The maids who were waiting in Mingzhu's courtyard had no time to be happy for Mingzhu, and saw that His Highness the Prince left without even eating.
After getting up, Mingzhu took another bath. She disliked the strong smell in the room, so she asked the maid to change into a new set of sheets and quilts. She opened the windows on all sides to let out the smell, and then she felt comfortable.
The dinner set on the small table looked better than usual. The dishes are exquisite, with more than a dozen kinds of appetizers on offer.
They must have prepared such a sumptuous meal because they thought that Zhao Shi, who had not been back for a long time, would stay for dinner tonight.
Mingzhu changed into a water-pink tapestry double-breasted dress. The material was light and thin. It looked elegant and breathable. It was so light and weightless that when the summer wind blew, the hem of the skirt also started to move with the wind.
The door was ajar, and the cool breeze blew slowly, adding a bit of tranquility to the quiet night.
The weather was cool at night, and Mingzhu's appetite improved and she ate two bowls of rice. It's a pity that the remaining dishes on the table were wasted.
After Mingzhu had eaten her fill, she fanned herself by the window and listened to the chirping of cicadas. She didn't mind the noise either, but found the chirping of the cicadas very pleasant.
There is a flowering tree in the yard. It has been maintained for many years. Unfortunately, it has passed the flowering season and only the green branches and leaves are visible.
Mingzhu propped up the window, raised her neck slightly, and looked up at the sky. The eyes are full of stars twinkling, making the sky extraordinarily beautiful.
Biying finished what she was doing and walked in quietly. Seeing that she was only wearing a thin dress, she was worried that she would catch a cold, "Girl, you'd better close the window."
Mingzhu refused to listen to her on such a trivial matter, "I'm afraid of the heat."
Biying was worried about her. Miss Mingzhu's body couldn't stand the cold wind and she would get sick if it blew for a long time. She smiled and said, "Aren't you afraid of the cold?"
Mingzhu retracted her gaze and turned to look at her, "I'm afraid of the heat in summer and the cold in winter."
God likes to play tricks on people, but she has a constitution that is hot in summer and cold in winter.
Biying said: "I will give you a fan."
Mingzhu couldn't resist her and closed the window obediently, shutting out the chirping of the cicadas on the branches.
She said: "No need."
Mingzhu slept once in the evening. Although it was already late, she was not sleepy at all and was in high spirits.
"Why are those lotus pods I picked this afternoon missing?"
The bamboo basket placed beside the table was empty, and the lotus seeds packed in the handkerchief were missing.
Biying replied: "His Royal Highness was taken away by someone."
Before leaving, I happened to see the lotus pod on the table. I stared at it thoughtfully for a while. After a while, I asked someone to take it away with the bamboo basket.
The bamboo basket was made by Mingzhu himself. It took a lot of effort just to cut the bamboo strips, but he took it away without saying a word.
"If he wanted to eat, why did he have to take mine?"
She rowed a boat under the scorching sun to pick the lotus pods. She wanted to keep them for herself and had no intention of sharing them with him. What's more, is the dignified prince still afraid that he won't be able to eat the lotus pods
"His Highness said the lotus pods in the basket looked fresh and tender."
"He doesn't like eating lotus pods at all."
Zhao Shi didn't particularly like to eat anything, and there were quite a lot of things that he refused to touch. His taste was very picky and he was difficult to serve. It was just that he was pretending, so it wasn't easy to tell.
Biying explained: "Your Highness should take it into the palace and give it to the princess to taste."
Mingzhu said, "Oh, forget it."
She still likes Zhao Xin very much, and she has no objection if it is given to the princess.
She had nothing to do in the past two days. Mingzhu thought for a while and said, "Tomorrow we will go to the pond to pick lotus pods. The stew will be very delicious."
Biying looked troubled, "His Highness said, we are not allowed to take you boating in the lake."
"How did he know?" Mingzhu blurted out.
But immediately, she thought that even though he hadn't been back for nearly two months, he still knew her every move.
"That's not going to happen."
"Tomorrow, my slave, I will ask someone to send one over."
"good."
As soon as he finished speaking, the respectful voice of the maid outside the door spread into the room.
"Miss Mingzhu, this slave is here to deliver the medicine."
Biying was considered the eldest maid in her house. She was unhappy after hearing this. She opened the door and walked out with a straight face, "What medicine?"
The little maid was carrying the tray. She was innocent. She just did what her master ordered.
"Miss Mingzhu should know."
Biying was about to drive her away, but Mingzhu persuaded her. She looked at the pitiful round-faced little girl outside the house and sighed, "Come on, put down the medicine."
