Mingzhu felt that Zhao Shi seemed to have suddenly become cold.
He looked down at her and thought for a long time, and the corners of his mouth looked a little indifferent. It was his own fault, but she didn't have any other thoughts at all. She didn't feel sad or jealous, whichever way it went. , save worry and trouble.
Zhao Shi closed his eyes again, looking a little tired. He should have known that she didn't have him in her heart, and staying with him was just forced by the situation.
It's better to just leave it like this.
As long as she is human, she does not need her heart.
Zhao Shi didn't talk to her anymore. He stood in front of the desk and wrote for a while. His mind gradually calmed down. He raised his head and saw Mingzhu sitting by the window, lowering his head to embroider. His profile was slender, quiet and soft.
Zhao Shi stared at her for a long time, feeling that he was far away from her despite being so close. It's like...she will leave one day.
He suppressed his emotions and asked, "What are you embroidering?"
Mingzhu put down the needle and thread in her hand and raised her head, "The sachet is for spring."
Zhao Shi couldn't say he was disappointed when he got the answer. He tightened his hands behind his back and said with an expressionless expression, "Keep your eyes in check. I have something else to do and I'm leaving first."
The light from the paper window lengthened the man's reflection, and his handsome face still looked distant under the soft light.
Mingzhu didn't say anything to persuade him to stay, "Your Highness, walk slowly."
Zhao Shi didn't look at her again and walked away.
After Mingzhu finished embroidering the sachet for spring, she continued to play with the rouge and gouache in her jewelry box, and finally asked Biying to collect some useful petals for her.
Biying asked: "What do you want to do, girl?"
Mingzhu found a few unused small boxes, "I want to make my own rouge."
Biying just thought she was bored and had no time to do, so she started tinkering with these gadgets, "The rouge you used was sent from the palace, which is definitely better than making it yourself, and even if you buy it from outside, it won't be the same." expensive."
Mingzhu smiled and said, "I'm just doing it for fun."
In fact, it's not just for fun. She doesn't have a tael of money on her now. Zhao Shi will definitely not give her money. Even if she escapes in the future, she will have to rely on herself. How can she do it without the means to make a living
Embroidering sachets and making rouge can make some money in the future.
"I will go to the back garden tomorrow to pick flower petals for you."
"good."
After entering the Prince's Mansion, the number of days Zhao Shilai stayed overnight was reduced by half compared to before. Mingzhu rarely had any leisure time. After finishing her rouge, she remembered that she still had to embroider Zhao Shi's purse.
She asked Biying to go out and buy some men's purses. She took them into her hands and looked at them. She felt that they were not very safe. Zhao Shi was careful and not easy to fool.
She sighed, resigned herself to her fate, picked up her needle and thread, and stayed up all night to embroider a purse for him.
After finishing the embroidery, I didn't find a suitable time to send it to him.
Mingzhu was not very welcoming at first, so he finally mustered up the courage to go to the study to look for her. Before he could enter, his attendant blocked the door, saying that he was a guest in the study and would not be disturbed.
Two or three times, Mingzhu waited patiently for him to come out.
However, Mingzhu heard rumors from people below that someone had witnessed His Highness the Crown Prince entering and exiting Chunxiang Tower.
Where is Chunxiang Tower? That's a brothel.
I heard that there is a beautiful number one newly arrived in January. He only sells his art but not his body. He is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. He is gentle and understanding. He is hard to find for a lot of money. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is also her guest.
Mingzhu was a little surprised when she heard this. She remembered that Zhao Shi almost never appeared in Fengyue places and hated this kind of place with alleys of fireworks.
Biying was afraid that she would be sad, "It's all nonsense, Your Highness is not that kind of person."
Mingzhu sat down and drank a cup of tea, smiled slightly and remained silent.
Zhao Shi is a person who loves talents, and he will always look at women who are well-educated. If the girl from Chunxiang Tower is Hua Feiran, it is normal for Zhao Shi to treat her differently.
