Chapter 83 Rainy Night, Beauty
Having been with the Song family for some time, Song Jin had a very clear understanding of the situation inside.
With such heavy rain, and it being a prince, it must be the main courtyard's living room.
Song Jin strode over and, sure enough, saw the guards standing watch outside. Each one was armed with a long sword and armor; even the gatekeepers were on high alert, and no one was distracted.
She walked through the rain, and the guards instantly became alert, their hands on their longswords.
This troop deployment is considerably larger than before. The capital is currently in a state of unrest, and even though Qi Zheng is highly skilled in martial arts, Qi Ye has insisted on increasing the number of guards.
Li Qingshan was still leading the way. He looked at the figure running in the rain ahead, and a slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth.
It has to be said, this person has been back in the capital for quite some time now, yet he hasn't suffered even a fraction of the harsh realities of the capital's intrigues.
Having been beaten countless times, Li Qingshan sighed inwardly, suppressing his envy, and reminded the others to put down their swords.
Based on his observations over the past few days, he figured they'd better treat this little devil with some respect, lest they suffer some mistreatment later—no, more like get kicked a couple of times on the spot.
As Qi Zheng's bodyguard, Li Qingshan grew closer to him day by day, always wearing a wooden face, so Song Jin naturally couldn't see the grudges in his heart.
But it didn't matter to her; she was internally criticizing people, and her disdain was undisguised on her face.
She strode forward, glanced at the guards standing guard before her, and simply curled her lip without uttering a word, but her disdain and provocation were palpable.
It's as if it's saying: That's it?
Guards: ...
Song Jin put the umbrella aside, waved at them, tiptoed, and arrogantly leaped across the wide doorway into the house.
They were not given a chance to report at all.
The people talking in the hall suddenly heard a thud, and a figure appeared in the room as if a stone had fallen. Song Jin landed gracefully, her wet skirt splashing water throughout the room with the sweeping motion, leaving no one unscathed.
Completely unconcerned, she stood against the light, arms crossed, chin raised high, eyebrows arched, displaying the smug, petty air of a villain to the fullest.
It's obvious they've caught someone red-handed.
Everyone in the room started twitching, wondering if they had given themselves away that day.
In comparison, the eldest brother is still the eldest brother.
Song Xingzhi was the first to react, rising to his feet and bowing to Qi Zheng: "My younger sister has acted improperly; I hope Your Highness will forgive her."
Qi Zheng reached up and wiped the water droplets from his face, calmly saying, "It's nothing, I'm used to it."
He can break into a bedroom in the middle of the night, so what's a little living room to him? Besides, he's...
Because of her
Upon hearing his answer, Song Xingzhi's lips twitched, and he subtly observed Qi Zheng's face, trying to discern his true thoughts.
But it's not obvious.
Qi Zheng, the Prince of Qi, has maintained this cold demeanor ever since entering the capital. At first, some people suspected he was faking it, but after some investigation...
He really has been cold since he was a child.
His cold demeanor was the best disguise; no one could see through his true intentions.
If he had designs on that position, he's been more open-minded than anyone else lately. Forget about forming cliques or engaging in favoritism; you can hardly find him when nothing's going on.
But if he said he had no interest, would anyone really have no interest in that position?
As Song Xingzhi suspected, Song Jin swaggered inside.
Her clothes were casually worn, somewhat wrinkled, and her hair was even worse—it was obvious she'd rolled around on a trampoline, mostly disheveled.
Let alone noble ladies of the capital, even ordinary girls wouldn't be in this situation.
Song Xingzhi felt a headache just looking at it.
This girl was a wild child in the countryside, fine, but now that she's in the capital, His Majesty has given her so many officials in charge of ceremonies, yet we haven't seen any results.
He sighed, "Why aren't you dressed properly when you're out meeting guests?"
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "What, am I not wearing clothes, or am I not wearing shoes?"
Song Xingzhi: "Look at your hair, so disheveled, your clothes wrinkled, your shoes covered in mud. If you walked down the street, you'd look just like a country bumpkin."
Before he could finish saying "wild girl," Song Shunzhi picked up a pear from the table and stuffed it into his mouth. Then, looking at Song Jin, she said seriously, "We're family, so we don't concern ourselves with these things. Prince Qi is magnanimous and wouldn't care about such things either. As long as my little sister is happy, that's all that matters."
