The autumn sun filtered through the sycamore leaves of the General's Mansion, casting specks of light like copper coins on the bluestone slabs. Chen Weiwan was squatting in the yard, teaching Chuntao to weave grasshoppers. When she heard the familiar sound of horse hooves from the front yard, she snorted without looking up, "That scheming prince must be back again."
Chun Tao had just finished twisting the blades of grass into a circle when she looked up and said, "Miss, His Royal Highness the Seventh Prince always brings delicious food when he comes. How can that be considered 'scheming'?"
"What do you know?" Chen Weiwan stuffed the woven grasshopper into her hand. "Last time, you gave me lychees, saying it was to relieve my boredom, but in fact you wanted to see me make a fool of myself. This time, who knows what else you want to use as an excuse." Before she finished speaking, Xiao Yu walked into the hanging flower gate, waving a folding fan, with a few maple leaves stained on his moon-white brocade robe.
"Miss Shen is saying bad things about me behind my back?" Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows and opened his folding fan with a snap. On the fan was clearly inscribed her "Aunt's Abacus Poem".
Shen Weiwan rolled her eyes: "Your Highness has such sharp ears, why don't you go to the Six Gates to be a constable?"
Xiao Yu smiled and signaled his attendant to put down the food box. "I heard that you wanted to eat Quanjude's roast duck, so I specially asked someone to save a freshly baked one." He paused, looked into her sparkling eyes, and deliberately dragged out his tone, "But..."
"I knew it!" Shen Weiwan patted her knees and stood up. "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"
"Clever." Xiao Yu nodded approvingly. "His Majesty mentioned you again yesterday, saying he wanted to hear your stories of everyday life. However, the harem has many rules, so you need a relative to introduce you."
Shen Weiwan folded her arms: "What are the conditions?"
Xiao Yu took a step closer, and the scent of cedar mixed with the aroma of roast duck wafted over him. "Be my 'poet friend' for three days and accompany me to the..." He deliberately lowered his voice, "the flower and bird market."
"Flower and bird market?" Shen Weiwan was stunned. "The Seventh Prince is visiting a flower and bird market?"
"No?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "I want to find some rare flowers and plants. Is that not possible?"
Chun Tao murmured quietly, "Didn't His Highness have the gardener bring the pot of 'Zuixianyan' that he gave to Miss last time from Jiangnan?"
Xiao Yu glared at her, and Chun Tao quickly shut up. Shen Weiwan smiled. This prince was clearly looking for an excuse to get along with her, and he had to pretend to be serious.
"Deal!" Shen Weiwan nodded readily, "But after the shopping, you have to treat me to three pounds of sweet-scented osmanthus cake, plus that roast duck!"
"No problem." Xiao Yu smiled like a fox stealing some fish.
The next morning, Chen Weiwan, wearing a veiled hat, followed Xiao Yu's carriage to the flower and bird market on Zhuque Street. As soon as she opened the curtain, she heard the vendor's call: "Fresh parrots! They can say 'Auntie's abacus!'"
Shen Weiwan almost laughed out loud, but Xiao Yu handed over a silver ingot without changing his expression: "Wrap up this parrot and send it to the Seventh Prince's Mansion."
The vendor happily packed up his crickets. The old man selling crickets nearby came over and said, "Young man, buy a pair of crickets! They fight like crazy, just like the master and servant in the Liu Mansion!"
Shen Weiwan took the cricket jar and saw the words "Liu's Exclusive" engraved on the bottom, and laughed out loud. Xiao Yu shook his head helplessly and bought her another string of candied haws, the candied shells sparkling in the sun.
The two walked to the orchid stall. Shen Weiwan took one look at the crooked orchid in the pot, its leaves mostly yellow, yet the stall owner touted it as a "rare species." She was about to make a joke when she suddenly caught sight of Liu's personal nanny looking furtively from a distance.
"Your Highness," Shen Weiwan tugged at Xiao Yu's sleeve, "Look at that pot of grass, does it resemble your aunt's face?"
Xiao Yu followed her gaze and caught Madam sprinkling something into a pot of flowers. His eyes grew cold, and he winked at his attendant. Before Madam could react, two guards had "invited" her to a secluded area.
"Tell me, what did you sprinkle in the flowers?" Xiao Yu's voice was cold.
The nanny was terrified: "It was... Madam Liu who asked me to spread the itching powder, hoping to make Miss Shen..."
Shen Weiwan stepped forward and took off her veil: "Oh? Auntie really cares about me." She picked up the pot of roses sprinkled with powder and smiled at the nanny, "Since Auntie is so kind, why not give these flowers to her? Say 'Flowers bloom in wealth, itches so hard to forget'."
Xiao Yu chuckled softly and told his attendants to send the nanny away. He then said to the stall owner, "I've bought this pot of roses and am sending it to the Liu Mansion."
After dealing with the trouble, the two continued to stroll around the market. Shen Weiwan took a fancy to a starling that rolled its eyes. Xiao Yu bought it without saying a word and asked the bird seller to tie a silver bell on the bird's leg.
"Your Highness, are you going to move the entire market back to the mansion?" Shen Weiwan asked while chewing on a candied haws.
"For you to play with." Xiao Yu said naturally, "By the way, there will be a palace banquet tomorrow. I'm afraid Liu will cause trouble again. How are you preparing?"
Mentioning the palace banquet, Shen Weiwan wiped her mouth: "When the enemy comes, the general will stop him; when the water comes, the earth will cover it. But..." She smiled cunningly, "If Your Highness is willing to treat me to another meal of roast duck, I might be able to write a few more 'appropriate' poems."
"Greedy." Xiao Yu knocked her head, his eyes full of pampering, "I asked the imperial kitchen to keep it for you."
On the way back to the palace, Shen Weiwan looked at the bustling street scene outside the car window, and suddenly felt that such a day was really good. There was no intrigue in the previous life, only the fireworks in front of her and the company of the people around her.
"Your Highness," she suddenly said, "why does the Emperor always summon me?"
Xiao Yu held her hand, his palm warm: "Because you are interesting, like a beam of light."
Shen Weiwan's heart skipped a beat and her cheeks burned. She tried to pull her hand back, but it held her tighter.
"Weiwan," Xiao Yu said in a low voice, "after I deal with the Liu family, I will ask to marry you."
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