Chapter 2 After School
Chapter Summary: A lack of enthusiasm for leaving work indicates a problem with one's mindset.
Who is he apologizing to? Me?
Is this really the same Xu Luchuan I know... the unruly and arrogant one? Indeed, one should look at a person with new eyes after three days of separation.
Although Liu Shiyu was extremely surprised, she couldn't tell the difference on her face.
She maintained the dignified air of a princess protecting the nation, her cold gaze lightly falling on Xu Luchuan. She uttered a soft "Hmm," then stepped aside and walked away without looking back.
Liu Shiyu's reaction truly surprised everyone present.
Who would have thought that Her Highness the Princess, who was always intolerant of any wrongdoing, would so easily let off the hook for her impetuous subject? Even Xu Luchuan himself couldn't believe it.
He straightened up, not having time to think much. He turned his head and looked at the colleague who had stirred up the trouble with extremely kind eyes.
Xu Luchuan casually tossed the bamboo slips aside and smiled with narrowed eyes, "This dossier! I'll trouble you to deliver it to Lord Jiang. If there's a next time, I won't let you off so easily."
In May, a slight chill crept into their necks.
Unexpectedly, the man turned out to be a cowardly fool, and immediately dared not utter a sound, picked up the bamboo slips, and hurriedly left.
Turning around with his hands behind his back, Xu Luchuan looked in the direction Liu Shiyu had left, and secretly resolved in his heart that he would never have anything to do with this unfortunate woman again.
Liu Shiyu walked out of the prison with a bright red forehead.
As she descended the steps, she stumbled a few steps and nearly fell. Judging from her appearance, Liu Shiyu was stunned by the bamboo slips thrown by Xu Luchuan and had only managed to get out by sheer force of her strength.
Lian Yue, a guard attending to Liu Shiyu in front of the carriage, rushed forward to support him. "Your Highness, what happened? Your forehead? Lian Xing! Go in and see who dared to attempt to assassinate Your Highness in the Imperial Prison!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Shiyu broke free from Lian Yue's support. Stepping onto the stool, she said expressionlessly, "I'm off duty, let's go home."
The siblings, Lian Yue and Lian Xing, looked at each other with suspicion, but neither of them said anything.
...
The carriage traveled all the way to Shanghe Street in the south of the city and finally stopped outside the gate of Princess Yuanzhang's residence.
Although this place is not as wealthy as Shanghua Street in the east of the city, nor as bustling as Shanghe Street in the west, it has the peace and tranquility that Liu Shiyu has always longed for.
In truth, Liu Shiyu, an unmarried princess, shouldn't have left the palace to establish her own household. However, after the new emperor ascended the throne, she insisted on moving out of Wanshe Palace. That place, seemingly holding many of her fondest memories, was also the root of all her sorrow. Escape, perhaps, was the best choice for Liu Shiyu.
Lian Xing, who had arrived ahead of time, had already informed Princess Ling Lexin to come out and welcome His Highness home.
Liu Shiyu alighted from the carriage, strode up the steps, and stepped briskly into the gate, ignoring everyone. Behind her, Le Xin habitually glanced left and right, then flicked her sleeve. The servants then closed the gates of the princess's residence.
Hearing the pleasant sound of the key being turned in, Liu Shiyu stood inside the door and cheerfully raised her arms, shouting, "Great! Summer solstice is here! Finally, I can take a break!"
As they were talking, Feng Rong, Liu Shiyu's personal maid, led three or four servants carrying various fruit platters and snacks, walking briskly from the other side of the corridor.
Upon getting closer, Feng Rong noticed the mark on Liu Shiyu's forehead and asked urgently, "Your Highness, what happened? You went out perfectly fine, how did you come back with a bruise? Tell me, who was so blind as to dare to do this to you? I'll go and avenge you!"
Liu Shiyu did not answer, but just smiled and glanced at Feng Rong, thinking that she was still as sharp as ever.
As dusk approached, the heat and humidity persisted. Liu Shiyu decided to remove her heavy, long coat, leaving only the thin, cool gauze dress underneath.
Turning around again, she casually picked up a white peach from the servant's tray and walked briskly towards the central courtyard.
Feng Rong hurriedly bent down to pick up the robe that had fallen to the ground, and as she stood up, she still asked, "Your Highness, you still haven't explained clearly what happened to your forehead."
"Smashed by Xu Luchuan"
Liu Shiyu stood in the distance on the corridor, her back turned, holding up a half-eaten white peach and waving it around. Seeing this, Feng Rong handed her robe to a servant beside her and followed curiously.
