Chapter 19

It was a sunny day in March. Butterflies and bees fluttered among the red flowers and green willows on the mountain path. A handsome man in a white robe and a girl in a green fir dress walked together, just like those scholars who came to offer incense.

Song Yufu walked slowly. Even though Xu Buling was on crutches, he was still two steps behind her. She said something irrelevant,

"… My senior brother Mei Qusheng is very powerful, almost as powerful as Crown Prince Xu. If you meet, you will definitely become bosom friends … I heard that the oranges in Yuelu Mountain are very delicious. Crown Prince Xu should also like them …"

"I've eaten … it's just average …"

"… Really … It's such a long way. It must not be delicious if it's just picked from the tree …"

Song Yufu kept repeating similar words, but she did not know what exactly she wanted to say.

Xu Buling listened for a moment, shook his head and chuckled, "If there is a chance in the future, I will definitely go to Chu. Your grandfather is also there. If you go to visit your relatives, maybe we will meet again."

"Yes …"

Song Yufu murmured softly. She glanced around and suddenly looked at the vermilion wine gourd on Xu Buling's waist. She raised her hand and pointed at it,

"Crown Prince Xu, I … I want to drink …"

Xu Buling shook his head helplessly. He raised his hand to untie the wine gourd from his waist and handed it to her.

Song Yufu raised her hand and took it. She opened the cork and took a big gulp. Then she choked and her face turned red. She patted her chest and coughed,

"Cough, cough, cough …"

Xu Buling stood next to her and carefully looked at the girl holding the wine gourd, "What on earth do you want?"

Song Yufu's cheeks were red, and her eyes were filled with tears. She pursed her lips and did not dare to speak. She just said softly,

"Nothing, I drank too much …"

“？”

Xu Buling blinked and pondered for a moment.

"Miss Song, do you want to confess your love to me?"

"Confess …"

Song Yufu held the wine gourd and pondered for a while. She looked a little confused, "What do you mean?"

Xu Buling sighed and took a step forward. He stared at Song Yufu's eyes and did not speak.

Song Yu Fu took a step back and leaned against the willow tree behind her. She hugged the wine gourd to her chest and averted her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.

Xu Buring propped himself against the willow tree with his left hand and hooked Song Yufu's chin with his right.

"…"

Song Yu Fu quickly tilted her head to avoid it. Her watery eyes revealed a bit of anger as she said in a small voice, "Of course not … Prince Xu, you should be more composed. I only saw that you were injured so I came to visit you … I can't be a princess …"

Xu Buring lightly furrowed his brows. "I didn't say that you would be the main consort. Being a side consort is fine too. In the future, I will be the Su King, so I can marry over a hundred wives."

"You like me?"

Song Yufu's face darkened. She held it in for a moment, but in the end, she could not hold it in and whispered, "You wish … How can you …"

"Then forget it."

Xu Buling turned around indifferently and continued to walk forward with his walking stick.

Song Yufu was stunned on the spot. She knew that Xu Buling was teasing her, but she still jogged to catch up to him and said softly,

"I … I really can't be a princess. I always cause trouble for the heir and make him angry … Ahhh …"

As Song Yufu spoke, she suddenly felt something tighten around her waist. Then, her body became light, and she flew up. A strong wind blew against her face, and after a moment of dizziness, she came to a large pagoda tree beside the stone path.

The tree was as thick as a person's arm, and its leaves were dense. It grew at the edge of the cliff, and below it was a steep cliff. The thick branches stretched out horizontally from the roadside, as if they were growing in the air. The scenery was magnificent and beautiful.

Song Yufu was hugged by Xu Buling and stood at the top of the branch. She was afraid of heights, and she was already scared when she was lifted high in the bell and drum tower. Standing here, even her legs turned to jelly. She screamed and closed her eyes, hugged Xu Buling's waist, and babbled incoherently. She did not dare to move.

Xu Buling was in a very good mood because most of the poison in his body had been detoxified. He sat down on the horizontal branch with Song Yufu in his arms and enjoyed the beautiful scenery at the foot of Jade Peak Mountain. He picked up the wine gourd and took a sip.

"Put … put me down …"

Song Yufu's face was pale. She shrank in Xu Buling's arms and did not even dare to open her eyes. After a long while, she said something.

Xu Buling held Song Yufu's shoulder and said softly, "The scenery here is good. Open your eyes and look."

"…"

Song Yufu felt that the tree trunk she was sitting on was very solid and did not look like she was going to fall. She opened her eyes carefully and just took a glance. Then she let out a cry and buried her face in Xu Buling's chest again. She said with a sobbing tone,

"Crown Prince Xu, I was wrong. Put me down …"

Xu Buling did not pay any attention to her. He just said in a flat tone, "If you take advantage of me again, I won't be polite."

Song Yufu felt the hand on her shoulder slide down to her back and was about to go down. She suddenly trembled and plucked up the courage to sit up straight. However, she did not dare to open her eyes. She just sat on the tree trunk obediently and said with a trembling voice,

"You … you bully me …"

Xu Buring lightly snorted. "You were the one who came looking for me. Are you blaming me?"

Song Yufu sat for a while. Perhaps she was gradually getting used to it. She opened her eyes a little and said with some dissatisfaction, "I came to visit you. How can you treat a guest like this … I won't look for you next time!"

