits when she was doing part-time work. If there were no older children following her, Ah Zhu would be in trouble at such a young age. There were also several male guests of the right age attending the banquet. Du Xuan was a little brat with a bad temper. The man with fox eyes sitting opposite him didn't look like a good person. Ah Zhu had no background and was just a maid. If something happened -

Si Li calmed herself down, stood up and walked towards the place where the voices were more numerous. With Jiang Shizhi in the Prince of Yue's Mansion, she had a backer, so finding him should not be a problem.

The plum forest in the Yuewang Mansion was built in a winding way, imitating the design of changing scenery in the south of the Yangtze River. Si Li felt that he had changed the world every two steps. There were dense vines hanging on the rockery not far away, and the stream made a circle and gathered in the depths of the plum forest, but the voices heard just now were gone.

Si Li frowned and was about to listen carefully for the voices to find out who was who when she saw a maid in green clothes coming from the direction of the rockery. She was dressed similarly to Qinghe. When she saw her, she smiled curiously and said, "Maid A Xing, may I ask if the guest has anything to ask?"

It would be easy to deal with it once we met someone. Si Li quickly stated her identity, and then described the clothes and appearance of Ah Zhu whom she brought with her. Ah Xing thought for a moment, "Sister Qinghe was called away by the princess just now. She might have left in a hurry and didn't have time to report to the young lady. The maid who looked about ten years old was not seen, but it seemed that there was a short one who was looking for the hand washing place. I have an errand assigned by His Highness. Why don't you wait for a while at the rockery, and I will call someone to help you look for it? The rockery is the most conspicuous in the plum garden. Even if she is lost, she may look for it along the top of the mountain. Don't worry."

Ah Xing spoke softly and quickly comforted the somewhat uneasy Si Li. Before entering the plum garden, Si Li did see a pointed roof, but she did not expect it to be the top of a rockery. This place was indeed a landmark place to wait for someone as she said, so she nodded in agreement.

Behind the rockery, it was cool and shady, and there was a rocking chair. Facing the two plum trees in front that grew crookedly together, like a bridge built out of thin air, it was a rare place to enjoy the view. Ah Xing poured water for Si Li and asked her to sit down and wait, but Si Li was embarrassed to sit down. She didn't find Ah Zhu, and she didn't want to drink the water. She just held the cup and pretended to drink it, and then hurried away.

The plum blossoms in the Prince of Yue's Palace are indeed well-maintained. If placed somewhere else, perhaps this bridge-like plum tree could even be given a name like the Concentric Tree. Si Li was thinking randomly, and just as he was getting a little anxious, he heard footsteps suddenly coming from the side of the rockery.

"Ah——" Si Li turned around and swallowed the word "杏" (apricot) and bowed her head obediently, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

The prince changed his clothes and looked much softer than he had been at the previous banquet. He was no longer an icy beauty, but rather an immortal like a spring flower walking out of a plum tree.

"No need to be polite." Jiang Hengyun suppressed his relaxed state of mind and the surprise in his heart when he saw her. He deliberately stepped harder to startle Si Li who was daydreaming, but he forgot that he looked unfamiliar to her. He frowned slightly, picked up the teacup filled with tea and took a look, "Why are you here?"

The confusion on his face and the natural movement of picking up the teacup made Si Li's heart skip a beat. The bloody plots in the stories she had seen in the past suddenly flooded into her mind, and she wanted to leave immediately, "I am waiting for someone here, disturbing your peace, so I will take my leave now." No wonder she thought this rocking chair was very delicate, and it was equipped with a small table and teacups. It turned out to be the place where the prince rested.

"No need." Jiang Hengyun's face fell cold. At the same time, a chaotic sound of footsteps was heard from the other side of the rockery. Si Li, who had not left yet, watched helplessly as she and the prince became the protagonists of being "caught in adultery" in a ridiculous way.

The person who called "Miss Si" saw the two standing together, with only a teacup on the small table, and his expression inevitably became subtle. A man and a woman alone, in a place like behind a rockery where almost no one has ever stepped foot, what else could it be but a tryst? But one of them was the eldest daughter of the chief minister of Si, and the other was the crown prince, so this could not be said.

After a noisy sound of people paying homage to the prince, two footsteps were heard hurriedly in the distance. Yuan Fangtong came late with Jiang Langshan, and when he saw the two people standing behind the rockery, the corners of his lips curled up inconspicuously.

