1. The Rupture of Friendship
When Qiuqiu was eight years old, she suddenly became interested in reading and spent all day with books in her hands. This worried Yan Mingli and the Fourth Prince, who didn't like reading.
This also caused the boat of friendship between Qiuqiu and the Fourth Prince to crack.
The Fourth Prince looked at Qiuqiu in disbelief. "Didn't we agree to go out and play? Why are you reading again?"
Qiuqiu blinked her eyes and only replied, "Don't be in a hurry. How about we read books together?"
Yan Mingli sighed beside them. Since Qiuqiu had been so obsessed with books, only Shen Baozhu in the family could talk to her. He could only communicate with gestures. If he opened his mouth to speak, Qiuqiu would invite him to read.
Alas, who would like reading!
The Fourth Prince had to study in the palace. He couldn't stand reading even after he went out of the palace. He took out the embroidery that had been left aside. "Qiuqiu, how about we do some embroidery?"
Qiuqiu didn't say a word and just buried herself in reading.
The Fourth Prince got angry and thought that Qiuqiu was deliberately targeting him. The reason was simple. Qiuqiu hadn't been so fond of reading before!
Yan Mingli highly agreed. He even thought that he was also being targeted.
Looking at the pouting Fourth Prince and Yan Mingli, Shen Baozhu was very worried. She didn't want everyone to be unhappy, so she invited Shen Heqing, who they hadn't seen for a long time.
After Shen Heqing learned the whole story, he felt a bit guilty. He specially took a leave and led Qiuqiu to study for a whole day, which completely exhausted her.
Qiuqiu hugged Shen Baozhu's arm and cried sadly. "Baozhu, reading is so difficult! I just want to write storybooks. Why is reading so hard? I don't want to read anymore, but I want to write storybooks. Baozhu, wuwuwu..."
"Wait, why do you need to read to write storybooks?" Yan Mingli looked puzzled.
Qiuqiu sobbed softly. "Brother Heqing said that writing storybooks is also writing articles. The more you read, the better you can write."
Dragon King: [Qiuqiu has been deceived by a fool!]
Lin Yu: [So that's how it is. I'll send Qiuqiu some potions to improve her memory and refresh her mind.]
Dragon King: [Lin Yu has also been deceived by a fool.]
Lin Yu: [What do you mean?]
Yan Mingli helplessly rubbed his forehead and tearfully exposed the truth. "Qiuqiu, that was just to deceive you. You don't need any literary skills to write storybooks."
Lin Yu: [Well, Mingli has also grown up. He dares to expose the truth.]
Dragon King: [What's so great about this growth?]
Lin Yu: [Big Brother Baozhu is his role model. Isn't it growth that he can expose his role model?]
Dragon King: [Well, it does count.]
After Qiuqiu gave up reading all day long, the boat of friendship between her and the Fourth Prince was mended again, which also relieved Shen Baozhu.
2. The Wedding of Miao Chun and Mingli
Thanks to Yan Mingli's efforts, he and Chen Miaochun finally got married when Baozhu was nine years old.
Because of Chen Miaochun's special status, the emperor specially approved her to wear a bright red official robe to welcome the bridegroom, while Yan Mingli wore a wedding robe of the same color with a red veil on his head.
The wedding was a grand occasion, and everyone was invited to help.
Years had passed, and Chen Miaochun's old wounds had long since healed. She was dressed in a red official robe, looking extremely charming, but no one dared to underestimate her.
All the officials in the court knew her cruelty. She was the most valued subordinate of the Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
Beside her, Chen Ruxia was wearing a light red long dress with a smiling face, looking like a gentle beauty. However, many people thought to themselves that she was not a beauty at all but a cunning fox who was merciless in tricking others!
The Princess Jingning and Father Yan were in charge of the overall situation. In a corner, the emperor also came with the empress dowager and the queen. They were dressed in ordinary clothes and came to congratulate as friends and relatives of Yan Mingli.
