The light and shadow of dusk rushed over with the wind. When the cold wind blew, the half-closed eyes of Mingzhu, who was sitting on the swing and basking in the sun, slowly opened.
She lowered her eyelids and said in a gentle voice, "That's okay."
Biying didn't hear clearly. She stood beside her and asked softly: "What did you say, girl?"
Mingzhu shook her head and looked over the eaves into the distance. Her hand tightened on the swing rope, "It's nothing."
Mingzhu didn't want children in her life. Although she didn't know why Zhao Shi thought so, it didn't matter. If he wanted to hang out with her for a few days and temper her temper, it would actually be a good thing for her.
This white wall and red tiles trapped her for half her life.
Mingzhu's understanding of Zhao Shi was superficial. She and Zhao Shi had not spoken much in her previous life. This man is calm, reserved, forbearing, cold-hearted, and will never allow himself to indulge in something or someone. Inhumane and almost cold. Maybe as Biying said, Zhao Shi also mistakenly thought that she was pampered and arrogant and wanted to have a child. In addition, he came to Wangyue Pavilion for two days in a row to give her a cold shoulder so that she could clear her mind.
Mingzhu's brain didn't need to be blown by the cold wind, and she was very clear-headed.
The sun was setting, and the eaves were piled with snow. A few magpies that had not had time to go south stood on the eaves, chirping.
Three more days passed, and His Royal Highness still did not come to Wangyue Pavilion. Counting the days, they had not seen His Highness the Crown Prince for half a month.
The maids in the outer courtyard were talking among themselves and felt that Miss Mingzhu had fallen out of favor.
Serving people with Israel cannot last long. So what if you are beautiful? Can't get on the table. In the past, I felt that His Highness the Prince only doted on the girl, and loved her deeply. Now that I think about it carefully, I can't stand the scrutiny. If he really liked her, he would not even give her the title of concubine and keep her in a remote courtyard. After thinking about it, it's nothing more than a sexual venting thing.
Biying saw that Miss Mingzhu was still living her life freely and freely every day, and she felt anxious in her heart, "Girl, otherwise you and Your Highness should just give in."
This morning she heard the gossip from the people in the front yard, and she was very angry.
There was a charcoal fire burning in the room, and Mingzhu was wearing only a thin coat. She was sitting happily by the window, holding a book in her hand, turning the pages slowly with her fingers, "I don't want to eat tonight, just eat two sweet cakes." It’s enough to fill your stomach.”
Biying played the piano to the cow and sighed sadly.
She felt that Miss Mingzhu had never experienced hardship. She had been kept in the golden house of His Highness the Crown Prince for the past year and had been raised so well. She didn't know how sad her life would be after she fell out of favor. It had only been half a month, and I heard ridicule that I had never heard before. If it had been another half month, it would have been even worse.
"Girl, please listen to my advice..."
Mingzhu sat on the futon and stretched, "I'm sleepy."
Biying knew that she didn't want to hear it, and she also knew that no matter how much she said, it would be useless. She sighed and said, "I will help you prepare the cakes."
Mingzhu smiled at her and said, "Go quickly."
Mingzhu opened the wooden window, blew in the cold air, and squinted her eyes comfortably. In the days when Zhao Shi is not here, you don't need to be controlled by anyone, and you don't need to look at his face to carefully protect yourself. You are as free and happy as a god.
Biying quickly brought the rice cakes prepared in the small kitchen and brewed a pot of rose tea. The rich fragrance hit the tip of her nose.
Mingzhu ate two cakes to fill her stomach and continued to read the storybook. After reading the folk tale, it was time to fall asleep. She took off her shoes, got into bed, and before closing her eyes, she did not forget to ask Biying to blow out the candle and turn off the light.
There is no need to leave a candle to Zhao Shi. If he deliberately neglected her, he would not come over recently.
Mingzhu curled up and slept inside, accompanied by the sandalwood in the incense burner, and it didn't take long before she slowly fell asleep.
She had a dream.
There were some incomprehensible sounds in Mingzhu's ears, and there seemed to be many people kneeling in front of her. She recognized the trembling woman lying on the ground at a glance, and she was the nun who forcibly poured poison/wine into her mouth.
