Good people are ultimately...
A riot of colors, a breathtaking sight, all vibrant and red, with every bloom a peony, its red rivaling even the flames.
The innermost circle is purple, with a lighter shade in the middle and a darker shade at the outer edge, giving a sense of continuous flow, like a purple sea, which is spectacular and has a wonderful charm.
Standing in the sea of flowers, the crowd felt as if they had entered the ocean, becoming tiny within it, marveling at its vastness.
Zhao Lianying stepped forward and stood before Emperor Yingzong. She said, "This is the gift your son presents to Father Emperor. The myriad colors symbolize the empire and represent my talent."
Emperor Yingzong showed no emotion upon seeing this; he simply nodded slightly. Li Changde, standing beside him, smiled and said, "Your Highness has gone to great lengths. Your Majesty will accept this token of your kindness."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lianying's face lit up with joy. She said, "If Father is pleased, then I am pleased. I only wish Father more things to be happy about."
Li Changde smiled and said, "Your Highness's intentions are already known to His Majesty."
The crowd followed behind Emperor Yingzong, all keeping an eye on him. He strolled leisurely, and soon they reached a certain end of the road.
At the end, there was a patch of green, with a row of fine, dense bamboo.
Where the road ends at the bamboo grove, a secluded path leads to a secluded spot.
Zhao Lianying stepped forward again, walked to the front of Emperor Yingzong, bowed, and said respectfully, "Father, I have prepared the wine in front of you and am waiting for you to take your seat."
Emperor Yingzong nodded slightly, and Zhao Lianying smiled. She looked at Li Yin, who was holding hands with Wen Youqing in the crowd, and smiled when she saw their hands clasped together.
He led the group along a side path, around the edge, and onto a secluded trail, quietly entering the depths of the bamboo forest.
The tables and chairs are all set, and the wine is ready; all that's left is for people to take their seats.
The wind whistled and the bamboo swayed; the sun slanted and the shadows were sparse. The group sat down at the table, but the men and women were separated.
Qi Xue originally wanted to go with Li Yin, but for some reason Li Yin became very popular this time, and she hadn't even managed to snatch him away yet.
Finally, the one who sat down next to Li Yin was Chen Si. She lowered her eyes and sat silently without saying a word.
Her clothes were different from her usual dazzling attire; instead, they were somewhat muted and grayish, neither bright nor eye-catching. She wore a plain brown dress, and even her headdress was unremarkable, adorned only with small, exquisite jade ornaments.
Her clothes were inconspicuous, but the scar on her face was very noticeable. She covered it with her hand as she walked, but now she seemed indifferent, not bothering to hide it.
Li Yin glanced at it indifferently and did nothing, but he felt that the scar was a little strange.
There was nothing on the table in front of him, so Li Yin looked up at the high platform.
There was nothing in front of Emperor Yingzong either. He glanced at Li Changde, who immediately smiled and asked Zhao Lianying, "Your Highness, where is the wine?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lianying was taken aback at first, then blushed and said, "Oh dear, thank you for reminding me, Father-in-law. I forgot. I'll send someone to bring it right away."
Li Chang smiled without saying a word and returned to Emperor Yingzong's side.
Wen Lan glanced at Zhao Lianying, then at Wen Youqing, and finally looked at Emperor Ming Yingzong. Her lips parted slightly, then closed again.
She sat calmly beside Emperor Yingzong, without saying a word. Sunlight fell on her, mingling with the gold and silver threads and the pearls and jade, making her dazzling and radiant, like stars in the night sky.
Despite having such a beautiful person beside him, Emperor Yingzong did not even glance at her; he simply gazed indifferently at the bamboo.
Before me are bamboo trees, nothing but bamboo.
He seemed to be thinking of something sad, so he closed his eyes. After a while, he looked at Li Yin with a complicated expression in his eyes.
Wen Youqing also noticed that gaze. His gaze darkened, and then he looked at Emperor Ming Yingzong. Emperor Ming Yingzong sensed a strong gaze and immediately looked over, where he saw Wen Youqing.
Emperor Yingzong withdrew his gaze and looked at the bamboo again, but after a short while, he looked elsewhere.
Everyone held their breath and dared not look Emperor Yingzong in the eye, only silently lowering their heads and staring blankly at the table in front of them.
Fortunately, this awkward situation took a turn for the better when the person Zhao Lianying sent to fetch the wine arrived.
Two guards arrived, their faces fair and clean, somewhat resembling young masters.
The two men were dressed in black, with auspicious cloud patterns embroidered on their bodies, and each held a jar of wine in one hand.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Lianying asked, "Is that all?"
The guard replied, "Your Highness, it was the Seventh Prince who took it, saying..."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lianying asked, "What is it?"
The guard glanced at Emperor Ming Yingzong, lowered his voice, and then said, "His Highness the Seventh Prince said he wants to use it to raise Gu poison."
Zhao Lianying frowned and said, "What should we do?"
She then walked over to Emperor Yingzong and whispered a few words in his ear. Emperor Yingzong nodded, and Zhao Lianying immediately smiled.
