Reunion
"Your Highness, everything is packed. Is there anything you've forgotten?" Shuyu entered the palace to ask for instructions when she saw her own prince, resigned and resigned, lying in a rocking chair. Her favorite iced sweet wine sat beside her, untouched. Shuyu was startled; it seemed his prince had been in this state ever since her last visit.
It’s over.
Zhao Fanghua could never forget Zhao Qinglan's eyes, which were as deep as a cold pond. In the middle of the night, she could even feel those eyes staring at her.
The man's eyes were red, and his slender fingers were tightly pinching her neck. The air was gradually sucked out, and breathing became increasingly difficult. She had been beating the man's hands, but slowly, she lost strength and dropped them. Her mind began to race. In that moment of light and darkness, she suddenly woke up, but turned around to see those eyes staring at her again.
Zhao Fanghua was very melancholy and felt that he was too timid. Since Shuyu had already said that she and Zhao Qinglan had a deep sisterly love, their relationship must be good. Why did he want to dig a hole and bury himself just because he saw a little eunuch being punished?
She lowered her head and thought about it. Perhaps it was because she had seen too many resentful eyes and heard too many slanderous words when she was young and living under someone else's roof, so her body had formed a conditioned reflex.
I am just a rich and idle man. How big a mistake could I have made that would make Zhao Qinglan want to kill me?
But then again, does nodding your head count count as murder? If the Queen Mother had asked me to give myself to Shen Xiujin, wouldn't that be another way to die?
Zhao Fanghua was actually very confused. She had been coming to the Yangxin Palace for a while. Although Zhao Qinglan was not very warm to her and had always been indifferent, why did the look in his eyes suddenly become so terrifying when he looked at her?
Zhao Fanghua asked herself how she had offended Zhao Qinglan, but she asked again and again, and the answer she got was no!
Since he had finally gotten rid of Chen Xiujin, he should stop making trouble and just live his own life behind closed doors. No matter how bad it gets, it won't be that bad.
Having made up his mind, Zhao Fanghua felt much better, and even his spirits improved a lot.
"Shuyu." Zhao Fanghua called Shuyu, "Can I not go to escape the summer heat?"
That's right, since you plan to live your life behind closed doors, don't get close to him.
Shuyu was stunned, a little surprised: "Your Highness, why do you say that? Hasn't Your Highness always wanted to go to Penglai Villa to escape the summer heat?"
"Hmm..." Zhao Fanghua hesitated for a moment before saying, "I suddenly feel that it's a bit unfair to abandon so many people in the mansion and go to escape the summer heat."
Shuyu covered her mouth and chuckled softly: "This servant knows that Your Highness is very considerate of the servants, but if Your Highness is not at home, the servants will arrange their work time reasonably and find a cool place when they are not working, so how can they suffer? Besides..."
Shuyu smiled and said, "Your Highness, please don't blame me. If the master is not here, I will be more relaxed."
Zhao Fanghua smiled awkwardly, but still said, "Is there really no way I can't go?"
Shuyu thought for a moment and said, "If Your Highness really doesn't want to go, you can use the excuse of being unwell and needing to rest at home..."
"Great, great!" Zhao Fanghua clapped her hands and cheered. "This is a good idea!"
It's a pity that Zhao Fanghua's plan ultimately failed. Zhao Qinglan rejected her request on the grounds that "Penglai Villa is quiet and more suitable for recuperation."
Penglai Villa is only twenty miles away from the capital. It is surrounded by mountains, lush vegetation, and numerous lakes and rivers.
According to convention, Zhao Qinglan would stay here until the autumn hunt was over before returning to the palace.
On the way here, Zhao Fanghua was worried about being with Zhao Qinglan day and night, but it wasn't until she arrived at Penglai Villa that she realized she had been worrying too much. Although Penglai Villa was called a villa, it was actually a large palace, larger than the imperial palace, and even had a zoo.
Because Zhao Qinglan needed to meet with ministers and handle daily affairs, the Wanhe Hall where he lived was in the front of the villa, while the Lirong Courtyard where Zhao Fanghua lived was in a very secluded part of the villa. The two courtyards were far apart.
Lirongyuan is backed by the mountain and surrounded by green trees and rippling blue waters. Walking along the way, it is actually cooler than other places in the villa.
Zhao Qinglan's Wanhe Hall still needs ice cubes to cool down and water to cool down, while Zhao Fanghua's Lirong Courtyard feels a refreshing coolness as soon as he enters the main hall.
It really is a blessed place. It doesn’t matter if it’s a little far away. Anyway, it’s just a small house here. Zhao Fanghua is very satisfied with this place.
Zhao Fanghua immediately lay down on the reclining chair prepared by the maid. Seeing Shuyu unable to discern the layout of the courtyard when directing people to put things away, she was a little curious for a moment: "Didn't you live here in previous years? Why do you seem unfamiliar with this place?"
Shuyu explained, "Your Highness has always been accommodated in Shuyuxuan, next to the Empress Dowager's Ci'an Palace. This is the first time you've stayed in Lirongyuan. It's a bit remote here, and you'd have to walk quite a distance to pay your respects to the Empress Dowager."
Zhao Fanghua's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he was being exiled to the frontier?
