Chapter 84 [VIP]
Murong Yue: "Then tell me, brother, what does 'wife' mean?"
Even after being asked this question, Lu Xuejin couldn't answer. He simply couldn't do anything about His Highness; no matter what he said, His Highness always ended up gaining the upper hand.
Tengluo knocked on the door from outside, "Young master, this servant wants to go out with Ziyan to take a look around. Are you and Your Highness going?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin looked at the young man before him. Things had settled down in Lidu, and His Highness's birthday was approaching; a visit wouldn't be bad. He wasn't entirely at ease leaving Tengluo and Ziyan out. Thinking this, he gently tapped His Highness's head.
"Your Highness, please come along as well."
The door opened, and Tengluo and Ziyan were already waiting at the entrance. This was His Highness's residence, and Tengluo was clearly very cheerful, having picked tulips from the courtyard, one for herself and one for Ziyan. Their orange-yellow color was brilliant and bright, sparkling as they were tucked into their hair.
"Young Master!" Tengluo rushed over and hugged Lu Xuejin's arm, saying, "Look at this tulip! Does it look good on me?"
Lu Xuejin smiled and said, "Of course it's beautiful. The wisteria is as beautiful as pearls and jade, much prettier than this tulip."
Murong Yue said from the side, "What a beautiful flower, picked by that naughty girl. These tulips will probably cry tonight."
Tengluo didn't care and said happily, "If only the climate in the capital were like here. It's so amazing. On the way here, I thought it was going to snow, but when we arrived, it became hot, like the season had reversed. I've never been to the south before."
"Does it never snow in the South?"
The four of them went out together, and the carriage swayed and bumped as it headed towards the streets of Lizhou. The emerald green and pearly dome was shrouded in a layer of luster, casting golden shadows between the clouds. Tengluo and Ziyan watched from the window for a long time.
Murong Yue: "The last time it snowed must have been a hundred years ago. I heard that a great monk came from Lidu in the previous dynasty. The monk passed through this place and redressed the grievances of the people, and a great snow fell that was rare in a hundred years. Since then, Lidu has not seen cold weather for a hundred years."
Lu Xuejin looked at His Highness's eyebrows and said gently, "It seems that His Highness has read all the articles in class. The high monk is called Jialing. He was originally a high monk from Lingyin Temple in Lin'an. He came to the capital a hundred years ago to help the people here overcome their suffering. The temple here has his portrait."
“No, these are all things my mother told me. My mother loves myths and folk tales the most,” Murong Yue said.
"But it's you, brother, who, even though you're far away in the capital, is aware of our departure from the city."
"Fortunately, you are my wife. If you were my enemy, it would be very difficult to deal with you," Murong Yue said with a smile, snuggling closer to him.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin's lips tightened involuntarily. What kind of description was this? Seeing the bright light shining in the boy's eyes like rainbow glass when he smiled, even if it was nonsense, she couldn't get angry.
Looking at the scenery outside the window, Tengluo turned her head and said, "Why shouldn't His Highness be the wife? His Highness is younger than the young master, so His Highness should be the wife."
The man and woman had never met before, but since they were the two people she loved most, it was easy for her to accept. She analyzed, "If the young master and His Highness marry in the future, I will also change my address to call His Highness 'Madam.' Madam or Lady? Which one does His Highness prefer?"
Murong Yue replied matter-of-factly, "Of course I'll be your wife. You seem so delicate to me, so I must protect you and be a true hero."
As soon as they finished speaking, they arrived in the streets and alleys. When Tengluo saw the candied hawthorn wrapped in milk skin, she couldn't move. It was bright red and looked so tempting, with a layer of fermented yogurt inside.
Murong Yue bought milk skin candied hawthorn for Tengluo and Ziyan in the past.
Lu Xuejin followed behind the three children. Whenever they arrived in a new city, His Highness and Tengluo were always most concerned about eating, drinking, and having fun; their youthful spirit had not been erased in the slightest. Looking at their cheerful appearance, his expression softened.
Ziyan slowed her pace, noticing him looking around the streets, and said, "His Highness's birthday is coming soon, is the young master concerned about this matter?"
The two of them walked behind, and Lu Xuejin deliberately slowed her pace. Upon hearing this, she replied, "Yes, I am indeed worried about this matter. I feel that if we just send some random gifts, His Highness might not be happy."
For his own birthday, perhaps a single book would suffice. If he were to present His Highness with a book, His Highness would surely accuse him of being perfunctory, and might even become angry and embarrassed.
Ziyan smiled slightly and replied, "Not everyone is as austere as you, young master. Your Highness was born into wealth and honor, so you may not like expensive gifts. And if I give you something you like, you certainly won't like it."
That's true. Lu Xuejin said, "It might be difficult for a while. Do you have a solution?"
