Dragon Boat Festival

The Third Prince?

Mu An Ning and Gu Huaizhi exchanged complicated glances, then quickly looked away.

Mu An Ning thought to himself, isn't the Third Prince the Third Prince, Gu Huaizhi's third cousin?

But she clearly remembered that the Third Prince had not yet married a wife. Could this woman be his concubine?

But listening to their conversation, there was something strange and inexplicable.

Soon, her thoughts were interrupted again. This time, it was the Third Prince who spoke: "My beauty, I finally get to see you. How can I let you go?"

His voice was like a hot flame, full of longing and desire: "Beauty, please let me have a kiss of your beauty——"

The woman coquettishly whispered, and even reached out her hand to gently touch the Third Prince's chest: "Disgusting! I am your father's concubine."

Mu An Ning's eyebrows jumped in disbelief, and he stared at the boy's Adam's apple in front of him, not daring to make a sound for a moment.

It was really unexpected that she and Gu Huaizhi would actually catch the concubine having an affair with the prince.

"So what?" The third prince panted a few times, hugged the beauty in his arms tighter, and said arrogantly, "After that old man dies, this world, including you, will be mine."

The woman hesitated and whispered: "But Your Highness..."

The Third Prince sneered disdainfully and sarcastically said, "Gu Yihan is nothing. After that old man dies, he won't be able to survive either."

Gu Huaizhi's eyes darkened as he stared at the girl's forehead. His third cousin was still overestimating his own abilities as always.

However, Mu An Ning was frightened by the Third Prince's rebellious words, and felt upset and uneasy in her heart.

Although the emperor, his concubines and palace maids are all in the front hall today, someone may come here at any time.

For example...she and Gu Huaizhi.

The woman's voice was gentle and a little seductive: "Third Prince, this medicine of mine can help you conquer the world..."

But before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by the Third Prince: "I will take you first--"

Then, there was the unbearable sound of clothes rubbing against each other.

The weather was already getting a little hot, and Mu An Ning suddenly felt some beads of sweat on his back, and his skin was slightly hot.

She had seen such things in books before, so she immediately understood what was happening.

The moment she turned her face away quietly, a trace of panic flashed across Gu Huai's eyes, and he subconsciously reached out to cover the girl's ears, which were red enough to drip blood.

Feeling the sudden silence around her, Mu An Ning raised her eyes and could vaguely see the boy mouthing each word: "Don't listen."

Gu Huaizhi's fingers curled unconsciously and stroked the girl's silky earlobe, a strange feeling surged in his heart.

So soft.

As the thought flashed through his mind, his heart shuddered violently, and his hands instantly became stiff, not daring to move at all.

He must have been affected by the sounds coming from his ears.

While Gu Huaizhi was in doubt, Mu Anning glanced at his red ears a little uncomfortably.

Although her ears were clear, she could still clearly feel the thin cord from the boy's palm on her earlobe.

After a while, the woman suddenly said in a sweet voice: "Wait a minute, Your Highness. There seem to be footsteps of palace maids."

The Third Prince kissed her with an unsatisfied look, cursed her secretly, and hurriedly began to dress himself.

When the two figures disappeared in the distance, Gu Huaizhi suddenly put his hands behind his back and quietly wiped away the stickiness on his palms.

"Aning," his heartbeat was a little rapid. He didn't dare to look directly at the girl in front of him. His eyes only stayed on the object in his hand: "Please accept this amulet."

The itching in his ear suddenly disappeared, and Mu An Ning immediately came back to his senses.

Realizing that the two men had already left, she said calmly, "I appreciate your kindness, but I cannot accept it."

Her eyes unconsciously fell on the young man, and she suddenly realized that he seemed to rarely wear black clothes and tie his hair into a ponytail recently. Instead, he always tied his black hair up with a golden crown, and the color of his clothes changed every day.

Gu Huaizhi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "You can even accept Tan Wenhuai's bu shawl."

He suddenly moved closer to the girl and pressed her against the rockery: "Now you don't dare to accept a mere amulet?"