"Yes." The little girl had no bad intentions and said, "His Highness said this is the medicine prepared by the imperial physician. It is much better than the medicine you randomly prepared yourself. You can take it with confidence."
Mingzhu looked at the dark medicine bowl on the table and smiled slightly, "Thank you, Your Highness, for me."
These words were not meant to make people angry, they were indeed what she was thinking. That's good, she doesn't have to hide from him and take those tiger and wolf medicines.
Mingzhu endured the bitter taste and drank up the medicine in one breath, so that the little girl could go back with the empty bowl to do the work.
Biying was stunned, wondering what happened? Didn’t His Highness the Crown Prince forbid the girl from drinking this mess a long time ago? Why did you take the initiative to send it over again
This anger is too great.
Mingzhu ate two sweet preserves to suppress the bitter taste in her mouth, feeling that she was finally alive again.
Biying, an outsider, looked anxious and said, "Girl, you are really too stubborn."
His Royal Highness is very angry, and it is hard to get rid of it.
Moreover, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not a repeater. After several twists and turns, he has completely chilled his heart. From now on, he will treat Miss Mingzhu no differently than an ordinary concubine.
When you remember, come over and give me a favor. If you can't remember it, you won't come. When I have almost forgotten it, the affection I had had is gone, and I will never come back again in this life.
By then, Miss Mingzhu will have no choice but to die in this small courtyard without any children, which is terrifying to think about.
Mingzhu also understood that she was thinking about herself, "Remember to buy lotus seeds tomorrow and choose sweet ones."
Biying looked at her for a moment and said helplessly: "Okay."
Zhao Shi carried the basket to his mother's palace. Song Luan welcomed his son into the palace with a smile and asked the palace ladies to bring him his favorite snacks.
"Why do you come to me every two days now?"
Zhao Shi was stunned by his mother's question. His expression made Song Luan laugh. She raised her head and looked at her son, who was already much taller than her. "Come here. Did you bring me something?"
Zhao Shi hummed awkwardly. He was holding a bamboo basket in his hand, which seemed incompatible with his status.
"It's lotus pods. Did you pick them for me?"
Zhao Shi shook his head: "No."
He doesn't eat lotus seeds because they taste bitter, but Mingzhu loves them very much. Before going to bed at night, he would hold a lotus seed in his arms and peel it off before going to sleep.
He didn't know why he had to steal her things.
"It's very fresh, try it."
After Zhao Shi finished speaking, he personally helped her mother peel off a few.
Song Luan took two bites and narrowed his eyes, "It's sweet and delicious."
She asked again: "So you came here today just to give me lotus pods?"
Zhao Shi was silent and shook his head truthfully, "No."
He frowned, with a rare expression of distress on his face, and asked: "Mom, how do you know you like someone?"
This confused Song Luan, because she didn't know that she liked everyone, but it seemed like she didn't like anyone.
She smiled, "Want to see her every day? Want to be close to her? Want to be nice to her?"
Zhao Shi curled up his fingers one by one, "Is that so?"
"yes."
"How about leaving the person you love?"
"I don't know, I should be able to live a good life." Song Luan always felt melancholy for no reason every time he mentioned this topic.
The melancholy that floated in her heart soon disappeared. She asked with a smile: "Are you can't wait to marry the bride?"
Zhao Shi twitched his lips, "No."
Song Luan thought he was shy. Her son was introverted and couldn't tell what he was thinking. It was rare that he was as confused as today.
"You can marry someone home in just a few months. Remember to treat her well."
Zhao Shi had a hoarse voice and remained silent for a long time.
Song Luan pulled him and spoke in common language, "Last month I met the daughter-in-law of the Ming family. She is very beautiful, well-educated, and seems to be very talented. Your sister has never beaten her in any match."
She lowered her head and smiled, "But the most important thing is that you like her."
Zhao Shi smelled the fragrance of his mother that made him feel relaxed and happy, and did not say that he didn't like Mingru.
Zhao Shi had lunch with her, but could not escape the fate of being driven away by his father.
His mother was right. No one in this world can survive without the other.
Zhao Shi knew that his mother did not love his father, but he still lived like this for almost half his life.
Zhao Shi didn't like himself when he was out of control, and instinctively hated himself when he was controlled by his emotions. For the Pearl, he had given in too much, and there were things he shouldn't have done.
He didn't know who he was angry with. He gritted his teeth and thought, he may not only like her.
He is the prince.
…
Mingzhu thought that the next time she saw Zhao Shi would be at the end of summer, but that evening, she saw him again.
Zhao Shi didn't say anything else, he grabbed her hand and got into the carriage.
Mingzhu didn't ask where they were going, and Zhao Shi didn't tell her.
In the carriage, the two of them became speechless mutes.