Ziyan: "On the way, I consulted the ancient books of the capital and learned about the local customs. The local wedding custom is to make love locks, which is the same as that of the Hu people. Love locks signify a happy marriage. They are usually made by the husband for his wife before the marriage. One lock and one key, symbolizing a united heart and agreement."
"There's a jewelry shop up ahead that makes love locks. Would you like to go and take a look, young master?"
Tengluo: "Your Highness, let's go take a look ahead. There's someone playing the pipa up there!"
Murong Yue also went over to take a look, and then turned his head to look again. While he was accompanying Tengluo to buy things, the two people behind him disappeared.
"elder brother?"
Lu Xuejin and Ziyan entered the jewelry shop together. The display cases were earthen-colored, and hanging in front of the shop was a scroll made of octagonal gemstones, depicting a pair of beautiful women. The newlyweds, smiling and laughing, had their hair tied at the same angle, their bodies gradually turning into skeletons—together in life, together in death. On the counter were displayed various kinds of jewelry: women's hairpins, jade bracelets, exquisite earrings, and a love lock placed in the center.
Each love lock, with its key and lock, is made of silver. The upper part is shaped like a full moon, as if a pool of water reflecting the moon is gently outlined by copper and silver. It is secured with a glass cloud-shaped clasp, and the central part is an exquisite cloud lock, engraved with tiger patterns. The tiger's eyes are inlaid with emerald green gemstones, and its expression is lifelike and vivid.
Lu Xuejin unconsciously imagined what His Highness looked like wearing it. The fan-shaped eyelids curved up, reflecting the rainbow glass eyes, which complemented the green gemstones, making it so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.
The pawnshop owner, noticing him staring at a pair of locks inside, sized him up and immediately introduced, "Which family's young master are you? I haven't seen you before. Have you come all the way to Lidu specifically to buy a pair of love locks? You've come to the right place! These love locks were made at the beginning of the year, and the emeralds on them are genuine gemstones imported from Myanmar. Both the quality of the gemstones and the craftsmanship are absolutely top-notch! I dare say you won't find a more beautiful pair of love locks throughout the entire Great Wei. Originally, a merchant from Shengjing came to offer these to the King of Wei, and we paid a high price to secure them."
"If you like it, would you like to try it on?"
Lu Xuejin had never bought jewelry before. He had come with Tengluo and Ziyan earlier, and this was the first time he had been tempted by jewelry, which was originally intended as a gift for His Highness. He couldn't help but ask, "How much are they?"
This question made the shopkeeper beam with joy. He looked at the man, who seemed like a celestial being who had stepped out of a painting; such an air could only be cultivated by royalty. Having seen countless people, he immediately replied, "You have an excellent eye! A gentleman inquired about this pair of love locks a few days ago, and you are the second person to ask about them. My craftsmen can only make this one pair; they can't find such beautiful gemstones anywhere else. You are so handsome, young master, and I have always admired beautiful women. If you buy them today, I'll give you a discount; you'll only need 20,000 silver taels."
Twenty thousand silver notes were indeed not cheap; it was almost enough to buy a courtyard in a small town. Lu Xuejin stared at them for a long time. He figured that all his savings could probably only afford this pair of love locks.
Ziyan remained silent. Before coming, she had inquired with the guards and learned that this shop's most famous treasure was a work by a master craftsman. Besides, the young master had seen so many valuable items that he could naturally discern their quality.
Lu Xuejin: "Ziyan, if we were to give this to His Highness, would he like it?"
Ziyan: "This is a wedding gift, Your Highness will surely love it."
Lu Xuejin paid the bill, spending the 20,000 silver notes he had secretly saved for five years. Fortunately, he wouldn't need much money for the rest of his life. He watched the shopkeeper's eyes light up with a smile; the pair of love locks, carefully wrapped in silk cloth, felt heavy in his palm.
"Just go back and show it to your fiancée, she'll be delighted."
Lu Xuejin thanked her gently, "Thank you."
As he and Ziyan came out of the jewelry shop, Murong Yue and Tengluo were still looking for them. They saw them across the street and waved to him from afar.
"Changyou-ge...where did you guys go?"
Murong Yue: "He disappeared as soon as I turned my head."
As he spoke, Murong Yue paused slightly, clearly noticing what was in his arms, and asked, "Brother, did you go shopping? What did you buy? Let me see."
Lu Xuejin stuffed the jewelry into her bosom. His Highness had such sharp eyes that he would ask about it as soon as he saw it. He said nonchalantly, "I just bought a handkerchief. Your Highness need not be curious."
As he said this, the boy next to him rolled his eyes, his canine teeth slightly protruding, and said to him, "Why are you buying handkerchiefs, brother? We have enough handkerchiefs at home."
