Xie Zhi's greatest happiness in life was probably having such a good father as the Prince of Pingnan.
The princes and noblemen around them, as soon as they began to speak, had to start learning to read and write and studying the Four Books and Five Classics.
From the moment they are born, they have to shoulder the hopes of their entire family and even their entire clan.
At a young age, she was taken by male elders to read books, write poems, play chess, and so on...
Xie Zhi, however, was different.
Xie Zhi was walking for a while, but then he was led on horseback by the Prince of Pingnan. He was talking for a while, but then he was led on all sorts of laughing and joking around.
Before entering the National Academy, Xie Zhiji lived in a military camp.
When there was no training in the military camp, Prince Pingnan would leave him to his subordinates, who would go up the mountain to catch birds and down to the river to catch fish...
He spent his teenage years in a very relaxed and happy manner.
Now, the person who gave him the purest love and happiness in the world is leaving him.
Fortunately, he made it in time to see the Prince of Pingnan off on his final journey.
The Prince of Pingnan was a prince of a different surname, but his funeral was conducted according to the standards for a prince. Xie Zhi wore mourning clothes and kept vigil for him...
Yuan Yao did not attend the funeral of the Prince of Pingnan.
She went to see Prince Pingnan one last time, offered incense, and then went to the palace to see the Empress Dowager, Consort Lin, Deng Zhiheng, and Li Deshan before embarking on her journey home.
After her uncle passed away, the Empress Dowager and Consort Lin became even closer. The two often enjoyed flowers and tea together and helped Deng Zhiheng take care of the little princess.
The little princess looks just like her mother. She is very beautiful and cute, smiles at everyone, and is well-behaved and quiet. She truly deserves the title "Shu".
Li Deshan is getting old.
Since the late emperor's death, Li Deshan has been so grief-stricken that he has injured his eyes.
When Yuan Yao went to see him, his hair was gray, his eyes were squinting, and he was bending over tending to the flowers and plants in Yong'an Palace.
Yuan Yao stood there for a long time before finally leaving quietly without disturbing the old man.
When they returned to the State of Chu, it was already autumn.
Yunchan, who works remotely, has already made arrangements.
Once they returned to the summer palace, the entire summer retreat army returned to the capital of Chu.
The capital of Chu was bathed in the crisp autumn air.
After Yun Chan and Yuan Yao returned to the palace, the palace suddenly became lively.
Yun Tan, who had lost several pounds, spent his days acting cute, asking his older brother and sister-in-law to have meals with him so he could regain the weight he had lost from overwork.
Yuan Yao was both amused and exasperated.
While she was busy nourishing Yun Tan, she also had to prepare for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
As is customary, halfway through the palace banquet, Yun Chan, feeling unwell, left the table in a sickly state due to aches and pains all over her body.
After leaving the banquet, the two happily ran out of the palace to have a reunion dinner with their father and uncle on the large boat on the river.
On the river, the decorated boats were simple yet elegant, yet lively, creating a festive atmosphere.
Several stoves were burning brightly with charcoal.
In the copper pot, the broth was simmered until it was fragrant and rich.
Tables were laden with all kinds of meat and vegetables.
The guards moved about, adding meat and vegetables, serving tea and water, and cutting beef, venison, and fish on the chopping board...
The Ninth Prince, dressed in a magnificent red robe, with jet-black hair and exquisite features, sat before an elegant tea set, preparing water and brewing tea. He casually smoothed his sleeves.
Ying and Heyin sat side by side on the soft chairs next to him, fishing with rods.
Xie Ning, dressed in white with white hair and bright eyes, had an ethereal appearance and temperament, yet she rolled up her sleeves to reveal her jade-white wrists as she mixed fish bait.
Beside the boat, two white tigers snuggled together affectionately, gazing at the night view and waiting to eat fish...
Holding a large bouquet of roses freshly cut before leaving the palace, Yuan Yao stepped onto the ship with a smile and greeted, "Father, Uncle Ying, Little Uncle, Uncle Heyin, and all the other uncles, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!"
Xie Ning smiled and looked up: "Little Yao'er, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!"
The others also exchanged greetings.
The Ninth Prince, holding a fishing rod, said to Yuan Yao, "Little Yao, play with the rice cakes and glutinous rice balls for a while, then we'll have dinner after a cup of tea."
Yuan Yao didn't think much of it and smiled sweetly, "Okay!"
The Ninth Prince then handed a fishing rod to Yun Chan: "Here."
Yun Chan accepted it with a smile.
The fishing teams have grown huge again.
Yuan Yao handed the flowers to Canfeng and Poyue, asking them to find a vase and arrange the flowers.
After washing her hands, she straightened her skirt, sat on the cushion, reached out and touched the glutinous rice balls, then the rice cakes: "It's been three days since I left you, sister. Have you missed you?"
