The gloomy sky seemed to be the precursor of a sudden rain and strong wind, and the branches stretching out in the high courtyard swayed in the wind. The man in the carriage was frighteningly silent, his jaw tightened and his face expressionless. He quietly fiddled with the beads in his hand.
The guards did not dare to act arbitrarily.
Mingzhu hadn't noticed the danger yet, and felt much better after saying what she had been holding back in her heart.
She bowed to Wei Chiyu, then turned and returned to the yard.
It was almost midnight, but the house was still brightly lit and the front hall was still lively. The young master and the young ladies stayed in the old lady's yard to watch the New Year's Eve. The nanny next to the old lady came over and gave Mingzhu a red envelope.
"Fifth Miss, the old lady allows you to rest in peace and recuperate."
Mingzhu took the red envelope and weighed it in her palms. It was heavy. "Please thank my grandmother for me."
Mammy laughed and said, "The old lady also asked, when will the prince take you back?"
This fifth young lady is also a poor person. Her mother died young and her marriage was full of twists and turns. The old lady had always turned a blind eye to the affairs of the girls in the backyard and would not care about them unless they caused big trouble. Therefore, the fifth lady's life in the mansion over the past few years could not be said to be very good.
However, the fifth young lady had her own destiny in marriage, and the sister who was born as a concubine and married the prince was considered a bit lucky.
I just don't know how long her blessing can last.
Mingzhu said: "I don't know either."
Mammy knew it well, "The old servant will go back first, and the fifth lady will have a rest early."
Mingzhu asked Ah Rou to send her mother back. She opened the red envelope and counted it. There were ten taels of silver, which was not too small.
Biying was afraid that she would catch a cold, so she put a warm cloak on her shoulders, "Girl, do you want to stay up late tonight?"
In order to seek good luck, Mingzhu thought for a while and said, "Yes."
When her mother-in-law was still here, she would sit on a warm soft couch with her arms in her arms every year, with a small table filled with snacks to satisfy her cravings, and take her with her to watch the New Year. She was too young to endure the sleepiness, so she lay on her mother's body and asked in a sweet voice, "Mom, I want to go to bed. I don't want to stay up late."
Grandma’s voice was gentle and gentle, “Mom, I’ll hold you in my arms and watch the New Year, so that the New Year will be peaceful and everything will go well.”
In Mingzhu's memory, her mother-in-law was a very gentle, beautiful and kind person. So when Zhao Shi mentioned her mother that day, she subconsciously interrupted his words. No matter whether they were good or bad words, she was unwilling to continue listening.
Biying prepared some fruits and cakes for Miss Mingzhu.
Fireworks had begun to be set off in the city, and the sound of firecrackers continued for more than half an hour before stopping. Even if you open the window, you can smell the smell of firecrackers and paper flowers.
Mingzhu couldn't help but look out the window. Fireworks made loud noises in the night sky. The light and shadow shone on her flawless white face, which was as flawless as white jade. Her expression was bright and agile, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Biying asked in a low voice: "Girl, do you want to set off fireworks? I will ask someone to buy some for you."
Mingzhu withdrew her gaze and closed the window to block the cold wind. She took a sip of hot tea, shook her head and said, "No need."
She wanted to set off fireworks, but at this hour, the store was closed early and was closed for business.
When she was a child, she didn't have much chance to set off fireworks. Every New Year, she would watch her mistress carry her eldest sister to the yard. Her father, Xiao Xinxin, looked at them and whispered to them to be careful not to get burned.
During last year's New Year, the Prince's courtyard indeed prepared fireworks, saying they were set off at will. Mingzhu lit a few and had a lot of fun.
Mingzhu held the hot tea cup in her hand, her palms pressed against the hot temperature, and she asked: "Biying, can you play cards?"
Biying nodded: "Yes."
Mingzhu had nothing to do in her spare time and didn't like to read other books except folk tales, so she asked Biying and Arou to play cards with her.
Mingzhu's luck in playing cards wasn't very good either. She lost several games in a row and felt sleepy again while playing.
Normally, she would have gone to bed at this point, but she was still holding on to her energy, trying hard to hold up her eyelids that were about to droop.
Biying put down the cards in her hand, hesitated for a moment and then persuaded: "Girl, why don't we just rest?"
Mingzhu endured the sleepiness and shook her head, "No." She continued, "I won't be sleepy after I eat something."
Biying asked in a low voice: "What do you want to eat? I'll let the people in the kitchen prepare it."
Mingzhu thought about it seriously. She wanted to eat something sweet, "I want to eat glutinous rice balls."
"Slave, go now."
