Chu Yueying blurted out without hesitation, "Of course. I like cousin too."
The room fell into complete silence, only the gurgling sound of simmering tea could be heard.
A bright smile spread across Shi Minglang's face.
Only then did Chu Yueying realize how embarrassing her words were. She quickly covered her mouth.
Waves of heat rose from her blushing cheeks.
"You..." The young girl was both ashamed and annoyed. She got up and was about to leave.
There were still her wet nurse and maids in the room. How shameless of Shi Minglang to try to get words out of her!
Shi Minglang quickly apologized with a smile, "Cousin, don't be angry. I just couldn't hold back and asked casually."
Couldn't hold back?
Chu Yueying's heart skipped a beat. What did that mean? Did Shi Minglang have feelings for her too...
She looked at him with a blushing face.
The white steam from the teapot rose between them, and the fragrance of tea wafted in the air. Shi Minglang looked back at her seriously.
He wasn't joking around. His attitude was far from being flippant.
Chu Yueying's heart fluttered like a caged bird.
Shi Minglang took out a book from his bosom and held it out to Chu Yueying with both hands.
"Let me make it up to you, cousin. Okay?"
It was actually the Collection of Mingxi's Poems. Chu Yueying was surprised.
In fact, Mr. Mingxi was a boudoir lady.
She had a rough life, but never complained. She had the courage and vision of a man.
Her poems covered a wide range of topics. There were descriptions of the idyllic life, the feelings of boudoir ladies, and masterpieces that praised the famous mountains and rivers and expressed her ambitions.
Many men were deeply impressed by her poems and yearned for her.
The well - educated young ladies from wealthy families often got together to discuss the mysterious identity of this amazing woman.
Her poems were extremely rare.
Chu Yueying loved them very much.
Her boudoir friend Bai Feifei had a copy and cherished it like a treasure. Chu Yueying asked to borrow it for a few days, but Bai Feifei was reluctant.
She took it as if she had found a precious treasure and carefully flipped through it.
The pages were brand new and still smelled of ink. The font was not the regular script commonly used by book merchants, but running - regular script. The characters were vigorous, regular and solemn.
"Is this a hand - copied version? The calligraphy is so good."
Hearing Chu Yueying's sincere praise, Shi Minglang was overjoyed. "Thank you for the compliment, cousin."
Chu Yueying was surprised. "Did cousin copy it by himself?"
How could that be? He was the local official in Yunzhou and had been assisting the crown prince in investigating the Yue family and punishing the evildoers. He was so busy. Where did he get the leisure time to copy books?
"Yes. I've had it copied for some time. I just couldn't find a proper time to give it to you, for fear of being too abrupt."
Shi Minglang seemed to be seeking credit. "It's worth the several days and nights I spent if cousin likes it."
Chu Yueying suddenly felt that this book had a different weight. Holding it in her arms, her heart was filled with sweet joy.
It turned out that the feeling of being cared about and remembered was so wonderful.
It was a pity that she had nothing worthy to give to Shi Minglang.
Her grandmother had taught her that she must reciprocate any gift. She couldn't accept any gift with a clear conscience.
After thinking for a while, she took off the sachet around her waist, placed it on the tea table, and slowly pushed it towards Shi Minglang.
The young girl lowered her head, shy and timid. Her delicate hands trembled slightly.
Shi Minglang was stunned for a moment. He leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Cousin, do you really want to give me your personal item?"
It was self - evident what it meant for an unmarried girl to give a personal item to a man.
Chu Yueying's face was blushing. She said with a hint of annoyance, "You know it well and still ask!"
There seemed to be stars twinkling in Shi Minglang's eyes. He quickly stuffed the sachet into his sleeve.
Chu Yueying felt that the temperature in the room was getting higher and higher, and her face was getting hotter and hotter. She wondered if it was just her illusion, but Shi Minglang's eyes seemed to be filled with heat when he looked at her.
"Lian Mama, Chunzhi, let's go home!"