After returning from Daqi, she noticed that Nian Gao wasn't feeling well. Since she was busy with the palace banquet, she sent Nian Gao and Tangyuan to the Ninth Prince.
With Xie Ning and He Yin there, they can take good care of them...
Tangyuan raised its round head and rubbed its cool nose against Yuanyao. After rubbing, it lowered its head to lick the rice cake's head.
Nian Gao seemed to have no strength, and only nuzzled Yuan Yao with her ear as a response.
Yuan Yao bent down and called out, "Rice cake?"
Rice cake's eyelids twitched.
"Are you still feeling unwell?" Yuan Yao placed her hand on Nian Gao's chin and scratched it.
Nian Gao moved his head slightly, then placed his chin on her hand and remained motionless, as if that would make him more comfortable.
Yuan Yao felt that something was wrong.
She looked down at the rice cake for a while before realizing with a start that the rice cake had a very low body temperature.
My chin, which should have been warm, felt cold, whether from the night breeze or from the chill of the deck.
Yuan Yao turned her head and waved to Po Yue, who was walking towards her with an apple in her hand.
Po Yue walked over, munching on an apple, and asked, "Want some?"
Yuan Yao shook her head.
She said softly, "Go find me a fleece blanket and a soft pillow."
Po Yue glanced at Tangyuan and Niangao and said coldly, "Why are you looking for a blanket? Their fur is so thick, they won't get cold."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao suffered a heart attack.
She looked at Poyue seriously: "I'm not kidding you. Nian Gao is cold. Go get it a blanket."
Seeing that her eyes were unusually dark, Po Yue knew she was angry.
So, with the apple in his mouth, he turned and went into the cabin.
Soon, Po Yue, with a Xiqiu cashmere blanket draped over her wrist and a soft brocade embroidered pillow in her hand, walked to Yuan Yao's side.
He said, "Lift its chin a little."
Yuan Yao did as instructed.
With a gentle lift of her hand, Poyue placed the pillow under Nian Gao's head.
Nian Gao's breathing became heavier, her breaths becoming longer and longer, before returning to calm.
Yuan Yao's eyes suddenly stung with tears: "Rice cake..."
The rice cake's ears twitched.
Yuan Yao's voice reached everyone's ears.
There was a moment of silence on the ship.
Yuan Yao felt a warmth on her shoulder and slowly raised her head.
Yun Chan's hand slid to her wrist, and she helped her up: "It's getting windy. Come on, let's have our meal first."
Yuan Yao looked at the rice cake: "But it..."
"Little Yao'er," the voice of the Ninth Prince rang out.
“Father…” Yuan Yao wrinkled her nose.
The Ninth Prince had already put down his fishing rod and washed his hands: "Come and have dinner with Father. Rice Cake likes quiet, so let Tangyuan lie down with it for a while."
Xie Ning smiled and said, "Brother, Xiao Yao'er, dinner's ready!"
Yuan Yao, supported by Yun Chan, took her seat, glancing back every few steps.
During holidays, the whole family enjoys hot pot together in a lively atmosphere, which has become a tradition.
Midway through, Xie Ning poured wine for Yuan Yao twice: "Little Yao, drink more. This is rose rice wine, brewed by your uncle myself!"
Promotes blood circulation, removes blood stasis, and beautifies the skin!
Yuan Yao had no choice but to refuse.
I hadn't eaten much food, but the alcohol was already making me drunk.
In the past, Yun Chan would have already shielded her from drinking.
But tonight, he allowed Xie Ning to get her drunk.
She herself tacitly approved of this behavior, drinking one cup after another.
Another glass of wine was handed over, and Canfeng suddenly walked over, pursed his thin lips, and said in a deep voice, "The rice cake is lifeless."
At the same time, a powerful yet mournful tiger's roar echoed from inside the ship: "Roar..."
"Splash..."
The bright red wine soaked through Yuan Yao's white dress.
Ignoring the alcohol on her clothes, she scrambled to her feet: "Rice cake!"
"Yao'er, slow down!"
Yun Chan put down her teacup and got up to help Yuan Yao.
Yuan Yao ran to the edge of the deck, where Tangyuan was sadly drooping its big head, licking rice cake.
The rice cake lay quietly on the deck covered with a thin blanket, its eyes half-open, lifeless and ashen.
Yuan Yao wept uncontrollably.
She buried her face in the rice cake's gradually cooling belly and wept uncontrollably.
Tangyuan, standing nearby, also began to sob.
Upon hearing the sound, Yuan Yao got up, hugged Tangyuan, and cried.
A man and a tiger, their presence in the night wind, seemed especially desolate and sorrowful.
On the ship, everyone was silent.
The Ninth Prince's eyelids twitched, and he said, "All things in the world are subject to reincarnation. As people live, they must always welcome and send off others."
Little Yao'er, try to take it easy.
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