Chapter 770 Peeping
Another half month has passed.
Everything remained the same. Imperial Physician Su Qinglan still went to Qianqiu Palace to take Shang Ruyi's pulse every day. Apart from daily military training and discussing important matters with Shen Wuzheng and the others, Yuwen Ye spent the rest of his time in the palace accompanying Shang Ruyi. Every few days, Yuwen Yuan would even summon Princess Qin to Liangyi Palace for a meal together. Such favor was truly an honor.
However, people are never satisfied.
Perhaps it was because since marrying into the Yuwen family, she rarely stayed quietly at home, and almost always followed Yuwen Ye to travel all over the country. After three months of such quiet recuperation, Shang Ruyi herself became restless. She felt that the palace walls around her were like cages, making her feel suffocated and obstructing her vision. In addition, she could only see a few people around her every day, the same few faces coming and going, some familiar, nagging words. She was really bored.
So that evening, after Yuwen Ye had finished his bath and was still warm, she lay down next to him, gently pulled him into her arms, and when the atmosphere was just right, she asked if she could go out of the palace for a stroll.
Yuwen Ye immediately frowned: "What are you doing out of the palace?"
Shang Ruyi said, "What do you think?"
Yuwen Ye looked down at her bitter expression. In fact, he had often heard his wife sighing these past few days. She would often sit on the edge of the bed and look at the blue sky outside, like a bird longing for freedom. Knowing her free-spirited personality, he understood what Shang Ruyi wanted.
So he said, "This palace is so big, isn't it enough for you to explore?"
Shang Ruyi said, "It's always the same scenery: the Thousand-Step Corridor, the mountain and water pond, the Lingyan Pavilion... I can draw them all."
Yuwen Ye smiled, pursing his lips.
Actually, given Yuwen Yuan's current affection for Shang Ruyi, the request to leave the palace wasn't a big deal. However, Yuwen Ye was still worried and said, "But you're heavily pregnant."
Shang Ruyi immediately said, "Doctor Su said that it will be very stable after five months. Besides, I rode horses and carriages during the first three months and nothing happened. The child is very healthy."
"..."
"Besides, the academy in Chang Le Fang is almost finished. I spent so much money on it, I have to go and see it for myself."
"..."
"Just tell Father Emperor."
Hearing her soft, coquettish tone, which even sounded a bit like she was being affectionate, Yuwen Ye, even with a heart of stone, had long since melted. Moreover, he felt it was indeed unfair that he could go out on official business every day while Shang Ruyi had to stay confined in the palace.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "I can ask my father for permission, but you must promise me that you will not wander around when you go out, and you must not go to crowded places."
Shang Ruyi immediately smiled and said, "I know!"
Yuwen Ye smiled and shook his head.
The next day, he went to the Liangyi Hall to request permission. Yuwen Yuan did not make things difficult for him, but gave him a few instructions and had a carriage prepared. Shang Ruyi happily rode the carriage out of the palace. Jiang Kesheng was already waiting outside the palace gate with a group of people. After picking her up, they went along the wide Zhuque Avenue to Changlefang.
After more than half an hour, we finally arrived.
Chang Le Fang was a place Shang Ruyi was already familiar with; some of the passersby even looked familiar. Tu She'er carefully helped her down from the carriage and into the neighborhood, where they saw the newly built school. It was indeed tall and spacious, not luxurious, but exuding a refined scholarly atmosphere. Behind the school were dormitories, which were specifically for students from outside the city or those who came from afar to study.
Shang Ruyi followed Yuwen Qian's advice. Although the tuition fees for this school were much lower than those of other schools and private academies, they still had to be charged, including the accommodation fees for the school dormitory.
Shang Ruyi looked it over inside and out, and walked out satisfied.
As soon as she arrived at the door, she saw several little heads peeking inside. They were the children who lived nearby. Their heads were tied in small pigtails, and some of them had snot on their faces, but their eyes were wide open, looking at the noblewoman in front of them with great admiration. She was dressed in fine silk and jewels.
Shang Ruyi smiled and waved to them. The children shrank back, but one older girl walked over.
Her clothes were fairly neat, but they were all faded cotton, indicating that her family wasn't well-off. She was also carrying a food box, which looked like the kind of food delivery box from a nearby restaurant. The girl walked over, and although she was timid, she politely bowed to Shang Ruyi, clearly aware of the noblewoman's distinguished status.
Shang Ruyi asked with a smile, "What's your name?"
The girl whispered, "Er Ya."
"What's your surname?"
"His surname is Li."
"Is Er Ya her full name?"
"No, it's a nickname. My parents are illiterate, and they said they'll ask a fortune teller on East Street to give me a proper name when they have money."
"Can you read?"
