"Because I like you."
He was in a trance for a moment. He couldn't remember how many years ago someone had looked up at him like this, exhaled a mouthful of mist, and said brightly, "Because I like you."
"Pfft, are you scared silly? I'm just kidding. "
When he came back to his senses, he heard her teasing him indifferently. Her smile was still bright, and her eyes were clear and bright.
"Thank you again. If it weren't for you, I would have died in the southwest." Huarong bowed deeply.
"Don't mention the word 'die'." Xi Shi felt as if something had hit him hard in the chest, and he was in so much pain that he couldn't breathe. He wanted to escape to a place where she couldn't be seen, but his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground, and he couldn't move no matter how hard he tried. His eyes fell on her almost greedily.
Huarong narrowed her eyes. "You …" She didn't dare to finish her sentence. She didn't know why the man in front of her gave her a feeling of deja vu, but she couldn't be sure.
"It's cold. County Princess, you should go back early. You don't have to thank me." He turned around, and his black robe fluttered in the wind. His tall and slender figure disappeared in the vast snow.
Unknowingly, the snow became heavier, and she couldn't help but squint.
Huarong raised her hand to say goodbye, but Xi Shi disappeared too quickly. She raised her hand and felt a little embarrassed. She withdrew her hand and touched her nose uncomfortably. "This Xi Shi is a little strange."
Shuxiu took out a cloak from the car and put it on Huarong, urging her anxiously, "Miss, let's go quickly. The snow is getting heavier, and the horses can't be controlled."
Back in the car, Huarong thought of Xi Shi's expression just now and felt inexplicably sad. She didn't know why, but it was definitely not because he had rejected her.
Xi Shi leaped on the roof like a ghost and didn't leave until Huarong entered the mansion. However, just as he flew across two alleys, he fell into the snow and couldn't get up no matter how hard he tried.
"Hey." An old voice sounded. He reached out to help Xi Shi, but Xi Shi didn't take it. She struggled to get up by supporting herself against the wall.
"You can't use your abilities as you please in this world. Last time in the southwest, you suffered an extremely severe backlash, and you're not recuperating. If something happens to you, who's going to protect her?" the old divine doctor slowly said, his voice tinged with helplessness.
Xi Shi clutched her chest, her face paler than the snow on the ground. "I know."
"If you knew, you wouldn't have come to this world!" The old divine doctor shook his head helplessly. "Alright, go back and recuperate."
As soon as he stepped through the door of the Moon Embracing Pavilion, Yue Hanqing welcomed him. "The cold air is too strong. Hurry and drink a bowl of ginger soup. The charcoal in the room is also burning." As she spoke, she took off Huarong's cloak, her brows tightly knitted.
"Seventh Sister-in-law, let Shuxiu do these things. Have a seat." Huarong pushed her into the room and pressed her shoulders to sit on the embroidered stool. There was a brazier beside her.
Yue Hanqing sat down, but her hands didn't stay idle. She passed a bowl of ginger soup to Huarong. "Tell Seventh Sister-in-law, why don't you like that Crown Prince Zhao?"
Huarong was stunned. She didn't expect Yue Hanqing to deliberately wait at the Moon Embracing Pavilion to gossip. She drank the ginger soup before saying, "Zhenguo Mansion isn't peaceful. It's a fire pit. Only a fool would jump into it."
"I heard that the Crown Prince sends you out of the palace every time. He's very attentive to you. He's also very good-looking. Do you really not like him? Are you not moved at all? "Yue Hanqing expressed her disbelief.
Huarong shook his head. "Even if he's good-looking, can he be more good-looking than Brother Seven? That gentleman's temperament isn't as good as Brother Seven's. What's more, when did he send me out? There's only one way out of the palace. We're just going the same way. Besides, there are so many people who are good to me. My little brothers are all very loyal. Do you think I have to like all of them? "
Yue Hanqing shook her head. "Nonsense. I only said one sentence and you came up with so many nonsense reasons." Although she said so, her tone was doting.
