On the day of Grand Tutor Du's burial, the sides of the funeral procession were filled with offerings from various families.
Some scholars who had received favors from the Du family spontaneously changed into coarse cloth and followed behind the funeral procession to send off the spirit. The descendants of the Du family cried, looking haggard, and could barely move without the support of their servants.
Some people wrote elegies, while others bowed and bid farewell at the roadside. Even some foreign envoys who had not yet left the capital placed offerings at the roadside.
Hua Liuli wore white clothes without any adornings, her black hair was tied up with several plain silver hairpins. The road offerings set up by the Hua Family Estate were close to those set up by the Princess Shunan Estate. Hua Liuli saw the exhaustion in Yao Jiamin's eyes and guessed that she had stayed with Du Xiuying at the Du Family Estate all night. She walked up to her and asked, "You didn't sleep all night. Can you bear it?"
"I'm fine," Yao Jiamin sighed, "Cousin Du has been through a lot in the past half month."
Hua Liuli pursed her lips and remained silent. Parting with the dead, regardless of one's noble birth, is inevitable.
Before long, the sound of mourning music could be heard from afar. Hua Liuli knew that it was the funeral procession approaching.
Valuable objects were flying in the sky as the Eight Diamond Generals carried the coffin, moving forward and stopping from time to time. When the coffin stopped, the filial sons and virtuous grandsons would kneel down and perform the three bows.
Du Daren, who was crying, hunched his back and stumbled forward while holding the memorial tablet. He wasn't even able to thank those who had set up road offerings along the way.
However, at this moment, no one would pursue the impropriety of Du Daren. They paid their respects to the coffin of Grand Tutor Du and took out a string of gold ingots, lighting them in the offering basin, "We respectfully bid farewell to Grand Tutor Du. May you have a blessed and long life in the next world, under auspicious stars."
The one who lit the gold ingots for the Hua family was Hua Changkong, Hua Liuli's third brother. Because he was the most educated person in the Hua family, Hua Yingting thought that letting his son, who had achieved the highest academic honor, burn the gold ingots would make Grand Tutor Du happier.
"Sister Du," Hua Liuli saw Du Xiuying, who looked emaciated, in the funeral procession of the Du family. She expressed her concern, "Please take care of yourself."
Du Xiuying silently greeted Hua Liuli and followed the procession, gradually moving further away.
The scholars who followed behind were silently weeping, making the funeral appear grand and solemn.
To be sincerely mourned by so many people after death could be considered as having no regrets in one's heart.
Even though she was accustomed to life and death, Hua Liuli's mood was somewhat gloomy. She looked at the paper money floating on the ground and turned around. She changed her clothes when she returned to her courtyard, and said to Hua Changkong, "Third Brother, I'm going out with Jiamin."
"At such a young age, don't be so listless," Hua Changkong patted Hua Liuli's head, "Cheer up."
"Okay," Hua Liuli went out and quickly found Yao Jiamin, who had already changed her clothes, and said, "Let's go. I'll accompany you to the teahouse."
Just as Elder Xie entered the city, his carriage encountered the funeral procession head-on. There was a rule among the common people that they must never collide with a funeral procession, as it was considered inauspicious and would bring bad luck.
He didn't expect to encounter such a situation as soon as he arrived in the capital. He quickly instructed the Xie family's carriage procession to make its way to the side.
Peeking through the curtain of the carriage, Elder Xie noticed that there were many scholars in the funeral procession, which made him somewhat puzzled. Could it be that someone of high prestige had passed away?
Looking at the paper money fluttering in the air and the funeral flags held by the procession, Elder Xie felt a bit uncomfortable. He had a vague feeling that this was not a good omen.
Why did he happen to encounter a funeral procession right at the moment he arrived in the capital?
After the funeral procession moved further away, Elder Xie took off the handkerchief covering his mouth and nose and said in a hoarse voice, "Go and find out whose funeral procession this is."
Soon, the servant who went to inquire came back and said, "Master, the funeral procession that just passed by was for Grand Tutor Du."
"Du Songwen?" Elder Xie was stunned for a moment, sighed after a long time, and said, "I didn't expect it to be him."
In the past, he and Du Songwen served together in the court, but their differing political views led to a strained relationship between them. At that time, there was a saying in Great Jin, "Xie in the south, Du in the north." The Xie family had a high reputation among the scholars in the south, while the Du family had great influence in the capital and surrounding provinces.