"I know the characters, but I only know the two characters 'Er Ya'. My neighbor taught me to use them."
"Do you want to learn to read?"
"think!"
The girl, who had been speaking timidly and in a low voice, raised her voice considerably when this topic came up, nodding vigorously at Shang Ruyi and saying, "I want to. My parents also said that once this academy is completed, they will send me here to study."
As she spoke, she glanced behind Shang Ruyi and whispered, "Madam, they said they accept female students here, and the tuition is only half price. Is that true?"
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "It's true."
The girl took a deep breath and asked cautiously, "Madam, do you keep your word?"
Shang Ruyi laughed, while Tu She'er beside her said irritably, "Can't you speak properly? This academy was built by our Queen—our Lady. Would she go back on her word?"
The girl immediately grinned.
After laughing, she took a deep breath, as if finally relieved, and bowed to Shang Ruyi before saying, "Then, I will continue to deliver the documents to Liban."
"Hey, wait a minute,"
Seeing that she was about to run away, Shang Ruyi immediately called her back and said, "Why are you giving me this?"
The girl picked up the food box in her hand and said earnestly, "To make money. My dad works in a restaurant. He spoke well of me to the boss and got me a job delivering food to the restaurant. If I encounter a generous customer, I'll even get a tip. By the end of the month, when I get my wages, I'll have enough forty coins."
"Forty coins?"
"Yes, my parents have saved up a string of cash for me. When that time comes, I can go to school!"
These words not only made Shang Ruyi feel a pang of sadness and a surge of emotion, but even Tu She'er, who had just been in a bad mood, couldn't help but soften her heart. She couldn't help but glance at Shang Ruyi, as if she wanted to say something, but just as she was about to speak, she saw Shang Ruyi gently shake her head at her, and then lean down with difficulty. Tu She'er hurriedly helped her up.
Shang Ruyi forced herself to get closer to the little girl and said with a smile, "There is a book in the Thirteen Classics called Erya. You will have the opportunity to read it in the future. If you want, you can name yourself 'Erya'. This way, you won't need to go to a fortune teller, and it can also save your parents some money."
"Erya...?"
The little girl blinked, as if she remembered something, and said, "The older brother next door seems to have this book. Is it a good book?"
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "It's a good book."
The little girl immediately smiled and said, "Alright, thank you, Madam!"
After saying that, she bowed to Shang Ruyi again, then turned and jogged away. In the distance, she saw a waiter from a restaurant walking over and pointing at her, saying, "Li Erya, don't be lazy and go out for a stroll."
As the little girl ran, she shouted, "My name is Li Er Ya!"
Before they could finish speaking, the person had vanished.
Shang Ruyi slowly straightened up, watching the little girl's figure disappear around the corner of the long street. She couldn't help but smile, but then she heard Tu She'er beside her let out a soft sigh. She turned to look at Tu She'er, whose face showed some reluctance and sadness, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Tushe'er glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Just now, I was even thinking of helping this girl pay her tuition."
"..."
"Your Highness, you are usually the most charitable person, so why this time—"
She probably wanted to say that Shang Ruyi was "heartless," but felt she shouldn't say it, since she had no right to do so. She just wondered why, in the past, Shang Ruyi would definitely have helped in such a situation.
Shang Ruyi naturally knew what she was thinking, but she didn't point it out immediately. She just smiled and said, "It's rare to see someone so soft-hearted."
Tushe'er immediately pouted and said unhappily, "What are you saying, Your Highness? I didn't mean to be soft-hearted. I just felt sorry for her. She's had a hard time. Your Highness didn't see it just now, did you? I saw that her shoes were almost worn out. She must have been running around a lot these days."
"Oh? I really didn't notice that."
"Moreover, I did the math. Even if she had forty coins, plus her parents' one string of cash, it would only be enough for a year's tuition, not to mention other living expenses."
The more she spoke, the more heartbroken she became, and she murmured, "Your Highness, how about I pay for this for her?"
Shang Ruyi smiled and shook her head, then reached out and poked Tushe'er's forehead, saying, "You, you're usually so kind, but when you do, you become this soft-hearted. There are so many poor people in this world, so many people who yearn for something but can't have it, do you really want to help them all? Can you possibly help them all?"
"But--"
“I know what you mean. If it were in the past, I would have helped too. However, what the Crown Prince said yesterday gave me a wake-up call.”
"What reminder did it give?"
"Often, people don't cherish things that come easily. It's good that this girl is eager to learn, but many things should be left to their own devices. Excessive help to someone is not necessarily a good thing."
Tushe'er blinked, pondered for a moment, and said softly, "That's true."
Shang Ruyi smiled again and said, "But it is indeed rare to find a girl who is so dedicated to her studies. We shouldn't stand idly by. So, we'll tell the academy manager to take good care of this child and give her another pair of shoes."