Song Jin gave him an approving look: "Second brother is right, you're the most like a proper older brother in the family."
moment
Song Xingzhi, Song Shenzhi, Song Anzhi, and Song Shunzhi's expressions changed drastically; their eyes practically popped out of their sockets.
Who are you calling?
Who is she calling "brother"?
Who is she calling out to!
During the time Song Jin had been back at the Song residence, he would either call her by her name or address her as "Hey" or "that guy," but now he had suddenly changed his address to "brother."
Why should we call on him?
Everyone stared at the stunned Song Shunzhi, their eyes practically flashing with murderous intent, wishing they could assassinate him and start over.
Faced with his brothers' jealousy, Song Shunzhi's lips slowly curved into a smile. The man who rarely smiled was now beaming like a flower.
He nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly, "Little sister is right, second brother will definitely continue to maintain this and strive for improvement."
Song Jin was very impressed. She liked honest and ambitious people like him. She walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and encouraged him, "I believe in Second Brother."
As she spoke, she sat down directly beside him, placed her hand on the armrest, crossed her left leg to her right, and gently swung her leg, looking every bit the part of a lord.
Song Xingzhi's brows twitched again, as if he wanted to say something, but another pear fell from his hand.
Qi Zheng nodded: "If the Junior Supervisor likes pears, then eat more."
Looking at the pear core he had finally finished eating in his other hand, Song Xingzhi forced a smile: "Thank you for your concern, Prince Qi."
I'm so angry! Who said he likes to eat this stuff?
Song Jin blinked, then poked her head out in surprise: "Hey, aren't you the Vice Minister?"
Song Xing instinctively wanted to wave his fan, but he only had pears in his hand. He put the pears down, took out a handkerchief to wipe the water from his hands, and slowly began to speak.
"Previously he was, now he's the third-rank Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department."
Song Jin exclaimed in surprise, then quickly questioned, "So you don't get sent abroad? Isn't that just relying on your father to climb the ranks?"
She really dares to say that!
Song Xingzhi's smile froze, and he said irritably, "Who said I haven't been sent out on assignments? I've served as a county magistrate and a prefect, and during the two years I was in office, the local areas saw new developments and a significant increase in tax revenue."
Otherwise, how could he have become a vice minister?
Of course, he doesn't deny that his father's support and guidance played a crucial role in all of this, but...
Song Xingzhi said proudly, "I am a well-known young genius in the capital."
Song Jin asked curiously, "You're twenty-six this year, right? Even if you take away the six-year term, you're only twenty. How old were you when you passed the imperial examination?"
Song Xingzhi casually remarked: "He was the third-ranked scholar at the age of fourteen."
Song Jin was truly astonished. He knew that the imperial examinations usually took at least two years, meaning he was taking them at the age of thirteen.
She clapped: "Impressive, impressive! But even with all that, you still got dumped. You need to reflect on yourself."
Song Xingzhi: ...
He should eat the pear instead.
With his promotion in mind, Song Jin also thought of another person.
Coincidentally, right next to her was another promoted official, Song Shenzhi.
She leaned closer in surprise: "Hey, your face is all better?"
When he first left home, Song Shenzhi's face was practically swollen and red, covered in a dense rash of bumps; now it's just slightly swollen and red.
Although he's lost his former handsomeness and looks somewhat ridiculous, he's still much better than before.
They say that good things happen and people are in high spirits, and it seems that's true!
Song Jin curiously reached out, wanting to poke the swollen, blister-like eyelids.
Without hesitation or a moment's pause, Song Shenzhi got up and moved to a different spot, keeping a certain distance from her, before replying seriously.
"Although we are siblings, men and women should not touch each other. Little sister, you should still be careful."
Song Jin: ? ? ?
What nonsense is this person spouting?
Not to mention Song Jin, everyone else stared at Song Shenzhi as if they'd seen a ghost.
You see, just a couple of days ago, every time this guy saw Song Jin, he acted like a peacock displaying its plumage, wanting to show off all the wealth and martial prowess he had accumulated over the years, and he made a daily ritual of proposing to her.
Is it now that men and women should not touch each other?
Song Shunzhi immediately frowned: "Third brother, even if you become the Grand General of the State and are enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yong'an, you'll still be the third son in the family."
Don't try to put on airs
All five brothers were raised by their father. Even if he were only a second-rank general, a marquis, a first-rank general, or even a duke, he couldn't possibly look down on his youngest sister.
