A smile played on my face, but inside I seethed with hatred. I thought that Yu Chi Cheng must have done it on purpose. However, after stealing a glance at Lord Qi Yuan, I held back my anger and said, "Shui Fu and I have important matters to attend to. I'm afraid I can't accompany you, brother."
Yu Chi Cheng raised his eyebrows. "What important matters?" His eyes were fixed on Shui Fu.
Shui Fu looked flustered. She bowed and said, "Nothing is more important than the princess receiving her long - lost brother. This servant... this servant will take her leave first!"
"Hey!" I was greatly startled. Watching Shui Fu retreat all the way out, I wanted to chase after her. But unexpectedly, Yu Chi Cheng grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I cursed silently in my heart. This damned girl was so good at currying favor that she betrayed me. I would surely teach her a good lesson when I got back.
At this moment, Yu Chi Cheng wore a calm smile on his face. "Well, now Xi He can accompany your brother, right?"
Looking at his fair and handsome smiling face, I suddenly felt a kind of heroic solemnity like "The wind howls and the Yi River is cold". I nodded. "Okay."
After Yu Chi Cheng finished laughing, he pulled me to his side. I turned back and took a look at Qi Yuan, who was as calm as water. My heart ached. Lord Qi Yuan, you should know that I'm sacrificing myself to accompany this tiger for your sake today.
Yu Chi Cheng and I wandered in the palace. Along the way, I casually told him something about the palace scenery. He loudly praised it as wonderful and then pulled me to sit down in a waterside pavilion.
He stared at the lotus flowers swaying in the green pond with the gentle breeze. Letting the refreshing wind carrying the fragrance of lotus caress his face, he looked calm but actually had an ulterior motive and said, "I heard that all the women in the Great Yong are both talented and accomplished. As a princess of the Great Yong, Xi He, surely you can do something?"
I stood beside him and stared at him. "Who said that?"
Yu Chi Cheng smiled. "Actually, it doesn't matter if you can't do anything. You only need to know how to bully others and act spoiled with the emperor's favor." As he said this, he suddenly turned his star - like eyes to look at me.
I stared at him in disbelief. "Nonsense! How dare you look down on me?"
Yu Chi Cheng put away his smile and said gently, "Then what can you do?"
Without thinking, I blurted out, "The qin!"
He immediately clapped his hands. "Good. Go and fetch a qin for the princess."
The maids behind hesitated. I said, "What are you hesitating about? Go and get it!"
After I shouted, I immediately regretted it, because I saw a smirk on Yu Chi Cheng's lips. He said wickedly, "Since Xi He has asked for the qin, you must play it!"
Only then did I realize what I had done. What on earth was I doing? Why did I have to play the qin for him...
While regretting, I caught a glimpse of Lord Qi Yuan beside me. My heart immediately calmed down. Well... I'll just consider it as playing the qin for Lord Qi Yuan.
The qin was quickly fetched. Looking at the lotus - scented pond, I casually played a tune named "Ballad of the Blue Water". The sound of the qin was like the evening wind passing through the pine trees and the clear spring jumping over the stones, bringing a bit of coolness to the scorching summer. I immersed myself in the tune and didn't think much, just following the music.
After the tune ended, Yu Chi Cheng couldn't help but applaud. I took a look at Lord Qi Yuan and saw a bit of tenderness on his face. I felt quite proud. But unexpectedly, Yu Chi Cheng said, "Although this tune is good, it still has a touch of the decadent court music. It lacks the purity and freshness of the mountain music. So your skill in playing the qin is still not good enough. But considering your young age and unstable mind, easily influenced by your qin teacher, it's already very good that you can play this tune like this."
I was a bit unhappy when I heard this. I snorted and said, "You talk so nicely. If you're so good, why don't you play?"
Yu Chi Cheng shook his head. "Do you think the goading tactic will work on me? Such a trick is only good enough to deceive you."
After saying that, he burst out laughing and walked out of the waterside pavilion. I was so angry that I almost picked up the qin and threw it at him. Just then, Qi Yuan walked up to me and said, "Your Highness plays the qin very well."
After saying that, he also left with Yu Chi Cheng. But at that moment, my heart completely calmed down. I stood there grinning like an idiot for a long time and told myself that anyway, I didn't play the qin for Yu Chi Cheng. As long as Lord Qi Yuan liked it, it was fine. With this thought in mind, I decided to catch up with them.
...
The green pond was very large. We walked around it for a whole circle, but we could still see lotuses everywhere. I deliberately walked on Yu Chi's side and forced him towards the edge of the pond, thinking that it would be great if he lost his balance and fell into the pond by himself. But unexpectedly, although he walked on the edge of the pond, he walked extremely steadily, which made my wish fail several times. So I came up with a bad idea.
"Brother Yu Chi, look at that lotus flower. It's so beautiful. Could you pick it for me?" I pretended to be shy and looked at him, then pointed at a pink lotus flower near the edge of the pond expectantly. Yu Chi Cheng looked at me and smiled, then said, "Isn't this kind of thing of picking flowers usually done by servants?"
After saying that, he pointed at Lord Qi Yuan and said, "You, go and pick a flower for the princess."
"Yes." Lord Qi Yuan nodded. Then, wearing his majestic armor, he stepped forward and gently asked me, "What color does Your Highness want?"
"Ah?" I was caught off guard again.
At this time, Qi Yuan had already picked a white and a pink lotus flower for me. He lowered his head and offered the flowers to me, but I stood there stunned for a long time and didn't dare to take them. Cough, Qi Yuan, do you have to be so serious? My heart is about to jump out!
"What's wrong? Don't you want them anymore?" Yu Chi Cheng stepped forward, took the two flowers and smelled them, then forced them into my hands.
Lord Qi Yuan stepped back to his original position, but I began to regret it.
Wuwuwu, Lord Qi Yuan, although I really hope that you can pick flowers for me, but not at this time!
Looking at the smug look on Yu Chi Cheng's face, I knew that my plan had been seen through by him again. I felt even more indignant.
It should be me receiving your flowers, Lord Qi Yuan. Why did it end up being him!
I followed the two of them sadly, sighing constantly. Just when we were about to leave the edge of the pond, I came up with another plan. Pointing at the corridor, I shouted, "Aunt!"
Sure enough, this time both Yu Chi Cheng and Qi Yuan were attracted by my words and turned their eyes. Seeing this, I immediately pushed Yu Chi Cheng. But unexpectedly, he slightly leaned to one side to avoid me. I didn't expect this and couldn't keep my balance. I quickly fell towards the green pond. Just before falling into the water, I clearly felt a hand trying to grab me, but it missed.
"Ah—" I fell into the water and took a big gulp of water, which stopped me from making any more sounds. At this time, two cries of alarm came from my ears—
"Xi He!"
"Your Highness!"
Then there were two splashes of people jumping into the water.
I only felt a suffocating pain in my chest, and my vision became blurred. Wuwuwu, I can do everything in my life except swimming. Is this where my life ends today? I thought desperately and finally sank under the blue waves above my head.
Alas... Sure enough, he who plays with fire gets burned. One should never have the heart to harm others! Mother, I was wrong!
Just when my consciousness was gradually fading, I felt two figures swimming towards me... I thought, why do I seem to see a god just like Lord Qi Yuan? This must be another hallucination...