The next day, the weather was fine, with a gentle breeze and bright sunshine. After breakfast, Song Huai planned to take Xie Nanjia and Zhao Jingyu shopping.
Just as they had packed up and were getting ready to go out, Song Meiwei and Song Meiying brought Lu Yingying over. The three of them were dressed up more gorgeously than each other, and they said they wanted to go shopping with them.
"Mother said that it would be boring and impolite for a girl like Miss Xiu'er to go shopping with you two grown men, so she asked us to go with her," said Song Meiwei.
Song Huai looked at her suspiciously: "Why didn't mother let anyone inform me about this?"
"Hmm..." Song Meiwei was stunned by the question.
In fact, they found out the information themselves after seeing Song Huai's servant preparing the carriage. At that time, Princess Nanzhao was handling affairs and did not allow anyone to disturb her. They were worried that they would not have enough time, so they did not get Princess Nanzhao's consent at all.
Song Huai smiled good-naturedly: "Since mother doesn't know, you'd better not go. If something happens, I can't bear the consequences."
"Third cousin, you're overthinking it. We are so familiar with Nanzhao City that it's like our own home. What could go wrong? Besides, my uncle specifically told us yesterday to be good hosts. My aunt won't blame us even if she finds out. Don't worry!" Lu Yingying took over the conversation, but the corner of her eyes was fixed on Zhao Jingyu.
Zhao Jingyu was wearing a moon-white dress today, with black hair, fair skin, and a tall and graceful figure. She was even more radiant than when she first saw her yesterday. She was already feeling amorous just by looking at her.
Xie Nanjia stood beside Zhao Jingyu and keenly noticed the girl's strangeness. She understood what was going on and quietly poked Zhao Jingyu in the back with a finger, her eyes full of teasing smiles: "Your luck with love is here."
Zhao Jingyu seemed to have foresight. He grabbed her fingers and held them tightly in his palm, but his face remained calm, looking like a gentleman.
Lu Yingying was also a guest, so Song Huai didn't want to offend her. He turned his head and asked Xie Nanjia, "Do you like more people or fewer people?"
Xie Nanjia smiled indifferently: "It's more fun when there are more people. The sisters are so enthusiastic, so let's join in!"
Lu Yingying immediately stepped forward and took her hand: "I like Xiu'er's personality."
Song Meiwei and Song Meiying also came over and apologized to Xie Nanjia for their rude remarks yesterday.
Xie Nanjia naturally forgave them generously.
Everyone walked out together. Song Meiwei and Song Meiying put aside their past grudges, each holding one side of Xie Nanjia's arm, talking and laughing, like old friends who had not seen each other for many years.
Lu Yingying gradually fell behind and walked side by side with Zhao Jingyu and Song Huai.
"Mr. Zhao, how do you feel about coming to Nanzhao for the first time?" She tried to communicate with Zhao Jingyu, looking at him with a pair of seductive eyes.
Zhao Jingyu raised his eyebrows in an ambiguous manner: "I just arrived, so I don't have any special feelings. I just think the girls in Nanzhao are so beautiful."
Lu Yingying was overjoyed and smiled, "Second Master, you are too kind. In my opinion, Xiu'er is much prettier than our Miss Nanzhao."
"You're right." Zhao Jingyu nodded in agreement, not intending to be modest at all, "Miss Lu has good taste!"
Lu Yingying: “…”
What? She was just being polite. She didn't really think Xiu'er was the prettiest. But this person was being impolite.
"Miss Lu, do you also think that Xiu'er and I are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman?" Zhao Jingyu added seriously.
"..." Lu Yingying nodded angrily, "Ah, yes..."
Song Huai couldn't help but chuckled softly beside him.
He has seen many shameless people, but this is the first time he has seen someone as shameless as Zhao Jingyu.
Lu Yingying had prepared a lot of words, but Zhao Jingyu interrupted her like this and she couldn't remember anything. She didn't say another word until she left the palace.
In order to create an opportunity for her, the Song Meiwei sisters flattered Xie Nanjia against their will all the way. When they arrived at the door and were about to get in the car, King Nanzhao arrived.
The King of Nanzhao brought a team of guards and said that he had been away from Nanzhao for many days and now wanted to inspect various places. He invited Zhao Jingyu to go with him.
Zhao Jingyu couldn't refuse, so he went with him.
Song Huai was left alone with the four girls staring at each other.
Lu Yingying had come here for Zhao Jingyu. After Zhao Jingyu left, she lost interest in accompanying Xie Nanjia shopping. She immediately changed her tone and said, "I think it's inappropriate to go out without my aunt's consent. How about you go first? I'll go back and tell my aunt and then come find you."
"Then let's go back and tell them!" Song Meiwei and Song Meiying said in unison.
Without waiting for Song Huai and Xie Nanjia to speak, the three of them ran away hand in hand.
"..." Song Huai spread his hands and smiled bitterly at Xie Nanjia, "What should we do? It's just the two of us left."
"It's more comfortable when there are fewer people. Let's go!" Xie Nanjia smiled indifferently and got on the carriage first.
Without the Song sisters chattering around, my ears were much quieter.
As a girl herself, she prefers quiet and gentle beauties like Zhao Lanzhi, who are pleasing to the eye, well-educated and polite, and most importantly, not noisy.
It can be seen that making friends is all about aura. If the aura is right, everything is right. If the aura is not right, even one more word will be considered noisy.
The most prosperous street in Nanzhao City is called Yong'an Street, which is located in the center of Nanzhao City. The street paved with bluestone slabs is wide and flat, with many shops selling a wide variety of goods. Young men and women come and go, presenting a scene of prosperity and prosperity.