Tengluo was carrying many things in her arms, all bought by His Highness. Her cheeks were flushed as she happily said, "Young Master, you can buy whatever you want. Why did His Highness ask so many questions? Young Master, look at the little toys His Highness and I bought. The red cloth tiger—I bought four of them, and there are also some for you and Ziyan. I saw a lot of vendors selling sweet shrimp here. I'll buy some tonight and try them. I'll make sweet shrimp for you and His Highness, as well as some desserts and fruits that I've never seen in the capital."
Lu Xuejin responded, "The fishing industry is thriving here, and the aquatic products are abundant. Let's go take a look."
Murong Yue: "Brother wants to eat sweet shrimp. I can make sweet shrimp noodles. I'll make it for you tonight. When I was little, I used to catch them in the water with my uncle. I can call my uncle over so we can have a family reunion dinner."
“Tengluo, now that you’ve come here, Lord Song won’t be coming to Lidu. How about I find you a husband? That way, you’ll have a husband to keep you company in the future, and you won’t have to trouble me and Brother Changyou to come and buy you snacks every day.”
“I don’t want to,” Tengluo said unhappily. “Your Highness ate quite a bit of the snacks I bought. Besides, it wasn’t me who asked Your Highness to come along; it was Young Master who agreed. If Your Highness doesn’t want to, then you can just not come out next time. Furthermore, I don’t necessarily have to get married. If I can’t marry Lord Song, I will stay by Your Highness and Young Master’s side and won’t go anywhere else.”
Murong Yue chuckled and asked, "Since you are so devoted to Lord Song, why don't you try to win him over? What difference does it make if you're in Lidu? If you want to write a letter, why wouldn't Brother Changyou and I help you?"
Lu Xuejin listened from the side. He had never mentioned this matter before, and Tengluo was not that kind of person.
Tengluo: "This servant doesn't want to. This servant will not take the initiative."
“You want it but you’re not willing to take the initiative,” Murong Yue said. “What kind of logic is that? Does God expect someone to be delivered right to you? How could there be such a good thing in the world? I’ve never heard of it before.”
Murong Yue: "If you don't fight for it, you'll just let things happen. Once the other party is married and has children, you can comfort yourself by saying that's just how the world works. High-ranking officials in the court will naturally look down on a lowly palace maid. In this way, you can completely escape the relationship. You can only blame fate, not your own fault."
Upon hearing this, Tengluo's eyes widened, and she feigned crying out, "Young Master, look at His Highness—"
"Alright, Your Highness, you must stop talking now," Lu Xuejin said.
"We don't need to worry about Tengluo's marriage; let her be happy. If Your Highness has time, why don't you take a look at something else? Your Highness, how about we go see the lanterns?"
Murong Yue: "I won't look. Why should Brother Changyou tolerate her? She's so lazy all the time, and you can't even say a few words to her? It shouldn't be like this."
Lu Xuejin found it somewhat amusing. The two were cut from the same cloth. If we're talking about Tengluo's laziness, it wasn't quite like this before. As for who she learned it from, it's quite obvious.
"Alright, alright. As His Highness just said, he said he would treat Tengluo as his own sister. What's wrong with indulging his own sister? If she chooses a husband, His Highness will naturally take care of him in the future. Tengluo only wants to stay by His Highness's side now, so His Highness should take good care of her."
Lu Xuejin faced Murong Yue. He looked into the boy's beautiful eyes, leaned forward, and touched the prince's forehead affectionately.
Tengluo said unhappily, "Your Highness is always meddling in so many things. Not only do you have to control what the young master buys, but you also have to control my affairs, worrying about every little thing."
Murong Yue replied naturally, "Of course, I am the head of the family. Brother Changyou is mine, and Sister Tengluo and Sister Ziyan are mine too. What's wrong with me worrying a little?"
The four of them, noisily buying sweet shrimp, returned home. As soon as they arrived, Murong Yue ordered a guard to inform Yege. After Yege arrived, Lu Xuejin went back to her room to put away the birthday gift she had bought for His Highness, and then chatted with the Hu King in the courtyard.
Murong Yue had been following Lu Xuejin since he returned. He saw Lu Xuejin putting things away outside the door, and after she left, he stared at her for a long time.
Lu Xuejin: "Your Highness's uncle has arrived. Your Highness should go to the front courtyard first."
Murong Yue absentmindedly uttered an "Oh," watching Lu Xuejin walk away. Normally, his brother did everything under his watchful eye, but now he knew almost everything she said and did. What had she bought today that she was trying to hide from him?
But when he bought some interesting props to play new tricks with him, his mind started wandering.
With that thought in mind, he went into the room and moved Lu Xuejin's pillow.
A note from the author:
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