Chapter 38 Passing By
The atmosphere was already awkward, but after Huiyi ordered the Left Music Bureau to promote Xi Bai to the position of Left Music Bureau Director, the relationship between the two became even more complicated.
Especially Lin Lanting's face, it's almost as if you could write words on it.
Huiyi assumed he was having a mental breakdown and was deliberately trying to annoy her.
Coincidentally, Huiyi wasn't one to throw herself at someone, especially not at a man she disliked, the scoundrel Lin Er.
Seeing his behavior, Huiyi naturally didn't give him any face and pretended not to see him, which made Lin Lanting even angrier.
Enraged, Lin Lanting lost his composure and deliberately went to the pond to catch two fish.
Eating one and throwing the other away in front of Huiyi infuriated her.
Yu Niang sighed repeatedly as she watched, and finally offered a few words of advice one morning.
"Princess, let's leave Xi Langjun alone. It's just creating discord between you and your husband."
In Yu Niang's eyes, he was just a musician in the music academy. He was already extremely lucky to have the princess's help. How could she allow him to cause trouble and ruin the relationship between the princess and her husband?
After seeing Xi Langjun off that day, the person sent to investigate returned and recounted the events at the Zuo Jiaofang.
The deputy envoy mentioned by Xi Bai was surnamed Jiang. He was a complete snob who relied on his uncle being the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to suppress talented musicians from humble backgrounds.
The musician Xi Bai was one of those who was most severely suppressed by this Vice Envoy Jiang.
Despite the harsh conditions, this musician named Xi Bai still managed to gain the favor of Princess Ningguo, and even their princess, which shows that he was quite resourceful.
Yu Niang was afraid that the princess would be fooled by such a person.
Jinque was an excellent hair comber; every morning, Huiyi would be combed by Jinque until her bones felt weak.
As Huiyi lazily rested her chin on her hand, upon hearing Yu Niang speak, she first chuckled before muttering, "Yu Niang is mistaken. Haven't Lin Er and I always had a grudge? What does it have to do with Master Xi?"
Huiyi then rested her chin on her hands and continued, "Besides, I was just listening to the zither, it's not like I was cheating on anyone, who is he giving me that look for?"
Besides, what's wrong with having some fun? It was something the two of them had agreed on long ago.
However, Huiyi couldn't say this to the ever-worrying Yu Niang, so she just muttered it to herself.
Upon hearing this, Yu Niang asked with some skepticism, "Does the princess really think that way?"
Huiyi snuggled against Yu Niang's waist like a cat, her already lazy voice sounding even softer and more tender as she spoke in a coquettish tone.
"Of course, how could I deceive Yu Niang?"
"Of course I can see that Young Master Xi has his own agenda, but that's all. He just wants to get out of this mess. Since he makes me feel good, why not lend him a hand?"
"Yu Niang, put your mind at ease. I'm not stupid."
Although she only lived with Yu Niang for five years, the gentle and kind Yu Niang could be considered her second mother, so Huiyi naturally wouldn't hide it from her.
Xi Bai sensed her deliberate attempt to curry favor from the very first time he met her.
However, Huiyi didn't care. There were many people who wanted to curry favor with her, men and women, young and old, and she couldn't remember them all.
It's just another one; as long as it makes her happy, she doesn't mind making a decision for him this time.
Replacing a corrupt and incompetent deputy director of the Imperial Music Bureau with a mere word was a simple matter for her.
Upon hearing this, Yu Niang was completely relieved, but couldn't help but mutter, "Princess, you should pay more attention to your husband."
Mentioning Lin Er made Huiyi angry. She snorted, "What's there to care about? He's as strong as an ox every day and can eat five bowls of rice. I'd rather care about myself than him."
Yu Niang and the others chuckled and said no more.
...
This cold war continued for a few more days until the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion, arrived.
If it were an ordinary family, a married daughter would not be able to reunite with her parents on such a night of family reunion.
But Huiyi was different. As a princess, she had to enter the palace with her husband's entire family to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
She dressed up meticulously, wearing her favorite tulip dress, adorned with the most luxurious and exquisite necklaces and pendants, and styled her hair in a high bun. Jeweled hair ornaments adorned her temples, and her hairpins swayed gracefully. The woman in the bronze mirror was radiant and unparalleled.