Mingzhu suddenly asked: "Is the day my sister invites me for a spring outing tomorrow?"
Biying nodded: "Yes, but..."
She hesitated to speak, but His Highness the Crown Prince had not yet spoken clearly. They did not dare to let Miss Mingzhu leave the house, and no one could bear the burden if something happened.
Mingzhu picked up the embroidered purse and put it in her palm. She stared at it for a few seconds. Then she stood up and said, "I'll go tell him."
The sky outside has darkened.
Mingzhu trotted to the study to look for Zhao Shi, but this time she stopped her at the door.
Mingzhu stood under the eaves and waited. A misty drizzle gradually began to fall outside. The rain was pouring down, and the spring breeze swept by and brought a cool feeling. She looked up at the distant sky, stretched out her hand, and caught a few drops of jade beads in her palm.
In the study, Zhao Shi called Wei Liu over at noon.
There was a snowstorm in Jiangnan two years ago, but the disaster relief money allocated by the capital to the provincial government disappeared, and a large amount was not accounted for. The governor of Jiangnan committed suicide on the day of the defeat, and his account books were also missing.
Things are not as simple as they seem.
Wei Liu secretly went to Jiangnan and came back with the account book.
Zhao Shi looked at the account book, returned the names on it, and sneered, "There are so many people."
Wei Liu remained silent. This matter was indeed very involved. It was expected that the prince would be angry.
Zhao Shi threw the account book aside and said, "Go back."
"yes."
When Wei Liu went out, he saw the girl waiting under the eaves. He was slightly startled, quickly opened his eyes, and strode away.
Mingzhu held her purse and entered the house. She looked at him and asked, "Does what you said last time still count?"
Zhao Shi's expression seemed to have softened a bit when he faced her. He had been really busy for the past few days, and he hadn't seen her for several days.
He walked over and held her hand, frowning slightly, his hands were cold.
Zhao Shi asked: "What are you talking about?"
Mingzhu said: "I will embroider a purse for you and you will let me go out."
Zhao Shi did not forget this promise. He asked in a low voice: "Will the embroidery be completed soon?"
Mingzhu seems to have a childish fragrance on her body, and she can smell it when she gets closer. She hummed, then handed him the purse in her palm, "Take a look."
The purse is embroidered with bamboo, the style is simple and it doesn't take much effort.
But even a purse that didn’t take much time to embroider is still more beautiful and delicate than others.
Zhao Shi took it in his hand and looked at it twice. He was silent and didn't say whether he liked it or not. He just put it aside and said, "Go and come back soon."
Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Yang's words, "Okay."
It's good to be able to go out and move around, so you won't get moldy.
From the corner of her eye, Mingzhu caught a glimpse of the jade ornaments on the man's waist, and her eyes paused slightly. She had never seen a jade pendant before, and the pendant didn't look like something he would use. It looked very feminine.
She thought of the rumors from the past two days, which might be true.
The rain outside the window was getting heavier and heavier, and the sound of rain made a soft sound, startling a branch.
The candle shadow in the west window, the red sleeves add fragrance. Zhao Shi half-armed her waist, lowered his head and kissed the corner of her mouth, and rubbed the tip of his teeth against the girl's soft lips. He restrained himself very well and did not bite down.
Her calves were weak and her cheeks were filled with heat.
Although Zhao Shi didn't kiss her enough, he still let her go. He put his cloak on her shoulders and said, "I'll have someone take you back."
The corners of Mingzhu's mouth were still a little sore. After hearing what he said, she nodded immediately, "Okay."
The maid held an oil-paper umbrella and sent her back to the yard.
Zhao Shi looked at the purse placed on the corner of the table and looked at it in silence for a long time. He had a good memory and remembered that the seal on the jade crown last time was also made of bamboo.