Biying went to the kitchen and asked the cook to make a bowl of glutinous rice balls. When the old cook heard that it was Miss Fifth's people who wanted to eat, he was very reluctant. He lowered his head to chop vegetables and ignored her, "Wait a minute, I haven't made the other ladies' supper yet." Okay."
Biying held back her temper and asked, "How long do we have to wait?"
The old cook raised his eyelids and said in a bad tone, "Just wait."
Biying reasoned with him, "How long does it take to make a bowl of glutinous rice balls?"
The old cook replied: "It won't take long, but everything must be done on a first-come, first-served basis. The meals ordered first by the eldest daughter-in-law are very delicate and cannot be sloppy. If the fifth lady can't wait, don't eat."
Biying was really angry. She said with a cold face, "Okay, I'll cook for our girl myself."
The old cook didn't bother to care about her.
Biying sat in front of the stove and lit a fire. When the fire boiled, she put the glutinous rice balls that had been wrapped in advance into the pot.
Before the glutinous rice balls were boiled, the old cook asked her to start them. Biying had to stand aside and wait for the glutinous rice balls to be cooked.
Mingzhu was sleepy and unconscious. She lay on the table, breathing softly. Her little face looked soft, white and tender. She was slowly about to fall asleep again.
She didn't even know when the door was pushed open. Ah Rou couldn't help but widen her eyes when she saw the man walking into the room, and was about to warn Mingzhu.
Zhao Shi stared at her coldly and told her to get out.
Mingzhu slept uneasily. She raised her eyelids in a daze and seemed to see a vague figure in the room.
There was a slight chill all over the man's body. He sat in the dim light and looked at her quietly, with an awe-inspiring aura.
Mingzhu suddenly woke up from her half-dream state, and was shocked. She really didn't expect him to come here today.
Shouldn't he be celebrating the New Year in the palace at this time? Why did you come to her when you had time
Mingzhu had a bad premonition in her heart, her legs and feet had begun to weaken. She raised her head, and there were two red marks on her fair face, and her hair was a little scattered.
Zhao Shi drank two sips of tea in silence. He was gentle and gentle but had the cold air of someone who had just been killed. He raised his eyelashes and looked at her lightly.
The door was ajar, and it seemed to be snowing outside.
Biying was holding the freshly cooked glutinous rice balls, and as soon as she walked outside the courtyard gate, she was blocked by a guard she had never seen before.
Biying's heart skipped a beat, what's going on
The prince's personal soldiers were guarding the courtyard gate with swords in hand. No one was allowed to approach without permission.
Mingzhu was a little nervous, "Your Highness."
Zhao Shi just looked at her without saying anything, drank the cup of tea, and then slowly placed the jade crown in his sleeve in front of her.
Mingzhu looked at the not very valuable jade crown, her face suddenly turned ugly, and she felt like she had a lump in her throat, and she didn't know what to say.
A lie needs another lie to fill it. That night, she was afraid that he would find out that she went to the pawn shop, so she lied and claimed that she bought him a gift.
And there was really nothing to give the man in the house, so he had no choice but to use this thing that could never be given away to him.
Mingzhu's face turned pale, and her rationality made her turn around and run away, but her legs were so stiff that she couldn't lift them up.
She took a deep breath to stay calm. The situation was still unclear at this time, and Zhao Shi might not know that this was not bought for him.
She forced out a forced and ugly smile, "Don't you like it? Then give it back to me."
Zhao Shi's face was calm and he couldn't see any clues. "Tell me when and where you bought this jade crown."
As soon as these words came out, Mingzhu knew that the secret had been exposed.
Her tense body suddenly relaxed, and the dim candlelight illuminated her soft, white and delicate profile. She lowered her eyelashes lightly, feeling peaceful.
"You knew already."
She looked through the crack in the door and saw the soldiers in the yard holding knives, and she knew that Zhao Shi was probably very angry this time.
But she was confused, and she didn't know where Zhao Shi knew about this. Is it possible that his eyes have become so pervasive
Zhao Shi stood up slowly, closed the door, and then walked towards her again, "I bought it as a birthday gift for someone a year ago."
Mingzhu said: "He was my fiancé a year ago."
Until now, she wasn't that scared.
Zhao Shi grabbed her wrist and pulled her in front of him, with a serious expression on his face, "So you showed weakness and begged me to let you go home again and again, just to come back to see him?"
He used a lame excuse to leave the palace early, and he also prepared some small fireworks that girls like in the carriage, more or less with the intention of making her happy.
I don't want to see her frowning during the New Year, and I can't bear to leave her alone in the Ming Mansion to celebrate the New Year. However, she received such a great gift.
Mingzhu's slender wrists were so painful from his grip that she was pressed against her soft body, in a dilemma. I had to raise my eyes to face his formidable and cold gaze. His waist has been pinned down by him, unable to move.
