"Xu Buling!"
Her voice was mature, and her tone was very serious. There seemed to be some other meaning. Although he didn't understand what it meant, it definitely felt like a superior person was suppressing him.
This was the first time Xu Buling heard this tone. He instinctively sat up straight and put on a serious posture, like a student who was called out by the teacher for being absent-minded in class.
Xu Buling felt that something was wrong. He looked back and saw Lady Lu, who was wearing a waistcoat with her hands folded on her waist. There was no expression on her charming face. He did not know when she had stood behind him.
Song Yufu trembled when she heard the voice. She hurriedly stood up from the edge of the balcony. Her legs were numb from sitting for so long that she almost fell into the lake. She let out a cry of surprise.
Xu Buling quickly raised his hand to support Song Yufu's arm and helped her up. "Why are you so careless?"
Song Yufu was a little embarrassed. She nodded and smiled at Xu Buling.
This scene fell into Lady Lu's eyes. It was a scene of a gifted scholar and a beautiful woman in love.
Madam Lu's embroidered shoes beneath her skirt could not help but stomp down. She moved her lips as if she wanted to say something, but she forced herself not to. She just stood there and stared at Xu Buling.
Song Yufu stood up straight in a well-behaved manner. She tightened her fiery red cloak and bowed.
"Lady Lu, I … I happened to pass by. Crown Prince Xu hasn't been to the Imperial College for a few days, so I came to see …"
Lady Lu looked up and down at Song Yufu. In the end, she did not say anything inappropriate. She nodded slightly.
"Sorry to trouble you, Miss Song. It's cold outside. Be careful not to catch a cold. Go and sit in the room."
Song Yufu was already embarrassed when she was discovered sneaking over. She did not dare to chat with Lady Lu. If she was misunderstood as wanting to be a princess, it would be troublesome. She immediately bowed.
"Lady Lu, you don't have to be so polite. I just came to say hello. I'll leave now."
As she spoke, Song Yufu hurried through the corridor of the waterside pavilion. Lady Lu did not stop her. She just smiled and bowed back.
Xu Buling stuck the fishing rod on the edge of the waterside pavilion and stood up. He looked at Lady Lu with a strange look.
"Aunt Lu, why are you in a bad mood?"
"…"
Madam Lu bit her lower lip. After Song Yu Fu's figure disappeared, she slowly walked to Xu Buring and said gently,
"Buling, what's the relationship between you and Miss Song?"
"Miss Song, what?"
Xu Buling had a clear conscience. He had nothing to hide. He smiled and said, "Song Yufu likes to meddle in other people's business. I forced her to copy a few books. We know each other. We don't have any romantic feelings. Aunt Lu, please don't misunderstand."
When Lady Lu heard this, her eyes showed some annoyance. She thought for a moment. "What are you talking about? The marriage between a man and a woman is a serious matter. I didn't stop you. What do you mean by misunderstand? "
Xu Buring blinked, spread his hands, and smiled sheepishly.
"Well … Anyway, it's nothing. I'm afraid that Aunt Lu will misunderstand."
"Misunderstand what? I can't control you … "
Holding onto her shawl, Madam Lu turned around to face the River Qu. Although she looked calm and composed, that trace of indistinct bitterness in her eyes could not be suppressed at all.
Xu Buling secretly rubbed his forehead. He had to put on a very friendly smile. He walked forward and held Lady Lu's arm. His voice was gentle and easy-going.
"I know that Aunt Lu is afraid that I will be deceived by a woman with bad intentions. I always remember it."
Lady Lu looked around. After making sure that there were no other people around, she let Xu Buling hold her and walked along the corridor of the waterside pavilion side by side. Because she was shorter than Xu Buling, she looked a little timid.
