"This heavy rain is really wonderful..."
Song Jinyu sat in the pavilion, quietly listening to the sound of raindrops hitting the lotus leaves.
"What's so wonderful? Now we can't go out!" Originally, he had planned to take Song Jinyu fishing on the lake today.
But this rain had spoiled their elegant mood. Song Jinyu laughed and said, "Just wait a bit."
After the rain stopped, she pulled Zhongli Mingye along and searched carefully all the way. Finally, they saw a huge, dead locust tree.
"Look!"
Following the direction of her hand, Zhongli Mingye saw a great many densely packed "things" growing on the trunk. "Those are wood ear mushrooms!"
Song Jinyu mocked him. "You claim to be well - read, but you don't even recognize wood ear mushrooms." Unable to bear it any longer, he gently pinched her ear and leaned closer. "Do you know the crime of ridiculing a current - day prince?"
"Do you really recognize them?"
Her bright eyes were filled with a smile as she looked at him.
"..."
"Alright, alright. You're the most amazing! Go and pick them. I'll make something delicious for you!" Zhongli Mingye leaped up into the air. Before long, he had picked a great deal.
He had practiced light - body skills for decades, and now he was using them to pick wood ear mushrooms for Song Jinyu.
"Can you cook?"
Zhongli Mingye watched as she skillfully washed and sliced the wood ear mushrooms, and also prepared some peanuts.
She drove the kitchen staff to one side.
"You'll soon know that wood ear mushrooms are a great ingredient."
She deep - fried the peanuts and then let them cool. She made some black vinegar sauce and mixed the wood ear mushrooms and peanuts together.
She found a blue - and - white porcelain plate.
She served it to Zhongli Mingye, her shiny eyes making him as eager to taste as the plate of wood ear mushrooms looked appetizing. "Have a try!"
The two of them sat in the room, eating the "cold - dressed wood ear mushrooms" and drinking a jar of peach blossom wine. When they were slightly tipsy, Zhongli Mingye suddenly asked, "Are you happy now?"
Song Jinyu was a bit drunk and laughed. "Happy!" These past few days had truly been happy. They were the most relaxing days since the deaths of her master and Yan Fei.
She propped up her little head and looked at Zhongli Mingye seriously. No matter how complicated the world was, this man by her side would always create the simplest and most precious happiness for her.
"Tomorrow, I'll take you hunting for hares, okay?"
"Okay..."
Zhongli Mingye watched as she dozed off. Then he carried her away. Before going to sleep, she was still thinking about the hare - hunting, which made him smile.
This was the kind of happiness that Song Jinyu should have.
"Now that the crown prince has been placed under house arrest, why don't you press on with your advantage?" Ji Qinglin's words were very tempting. But having been involved in the court for many years, Zhongli Shuoyi wasn't that stupid.
"To this day, Father has not officially deposed the crown prince. If I act rashly, it will arouse his suspicion." Moreover, he recalled how he had almost been in a dead - end situation last year. He was still scared and no longer acted as recklessly as before.
He had also heard the voices in the court. Unfortunately, the emperor still held a glimmer of hope for the crown prince. So he had only placed the crown prince under house arrest without issuing further orders.
When Rong Shuang'er saw Ming Ruyi, she couldn't help getting angry. Every time they met, Ming Ruyi would always mock her.
"So what if I can't get married? What does it matter to you, my lord?"
Ming Ruyi waved his fan. "Tsk, tsk... You're so fierce. Who would dare to marry you?"
Rong Shuang'er was riding back from the suburbs when she happened to meet Ming Ruyi. "My lord, you really have a leisurely mood. Earlier, I offended you greatly. I'm here to apologize." After much thought, she realized that the only thing she had done to offend the Prince of Zhongzhou was using his name.
Now that the situation was stronger than her, it was better to yield first.
Ming Ruyi caught a full view of the woman's sly look in her eyes, and it made him think of the first time he had met Song Jinyu. She had also been as sly as a fox.