After the death of the previous emperor and the current emperor's ascension, he proposed to the Emperor to change the culture of the Great Jin Dynasty, but the Emperor refused. Out of anger, he resigned from his position and returned to the South, vowing to never set foot in the capital again.
Unexpectedly, after nearly thirty years, when he returned to the capital, the first news he received was the death of his old rival.
Unfortunately, Du Songwen's sons were all mediocre individuals. With his death, it would be difficult for the Du family to maintain their position among the scholars in the north.
Thinking of this, Elder Xie's mood became cheerful again. With the downfall of the Du family, it was a good opportunity for the Xie family. It was a pity that Xie Yao was useless and couldn't marry the Crown Prince. Otherwise, the Xie family could have taken advantage of this opportunity to expand their influence to the capital.
The carriage went straight to Princess Leyang Estate. Elder Xie was already old and had barely rested properly due to the rush of the journey. He supported himself with the arm of his servant and got off the carriage stiffly. Before he could approach the main gate of the Princess Leyang Estate, he was stopped by the Imperial Guards.
"Elderly Gentleman, this is Princess Leyang Estate. You cannot enter without permission."
"I am from the Xie family in the south. I heard that the Master of the Xie family is seriously ill, so I came to visit."
"You are from the Xie family?" the Imperial Huard scrutinized Master Xie with a cold attitude, "I'm sorry, His Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed to enter Princess Leyang Estate. If you are truly from the Xie family, you can petition His Majesty and obtain an imperial decree to enter."
"Thank you for letting me know, Young Gentleman," Elder Xie politely clasped his hands, turned around, and returned to the carriage. His face instantly became gloomy.
Emperor Changlong actually confined the Master of the Xie family and Princess Leyang in the estate. It seemed that His Majesty's dislike for the Xie family had surpassed his affection for his sister, Princess Leyang.
Elder Xie made a trip to the Ministry of Justice, but the result was the same. The Ministry of Justice wouldn't allow him to visit Xie Yao.
He was at a loss for what to do and could only settle with his servants in an inn. He then asked his former colleagues for help, hoping they could find a way for him to meet Emperor Changlong.
Unfortunately, it had been thirty years since he last visited the capital city, and most of his old friends were either old, sick, or dead. There were very few who could speak up for him and the Xie family, fearing they would be implicated in the Crown Prince assassination case.
Elder Xie had no choice but to swallow his pride to give gifts and plead for assistance until he finally established a connection with Cao Jinbo, the Minister of Revenue.
When Cao Jinbo participated in the imperial examinations, Elder Xie was one of the vice examiners for that year, so they could barely be considered to have a teacher-student bond.
Upon hearing what Elder Xie had to say, Cao Jinbo said, "Elder Xie, I am willing to deliver your memorial to His Majesty, but I cannot guarantee whether His Majesty will agree to see you."
"Cao Daren, if you are willing to deliver the memorial to His Majesty on my behalf, I am already grateful," Elder Xie breathed a sigh of relief. Emperor Changlong was a sentimental person; even if he harbored resentment toward the Xie family, he would still meet with him after reading the memorial.
After leaving the Minister of Revenue's estate, Mr. Xie looked at the bustling capital city, which didn't resemble his memory of it. He waved his hand, gesturing for the servant who helped him into the carriage to step back, "I want to take a stroll around, you can follow behind in the carriage."
When he left the capital city all those years ago, Emperor Changlong had just ascended the throne for less than a year. The previous emperor in his reign had been obsessed to build a palace for his favored concubine, creating a stifling atmosphere in the capital city, and the people lived in constant fear. It was a time of great caution.
Now, the capital city was bustling with people, and occasionally, people of different hair and skin colors could be seen. The common people wore vibrant clothes, and there was laughter and joy everywhere.
Unlike the South, the women here were bolder. Approaching early summer, some women wore beautiful gauzy garments, revealing the shape of their arms beneath the fabric.
Elder Xie furrowed his brow. Women are more attractive when they are gentle and reserved.
"Sister Du, it's not good for your health to stay indoors every day."
"Yes, Cousin Du, the view from the teahouse here is excellent. Sitting on the second floor by the window, you can have a panoramic view of the scenery downstairs. You can even throw a handkerchief or drop a few flowers on handsome young men and enjoy the sight of them being all flustered."
Who is this girl? How could she be so casual and rude?
