Chapter 678 Eavesdropping in the Bushes

Xing Xing looked at Wei Shiyu with some surprise.

Wei Shiyu thought Xingxing didn't believe him, so he got anxious and explained with gestures: "Really, I'm not lying to you!"

Xing Xing hurriedly said, "I know, I know. Don't get excited, Third Prince."

Wei Shiyu wiped his face, still a little skeptical: "Really? Do you really know?"

Wei Shiyu felt that Xingxing was just a simple child who had not experienced much of the world. How could she know that such a person could be so sinister.

She smiles every day, but if she gets kidnapped one day, she might have to help count money!

Wei Shiyu thought about this, his eyes became more determined, he grabbed Xingxing's wrist and said, "I'll take you to see a good show later."

Xing Xing: “?”

Wait, does she need to talk to her grandma first...

However, Wei Shiyu looked very anxious, so Xing Xing was pulled away by Wei Shiyu without any explanation.

The two of them sneaked out of Zhaoyang Palace like thieves.

Wei Shiyu was obviously in an old habit, he knew which roads could avoid the guards, which paths could conceal his presence, he was very familiar with them, very skilled. He did not run into anyone along the way.

Wei Shiyu saw Xingxing looking at him with admiration, and he was a little proud: "It's nothing, just that I'm familiar with the road."

After saying this, Wei Shiyu lay down on the ground skillfully.

Xing Xing: “?”

Here was a palace wall, shaded by creepers; even in the dead of winter the dead branches provided sufficient cover.

Wei Shiyu lay on the ground, turned his head, pointed at the dog hole in front, and motioned Xingxing to crawl in with him.

Xing Xing: “?”

"We're almost there." Wei Shiyu said excitedly.

Xingxing was speechless, but it had come to this point and the atmosphere was set to this point, so Xingxing could only lift her skirt and follow Wei Shiyu through the dog hole.

Wei Shiyu was particularly excited when he saw Xingxing climbing the dog hole, which showed her proficiency. "Do you climb it often, too?"

Xing Xing was speechless: "That was all when we were kids."

She emphasized, "When I grow up, I will go through the main door!"

Wei Shiyu was a little proud: "Hehe, isn't it that I took you to experience something you haven't done since you grew up?"

Xing Xing: “?”

May I ask your Highness the Third Prince, is this something to be proud of?

"However," Wei Shiyu's expression froze and he coughed, "You can't tell my mother about this. This is a secret between us."

Otherwise, Wei Shiyu felt that if his amiable mother knew that he took Xingxing to the dog hole, she would definitely chase him and beat him!

Xingxing said "Oh".

Is this something glorious?

She didn't really want the Empress to know that on a day like the first day of the Lunar New Year, she, wearing a princess's crown and robes, crawled through a dog hole with the Third Prince, who was wearing a dragon robe.

Xing Xing was even somewhat thankful at this moment, because she didn't have a complicated hairstyle today and didn't wear a hairpin. Otherwise, she would have been really worried about whether she could get through this dog hole...

Wei Shiyu and Xingxing the dog climbed up from the ground stealthily.

In front of him was a somewhat desolate palace. Wei Shiyu looked around carefully, then waved to Xingxing, indicating that Xingxing should follow him.

The two of them carefully went into a bush.

The bushes were evergreen, but no one had pruned them for many years, so they were almost growing freely, and they were very dense. People gritted their teeth and squatted inside, ensuring that nothing could be seen from the outside.

Xingxing and Wei Shiyu, a princess and a prince, were squatting in the bushes in an ungraceful manner. The hairpin on Xingxing's head was knocked askew by the bushes, and her hair was a little messy.

But there was still no movement outside.

Xing Xing looked at Wei Shiyu with some suspicion and lowered her voice: "Is your intelligence really correct? Is there really something interesting going on?"

Wei Shiyu nodded heavily and replied in a low voice: "Just wait and see."

After hearing this, Xing Xing patiently waited and watched the show as Wei Shiyu said.

She is a patient person to begin with, and even while she is squatting here, there is no sign of impatience on her face.

Wei Shiyu couldn't help but look at Xingxing a few more times.

He felt that his second brother, whose face he could not remember, had a good eye.

The two waited for a while, and Xing Xing was still able to keep her composure, but now it was Wei Shiyu's turn to doubt himself.

Could it be that there was really something wrong with his intelligence?

...In that case, wouldn't that be embarrassing in front of Xingxing?

Wei Shiyu was a little panicked and was already thinking of ways to restore his heroic image.

