"Sister-in-law, are you feeling better?"
Song Jinyu noticed that she looked rosy and was in a much better mood.
Xiang Shi leaned closer to her. "I heard that the concubine of Prince Yu has also come. Is it Miss Rong who came to find you yesterday?"
"..."
Not really wanting to talk about Zhongli Mingye, Song Jinyu brought a bowl of tremella soup for Xiang Shi. "Eat more so that the little nephew will grow up plump."
Xiang Shi knew her heartache. "Tell your sister-in-law the truth..."
"If there are some things you're not convenient to say, Father-in-law and your elder brother can help you!"
"Yes..."
Song Jinyu told Xiang Shi all the things in her heart without hesitation. "Sister-in-law, I don't want to marry a man who is half-hearted." Her hands were trembling slightly. "Rather than suffering day after day in the future, it's better to let go earlier." She sighed and stared blankly out of the window, showing neither joy nor sorrow.
Seeing her in a bad mood, Xiang Shi smiled. "So you like him, right?"
"Since that's the case, if you can't say it, let your elder brother talk to the prince and stop the concubine from entering the mansion."
"Anyway, you'll be the future principal consort."
Song Jinyu lowered her eyes and didn't say a word. After a long while, she said, "No..."
She didn't know why she refused Xiang Shi's suggestion. She only knew that there seemed to be something missing in her heart. She had been back home for several days. Except for seeing him once that day, she didn't want to see him anymore.
In Prince Yu's Mansion, Zhongli Mingye had just received the news. The princess of the Gu tribe was going to marry Prince Yong and would pass by Liuzhou City for a short rest.
"Your Highness, where shall we arrange the princess to stay?"
The palace was definitely not suitable. The mansion? "The post station!" Every time someone came to stay in the mansion, it always caused some troubles for no reason. Either it harmed Song Jinyu or made him feel as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a fly.
Although the post station was a bit shabby, it was still possible to renovate it temporarily.
In his mansion, he didn't want to accommodate any other women except Song Jinyu.
Thinking of her, she had been back home for several days and didn't care about him at all. Although he was jealous and angry, this time was really too long.
"What is the eldest miss doing?"
Song Jinyu took Niaoniao and Micui to a pharmacy on the street to look for some good medicinal materials. It was afternoon and the weather was still very hot. When the three of them came out of the pharmacy, seeing that it was still early, they went to the riverside.
Today, she didn't dress up as a man. Many people on the road cast sidelong glances at her from time to time. Micui sighed silently seeing that she didn't care at all. Probably she was really beautiful without knowing it. For the sake of Prince Yu's face, she quietly went to buy a veil hat.
He Shuda had been very depressed these days. His family had been constantly sending gifts and trying to make connections, but he still couldn't take the imperial examination. He got drunk day and night. His wife Song Wangqiu and his concubine were constantly fighting, which made him physically and mentally exhausted.
His father constantly blamed him, and even his younger sister He Shuyi despised him.
Today he came to Mingya Xiaozhu by the river to meet some of his good friends. Seeing that after they got married one after another, some of them had achieved good results with the help of their father-in-law's family, and some had inherited their family business under the care of their family.
Only he was still muddling along at home.
He was wandering aimlessly by the river when suddenly three young girls passed by in front of him. He recognized that one of them was the personal maid of the eldest miss of the Song family. The one wearing the veil hat in the middle must be Song Jinyu. Seeing her, his dull eyes suddenly lit up!
It was her. If he hadn't been blind, she would have been his wife by now, and he wouldn't have ended up in such a mess.
"Miss Song!"
Hearing a greasy voice calling her, Song Jinyu frowned slightly and stopped.
He Shuda was like a drowning man who had grabbed a floating log. "It's so nice to meet you here..."
Micui frowned and stepped forward to block that man. Song Jinyu just nodded slightly and then walked away quickly. She had nothing to say to this man.
However, He Shuda was like a crazy man.
Suddenly he shouted loudly, "Miss Song, at least I had a previous relationship with you."
The three young girls stopped. Niaoniao was so angry that her face changed. And the people coming and going around also all stared at them.
This scene also fell into the eyes of Rong Qing'er's maid who had come to the riverside to buy pearls.
"Mr. He, Sister Wangqiu has only been married to you for a short time. What are you talking nonsense about?"
Song Jinyu was annoyed. She was really unlucky today. She had finally thought of coming to the riverside to relax, but she had met a hooligan.
Seeing that she had stopped, He Shuda excitedly wanted to reach out and grab that delicate girl.
Micui couldn't bear it anymore and kicked him over with one foot.
The people around pointed and laughed at He Shuda. Sure enough, a scholar was good for nothing.
Micui was one of the top masters among the shadow guards in the mansion. With this kick of hers, He Shuda could hardly get up. Lin Ziyu happened to be helping on her elder brother's boat. Seeing this situation, she hurriedly ran over.
When Lin Yijun heard the news about Song Jinyu and rushed over with his people, seeing He Shuda, he also recognized him as an old acquaintance. So he took the initiative to send the man back to the He family. However, to vent his anger for Song Jinyu, Lin Yijun sent someone to tell Mr. He about He Shuda's behavior in an exaggerated way.
Seeing Song Jinyu again, although he knew that Prince Yu treated her differently, Lin Yijun's feelings remained unchanged. Looking at the delicate face that was faintly visible under the veil hat, his heart was throbbing uneasily.
"I heard that you're engaged?" Song Jinyu was very happy to see Lin Ziyu.
Lin Ziyu looked at her shyly. "It's just that we're talking about the marriage."
The two young girls walked away hand in hand. Lin Yijun didn't dare to follow and just watched them leave. Lin Ziyu saw this in her eyes and sighed in her heart. Poor her elder brother's deep love was destined to be in vain.
Rong Qing'er stood at the gate of the mansion for a while. Finally, she got the news from the gatekeeper and was allowed to enter the mansion to pay a visit to Prince Yu.
It was ironic that the only reason she could see Prince Yu in Liuzhou City was because of Song Jinyu. The first time was when she went to the Song Mansion to provoke. This time it was also because she said she had news about Song Jinyu that Zhongli Mingye allowed her to enter the mansion.
"Qing'er pays respects to Your Highness..."
Zhongli Mingye was painting in the pavilion. He didn't even raise his head and was concentrating on the lotus flower on his brush. Rong Qing'er boldly raised her head and her heart was pounding wildly. Unable to hold back her admiration, she sighed. Everyone in the capital said that Prince Yu had a noble and extraordinary appearance. She had only seen him from a distance a few times and couldn't see clearly.
Now that he was right in front of her, this feeling was even more obvious.
After a long time, that person finally raised his head, but he didn't look at her directly. He gradually walked closer to the lotus pond. "What do you want?"
Rong Qing'er was so fascinated that when suddenly asked by him, she was even in a daze. "Your... Highness, Qing'er..."
"It's about the reputation of the princess."
Zhongli Mingye gave her a sidelong glance. "Presumptuous!" The cold and imposing tone made Rong Qing'er kneel on the ground instantly.
"Qing'er doesn't dare to lie. Today my maid saw Miss Song having an entanglement with two men by the river."
Then Rong Qing'er told Zhongli Mingye in an exaggerated way all the news that her maid had told her. While talking, she kept looking at his face. Seeing his face getting colder and colder, she couldn't help feeling more and more proud. Song Jinyu, let's see how you'll get along with the prince in the future.
"Your Highness, Qing'er dares to say that Miss Song originally had a marriage contract with someone else. This is a great crime of deceiving the emperor!"