I am afraid that you will return late.
Who says that the grass has no heart?
I will repay the kindness of my parents!"
After the poem was finished, a hushed silence fell inside and outside the pavilion. A bead fell from Madam Taifu's hand with a click. Zhang Mingyue forgot to fan herself. Even Liu Chengfeng's smile froze into a frosty mass. His fingers twirling his goatee trembled slightly, and after a moment, he managed a few words through gritted teeth: "You... your poem is good, but what does it have to do with the word 'old woman'? You're clearly mistaking the subject for the subject!"
"How can it be irrelevant?" Shen Weiwan tilted her head, her face full of innocence. "Who among the loving mothers in the world is not an old woman who has grown from black hair to white hair? In my uncle's eyes, is a mother who mends clothes for her wandering son not considered an 'old woman'?" As soon as she finished speaking, the Taifu's wife suddenly clapped her hands and laughed. The laughter was so loud that the parrots in the corridor followed suit and chirped twice: "What a saying, 'Who says that the love of an inch of grass can repay the kindness of three springs'! Miss Shen is not only quick-witted, but also filial. Rare! Rare!"
Liu stood at the edge of the crowd, her ears buzzing. She watched the Taifu's wife holding Shen Weiwan's hand and asking about her well-being, saw the approving eyes of the ladies around her, and then thought of how she had just been publicly referred to as an "old woman," and a wave of anger rushed to her head. She no longer cared about her manners and threw the brocade handkerchief to the ground with a "smack". The lotus embroidered on the handkerchief was deformed by the fall. "That's enough! Shen Weiwan, stop pretending here! Just because you can recite a few sour poems, you dare to show off in the Taifu Mansion?"
"What you said, aunt," Shen Weiwan picked up the handkerchief on the ground slowly, pinched a corner with her fingertips and shook it, "my niece is just a clumsy girl. If she doesn't recite a few more 'crooked poems', how can I match your image of 'dignified and virtuous, the mother of the world'?" She deliberately emphasized the four words "mother of the world" very much, causing several noble ladies who were trying to hold back their laughter to no longer be able to hold back their laughter and turned their heads away.
Liu was so angry that her whole body was shaking, her vision was black, and she was about to faint. Shen Ruorou hurried forward to support her, but was thrown away by Liu: "Get out! Useless thing!" Her nails dug deep into her palm, and blood dripped through her fingers onto the bluestone slab, spreading a small, glaring red.
At this moment, a lazy, yet smiling voice rang out from the direction of the Moon Gate: "Minister Liu, Madam Liu, are you setting up an air of trial in the Grand Tutor's Mansion? What are you doing surrounding my fiancée?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the Seventh Prince, Xiao Yu, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, a mutton-fat jade belt around his waist, and holding a food box as he slowly approached. His black hair was untied, loosely tied with a white jade hairpin, and a few strands of hair hung in front of his forehead, making his peach blossom eyes even more alluring.
"Fiancée?!" Liu screamed, her voice as sharp as nails scraping against glass, "Your Highness, don't joke! Shen Weiwan is just..."
"Oh?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow and casually opened the food box. A rich sweet-scented osmanthus fragrance mixed with the crispy aroma of duck meat immediately filled the air. He picked up a shiny duck leg with silver chopsticks and handed it directly to Shen Weiwan. His eyes were so gentle that they could drip water. "Try it. This is the sweet-scented osmanthus duck newly made in the imperial kitchen. This king specially saved it for you."
Shen Weiwan looked at the crispy-skinned and tender duck leg, her throat rolling unconsciously, and her saliva almost flowed out. She pretended to curl her lips in disgust: "Who wants to eat your food? I'll eat it myself..." Before she finished speaking, her hand had already honestly taken the duck leg and began to nibble on it in small bites, not even noticing the oil stains on the corners of her mouth.
Seeing this, Xiao Yu couldn't help but reach out and wipe the greasy spots from the corners of her mouth. His movements were so natural as if he had done it a thousand times: "Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you."
The surrounding noble ladies were stunned. Zhang Mingyue even covered her mouth, her eyes wide as bells. Liu felt a surge of anger rushing to her head, and her hands were shaking as she pointed at Xiao Yu: "Your Highness! You are a royal family, how can you be with such a..."
"Madam Liu," Xiao Yu interrupted her, his eyes instantly cold, like ice in the twelfth lunar month. "When did it become your turn as the wife of a minister to interfere in my marriage?" He paused, his eyes sweeping over Liu Chengfeng's sullen face. "If Minister Liu is busy with official business, please return first and don't disturb my meal with my fiancée."
Liu Chengfeng felt a chill run from his feet to his skull. He saw the undisguised warning in Xiao Yu's eyes, then glanced at the half-smiles on the faces of the ladies around him. He knew that continuing to argue would only bring humiliation. He took a deep breath and forced a smile. "I'm sorry. Since Your Highness and Miss Shen are busy, I'll take my leave." With that, he glared at the still-trembling Liu, dragged the ashen-faced Shen Ruoruo with him, and practically fled.
After the Liu family disappeared outside the moon cave door, Shen Weiwan swallowed the last bite of duck leg, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and glared at Xiao Yu unhappily: "Who is your fiancée? What nonsense are you talking about!"
Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows and reached out to play with the ends of her hair. "Oh? Who was eating so deliciously just now? He almost chewed the bones to pieces."
"What do you care?" Chen Weiwan's cheeks flushed like a ripe peach. She abruptly shook off Xiao Yu's hand, turned around, and ran out of the pavilion, not even paying attention to Chun Tao standing by her side. The setting sun stretched her figure far out, and the tassels of her skirt made a tiny sound on the stone pavement.
Xiao Yu watched her hurried back, the smile on his face growing wider. Mo Shu couldn't help but lean forward and said, "Your Highness, you used the 'fiancée' trick really well. The Liu family ran away in a tumble."
"What's so high?" Xiao Yu put away his smile and followed the direction where Shen Weiwan disappeared. His eyes were filled with tenderness. "If I don't take action now, that girl will probably be bullied and cry." He paused and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve. On it was a painting of a duck holding a jade dragon pendant. The brushwork was childish but full of fun. "Go, ask the kitchen to send the freshest osmanthus duck to the general's mansion today. Say... my fiancée loves it."
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