Lin Lanting leaned against the door and waited. On the eighteenth time, he looked over and saw the spoiled princess still drawing her eyebrows. He couldn't hold back his emotions and couldn't help but say, "It's been almost two hours, and the princess is still not done?"
Lin Lanting really didn't understand. It was just a matter of changing clothes, why was it taking so long?
How different is it from a normal day?
"Of course it takes a while to get all dressed up, what do you know!"
However, when Huiyi turned around and retorted to him, what came into view was the girl's face, which was even more radiant than usual, and Lin Lanting fell silent again.
It is indeed quite different from usual.
When everything was finally ready, the exquisitely beautiful Huiyi, with the peony silk flower at her temple, passed by Lin Lanting, her warm fragrance brushing against his body and face.
Lin Lanting twitched his nose, took a deep sniff, and followed after her, feigning composure.
Huiyi still rode in the Yanzhai carriage, with Lin Lanting riding beside her on horseback.
It's a night for family reunion, and Huiyi is in a good mood. She doesn't seem so annoyed by Lin Er looking out the car window anymore.
He would peek out every now and then, and if he smelled something fragrant, he would send a servant to buy it. He would hold it all in his arms, as if he had several stomachs.
Finally, after Huiyi bought another serving of Jushengnu, Lin Lanting couldn't control his mouth and tugged at the reins, moving closer to Yan Zhai's carriage. With a cold face, he awkwardly asked, "Can you finish eating all this?"
After speaking, Lin Lanting glanced at him furtively, secretly hoping for a response.
Even the most barbed words are better than ignoring them.
Under Lin Lanting's peripheral vision, he saw Huiyi purse her lips and mutter something to him.
"Mind your own business. If I can't finish it, I'll share it with Biqing and the others. What, you don't want some too, do you?"
"No."
His words were concise and to the point, leaving Lin Lanting speechless for a long time before he finally managed to utter only one sentence.
"Who wants to eat your stuff? It's sickeningly sweet."
He looked at them one by one, and most of them were pastries and snacks made with a lot of molasses and milk, which could make your throat feel sticky after just one bite.
"hehe."
When they couldn't agree on anything, Huiyi abruptly pulled down the curtain, refusing to waste any more words with Lin Er.
A moment of embarrassment flashed across Lin Lanting's face, then he awkwardly turned his head and continued riding.
"They're so hard to please."
He muttered something under his breath, as if afraid of being overheard.
As dusk fell, the palace was already adorned with glass lanterns, illuminating the imperial residence and making it even more magnificent and splendid.
Tonight's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is being held at the Moon-Viewing Pavilion, a five-story building specially built by Emperor Taizu for moon-viewing during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Because he married a princess of noble birth, Lin Lanting was placed on the same level as Consort Hui, making him much closer to the Empress than his father and uncle.
He looked at his grandfather and uncle, one upright and the other dignified, both signaling to him with their eyes to behave.
Lin Lanting snorted inwardly, dissatisfied with her grandfather and uncle's attitude.
Is he really that untrustworthy?
At the head of the table, the emperor, empress, and ministers chatted idly, and many beautiful poems celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival emerged, drawing rounds of applause.
Huiyi listened with little interest, eating the dishes her parents brought her from the table, when she suddenly turned to Lin Lanting and asked, "Can you write poetry?"
Caught off guard by the question, which touched on his weak point, Lin Lanting's heart skipped a beat, and he stammered, "Um... it's hard to say."
"So you don't know how?"
"What a coincidence, I'm not very good at it either, no wonder we can be a pair."
With a self-deprecating laugh, Huiyi drank the wine in his jade cup in a bold and unrestrained manner.
But such a drinking attitude shouldn't be seen in someone who can't drink and is prone to drunken outbursts.
After a long internal struggle, Lin Lanting finally advised, "Princess, you don't have a high alcohol tolerance. Let's have something else to drink."
Upon hearing this, Huiyi immediately glared at her and said indignantly, "You look down on me?"
Like a firecracker that explodes when put into a fire, Lin Lanting was initially helpless, but then a sudden inspiration struck him, and he changed his tone and said, "Not at all, drinking is bad for your health, I'm just worried about the princess."