Grandma's whole body was shaking, cold sweat hung on her forehead, her expression was ferocious and pale, and tears full of regret flowed down her wrinkled face.
Mingzhu was surprised and felt a little relieved at the same time. It was indeed a dream, and the dream was full of scenes of her revenge being avenged.
Mammy kept begging for mercy and was so afraid that she couldn't speak clearly. Mingzhu took a few steps forward and couldn't hear clearly what she said. Gradually, she couldn't even see the scene in front of her clearly.
She seemed to have changed places, and the place where she looked was filled with white flowers.
Mingzhu was so frightened by this horrifying scene that she woke up from her dream. Her thin shirt was soaked with cold sweat. She half sat up holding the quilt and took a big breath. It took a while before she recovered.
Biying heard the sound and walked in quickly. Seeing her pale face, she asked, "Girl, are you having a nightmare?"
Mingzhu shook her head and nodded again, "Biying, I want to light a lamp and sleep."
"yes."
Biying lit two red candles again before retreating from the room.
Fortunately, Mingzhu didn't dream again in the middle of the night and slept soundly until dawn. I heard that the red plum blossoms in the back garden were blooming and I wanted to go see the plum blossoms again.
There was another heavy snowfall last night, and the cold wind was strong. Biying advised her to stay in the house, but Mingzhu refused to listen. She put on her coat and skirt, found the cloak in the box and tied it around her body. There was a white circle on the hat of the solid-colored cloak. With fluffy fox fur and half of her face hidden in the furry scarf, she looks petite and cute.
Mingzhu wore a pair of red boots and held a heating bag with both hands. She was very excited when she opened the door. She asked Biying: "Can plum blossoms be used to make cakes?"
Biying didn't know what to say. Miss Mingzhu had such a big heart and wasn't sad at all. She only cared about what to eat every day.
"My slave doesn't know either."
Although Mingzhu didn't have a good life in the Ming family before, her body was a bit delicate. As soon as she went out, her delicate face was stung by the cold wind.
Mingzhu shrank her neck and was careful with every step she took on the snow.
When we arrived at the back garden, the red plum blossoms in full bloom were so beautiful.
Mingzhu stood on tiptoes and came to the branch to smell it. When she smiled, there were small dimples at the corners of her mouth that were not easy to detect. She said, "It smells so good."
Mingzhu broke off a branch of plum and discussed with Biying: "Shall we break a few more branches, put them in a vase, and place them by the window pane?"
"good."
She still wanted to say something, but she heard footsteps behind her, coming from far to near, walking on the snow. The man walked up to her slowly and blocked her view.
Mingzhu's heart trembled at the familiar aura, and she raised her head to look at him. The man wore a black robe with embroidered satin and a white jade belt. He was slender and stood tall and straight in the breeze. Her long black hair is tied up in a jade crown. She has a good appearance and delicate facial features. Her long and thick eyelashes are covered with fine snowflakes. Her eyebrows are picturesque, her nose is heroic, and her pursed red lips have traces of blood. Her whole person is cold and cold. Alienation.
The man stretched out his thin and beautiful fingers, silently and slowly tightened her cloak, then gently patted the snowflakes on her body with his fingers, and asked lightly: "Would you like to come out to enjoy the breeze?"
Mingzhu whispered: "The plum blossoms are blooming."
I had a dream last night, and I couldn't help but recall how I died. Naturally, I felt hatred towards the cruel man in front of me, but Mingzhu still felt more fear than resentment in her heart.
Zhao Shi is not like the simple-minded and handsome gentleman that people say outside. He does things quietly and uses methods that kill people invisibly. When I talk to you in a calm tone, it doesn't necessarily mean I'm not angry.
Zhao Shi glanced coldly at the maid beside her, then reached out and clasped her fingers, leading her back, his voice a little cold: "If you want to see plum blossoms, ask them to fold them for you."
Mingzhu wanted to take her hand out of his palm, but the man tightened her grip.
Mingzhu, a weak woman, couldn't resist his strength, "I want to come out for some air."
Zhao Shi responded coldly: "Yes."
In fact, I couldn't tell whether his tone was cold or not, because he seemed to always speak like this, cold and indifferent, without any ups and downs.
