"The moonlight is so beautiful. I thought Little Goldfish wouldn't want to miss this lovely view," said Ouyang Jinse, holding an umbrella. The frost-like moonlight shone on him, making him look radiant. Snowflakes were drifting in the sky, and the tenderness in his eyes was so intoxicating.
Although his tone was gentle, Song Jinyu could sense there was more to his words. Now that Ouyang Jinse held great power, he was surely very proud of himself.
"I couldn't sleep well in the new bed at night, so I came out to enjoy the moon and snow," Song Jinyu replied. Knowing she couldn't hide from him, she had to come up with an excuse.
Ouyang Jinse thought she was still unhappy about the previous assassination attempt and had come to talk to his mother.
"Now, the Golden Water Palace is entirely under my control," he said, walking closer to Jinyu. He used the umbrella to shield her from the snow and gently brushed the cold snowflakes off her hair.
"You don't have to worry about anything," he added sincerely.
Song Jinyu took a step back, and Yan Fei took out the "Flying Sky Chain" to stand in front of her.
"Jinse, you're drunk," she said, eager to leave. She didn't want to have anything to do with the Golden Water Palace anymore.
Ouyang Jinse grabbed her. "What's wrong with me?" he asked.
"Is our years of affection worth nothing to you?"
"I'm the master of the Golden Water Palace! I can give you the whole palace!"
He was losing his composure. Ever since Jinyu rejected him, his emotions had been gradually getting out of control.
"Our years of affection?" Jinyu stared angrily at Ouyang Jinse's distorted face.
"Do you know how many times I faced death at the bottom of that cliff?"
"The house in Liuzhou was surrounded by black-clothed men. If it weren't for Yan Fei, I would have died long ago!" Song Jinyu fixed her eyes on Ouyang Jinse.
She roared, "You want me to fall for you? On what grounds!"
After shouting these words, Jinyu ran out without looking back. Yan Fei glanced at Ouyang Jinse and said, "No one will fall for the son of a murderer."
Yan Fei's words hit Ouyang Jinse hard.
But in his anger, Ouyang Jinse didn't catch the hidden meaning. He threw the umbrella on the ground fiercely, not caring at all what was happening in the pavilion.
Since the day she returned from the Golden Water Palace after sending the congratulatory gift, Song Jinyu had been in a bad mood. She buried herself in studying hard in her "secret base".
When Senior Brother Wen Sirong came in, she was constantly adding precious herbs to the medicine cauldron.
He watched carefully and couldn't help laughing. Those herbs were all the treasures of their master. Although Jinyu had a talent for refining medicine, this way of using the herbs was really a waste. But their master doted on Jinyu, so the herbs in the back mountain medicine garden were always reserved for her.
He had grown up in Tianmen Mountain since childhood and was in charge of all the affairs in Tianmen Mountain. He had always been the right-hand man of the sect leader, treating others kindly and modestly, and had a very high prestige in Tianmen Mountain.
"Yu'er, your birthday is coming up in a few days," Wen Sirong reminded her. "What do you want?"
"Senior Brother, Yu'er wants a sister-in-law," Song Jinyu joked with Wen Sirong. She always admired her senior brother very much. He was selfless and kind to his junior brothers and sisters.
"Don't talk nonsense!" Wen Sirong watched his little junior sister growing up. She was the apple of their master's eye and the moonlight in the hearts of all the senior brothers.
She was intelligent, beautiful, sensitive, and sensible.
Their master once said that among the thousands of disciples in the mountain, none of them had as much potential as Jinyu.
"So what will Senior Brother give Yu'er?"
Song Jinyu stopped, clapped her hands, and ran to Wen Sirong.
"You'll know when the day comes!" Wen Sirong smiled gently, put down the fruits and snacks he brought, and left.
Song Jinyu's birthday was on the Laba Festival. Every year on this day, everyone would drink Laba porridge, laughing and celebrating Jinyu's birthday.
Their master joked that her birthday was the easiest to remember but also the easiest to forget.
