When it was almost midnight, the guests who came to congratulate the princess's residence left one after another. At the end of the banquet, the princes at the main banquet table said their goodbyes. Jing Chen got up to see them off after being reminded by the chief steward behind him.
Yu Shu followed behind a group of more than ten people and walked to the main entrance of the front yard. She watched as Jing Chen, who was originally ignorant of worldly affairs, bid farewell to Ning Wang, Jia Wang, and the others in a somewhat unfamiliar manner. She watched as they boarded their carriages and left. In the end, there were only a few familiar faces left at the entrance.
"Martial Uncle, Cousin, I'll go back to the palace first." Liu Tan looked at the moon. He hadn't built a residence yet and was still living in the palace, so it was inconvenient for him to spend the night outside.
He bid farewell to Jing Chen and Xue Rui and then said to Shui Yun, "Youngest Martial Aunt, I'll send someone to pick you up at the Shuangyang Meeting."
Shui Yun smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I'll help you."
Yu Shu listened to them talk. Seeing Shui Yun standing next to Jing Chen, she knew that she would live with Jing Chen at the princess's residence in the future. Yu Shu uncomfortably shifted her gaze to the Longting Wood in the courtyard. She thought that they were fellow apprentices, so they naturally had to take care of each other.
"Miss Yu, goodbye." Liu Tan said goodbye. Yu Shu turned around and saw him nod at her. She quickly cupped her hands and bowed back, "Take care, Your Highness."
Now that it was quiet in front of the door, Jing Chen finally found the opportunity to talk to Yu Shu, "Xiaoyu, I don't need to live in the palace now, so it'll be more convenient in the future. Don't you want to learn astrology from me? How about I start teaching you tomorrow?"
Yu Shu's eyes lit up and she happily said, "That's great. Then I'll come and find you tomorrow?"
Jing Chen nodded, "Then I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning."
Seeing that they were going to meet again, Xue Rui calmly reminded the two of them, "Today, the Daoist was conferred the title of Daoist. There are many spies outside. If Shu frequently goes in and out of the princess's residence, it's hard to guarantee that she won't be targeted and get into trouble again. How about this, why don't you arrange to meet at the Forgotten Machine Tower? That's our own place, and it's convenient for us to act. "
Yu Shu thought that it was reasonable and agreed with Jing Chen. She didn't think as much as Xue Rui, so she naturally didn't have any objections. The two of them then changed from the Princess Mansion to the Wangji Tower.
What he didn't know was that Xue Rui was thinking, "It seems that Shu hasn't given up on Jing Chen yet. If I let them continue to get along, they might rekindle their old feelings. Since it's inconvenient to stop them, I might as well put them under my nose and watch them."
Lao Chui drives the carriage to the door, jumps off the carriage, and hangs up the curtain. Xue Rui urges Yu Shu, who is still talking to Jing Chen, "It's late, and it's cold outside. Let's talk tomorrow when we meet. Get on the carriage first, I'll drive you back."
"En, Jing Chen, then I'll be leaving. Come find me at the Forgotten Opportunity Tower tomorrow."
"Okay, be careful on the road."
Yu Shu walks in front of Xue Rui and gets into the carriage. After sitting down, she opens the window and looks outside. On the high gate of the Princess Mansion, there is a row of bright lanterns, which clearly illuminates everyone's faces. Jing Chen and his junior sister are standing side by side under the lanterns. As the carriage moves, their figures gradually get further and further away, blurring into a group.
That faint feeling of sadness comes up again. Yu Shu thinks unhappily, "Does this count as a successful retreat?"
"Close the window, the wind is blowing in." A big hand reaches over and puts down the curtain. Yu Shu rubs her nose, which has turned red because of the cold wind outside. She turns around and looks at Xue Rui. She smiles embarrassedly. She is afraid that he will notice something, so she hurriedly lowers her head and pretends to play with her clothes. She murmurs, "Just now on the table, I have to wash it.
Xue Rui notices that Yu Shu is acting strangely, but he doesn't expose her. He just looks at her quietly. He remembers that when they reunited a few months ago in Autumn Osmanthus Lane, she was still doing fortune-telling at a roadside stall. She was dark and skinny, and anyone would think that she was a tomboy.
Since Zhao Hui's family moved from Yiyang, she lived with her elders. Her food and drinks were all taken care of. Her skinny and dry body just gained a few pounds of flesh. Later, when Jing Chen disappeared, she lost weight again. This happened repeatedly. It was not until the end of the Dayan Examination and the closure of the Ji family's case that her cheeks slowly became round again. It was not in vain that he secretly asked the Forgotten Opportunity Tower to give her a special meal with tonic soup.
He is not a young man who has his first awakening of love, but other than his mother and younger sister, this is the first time that he is so interested in a woman. He definitely likes her. Although it is not to the point that he must have her, this little girl who is stubborn and competitive and has someone else in her heart, makes him feel pity and worry about her.
In the carriage, both of them have their own thoughts. After a moment of silence, the carriage turns around the corner. Yu Shu thinks of something and clears her throat. She curiously asks Xue Rui about tonight's banquet, the princes are unusually 'enthusiastic' in inviting her to go with them to the Shuang Yang Group.
Xue Rui says with a smile that is not a smile: "They have ulterior motives. They are not targeting you, but Daozi."
