The Third Prince hadn't expected to run into Xie Liwei alone. Thinking of how Xie Liwei had impeached his elder brother, he reluctantly bowed to Xie Liwei and said, "Greetings, Uncle."
"I remember the Third Prince was with the Emperor just now, wasn't he?"
He was just watching the commotion in the crowd, how come he's suddenly flirting with two girls?
Hearing him say that, the Third Prince's face flushed slightly. He had just slipped out and hadn't expected to bump into Xie Liwei. He was more flustered to see Xie Liwei than to see anyone from the Censorate.
If the emperor did something wrong and was impeached by the Censorate, he could pretend not to see it. Once the Censorate members guessed the emperor's intentions, they let it go.
But if Xie Liwei were to impeach him, he would not give up until he got what he wanted. If the Emperor didn't give him a result, he would stir up a storm throughout the city and let everyone know. The level of humiliation he would suffer was unimaginable.
The thought of the woman he had just met in secret sent chills down his spine. He wondered if Xie Liwei had seen it; if his father, the Emperor, found out, he'd be in deep trouble!
"My nephew was just being playful, so he wandered around and unexpectedly ran into Miss Song here."
"It would be better for Your Highness not to be alone. The Imperial Concubine is currently choosing a principal wife for you. If any bad rumors were to spread at this time, wouldn't it be a waste of the Imperial Concubine's good intentions?"
The Third Prince explained in a low voice, then seized the opportunity to escape. Seeing the Third Prince run away, Song Wenyue dared not linger and also fled as fast as the wind.
After everyone left, Song Yaozhu came out from behind the artificial hill.
"I thought you were going to do something serious, but it was just a few mild reprimands. What's the point?"
"It's really boring, but it's more enjoyable."
"......" Song Yaozhu pursed her lips and rolled her eyes speechlessly. How childish!
Song Yaozhu and Xie Liwei wandered aimlessly around the palace for a while when they unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance. Shen Qingyu was walking side by side with a tall young man. The young man looked about 80% like Shen Qingyu, but his facial features were sharper, making him appear very cold and unapproachable.
Upon seeing the couple, Shen Qingyu smiled and stepped forward to bow to them.
"Greetings, Prince Xiaoyao and Princess Xiaoyao. This is my younger brother, Shen Qingque."
Shen Qingque bowed respectfully to the two of them. Although he was a teenager, his demeanor revealed the rigidity and maturity of an old scholar.
With just a bow, Song Yaozhu saw the shadow of the old man, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, in him; he was also a rigid and inflexible fellow.
I once argued with her so much that we were both red in the face.
They really are a family...
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the four parted ways.
“Mrs. Fang is in much better condition today than before,” Song Yaozhu said.
"Oh." Xie Liwei hadn't noticed.
"No wonder they're from a family that has held the position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices for generations. How old is Shen Qingque? Why does he act like a little old man, all serious and rigid?" Song Yaozhu joked to herself, then looked up and met Xie Liwei's unfathomable eyes.
She immediately stopped smiling, wondering what she had said wrong again.
Xie Liwei thought that she seemed to know a lot about the officials in the court, but not really. The position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was indeed inherited by the Shen family ten years ago, but later the emperor thought the Shen family was too old-fashioned and always argued with them, so he abolished the hereditary system.
The current Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud is no longer a member of the Shen family, but the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud has been retained by the Shen family.
Her understanding of the imperial court seemed to be stuck in the past.
Xie Liwei withdrew his gaze and then looked ahead.
“Someone is following us.”
Song Yaozhu followed his gaze and saw a young eunuch sneaking around, peeking at them. He must have only recently noticed them, since such spying was rather clumsy.
"Go and catch him and ask him!"
Xie Liwei pursed his lips into an extremely displeased arc. This woman was quite adept at ordering him around!
Despite my displeasure, I still have to catch them.
"Why should it be me? Shouldn't it be you who goes?"
Song Yaozhu raised her hand, gesturing from her head to her waist, "Do you think I look appropriate today?"
Seeing the intricate hairpins and ornaments on her head, Xie Liwei recalled the image of her in riding attire that day. The scarlet riding outfit accentuated her figure, and her long hair was tied high in a ponytail, simple yet full of vitality.
Xie Liwei stopped talking and started walking forward. Song Yaozhu lifted her skirt and chased after him, but when she reached a palace gate, Xie Liwei grabbed the little eunuch by the back of his collar and threw him at her feet, startling her.
"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! This servant is from Jinxiu Palace!"
Song Yaozhu looked at Xie Liwei. Which concubine was Jinxiu Palace? She had no recollection of her.
"Consort Shu? Why did she send you along?"
"Ever since Her Highness the Consort saw the Princess, she has been feeling uneasy and having nightmares. Today, upon hearing that the Princess had entered the palace, she sent this servant to observe her!"
Xie Liwei's lips curled into a mocking smile, "She's trying to blame her nightmares on my princess!"
"Yes, Your Highness thinks the Princess Consort looks too much like the late Empress!" The little eunuch stammered, confessing everything. "The Consort Shu has nightmares every night, and sometimes she talks in her sleep, saying that she was forced into it and didn't mean to harm the late Empress!"
"shut up!"
It was Song Yaozhu who spoke up. She interrupted the little eunuch, stepped forward, grabbed Xie Liwei's trembling hand, and coldly shouted at the little eunuch, "Get out of here!"
The little eunuch tumbled and crawled away.
"Calm down. How could a mere eunuch so easily tell us something like this? Someone must be trying to provoke you into doing something irreversible in a fit of rage."
Xie Liwei's furious mind slowly calmed down. Whenever his sister's death was mentioned, his rationality would be instantly overwhelmed by anger.
Song Yaozhu pulled him to lean against the red wall to the side, and gently patted his back with one hand, as if coaxing a child, to make his body slowly relax.
"Take a deep breath and relax."
Hearing her voice, Xie Liwei's body went limp, and he rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice filled with pain: "Sister..."
Song Yaozhu's heart shattered instantly. She longed to hug him and soothe all the pain in his heart.
Her Ali, you've really had a tough time all these years...
After a long while, Xie Liwei finally straightened up. He seemed to have returned to his usual cold and unapproachable demeanor, but his heavy, unsteady breathing betrayed that he was not entirely calm at the moment.
"Your Highness, please let go." Song Yaozhu managed to say this in a lighthearted tone.
Xie Liwei then realized that he had been holding her hand with his right hand the whole time. He immediately let go, and saw her gasp and shake her hand. Because he had lost control, he had squeezed her hand until it was red, but fortunately, his right hand wasn't very strong, so he didn't hurt her.
"How does Your Highness intend to compensate me?"
When Xie Liwei saw her frowning and looking at him with a wronged expression, he felt a strange sensation in his heart.
It's so strange. Not only do I not reject her getting close, but I even feel a sense of intimacy because of some of her actions.
Xie Liwei reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Then his face drew closer and closer...
Song Yaozhu was in a panic. What was going on?!
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