Chapter 158 Proposal

Ming Huashang and Ming Yuji didn't want to get close to the East Palace, so they randomly found a corner to enjoy the scenery. They happened to run into Prince Linzi who came out to sober up.

When Prince Linzi saw them, he came over to greet them with a bold and frank attitude. Ming Huashang was thinking about how to refuse politely and tactfully when another voice interrupted her without any hesitation.

"Shangshang, Sanlang, why are you here?"

Ming Huashang turned around and felt strangely guilty for a moment when she saw Li Huazhang. Then she realized that he was no longer her brother. If she wanted to take care of someone, she could only take care of Prince Linzi. Why was she panicking?

Ming Huashang said confidently, "I was just walking around and happened to meet His Royal Highness Prince Linzi here."

Prince Linzi smiled and greeted Li Huazhang: "Second brother. We haven't seen you for a long time. We were looking for you. Why are you here alone?"

Li Huazhang glanced at Linziwang. Did they meet by chance? In a man's dictionary, there is no such word as "by chance".

Li Huazhang said calmly, "I didn't meet anyone to travel with, so I just walked around the boat. What are you guys talking about? Do you mind adding me?"

After Li Huazhang said this, how could the Prince of Linzi dare to say that he minded? The Prince of Linzi immediately smiled and invited Li Huazhang to go boating on the lake together. During the trip, he enthusiastically asked about Huashang, but Li Huazhang accepted the questions indifferently.

Prince Linzi talked for a long time, but found that he didn't say a word to Ming Huashang. Ming Huashang smiled softly and coquettishly, whispering to Ming Yuji in a low voice, which made people feel good about her. However, when Prince Linzi saw Li Huazhang standing in front of Ming Huashang calmly and coldly, he shut up out of interest.

The beauty didn't say anything, and the scenery was really nothing to see. Soon, Prince Linzi found an excuse to go back. After he walked away, Ming Huashang breathed a sigh of relief. Li Huazhang asked, "How long has he been here? Did he say anything offensive to you before?"

"No." Ming Huashang said truthfully, "We were just talking when you came."

Li Huazhang was slightly relieved, but couldn't help frowning again: "It seems that I have to talk about him some other day. How can he flirt with other girls in Chang'an?"

Although Ming Huashang didn't like the romantic nature of Prince Linzi, to be fair, Prince Linzi's attitude was open and honest, and there was nothing wrong with it. Ming Huashang said: "He may have seen that we were alone and was afraid that we would be wronged, so he came to talk to us. In fact, he had no bad intentions."

Li Huazhang raised his eyebrows slightly, lowered his eyes to look at Ming Huashang, and said slowly: "No ill intentions?"

Ming Huashang herself didn't believe this. She coughed and said, "Who made Prince Linzi so good-looking? Why should I be angry when a young and handsome man comes to talk to me?"

Li Huazhang glanced at her dimly, and said in a very unhappy tone: "You are good at making excuses for him."

Ming Huashang had been trying to protect Prince Linzi because he was Li Huazhang's cousin, but he didn't expect that he would not appreciate it. Ming Huashang glared at him unhappily and said, "Who let Prince Linzi have a better-looking cousin? In order to please his family, I can only think positively."

Li Huazhang paused, his language system suddenly failed, and he didn't know how to react. He had read a lot of books since he was a child, and he could remain calm in front of the empress and make the most appropriate moves under the gaze of thousands of people, but he had never learned how to respond when his sister praised him in a way that was almost like a confession of love.

Not only was Li Huazhang stunned, Ming Yuji also said "Huh" in his heart, unable to bear it any longer, he said, "You guys chat slowly, I'll go over there for a walk."

"Where are you going, sister?" Ming Huashang immediately grabbed Ming Yuji and said, "You don't know most of the people on the boat. It's too dangerous for you to go alone."

Ming Yuji glanced at Li Huazhang and hesitated to say, "But it's not appropriate for me to stay here."

"What's inappropriate about that?" Ming Huashang said, "You are my sister. Since I am going out with you, I must ensure your safety. Second brother, don't you agree?"

Li Huazhang finally regained some control. He tried to suppress the strange and strong joy that almost made him feel overwhelmed. He acted like a calm and rational brother and said, "Of course. If you don't want to go boating, I'll have someone go ashore and take you back."

