Chapter 5: 5

Chapter 5 Take Your Pick

 

A few days later, Yuan Ci Xian received a post with gold seal, inviting her to enjoy the flowers in Furong Garden, signed by Zheng Pei.

She knew that this person was the sickly imperial Ninth Prince, who she had met once in Daming Palace on the day of her canonization ceremony. At that time, her father was kept by His Majesty to discuss some matters, and she and her brother went back home together, but met his sedan chair on the way.

The man stared straight at her, and he insisted on stopping her from leaving, with a mouth full of teasing. When her brother saw him messing around, he became angry and gave him a harsh word.

As a result, Zheng Pei rolled his eyes and fainted. She heard that later he suffered from a head disease and babbled on the bed for a month.

It was only now that she found out that since she entered the capital, Zheng Pei had tried to visit her several times, but was stopped by the palace staff, so he had to use some trusted people to deliver a post.

However, her brother, who never liked him, accepted it. She thought there was some ghost inside.

When Yuan Yu handed the post to her, his expression was unnatural: “If you are too lazy to deal with it, then forget it, brother will refuse it for you, don’t be afraid of him.”

Of course she was lazy. This Ninth Prince did not leave an impression in her dream, probably not an important role, and the impression he left on her last time was really bad. This kind of frivolous womanizer, if it were not for his identity, she would like to find him and wring his arm off.

She simply said: “I’m not going.”

Yuan Yu pondered for a moment: “… What if Sixth Prince also go?”

She was stunned, then her eyes lit up: “Really?”

Yuan Yu saw the change in her expression before and after clearly, and couldn’t tell what he should feel inside, said: “Why would brother lie to you! If it’s just that skirt-chaser, of course I immediately will refuse it in the morning, why would I come to ask your opinion?” After finished speaking, he said tentatively, “Didn’t you tell brother last time…”

At any rate, she had a chance to see the true face of Mount Lushan, the enemy in her dream.

Yuan Ci Xian didn’t wait for him to finish before saying, “Okay, I’ll go.”

…

The next day, Yuan Ci Xian’s sister-in-law Jiang Bi Rou accompanied her to Furong Garden.

Furong Garden was located in the south of the city, on the bank of Qujiang Pond, with green water and green mountains, pavilions and terraces, and unlimited scenery. Now it was a good time to appreciate the water and hibiscus, Zheng Pei invited Yuan Ci Xian to come here, and it took a lot of thought to think about.

Yuan Ci Xian seemed to be in good spirits and joked with Jiang Bi Rou all the way. The two were led by a maid to a bamboo building that was surrounded by mountains and rivers, went inside step by step and took off their hats when they no longer need to cover from the sun.

When reaching the top, they saw that the door of the small room was wide open, and there was a spacious long table in the middle. Three men sat on the ground beside the table, all of them were wearing beaded robes with brocade belt, and jade hairpin to tied up their hair, which at first glance looked like elegance literati.

Yuan Ci Xian saw the outermost person at a glance, and couldn’t help but pause in her steps.

Why is Lu Shi Qing here? He also wore a garish silver and vermilion color, afraid the brightness would blind people.

Seeing her pause, Jiang Bi Rou also paused. The other three noticed the movement here, stopped talking and laughing, all of them looked over.

Yuan Ci Xian was shocked by this scene.

All their looks were not bad, sitting in a row like this, it was like waiting for her to take a pick.

She retracted her thought, her gaze went over Lu Shi Qing, looking at one particular person sitting in the room.

This man was wearing a duck-egg green round-neck robe with dark silver moiré embroidered on it, and light jasper hairpins in his hair. He should be the Sixth Prince, Zheng Zhuo*. Looking at the gentle and elegant appearance, it was actually as the name suggests, shining brightly, not the violent appearance she imagined.

Zheng Zhuo sensed her scrutiny, and smiled at her, with a little bit of humility that did not match his identity.

Yuan Ci Xian thought in her heart, if the dream was real, you really can’t judge a book by its cover. Of course, she also returned his smile.

When thay exchanged smiles, some people couldn’t sit still. Zheng Pei, the most innermost person, suddenly stood up and greeted in this direction.