After walking unsteadily on the official road for a while, before dark, the car stopped in front of the pier.
Mingzhu opened the curtain and looked outside. On the calm lake, there were several cruise ships. The boats were decorated with lanterns. The beautiful lanterns were dazzling.
There are dedicated people waiting here at the pier to ask them to get on the boat.
Mingzhu followed Zhao Shi onto the lantern boat in the center of the lake, with the sound of silk and bamboo inside.
A veiled woman sits to the side holding a pipa, playing music to the guests inside.
Mingzhu walked over and saw a few familiar people.
There were two young and beautiful women sitting next to Sheng Wenlin and Song Huaiqing, pouring wine and tea for them.
When Song Huaiqing saw Mingzhu, he thought of her painful moans that night, and it was difficult to get them out of his mind.
Sheng Wenlin was calm on the contrary. He was as casual as usual, holding the wine glass and asked: "Your Highness, why are you willing to bring her out tonight? Don't you usually hide her as a treasure?"
This is not said lightly, because he always talks like this.
Mingzhu turned a deaf ear and sat next to Zhao Shi, thinking that she was deaf and couldn't hear anything. No matter what they said, she didn't feel angry.
Zhao Shi glanced at him coldly: "Drink your wine."
Sheng Wenlin stopped talking, and out of the corner of his eye couldn't help but follow the woman beside him.
Song Huaiqing then asked: "I wonder if Miss Ming plays the pipa?"
Mingzhu said honestly: "I don't."
Song Huaiqing was a cunning and cunning person who held a special grudge. Once prejudice was planted, it was difficult to eradicate it. He asked again: "Where is Qin?"
"Nor ."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Song Huaiqing didn't realize that Wenwen, a weak woman, still had this side. His character doesn't look as weak as it appears.
Zhao Shi suddenly ordered her: "Pour me some wine."
Only then did Mingzhu understand why Zhao Shi took her with him to act as a maid.
She filled the wine glass in front of him.
Zhao Shi took a sip and had no intention of drinking more. There are fireworks by the lake tonight, and the time seems to be coming soon.
Zhao Shi picked up the wine glass in front of him, raised his head and swallowed it down his throat. His face immediately burned, and the color of wine stained his cheeks.
After much thought, Mingzhu stopped him. If he was drunk, would she have to carry him ashore
He was tall and his body was so heavy that she would definitely not be able to carry him.
Mingzhu put her hand on his arm and said, "Drink less."
Her voice seemed to soothe his uneasy mood.
Zhao Shi took her hand and said, "Let's go."
Before he could even ask where Mingzhu was going, he was brought to the deck. People in the cruise ship came out one after another and looked towards the opposite shore.
Sheng Wenlin and Song Huaiqing followed them out, and the maid beside them was left in the cabin.
The wind blowing from the lake in the evening brings a chill. The light from the lantern fell on her face.
Song Huaiqing was standing behind her, and he could see half of her profile. Her eyes were beautiful, and so were her brows, which were delicate and picturesque. The gauze skirt was ethereal in the wind, and her peaceful demeanor gave her a touch of immortality.
Song Huaiqing moved his eyes away, but after a while, he turned his eyes back and silently fell on her profile.
Indeed, beauty is a disaster.
Several cruise ships are very close to each other.
The fireworks on the shore erupted with a low sound in the sky, and the gorgeous light fell on everyone's face.
Mingzhu tried her best to raise her neck and look at the sky, but was also shocked by the extreme beauty of the fireworks and couldn't recover.
It's really beautiful.
A fireworks display soon ended.
A burst of laughter like silver bells came from the cruise ship opposite.
"Miss, the fireworks tonight are so beautiful."
"yes."
Zhao Shi frowned and wanted to hold Mingzhu's hand and take her back, but she had already run to the other side, eagerly waiting for the fireworks.
The cruise ship on the opposite side accidentally bumped into it. The people on the boat were swaying and almost falling.
Zhao Shi raised his eyes and looked towards the opposite side. He was stunned.
The girl was wearing a light pink dress and was sitting on the edge of the boat with a smile on her face. The warm light of the lanterns fell quietly on her face. She stretched out half of her body and reached out her hand to reach the water in the lake. She smiled and said to the maid behind her: "This water is so cool."
Zhao Shi seemed to see Mingzhu laughing at him. He had never seen her smile so lively, unguarded, and unafraid of him.
"Sir, I'm so sorry. My servant didn't sail the boat, so I accidentally bumped into you."
Zhao Shi came back to his senses and thought in a trance that she was similar to Mingzhu.
Not in looks, but in demeanor.
He kept in mind the pearl that always liked to show a bright smile under the sun.