"I never imagined it would be just the two of us spending New Year's Eve together."
You could faintly detect a hint of smugness in his voice.
Jiang Shuwan glanced at him, took a memorial from her sleeve, and handed it over to him from the table.
When Li Chengyun opened it, he saw that it was a decree from his maternal grandfather's family, the Prince of Zhennan, to clear his name. It had been issued this morning and was stamped with Jiang Shuwan's seal.
Clutching the memorial tightly, Li Chengyun blinked back what was in his eyes.
Thank you.
"You're being so polite with me? You used to call me Fourth Brother without any formality."
Li Chengyun remained silent after hearing this.
Jiang Shuwan didn't realize that after learning she was a former friend of Peach Blossom Forest, he never referred to himself as Fourth Brother in front of her again.
"Wanwan, don't you understand opera?"
"What, you want to sing one? That's nice, but I can't understand most of it, so I can't really understand you."
"Then I'll sing the Legend of the White Snake, it's easy to understand."
"You're playing Xu Xian!" Jiang Shuwan said with a look of disgust.
"Then I'll play the White Snake?"
"..." Jiang Shuwan was speechless. "Then you should play Xu Xian."
Who wants to watch a male version of the White Snake?
Jiang Shuwan sighed and beckoned to Qingxing, who immediately made the arrangements. Soon, someone came to do Li Chengyun's makeup and change his clothes.
There were originally musicians playing, but Li Chengyun felt that the pavilion was too small and they wouldn't be able to perform properly. Just then, there was the sound of people celebrating the New Year in the distance, so he didn't allow the musicians to play.
He changed into his costume and walked up gracefully.
Upon seeing his White Snake attire, Jiang Shuwan knew she had been thoroughly tricked.
Just as she was about to cover her eyes, Li Chengyun suddenly bowed gracefully with her fingers delicately swaying, "Husband~~~~~"
He spoke in a feminine voice and gave her a flirtatious look, causing Jiang Shuwan to burst out laughing.
"My lord~~~~~"
Li Chengyun called out again.
Jiang Shuwan laughed so hard she almost fell over.
She thought to herself that this person was clearly a bass, with a voice like gauze that had been rubbed together, yet when he used a female voice, it sounded very convincing.
In addition, he was also very handsome and alluring, with cat-like eyes that were even more beautiful than glass beads.
If this were in modern times, one would at least be able to secure a government position.
Forget about disliking him; if you want to hear him sing, the only time will probably be during the Spring Festival Gala.
"Bai Suzhen under Qingcheng Mountain, has cultivated this body in the cave for a thousand years. Ah... She has diligently cultivated and practiced to attain the Dao, and been reborn as a human. Ah... She is single-minded in her pursuit of the Dao and has no distracting thoughts. She has taken refuge in the Three Jewels and abandoned the mortal world. Ah... I beg the Bodhisattva to enlighten me and guide me, Suzhen, out of the mortal world. Hey ya hey yo, hey ya hey yo, guide me, Suzhen, out of the mortal world."
Li Chengyun's opening remarks amazed Jiang Shuwan even more.
He was also very familiar with the lyrics, and sang a total of three verses, including the opening. The first was "Transformation", the second was "Encounter at West Lake", and the third was "The Great Reunion Moon".
After the three verses were sung, the moon had already risen high above the willow trees.
Jiang Shuwan quickly clapped and gave him a thumbs up. Li Chengyun proudly waved his peony paper fan and said, "You have good taste. There are very few people in the entire Great Jing Dynasty who have heard me sing opera."
"Mmm, you sang the best, the most amazing..."
Another maid came over to help him remove his makeup and change his clothes. Li Chengyun changed his clothes casually. He had been drinking and didn't feel cold. He just left his clothes loose, leaning against the table with his black hair cascading down like a waterfall. He glanced at Jiang Shuwan.
"Where did you go after we parted ways at the peach blossom grove in Pingzhou?"
"I've been in Kyoto the whole time."
"It's been years since we last saw each other. It's all your fault for not going out much."
“We never even see each other when we go out. You are a prince, a star in the sky, while I am the daughter of a nobody official. We are not even in the same circle.”
What is a circle?
"It's just that the places you usually go to are too high-class, I can't get in."
"Hmph, you're lying."
Li Chengyun looked incredulous, then sighed and murmured, "If only we had met sooner..."
"..."
Jiang Shuwan remained silent, turning her wine glass in the air.
After a long silence, she said, "It's all my fault."
"What's it to you! It's all my own choice!"
Jiang Shuwan shook her head bitterly, "It's my fault for not keeping my promise."
"You talk as if you can fight the world on your own. As for me, I've killed most of my enemies. I haven't lived a life of regret."
Li Chengyun said with a smile, his eyes shimmering like a gentle light reflected in the pool.
"Wanwan, just call me Fourth Brother. It doesn't make sense that you call the eldest brother the eldest brother and the second brother the crown prince, but not me!"
"...You never miss an opportunity to make fun of me."
Jiang Shuwan grumbled and then started complaining, from Li Chengyun kidnapping her to sneaking into her carriage and forcing her to go to the theater.
"I really suffered a lot. Luckily, I'm pretty brave, or I would have been scared to death by you."
"I've only teased you a few times, and I've searched for you in Pingzhou for years without saying a word, but you just won't let it go..."
"Wow, you're making it sound like we're both right. I was also a victim in the peach blossom forest incident. I was forced to make that promise, and according to the law, it doesn't count."
"Yes, yes, you're right."
"That's more like it. If there's a next time, I'll listen to you and apologize to you, okay, Grandma?"
There will never be a next time!
As soon as she said that, Jiang Shuwan regretted it. Li Chengyun laughed and said, "Not necessarily. I've had a lot of dreams while I've been locked up in jail these past few days. It seems like we've met before, but the past is different from the present. I used to look for you everywhere, but I couldn't find you."
"But this time I found you. Isn't that strange? It's like it's real, like a past life. I never found you before I died, but this time we're drinking together..."
"..." Jiang Shuwan fell silent. Her heart ached as if it were being clenched, to the point that she felt suffocated.
Were you looking for me before?
"Of course—of course I was just kidding. I am Li Chengyun. Although you are indeed very useful, I am a prince. Since you are useful, just tell your men to look for you. If they can find you, great; if not, so be it. It's not important anyway... Cough, the willow tree has sprouted. Let me break off a branch."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuwan got up and went to the edge of the waterside pavilion, tiptoeing to break off a willow branch for him.
"You're not even grown up yet, and you've already caused so much trouble."
A few tender leaves had sprouted on the willow branch. Holding the willow branch, Jiang Shuwan walked back. When she got closer, Cheng Yun was lying on the table with his hands hanging down. The gemstone wine pot next to him had been moved, and the wine cup was empty.
Song Huaizhang knelt to one side and wept bitterly:
"Princess, His Highness has left!"
"..."
The willow branch in Jiang Shuwan's hand fell to the ground.
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