Song Huai was a careful and patient host. He took Xie Nanjia to visit many shops with unique local characteristics and bought a lot of various small items.
With an entourage following them, the two men didn't have to carry anything themselves. They bought marshmallows on the roadside and ate them while walking.
Tired from walking, Song Huai invited Xie Nanjia to have tea and listen to music in the largest teahouse in the area.
The Nanzhao dialect is very complicated and Xie Nanjia could hardly understand it, so she just listened for fun. However, the girl singing the song was pretty. She thought that if Zhao Jingyu were there, he would definitely stare at her.
I don’t know what that guy is doing now
When he is around, I think he is noisy, but when he is not around, I feel the place is cold and lonely.
Halfway through, Xie Nanjia went to the locker room. When he came out, he saw a few furtive men gathered together discussing something at the corner of the teahouse.
The other person spoke in Nanzhao dialect, in a low and fast voice. She couldn't understand him, and was afraid that he would find out and think she was eavesdropping, so she walked past him without looking at him, pretending not to notice.
Just as I was about to turn the corner, I suddenly heard a sound similar to a knife being drawn from its sheath.
Xie Nanjia's heart sank, and he had a feeling that something was not right. He quickened his pace back to the tea table, and without saying a word, he pulled Song Huai away.
Song Huai didn't understand what was going on and asked in confusion: "What's wrong? I haven't finished my tea yet!"
"Next time!" Xie Nanjia said, "This teahouse is not safe. We have to leave quickly."
Song Huai was stunned and subconsciously turned his head to look around.
"Stop looking and go!" Xie Nanjia whispered.
Song Huai said nothing more and left in a hurry with her.
The guards who followed him also became alert, holding their swords tightly as they protected him as he walked downstairs.
"Sir, the tea bill has not yet been paid." A waiter came forward and blocked their way, nodding and bowing.
Before Song Huai could react, the waiter suddenly pulled out a dagger from his arms with a smile and stabbed him hard in the heart.
"Be careful!" Xie Nanjia exclaimed, kicking the waiter in the wrist and pushing Song Huai back at the same time.
The dagger fell to the ground, and Song Huai's guard drew his knife and slashed at the waiter.
When the guests in the teahouse saw that someone was going to die, they screamed and ran away in all directions.
The killers hiding among the tea drinkers took the opportunity to rush forward.
The guards fought with the assassins, and Song Huai pulled Xie Nanjia back downstairs.
Unexpectedly, there was a killer waiting downstairs. As soon as the two men went down the stairs, two sharp swords flashed with cold light and slashed towards them at the same time.
There was no way to advance or retreat, and in desperation, Song Huai hugged Xie Nanjia and turned around, and both swords chopped his back.
Fortunately, the guards outside arrived at this time and rescued the two from danger. Some guards dragged the killer, while the others protected the two people out of the teahouse and quickly left in the carriage.
Song Huai’s face was pale, his white clothes were stained with blood, and the two wounds on his back were shocking.
"Are you okay?" he asked Xie Nanjia, his voice trembling with pain.
"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Xie Nanjia took off her coat and covered his wound with it, then let him lie on her legs to slow down the bleeding.
The guards driving the carriage drove it so fast that they completely ignored the pedestrians and stalls on the road.
Song Huai could hardly open his eyes, but he still remembered to instruct the guards to inform the frightened and injured people to go to the palace to collect compensation.
Before this, in Xie Nanjia's eyes, he was just a gentle young man, not as outstanding as Zhao Jingyu, and there was nothing particularly impressive about him. After this scene, Xie Nanjia couldn't help but look at him with admiration.
This young man, who is dressed in gold and cloth and fed with delicious food, is so badly injured, but he still cares about the interests of ordinary people. He is truly a gentleman with the world in mind.
The carriage rushed all the way back to the Nanzhao Palace, alarming everyone in the palace.
Song Huai was unconscious due to excessive blood loss, but he held Xie Nanjia's hand tightly.
Xie Nanjia had no choice but to accompany him to the infirmary to receive treatment from the royal doctor.
The King of Nanzhao and his two princes were not at home, leaving only a group of women at home. The Princess of Nanzhao sent someone to invite the King of Nanzhao back home immediately, but Madam Ning fainted outside the door from crying.
The three girls rushed over after hearing the news and were glad that they did not follow them, otherwise they might have been the ones in trouble.
The palace's imperial physician was quite skilled. He fed Song Huai a life-extending elixir and sprinkled a special-effect golden medicine on his wound, which quickly stopped the bleeding. He then instructed his apprentice to take off Song Huai's clothes, clean the wound, apply anesthetic, and suture it.
The young apprentice had probably just arrived and it was the first time he saw such a serious injury. He was so scared that his hands were shaking.
Xie Nanjia looked anxious, so she cut Song Huai's clothes herself and helped him clean his back.
When Prince Nanzhao heard the news that Song Huai was injured, he hurried back to the palace with Zhao Jingyu. Seeing that everyone was waiting outside the hospital, he asked about Song Huai's condition, but no one could answer, so he had to go in and check in person.
Zhao Jingyu didn't find Xie Nanjia in the crowd, and thought that she might be inside as well, so he followed King Nanzhao into the medical room.
After entering, he saw Xie Nanjia, who was covered in blood, helping Song Huai clean his wounds.
"..." Zhao Jingyu paused, took a deep breath, strode to the bed, and took the handkerchief from Xie Nanjia, "You take a rest, I'll do it."
(End of this chapter)