Now the two of them were spending the summer in the manor. He imagined them being in love. He suddenly felt a bit jealous. When he looked at Rong Shuang'er again, his expression was rather complicated.
Just as they were at a standstill, suddenly a horse galloped over madly. Rong Shuang'er couldn't avoid it in time. Her horse neighed loudly and threw her off.
Holding tightly to the reins, Rong Shuang'er was dragged forward by the frightened horse.
Seeing the danger, Ming Ruyi immediately used his light - body skills.
He leaped onto the back of the out - of - control horse and grabbed Rong Shuang'er with one hand. Still in shock, she clung tightly to Ming Ruyi's clothes and trembled slightly.
"I thought you were really not afraid of anything." The teasing in his words gradually calmed Song Shuang'er down.
Looking into her terrified eyes, he felt a bit pity. "Don't be afraid! Hold on tight. I'll take you off the horse!" After saying this, he hugged Rong Shuang'er and jumped off the horse.
"Th... Thank you, my lord, for saving my life!"
"I've saved you more than once..." Ming Ruyi thought as he teased Rong Shuang'er. He noticed that her skirt had been torn.
He just smiled and whispered in her ear, "Miss Rong, your skirt is torn! Ha..."
Originally, Rong Shuang'er had been grateful to Ming Ruyi for saving her. But when he said this, her face turned red and then white. She was so angry that she couldn't say a word for a long time.
She only heard the man waving his folding fan. In a rather effeminate voice, he said, "Send Miss Rong back home!"
"My lord, you..."
"I'll walk to handle my business!"
His phoenix - like eyes were filled with a smile as he left like a gentle spring breeze. Rong Shuang'er was left standing there in a daze, with a strange warmth on her face.
He...
Cheng Song was sent by Zhongli Mingye to the Qingyuan Army. On Heyi's birthday, she received a gift from him. It was a short sword he had polished with his own hands.
She was in the palace, examining this little sword. Although the workmanship was clumsy, it showed his sincere heart. That man was never good at words, but his feelings for her were not shallow.
Song Jinyu said, "He's willing to give up the martial world for you and start as a small soldier. It's enough to show his feelings."
"Princess!"
Before the maid entered, she quickly put away the short sword and carefully placed it beside her pillow.
"What is it?"
"The third young lady of the Ling Prime Minister's mansion tried to commit suicide!"
"What..." Princess Heyi was a bit incredulous. "What was the reason?"
The maid said embarrassedly, "It's rumored outside that the third young lady of the Ling family has fallen in love with the Prince of Yu. But the Princess of Yu is jealous and won't allow the third young lady of the Ling family to enter the prince's mansion."
Heyi was furious. "It's really infuriating. Such thick - skinned people are rare!"
"Is she dead?"
The maid whispered, "Thankfully, she was found in time and was saved."
"I knew that good people don't live long, while scoundrels live for ages!" Heyi angrily went to find Consort Jia.
Her fourth brother and fourth sister - in - law were spending the summer in the suburbs. They were deeply in love.
She didn't want such rumors to spoil their good mood. Coincidentally, Consort Shu was also there. When she heard Heyi mention this, she smiled faintly. "Don't be in a hurry... Ye'er isn't a muddle - headed person..."
Consort Jia exchanged a look with her. "The third young lady of the Ling family really takes after her mother."
"The royal family didn't bother with the previous rumors out of respect for Prime Minister Ling. Now... she's taking advantage of it."
"I'm afraid... we should make plans for this early!"
Before long, Consort Jia, who was temporarily in charge of the six palaces in place of the queen, mentioned this matter separately at a palace gathering and scolded Lady Ling.
She warned the Ling Prime Minister's mansion to discipline their daughter well. If they dared to slander the Prince and Princess of Yu again, the third young lady of the Ling family would have to spend the rest of her life with the Buddha.
Lady Ling was scolded so badly that her old face turned red with shame. She only hated her daughter for being so useless.