He was young, and his face was still childish. At this moment, his eyes were staring and his face was flushed, as if after seeing the beauty, his whole body was comfortable, even the pain was wipe clean. All the way, his eyes was not moved from Yun Ci Xian.

She was wearing a pink dress with aqua-green waistband tied into double bows, with a pair of delicate silver bells strung in the middle, one third of her black hair was tied up while the rest were let down, with a ring of silver ornaments between her hair, shining under the sun.

Zheng Pei had read some traveling notes, and knew that many people in the southwest preferred silver jewelry, which was different from people in the capital. He immediately felt that a woman as elegant as Jiang Bi Rou was too gloomy. When he arrived at the two, he simply ignored her and greeted Yuan Ci Xian: “Cousin Xian!”

Yuan Ci Xian’s late grandmother was the half-sister of the previous emperor. Speaking of which, Emperor Huining could be count as her uncle, and Zheng Pei calling her cousin was not wrong.

It was just this name that really gave people goosebumps.

She suppressed the discomfort in her heart, and she saluted him together with her sister-in-law, but as soon as she got up, the back of her hand was pinched by him and then heard him tenderly said, “Cousin Xian no need to be polite…”

Yuan Ci Xian was self-aware. She could act like a ruffian in Yaozhou, but her identity in Chang’an was not enough, especially when there was a tragic dream that reminded her to be cautious in her words and deeds, so she would not arbitrarily act hostile in this cannibalistic world.

But she was also unwilling to endure everything.

She withdrew her hand and put on a fake smile at Zheng Pei: “Ninth Highness, please forgive, Ci Xian is obsessed with cleanliness.”

Shi Cui, who followed behind, timely handed her a handkerchief to wipe her hands.

Jiang Bi Rou quietly pulled her sleeve, signaling her to endure and not say too much.

Seeing that Zheng Pei’s face turned white, Zheng Zhuo hurriedly stood up to smooth things out, he said with a smile, “The first time I’ve seen the so-called cleanliness obsession is this Assistant Minister Lu here. Compared with Zishu, I think County Princess is still not bad.”

Yuan Ci Xian glanced at Lu Shi Qing, who was sipping tea with his head down, said in heart: this person’s problems are just too many. She herself had no cleanliness obsession, just pretending.

With this step, she also took advantage of the situation. After all, Zheng Pei’s mother was one of the four concubines, so she could be considered favored, and her parents’ family was also a powerful one. If she really offended him, afraid she would not have any good fruit to eat. So after slapping him she hurriedly gave him candy, asked with a smile, “Ninth Highness, I don’t know who this is—?”

Seeing that she recognized him but not Zheng Zhuo, Zheng Pei was immediately happy, and came over: “This is my sixth brother!”

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Yuan Ci Xian pretended to have a sudden realization, saluted Zheng Zhuo, then followed him to walk inside while asking, “Then according to what Sixth Highness just said, if I were to exchange with Assistant Minister Lu, I would have to chop my hands off?

Lu Shi Qing titled his head, and his long phoenix eyes narrowed, “County Princess can really joke.”

“It’s true that people often praise me like that.”

Seeing Yuan Ci Xian and Jiang Bi Rou sitting down, Zheng Pei also followed in, and said, “Then has anyone ever praised Cousin Xian for her heavenly beauty, which is hard to find in the world?”

Yuan Ci Xian seemed not to understand his overtures, and nodded: “Yes, it’s also Assistant Minister Lu.”

Lu Shi Qing didn’t speak, but the meaning in his eyes was: When?

She smiled and explained: “However, Assistant Minister Lu’s words at that time was… dignified and personable.”

Zheng Zhuo didn’t seem to believe it, and asked in surprise: “Zishu still can praises people?”

Lu Shi Qing’s face showed displeasure: “Slip of the tongue.” Probably feeling a little itchy at the root of his teeth, he lowered his head and took another sip of tea.

Yuan Ci Xian noticed that the white-glazed jade tea pot in his hand was different from the other ones on the table, it was probably brought by himself. She thought in heart: it seems this cleanliness obsession is not false.