On the surface, he seemed to have regained his composure, but if you looked closely you could see that the tips of his ears were red and his fingers were making a lot of useless little movements.

Ming Huashang's habit of speaking... is really too exaggerated. He refused to admit that he actually enjoyed it, and was too embarrassed to admit that he had been inexplicably upset before, not because Ming Huashang defended Prince Linzi, but because she said Prince Linzi was good-looking.

Ming Huashang hesitated and said, "We have only swum halfway across the lake. Wouldn't it be a bit disappointing to go ashore now?"

"No." Li Huazhang had achieved his goal today. Compared with Ming Huashang, the opinions of other people on the boat were irrelevant. He said, "The road is not easy to travel. I will take you back home."

Ming Yuji didn't know why the flat and stable roads in Chang'an had become difficult to travel on. Anyway, Li Huazhang left behind a boatload of royal relatives and insisted on sending them home.

The carriage was moving slowly along Chang'an Avenue. Whether it was moving or stopped, there was always a steady and powerful sound of horse hooves following outside the window. Ming Huashang quietly opened a slit and looked outside.

Li Huazhang was guarding on horseback beside them. He had straight shoulders and long legs. Sitting upright on his horse, he looked as majestic as a jade mountain and as strong as a bamboo. He was truly unique in his beauty, there was no one like him in the world.

Just looking at him, I feel that time is quiet and the years are like a song.

He seemed to sense being watched and turned around to look in the direction the gaze came from, just in time to catch Ming Huashang peeping.

Ming Huashang was a step late in lowering the curtain and was caught by the person in question. She was embarrassed for a moment, but then she thought that if she wasn't embarrassed, it would be the other person who would be embarrassed, so she simply turned from defense to offense and confidently greeted him, "Second brother."

Li Huazhang was at his ease and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Look at you."

Li Huazhang was ready to listen to her nonsense, but she didn't play by the rules and admitted it directly. Li Huazhang choked and thought that he couldn't lose to Ming Huashang, so he pretended to be indifferent and asked: "Oh, is there something on me?"

"No." Ming Huashang shook her head and said seriously, "Because you are pretty."

Facts have proved that as long as she is shameless, even a shrewd and powerful person like Li Huazhang will be embarrassed. Li Huazhang looked calm, but the white horse under him sped up for some reason and went to the front. Ming Huashang was a little embarrassed at first, but when she saw that he was obviously embarrassed but pretended to be calm, the embarrassment immediately turned into novelty. Ming Huashang knew that it was too late, so she stopped teasing Li Huazhang, proudly lowered the curtain, and turned to meet Ming Yuji's eyes.

Ming Huashang took the initiative to attack Li Huazhang for daring to talk nonsense, but when she faced Ming Yuji, she was embarrassed. Ming Huashang awkwardly picked her fingers and said shyly, "Sister."

Ming Yuji glanced at Ming Huachang's flushed face, her dodging but bright and moist eyes, and she still didn't understand something. She said slowly: "It seems that the rumors in the mansion are not groundless."

"Ah?" Ming Huashang played dumb, "What rumor?"

Ming Yuji raised his eyebrows and said, "It's a rumor that the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion is going to produce a Princess Yong."

Ming Huashang's body was twisted like a dough stick: "No... I haven't thought about it yet."

That means he is willing. Ming Yuji couldn't help but be infected by this happiness, and a smile appeared on her lips. She thought of something and asked, "Does he agree?"

Ming Huashang immediately guessed that the "he" in Ming Yuji's words referred to the Duke of Zhenguo. Ming Huashang smiled and said, "He has already told my father about it. My father said that it is up to me to choose. I will marry whoever I like. Apart from my wishes, there is no need to consider anything. If anyone talks behind our backs, my father will support us."

Li Huazhang had actually confessed to the Duke of Zhenguo and asked his father to marry his daughter. Ming Yuji didn't dare to think about this scene. Ming Yuji paused for a moment and sighed, "You two really look alike."

Li Huazhang and Ming Huashang seem to be completely different, one is cold and the other is warm, one is tireless and the other is lazy and casual, but at the core, they are the same.

The same passionate, brave, shining soul willing to reclaim the sea day by day for fairness and justice.