Suddenly, the emperor saw Ning Shanyuan, who had inherited his family business, in the corner. He pulled Ning Shanyuan and chattered. "You have to remember clearly. Chen Miaochun's wedding is different from the usual weddings of men and women. This is a wedding of a woman and a man. It's the first of its kind!"
"Also, you have to write clearly that she is the first female official to enter the court openly. It was I, the emperor, who personally bestowed this honor on her."
The emperor thought happily. Although he didn't know whether future generations would praise or criticize his act of bestowing a female official, he was sure of one thing: he would be famous throughout history.
As for whether it would be a good or a bad name, who cared? Anyway, he would be dead, and he wouldn't be able to care even if he wanted to.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the time for the wedding night.
Inside the room.
Chen Miaochun and Yan Mingli drank the nuptial cup of wine, then sat together, looking at each other in silence.
Yan Mingli spoke first. His eyes were shining brightly, reflecting Chen Miaochun's figure. "Miaochun, we're married!"
"You'll always be good to me, right?"
These unusual words made Chen Miaochun stunned for a moment. She nodded.
The longer she got along with Yan Mingli, the more Chen Miaochun found that what the Princess Jingning said was right. Yan Mingli was an extremely good person. No matter who he was with, he would always be a good person.
It was just that Chen Miaochun was lucky enough to be with him.
After a long silence, Chen Miaochun asked that question again. "Mingli, why do you like me?"
Love came impulsively, and Yan Mingli didn't know why he liked Chen Miaochun. Fortunately, before the wedding, he had talked with Shen Baozhu and Qiuqiu. Shen Baozhu had predicted this question from Chen Miaochun.
Therefore, now Yan Mingli could give Chen Miaochun an accurate answer. "Because there's a stubborn spirit in you! I like people like you, just like wild grass, growing and thriving continuously."
"I like people like this because when I was a child, I sneaked out and was saved by a little girl. That little girl was shorter than me, but she was more powerful than me. She beat all the bad guys who bullied me away and helped me find new clothes."
"Since then, I've liked self - improving people very much. I also admire Shen Heqing very much. He's very amazing!"
"I've seen him traveling with his teacher. He treated everyone equally. At that time, I thought that he was my role model, and I would become a person like him in the future."
Speaking of this, Yan Mingli looked a bit depressed. He was naturally at odds with reading and just couldn't study well.
But soon, he seemed to remember something and quickly explained. "Miaochun, what I mean is that the little girl saved me, and I have a good impression of people like her. Then I also admire Shen Heqing very much. Then you appeared. That's the reason why I fell in love with you at first sight, because you have the characteristics that I admire."
"However, I have to explain clearly to you. I don't like that little girl, and I don't take you as a substitute. I just think self - improvement is great because of that little girl, and then I like people of this kind."
Yan Mingli's words were a bit convoluted, but Chen Miaochun understood them. However, her mood was a bit strange. "Is that little girl named Wang Xiaocao? She disappeared after helping you find new clothes."
"Yes, yes, yes. How do you know? She's really a kind - hearted little girl." Yan Mingli nodded frantically.
Chen Miaochun's guess was confirmed. She looked at Yan Mingli sympathetically. He was really a fool.
She was not a kind - hearted little girl at all. She had sold the gorgeous clothes on Yan Mingli's body. Afraid that Yan Mingli would ask her for money, she had run away out of a guilty conscience.
As for the so - called new clothes, they were just the old clothes she had stolen from the Wang family.
Thinking of the past, Chen Miaochun's eyes became even more tender. Fortunately, there was this fool, Yan Mingli. Relying on that money, her childhood had a bit of glory.
After Yan Mingli poured out his feelings, he said shyly. "Miaochun, it's the wedding night... Wait, I'll drive that old man away first."
Based on his understanding of the Prince Rui, he pushed the door open and went out. Sure enough, he saw an old man squatting in the corner.
The Prince Rui forced out a laugh and then got up to leave. "Oh, I'm old, and my memory is really bad. I accidentally went to the wrong place."