Xu Buling minded his own business and drank his wine. He did not seem to care at all.

The mountain breeze caressed their faces. The green locust leaves rustled in the wind. There were also a few birds standing on the nearby branches, looking at the strange man and woman next to them with inexplicable expressions.

Song Yufu hid a lot of words in her heart, but she did not know where to start. She gradually relaxed and did not dare to look down. She could only look up at the sky. Her embroidered shoes swayed in the air and her skirt swayed in the wind. She found something to do.

Xu Buling had always been a man of few words. He just admired the scenery and accompanied his girlfriend at the same time.

After an unknown period of time, Song Yufu suddenly took a breath. She raised her hand and touched her hair bun. She took off the white jade hairpin on her head and handed it to Xu Buling. She said softly,

"Crown Prince Xu is here to visit you. I forgot to bring something … I'll give this hairpin to you …"

Xu Buling tilted his head and looked at the eight words on the hairpin: "Bright Moon Illuminates the Pine Tree, Hibiscus Like Jade". He chuckled and said, "Isn't this what your mother left for you? You used to treat it like a treasure and ask me for it every day. Why are you willing to give it away now? "

Song Yufu thought for a moment and pursed her lips into a smile. "I wasn't familiar with Crown Prince Xu in the past. But now I treat Crown Prince Xu as a friend … As a friend, I naturally have to give something of value … Crown Prince Xu gave me a box of rouge from Xianzhi House, which is very valuable …"

Xu Buling hung the wine gourd on his waist. He raised his hand and took the hairpin. He looked at it for a while and said, "This is a female hairpin. I don't have it even if I want it … Oh, you can give it to someone …"

“！”

When Song Yufu heard that he wanted to give it to someone, she immediately became anxious. She raised her hand and wanted to snatch it back. Of course, she grabbed nothing and almost fell from the tree. She could only sit steadily with her arm supported.

"Crown Prince Xu, this is my gift to you … You can't give it to someone else …"

Xu Buling turned his palm and put the hairpin into his arms. He chuckled and said, "What you give is like spilled water. It's not up to you."

"You …"

Song Yufu pursed her lips. She was a little angry. She lowered her head and said softly, "If you give it to me, then so be it. If you give it to me, we won't be friends anymore …"

She was unhappy and felt a little wronged.

Xu Buling thought for a moment. He untied the vermilion wine gourd from his waist and handed it to her.

"Then, I'll give it to you."

Song Yufu was stunned. She looked at the vermilion wine gourd that Xu Buling never left. She hesitated and said, "Crown Prince Xu is sick. He wants to drink … What will you do if he gives it to me?"

"I'm the Crown Prince. Are you worried that I won't be able to find another wine gourd?"

"… That's true …"

Song Yufu pursed her lips into a smile. She carefully took the wine gourd and looked at it. "But … But I don't drink. There's no use for this wine gourd …"

Xu Buling raised his eyebrows. "You can give it to someone else. It's not like you have to hang it on your waist."

"… That's true …"

Song Yufu thought for a moment. She opened the wine gourd and took a small sip. She choked until her face turned red. Then, she hung the slightly large wine gourd on the belt around her waist. She even patted it with her hands. Her eyes were filled with joy, and her embroidered shoes swayed gently in the air.

Xu Buling looked at the towering Chang 'an in the distance again. He thought for a moment. "Alright, let's go back. I don't have much time before I leave Chang 'an. I don't have time to go to the Imperial College to listen to your reasoning. When I leave Chang' an, I'll take you to Xiliang. If we can travel the martial arts world, I'll take you to Yuelu Mountain. "

"Oh …"

Song Yufu pursed her lips into a smile. She touched the wine gourd on her waist and did not say anything else.

After a while, Xu Buling landed on the stone path in the mountain with Song Yufu in his arms. He walked towards Hibiscus Temple with his walking stick.

Song Yufu followed him to the gate of the Taoist temple. She stopped and placed her hand on the gourd. She thought for a moment and said softly,

"Crown Prince Xu, you must not give the hairpin to others!"

Xu Buling did not turn his head. He raised his hand and waved.

Song Yufu stared at him for a moment and bowed seriously. She was as beautiful and moving as the spring water in March.

"I wish Young Master a safe return to Xiliang."

Xu Buring staggered and stopped in his tracks. He turned his head back, a little dissatisfied.

"Miss Song, can't you say something inauspicious?"

Song Yufu's serious face looked a little aggrieved. She whispered through the white stone stairs in front of the Taoist temple,

"I wish Young Master an accident last time. Something really happened to Young Master. Now he's still using a walking stick …"

Xu Buling admired Miss Song's small mouth because of this. He said seriously,

"Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise. I'll be more at ease if you say something inauspicious. "

Song Yufu pouted unwillingly. She hesitated for a long time before she bowed again reluctantly.

"I wish … wish Young Master be struck by lightning."

"…?"

Xu Buling pondered for a moment. He looked at the sky and nodded. He disappeared around the corner of the Taoist temple with his walking stick in satisfaction.

Song Yufu stood where she was and watched the tall figure disappear into the distance. She only looked away reluctantly when he disappeared from her sight. She lowered her head to look at the wine gourd on her waist and smiled gently …