Song Shunzhi glared reproachfully at Song Shenzhi, as did Song Anzhi and Song Qingzhi, each staring at him menacingly.
His swollen face was etched with the words "ungrateful."
What a misfortune for the family!
The three brothers were heartbroken.
Song Shunzhi said quietly, "Your soldiers haven't completely cleared their names yet."
Song Anzhi sneered: "Your next batch of weapons, ha, since you, the leading general, have such leisure time, it seems you don't urgently need peace on the border."
Song Qingzhi gave a forced smile: "I don't think we're short of pay or provisions."
Under the combined attack of the three brothers, Song Shenzhi was speechless. He simply touched his swollen face, hissed, and changed the subject.
"The matter concerning the Liang family has been resolved. My younger sister will surely be interested. Eldest brother, why don't you tell me about it?"
Song Jin wasn't fooled. She noticed Song Shenzhi's strange reaction, her eyes flashing with suspicion. She stared at him so intently that he froze, afraid that he might unexpectedly agree with his previous nonsense.
Then he shouldn't live.
Song Jin shifted her gaze and turned to look at Song Xingzhi. She stroked her chin thoughtfully and said, "You two seem to have a good relationship, but is it because you two hold higher positions than others? They're at a different level than you, so they can't see eye to eye?"
Just moments ago, Song Xingzhi was sweating bullets for Song Shenzhi, but now he wished he could send him back to the frontier and just poison him to death.
He gave a forced smile: "They say a scholar can't reason with a soldier, but we scholars and military officers can't talk to each other. I don't know where you got the idea that we're on good terms, little sister."
Song Jin continued stroking her chin: "Oh, I see. So, which of the four are you closest to? And who do you find most annoying?"
Song Xingzhi: "...As the elder brother, I should treat everyone equally."
Song Jin suddenly realized: "So you can't stand them all?"
Five brothers: ...
She came here just to cause trouble, didn't she?
Who has offended this little tyrant again?
If they continued talking, their already strong brotherhood would turn into mud that would be washed away by the rain.
The most composed Song Shunzhi spoke up: "Speaking of which, this is Prince Qi's first visit. Why don't you take him for a stroll outside?"
The other four looked outside; it was pouring rain, and anyone standing outside would be soaked to the bone in no time.
In this weather, going for a stroll?
Song Jin tilted her head, looked at Qi Zheng sitting upright to the side, and raised her eyebrows.
"That depends on whether His Highness Prince Qi will grant us the honor."
Qi Zheng turned around, nodded, and stood up: "I'll trouble you with that, Princess."
Going out to play is much better than staying here.
Song Jin immediately stood up, clapped her hands, picked up the big apple on the table, and skipped out.
"Let's go, I'll show you around. By the way, umbrellas aren't very useful, let's wear raincoats. You should be comfortable in them, right?"
Qi Zheng: "Of course, I brought it with me."
Song Jin: "Let's go then."
...
The two walked out side by side as they talked, their backs looking so eager.
Song Xingzhi and the others stared at Song Shunzhi expressionlessly, their eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Song Shunzhi said softly, "Little sister."
Song Jin turned her head, her face, which looked remarkably like Song Shang's, beaming with a bright smile, and her voice was clear and crisp: "Hey, what's wrong, Second Brother?"
The four brothers: ...
Song Shunzhi glanced at the other brothers, and seeing their frustrated expressions, chuckled, "It's nothing, just be careful of the rain and the cold."
Song Jin smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Don't worry, don't worry."
As she spoke, she put on her raincoat and stepped into the rain.
Qi Zheng was dressed, and the guards tried to stop him, but unlike usual, he didn't offer any explanations. He gave them a cold look and stepped into the rain.
However, with the rain pouring down, neither of them particularly enjoyed getting wet. They left the small courtyard and walked along the corridor.
The misty rain was kept out, though some occasionally splashed in, but it didn't cause any major problems.
Song Jin sat to one side, removed the bamboo hat from her head, and teased, "Your Highness Prince Qi is truly majestic."
Qi Zheng explained, "They were sent down by the Emperor to carry out his orders. Although they were dutiful, they were somewhat troublesome."
After several attempts, he found that arguing with them was useless; these people would only say "His Majesty has decreed," but if he was more forceful, they couldn't do anything about it.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "Not bad, you're getting more and more imposing. That's how it should be. You're too nice, which makes you easy to bully."
She genuinely felt that Qi Zheng had a good temper and was down-to-earth.