Zheng Pei was secretly curious about how Yuan Ci Xian met Lu Shi Qing, but he was afraid that the beauty would get angry again, so he couldn’t ask immediately, pointing to the seasonal fruits on the table and said: “Cousin Xian, feel free to eat, these fruits are very clean.”

Seeing that his words skipped Jiang Bi Rou, Zheng Zhuo added for him, “Lady Yuan please too.”

Jiang Bi Rou originally came as a companion, so naturally she didn’t mind, lowered her eyes while smiling: “Thank you, Your Highness.”

This bamboo building had eight sides, with a door on one side and windows on seven sides. Each window had different scenes.

Zheng Pei compared the window scenes, from Furong Garden’s spring and autumn to winter and summer, and Ziyun Tower to Penglai Mountain. Yuan Ci Xian who was only listening was thirsty for him, ate several lychees in a row, and agreed a few words when her mouth was free.

When he paused, she glanced at Zheng Zhuo who hadn’t eaten, and asked, “Does Sixth Highness not eat lychees? It’s very sweet.”

Her words seemed like she was the host. Zheng Zhuo looked up and smiled at her.

Yuan Ci Xian ate generously, not reserved like ordinary women, but it was still very elegant. When this exquisite white lychee reaches her plump and beautiful lips, for some reason, it suddenly made people salivate.

He ate one in passing, and said, “It’s really sweet.” Then he asked Lu Shi Qing, who had been drinking tea by himself on the side, “Would Zishu eat a few to break the tartness?”

Lu Shi Qing glanced at the lychee on the table lightly, then said coldly: “If you like to eat, eat more.”

Zheng Zhuo was not annoyed by his attitude, laughed brightly, then ate another one as he suggested.

Yuan Ci Xian praised: “Your Highness is a discerning people. The lychee in this season is juicy and meaty, it’s really delicious.”

“If County Princess likes it, I will let people to deliver a few baskets of fresh ones to Yuan Mansion later.”

She was not polite: “Then thank you very much.”

Seeing this, Zheng Pei’s turned white again.

He was the one who invited Yuan Ci Xian today, but unexpectedly, he ran into Sixth Brother and Lu Shi Qing on the way. These two serious-looking guys didn’t know what medicine they were taken, when they heard where he went, they actually stuck themselves on him.

These two people were four years older than him, in his eyes they were old and decrepit, so he didn’t pay attention to them. Who would have thought that now Yuan Ci Xian and the two of them were inextricably linked, and she was extremely perfunctorily to him alone.

Is it possible that today’s young ladies prefer older men?

Zheng Pei didn’t talk about the scenery of the four seasons anymore, and asked: “Cousin Xian, would you like to go boating and go to the opposite bank to take a look?”

Yuan Ci Xian glanced below the bamboo building: “It’s a good idea, but my sister-in-law is weak and could not be expose to the sun for too long.”

Zheng Pei thought in his heart that it was actually good, and immediately raised his eyebrows: “In this way, Lady Yuan will sit here for a while.” After that, he instructed the maids on all sides, “You guys properly entertain, do not neglect.”

Jiang Bi Rou nodded and quietly gave Yuan Ci Xian a look, signaling her to act carefully.

…

The group went down from the bamboo building.

Zheng Pei asked people to prepare two small canoes, which seemed to have no imperial grandeur at all. Except for the boatman, each could hold about two to three people, no matter how afraid, it would not be overturned.

Yuan Ci Xian knew at a glance that he wanted to leave Zheng Zhuo and Lu Shi Qing aside and share a boat with her.

She glanced at Zheng Zhuo and found that he was also looking at her. After such a glance, she pretended to casually look at the wide water surface and asked, “Four people and two boats, how is Your Highness going to arrange?”

It’s unknown which Your Highness she was asking.

Zheng Pei just about to answer, but then heard Zheng Zhuo answering first: “Why don’t we throw dice.”

 

Small theater:

Zheng Pei: Stay out of the way, a group of old and decrepit men!

Zheng Zhuo, Lu Shi Qing: Young man, who do you say is old and decrepit?

Yuan Ci Xian: The one who wore red for a blind date, you have successfully attracted this County Princess’ attention.

Lu Shi Qing: I’m sorry, this is just my personal taste and style, it has nothing to do with you, auntie. 

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