Facing the young man who was approaching step by step, Mu An Ning opened his mouth and was a little stumped for a moment.

After a while, she raised her head and looked at the young man in jade clothes and golden crown who was standing close to her: "These are two different things."

Why does Gu Huaizhi always mention Tan Wenhuai, even to the point of comparing him with him in everything?

Gu Huaizhi's expression changed slightly, and he suddenly smiled: "Two different things?"

He finally understood what she meant, that in her heart he was not as good as Tan Wenhuai.

That's why she accepted the gift from Tan Wenhuai and even chatted with him just now...

Mu An Ning noticed that he looked strange, turned away awkwardly, and reminded him, "Prince, the feast is about to begin."

Gu Huaizhi understood the meaning of the girl's words, and his expression became even uglier: "You don't want to stay with me any longer now?"

In order to meet Tan Wenhuai as soon as possible, she didn't even want to say a few words to him.

Seeing the girl remained silent, he closed his eyes powerlessly, but when he opened them again, he could no longer see any strange emotions.

He was no longer as aggressive as before, and said in a calm tone: "You have a miserable life, I don't want to see you die in front of me."

A short life?

Mu An Ning's heart skipped a beat; this was the first time someone had said that to her.

She was about to open her mouth to ask, but Gu Huaizhi had already taken care of himself and tied the amulet to her belt.

The boy's movements seemed a little clumsy but surprisingly fast, and in just a moment, he had tied a knot.

*

When Mu An Ning returned to the table, the meal had already started.

Fortunately, the emperor and officials were in the palace, and only these young people were outside, so there was no need to be too particular.

Mu Wan'er looked at the sun above her head in confusion, then glanced at Mu An Ning's thin dress: "Sister, are you hot?"

Although it is the fifth day of May, the weather in their Chu State has never been particularly hot.

Mu An Ning tightened his grip on the amulet and immediately shook his head.

Mu Wan'er watched Mu An Ning's reaction suspiciously. When she saw Mu An Ning raised his eyes and glanced at Gu Huai who was not far away, her eyes suddenly widened in anger.

[Could it be that the dandy prince took advantage of my time to gain favor and bullied my daughter again? ]

[Dog system, don't forget what you promised me. ]

[Dog system? Dog system? Why is it silent? ]

Mu Wan'er frowned, feeling something was inexplicably wrong.

Normally, no matter how much she scolded the system, it would never fail to respond.

However, Mu Wan'er did not delve into it. She quickly ate several mouthfuls of food and two zongzi in succession. She also said to Mu An Ning: "Sister, don't you want to eat zongzi? They are delicious!"

Mu An Ning's mind was still lingering on what had just happened behind the rockery. Hearing this, he smiled and picked one up.

When she came to her senses, she realized that what she had just picked up was the rice dumpling wrapped with red string.

Red represents sweet rice dumplings, blue represents plain rice dumplings, and white represents meat fillings.

Mu An Ning looked towards the bowl of rice dumplings and wanted to change one, but found that the last one had been swallowed by Mu Wan'er.

She could only smile helplessly and put the rice dumpling in her hand aside.

Seeing this, Tan Wenhuai mustered up his courage and handed the white rice dumpling wrapped with blue string to Mu An Ning: "An Ning, if you don't mind, then eat this."

Mu An Ning was stunned, and saw Tan Wenhuai blushing and adding: "I haven't moved yet."

He just observed that Mur An Ning ate light food and probably didn't like sweets.

*

"Brother Huai, do you have a fever?" Luo Zhiyan looked at Gu Huaizhi, who was silent beside her, with suspicion: "Why are your ears so red?"

Brother Huai just called Mu An Ning away, and I don’t know what he said, and why he came back so late.

Gu Huaizhi stared at the man and woman who were talking opposite him, chuckled, and uttered four words: "Your head is swollen."

Luo Zhiyan cried out, and suddenly became a little anxious: "Brother Huai, are you really sick?"

Liu Qingyue, who was sitting on Gu Huaizhi's right, suddenly smiled and said, "Sister Luo, can't you see that the prince is joking?"

