Mo Junyang said he was going to pick up Shi Qingxue, but he didn’t have a chance to stay with her alone.
All the way, the ladies from the Shi Family were with them. As soon as they reached the Moon Mountain, Mo Yuzhen couldn’t wait to come to find her friend.
Shi Qingxue gave Mo Junyang an apologetic glance and then was pulled away by Yuzhen.
“Qingxue is so capable that Third Princess can’t forget her even after marriage.” Shi Baojin said with sarcasm. Her voice was loud enough and everyone present could hear it clearly.
All people scrupled at Shi Baojin’s glory and wouldn’t stand up for two girls who were not here, but Shi Baoyou pulled Baojin’s sleeve and advised in a low voice, “Baojin, don’t say that. Qingxue has been Her Highness’s bestie since long ago. It’s normal for them to be close…”
Shi Baojin didn’t give in. She dragged her sleeve and said coldly, “What shouldn’t I say? Was I wrong?”
“You are right, but no matter who is my friend, it has nothing to do with you. Do you qualify to comment?” A cold voice came from behind them. Not until then did they find that Mo Yuzhen came back.
Shi Baojin was embarrassed in public and her face was pale. But she gritted her teeth and lowered her head to admit her fault. “I am sorry to say something improper. Your Highness, please forgive me.”
Mo Yuzhen ignored Shi Baojin who showed the white feather and didn’t care about her dignity. She snorted. “Of course, you said something improper. Fine, I don’t want to see you. Help yourself.”
“Aha!”
Somebody around couldn’t help sniggering in a low voice, but it was harsh.
Shi Baojin’s face was ghostly pale and her lips trembled. She forced herself to bow. “I am leaving now.”
After driving away the annoying Shi Baojin, Mo Yuzhen looked around at the noble ladies and said, “We are having a tour in spring today. Don’t be overcautious. Go for a walk around with your friends. Don’t worry. I have told the City Guardian Army to guard at the foot of the mountain. Anybody irrelevant wouldn’t come to the Moon Mountain.”
“Thanks, Your Highness!”
Many people came intentionally, hoping to cotton up to Mo Yuzhen. Seeing that Yuzhen was in low spirits, they had to leave by twos and threes.
However, Shi Qingxue was nervous to hear Yuzhen’s words. “Yuzhen, did you really tell the City Guardian Army to guard at the foot of the mountain?”
Mo Yuzhen took it for granted and nodded. “Why would I lie to you? My maternal grandfather gave me the power. Even the imperial guards should listen to his orders, let alone the City Guardian Army.”
Mo Yuzhen held Shi Qingxue’s arm and walked to the hillside excitedly. “A few days ago, I came to check this place in person and found an interesting spot. Let me take you to have a look.”
“Wait!” Shi Qingxue stopped her and asked with concern, “How could you tell the City Guardian Army to guard at the foot of the mountain for you? Their duty is to guard the capital city and its environs, but you transfer them to the mountain. If the officials know it, they would criticize you.”
Mo Yuzhen was stunned and didn’t expect that Shi Qingxue would think about it. She was moved and amused. Then she couldn’t help rubbing Qingxue’s nose and said joyfully, “Honey, I didn’t expect you to consider everything for me. I love you so much!”
While laughing, she rushed to Qingxue.
Shi Qingxue was not in the mood to joke with her. She pushed Yuzhen away crossly and said angrily, “I am serious. Correct your attitude, or I won’t talk with you.”
Mo Yuzhen hurriedly stood and straightened her back, with a proud and joyful expression on her face. She grabbed Shi Qingxue’s hand and didn’t want to let her go. She called, “Qingxue.”
After she got married, they hardly met each other, not to mention having a talk like now. This feeling of being distant made her uncomfortable and helpless. This was the price that they should pay after they grew up.
When Mo Yuzhen decided not to tell Shi Qingxue to marry Mo Junjiu, she knew that they would get parted gradually, but the reality was that even if she forced herself not to go to see Shi Qingxue and intentionally kept her at a distance, Qingxue still cared about her and even…
“What on earth are you thinking? Does your grandpa allow you to act recklessly?” Shi Qingxue didn’t find the glimmer in Yuzhen’s eyes and was still worried that Yuzhen had harassed the people and wasted money.
After hearing that, Mo Yuzhen laughed again, but she answered seriously, “He told me to transfer the army. Do you think he would allow me to?”
Shi Qingxue was confused. “Why? He should know that it will arouse others’ envy.”
“Haven’t you found that my brother Junhao is so arrogant recently?” Mo Yuzhen meant something.
Qingxue was blank. She was busy with her own life these days and forgot to pay attention to the imperial court.
She had no idea since when she didn’t hate Mo Junhao as much as when she had just been reborn. She lost the hatred toward him, as if he was just an irrelevant stranger.
Oh, of course, she would take revenge anyway.
Hearing that Mo Junhao was riding high nowadays, she was unhappy. “He just did something at the end of last year, right? Why is he still popular? Your big brother, the crown prince even did a magnificent feat to defeat the robbers. But His Majesty doesn’t care about it.”
