Sheng Jiangli was, after all, a person of strong will.
After a brief moment of disappointment, he quickly pulled himself together and got to the point.
"You just said you were in a hurry to go out on business. Can I help you?"
Caiyu glanced at him. In the distance, Song Yongzhen's calls for someone could still be heard. She thought to herself, yes, you can definitely help.
She took out the personal seal from her bosom. "Brother A Li, use the prince's personal seal to withdraw two hundred thousand taels of silver from the bank and find a way to give it to eldest sister for her emergency."
Sheng Jiangli took the seal and his gaze fell on the vermilion - painted characters at the bottom of the seal. His expression darkened.
"He actually trusted you with his personal seal..."
He paused, as if joking. "Aren't you afraid that I'll take the seal, withdraw all his money, and then run away?"
Caiyu punched him in the chest. "You're my Brother A Li. I trust your character and my own judgment. You're not the kind of person who would be tempted by money."
The punch to Sheng Jiangli's chest didn't hurt, but it did lift his mood. He chuckled.
"So I have such a good image in your heart... Then I must not let you down. I'll go and handle this matter right away. Don't worry, I'll definitely return the seal to you."
After Sheng Jiangli left, Caiyu finally stepped out from the corner and walked towards Song Yongzhen.
She didn't want to keep hiding, but this second - generation heir was searching for someone recklessly in the Baiyun Tower. If he continued to make a scene, she would be too embarrassed to show her face.
When Song Yongzhen saw Caiyu, his eyes lit up. He strode over. "Miss Caiyu, where have you been? You made me search everywhere."
Caiyu forced a smile. "This servant went to the restroom. Why are you in such a hurry, Your Highness?"
Song Yongzhen scratched his head and grinned. "I thought you didn't like listening and ran away..."
That was indeed her plan, but she hadn't been able to carry it out.
Caiyu forced a smile. "How could that be? His Highness the Prince of Qi invited me so warmly. How could this servant not show face?"
Song Yongzhen was delighted. He pushed Caiyu back up to the second floor and shouted for people to add several more songs like "Songs of the Four Seasons", "Bodhisattva Barbarian", and "To Young Master Xiao" all at once...
The sun was gradually setting, and soon the sky was ablaze like fire.
When Song Yinghuai returned to the mansion, Ji Ming quickly stepped forward. There was a look of uneasiness on his face. "My lord, the Twelfth Lord took Miss Caiyu to the Baiyun Tower to watch a play."
Song Yinghuai hadn't even dismounted from his horse. Hearing this, his hand tightened on the reins. He frowned and said, "What? Why didn't you and Ninth stop them?"
"I tried to stop them!" Ji Ming cried out in grievance. "Lord Ninth also gave a hint, but Miss Caiyu seemed not to understand and insisted on going out to watch the play with them."
Song Yinghuai's eyes darkened slightly. There was suppressed anger on his face. "How could she not understand?!"
After saying that, he turned his horse around and galloped straight towards the Baiyun Tower.
On the stage of the Baiyun Tower, the actors were still singing lascivious songs that made people blush.
Caiyu was annoyed. She covered one ear with her hand and ate pastries with the other.
It wasn't until a waiter came up with a plate of gold nuggets and said to Caiyu, "Miss, these are a gift from a noble guest in the opposite private room. The noble guest said that he hopes to have a chat with you."
The Baiyun Tower was a theater that sang lascivious songs. When a girl inside was taken a fancy to, she would be given some gold or other jewelry, and then the two would have a good talk.
As for where it would end up...
There were rooms in the backyard of the Baiyun Tower for guests to rest temporarily, or they could make an appointment elsewhere.
So when that plate of gold nuggets was presented, Song Yongzhen immediately slapped the table and stood up, furious.
"Which blind fool is this? Can't you see that Miss Caiyu is brought here by this prince? Where is he?"
Song Yongzhen looked like he was going to fight.
The waiter didn't dare to hide anything. Moreover, that guest had specifically emphasized that he wanted to anger His Highness the Prince of Qi and lead him over.
The waiter didn't hesitate to point at the private room in the opposite direction on the third floor. "That's the one!"
Song Yongzhen rolled up his sleeves and dragged Song Boming up the stairs while cursing.
Before leaving, he repeatedly told Caiyu, "Wait for me here. I'll come back right away after avenging you. There's still 'To Young Master Xiao' to be sung later!"
Caiyu looked at the stack of gold nuggets on the table. Watching their backs disappear on the stairs, she got up and left.