She lifted her pink skirt and slowly walked down from the platform, saying to the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, there isn't enough wine. Please pass it around one cup at a time."
Li Yin sat quite far back, just in front of the last person, who was deep in thought.
The wine cups were passed around, finally reaching Li Yin. She took them and, without lingering, passed the items to Chen Si.
She stared thoughtfully at the half-full glass of wine, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly reached out to take it. She lowered her eyelids, swallowed hard, and finally gritted her teeth and drank it down.
Li Yin also took her wine cup. She raised her hand and handed the cup to her, and smelled a medicinal scent, like... acacia grass.
Such low-class stuff is actually in this wine.
She paused in her hand. Everyone's wine came from the same jar. If her wine was wrong, then what about the others?
She immediately looked at Wen Youqing and saw that the man gently brought the wine cup to his lips, moistened his lips, and took a sip.
Li Yin was relieved to see this. If Wen Youqing had drunk it, then she would be fine; it was just that someone wanted to harm her.
She knew who it was without anyone telling her: Zhao Lianying.
Zhao Lianying was watching the commotion when Li Yin smiled. She brought the wine cup to herself and was about to take a small sip when someone suddenly raised their hand and knocked the wine cup out of Li Yin's hand.
The wine soaked Li Yin's skirt, most of it falling onto her hands, staining the green skirt a little darker.
Li Yin glanced at the thoughtful man beside him and saw that the man was slightly frowning. Li Yin shook his hand, trying to get rid of the residue on his hand, but the medicine was hidden under his fingernails, very well concealed.
Li Yin frowned upon seeing this. She didn't really like that medicine, but now she couldn't get rid of it, and it had even mixed with the one hidden under her fingernails.
She was suddenly unsure whether to laugh or cry. She didn't need to drink the wine anymore, but the medicine was completely ruined.
She wanted to wipe her hands clean, but she didn't have a handkerchief with her. So she looked up at Wen Youqing. When Wen Youqing saw her looking over, she just smiled and then sat down casually, gently tapping the table.
Li Yin withdrew her gaze. Perhaps she had gotten used to Wen Youqing's handkerchiefs because she had used them so often. But now Wen Youqing was far away from her, and even if there was a way, it would be too late to help her in her immediate predicament.
Li Yin had no choice but to endure the unpleasant sensation and wait for the substance in his hand to dry.
Just as she was getting ready, someone tugged at her sleeve. Li Yin looked up and saw a pair of pleading eyes. The person whispered, "Miss Li, may we speak a little further?"
Li Yin simply replied, "No."
She paused for a moment, then said, "I apologize for what happened earlier, young lady. I have a handkerchief here."
As she spoke, she reached for something on her person, but after searching for a while, she couldn't find it. Then she said, "Perhaps I left it there. I wonder if you would have time to come with me?"
Li Yin wasn't keen on getting involved, since she wasn't familiar with this person, and even if he was in a bad situation, she wouldn't help just anyone. So she said, "I don't have time."
Seeing that Li Yin disagreed, she spoke up on her own, murmuring, "It's ended up at the academy, really..."
Wrong location, ruined the whole plan.
Upon hearing this, Li Yin perked up and stood up as well, saying, "I spoke too quickly just now. I still have time to spend with my sister."
She smiled thoughtfully and said, "Then thank you very much for accompanying me, sister."
Zhao Lianying watched as the two people left. She immediately smiled and thought, "Li Yin, you'll be killed by your foolish kindness sooner or later."
She laughed wildly. Emperor Ming Yingzong couldn't see Zhao Lianying like this, but Wen Lan saw it all clearly. She immediately looked at Wen Youqing.
She saw that person, leisurely tapping the table, so she turned her gaze away and looked in the direction Li Yin had gone.
The person who was pouring the wine had vanished. The two people who were standing there just moments before disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Li Yin, lost in thought, led the way, and the path became increasingly secluded until they arrived at a small courtyard.
As the two approached, they heard a creak, and the door, which had been open, was now closed. Li Yin stopped in his tracks.
She knew this person would lie to her, but the road should be right, yet it turned out the road wasn't right at all.
He walked up to Li Yin and grabbed onto Li Yin's clothes. Li Yin took a step back, but the man still grabbed his sleeve.
Li Yin frowned immediately and pondered, "Miss Li, why don't you continue following? We'll find the handkerchief soon."
Li Yin said, "Sister, shouldn't you be taking me to the academy?"
He pondered for a moment and said, "The academy? I just remembered that the handkerchief wasn't there, and I thought it might have ended up here."
Li Yin laughed as she listened, and said, "I don't want a handkerchief."
Chen Si was stunned. Why was she following her if she didn't want the handkerchief? Could it be that Li Yin had seen through something? But they were already here.
She glanced at the house behind her, then gritted her teeth. She was just one step away. In her heart, she thought, "Li Yin, don't blame me. Blame it on you for offending His Highness. I still want to be a virgin, but you are no longer. What does it matter if there are a few more people? Li Yin, you should be a good person to the end."
Then she pushed Li Yin toward the house.
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