Gu Ruobai was about to ask further when Mu Yi came up to the two of them, carrying a rather large box.
"Your Highness, it's three hundred taels in total," Mu Yi said, then handed the box to Gu Ruobai.
Gu Ruobai made a gesture. "Just give it to Miss Mingyu."
Mu Yi reluctantly passed it over.
Su Mingyu opened the box, counted the silver, and nodded in satisfaction.
"I'd like to trouble Your Highness to send this box of silver to my room at midnight tonight."
Su Mingyu added worriedly, "Make sure no one finds out."
"If the Su family finds out about such a large sum of money of unknown origin, there will surely be a lot of trouble."
Gu Ruobai didn't ask much and replied, "Miss Mingyu, please rest assured."
"Alright, I've pretty much finished what I needed to do. It's time for me to go."
Su Mingyu stood up and straightened her clothes.
She took two steps, then suddenly stopped. Turning around, she smiled at Gu Ruobai.
Her eyes were full of playfulness.
"Does Miss Mingyu have anything else to tell me?" Gu Ruobai asked.
"The words I said just now were misunderstood by Your Highness the Prince of Ruixian," Su Mingyu said.
Gu Ruobai thought for a moment. Was she referring to the words about asking him to get married soon?
Su Mingyu smiled. "What I actually meant was that Your Highness the Prince of Ruixian really should reflect on this: among so many princes, why is it that only you are already twenty - seven and still alone?"
After saying that, Su Mingyu ran away in a flash.
Mu Yi was stunned for a moment, then glared angrily at her back and shouted, "How dare you!"
Just as he was about to draw his sword and chase after her, Gu Ruobai reached out his hand to stop him.
"Don't bother with her. It's okay."
Watching the disappearing figure, a smile appeared on Gu Ruobai's lips.
"This girl is really interesting."
...
After greatly teasing Gu Ruobai, Su Mingyu was in a great mood. After leaving the Prince of Ruixian's Mansion, she strolled alone in the market of the capital.
Throughout the day, she visited almost every cloth store and tailor shop. She didn't start to return to the mansion until she was completely exhausted.
By the time she entered the door, it was already completely dark.
As soon as she entered, Zhizhu came out to greet her with a frowning face. "Miss, you've been out for so long this time..."
Yawning, Su Mingyu sat on a stool and poured herself a glass of water. "What's wrong? Did anyone come to see me?"
Zhizhu nodded with a troubled look on her face. "Madam... came."
"She was very angry when she found you weren't here. She asked you to go to her courtyard as soon as you got back."
As soon as Zhizhu finished speaking, Su Mingyu yawned again.
"Ha~ I'm so tired today. I'll go tomorrow."
With that, she got up and walked towards the inner room.
"But miss..."
Zhizhu followed behind her own miss, hesitating to speak.
The madam and the miss were already on bad terms. If the madam knew that the miss was back but didn't go to pay her respects, there would surely be a lot of trouble tomorrow.
Su Mingyu turned around and pushed her out. "Alright, alright, don't worry. Go to bed quickly too."
Not long after Zhizhu left, there was a gentle knock on the door.
Su Mingyu let the two men in, peeked out to check, and then carefully closed the door.
"Why did Your Highness come here in person?"
Gu Ruobai and Mu Yi were both wearing black night clothes. Mu Yi was holding the box of silver notes from the day.
"You have a lame leg but still climb over the wall in the middle of the night. It seems that Your Highness the Prince of Ruixian values me quite a lot," Su Mingyu said playfully.
She never missed an opportunity to tease him.
Gu Ruobai pulled down his black mask. His chiseled features were distinct, and there was no sign of anger on his face.
"Not really," he said.
He motioned for Mu Yi to hand the box to Su Mingyu.
Su Mingyu was really convinced. This prince seemed to never get angry.
She opened the box, took a look, and then put the things under the bed.
While she was counting the money, Gu Ruobai took the opportunity to look around the room. It was neatly tidied up but too simple to be the room of a legitimate daughter.
"Miss Mingyu, aren't you afraid of danger by letting a man into your boudoir in the middle of the night?"
Hearing this, Su Mingyu paused for a moment. After putting away the box, she stood up and looked at the two men in the middle of the room.
One was lame, and the other looked like a minor.
She wasn't that weak.
Su Mingyu was too lazy to argue. She forced a smile and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," then planned to drive them out.
"Since the silver has been delivered, please go back."
But Gu Ruobai didn't move.
"I've thought it over carefully. What Miss Mingyu said today is quite reasonable."
"Which words?"
Gu Ruobai stared at her steadily. "You said that I should get married soon."
Su Mingyu was stunned. She was just joking. Was this prince crazy?
She still forced a smile on her face. "Hehe, Your Highness, please think about it in your own mansion. It's getting late today..."
Su Mingyu went to push Gu Ruobai, but unexpectedly, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
She was so frightened that she jumped. Looking up, she saw Gu Ruobai's charming smile.
"Since Miss Mingyu is so concerned about my marriage, why don't you marry me?"
Marry... him?
"You're crazy!" Su Mingyu forcefully shook off Gu Ruobai's hand. He took a small step back.
It was hard to tell whether he didn't expect her to react so strongly or it was really because of his lame leg.
Realizing that she had been a bit too excited, Su Mingyu forced a laugh. "Ahaha, Your Highness is really humorous, coming to my place in the middle of the night to tell jokes."
Mu Yi was so angry that he drew his sword. With a flash of cold light, the icy sword tip pointed directly at Su Mingyu. "How dare you!"
Did this woman think her life was too long to talk to their prince like this?
As soon as Mu Yi drew his sword, Su Mingyu's face turned cold.
"What does Your Highness mean? Are you going to force me?"
Gu Ruobai remained silent.
He neither said yes nor no.
Su Mingyu said coldly, "Your Highness, don't you think the combination of an unfavored legitimate daughter and an unfavored prince is a bit too tragic?"
"Really? I don't think so," Gu Ruobai said, curling his lips. The aura between his eyebrows became a bit dangerous.
At this moment, Su Mingyu couldn't figure him out.
It couldn't be that he really wanted to force her, could it?
She lowered her eyes and looked at the cold sword in front of her. "If I don't agree, what will Your Highness do?"
"Do you know that Mu Yi can take your life in an instant?"
At this moment, Gu Ruobai had the air of a king who looked down on everything and was in full control.