"Miss Xiao, you are about to reach the age of crown prince. There is no candidate for the Crown Prince's wife. The young ladies of the Xiao family are much younger than you. My niece has been engaged. Several princesses are of suitable age, but they are all born by imperial concubines. Being the Prince's wife is too flattering for them. Songbai Qing's teacher has a great background, but she was born in a poor family. Song Yufu is not even qualified to be a concubine … "
Xu Buling's head hurt when he heard this. He shook his head and smiled bitterly, "When I marry a wife, I will naturally marry the one I like. I don't care about this."
"Nonsense."
Lady Lu suddenly became serious. She raised her head and glanced at Xu Buling, "I didn't say that you can't marry the one you like. You are a vassal king. As long as you like, no one dares to say no. But there is only one Princess. Just like the Queen, it involves too many forces. Do you think I am a common man who only cooks and gives birth to babies and babies? "
When it came to "babies and babies", Lady Lu felt that the wording was a little wrong. She looked down and quietly covered her mature figure with a shawl.
Xu Buling listened carefully and did not refute, "I know. It is just a Princess. I will marry whoever Aunt Lu wants to marry. It is just a woman. I will not suffer any loss."
Lady Lu felt a little strange when she heard this. Although there was nothing wrong, she was still a little unhappy. She frowned and thought for a while. Then she said,
"It is better to treat the Madam better. It is not easy for women …"
Xu Buling nodded seriously. He did not want to talk about this nonsense, so he changed the topic, "Aunt Lu, do you also like Xianzhi House's fragrance powder?" As he spoke, he leaned closer to smell it.
Lady Lu stopped walking. A strange look flashed in her eyes, and she coughed softly, "I heard from Yue Nu that it is very good. The young ladies and madams of the officials in the capital like to use it, so I asked her to buy some … It is just so-so … What do you think?"
Xu Buling came to a sudden realization and said with a smile, "The fragrance is very good, but it is a little too faint. It is more suitable for young girls like Song Yufu …"
Lady Lu's eyes darkened slightly, "Do you think it is not suitable for me to use it because I am old?"
"⊙ _ ⊙!!!"
Suddenly faced with a fatal question, Xu Buling was caught off guard. His thoughts changed rapidly, and he shook his head with a smile,
"How can that be? Just like peonies and lilies among flowers, each has its own advantages. Aunt Lu is that peony, graceful and charming, and more suitable for fragrant powder …"
Lady Lu's expression became gentle again. She snorted faintly, "You have a glib tongue. You are not like the son of a vassal king at all. I don't know where you learned it from … You really know a lot …"
Xu Buling touched his nose and did not continue the conversation.
The two walked in a circle in the corridor, and Lady Lu finally remembered the business at hand.
"By the way, Buling, who did you write that poem for?"
"I didn't write it. If Aunt Lu likes it, it is for Aunt Lu."
Lady Lu nodded and felt a lot more relieved. She took out a handkerchief from her bosom and looked at the poem embroidered on it.
"Just now, Empress Dowager thought it was for her … Humph … It is not like she doesn't have a nephew. Xiao Ting has been in the limelight recently, and she wants to find Xiao Ting to write for her. She even wants you to write for her … In her dreams …"
The tone of her words was really interesting.
Xu Buling wanted to laugh, but he did not dare to. Anyway, his heart was itching, so he said casually, "Aunt Lu, don't worry. I will never have anything to do with poetry in the future. I won't write it no matter what."
Madam Lu grunted in acknowledgement and kept her handkerchief. She glanced left and right before whispering,
"In a few days, if Empress Dowager summons you to the palace to talk about poetry, just say that you don't know how to write it. Don't agree after a few words from her."
Xu Buling thought for a moment and said, "Aunt Lu, did Empress Dowager provoke you?"
Lady Lu frowned slightly, "She is one generation older than me, and she became Empress Dowager after entering the palace. Every now and then, it is because Xiao Ting asked me to discipline you. My surname is Lu, not Xiao. Why should I listen to her … Anyway, you are not allowed to listen to her …"
Xu Buling pondered for a long time, but still could not understand what was going on. He could only nod at once …
