Shen Xihe raised the corners of his lips and lowered his eyes: "Go back, Princess, I am tired and don't want to move."
As if she had expected Shen Xihe to refuse, the maid said, "The princess ordered me to tell the princess that this is about the prince."
The prince she was referring to was naturally Shen Yun'an.
"What's wrong, brother?" Shen Xihe asked with a frown.
"I don't know." The little maid lowered her head and looked frightened.
"Biyu, go look for your brother." Shen Xihe gave her a cold look and ordered.
"Yes." Biyu immediately bowed and quickly retreated, disappearing in the swaying crowd in the blink of an eye.
The palace maid sent by Princess Changling clasped her thumbs together in front of her chest, lowered her head and waited obediently.
Biyu came back about a quarter of an hour later, her face somewhat solemn: "Princess, I haven't found the prince yet. I asked people along the way, but they also said they haven't seen the prince yet."
After hearing this, Shen Xihe stared at the palace maid with a serious look. At first, the palace maid tried to remain calm, but gradually she felt the cold wind and her feet became cold.
Only when the palace maid turned pale and hunched her back involuntarily did Shen Xihe withdraw his gaze and said, "Let's go."
Furong Garden is divided into two parts by Qujiang Pond. Today's birthday banquet is held at the Water Palace. There are also many performances along the shore. The palace maids took them to the Linshui Pavilion. The people became fewer and fewer as they walked. Finally, they came to a deserted corner where a small boat was parked.
"Princess, please get on board. The princess is waiting for you at Ziyun Tower." The palace maid stood by the river and made way.
Shen Xihe chuckled barely audibly. Biyu went up first and put her hand on Shen Xihe. The maid followed. When Hongyu was about to come up, the small covered boat was obviously unable to accommodate more people. The maid said, "Princess, the boat is too small to accommodate more people."
"Did you make this boat on purpose?" Biyu frowned in dissatisfaction.
"I don't know." The maid lowered her head and replied.
"Hongyu, you stay." Shen Xihe ordered.
The Qujiang Lake was brightly lit, with many ships coming and going. Even Emperor Youning was accompanying the Queen Mother on the river. Shen Xihe didn't believe that they would dare to fight in the river. Even if they really did fight in the river, it would only be self-humiliation.
Therefore, Shen Xihe sat calmly throughout the boat trip. The boat circled the deserted edge and reached the other side. Behind the wooden platform on the shore was a forest with dense branches. Except for a lighted lantern hanging on the top of a tree at a distance, swaying in the wind, almost nothing else could be seen.
Shen Xihe took Biyu and followed the palace maid ashore. The ferryman rowed the boat away. Before entering the woods, Shen Xihe smelled the faint scent of datura flowers. It seemed like there was cold fog in the night, but in fact it was mixed with wisps of incense.
The scent of the datura flower was not strong, but it was mixed with several kinds of hallucinogenic spices that made people dizzy. The whole garden was filled with incense, and the difference in the spices was extremely difficult to detect. Shen Xihe coughed lightly twice while holding a handkerchief.
"Princess, the wind is very cold, be careful not to catch a cold." Biyu stepped forward to block the palace maid, tied a cloak for Shen Xihe, and handed two tiny cotton plugs to Shen Xihe. Shen Xihe covered her nostrils with a handkerchief and stuffed them into her nostrils. The cotton plugs, the size of rice grains, were often soaked in aromatic herbs that refreshed the mind.
After it was done, Biyu stepped aside and moved forward with the palace maids. Biyu, who was following behind Shen Xihe, also plugged her nose when the other party couldn't see.
But it was only twenty or thirty steps, and when she reached the end, the palace maid's legs went weak and she fainted.