As she spoke, she sighed, "Giving a pair of shoes would probably be more useful than giving a string of cash."
The master and servant walked around the academy twice more, instructing the gardener to plant orchids and asparagus ferns on both sides of the entrance hall. Seeing that it was getting late, they left.
However, they did not return to the palace immediately. According to Shang Ruyi, since they had finally come out, they had to have a meal outside no matter what. Although the food at the Imperial Kitchen was good, they got a little tired of it after a while, so they dragged Tu She'er to the Shenjuan Pavilion and specially asked for a quiet private room, and then sat down comfortably.
Tushe'er, however, said uneasily, "Your Highness, let's go back."
Shang Ruyi glared at her unhappily: "Why are you going back so early?"
"There are a lot of people outside, what if they crowd you?"
"Aren't you and Jiang Kesheng here? Besides, there aren't many people in this building, who would squeeze me? Don't worry about it."
Shang Ruyi rarely came out, and unable to bear her incessant chatter, she opened the window to look at the scenery. Before, when she went out, she could only see the two sides of the street, but now, standing on this three-story building, she could take in almost half of Chang'an City. Not only could she see the square-shaped market streets, but she could also see the throngs of people below, wearing all sorts of hats and headscarves, looking like colorful beetles wriggling on the market streets.
Shang Ruyi found it interesting and called Tu She'er over to come and see.
Tusherhu leaned over her shoulder and looked down, then couldn't help but laugh, pointing at one and saying, "Your Highness, look, this person's hair is almost all gone." He then pointed at another and said, "Why is that person's hat so green?"
After the master and servant looked around for a while, the shopkeeper brought over the dishes they had ordered.
Shang Ruyi was about to turn around and sit down to eat when she glanced down one last time and suddenly saw a familiar figure getting off the carriage, dusting off his robes, and walking into Shenjuan Pavilion.
That is—
She immediately closed the window and sat down.
Seeing that her expression was strange, Tushe'er dismissed the waiter and leaned closer to whisper, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
Shang Ruyi remained silent. At that moment, footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. The waiter led a handsome figure through their private room, bowing and scraping as he said, "Young master, we've arrived."
"Huh?"
Although she was just passing by their door, and the doorway was covered with layers of beaded curtains so that she couldn't see the person's appearance clearly, the figure was so familiar that Tushe'er recognized something even with just a glance, and subconsciously widened her eyes.
Shang Ruyi shook her head at her, and Tu She'er immediately shut her mouth.
Then, the footsteps stopped outside the private room next door.
Immediately, there was a series of crackling sounds, and someone reached out and lifted the beaded curtain. The waiter, being perceptive, smiled obsequiously and stepped back, and the outside immediately fell silent.
Shang Ruyi and Tu She'er also subconsciously held their breath.
After an unknown amount of time, another crackling sound was heard, as someone entered the private room and lowered the beaded curtain.
Immediately afterwards, a familiar voice said, "This young master has arrived."
As soon as the voice rang out, Shang Ruyi and Tu She'er both subconsciously took a deep breath. The two, master and servant, exchanged a glance but neither of them spoke, because they both knew that the owner of the voice was none other than Pei Xingyuan!
He actually came to Shenjuan Pavilion again?
Did he come here to eat alone, or to treat others, or perhaps—
Just as Shang Ruyi was thinking, a voice that was somewhat familiar came from the private room next door. Shang Ruyi had a good memory and remembered it immediately. It was the voice of Liang Youying, Jiang Yan's cousin, whom they had met once before at the Pei family.
She said stiffly, "Please sit down."
Shang Ruyi remembered that Yuwen Ye had told her before that Su Qinglan had hosted a banquet at Shenjuan Pavilion, mainly to resolve the conflict between Pei Xingyuan and Liang Youying. It wasn't a big deal, except that Liang Youying had hit someone on their first meeting. But even at such a reconciliation banquet, the two of them still seemed to have a fight.
Shang Ruyi treated their story as mere fiction.
Who would have thought that we'd run into each other today!
She felt a little embarrassed. Although she hadn't meant to, she had just happened to stumble upon the scene of the two meeting, making her feel like she was really spying on their privacy.
She hesitated to leave, but the food and drinks had just been served; how could she leave so soon?
Just as Shang Ruyi and Tu She'er were facing each other awkwardly, not quite figuring out how to handle the situation, Pei Xingyuan's voice came from the next room, which was separated by a wall. He let out a "hey," indicating that he had sat down, and then said lazily, "I'm sitting down. Just say what you want to say."
"..."
"Don't you have anything to say?"
"..."
"If you have nothing to say, why did you invite me here? My time is very precious!"