Mingzhu couldn't admit that she had already caused Wei Chiyu enough, and she couldn't let these things affect him again.
What's more, she didn't go home just for Wei Chiyu.
"No." Mingzhu gritted her teeth, her voice trembling, "I don't want to come back to see him, I just have been locked up by you for too long and I want to come out for some air."
Zhao Shi stared at her face and saw no trace of lying.
Mingzhu had no choice but to look at him. The man in front of her was so close that even if she looked up close, there was no flaw in his features.
She asked the question that had been hidden in her heart for a long time, "Your Highness, why on earth do you want to lock me up?"
She is a human being, not really a bird in a cage.
Moreover, Zhao Shi is clearly not an unreasonable person. Anyone who mentions him must praise him as mature, stable and reasonable.
When Mingzhu was in her boudoir, she heard the maids talk about His Highness the Crown Prince in private, and they spoke of him with full of spring, and they all praised him.
He has a pure temperament, is gentle and courteous, and has a kind heart. He is considerate of the people's sentiments, has no airs, and will never do anything that makes things difficult for others.
Why is it different when it comes to her
Knowing that she was about to get married, she still wanted to take away the marriage of a bad guy.
Zhao Shi looked into these moist eyes and couldn't answer her question.
Because I like her so much, it seems that if I don't get her, I will regret it for the rest of my life.
All the shamelessness of Zhao Shi's life was used on her, step by step.
He was always afraid that she would run away with someone else, so he was so sick and trapped her in the golden cage he built for her.
Even if you know something is wrong, you will make it wrong.
Zhao Shi let go of her wrist and straightened his clothes, "I'll just pretend this never happened."
He pinched her chin, "But from now on, you can't meet him again."
Mingzhu didn't know where she had the courage to push him away, and sat silently aside, lowering her head and saying nothing.
"Tomorrow, I will send someone to take you back." Zhao Shi said again.
"I won't go back."
Zhao Shi had already planned to leave, but when he heard this, he turned around very unhappy, "What did you say?"
"I'm going to celebrate the Lantern Festival this year." Mingzhu raised her eyes and said without any offensive power: "If you insist on doing this, send someone to pick up my body tomorrow."
Mingzhu had never spoken to him like this before. No matter when, she was gentle, soft, and easy to bully.
Zhao Shi spoke calmly and asked, "Are you threatening me?"
In this world, she is probably the only person who dares to threaten him.
Mingzhu raised her snow-white neck and raised her little face to look at him. She bit her lip and said, "Your Highness, rabbits will bite when they are anxious."
Zhao Shi was silent for a moment, then spoke with a hint of coldness, and became really angry, "In fifteen days, I will come to pick you up personally."
The man did not stay overnight and left with his bodyguards in a cold face on a snowy night.
It came and went suddenly, and the raging murderous intent was unstoppable. Before leaving, the prince did not forget to speak to the people in the Ming Palace, "Keep an eye on her."
The uncle of the Ming family was stunned. In all these years, he had never seen His Highness the Crown Prince so angry! You really lost your manners!
"Your Highness, don't worry, this is certain."
Mingzhu is so ignorant. How can she serve someone with such a good temper like the prince? Bai Sheng has a good appearance, and he doesn't understand the style!
The uncle of the Ming family now only hopes that when Ming Ru marries into the East Palace, the prince will not vent his anger on her sister because of Ming Zhu's ignorance.
How could Zhao Shi not know the virtues of the Ming family, "Also, if there are still people in your house who dare to defy her and neglect her at every turn, you must be careful. I am afraid that your brother will not be the only one who will be dismissed in the future."
The uncle of the Ming family was frightened and wondered how his highness could even know about the trivial matters that caused jealousy in the family house.
He was scared in his heart, but even had to smile apologetically on his face, "Your Highness wants to remind you that I must take good care of these short-sighted people in my family."
Zhao Shi glanced at him mockingly, smiled coldly, took long steps, and left without looking back.
Before leaving, he withdrew all the guards guarding the gate of Mingzhu Courtyard.
The snow was getting heavier and heavier, the prince suddenly returned to his residence, and the servants were busy for a while.
The prince's face was as cold as ice. The maid who was serving tea and water did not dare to look at him. She held her breath and served him carefully, not daring to make any mistakes.
Zhao Shi went directly into the study, holding the jade crown tightly in his hand and placing it on the desk. He stared at it silently for a long time, clenched his hands, and blue veins appeared on his pale skin. He picked up the jade crown on his right hand. The inkstone was smashed hard.
There was a loud noise, which was quite frightening.
The jade crown immediately fell into pieces and shattered all over the ground.