Although Huiyi was still somewhat skeptical, her attitude had softened considerably. However, she still didn't listen to Lin Lanting and waved her hand dismissively, saying, "It's alright. If I'm drunk, I'm drunk. Being drunk will help me sleep more soundly, which is fine."
After saying that, Huiyi drank another cup of warmed wine and smacked her lips, as if the wine was very strong.
Lin Lanting said no more, only pondering what he would face tonight, his heart filled with restless anticipation.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, Lin Lanting, having noticed something, glared at the person beside him, stood up, and chased after them, his steps visibly unsteady.
At the urging of Yu Niang and the others, Lin Lanting got up and chased after them without saying a word.
The skirt and shawl fluttered as the owner quickly descended the stairs, like a butterfly fluttering in the night.
Lin Lanting was quick on her feet and soon caught up with Huiyi, grabbing her arm and asking, "What are you doing here?"
Pulled back, Huiyi looked anxious. Already dizzy, she was not on guard.
"My older sister went out, and Xie Yun is with her. I need to go and keep an eye on Xie Yun so he doesn't bully my older sister!"
"Let go!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Lanting's strength diminished considerably, but he still did not let go.
But that's enough.
When Yu Niang and the others caught up, they saw the princess and her husband running downstairs hand in hand, looking very intimate.
Yu Niang was pleased and smiled as she stopped Bi Qing and the others, following them from a distance.
It's best not to disturb them.
When Huiyi caught up with her elder sister and Xie Yun, she was met with a scene that enraged her.
Xie Yun stepped forward and tugged at his sister's sleeve. She couldn't shake him off and looked furious.
"You scoundrel, let go of my sister!"
The shout was so loud that it startled Lin Lanting and even startled Xie Yun, who was not far away, causing him to release his grip on Huaiyu.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Huiyi stood in front of her elder sister and rudely ordered Lin Er, "Stop him quickly!"
Lin Lanting raised an eyebrow, but her mind was elsewhere.
How can you call Xie Yun a scoundrel? He's not the same as Xie Yun.
However, he moved swiftly, closing in and separating Xie Yun from the two women.
"Brother Xie, you have some nerve! How many lives do you have to back it up?"
Even if they were once husband and wife, they shouldn't be so offensive.
The opportunity he had finally obtained was about to slip away, and he said unwillingly, "I deserve to die, but I only wish to talk to the princess again, otherwise I will not be able to die in peace."
Xie Yun had lost a lot of weight, and his eyes were dark and bluish, as if he hadn't slept well for a long time. He had also lost most of his elegant and composed demeanor, and was no longer the noble and indifferent person he once was.
Looking at Xie Yun like this, Li Huaiyu felt a mix of emotions.
After restraining his sister, who was still about to curse, Li Huaiyu sighed and said, "Xi Nu, go back first. I'll talk to him."
"rest assured."
Huiyi hesitated, but seeing her elder sister's determined eyes, she obeyed.
But they didn't go far; they hid under a tree about ten steps away.
Together with Lin Lanting.
They were so close that they could even hear each other breathing.
"What are you whispering about? You won't let me hear!"
“
Ah, I hope my sister hasn't been bewitched by Xie Yun and gone back to that hellhole of the Xie family.
"Damn Xie Yun, he's always like a persistent ghost!"
After grumbling for a while, he heard a faint voice in his ear.
"Please say less, Princess."
However, after muttering a few words, she was met with opposition. Huiyi was very unhappy and turned around to say a few words to Lin Er as well.
"I just..."
In that instant, Huiyi felt her lips brush against the other person's soft, warm spot.
Although it was just a fleeting touch, for some reason, Huiyi felt a tremor in her heart and sensed that something terrible was about to happen.
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze, and the silence between the two was terrifying.
After a few breaths, Huiyi couldn't stand the atmosphere any longer and pretended to be stupid, trying to put the matter behind her.
"Haha, the moonlight is so beautiful tonight, isn't it?"
Huiyi admitted that what she said was stupid, but she couldn't think of anything else for the moment.
Huiyi thought that although her step was fragile, she could still climb it, and if Lin Er was sensible, he would probably come down with her.
But she was wrong again, and very wrong.
"Stop changing the subject, you just kissed me on the lips."
Damn it!
How can Lin Er be so terrifying!
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Author's note: Here I am! [heart emoji]
Time is so tight, even writing this much is so difficult [crying emoji]
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