Liang Youying had been silent for a long time, whether out of shyness, awkwardness, or some other reason, but upon hearing Pei Xingyuan's last words, she immediately spoke up, saying coldly, "I certainly cannot afford to waste Young Master Pei's time, nor do I want to. It was my cousin who asked me to invite you to this banquet to apologize. If Young Master Pei is unwilling, you are free not to come."
"Hey, why wouldn't I come if there's wine to drink?"
After speaking, he paused for a moment. Although Shang Ruyi couldn't see it, she could roughly imagine that Pei Xingyuan would pick up the wine glass that the other party had prepared and start drinking without any politeness. Sure enough, after only a moment, she heard a soft sigh, and his leisurely voice rang out again: "Hmm, good wine."
Liang Youying didn't say anything.
After a moment of silence, Pei Xingyuan said again, "Hey, you're treating us to a meal to apologize, you should at least say a few words, right? What kind of apology is it if you don't say anything?"
"My cousin asked me to treat him to a meal as an apology. I don't think I really did anything wrong."
"you--"
Pei Xingyuan was clearly about to lose his temper again, but whether he thought of something to suppress his anger or simply knew that losing his temper in front of Liang Youying was just preparing for the next injury, he didn't say anything in the end. He remained silent for a long time, and when he spoke again, his voice already carried a hint of annoyance.
"Hmph, you actually listen to your cousin quite well."
"Don't you listen to my cousin's wife a lot too?"
"I was—wait, what cousin-in-law? Who's your cousin-in-law?"
"Miss Su."
"She's not even married to your cousin yet, so why are you calling her 'cousin's wife'? Don't slander her out of thin air!"
"Why are you so nervous? Miss Su is definitely going to marry my fourth cousin, so stop meddling. I invited you here today to make this clear to you!"
"you--"
Even though they didn't want to listen to the noisy commotion next door, Shang Ruyi and Tu She'er still heard everything clearly.
Finally, Shang Ruyi was too embarrassed to continue "eavesdropping." After all, one should not listen to what is improper, and as the Princess Consort of Qin, she should not do such a thing as prying into other people's privacy, even if she was "forced" to. So she whispered a few words in Tu She'er's ear, telling her to go down and call the waiter back to pack all the untouched food and wine into food boxes and take them away. Tu She'er did not dare to delay and hurriedly went down.
Just as she walked out, someone came out of the private room next door.
The man was dressed in brocade robes, tall and imposing, and looked extremely dignified. However, after leaving the private room, he became secretive and walked out with his head down. Just as he was going downstairs, he brushed past Tu She'er, who was leading the waiter upstairs.
Upon seeing the distinguished guest, the waiter hurriedly greeted him with a smile, "Are you leaving already, sir?"
The man gave a low "hmm" and hurried downstairs. The waiter didn't dare to be negligent and stood at the top of the stairs, calling out to those below, "Goodbye, esteemed guest! Come again next time!"
The man hurriedly walked out of Shenjuan Pavilion.
Tushe'er didn't care too much, after all, she was still worried about Pei Xingyuan. If they saw Princess Qin next door, not to mention anything else, the princess's character would be looked down upon. So she urged the waiter to go upstairs.
The waiter entered the private room and was about to ask a question when Shang Ruyi, fearing his voice would disturb the neighbors, quickly waved her hand. Tu She'er also immediately whispered, "Don't shout. Our Lady Wang isn't feeling well, so she won't be eating here. Hurry up and pack up for us to take away; you won't be shortchanged on your reward."
Seeing that Shang Ruyi was heavily pregnant and said she wasn't feeling well, the waiter was afraid of delaying her, so he didn't dare to say anything more. He hurriedly came forward and quickly cleared away all the food and wine on the table, put it in a food box, and handed it to Tu She'er. She'er paid for the food and wine and gave him a lot of money as a tip. The waiter didn't thank him loudly, but just nodded and bowed repeatedly, his eyes crinkling with joy.
The master and servant quietly left the private room.
As they left, Pei Xingyuan's displeased voice could still be heard from the private room next door: "Is your cousin such a treasure that you listen to everything he says? Do you want to marry someone like your cousin in the future?"
Liang Youying, enraged and embarrassed, said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up!"
The master and servant dared not listen any longer and hurriedly went downstairs.
Just as they stepped out of Shenjuan Pavilion and saw Jiang Kesheng waiting at the door with his men in a carriage, Shang Ruyi was about to board the carriage when she turned around and saw Tusheer staring blankly at the other side of the long street. Shang Ruyi followed her gaze and saw a carriage just turning at the end of the long street and disappearing from sight.
Shang Ruyi turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"
Tushe'er withdrew her gaze, looked at her again, and murmured with a puzzled expression, "Just now, that person looked somewhat familiar."
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