Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew in. Even though Du Guqing was still soaking in the hot spring, he couldn't help but shiver.
"Which audacious wretch dares to barge into the Azure Pool without permission?" Mei Haoxuan roared at the person in the pool.
"Cough, cough. It's me, the Sixth Prince, Mei Guard." Du Guqing weakly coughed twice and announced his identity. Even though his face was different from usual, his voice was still easily recognizable to Mei Haoxuan, who was familiar with it. He had swept the things off the table after hearing Mei Haoxuan's voice.
Mei Haoxuan was surprised. He didn't expect Du Guqing to be here. It seemed that the prince who had left his palace without reason tonight had come to this place. Looking at the eunuch's uniform on the ground, he more or less understood. He just didn't expect that a prince who had been sick for years could disguise himself. This somewhat surprised him.
"Your subordinate pays respects to the Sixth Prince."
"Get up. Have someone help me up." His cold illness had been suppressed, and he didn't need to stay here any longer.
"Yes." Several palace servants stepped forward to help Du Guqing out of the water, and soon someone brought his clothes and helped him change.
"Your subordinate will have the palace servants escort the Sixth Prince back to the palace."
"En. Tell Father Emperor that I came to the Azure Pool to dispel my cold illness." After being helped onto the sedan chair, Du Guqing left without saying a word about why he was here.
"Yes, your subordinate understands."
Mei Haoxuan was about to leave the Azure Pool when he suddenly felt a flash in the corner of his eye as he looked back. Something that glinted slightly on the ground not far from the pool caught his attention. He stepped forward, bent down to pick it up, and held it in front of his eyes. He frowned slightly. Wasn't this earring with a rabbit pendant the birthday gift he had given Mei Qingxue on her birthday last year? How could it have fallen here? He was sure that this earring belonged to Mei Qingxue because he had specially commissioned someone to make it. He hadn't seen Xue'er tonight. Could it be that Xue'er had been here?
Puzzled, he put the earring in his bosom. After sending someone to the Prime Minister's Mansion to inquire whether Mei Qingxue had safely returned to the mansion, Mei Haoxuan headed straight for the emperor's palace.
Mei Qingxue, the second young lady of the Prime Minister's Mansion, had danced so beautifully at the emperor's birthday banquet that she had once again become the talk of the town. Since she had regained her voice a year ago, this time she had once again become the topic of conversation among the nobles and commoners, beggars and peddlers in the capital.
Mei Qingxue was described as if she were a celestial being. People almost thought that she had been possessed by a fairy who had fallen from the sky. In a short period of time, she had undergone a complete transformation. From a second young lady who had been laughed at and despised, she had become the most sought-after young lady in the noble circles of the capital!
In the Pure Heart Courtyard of the Prime Minister's Mansion, Mei Qingxue looked at the red and white plum blossoms that had already budded in the courtyard. She gently frowned her beautiful eyebrows, which were as delicate as distant mountains. Her usually lively eyes were a bit dull at the moment. Even the mastiff, which was as round as a ball, was "teasing" her from time to time, but she completely ignored it.
"Miss, do you know how lively our Prime Minister's Mansion has been these days? The people who come to propose marriage have almost broken the threshold of the mansion!" Yue Ru, who didn't know where she had run back from, looked at the dazed Mei Qingxue with a slightly red face and said excitedly.
"En? What did you say?" Mei Qingxue, who had suddenly come back to her senses, was startled by Yue Ru's rather high-pitched voice. She looked at Yue Ru, who was smiling happily, with a puzzled look in her eyes.
Seeing that her young lady seemed to be completely out of it, Yue Ru's smile faded a bit. "Aren't you happy, Miss? Now you are the most famous person in the capital! People outside are saying that you are simply a celestial beauty! Even the eldest prince wants to come and propose marriage to Lord Prime Minister!"
"What did you say? The eldest prince wants to propose marriage?" Mei Qingxue immediately grasped the key point. If this was true, it would be a big problem!
"Yes, Miss. Why? Aren't you happy?" The eldest prince was a member of the royal family and might very well become the crown prince in the future. If Miss married him, she might very well become the queen of the country. But why couldn't she see a trace of happiness on Miss's face?
It would be strange if she were happy! Not to mention that she was only thirteen years old now. Just the fact that he was a member of the royal family made her reluctant to marry. What was so good about the palace? She didn't want to go in and be a caged canary! No, especially since this eldest prince was a person who was vying for the throne. If this man became the emperor in the future, wouldn't she have to share a man with thousands of other women?
Oh no! Just thinking about it made her feel extremely disgusted! She must not let such a thing happen!
"I'm going to see Mother and Father." If she didn't make her stance clear now, it might not be so easy to do so later.
"Miss, Miss..."
"Xue'er, where are you going?" Mei Haoxuan, who was about to go and see Mei Qingxue, saw Mei Qingxue walking quickly through the garden. He quickly stepped forward and called out to her.
Hearing the voice, Mei Qingxue suddenly stopped and looked at Mei Haoxuan, who was walking towards her. "Brother, why are you at home today? Wait for me. I'll go and see Mother and Father first and then come to find you." After saying that, she was about to leave again.
Mei Haoxuan quickly stopped her. He didn't know what was so urgent that she had to go and see her parents. "What's so urgent? Tell brother first."
Hearing this, Mei Qingxue thought for a moment. Her brother was the only son of the Mei family. If her parents didn't agree to her request, Mei Haoxuan should be able to speak for her. So she told him her thoughts truthfully.
After listening, Mei Haoxuan smiled softly. "Don't worry, Xue'er. Mother and Father won't put you in such a situation."
In fact, ever since Mei Qingxue had regained her voice, the eldest prince's mother, Concubine Yu, had summoned their mother and wanted to arrange a marriage between Mei Qingxue and the eldest prince. They were just trying to win over Prime Minister Mei's influence in the court. Whether it was out of affection or reason, they would not agree to such a marriage. After all, the crown prince of the Fengxi Kingdom had not been determined yet. It was still uncertain who would sit on the throne in the future. How could they let Mei Qingxue take such a risk?
Hearing Mei Haoxuan say this, Mei Qingxue felt relieved and blamed herself for her impulsiveness just now. Yes, the prime minister and his wife loved her so much. How could they do such a thing?
"It was Xue'er who thought too much. Brother, don't you have to be on duty today?" Mei Qingxue looked at Mei Haoxuan's gentle smile and suddenly had an idea. A plan was born.
"En, I don't have to be on duty today." Poor Mei Haoxuan had no idea that he had already been schemed against by his younger sister.
"Brother, Xue'er is already thirteen years old this year. But since I lost my voice at the age of five, I haven't left the Prime Minister's Mansion. I only went out once a year ago, and then once again not long ago. That's only twice in total. So far, I don't have any friends outside..." As Mei Qingxue said this, she gradually lowered her head, leaving only a mass of black hair for Mei Haoxuan to see. Her voice even choked a little at the end.
Hearing this, the guilt that had been hidden in Mei Haoxuan's heart welled up again. He looked at Mei Qingxue with heartache in his eyes and said, "It was brother's fault back then. Don't worry, Xue'er. Brother won't let you be hurt again in the future. No matter what you want, brother will satisfy you."
Mei Qingxue could only apologize secretly. She actually didn't like to see Mei Haoxuan looking so ashamed. After all, the person who had really been hurt wasn't her, and Mei Haoxuan had only been a child of less than ten years old back then. What could he have done?
But she couldn't think of a better person to turn to for this matter. Although she had thought of other ways, this was still the most appropriate one!