"Xu Luchuan? Your Highness, are you referring to that spoiled and domineering second son of the Xu family, the Xu Taichang? Why is he back?"
"It's him! But Xu Luchuan isn't like what you're describing now. He looks quite dashing and debonair these days!"
Liu Shiyu did not stop for her, and Feng Rong followed Liu Shiyu around the corner.
"Really? Your Highness, could it be that you've been knocked senseless by that Second Young Master Xu? I remember this isn't the first time he's hit you. Your Highness, please tell me, what was it this time?"
Stepping into the courtyard, Liu Shiyu, not wanting to listen to Feng Rong's endless chatter any longer, turned around and pressed her forehead against Feng Rong's with her hand.
"Feng Rong, don't you have anything else to do?"
"Go on with your work. Don't disturb this princess's hard-won rest time. Also, go tell Le Xin that these next few days, except for mealtimes, don't bother me. From today onwards, let this princess become one with that couch!"
After Liu Shiyu finished speaking, she gently pushed Feng Rong's forehead. Then she turned and walked towards the wide and large couch in the central courtyard.
Standing under the porch, Feng Rong suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right, Your Highness. I really do have something to attend to; I almost forgot. A letter arrived from Guangling; I'll go get it for you."
Upon hearing that the letter was from Guangling, Liu Shiyu immediately lay down on the couch.
"Hey Feng Rong, don't take it."
"I feel so dizzy, it must be from being hit earlier. I need to lie down and rest. I probably won't be able to read or read the letter for a while. I'm really sorry to disappoint my elder sister who put so much thought into writing me this letter."
Liu Shiyu acted spoiled while feigning regret. But didn't Feng Rong know her temperament?
Without a word, Feng Rong turned to Xiaoyuezhai, retrieved the letter, and placed it in front of Liu Shiyu, saying, "Your Highness, please stop pretending. The messenger said that if you refuse to go to Guangling for the summer solstice again this year, Princess Shouyang will personally come to Jinling to fetch you."
"What? What is Liu Shijin trying to do? This is clearly a threat and coercion!" Liu Shiyu exclaimed in surprise as she sat up from the bed upon hearing this.
She feared neither heaven nor earth, except for her elder sister, Princess Shouyang, Liu Shijin.
Liu Shijin's mother was Consort Qin, who raised Liu Shiyu.
Consort Qin was a free-spirited and uninhibited woman who spoke and acted without regard for formalities. Liu Shijin was just like her.
Liu Shiyu remembered that when she was a child, on her first night in Consort Qin's palace, she was not used to the new environment. Consort Qin and Liu Shijin took her to the backyard of Yunmeng Palace, where they spread a straw mat on the ground and watched the moon all night.
The end result was that all three of them were badly bitten by mosquitoes and couldn't leave the house for several days.
Liu Shiyu could recount such absurd stories for three days and three nights. But those years in Yunmeng Palace were also the happiest time of her life. However, after Liu Shijin married the Marquis of Guangling, and then the Marquis of Guangling died young, Liu Shiyu rarely saw her elder sister again.
Thinking of this, Liu Shiyu suddenly felt a pang of sadness. She reached out and opened the envelope, beginning to read it.
But Liu Shiyu only glanced at it before her expression changed, and she casually threw the letter aside. She angrily wrapped herself in her clothes and lay back down.
Feng Rong tilted her head, her face full of confusion. This person was fine just now, how could he change his attitude so quickly?
"What's wrong? Your Highness Shouyang, did I say something that offended you?" Feng Rong went to pick up the letter. Liu Shiyu ignored her and only complained, "I want a day off. I don't want to go to Guangling. And I don't want to see my elder sister."
Upon hearing this, Feng Rong boldly unfolded the letter. The tone of Liu Shijin's voice immediately struck her...
"Liu Xiaowu, if you don't visit your poor sister in Guangling by the summer solstice this year, then your sister will have no choice but to come to Jinling in tears to find you... Oh, right. Last year you said you secretly found a handsome and talented gigolo? Advisor? Or lover? Never mind, just remember to bring him along so your sister can take a look. Now that you're in a high position, you mustn't make a mistake and ruin your life. I've seen countless people, so I can help you vet him. Don't worry, your sister will keep it a secret. I guarantee the news won't leave the Guangling Marquis's residence. Alright! It's settled then. Liu Xiaowu, your sister will be waiting for you in Guangling, don't be late!"