She deliberately spoke loudly, as if trying to cover up some kind of sentiment.
When she reached the door, she couldn't help but turn back and gave Shi Minglang a charming smile.
"Cousin, you must come to my home for the New Year!"
Shi Minglang replied seriously, "I will surely not fail you!"
After seeing Chu Yueying off, Shi Minglang was so happy that he could hardly contain himself.
"I have to write to Mother quickly and tell her that her son is not a coward. He's going to have a wife soon!"
...
For seven consecutive days, Taoist Priest Qiu treated Liang Yuzhou with acupuncture and herbal medicine.
His lung disease had improved a lot. He no longer coughed, and the wound on his shoulder was slowly healing.
The swelling on the back of his head was visibly shrinking.
Today was the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. The New Year was just around the corner.
"His Highness the Crown Prince means that we'll set off for Yunzhou early tomorrow morning. We'll spend the New Year there. When the weather gets warmer, we'll go north back to the capital."
Since the day the crown prince left in a huff, he had never come to this room again.
He always sent Little Anzi to convey his messages.
Bai Zhi and Luo Cen no longer hovered around Song Wanchu.
Liang Yuzhou looked at Little Anzi. His pupils were out of focus. He could only see a hazy outline of light and shadow.
But his aura was cold and imposing.
"Wanchu and I have no intention of returning to the capital."
Little Anzi twitched the corner of his mouth. "With a powerful enemy in front, His Highness the Crown Prince needs the assistance of Taoist Priest Qingzhou. Taoist Priest Qingzhou has always been a person who considers the overall situation—"
"But I'm narrow - minded and vengeful. And I'm still blind. Who did this to me? Why should I fight side by side with him?"
Little Anzi gritted his back teeth. The smile on his face was uglier than crying. "Does that mean Taoist Priest Qingzhou wants His Highness the Crown Prince to come and apologize to you?"
"Shouldn't he?"
This rhetorical question left Little Anzi speechless.
He rolled his eyes to the sky.
Anyway, Liang Yuzhou couldn't see. With Song Wanchu not around, Little Anzi glared at him angrily a few more times.
"If you roll your eyes so hard, aren't you afraid of getting a cramp?"
Little Anzi: "!!!"
Wasn't he supposed to be blind? How did this guy seem to have the eyes of a celestial being?
He was so annoyed. Since he couldn't win the argument against Liang Yuzhou, he left in a huff.
Song Wanchu walked in right after. "What did Eunuch An say?"
"He wants us to stay in Yunzhou with the crown prince for the New Year. After the New Year, we'll go back to the capital to help him defeat the Princess Chang."
It was reasonable for the crown prince to say so.
The situation was stronger than people. After the Princess Chang was released from restriction, she was more powerful and arrogant than before.
Shi Minglang was right. The Princess Chang was vindictive. None of them could stay out of it.
She hadn't taken any action for the time being, probably out of fear. But poisonous snakes were good at hiding and ambushing. No one could be sure when they would jump out and bite.
Joining hands to fight the enemy was the only way out.
"What the crown prince said makes sense. Why did Eunuch An leave in such a huff? Did you mock the crown prince again?"
"Wanchu, who is your husband? Why are you siding with outsiders?"
Liang Yuzhou pulled a long face. He looked extremely aggrieved.
He reached out his hand, like a big dog asking for a pat from its master.
Song Wanchu had been worn down by him these days. She placed her hand in his palm and smiled helplessly.
"I know you don't want to go back to the capital for my sake."
Liang Yuzhou understood her. There were too many people in the capital that she hated, like the Princess Chang, the Princess Lingyang, Yu Huiyan, and his mother, the Princess Jiahe.
He didn't want her to face the storms in the capital again.
"I can stay in the south of the Yangtze River. You can go north with the crown prince. After the matter of the Princess Chang is settled..."
Before she could finish, Liang Yuzhou let out a plaintive sigh. "Wanchu, how heartless you are!"