Si Li was overwhelmed by all the looks. Among the people who came were the mother and daughter of the Si family, who had red foreheads and red eyes. When they saw Si Li and the prince standing together, instead of the unbearable scene they had imagined, the malice in their eyes almost overflowed.

Amid the awkwardness, Jiang Lang, as the host, spoke first, "The plum forest is deep and far, Miss Si, you lost your way luckily your elder brother is here to show you the way. Since you went off track while appreciating the plum blossoms and are not lost, Miss Si, please come with me to see mother. I don't want to hear any more of the nonsense about looking for someone before." Si Li vaguely felt that his voice was a little different from usual, but thinking about the current situation, it was possible that he changed his tone in a hurry. He should make some pear paste for Jiang Shizhi to drink when he returned.

Jiang Lang made up his mind as soon as he opened his mouth. He looked around in a warning manner, which made the few small families who were just shouting that someone was missing shrink their necks. People who knew him well knew that Jiang Lang was already angry. The prince of Yue was obsessed with painting, but that didn't mean he had a good temper. Usually, we were just friends, but this time he even called himself "prince".

Si Li carefully looked at Jiang Lang's expression, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he showed no signs of anger. Then she felt a little uncomfortable. Seeing her and the prince together, Jiang Lang wasn't even jealous? Was the previous ambiguous feeling just her wishful thinking?

The farce ended in a whimper. Si Li, who was the protagonist but knew nothing, rubbed her forehead and turned around to thank Jiang Lang, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I'll take my leave."

Jiang Hengyun lowered his eyes. He saw Si Li's relaxed expression when Jiang Lang appeared just now. Although he used Jiang Lang's identity to conceal his identity and avoid trouble, and the mask was made by a skilled craftsman, even the Princess of Yue could only distinguish the two of them after he made careful distinctions. But now that Si Li didn't recognize him, he still felt a bit confused.

Without the excitement, the crowd dispersed. Yuan Fangtong looked at his cousins ​​and saw that neither of them reacted. There was no quarrel between the brothers. He touched his chin subconsciously. He secretly glanced at the teacup on the table and was a little surprised. Even if the person was not drugged, why did Jiang Lang not react to such a scene of a man and a woman alone?

Seeing that most people had left, Yuan Fangtong knew that if he stayed any longer he would be conspicuous, so he bowed and left.

"Wait." Si Li was about to follow Jiang Lang when she heard the prince behind her stop her. His voice was as cold as a spring. She inexplicably heard a hint of anger in his usual indifference. "Hulu, go check."

"Me?" Si Li pointed at herself blankly, and subconsciously looked for the prince to confirm. After making the move, she realized that it was a bit rude. Just as she was about to make amends, she saw the prince shook his head and said with thin lips, "Yuan Fangtong."

His voice was cold when he called this name, but when he turned to Si Li, his tone was calm again, "Miss Si, please go with Alang."

Si Li always felt that the prince's voice was somewhat similar to his cousin's, so she couldn't help but take a few more glances, but then she felt embarrassed again. A good face really adds a lot of points. Even if she thinks Jiang Shizhi is good, she has to admit that the prince is really good-looking. However, Yuan Fangtong? The seat he sat in this banquet was above Xiao Qi, so he could only be a duke or marquis. The only famous one in the capital was the Duke of Dongyang. Could it be that Concubine Yuan came to the banquet this time to see Concubine Yuan?

"I'll take my leave."

Si Li didn't want to care about what happened next, and he couldn't care. If something happened in the Prince of Yue's Mansion, he should find Jiang Shizhi. After leaving the rockery and making sure that the prince couldn't see him, Si Li lowered his shoulders and took a deep breath. He took two quick steps and grabbed Jiang Lang's sleeve, who was walking very fast for some reason. "Shizhi, slow down, I can't keep up. Have you seen Qinghe and Ah Zhu that I brought with me?"

Jiang Lang froze suddenly and quickly pulled back his sleeves. The baby-faced young man blushed and tried his best to remain calm, "Don't do anything."

Eh~ Si Li curled her lips and whispered, "What a hypocrite." I've already seen the arm, so what's wrong with grabbing the sleeve?

--------------------

The author has something to say:

Mini-theater:

Prince: Why is it Green Plum?

Susu: Ahem, because you insisted on making up an account to cheat on yourself.

Lili: He is not angry at all. Does that mean he doesn’t love me?

Jiang Lang: Don’t come over here! I don’t want to be hit by Big Brother!