Zhao Shi hadn't been here for more than 20 days, and it wasn't all because he wanted to be cold to her. There was a snowstorm in Jiangnan, and he was so busy that he couldn't sleep for several days and nights, so he really couldn't care about her.
Moreover, Zhao Shi liked to suppress his emotions since he was a child, and the word restraint was engraved in his bones. There must be a certain limit in everything you do. If you cross the line, it won't work.
Mingzhu was led back to Wangyue Pavilion by him. Looking at the man's figure, her eyes were sore. It was in vain that she liked him so much at that time, but he actually killed her like that.
She felt aggrieved every time she thought about it. Since she was forcibly taken from the Ming family and her good marriage was broken up, why couldn't she be nicer to her
Zhao Shi took off his cloak and told his maid: "Go and cook a bowl of ginger soup for you girls."
Biying and others immediately went to the kitchen to make arrangements.
There were only two of them left in the room. Zhao Shi caught a glimpse of the story books lying scattered on the soft low table. He picked up one and opened two pages at random. Then he raised his eyebrows and asked her softly: "What have you been reading these days?" These scripts?"
He smiled with an unknown meaning.
It's like a sneer, like a mockery.
No wonder, during the days when he wasn't here, she seemed to be living a comfortable life without any discomfort. Looking at her rosy face, she has gained weight.
Okay, really great.
Mingzhu boldly took the storybook from his hand, "I use it to pass the time."
Canaries who are locked up often feel lonely. Zhao Shi raised her as a pleasing toy, coming here when she had time and leaving her alone when she didn't. Didn't he allow her to have some fun for himself
Moreover, every time Zhao Shi came, it was to satisfy his own selfish desires and torment her in all kinds of ways. He was not at all like the handsome, dignified, thoughtful and considerate Crown Prince that outsiders saw him.
Mingzhu finally got to see him, but she still had to endure her upset and beg him in a low voice.
She said: "Your Highness, what do you think about the matter I mentioned to you last time?"
Zhao Shi asked quietly: "What's the matter?"
Mingzhu gritted her teeth, "The maid I brought from the Ming family."
Zhao Shi narrowed his eyes slightly, "Do you want her back?"
Mingzhu nodded.
Zhao Shi smiled softly, his smile not reaching his eyes, and just stared at her silently.
The maidservant was loyal to Mingzhu and had a history of leading her to escape. Zhao Shi had not taken the maidservant's life before, and was already merciful and lenient.
Seeing his frosty face, Mingzhu took a few steps forward, gently hugged his waist, opened her mouth, and softly begged: "She and I grew up together, please give her back to me, Your Highness."
Zhao Shi hugged her, his breath slightly cold, "I'll think about it."
Mingzhu smelled the familiar musky scent of the man and said, "I'll thank your highness first."
Zhao Shi hummed indifferently, looking down at the girl's round and red cheeks, his eyes darkened, and the fingers holding her tightened secretly.
He suddenly remembered something and asked, "Is Mingru your sister-in-law?"
Mingzhu was stunned for a few seconds, "She is my sister-in-law."
The pampered eldest sister in the family is also the treasure of her father. She has been treated like an eyeball since she was a child. Her talent and appearance are extremely famous in the capital.
My sister-in-law has a proud temperament and is a bit domineering. Her arrogance is cute in the eyes of others, but it puts great pressure on Mingzhu, an unpopular concubine.
Her eldest sister didn't treat her well, and she just didn't like her for some reason. In the winter, she was asked to help with the laundry. Before dawn, the servants would wake her up and go to the kitchen to make food.
Mingzhu spent those days in trepidation, hoping every day that her eldest sister would spend more time in the palace reading with the princess and less often come back to torture her.
Zhao Shi only asked this question and said nothing else.
Mingzhu couldn't help but be curious, "Your Highness, why did you ask about my sister? Has she come to look for me?"
If so, Mingzhu will never remember her past grudge against her eldest sister again!
Mingzhu didn't know yet that Mingru was the concubine chosen by Zhao Shi's grandmother. Zhao Shi had met this eldest daughter of the Ming family a few days ago. She was well-educated and sensible, and she was both forward and backward in her work.
Zhao Shi looked at these clean and transparent eyes, straightened his lips and remained silent without speaking.