Chapter 132 Her Answer: The wind in the courtyard will...
The wind in the courtyard rustled the branches and leaves, and the girl's eyelashes fluttered gently in the breeze.
Yan Zhuo explained in a low voice, "The border has been unstable lately. I came to the palace today for this very reason. The Emperor has arranged for me to go to the Western Hills for military training, and I'll be leaving in the next two days. So it's not that I don't want to attend the housewarming party the day after tomorrow, so don't overthink it."
"So that's how it is..." Zhao Mingsheng's ears felt hot. "I, I didn't think much of it."
Yan Zhuo was amused by the girl's conflicted expression, but he was also worried that she might blush if she continued like this. So he said seriously, "I think the courtyard is quite nice. Although it's small, the layout is well-organized. Now is the day, better than tomorrow. I wonder if I could have the honor of having the owner of this courtyard take me on a tour."
Hearing this, Zhao Mingsheng breathed a sigh of relief. A faint smile swirled across her face. "Of course. Since Your Highness can't make it to the housewarming party the day after tomorrow, I'll take Your Highness for a stroll first."
"Okay." There was some pleasure in the man's deep voice.
The yard is not big, but Zhao Mingsheng has carefully arranged every detail, from the scenery to the selected materials.
As they walked and talked, they came to a stone table and sat down. Yan Zhuo poured a cup of tea and handed it to Zhao Mingsheng. Zhao Mingsheng was talking and his mouth was dry, so he naturally took the tea and drank it in one gulp. When he put down the cup, he saw Yan Zhuo's mouth curled up again.
This man, who was once called a cold-faced devil by others, often smiled in front of her, which made Zhao Mingsheng curious.
"What did you think of that made you laugh so happily?"
Yan Zhuo was stunned. The word "happy" didn't really apply to him. In the first half of his life, the word would probably only appear when he won a battle. But even then, it wasn't pure happiness. War meant bloodshed and sacrifice, and even if he won, there was still too much heaviness behind it.
He didn't know when it started, but just being with Zhao Mingsheng made him feel happy.
Yan Zhuo held his teacup in silence, the red line on his wrist, a sign of poisoning, a constant reminder of his remaining time. According to Zhao's father, he still had two years. Although he had thought about asking her to marry him a thousand times, he didn't dare to say it.
But another voice in his heart urged him on. Even if it took another two years, so what? If he didn't speak up, he would be handing the opportunity over to someone else. To Cui Cen? Or to some unknown kid? The thought of Zhao Mingsheng standing shoulder to shoulder with someone else in the future made Yan Zhuo's heart ache even more than when Wu Nian attacked.
Yan Zhuo released the teacup from his hand, and the small cup spun around in the man's large hand. The man made up his mind and said, "I wonder what it would be like if Prince Heng's mansion had a mistress as capable as you."
"Or, are you willing to be the mistress of Prince Heng's mansion?"
Is he asking to marry me?
The girl's bright eyes were slightly stunned, but she didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Then Yan Zhuo said, "I know this question is a bit abrupt, so you don't have to give me an answer right now."
Zhao Mingsheng looked up. The man's expression was very serious, his mouth slightly tense, and he seemed a little nervous. He thought about it and decided to tell Zhao Mingsheng everything, including the fact that he was poisoned. After saying that, Yan Zhuo was obviously relieved.
"Why didn't you tell me about the poisoning earlier?" The girl's delicate brows furrowed, and for a moment she even forgot that she was being proposed to. Her entire focus was on the fact that he was poisoned. "You know I have some medical skills. If you had told me earlier, we could have found a solution together."
Yan Zhuo couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, then I'll have to trouble Doctor Zhao to take care of the poison in my body from now on."
Zhao Mingsheng waved his hand: "Okay, okay."
Yan Zhuo got back to the point, "As for the answer just now, you can wait until I come back from Xishan and tell me in person."
Only then did Zhao Mingsheng realize that she was indeed being proposed to. Looking at the man's extremely serious expression, she nodded blankly.
The man's last tense string also relaxed, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
He was very happy because the lack of a direct rejection was the best answer for him at the moment. As for the answer after returning from Xishan, whether it was a nod or a shake of the head was not very important to him. Because he knew in his heart that no matter what the answer was, he had already decided on the person in front of him, and even if there were still two years left, he would cherish the time they spent together.
