Du Guqing said unhurriedly, "Find another pond with the same fish and send it. If the princess is happy, you can just keep sending fish."
Although the fish in the pond were extremely valuable, he didn't even blink an eye. He, Du Guqing, was not really short of money. He just wanted his father and brothers to see it.
Han Zhao's face twitched a few times. How much would a pond of fish cost? And keep sending?
"Send them. Go ahead. Just buy a few books. Don't let the Prime Minister's Mansion know about the princess's matter." If she became as wooden as those beauties, he might as well have just married anyone before.
That year when she saw him, she didn't show the slightest bit of disrespect just because he was dressed in the clothes of a junior eunuch. At that time, that purple butterfly flew into his heart. That one glance was for a lifetime. In this lifetime, there was only her in his eyes, and no one else.
Even if she had a lot of flaws, he would tolerate them because she was Mei Qingxue.
He had no power or influence. How much bullying, sneering, and scolding he had endured in the palace and the court. In his life, there were only two women. One was Concubine Qin, his mother, and the other was this carefree little woman.
He treated her so well, but she still remembered that jade - faced young master she could never see again. It was all his own doing. He not only trapped himself but also stole her heart.
"Let this king be alone for a while." His mind and eyes were full of that woman. He was just afraid that he couldn't hold back and would bring her to this place.
"Yes." Han Zhao loyally guarded outside the door. The man inside with an unsteady breath was suffering great pain, and Han Zhao's heart also ached.
When Mei Haoxuan returned to the mansion, Little Bamboo didn't see him, so he missed the time to report. It was Little Qian who saw the eldest young master's horse.
"Brother Bamboo, why didn't you tell the eldest young master what Sister Yue Ru said?"
Little Bamboo looked puzzled, "I didn't see the eldest young master! If I had seen him, would I not have reported it? The master, the mistress, and the eldest young master care a lot about the young lady's affairs."
"I'll guard the door. You go and report quickly. I'm not good at speaking. I'm afraid I can't explain it clearly." Little Qian said.
"Okay."
"Eldest young master, this is Little Bamboo who guards the door. I have something to report!"
Little Bamboo reported loudly outside the young master's courtyard.
"Come in. What's the matter?" Mei Haoxuan was about to take off his outer robe.
"Eldest young master, during the day today, Sister Yue Ru came. She said she had something to find the master and the mistress. Since they had gone to offer incense and hadn't come back, she wanted to find the eldest young master. Even if the master is back now, I don't dare to tell him. I..." He was afraid that something had happened to the young lady, so how could he tell the master and the mistress?
Hearing Little Bamboo's words, Mei Haoxuan frowned. He had just finished his duty, and it was already night. How could he find Yue Ru now?
Even if it was the master looking for a maid, it wasn't appropriate. The maid who accompanied the young lady in marriage couldn't casually contact the young lady's family.
"Did you notice how Sister Yue Ru looked and her expression?" Mei Haoxuan thought for a while and then asked.
"She seemed to be in a hurry. She wasn't scared or panicked, just in a rush."
"Did you take a good look at Sister Yue Ru's clothes?" If something bad had happened, it should be mourning clothes.
"Sister Yue Ru was wearing a pink dress and had a few pomegranate flowers on her head." Little Bamboo recalled carefully.
"Got it. You can go." Mei Haoxuan waved his hand. If something bad had happened, Yue Ru definitely wouldn't have worn pomegranate flowers on her head. Although pomegranate flowers were unremarkable, their color was bright red.
Thinking of this, Mei Haoxuan clapped his hands and finally felt relieved. At this time, his father was probably drinking tea. Mei Haoxuan didn't hesitate and headed straight for the Zhenyu Courtyard.
"Why are you coming so late?" Xia Ruolan saw her son and scolded him lovingly.
"Mother, I came back late at night and haven't paid my respects to you and father. I have two things to say. One is to pay my respects." Mei Zhenguo glanced at him, "So wordy. I haven't seen you so diligent on normal days."
"Father..." Mei Haoxuan gave his father a dissatisfied look. Since his sister wasn't at home, he, the eldest son, had become a thorn in their side?
"It seems I'd better go and defend the border, so as not to make you and mother unhappy when you see me." Mei Haoxuan said deliberately.
"Stop being so glib." Xia Ruolan glanced at her son. She knew that he must have something to say when he came at this time.
"Today, Yue Ru, who accompanied my sister in marriage, came. Mother and father, think of an excuse to visit my sister in the mansion tomorrow." Mei Haoxuan said.
"Is something wrong with your sister?" Xia Ruolan was so anxious that she thought something had happened to her daughter, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Mother." Seeing his mother cry after just a few words, Mei Haoxuan stamped his foot in a hurry. "My sister is such a good person. What could happen to her? I'm just worried that my sister doesn't know how to be a good wife. Maybe she did something wrong. So I'd like you and father to go and take a look tomorrow."
"Don't be anxious, madam. With Xue'er's personality, how could something happen to her?"
Mei Zhenguo couldn't see any clues on his son's face, so he nodded, "Got it. How are you doing now?"
He hadn't seen his son for a few days, so he naturally wanted to ask.