Zhao Shi squeezed a small purse with great strength, and the veins on his wrists were exposed. He laughed deeply and threw his purse aside, not intending to let it see the light of day. Out of sight is out of mind.
…
Biying couldn't believe it when she saw Miss Mingzhu coming back from the study so quickly. She originally thought the girl was going to spend the night there.
When Mingzhu entered the room, he took off Zhao Shi's cloak and hung it aside, asking Biying to return it to him tomorrow.
While Biying was adjusting her clothes, she asked cautiously: "Girl, didn't His Highness say anything?"
Mingzhu looked in the mirror and found that the corners of her mouth were swollen again. She would use lipstick to cover it up tomorrow so that no one would laugh at her. "He asked me to go out."
"No, girl..." Biying didn't know how to say that. His Royal Highness was known far and wide for being a womanizer, but it was different for Miss Mingzhu. Now, it doesn't seem to be any different.
Could it be that the oiran from Chunxiang Tower really stole His Highness’s heart
The new love left the old love in the cold.
There are very few people in His Royal Highness's backyard, and even if he has a concubine, no one would dare to gossip.
"What's wrong?"
"It's okay." She shook her head. The girls around Mingzhu didn't care, so it was better not to mention it.
The person in the mirror was very delicately illuminated by the warm candlelight. Mingzhu took off her earrings and asked, "What do you think I should wear tomorrow?"
Biying understood the girl's low-key character and asked, "Dress more modestly?"
Mingzhu shook her head, "It doesn't look good if it's too plain."
Biying was so surprised that she asked, "Would wearing red be too conspicuous?"
In Mingzhu's cabinet there is also a set of red skirt made of Sichuan satin. The dress is particularly flattering to the figure. It is jewel-like, bright and beautiful.
Mingru invited her to go on an outing with her because he just wanted to ridicule her, so she was not a weakling.
The next day, Mingzhu took the carriage arranged in advance and went to the Jinghu Lake where she had made an appointment with them. When she got off the carriage, several pairs of eyes stared at her.
With such a beautiful appearance, it’s no wonder that the prince loves her.
Mingru treated her very decently in front of outsiders: "I heard you were sick a few days ago, and I was very anxious. Now that I see you are well, I, as a sister, can rest assured."
Among the people attending the appointment today are the legitimate daughters of several high-ranking officials. I usually have a good relationship with Mingru.
They felt that Mingru was really kind to his vixen-like sister.
Mingzhu didn't seem to be listening. She picked up the fallen branches on the ground and easily made a beautiful garland with her skillful hands.
Mingru invited her for an outing this time, and her purpose was not simple either.
A gentle breeze blew into the pavilion, and Mingru said: "My third uncle was killed by a traitor and was dismissed from his post at home. You are considered half of His Royal Highness's bedfellow. Since you have the right words, please beg for mercy on his behalf."
Mingzhu picked up the pastry in front of her and took a bite. "I can't speak. He doesn't listen to me."
If you ask Zhao Shi for conditions, he will definitely ask for more.
She doesn't do this kind of money-losing business.
Mingru expected that she would not agree, so she suppressed her temper and said: "The third uncle is also involved in the case of Jiangnan disaster relief money. When the matter is found out, if you don't plead for him, he will not even be able to save his life."
Mingzhu raised her head and said, "I don't have the ability."
Even the money for disaster relief can be corrupted, and after years of plundering people's wealth and money, her third uncle's dismissal is also a crime.
Mingru took a sip of cold tea to calm down the anger in her heart. After a while, she narrowed her eyes and said, "Wei Chiyu also handled a lot of money. Do you think the prince will avenge his personal revenge and kill him directly as an excuse?" .”
Mingzhu's eyes turned cold. I'm afraid that this is what Mingru really wanted to say to her today.
She is not as stupid as Mingru thinks, and she doesn't believe that Wei Chiyu can do such a thing.
She asked: "Do you want me to kill him?"