Yan Zhuo suppressed the emotions in his eyes and stood up to say goodbye.
For the next half day, Zhao Mingsheng repeatedly pondered Yan Zhuo's question.
Even Meng's mother noticed that she was absent-minded, and called her to her room after dinner to ask her.
There were no flowers in the Meng family's house, but instead the faint scent of oranges drifted in the air, the aroma of orange peels roasting over a low fire on the stove. The oranges were grown by Mrs. Wang from Qingshan Village and brought to them by someone else.
The gift may be small, but the friendship is heavy.
"This orange smells sweet."
Zhao Mingsheng couldn't help but take a deep sniff.
"You can tell whether it's sweet or not before you taste it, right?"
Meng Mu joked, but her hands did not stop moving. The new orange peel was peeled off completely and roasted on the small stove, and the sweet flesh went into Zhao Mingsheng's mouth.
This caused an exaggerated exclamation, "Did this orange get big from being soaked in sugar water? It's too sweet."
Meng laughed and shook her head, saying that he was still like a child who had not grown up.
After eating two oranges, Meng finally got to the point.
"Tell me, Mom, did you encounter any troubles today?"
The girl leaned against the square table by the window, her chin supported by her bare hands, her brows slightly furrowed. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that she was worried.
Zhao Mingsheng hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell his mother what happened today. He told her everything from Yan Zhuo's sudden visit to his mother's words without missing a word.
After listening to this, Mrs. Meng fell into deep thought and spoke slowly after a long while.
"What do you think of Yan Zhuo?"
Zhao Mingsheng said without hesitation, "Yan Zhuo is different from what is rumored. The people have many misunderstandings about him. Although he may seem cold and icy at times, he is definitely a good man who cares about the people. He is also tolerant towards his servants and is not as unkind as the outside world says."
Meng smiled upon hearing this. "Of course, we shouldn't trust all rumors. His Royal Highness Prince Heng rose to fame at a young age, becoming a deity with a single battle. The Battle of Yangcheng was meant to be a good cause, to drive out the Tartars, but he's been stigmatized as a murderous demon. Whether what he did was right or wrong, we should all know for ourselves."
Zhao Mingsheng nodded, agreeing with his mother's opinion.
"Then what about you and Yan Zhuo..." Meng stopped talking halfway and looked at her daughter.
Zhao Mingsheng instantly understood what his mother meant, and his cheeks began to turn red uncontrollably.
"Although Yan Zhuo is very good, there is a huge gap between his and my social status, and I don't know much about him, so..."
Although Zhao Mingsheng did not say the rest of the words, Meng understood what she meant.
"The disparity in status is indeed a problem, but who can say for sure about matters of the heart? Since you think Yan Zhuo is good, then take a closer look. Mother believes that my daughter has sense and will not get herself hurt."
"Mom, what are you talking about! It's getting late, I should go back and rest."
Looking at her daughter running away, Mrs. Meng couldn't help but smile and shook her head.
Meng's mother had no idea what Zhao Mingsheng had been through. As a mother, how could she not see it? Zhao Mingsheng appeared optimistic and strong, managing everything at home perfectly. But Meng's mother knew that Zhao Mingsheng was, deep down, a child longing for love. Even the strongest people yearn for support. As a mother, Meng's mother hoped that Zhao Mingsheng would find someone worthy of her lifelong trust.
Zhao Mingsheng returned to his room. Perhaps because he had eaten too many tangerines, he felt a little thirsty.
She felt relieved after drinking three cups of tea. She played with the teacup in her hand, thinking about what happened during the day, and couldn't help falling into deep thought.
Zhao Mingsheng asked himself.
Is Yan Zhuo someone worthy of her entrusting her life to?
She doesn't know.
The little moments they had spent together before were indeed very happy, and Yan Zhuo was indeed very reliable, but the future was so long, and it was hard to say whether people's hearts would change. She didn't have to rely on others for everything.
But she was willing to give it a try.
In one's life, the person who can meet the right one is...
Give him a chance, and give yourself a chance.
After figuring it out, Zhao Mingsheng drank the last cup of tea in one gulp. After putting down the cup, his eyes were clear and determined.
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