She couldn't stay in this place for a single moment longer!
She was afraid that Song Yinghuai would come back and settle the score with her.
Who would have thought that as soon as she left the private room, she was grabbed from behind.
The strength of the person behind was so great that Caiyu was spun around and plunged head - first into his arms.
The moment the scream escaped her lips, the tall figure of the person completely enveloped her. His thin lips accurately covered her red lips!
The familiar sandalwood scent instantly filled her nostrils.
The hairs on Caiyu's body that had stood up in fright obediently retracted after the kiss.
When the kiss ended, Song Yinghuai loosened his lips. He stared at the flustered expression on the girl's face with his dark eyes.
"Lan Caiyu, you're really something. You've learned to be bad."
The man's tone was gentle, but Caiyu felt a chill run down her spine. Her attitude immediately softened like water. Her voice was as weak as a cat's meow as she forced out a sentence.
"My lord, it was His Highness the Prince of Qi who insisted on bringing me here."
"Hehe!" Song Yinghuai raised his eyebrows. "If he insisted, you couldn't refuse? Don't I know what kind of person you are? If you didn't want to do something, even I couldn't force you, let alone that silly Twelfth."
The girl lowered her crescent - shaped eyebrows. Her expression was aggrieved. She clung to his arm. Her soft voice was so charming that it made one's bones go limp.
"No, my lord can't force me because you dote on me. I act recklessly because I know you dote on me. But His Highness the Prince of Qi is different. He's an outsider."
Song Yinghuai looked at the girl who was hanging on his arm and acting coquettishly. The worry and uneasiness that had filled him on the way here gradually faded away.
Although he was sure that Caiyu wouldn't run away with Twelfth, just thinking about her sitting in the Baiyun Tower, listening to those lascivious songs with Twelfth, made his heart ache with jealousy.
So he had galloped here as fast as he could. He had also asked the waiter to bring a plate of gold nuggets to lure Twelfth and Ninth to the opposite room.
At this moment, Song Yongzhen and Song Boming were sitting on the chairs like quails, looking at Han Fen holding the knife in front of his chest.
Han Fen said to the two lords with a straight face, "My lords, His Highness the Prince of Yan has ordered this subordinate to watch over you. If you dare to leave this room, His Highness the Prince of Yan said that he'll break your dog legs!"
Song Yongzhen and Song Boming: …
At this time, the actor on the stage started singing, attracting everyone's attention.
One could see the water sleeves fluttering over the fair wrists. The almond - shaped eyes were full of amorous glances. There was a natural charm. As she opened her mouth, her voice was as lazy as a swallow and as charming as a warbler.
"The dog outside is barking. I know it's Young Master Xiao coming. I run down the fragrant steps in my socks. My dear is drunk tonight."
"I help him into the silk curtain. He refuses to take off his silk clothes. Let him be drunk. It's still better than sleeping alone."
There were bursts of laughter from downstairs, and the charming giggles of women came one after another.
The actor's eyes were bright. She scanned the audience and quickly fixed her gaze on Song Yinghuai who was standing in front of the railing on the second floor.
The man's charm was outstanding. Not to mention the actresses in the Baiyun Tower who only knew how to sing ditties, even in the whole of Daye, there were few who could be more outstanding than the man on the second floor.
Noticing that the man had attracted everyone's attention as soon as he came, Caiyu felt a surge of jealousy bubbling up inside her.
She reached out and covered Song Yinghuai's eyes. "My lord, don't look!"
The girl's palm was a bit warm and moist. Covering his eyes, it tickled his eyelashes.
Song Yinghuai turned his head and curled his lips under her palm.
He reached out.
Even with his eyes closed, he accurately pinched her chin.
He lowered his head along her palm.
And kissed her on the lips.
The actor on the stage was stunned. She almost missed her lines.
The man upstairs was really self - aware. Before the girl beside him could act, he had already nipped the peach blossom in the bud.
It was the first time Caiyu had been kissed in public. Her face flushed bright red. She felt extremely awkward and let out a cat - like meow from her throat.
Her legs went weak.
Her whole body slid down along the man's body and was hooked into his arms by the man to hold her steady.
Song Yinghuai put his arm around her waist and lifted her up. He kicked open the door and walked into the private room, then sat her on his lap.
He slightly raised his chin. His eyes fell on the snacks on the table. He snorted.
"I've been busy all day without eating or drinking a single drop, but I didn't expect you to be having an affair at home. Now you still want to control me?"