"What time is it to ask about your son's studies? Ask tomorrow!" Xia Ruolan looked at her son's slightly thinner face. "Tell the kitchen to make some delicious food for you. I can see that you've been working hard recently."
Seeing his wife start with that again, Mei Zhenguo coughed. Mei Haoxuan knew that his father thought he was in the way, so he quickly excused himself and left.
"Look..."
Xia Ruolan was so worried that she didn't know whether to stand or sit.
Mei Zhenguo gently took his wife's hand. Looking at his still - beautiful wife's face, he said lovingly, "Xue'er has always been assertive and smart. I'm afraid she doesn't like the Sixth Prince and feels that she has married the wrong person. So she must have done something in the mansion."
"If she did something in the mansion that the prince couldn't stand, I should have been summoned by Concubine Qin!"
"Most likely, the prince is just curious about our Xue'er." Mei Zhenguo said firmly.
When his daughter got married so willingly back then, he thought it was strange. She seemed to be a gentle and ladylike girl, but he knew how naughty his beloved daughter was. When she was young, Mei Haoxuan protected her. Now... he didn't know.
"Madam, go to bed early. I'll send the visiting card early tomorrow." He coaxed his wife gently. He stopped only when he saw that his wife stopped crying. Mei Zhenguo himself was also very worried!
The next day, Mei Zhenguo really sent the visiting card early. At noon, Mei Qingxue saw her parents and brother in the meeting hall. "Father, mother, brother, why are you all so kind to come and see me today? I've missed you so much."
Seeing her family here, Mei Qingxue sent the other servants away and only left Yue Ru to serve on the side.
"Yue Ru, go and make the Dahongpao tea that father likes the most quickly. Tell the cook to make some of his best dim sum." Mei Qingxue arranged.
"Okay!" Yue Ru quickly went to make the arrangements.
Mei Zhenguo looked at his daughter and felt that she seemed to have grown up a bit. But thinking of what his daughter might have done last night, he deliberately put on a straight face.
"Xue'er, have you managed the household smoothly in the mansion?" Xia Ruolan asked euphemistically.
"Smoothly, mother. Don't worry about me. Really. Except that the prince's health is a bit weak, there's nothing to be unhappy about." Mei Qingxue realized that her parents couldn't have come to see her casually. There must be something.
"Xue'er, father just wants to ask you. Have you done anything that's not decent in the mansion?" Mei Zhenguo didn't know what his daughter had done, so he didn't ask his question directly.
Mei Qingxue thought of how she had burned the prince's books and the precious koi in the pond yesterday, and her face blushed slightly.
"I haven't done anything indecent since I got married." Mei Qingxue now finally knew where her maid Yue Ru had gone yesterday. She didn't care. Immediately, she rolled her eyes.
"I did something yesterday. It's neither improper nor indecent. Since father, mother, and brother are all here, please judge for me." Mei Haoxuan stared at her as soon as he heard this.
"Is that sickly prince misbehaving?" He looked like he was going to teach him a lesson again.
"Brother, you're so impatient. Can you wait until I finish speaking? With your temper, what kind of sister - in - law do I have to find for you in the future to control you?"
Mei Haoxuan blushed, "What are you talking nonsense about?" She dared to talk nonsense not long after getting married.
"Brother, listen to me. My husband treats me very well. But..." Mei Qingxue sighed.
"It's okay that he's in poor health and has no real power or proper business. But he should at least read some books!" Mei Qingxue said while looking at her father.
Mei Zhenguo nodded, "Xue'er is right."
"But he just plays with fish and birds. These things are a waste of time and energy. They're just unproductive."
Mei Zhenguo continued to nod. Mei Haoxuan also looked at her seriously, knowing that the next words from his sister were the key.
"I just destroyed the fish the prince played with and the useless idle books." Mei Qingxue sighed softly and glanced at Yue Ru intentionally or unintentionally. "Did I go too far?"
She didn't dare to tell her father that she had burned precious rare books and famous calligraphy and paintings. Yue Ru was standing there nervously at this moment. How dare she tell the truth? She didn't know how the princess would punish her later.
"You did the right thing. Wanting your husband to make progress and study is also your painstaking effort, Xue'er." Mei Zhenguo nodded.
Xia Ruolan glared at Yue Ru behind Mei Qingxue, "You don't even know how to convey the message clearly."
"Mother, you've wronged Yue Ru. If it weren't for Yue Ru being afraid that I would do something wrong, how would she have been so anxious to go back and report to you?" After Mei Qingxue finished speaking, she looked at Mei Zhenguo and Xia Ruolan aggrievedly. "So it turns out that father and mother didn't come to visit me but to blame me?"
Mei Zhenguo laughed, "Silly Xue'er. If we didn't have this excuse, how could your mother and I come to visit you openly?"
Seeing that her daughter was okay and seemed to have gained a little weight recently, Xia Ruolan also laughed.
"Really. After getting married and becoming someone else's wife, you don't miss your parents at all. You should ask the prince to accompany you back home more often."
"Okay." Mei Qingxue nodded. She would talk to that sickly prince later. Recently, that prince had been coming and going secretly, and she hadn't seen him for several days.