"Three of a kind with a single card!"
"Hurry up~ I've been waiting for ages~"
"It's really a pleasure to play with you."
Sure enough, the joy of the game can make people forget about food and sleep and dissolve the barriers between them.
A princess, a concubine, and a guard were sitting together, playing cards merrily with strips of paper stuck all over their faces. They listened to Su Qingwen telling all sorts of strange stories, Hua Xue'er sharing the amazing gossips in the inner palace, and...
Oh, that wooden fellow had no choice but to be a listener. Only when Hua Xue'er and Su Qingwen complained about being hungry would he get up helplessly yet dotingly to make midnight snacks for the two "ancestors".
The warm lamp light, the sweet pastries, and the slippery and glutinous osmanthus wine - filled dumplings. After eating them, all worries vanished. Rubbing their round bellies, they lay on the bamboo mat on the ground. The moonlight was like a dream, the wind blew the curtains, and the crickets chirped. Just like this, they sprawled out and fell asleep.
The next day, it was already late in the morning.
"Ouch, my back. The ground is so hard..."
"My arm, sister - in - law, you're pressing on my arm, ouch~"
"Xiao Qing, why don't you get up? What are you sitting on the ground for?"
"Reporting to the princess, this subordinate's legs are numb..."
Su Qingwen and Hua Xue'er suddenly remembered that they had used the other's thighs as human pillows for the whole night. They both guiltily touched their noses.
"Ah, I forgot. Brother - in - law is going to give me a lesson today. Oh no, I'm definitely going to be scolded by him." Hua Xue'er grabbed her messy hair in distress and shouted.
"Then go quickly. I'll get you a new set of clothes. It's all my fault for getting too carried away with playing yesterday... Wait, why is it brother - in - law who gives you lessons?"
Su Qingwen selectively ignored the fact that she had "kidnapped" the princess to play cards and eagerly went to prepare things.
"Because he was the top scholar in the new imperial examination. My elder brother admired his talent and personally appointed him as the husband of the eldest princess. But my elder sister, Princess Yunhua, has been in low spirits since the general she loved passed away. Later, her mind wasn't right either. My elder brother always wanted her to get out of the shadow. But unexpectedly, although elder sister initially agreed well and seemed happy on the surface, she committed suicide on their wedding night." Hua Xue'er sighed.
"So the top scholar became a widower before he even entered the family!" Su Qingwen exclaimed in sudden understanding.
"What's this 'widower' thing? Well, although it's not wrong to say so!" Hua Xue'er got ready and rushed back in a hurry.
Huh? So eager. I didn't expect Hua Xue'er to be such a studious girl!
In Qionghua Hall. A handsome man in a blue long robe was pruning the potted plants.
From afar, his figure was like a jade mountain about to collapse. As he walked, he was like the bright moon and gentle breeze. Every move of his exuded elegance.
"Brother - in - law~" Hua Xue'er dashed towards him.
Su Qingwen, on the other hand, stared at the top scholar with drool almost flowing down.
Ah, if I had such a good - looking teacher, I would also love studying! Maybe I'd be in Tsinghua or Peking University by now!
Hua Xue'er whispered and pleaded with the top scholar for a long time. Then the top scholar turned to Su Qingwen. "Who is this?"
For the first time, Su Qingwen acted coyly. "My name is Su Qingwen." Her eyes were practically filled with heart - shaped sparks.
Hua Xue'er: ……… Sister - in - law, you've changed.
But she had to cough dryly and introduce, "This is my sister - in - law, the Concubine Xian. Xian as in the idle person!"
Su Qingwen: Xue'er, if you hadn't explained that 'Xian', we could still be good friends.
The top scholar let out a soft laugh, bowed with his hands clasped, and said, "So it's the Concubine Xian. I'm Li Ruhua, an official of the court."
"Li Ruhua. What a nice name! Top scholar, you're so good - looking, just like a person in a painting!" Su Qingwen flattered without hesitation.
Hearing such an open compliment, Li Ruhua's ears turned red. "Your Highness flatters me."
Ah, he even blushes. How cute!
Su Qingwen's lustful heart burned fiercely. She had already thought of a hundred and eight ways to flirt with him in her mind.
She thought that from then on, she would live a happy life. During the day, she would swagger around with her subordinate Ning Yunqing. At night, she would play cards with the underage girl. In her spare time, she would flirt with the handsome widower.
However, the ideal is plump, but the reality is skinny.
As soon as Su Qingwen got back, she ran into Hua Yueye with a gloomy face—looking like a woman in menopause with hormonal imbalance.
She originally wanted to sneak past on tiptoe, but was caught right away.
"Cough, where have you been?" The "big bad wolf" sipped his tea, coughed dryly, and asked.
Su Qingwen gave an embarrassed smile. "I went out to play."
"Where did you play?" I couldn't find you all night.
"The imperial garden!" It's absolutely true!
"With whom?" Suspicious. You must have sneaked out to do something bad.
"Um... the guard and the little princess." Damn it, I'm not guilty, okay.
"You didn't come back all night?" Hua Yueye squinted his eyes.
"This..." It does seem a bit inappropriate to say this.
"Do you have anything to say to me?" Hua Yueye pressed on step by step.
"Nothing." What do I have to say to you!
"Come here." It seems someone is itching for a spanking.
Su Qingwen took a step back and stubbornly straightened her neck. "Why should I tell you? Who are you to me?" You're so nosy, hmph!
Who am I to you?
Hua Yueye got up, stretched out his long arm, and pulled her into his arms.
"I'm your husband, Concubine Xian!"
"Husband my foot!" Su Qingwen said angrily, "You won't let me go out, and no one will play with me. It's so boring here. You don't know anything!"
It does seem... really boring. Hua Yueye touched his nose and had a conscience. "But... you can go out and play, but you're not allowed to not come back! Not allowed to stay out overnight, and not allowed to fool around with other men!" He compromised.
Huh??!
Hua Yueye has changed. Why is he so easy - going today? Oh no. Did I just act too fiercely? Anyway, he's at least a good - looking man. We should be more lenient towards beautiful people! Well, I'll forgive him then.
So Su Qingwen nodded.
Hua Yueye rested his chin on Su Qingwen's head and rubbed it gently. He closed his eyes comfortably, and all his previous harshness disappeared.
Damn it? Why is he suddenly so obedient? When things go against the norm, there must be something fishy! There must be a trick!
Su Qingwen looked up at him warily. As she looked up, she almost knocked Hua Yueye's chin off.
Hua Yueye covered his chin, his face as gloomy as water. Suddenly, he picked Su Qingwen up on his shoulder.
Su Qingwen:??!
"Put me down!"
"I've changed my mind. From now on, we'll have a point system. For each obedient meal, you get ten points. For each time you call me 'husband', you get two points. Once you reach twenty points, you can go out and play."
I, I, I, I'll curse your ancestors! "Hua Yueye, I'll kill you!" Su Qingwen howled shrilly.
"Swearing at me, minus two points." Hua Yueye said calmly.
"I haven't even got any points yet, okay?!" Su Qingwen widened her eyes. Where can I deduct points from if I haven't got any?
"So you already owe me two points. Start repaying your debt."
"Ah—"