Towards the end of July, the weather outside seemed to be on fire. The capital was fine, but there was a severe drought in many places in the south. Although the emperor repeatedly reduced taxes and even sent the second prince to send disaster relief money, the situation did not ease.
Now that a small number of refugees have flowed into the capital, it is hard to say what the situation will be like in the future.
Gu Mingmo didn't know what the life of the people outside was like, but the capital city was still the same as before, and the teahouses and restaurants were still bustling with activity.
Now that there are four ice basins in the room, he can't feel the coolness. He breaks out in sweat even if he moves a little. If it weren't for the maid watching, Gu Mingmou would really like to stay soaked in the water.
In such a temperature, she received a post from the Bai family, and Bai Yixin invited her to go on a cruise. Gu Mingmou looked over and over for a long time the post that depicted a lotus flower with a delicate fragrance, but she still couldn't find her second sister's name, and her doubts almost reached the extreme.
Bai Yixin didn't have any friendship with her, so it would make sense if she invited Gu Mingyue along with her. This time, Gu Mingyue was left behind, which was really hard to understand.
She didn't want to go. Firstly, the weather was too hot. Secondly, she and Bai Yixin were too far apart in class. If they reluctantly got together, they would only be asking for trouble like before.
But if she refuses this time, she will probably offend the guests Bai Yixin invited. Those noble ladies will not think about her reasons, but will only feel that they look down on them.
After all, in this era of fighting for fathers, her father's official position is still too low.
Two days later, Gu Mingmou took the maid to Jinghu Pavilion. There were many luxuriously decorated cruise ships on Jinghu Lake. The pavilions and restaurants by the lake were filled with a strong aroma of food, and the cries of vendors on the street were not far away. The faint sound of silk and bamboo drifting from the lake surface gathered together to form a beautiful landscape.
Many people gathered outside Jinghu Pavilion, but no girl from the Bai family was seen. After sitting in the carriage and waiting for a while, Xiuyue, who had gone out to inquire, just came back, and sure enough, she didn't see Bai Yixin show up either.
Is she late again, or...
After waiting for about half a quarter of an hour, but still no one from the Bai family was seen, Gu Mingmou decided not to wait any longer and asked the driver to turn around and go back home.
Who would have thought that as soon as the carriage turned around, it stopped before walking a few steps
After coming down, the coachman whispered outside, "Girl, there is a carriage blocking the way."
Gu Mingmou became more and more uneasy. She stretched out her hand to lift the curtain and looked out of the car window. Two carriages happened to have pinned her carriage. Not only did the carriage look spacious and gorgeous, but there were more than a dozen black armored people standing outside the carriage. guard.
Just by looking at the aura of the guards, one can tell that the people in this car have a lot of background.
"Which family do you belong to? Don't you have eyes? Why are you driving? How dare you block the princess's carriage?"
The person who scolded the coachman had a shrill voice and must be a eunuch. It would make sense to say that he was with the princess, but why did the princess just block her way when she was traveling
There is another carriage. Who is sitting in it
Gu Mingmou didn't have time to think too much and hurriedly got out of the carriage. If she was really a princess, she would definitely get out of the carriage to apologize, although she didn't think she was the one who was wrong.
"The daughter's carriage blocked the princess's way, please forgive her." Gu Mingmou stood respectfully in front of the carriage and curtsied.
It took a while before a somewhat impatient voice came from the carriage, "Okay, don't stand here and get out of the way. Get out of the way."
"Princess, thank you for your magnanimity." Gu Mingmou turned around and gave the coachman a look. The coachman was so frightened when he heard that the person sitting in the carriage in front of him was a princess, that he wished he could drive the carriage away immediately.
But he didn't know whether he was nervous or for some other reason. No matter how hard he drove the horse, he kept stamping his hooves in place, which delayed him for a long time.
The eunuch standing outside the carriage had a sullen face, "Why are you dawdling? Believe it or not, if you don't leave, I will punish you for being disrespectful."
"The father-in-law made amends for his sins. The girl's horse was frightened by the princess' power and was too frightened to leave."
These two words sounded pleasant to the ears. The eunuch's face softened a little, and he pointed at the two guards on the side and said, "You two, help drive that horse away. Get out of the way quickly."
"Yes." With the help of the two guards, the carriage was quickly driven aside.
Gu Mingmou stood by the car, intending to wait for the two carriages to leave before leaving. Unexpectedly, a carriage suddenly stopped beside her. As soon as the curtain opened, the face of Princess Xin'an was revealed, and she felt a sudden change in her heart. A little thump.
"The daughter of the common people meets the princess."
Princess Xin'an looked her up and down and smiled.
With a non-smiling expression, "What a coincidence today, I met Miss Gu here. Miss Gu is also here for the cruise?"
"The folk girl just came here for a stroll and is planning to go back."
"What are you going back for? We happened to meet each other. Why don't you come with us to play? The princess is finding it boring because there are so few people. By the way, Miss Bai is also on the boat. I remember she has a very good relationship with your second sister. Why isn't your sister here today? Come?"
"Thank you, Princess, for the invitation. It's just that I'm a lowly girl, so I won't join in the fun." Gu Mingmou said bravely.
Princess Xin'an's face suddenly sank, and she stared at her with unkind eyes, "What, you don't want to accompany the princess on the cruise?"
"Of course civilian girls are willing."
"Then let's go." Princess Xin'an didn't give her a chance to object at all. She raised her chin towards her and lowered the curtain when she saw her carriage following up.
"That is Gu Mingmou, the eldest daughter of the Gu family?"
In the luxurious carriage, the person who spoke was a woman with a special appearance who was sitting side by side with Princess Xin'an. She was wearing a purple tie with a lotus pattern and a primrose-colored pleated Ruyi skirt. She had a flying fairy on her head. Updo, gold hairpin inlaid with jade, double saucers trembling with trembling wings.
Her eyes and smile seemed to make the small carriage radiate infinite brilliance, and even the maid waiting on the side looked at her in a daze from time to time.
"That's her. I thought she was just an ordinary person before, but I didn't expect that she turned out to be Qi Lang's fiancée. Qi Lang's vision is really not that good." The host of Xin'an County said with disdain.
The woman's moist red lips raised slightly, "Everyone has their own ambitions, but that girl knows the rules."
"You don't know the rules, but you come from a small family and you only have to have sharp teeth and a sharp mouth to get ahead. Sister Ying, are you going back to Beijing this time?"
"Well, my father plans to let me stay in the capital after I get married. After so many years of absence, many places here are different."
"Who are you going to betroth your uncle to, Prince Jin?"
"Probably Prince An Yongbo." Shen Ying said nonchalantly.
"Prince An Yongbo? That's just an uneducated person. What's good about him? Qi Lang was clearly pursuing you, but he turned around and found his fiancée. Why don't you ask Uncle Wang to talk to the emperor? Forget about marrying Qi Lang, he doesn't know you're back yet, right?" Princess Xin'an said expectantly.
(End of chapter)