Finishing, he sees that Yu Shu's face is still a little confused, so he explains a little more clearly: "Although not many people know that you were mistakenly taken to the Celestial Commissioner's office that night, but the Ji family's case has caused such a stir. After the incident, the palace has also sent out rewards. Daozi's danger on the road is no longer a secret. He has just arrived and does not have anyone close to him. You, an examinee without any scholarly honors, can sit at the main table tonight with a group of nobles. How can it not be eye-catching? Naturally, there will be people who want to use you to get close to Daozi, or feel indignant, or take out their anger on you. Fortunately, you are clever tonight and no one has any information that can be used against you."
Yu Shu furrowed her brows and thought back to tonight at the wine table. That eleventh prince who had turned against her after failing to invite her, the person sitting next to him seemed to be Ning Wang Liu Hao, who is also Ji Xingxuan's' flower protector '.
Yu Shu thought of something and asked: "Ning Wang and the eleventh prince are from the same mother?"
Xue Rui shook his head: "The eleventh prince was born in Yan Fu Palace and is the son of Consort Lu Xian. Because Consort Xian's body is weak and sickly, he was raised by Consort Shu's side when he was young and is very close to Ning Wang."
Xue Rui only spoke up to this point and did not point out the crux of the matter.
Since Yu Shu knew that the two princes were from the same nostrils, how could she not know that Liu Yi's treatment of her was due to Ning Wang's orders? She thought about it and was still puzzled: "Tonight, it was I who refused to attend the meeting with him, so he took the opportunity to make things difficult for me and almost accused me of deceiving the Emperor. If I were to listen to them and agree to go with him to the Shuang Yang Group, what would they do? Could it be that they really want me to give them advice at that time? "
A cold expression flashed across Xue Rui's face and his tone was chilly: "If you agree, then your future will be ruined."
"Ah?" Yu Shu asked in astonishment: "Is it that serious?"
Xue Rui did not reply. There were some dirty things in this that he was not willing to tell her in case it dirtied her ears.
Actually, tonight, it was Yu Shu who had refused early. If she had spoken up a step later, he would have stood up for her and not allowed her to be taken to Liu Yi's fu.
Yu Shu saw Xue Rui's expression and was silent for a moment. She said in annoyance: "I think that the eleventh prince is not someone to be trifled with. I embarrassed him tonight and he must bear a grudge. Do you think he will do something in secret? Should I be on my guard, lest one day I get caught again and break another finger?
Xue Rui detected her uneasiness and his expression relaxed. His voice was steady: "There is no need to worry about this. Ning Wang is cautious in his conduct. Right now, Daozi is in the limelight. He will not allow the eleventh prince to act against you."
Xue Rui was half-lying. It was true that Liu Hao and Liu Yi would not act against Yu Shu, but there was another fate. The corners of Yu Shu's lips jerked. Because of Xue Rui's reassurance, she was much more at ease, but she did not lower her guard.
At the corner of the street not far from the main entrance of the Princess fu, a carriage was parked in the darkness. Watching from afar as the carriages and horses left, the window was pulled down with a "shua" sound.
Liu Yi turned his head with a cold expression. His two hands were in the golden fur sleeves. He said to the man drinking tea in front of him, "We really underestimated Liu Tan in the past. We only thought that he lived in the mountains and cultivated a pure heart and few desires. We didn't think that he was also ambitious. It hasn't been long since he returned to the capital and he has already found two good helpers. Who would have thought that the only son of the Eldest Princess would be sent to Jiangxi to cultivate, allowing Liu Tan to get involved so early. That's fine. But that two-faced Xue Chengbi. A few years ago, he was still with Seventh Brother. Who would have thought that after two years of fooling around, he would turn his back on us? Humph. "
Liu Hao held a cup of hot tea with his brows slightly furrowed. He appeared to have a lot on his mind. He did not know how many of Liu Yi's sarcasm had entered his mind.
"And that stinky girl who came out of nowhere. Just because she has someone backing her, she dared to humiliate me in front of everyone. Who does she think she is!" The more Liu Yi spoke, the angrier he became. He slapped his thigh and said fiercely, "She isn't even fit to warm my bed. Tomorrow, I will have her tied up."
Liu Hao raised his brows and finally had some reaction. He said in a low voice, "Don't be impulsive."
Liu Yi said disapprovingly, "Seventh Brother, you are too cautious."
Liu Hao knew that this brother of his was impetuous. He was afraid that Liu Yi would not listen, so he put on a stern face and lectured, "The Double Yang Group is coming. You better behave yourself. Don't spoil things for a woman. Do you understand?"
Liu Yi nodded reluctantly and said gloomily, "I know, I know. I won't touch her. Tsk, I really don't know what you are worried about. Even if I really kill a little girl, will that Daozi fight me to the death? "
Liu Hao shook his head and narrowed his eyes. He was not afraid of that Daozi who had the heart of the dragon. It was just that there was another person —
"Gan Province."
Liu Hao's lips moved, and he silently murmured. His eyes gradually became gloomy. He was thinking about the tragedy that occurred in Gan Province that Xue Rui had mentioned tonight at the banquet, and he didn't know if it was intentional or unintentional.
"Seventh Brother, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Liu Yi looked at Liu Hao's changing expression and asked in confusion.
Liu Hao waved his hand and took a deep breath. He said softly, "I am fine. I drank too much and have a headache. Let's go. Stay at my residence tonight and don't go back to the palace."
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