In the prince's mansion, everyone was busy packing up.
The New Year was approaching, and Prince Yu was going back to the capital. Shen Yingyun was very reluctant, but she didn't dare to keep him. She had to pack her things and hoped to go to the capital with Prince Yu Zhongli Mingye.
The steward of the prince's mansion sent someone to invite Shen Yingyun back to the capital, saying it was the prince's order. So, she felt embarrassed to stay any longer. Her dream of going back to the capital with the prince was shattered.
Mi Cui saw Shen Yingyun off at the door and let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, we've sent this big shot away."
Xing Jian saw her like this at the door and laughed at her for being so rude.
"Xing Jian, don't say that," Mi Cui said.
"This Miss Shen is not an easy person. She's been asking me about the prince every day."
Mi Cui said angrily.
"Did you tell her anything?" Xing Jian asked seriously.
"Of course not. We're the prince's people."
"She also asked me about Miss Song. I don't know how she found out." Mi Cui didn't like Shen Yingyun at all. She always felt that Shen Yingyun's innocent appearance covered her deep scheming.
"Have you prepared all the small gifts the prince asked you to prepare?" Xing Jian reminded Mi Cui.
"I've prepared them long ago. I'm going to send them today." Mi Cui was quick and efficient in doing things.
Xing Jian reminded her that Miss Song's birthday was less than ten days away.
Mi Cui looked at Xing Jian askance and laughed at him for being so fussy and not decisive at all!
Xing Jian felt embarrassed. He always cared about Mi Cui and was always worried that she would make mistakes. Mi Cui was carefree and didn't understand Xing Jian's feelings at all. Instead, she made fun of him.
Three days had passed.
The jade statue carved by Zhongli Mingye with his own hands was finally completed. He blew off the dust and examined it carefully. His slender fingers caressed the jade carving as if he were caressing his lover's face.
It already looked a bit like her.
Thinking of the girl's charm and relying on his memory, he carved bit by bit. This jade carving was finally finished before her birthday.
It was almost perfect.
He went to the treasury himself and found a fine green jade bead chain to string together. He told Mi Cui to hand it to Song Jinyu personally.
In the Yuqian Hall, the emperor asked Concubine He to accompany him.
The servants and maids in the hall waited outside, leaving only the young and beautiful Concubine He to grind ink.
"This kind of thing can be done by the servants," the emperor said after reviewing the memorials. He leaned back on the dragon chair to rest.
Concubine He put down the inkstone, washed her hands, and massaged the emperor's shoulders.
"I just like to share the emperor's worries," she said softly. The emperor was very pleased.
"Your Majesty, several princes and kings are going back to the palace for the New Year. Are you so busy so that you can have more time to enjoy family happiness?"
The emperor was in a very good mood at the moment. He had ascended the throne at a young age. The harem was peaceful, and the court was clean. Although the crown prince was a bit stupid, his position was stable. The other sons each had their own advantages. Now that the whole country was at peace and the Daxia Dynasty was powerful, he could be considered a perfect emperor. "I've been missing my sons since they were enfeoffed almost half a year ago. I wonder how they've been living outside?"
Seeing that the emperor was in a good mood, Concubine He dared to continue. "I heard that Prince Yu has been living alone in Liuzhou. The queen sent two concubines to him. I don't know if they can serve him well."
"About Mingye? He's always had his own ideas since childhood and doesn't like me interfering in his marriage," the emperor said casually about Prince Yu.
Taking advantage of the emperor's good mood, Concubine He said, "I have a niece named He Shuyi in my natal family in Liuzhou. She's sixteen years old. Why don't you bestow her to Prince Yu to take care of his daily life?"
Concubine He knew that her natal family's status was not high enough for He Shuyi to become Prince Yu's main wife. But if she could become a concubine, it would still be a great honor for the He family.
"That's a good idea. It's like getting closer through marriage," the emperor said, opening his eyes and picking up another memorial. Concubine He thought the emperor had agreed and was overjoyed.