Qi Zheng shook his head: "I'm a prince now, who can bully me?"
Song Jin tsk tsk, that's hard to say.
Qi Zheng turned his head to look at her messy, wet hair, gently brushed away the bits of grass, and asked, "What's wrong? Who upset you?"
She's the kind of person who likes to pick fights and cause trouble when she's in a bad mood; of course, she still does when she's in a good mood.
Although she looked no different from usual, Qi Zheng could still tell the difference from her subtle expressions.
He gently flicked his sleeve, and a white flower, about the size of two palms, fell out. It was slightly wrinkled from being pressed down, but it was still clearly very beautiful.
Song Jin turned her head, her phoenix eyes brightening slightly: "For me?"
Qi Zheng nodded: "I picked it while passing by the Imperial Garden. This flower is called Rain Flower. It only blooms during heavy rain. When it's not in bloom, it looks like a football. When it's in bloom, it looks like a bright pearl in the rain. It tastes very sweet."
Having already picked two petals, Song Jin hesitated, feeling a little guilty and a little heartbroken. She then pinched a petal and put it in her mouth.
Instantly, her face scrunched up.
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!"
It's so miserable!
A smile flickered in Qi Zheng's eyes as he said, "I was just kidding."
Song Jin stared wide-eyed, gritted her teeth, plucked a flower petal, and unexpectedly stuffed it into his mouth with one hand, while pressing down on his neck with the other to prevent him from escaping.
Qi Zheng didn't move, letting the flower petal enter his mouth, chewing it gently, his expression unchanged, his dark eyes fixed on her.
Song Jin had initially wanted to see him make a fool of himself, but seeing this, she lost interest. She pouted, reached out to wipe the drool off his shoulder, and muttered something under her breath.
"You're so cold-faced, you might as well suffer!"
Qi Zheng lowered his eyes: "Good medicine tastes bitter, but this flower can soothe internal heat and calm the mind."
Song Jin's lips twitched: "Of course, it's so painful it makes you want to be free from worldly desires."
Qi Zheng smiled, "Are you a little calmer now?"
Song Jin pursed her lips and walked slowly down the wooden corridor, kicking her feet listlessly, but to little avail.
She picked another petal and put it in her mouth, closing her eyes and inhaling intermittently. After enduring the bitter taste twice, she felt better.
She said softly, "Tell me, if someone harmed you, but they had their reasons, what would you do?"
Qi Zheng: "It depends on what happened, when, what the consequences were, and how much of the cause and effect that person was involved in."
Song Jin frowned: "Thinking so much? She hurt someone, why not just return the favor as she pleases?"
Qi Zheng stopped, looked down at her, and gently tapped her forehead.
"People are inherently different. What you find enjoyable, some may find excessive, and others may be afraid. Everyone is different. Do you want to follow your own heart or someone else's?"
Song Jin glared: "Don't touch me! Don't you know men and women shouldn't touch each other? All you ever know is grand principles!"
Qi Zheng glanced at her, then took back the half-eaten flower from her hand, and said seriously, "Men and women shouldn't touch each other; this can be considered a private exchange."
"..."
Song Jin snatched the flower back, plucked petals, and threw them at his face: "You're so annoying! You're so annoying!"
Qi Zheng let her chatter and smash flower petals until a flower was reduced to a bud. He reached out, his long, slender fingers holding a petal between his fingers, and placed it on the top of her head.
Song Jin grabbed it and glared at the person: "Childish."
Qi Zheng remained silent.
Song Jin pouted and made a fuss for a while, then felt a hardness in her chest. She touched it and finally realized what was happening. Her eyes darted around, and she pulled out a book and held it up to Qi Zheng's eyes.
Look what this is!
Qi Zheng looked at the familiar book without changing his expression and simply said "Oh".
"Book"
Song Jin flipped through the book and emphasized, "Look, sheltering from the rain, a bear, robbery, being struck by lightning."
Qi Zheng gave another "oh," and said casually, "These were written for fun before, so please bear with me."
His reaction was so indifferent that Song Jin's initial excitement at having caught him red-handed faded.
That's it, that's it?
A smile flickered in Qi Zheng's eyes. He flipped through a few pages of the book Song Jin was holding, then selected a title and said softly...
"If you're bored, you can check this out; it should be quite interesting."
Song Jin lowered her head
Rainy night, beautiful woman
With a hiss, the book was torn in two.
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