"But Seventh Sister-in-law, it's all in the past. Why are you asking me this? The marriage has already been rejected. Do you think our Gu family can still put down our face to propose marriage? "Huarong sneered." You can put down your face, but I can't. "
"Okay, okay, okay. If you don't like him, then don't like him. We'll find someone better."
Huarong didn't know if it was an illusion, but she felt Yue Hanqing was relieved. Although she pretended to be relaxed, there was something else in her eyes that couldn't be hidden.
Moreover, she avoided the key question.
"Judging by the snow, it's going to snow for a few more days. You should rest. I'm going back. Your Brother Seven should be back soon." Yue Hanqing didn't want to stay any longer and left in a hurry.
Huarong frowned. She felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't figure out why.
"Miss, the governor's daughter sent an invitation to you. She invites you to enjoy the plum blossoms." Shuxiu took out one of the many invitations and handed it to Huarong.
Huarong wasn't interested in the girls' poetry and tea parties. In the beginning, she was willing to go twice, but it was too boring and she never went again.
This time, Shuxiu deliberately handed the invitation to Huarong for a reason. Huarong was surprised. "The governor's daughter?"
"That's right. I've read it many times. It was sent by the governor's daughter. Miss, in the past, these officials' daughters have never invited us to their parties. Do you want to go?"
Huarong read the invitation three times and threw it on the table. She leaned back and put her hands behind her head. She said leisurely, "Of course, why wouldn't I go? If I don't go, they'll say that I don't know who I am now that I'm a county princess. "
"Miss didn't care about those gossips before." Shuxiu had been speaking rudely recently, but her actions were proper — — she was massaging Huarong's shoulders. She wanted to experience the life of middle age and old age in advance.
From ancient times until now, with the development of mankind, there were no less than a thousand poems about enjoying the plum blossoms. Huarong remembered two of them.
"Flowers shake as they fall, leaving only Xuan Yan to occupy the small garden.
The sparse shadow is slanting, the clear water is shallow, the hidden fragrance floats in the evening.
The frosty bird steals its eyes first, the pink butterfly knows how to unite and break its soul.
Fortunately, there is a slight recitation to share, no need to share the honor. "
"County princess, you have a good poem." Shuxiu sincerely complimented her Miss.
Huarong didn't respond. Of course, the poem was good, but it wasn't written by her.
Standing in the courtyard with a thick layer of snow, there were red plum blossoms in front of her eyes. It was as if a white-haired beauty was wearing a red hairpin. It was a different kind of beauty.
"Sigh." She sighed softly. She still had a childish face, but she looked like an old woman in her seventies or eighties.
Since stepping into the courtyard, this was the fourth time she sighed. Shuxiu counted with her fingers.
"County princess of Minhui?" As soon as she entered the garden, someone came over to greet her. It should be Miss Jiang, who organized the plum blossoms banquet. Huarong didn't remember her ranking, but it was right to call her Miss Jiang.
She smiled and bowed according to the etiquette of the boudoir. "Yes."
"Greetings, county princess. I'm Jiang Hanchun." The girl introduced herself. The way she looked at Huarong was not different, and was even very warm. She intimately held Huarong's arm and introduced her to the other girls.
At first, people thought she was a servant girl, but fortunately, her manners were elegant and she spoke well. She looked like a girl from a noble family, so people didn't care about her name.
After a round of introductions, Huarong recognized all the girls who were going to attend the plum blossoms banquet. There were small officials, big officials, and all the noble girls. Huarong was the one with the lowest status.
However, she never felt that her status was low. She didn't feel inferior in front of the girls from the officials' families. Instead, she was very confident.
"County princess is the favorite person of the Emperor. To be able to get the Emperor's recognition, you must be a talented girl who knows etiquette, is good at poetry, calligraphy, painting, zither, and chess. I don't know if we sisters have the good fortune to get a share of your talent."
"Yes, why don't we ask the county princess to compose a poem based on plum blossoms?"
"Sigh, how can praising plum blossoms reflect the county princess's talent? We must add some other restrictions. For example, the word plum and snow can't appear, and there must be a sentence describing today's plum blossoms. "
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