There was a rockery in front. Shangguan Xue nervously wrung the handkerchief in her hand. Perhaps sensing something amiss, she slightly lowered her head. After a moment of silence, she still didn't leave. This must be the scheme of her father and grandfather. They just feared she might back out at the last minute, so they had kept it from her all along.
Shangguan Xue was not stupid. She still had time to leave after realizing something was wrong.
But would she really leave?
Shangguan Xue self - deprecatingly twitched the corner of her mouth, her heart filled with desolation.
Watching Shangguan Xue with her head down, Meng Ruyi had retreated far away. She could only see the tiny figure beside the rockery across the small lake in the distance.
She wondered if Brother Song was going smoothly?
She pretended to be drunk and slowed down her steps a bit. Supported by Jingzhe, she seemed to be admiring the flowers in front of her, but her eyes were always on the rockery not far away.
The sound of footsteps approached. Meng Ruyi calmly withdrew her gaze and looked towards the approaching person.
When the Fifth Princess saw Meng Ruyi looking at her, she quickly covered the uneasiness on her face and nodded at Meng Ruyi.
It seemed that she had to leave for a while.
Meng Ruyi smiled and said, "I can't hold my liquor. I must be making a fool of myself in front of the princess. I'm going to sit in the pavilion over there for a while."
As she was about to bid farewell, the Fifth Princess, who had been silent all this time, suddenly grabbed her sleeve just as she turned around.
Meng Ruyi paused slightly, turned to look at her, and asked gently, "Does Your Highness have something to say?"
The hand holding her sleeve was trembling slightly. The look in her eyes was hesitant and confused. Meng Ruyi saw the tears gradually welling up in the Fifth Princess's eyes, but her lips were still tightly pursed.
She had to get rid of her quickly or find a way to take her away.
This was the first time Meng Ruyi felt so heartless. But the Fifth Princess in front of her had helped others harm Shangguan Xue, who could be considered her friend. She really couldn't muster any kindness towards her.
"Your Highness, why don't you come with me to rest over there? If you have anything to say, you can tell me."
The Fifth Princess lowered her eyes, avoiding Meng Ruyi's gaze, but her hand still didn't withdraw.
She instinctively wanted to turn her head to look, but managed to suppress the impulse and looked at Meng Ruyi.
"Your Highness?"
Meng Ruyi realized she was distracted and reminded her, "It's a bit sunny here. Let's go over there and talk."
Seeing a hint of black in the distance, which was the color of the Crown Prince's clothes today, Meng Ruyi knew that if she didn't leave soon, there might be trouble.
Fortunately, there was no one serving the Fifth Princess. She directly, along with Jingzhe, pulled the Fifth Princess towards the pavilion. Then she sat down and asked, "What does Your Highness want to say?"
The Fifth Princess was stunned. Looking at Meng Ruyi, she didn't expect her to just pull her like this.
Should she say it? But if she did, would Meng Ruyi help her?
The cold look on Meng Ruyi's face made the Fifth Princess even more uneasy.
"Help me!"
The Fifth Princess finally chose to speak out. Tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes, and her voice trembled. "The Crown Prince, the Crown Prince has taken a fancy to Shangguan Xue. They're right across from here."
"Please, Miss Meng!" The Fifth Princess's face was instantly wet with tears. Looking at Meng Ruyi, she said, "I know you're extraordinary. Your master is Mr. Lin, and you're on good terms with General Gu's young master. Only you can save her."
Meng Ruyi paused. Her eyes were cold. Instead of comforting her, she looked at her and said, "Your Highness the Fifth Princess overestimates me."
The black figure was approaching the rockery.
"Only you can help yourself." Meng Ruyi said, already having a new plan in mind.
Their original plan was to let Wen Xiuzhi stumble upon this, but if the Fifth Princess was added to the mix, it might be even safer.
This could kill two birds with one stone, completely cutting off the relationship between Zheng Yuanqing and his maternal family. Although the Fifth Princess, as his younger sister, was not favored and had no power, if she could draw a clear line this time, it would also be a good thing for Zheng Yuanqing.
"Your Highness the Fifth Princess is the daughter of the emperor. If you want to do something, who can harm you?" Meng Ruyi said. Seeing the Fifth Princess looking up, with the glistening stars in her eyes formed by the tears.
"You're the Fifth Princess, Your Highness. Even your brothers can't really take your life."
Hesitation appeared on the Fifth Princess's face. She looked at Meng Ruyi pleadingly, with a new, flickering flame in her eyes. She murmured, "What should I do?"
Meng Ruyi looked up at the rockery in the distance. The black figure was already in front of the rockery. Two more steps and it would be where Shangguan Xue was standing.
"Go." Meng Ruyi said, "You just need to interrupt them at the right time."
"What... what is the right time?"
Meng Ruyi didn't answer her anymore. She just turned to watch the situation by the rockery.
...
Song Huaizhi was talking to Wen Xiuzhi.
"Mr. Song." Wen Xiuzhi was obviously in a bad mood, but still kept talking to Song Huaizhi because of his talent.
Wen Xiuzhi was a person who loved learning. He was always especially tolerant of talented people. Moreover, the person in front of him was Song Huaizhi, whom he had been curious about for a long time, and the disciple of the famous Mr. Lin.
After chatting for a few sentences, they found they had a lot in common, so they left the banquet together to get some fresh air.
"I wonder when Mr. Song plans to..."
The second half of the sentence was broken. Wen Xiuzhi followed Song Huaizhi's slightly widened eyes and saw a man in black pinning a woman against the rockery. Their position was perfect. They could see them through the gap in the scenery, see the man's back, but not be noticed by them.
Seeing that Wen Xiuzhi had seen it, Song Huaizhi knew the plan had succeeded. He took a small step back and pretended to be surprised as he whispered, "It's impolite to stare. Mr. Wen, we..."
Wen Xiuzhi couldn't hear what the person in front of him was saying. His mind went blank with a loud buzzing sound. He stared fixedly at the two like he had been hit hard.
Xue'er was wearing this very dress today.
But... but what if someone else was wearing the same dress as her?
Moreover, she was not such a self - debasing person. How could she be intimate with a man in such a place?
However, the next second, the woman struggled to raise her head. Her face was no longer blocked by the man's shoulder. Desperate tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes.
The moment she saw Wen Xiuzhi, Shangguan Xue caught her breath. Countless emotions welled up in her heart. She closed her eyes in despair.
Wen Xiuzhi was struck by lightning. He and Shangguan Xue had grown up together. How could he not know her unwillingness?
However, no matter how unwilling she was, she didn't dare to struggle. She just meekly accepted the man's intimacy.
The identity of the man in black was obvious. Besides the Crown Prince, who else could have such great power?
Even though the man was in between, Wen Xiuzhi felt like there was an insurmountable distance between him and Shangguan Xue. Shangguan Xue had opened her eyes again, her eyes filled with grief.
Wen Xiuzhi understood that she was begging him to leave and preserve the last illusion between them.
Wen Xiuzhi clenched his fists tightly.