It was late at night, but on the lake there were still beautiful songs, bright lights, and pleasure boats rowing slowly back and forth. Sima Hong leaned on Baihao's body and enjoyed the cool breeze for a while before he felt his strength returning to him. He rinsed his mouth with a water bag and looked at the dancer who was standing timidly beside him.
"What's your name?" Sima Hong's voice was low and casual as he had just finished vomiting and was exhausted.
The dancer quickly said, "My name is Mingyu."
Baihao widened his eyes and looked at her as if he had seen a ghost.
Sima Hong smiled and waved his hand, "This is not your original name, right?" Most wealthy families who buy girls to be dancers have to change their names. I don't know if this dancer's name was changed to this on purpose or if it was just an unintentional coincidence.
There was a look of surprise in the dancer's beautiful eyes, "How did the Marquis know that?" Sima Hong's attitude was very gentle. The dancer was only thirteen or fourteen years old. She was frightened by the Second Prince's outburst on the boat earlier. Now seeing the gentle and amiable Sima Hong, her mood slowly calmed down. The consequence of being frightened was that she regarded Sima Hong as someone she could rely on wholeheartedly, and she told Sima Hong everything.
"The mother who taught me to dance today changed my name and said that I will be called Mingyu from now on..." The dancer smiled shyly again and whispered, "She also told me to serve the Marquis well tonight."
Sima Hong smiled knowingly. He guessed that the name Mingyu was probably changed specifically for him. For him, the second prince had done enough homework.
The lights in the pleasure boats on the lake were reflected, and the lake was sparkling. In the second half of the night, the moon rose and shone on Sima Hong's face. The sequelae of seasickness made him a little dizzy and weak. The bright moonlight added a touch of softness to his originally strong face. The dancer stared at Sima Hong, a little crazy. She was lucky enough to follow such a man.
"What's your original name?" Sima Hong asked. "What is it?"
The dancer lowered her head shyly. She wondered why the Marquis asked her her former name. Did he like her a little
"Mianier." She said timidly, feeling a little inferior. This name was given to her by her parents before she was sold. Farmers were looking forward to harvesting more wheat. They were not well-educated, so the names they gave her were rustic and ugly. If she pronounced it in her hometown dialect, it would be even uglier, not as good as the new name her mother gave her today. Would the Marquis dislike her rustic and ugly name
Sima Hong smiled and said slowly: "Mianier sounds better."
Mai Nier's heart was beating like a deer, her face was red, and she stammered, "My Lord, I will call you whatever name you like."
"Let's get in the carriage." Sima Hong regained his spirits, took a long step, and got on the carriage. Then he extended his hand to Mai Nier and pulled her into the carriage.
Sitting in the dark carriage, Minnie couldn't contain her excitement. The Marquis had just held her hand. His hand was so strong and warm. Was he planning to take her back to the Anxi Marquis' Mansion
After getting on the carriage, Sima Hong leaned against it and closed his eyes to rest. Mai Nier felt that the carriage had been going for a long time, making detours all the time. When the carriage stopped, he did not get off the carriage, nor did Bai Hao, the driver in front, speak. Mai Nier did not dare to say anything, and waited quietly in the dark, only hearing the steady breathing of the Marquis opposite.
After a while, the sound of horse hooves and wheels came from outside the carriage. Sima Hong opened the curtain and looked at the carriage behind.
Minnie also took the opportunity to see the surrounding scene clearly. Next to her was the gate of a house. Two big red lanterns illuminated the doorway. There were words written on the lanterns. Minnie could not read and could not understand what was written on the lanterns. Generally speaking, the lanterns of wealthy families would have the family name written on them. But she found it strange. If it was a lantern of a marquis's mansion, shouldn't it have the two words "Sima" written on it? Why was there only one word on the lantern
There was another carriage parked behind Sima Hong's carriage. When the driver saw Sima Hong, he quickly jumped down, saluted, and trotted back to the carriage, saying to the carriage, "Master, Lord Anxi is at the door!"
The carriage curtain was opened with a swish, and Miao Shu, who was disheveled, jumped down from the carriage with the help of a servant. His steps were a little unsteady. He saw Sima Hong and smiled, "It's the middle of the night. Why are you running to my doorstep instead of sleeping with your beauty? Are you guarding the door like a door god?"
Sima Hong ignored his cousin's teasing and just smiled and said, "Let's talk after we get in."
Everyone in the Miao Mansion had gone to bed. Everyone knew what kind of person the eldest young master was, and no one was surprised that he came back so late. Sima Hong followed Miao Shu into the Miao Mansion without disturbing Old Master Miao and his uncle, and quietly took Minnie to Miao Shu's study.
"What are you doing?" Miao Shu looked at Sima Hong, "Don't mess around in my study! I'll ask the servants to clean up a room for you."
Sima Hong was so impressed by his cousin's imagination that he stopped him and said, "It's not convenient for me to take this girl back with me. I'll leave it to you."