Shuyu smiled and said, "But the emperor is also thoughtful. Although this place is remote, it is also quiet and the environment is good. Moreover, it looks like it has just been renovated recently. It is quite suitable for recuperation."
Zhao Fanghua could no longer hear what Shuyu said next. The only thing in her mind were the four huge words "exiled to the frontier".
Zhao Fanghua gritted her teeth and thought, let him be exiled. Without Zhao Qinglan seeing him, she would no longer be bothered and she would be happy to have some peace and quiet.
Thinking of this, Zhao Fanghua felt better again.
Zhao Fanghua's time at Lirongyuan was certainly enjoyable; it was simply a change of place for eating and sleeping. While the scenery was pleasant, she lost interest after a few visits. Fortunately, Zhao Fanghua was a homebody in her original world, so living there didn't seem to be a source of boredom, though she did occasionally find it somewhat tedious.
As Zhao Fanghua's most capable personal maid, Shuyu has always regarded it as her responsibility to solve her master's worries, and naturally noticed Zhao Fanghua's boredom during this period.
So, early in the morning, Shuyu said to Zhao Fanghua mysteriously, "Your Highness, are you going out today?"
Zhao Fanghua took a bite of the plum and asked, "Why are you going out on such a hot day?"
Shuyu smiled and said, "Your Highness, you may not know that today is the Day of the Dead. The people at the foot of the mountain will hold a night market, release river lanterns and fireworks, and it will be very lively! Your Highness has not left the house for a single day since arriving at Penglai Villa. The farthest place you have been is to pay your respects to the Queen Mother on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Isn't this a good opportunity to get some exercise?"
Zhao Fanghua was still a little hesitant. Shuyu saw that she was wavering and continued, "If Your Highness is afraid of the heat, you can wait until the sun sets before setting off."
Looking at Shuyu's expectant eyes, Zhao Fanghua thought that he had nothing else to do, so he readily agreed.
As the sun set, Zhao Fanghua traveled light and went down the mountain with only Shuyu. It was not that he did not want to bring guards, but the guards in the palace were all imperial guards, not the guards of the Princess's Mansion. If Zhao Fanghua wanted to use the imperial guards, he had to get Zhao Qinglan's approval.
Forget it, it doesn’t matter how serious the problem is.
Shuyu changed her into a golden long-sleeved shirt, and a Hezi skirt with a vermilion embroidered skirt. The goldfish and lotus embroidery on the long-sleeved shirt was lifelike, and was embellished with pearls.
Zhao Fanghua even felt that he was a big koi at this moment.
When Zhao Fanghua and his group arrived at the foot of the mountain, night had already fallen. The streets were bustling with people, jugglers were performing with fire, vendors were selling sugar figurines, masks, and river lanterns, and children were playing and fighting in ghost masks.
This is the first time Zhao Fanghua has felt such a bustling city atmosphere in all the time he has been here.
"Your Highness." Shuyu called Zhao Fanghua as they passed a river lantern stall. "Your Highness, would you like to buy a river lantern to commemorate the Concubine Dowager?"
Zhao Fanghua was stunned, remembering that the original owner's biological mother had passed away. Although he was not the original owner, since he occupied the original owner's body, he should buy one as well.
Zhao Fanghua looked at the dazzling array of colorful river lanterns on the river lantern stall and said, "Yes, buy one, no, buy three!"
Shuyu was a little surprised when she heard this, but she did not ask any further questions. Instead, she waited quietly by the side, watching Zhao Fanghua carefully select three river lanterns.
The boss took out a pen and paper and handed it to Zhao Fanghua, saying with a smile, "Young lady, please write down what you want to say to your old friend or what wishes you want him to help you fulfill on the paper. If you are sincere, everything you wish for will surely come true."
Zhao Fanghua took the paper and pen and was about to write, but when he looked up, he saw the boss looking at him with burning eyes. He suddenly felt a little uncomfortable and just wrote a piece of paper at random and gave up.
Following the crowd to the river, Zhao Fanghua put the river lantern into the water.
The first river lantern was given to the concubine as a token of filial piety to the original owner.
The second river lantern is for the original owner. I don’t know where she is now, or whether she has exchanged bodies with her self in another world, but I hope she is safe and sound.
The third river lantern is for myself in another world, hoping that even without my soul, I can still be at peace and happy.
Zhao Fanghua hastily stuffed the scribbled note into the third river lantern. He watched as the lantern floated away along the river, joined the others, and gradually faded away.
She stared blankly for a long time, then touched her chest. For some reason, she felt a little empty inside.
Zhao Fanghua stood up and looked around blindly. There were men, women, young and old, all dressed in ancient costumes. Everyone's face was filled with joy or sadness. They all had kind faces, but they looked so strange to her.
She had never heard of the Festival of Rebirth. Although she tried hard to adapt after coming here, everyone, everything, and every customary habit here reminded her of it.
She is a stranger.
Zhao Fanghua slowly turned around, the excitement she had felt when she set out long gone. She felt only exhaustion. Irritably, she kicked a stone at her feet into the water. She glanced up casually, only to see a slender, moon-white figure in the vast crowd, particularly dazzling.
Her long hair like a waterfall was meticulously tied into a white jade crown. The half silver mask on her face looked particularly soft in the moonlight. Her moon-white brocade robe fluttered in the breeze, making her look like a fairy.
Yeah! I got you!
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