Ming Huashang didn't comment, her fingers entwined around the sash of her dress, and whispered, "It's not that we look alike, but he made me believe that I can become that kind of person. I have admired him since I was a child. He knows everything and can do everything well. In comparison, I am a waste and don't fit in. Later, when I got closer to him, I found that he was not born that way. He is self-disciplined, diligent, and calm. He is diligent in self-discipline and lenient to others. He will never allow himself to make the same mistake again after making it once. I found that my brother is not as perfect as I imagined, but he is better than I thought. Slowly, I also want to become a little better, enough to match him."

Ming Yuji said: "It seems that you really like him. In just a short moment, you have praised him three times."

"Because I really think so in my heart." Ming Huashang looked at Ming Yuji seriously and said, "The road of life is unpredictable. If you don't say some things, you may never have the chance to say them again. I like him, and I hope he likes me more and more every day. Of course I have to tell him these words, otherwise, how would he know?"

Ming Yuji was startled, and a figure flashed before her eyes. At this moment, the carriage shook slightly, breaking the illusion in front of Ming Yuji, and the driver outside said, "Madam, we have arrived at the mansion."

Ming Yuji came back to her senses, answered absentmindedly, and got out of the car, holding up her skirt. Li Huazhang was already waiting outside the car, and when he saw her, he helped her up. Ming Yuji shook her head and got out of the car, holding up her skirt.

Ming Huashang came out of the car only after Ming Yuji stood still. Facing Ming Huashang, Li Huazhang took more initiative and directly held her arm and half-carried her down. Ming Huashang held Li Huazhang's shoulders and landed on the ground. She quickly scanned the surroundings and said in a way that was not to be underestimated: "I am not a child anymore. I can walk by myself."

"No matter how old you are, I am still your second brother." Li Huazhang said, "Be careful on the steps. I will take you back to your room."

After Li Huazhang finished speaking, he realized that Ming Yuji was also there, and calmly changed his words: "I'll take you in."

Ming Yuji rolled his eyes secretly and walked towards the door at a brisk pace: "No need to see me off. I think you guys are walking too slowly. It would be better for me to walk by myself."

Ming Yuji walked briskly and disappeared in a moment. Only Li Huazhang and Ming Huashang were left at the door. Li Huazhang arranged her scarf and said calmly, "Let's go."

Seeing this, the servants in the mansion tactfully stepped back. Li Huazhang and Ming Huashang walked in the corridor. They both walked very slowly, enjoying their rare time alone.

The sun was shining brightly, the breeze was gentle, and the flowers and trees on both sides were drizzling with pink rain. It seemed as if time had returned to their childhood, when the two of them were playing around in the mansion, playing like crazy all day without any scruples.

Ming Huashang reached out her hand, caught a petal, and said, "I remember when we were little, we loved playing hide-and-seek. One time, I dug a hole under a tree and buried my face in it, confident that you would not be able to find me. Unexpectedly, you saw me right away. I was very sad at the time and cried for a long time."

Li Huazhang also laughed and said, "Because when you were a kid you liked to wear red clothes and hide in the green trees, it was really obvious."

Ming Huashang was stunned for a moment. It was the first time she knew this inside story. She was extremely angry: "You cheated! Why didn't you remind me of such an important matter?"

"Because no matter where you hide, I will find you." Li Huazhang looked at her and smiled, but his eyes were serious and deep, "no matter sooner or later."

Ming Huashang was as brave as a bully who robbed a decent woman, but when she faced Li Huazhang's gaze, she was frightened. Ming Huashang turned her eyes away, stared at the petals on her toes, and muttered, "Who said that?"

Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, the child who played hide-and-seek on the corridor has grown up. The boy has grown taller than the tree, and the girl who dug a hole to bury herself has grown into a beautiful girl.

The boy was no longer her brother, her cousin was about to get married, her second uncle and second aunt had moved out, and the third wife would also leave soon. The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion suddenly became empty, and only the trees in front of the corridor remained the same as they were back then.

Time is so cruel, things have not changed, but people have changed beyond recognition. They seem to be just passers-by in this house, rushing to a colorful silent play; however, time is so lucky that after the play is over and the tea is cold, the two of them can still stand in the same place and watch the flowers bloom and fall.

Li Huazhang asked: "What do you think about the wedding?"

Ming Huashang was immersed in the confusion of time and growth. When she heard this, she was stunned for a long time before she found her voice and said, "Ah?"