Mai Nier, who was still shy, was startled. She looked at Sima Hong in disbelief, then knelt down with a plop and said with tears in her eyes, "My Lord, do you dislike me? My Lord, I have been learning to dance with my mother. I have never received any guests. I am clean!"
Sima Hong shook his head helplessly. He didn't look down on Mai Ni Er because of this. Sima Hong squatted down and said kindly: "I will be going back to the northwest soon. The swords and guns are blind on the battlefield. You don't know when your life will be lost. If you follow me, you will have to endure a hard life in the future. You will be worried all the time. If something happens to me, you will have no hope in this life." Although Miao Shu was a playboy, he still had pity on women. Mai Ni Er was not bad looking. At least she would have no worries about food and clothing if she followed him.
After waiting for nearly an hour, Sima Hong finally came out of Miao Shu's yard. It was already light in the sky. Miao Shu looked back in the direction of the study room. He seemed to still hear the woman crying. He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. This cousin is really getting more and more stupid. He doesn't understand romance. Such a beautiful girl, thirteen or fourteen years old, with delicate skin, soft body, and obedient and honest, is perfect for warming the bed.
"Take her back." Miao Shu whispered. He had no shortage of women, and his cousin also had to leave a descendant as soon as possible.
Sima Hong shook his head and said with a smile: "My mother... You know that she hates women with improper backgrounds the most. If I take her back, won't she beat me with a broom?"
Why are you pretending? Miao Shu was disdainful. Even if Sima Hong brought back a beautiful woman, or even a fat and ugly sow, as long as it gave Sima Hong a son, his aunt would jump for joy and applaud.
"I heard from my aunt last time that you are still thinking about that woman from the Xu family?" Miao Shu approached Sima Hong and asked in a low voice with a serious face. He didn't hear Sima Hong's answer, so he thought he had acquiesced. He sighed and muttered in a strange tone: "I can't believe that your Sima family is full of romantic people!"
Fortunately, when he was a child, he thought that Sima Hong was the only one in the Sima family who had a clear mind. Not to mention the old marquis Sima Chang, his uncle, as a marquis, only had an aunt besides a concubine who was promoted to the main room. Sima Xi was even more chaste. When his wife was not around, he didn't even have a concubine. Now look at his cousin, he is developing more and more in this direction.
Sima Hong smiled and thought, it’s a pity that the little girl doesn’t know that he is a romantic man.
After seeing Sima Hong off, Miao Shu returned to the study. Mainier was still kneeling on the ground, shedding tears sadly, her face full of sadness of being "abandoned".
Miao Shu hadn't slept all night, and he yawned constantly while watching her cry for a while. He became a little impatient and asked, "What's your name? Mingyu, right? Mingyu..." Miao Shu muttered to himself, stroking his smooth chin and thinking, "It sounds familiar, I seem to have heard it somewhere..."
Mai Nier raised her head, timidly glanced at Miao Shu, wiped her tears, and said with sobs: "My Lord asked me what my name was before, and I said Mai Nier. My Lord said Mai Nier sounds better, so I should call myself Mai Nier from now on."
Oh my god! Miao Shu was simply in awe of his cousin's aesthetic taste. He actually thought such a down-to-earth name was nice? However, in a flash, he remembered who was also called Mingyu.
"Alright, alright." Miao Shu laughed. "Since you're following me from now on, don't call me Mai Ni'er anymore. Just call me... just call me Chu Chu." He couldn't let the woman around him have this name. It would damage his image as a graceful and elegant gentleman.
Mai Nier knew in her heart that judging from the current situation, it was a foregone conclusion that she would be with this Young Master Miao. Lord Sima had made up his mind not to want her anymore. Young Master Miao was kind and gentle, and although he was not as handsome as Lord Sima, he was still a handsome man. Following him was a stroke of luck, so she would not suffer any loss. She kowtowed to Miao Shu and said respectfully, "Chu Chu kowtows to the master."
Miao Shu smiled and leaned back on the chair. That guy didn't think that Mai Nier sounded nice. He clearly didn't want the woman in front of him to have the same name as his wife. Not only did he not dare to bring the woman home, but he also put the blame on his own mother. How... hypocritical!
After coming out of the Miao Mansion, Bai Hao couldn't help but say, "Master, that girl is quite pretty." The implication was that it would be a pity not to keep her for himself, as he had no women around him anyway. Young Master Miao's women were enough to form a small army, so he didn't need this one.
"Does it look good?" Sima Hong was a little surprised. Why did he feel that she was not even half as pretty as Mingyu
Baihao couldn't help curling his lips. The master only had the second wife in his eyes. How useless! "She is pretty. You are also in need of a woman to serve you personally."
Sima Hong thought of the woman on the pleasure boat who took the initiative to reach out and touch his legs. The obsession on her face and the eagerness in her eyes made him look dark. Who was "whoring" whom