Fortunately, God obviously still cares about him.

Not long after, a creaking sound was heard from the door of this somewhat dilapidated palace.

It was a palace gate that had been abandoned for a long time and was pushed open from the outside.

Apparently, someone is coming.

Wei Shiyu said in a somewhat complacent tone, "...We entered through the dog hole and left no trace at the door, so it won't arouse suspicion."

Xing Xing instead made a "huh" gesture to Wei Shiyu.

Although it is a breath sound, if the opponent has high martial arts skills or his five senses are abnormally sensitive, he can still hear it.

Wei Shiyu nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.

The man walked to the center of the courtyard of the abandoned palace, stepping on the dense dead branches on the ground with a crunching sound.

Xingxing hid in the bushes in the corner of the yard, listening to the noise, and roughly estimated that the man was less than two meters away from her.

She even slowed down her breathing.

Through the gaps between the overlapping bushes, Xingxing could see that the person coming was the "weird" Fourth Prince, Wei Shibu, whom Wei Shiyu had told her about before.

Wei Shibu stood in the middle of the yard, and there was no other movement.

This is clearly a gesture of waiting for someone.

Not long after, another person came in, still pushing open the old palace gate. A timid voice came from the palace gate: "...Is anyone there?"

Wei Shibu stepped forward quickly and called out, "Miss Su."

Through a small gap in the bushes, Xingxing recognized that this was Su Chun'er, the daughter of the Cavalry General, whom she had met several times before.

The General of the Cavalry was a military commander of the first rank, but his daughter was not as heroic as other military commanders' daughters. Instead, she looked like a lady from a noble family.

Xing Xing thought of something and glanced at Wei Shiyu.

Could this be the girl from the military officer's family that Wei Shiyu mentioned on the road, the one that Queen Nie was planning to introduce to him?

While Xing Xing was still pondering, the Fourth Prince Wei Shibu had already started chatting with Su Chun'er.

At first, it sounded like they were talking about serious topics. The two of them focused their conversation on Su Chun'er's younger brother and chatted about things related to study and riding.

Su Chun'er smiled gratefully at Wei Shibu and said softly, "Thank you, Your Highness the Fourth Prince. I came to ask for advice from the archery master you recommended last time. After a few days, I made great progress in archery. Father praised me highly."

Wei Shibu smiled gently: "It's good to be able to help Miss Su."

His eyes flickered, "...Guangyang is very talented, but because of his stepmother, he dares not show his brilliance in the mansion. I am really distressed."

Su Chun'er lowered her head, holding a handkerchief in her hand and twisting it around, "We have lived like this for so many years... When people outside mentioned my stepmother, they all praised her for her virtue, but who knew how difficult it was for us? She didn't treat us harshly in public, and she put a lot of thought into nurturing me. I know that she just treated me like a commodity and made me look good."

Wei Shibu's face showed a trace of heartache: "Ms. Su really has a hard time."

Su Chun'er was very moved, and looked at Wei Shibu with red eyes: "Fourth Prince, you still understand me..."

The two of them just looked at each other without crossing the line, and no one could find any fault with either of them.

You look at me and I look at you.

But the atmosphere gradually became different.

Wei Shibu suddenly sighed: "Miss Su is such a good girl, you have been wronged all these years."

Su Chun'er's eyes sparkled: "Fourth Prince, I am not wronged."

Wei Shibu showed a bit of admiration in his eyes: "Miss Su is so strong, I have never seen such a strong person before."

As soon as these words were spoken, Su Chun'er's breathing quickened due to the compliment, and her eyes were so tender that tears could be shed.

Xingxing shuddered silently.

In fact, she had heard a little about what happened in the General of Cavalry's mansion.

The wife of the current General of the Cavalry is a second wife. Over the years, she has done a very good job in raising the daughter and son left by the first wife.

Moreover, this second wife had no biological children of her own. In addition to a son and a daughter left by the original wife, she also had two sons and one daughter born to a concubine.

But the second wife also seemed to be very clear-headed.

For example, Miss Su Chun'er, all her food and drink expenses are the best.

The concubine's daughter who was raised by the second wife was obviously inferior to Su Chun'er in terms of expenses.

At the previous banquets, Xingxing saw that Su Chun'er and her half sister were dressed in a way that allowed her to tell at a glance whether they were legitimate or illegitimate children.

Therefore, the wife of the general of the cavalry was praised by many mistresses in the capital for her good housekeeping skills. They did not allow a concubine's daughter to surpass the status of a legitimate daughter just because she was raised in their parents' arms since childhood.