Mo Yuzhen subconsciously looked around and made sure that there was no outsider. Then she looked at Shi Qingxue and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You are even braver than me to say anything.”
Mo Yuzhen knew that her friend was very smart, but had a fatal weakness. She wasn’t on the alert for anybody she trusted close to her. It was fortunate that only the two of them heard what she said just now. Otherwise, it would cause much trouble.
But Mo Yuzhen didn’t plan to remind Qingxue. She even felt proud because her friend’s natural character. She didn’t hide anything. “You know that my father likes my brother Junhao. He favors him so much that he would exaggerate his insignificant contribution.”
Shi Qingxue’s eyes darkened. She suddenly remembered that she had married Mo Junhao at this time in the previous life. She was truly glorious, and Mo Junhao was promoted to future crown prince soon. Moreover, Mo Junjiu was impatient and tried to usurp the throne recklessly, so Junhao found his secret aboveboard and defeated him easily.
But it was not so easy in this life.
Qingxue smiled slyly and didn’t want to think more about Mo Junhao. She continued the topic. “Even so, what does it have to do with transferring the City Guardian Army? They are enjoying the glory, and you need to try and serve as a foil?”
She couldn’t understand it.
“Gee, that’s it. But my big brother Junyu is impatient. He wanted to do something, and my grandpa didn’t allow him to but was afraid that suppressing would arouse protest, so…” Mo Yuzhen didn’t finish her words.
But Shi Qingxue understood what she meant. Her eyes dimmed and she had complex feelings. Before she could say something, Mo Yuzhen had covered her eyes.
Shi Qingxue was speechless.
“Don’t look at me in this way. Don’t feel pity for me.” Mo Yuzhen’s voice was hoarse and deep. Upon hearing it, Shi Qingxue felt sadder and wanted to look at her, but she couldn’t see anything as Yuzhen covered her eyes. She had to give up and wait quietly.
Till…
“Your Excellency, where are you going? Wait for me!”
A familiar voice came from a distance. Both of them were astonished. Shi Qingxue took off Yuzhen’s hand in a hurry and looked at the direction where the voice was from. “It’s Shi Baojin. What else does she want to do?”
Shi Qingxue and Mo Yuzhen looked at each other. They reached a secret agreement and hid behind an undergrowth to peep between the leaves.
On the hillside far away, Mo Junyang was enjoying the spring scene alone. Shi Baojin ran to him with excitement on her face and greeted shyly, “Your Excellency, long time no see. How are you?”
Mo Junyang glanced at her indifferently. “I am fine.”
He didn’t even pretend to be polite but was about to leave.
Shi Baojin wouldn’t let him go. Regardless of the consequences, she pulled Mo Junyang’s sleeve and shouted, “I have something to tell you. Please listen to me, Your Excellency.”
She said that, but the expression in her eyes showed that if he shook off her hand, she would call others.
Mo Junyang controlled himself and took a deep breath, asking, “What do you want to say?”
After making sure that she had made Mo Junyang stay, Baojin looked shy again. She asked softly, “My mother said the Zhao Family was willing to propose marriage to me because of you. Is that true?”
While speaking, she couldn’t help but raised her head to look at Mo Junyang, with expectancy and disbelief in her eyes.
Shi Baojin didn’t believe that after what had happened between them, Mo Junyang was still willing to help her.
Mo Yuzhen couldn’t believe that, either. She asked doubtfully, “Does Mo Junyang fall in love with Shi Baojin?”
“No way!” Shi Qingxue denied without thinking, although it appeared to be true.
Mo Yuzhen also thought it was impossible, but why did Mo Junyang help Shi Baojin?
Leaving aside others, they were sure that Zhao Liang was the best husband Shi Baojin could find.
Noticing Mo Yuzhen’s doubt, Shi Qingxue felt guilty and said to herself, “He is not Baojin’s best husband. In the previous life, she married Mo Junhao.”
She was clear about it, but she couldn’t say it, so she had to respond, “Anyway, he wouldn’t love Shi Baojin. A man would never let the woman he loves marry another man.”
“That’s right!” Mo Yuzhen suddenly realized it. As far as she knew, Mo Junyang was not such a generous man, but she thought of another question. “Shi Qingxue, I suddenly find that you know a lot about him.”
Shi Qingxue remained silent.
She couldn’t explain, so she stopped talking and pulled Mo Yuzhen’s sleeve, hinting her to watch the play.
Obviously, Shi Baojin also thought Mo Junyang had helped her because he loved her. With joyful and helpless tears on her face, she murmured, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? If you did, perhaps we wouldn’t have been like this.”
Mo Junyang was baffled and glanced at Shi Baojin, with an expression showing, “What the hell are you talking about?”
But Shi Baojin thought he was trying his best to conceal his love for her. She was more depressed and couldn’t control herself but yelled, “I know. I know everything. You love me. Now we are alone here. Don’t need to conceal it anymore.”