Luo Zhiyan choked, and then said bluntly: "Humph, who is your sister!" She added: "I, of course I can see it."

This Liu Qingyue looks like she knows Brother Huai very well, which is really annoying.

She would never tolerate Brother Huai marrying Liu Qingyue!

Liu Qingyue's face froze, but she still maintained a smile, too lazy to argue with the little girl.

"Your Highness," she looked at Gu Huaizhi with affection, without any of the arrogance she showed in front of the servants: "My daughter's birthday is the day after tomorrow, I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to honor her?"

However, Gu Huaizhi's expression became more and more ugly. The chopsticks in his hand suddenly collided with the bowl, making a loud noise.

Liu Qingyue thought she had displeased Gu Huaizhi, and her eyes flickered for a moment before she dared to call out, "Prince?"

Gu Huaizhi suddenly put down his bowl and chopsticks and looked away, then he noticed Liu Qingyue who had been staring at him.

He rubbed his brow impatiently, his eyes fell on the bowl of zongzi on the table: "What's the matter?"

Liu Qingyue pursed her lips. She was not angry because the boy did not listen to her. Instead, she shyly repeated: "My daughter will hold a birthday banquet in the mansion the day after tomorrow. I wonder if the prince can..."

Before she finished speaking, she was interrupted by Gu Huaizhi's cold voice: "No."

Originally, the Empress had deliberately arranged for him to sit with the Prime Minister's daughter today, and he was already feeling very annoyed.

But what made him even more unhappy was that Mu An Ning was sitting together with Tan Wenhuai, right in front of him. He didn't know whether this arrangement was intentional or unintentional.

Luo Zhiyan proudly raised her eyebrows at the pale-faced Liu Qingyue, then held a zongzi in front of Gu Huaizhi: "Brother Huai, don't you like honey-date zongzi? There's only one left, have it!"

Gu Huaizhi's obscure gaze fell on the green rice dumpling leaf in Luo Zhiyan's hand, and scenes of memories flooded into his mind again.

In the past Dragon Boat Festival banquets, he never had to get the rice dumplings himself.

Mu An Ning knew that he liked sweet things, so she would always carefully select candied date dumplings for him.

Just now, Mu An Ning actually exchanged the rice dumplings in his hands with Tan Wenhuai.

Thinking of this, Gu Huaizhi felt unhappy. The more he looked at the date rice dumpling, the more he disliked it: "Who said I like it?"

*

The excitement of the Dragon Boat Festival banquet gradually faded away, and people stood up and prepared to leave.

Gu Huaizhi looked carefully and found that Mu Anning and Tan Wenhuai were walking towards the same place.

Just as he was about to catch up with the girl, a sharp voice suddenly came: "Prince, wait a minute."

Gu Huaizhi recognized the person and although he was unhappy, he had to stop and ask, "Eunuch Wang, what's the matter?"

This is the most important eunuch around the emperor.

After paying obeisance to him, Eunuch Wang smiled and said, "I am here on the orders of the Emperor to invite you to the Golden Throne Hall."

Gu Huaizhi glanced at the two receding figures and had to follow Eunuch Wang with a sullen face.

Soon, the two arrived at the Golden Palace.

Inside the hall, the emperor saw Gu Huaizhi striding in and immediately waved his hand to order the palace servants to leave.

Gu Huaizhi suppressed his displeasure and bowed respectfully: "Uncle."

The emperor was already over fifty, but he still looked healthy and healthy, no more than forty.

The emperor looked at his nephew and smiled meaningfully: "Huaizhi, are you enjoying yourself today?"

Gu Huaizhi gritted his teeth and nodded: "My dear uncle, I will enjoy it."

He really enjoyed himself watching the woman he loved sitting with another man.

The emperor naturally noticed his nephew's dissatisfaction, but he showed no sign of it on his face.

He smiled calmly and said, "I heard that you had a very pleasant conversation with Miss Liu today."

"I'll be the matchmaker for once, what do you think?"