Su Chun'er mentioned this, she wept and said, "... Fourth Prince, you don't know that my concubine sister doesn't have to practice the piano and calligraphy every day, nor does she have to follow the maids from the palace to learn the rules... If someone loves me, I, a little girl, would not be so strong."

Wei Shi Bu seemed to be triggered and took a step forward.

Su Chun'er did not step back, but just watched Wei Shibu with tears in her eyes.

Wei Shibu put his hand on Su Chun'er's shoulder: "Ms. Su, you have worked hard over the years..."

Su Chun'er whimpered: "Fourth Prince..."

The affection between the two became more and more profound.

At this moment, Wei Shibu suddenly withdrew his hand with a look of pain on his face, as if the previous offenses were just his inability to control himself. He took another step back and said, "... Miss Su, I can't hide it from you. Maybe you don't know, my mother is now looking for a few young ladies from good families for my third brother. Miss Su is one of them... I, I can't delay your future..."

Wei Shibu said this like a foolish lover who reluctantly left his beloved woman for her future.

Coupled with his action of taking a step back, the atmosphere was even more tense.

Wei Shiyu was already wary of Wei Shibu, so he naturally felt uncomfortable no matter how he looked at her. He was afraid that Xingxing would be tricked, so he looked at her nervously.

But Xingxing didn't look moved at all, and even frowned.

Wei Shiyu didn't know that Xingxing was the big boss behind the Meimu Opera Troupe, and she loved watching operas. When she had nothing to do on weekdays, she often watched operas in the Liyuan box where the Meimu Opera Troupe was stationed.

This scene might be quite tempting to a rich lady like Su Chun'er, but in Xingxing's eyes, she felt that the Fourth Prince's acting skills in Wei Shibu were obviously not as good as Ruihong's.

Not natural enough, and not genuine enough.

Of course, for a young lady like Su Chun'er who is ignorant of the world, this is enough.

As expected, Su Chun'er was moved and tears welled up in her eyes. She took a few steps forward and threw herself into Wei Shibu's arms: "Fourth Prince!"

"Chun Er!"

The two of them hugged each other tightly, like a pair of infatuated men and women who had finally broken free from the shackles of worldly life!

Wei Shiyu, who was peeking from the bushes, wanted to applaud at this moment!

Xing Xing looked at Wei Shiyu with sympathy.

Besides, Wei Shibu was hugging Su Chun'er, but suddenly he pushed Su Chun'er away in pain: "No, Chun'er, I can't be so selfish..."

Su Chun'er was being held in the arms of the person she loved, and was suddenly pushed away. She was so anxious that her eyes became redder. "Fourth Prince, don't say that! No matter how good the Third Prince is, he is not as good as a finger of yours in my eyes!"

Xing Xing looked at Wei Shiyu with sympathy again.

Wei Shiyu: “…”

"No, Chun'er, you don't understand." Wei Shibu's face was full of pain. "I am just the child of an ordinary concubine, but my third brother is the legitimate prince of my mother. My father and mother love him very much, and they value him second only to the Crown Prince. How can I compare with them?"

Su Chun'er became more and more excited: "No! It's not like that! The Third Prince is still childish, and he is spoiled by His Majesty and the Empress! He is not a good match at all!... I, I would rather be with the Fourth Prince..."

Wei Shibu stretched out a finger and pressed it on Su Chun'er's lips, seeming to be very moved: "Chun'er, I know your feelings for me, but I can't respond. I can't be so selfish... You have to know that the third prince is the legitimate son, and this alone is better than me. If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has any accident, the throne will be his. Do you know what it means to marry him?"

Su Chun'er didn't expect Wei Shibu to say this, and her heart seemed to be hit hard.

This means that she has a chance to become the future queen...

Su Chun'er couldn't help crying, "...but I really don't like the Third Prince. Fourth Prince, I...you know my heart..."

The two lovers hugged each other and cried bitterly.

Wei Shiyu and Xing Xing were in the bushes, looking at each other.

What followed was some sweet talk from little kids, which made Xing Xing and Wei Shi Yu very embarrassed.

Fortunately, Su Chun'er and Wei Shibu couldn't help but hug each other and didn't go any further, otherwise, Xingxing and Wei Shiyu might have been even more embarrassed.

After waiting for a long time, the couple, who had confided their true feelings to each other, left.

The two were very cautious and did not leave together. Instead, Su Chun'er left first, and Wei Shibu left after a while.