"Your Highness, when did you find such a handsome and talented lover? I've never seen him before." After reading the letter, Feng Rong was even more confused.
Liu Shiyu stretched out her finger and circled it on the back of the couch, muttering to herself.
"It's all Liu Shijin's fault. It's one thing for her to keep male concubines, but she also said she was afraid I would be lonely in my boudoir, so she insisted on giving me the few new ones from her household. How could I dare to accept them? I'm waiting for those old guys in the court to impeach me! I'm not worthy of such treatment."
“I disagreed, but she wrote several letters, insisting that I accept them before she would stop. I had no choice but to resort to this tactic.”
"But... I never expected that she would still remember this. Feng Rong, what should we do? I can handle matters in the court with ease, but when it comes to these trivial matters, I am helpless... It's so annoying."
Feng Rong put the letter down and chuckled to herself.
"It was Your Highness who told the lie, and now you can't explain it back! But if you ask me, you don't need to worry about these things."
"Since Her Highness Shouyang has spoken, why don't you bring a fine young man from Jinling to show her? That would shut her up and prevent her from bothering you with such matters again."
Liu Shiyu turned over, looking up at the sky in the courtyard, a desolate scene after dusk, much like her current mood.
Liu Shiyu crossed her arms and sighed, "You make it sound so easy. Where am I supposed to find someone I know well, who meets all the criteria, and who's willing to play the role of this princess's lover so quickly? Don't be ridiculous. Unless God opens his eyes and personally delivers someone to my door, I'm too lazy to even look for one."
"So, this summer solstice? Guangling... are you going or not?" Feng Rong pressed. Liu Shiyu pulled her arms away, turned to look at Feng Rong, and said softly, "I don't know, I haven't decided. This princess just wants to sleep right now."
After saying that, Liu Shiyu quickly closed her eyes.
Seeing this, Feng Rong sighed and remained silent. No matter how imposing Liu Shiyu was outside, as long as she returned to the princess's residence, a quiet place where no one was watching, she was just as carefree and unrestrained as she wanted.
Stepping forward and taking Liu Shiyu's arm, Feng Rong said, "Your Highness, you mustn't sleep. It's not too late to sleep after dinner! Le Xin, we've specially prepared your favorite roasted meat tonight."
"Roasted meat!" Liu Shiyu opened her eyes upon hearing this. "Where is it?"
"In..." Feng Rong pulled Liu Shiyu, but before she could finish speaking, the copper bell in the courtyard rang out.
There was one copper bell in the front yard, one in the middle courtyard, and one in the back yard, all to remind Liu Shiyu that guests were coming to the mansion so that he could make preparations in advance.
This time, without Feng Rong pulling her, Liu Shiyu quickly got up on her own.
Le Xin walked briskly through the small Yue Zhai, which was connected to the central courtyard and the corridor, and said with her eyes lowered, "Your Highness, someone from the Court of Justice has arrived."
"The Court of Justice? Who?" Liu Shiyu sat on the edge of the couch, thinking that it was already this late, and tomorrow was the summer solstice holiday. The people from the Court of Justice were still so dedicated. No wonder his uncle personally selected the White Court of Justice.
Le Xin straightened up and said, "Your Highness, that man said his name was Xu Luchuan."
Upon hearing Xu Luchuan's name, Liu Shiyu's clear eyes immediately filled with doubt.
"What is he doing here? I didn't make things difficult for him today, so why is he coming to my door? Could he be here to cause me trouble? Le Xin, did he say what he came here for?"
"It seems to be Bai Tingwei, who sent him to deliver official documents," Le Xin reported.
So Xu Luchuan wasn't there to cause trouble, Liu Shiyu breathed a sigh of relief. She stretched and stood up, then ordered, "Oh, then have him leave the documents and go. Tonight, no one will disturb this princess's roast meat!"
"Le Xin, let's go! Lead the way."
Just as Liu Shiyu was about to move forward with Le Xin, Feng Rong, who hadn't said a word for a while, suddenly grabbed the corner of her clothes.
But this tug almost caused Liu Shiyu to fall, but luckily she reacted quickly and grabbed Le Xin by the back of her neck and collar, and the three of them ended up twisted into a line.
Liu Shiyu and Le Xin turned around almost simultaneously and looked at Feng Rong.
"???"
Feng Rong exclaimed with delight, "Your Highness, Your Highness! A male concubine? No, a staff member? No, that's not right either. Your lover! He's delivered right to my doorstep!"
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