Elder Xie's brows furrowed even tighter when he saw several exquisitely dressed girls surrounding a young girl who was wearing plain clothes with a silver hairpin. They were chatting and laughing without any concern for the passing men.
Just over thirty years had passed, and the women in the capital city had become like this?
He covered his chest, feeling a bit breathless.
"Daren, are you alright?" Hua Liuli was persuading Du Xiuying to come out and relax when she saw an elderly man on the roadside holding his chest and struggling to breathe. She quickly called Yuan Yi, who had some medical skills, "Yuan Yi, please check on this old gentleman."
"Excessive anger, excessive liver fire," Yuan Yi took a quick glance and handed a pill to the old gentleman, "Daren, when you reach a certain age, you should strive to remain calm and content. You need to relax your mind."
Observing that the old gentleman was dressed in luxurious silk garments, he didn't seem to be from a poor family. Why did he have such a bad temper?
Elder Xie held the unidentified pill and couldn't catch his breath. He tilted his head and rolled his eyes.
"Hey, you have quite the temper, old man," Yuan Yi simply fed the pill directly into the old gentleman's mouth. After seeing his complexion gradually improve, she said, "Daren, take things slowly. It's not worth getting sick over anger when there's no one to replace you."
Elder Xie's face remained stern, "Thank you."
After thanking them, he glanced at the group of elegantly dressed girls who were laughing and chatting with each other, then turned and sat in the carriage.
He couldn't bear to witness the bold behavior of these women in the capital city any longer. He was afraid that if he continued to look, his eyes would not be able to handle it.
Elder Xie waited in the inn for another two days before he finally received news that the Emperor was willing to grant him an audience. Early the next morning, he changed into clean clothes and hurriedly entered the palace.
Unfortunately, he arrived too early; Emperor Changlong had not yet held the morning court.
"Elder Xie, it has been many years since you entered the palace. Let this old servant accompany you for a walk around," Zhao Sancai warmly entertained Elder Xie. If it weren't for the fact that he had been turned away at the entrance of Princess Leyang Estate, Elder Xie would have found it hard to believe that the person confining the master of the Xie family was none other than the Emperor.
"Thank you, Head Eunuch Zhao. I appreciate your company," Elder Xie didn't dare to offend the eunuch beside Emperor Changlong, so he had to go along with his words.
"Elder Xie is too polite," Zhao Sancai called a few palace maids and eunuchs to accompany Elder Xie to the Imperial Garden.
The capital city had become much more prosperous, but the palace remained the same as it was thirty years ago, with its towering walls, respectful palace attendants, and the Imperial Garden where colorful butterflies danced.
During the reign of the previous emperor, because of his favorite concubine's love for peonies, the entire Imperial Garden was filled with various types of peonies. After thirty years, there were fewer peonies in the garden, replaced by other flowers.
Elder Xie hadn't walked far when he heard the intimate laughter of a couple.
"Your Royal Highness, this flower is the most beautiful in the entire Imperial Garden. I'm giving it to you."
"You're lying. This isn't the most beautiful one. I clearly saw an even more beautiful one. Will you give it to me?"
"Where is it?"
"It's right here in my eyes."
Elder Xie stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Zhao Sancai. Which prince was this, daring to speak so frivolously with a young lady in the Imperial Garden?
Zhao Sancai lowered his head even further. His Royal Highness didn't attend court today!
"Your Royal Highness is mistaken. The most beautiful flower is clearly in my eyes."
"In that case, we will both give it to each other, okay?"
"Okay..."
"Cough, cough, cough," Elder Xie couldn't bear to listen anymore. He coughed a few times, reminding the young couple indulging in love talk in the Imperial Garden that there were others around.
"Zhao Sancai?" the Crown Prince peeked out from behind a rockery, half-bloomed peony still adorning his jade crown, "Why weren't you by Father Emperor's side today?"
"This old servant greets Your Royal Highness and Fushou Junzhu," Zhao Sancai grinned, "His Majesty summoned Elder Xie from the Xie family today, so this old servant was ordered to wait in the palace."
"Elder Xie from the Xie family?" the Crown Prince took off the peony from his jade crown, turned around, and held Hua Liuli's hand, placing the peony by her temple. He nodded in satisfaction, "Liuli is truly stunning, more beautiful than this flower."
This frivolous young man was the current Crown Prince?!
Elder Xie looked again at the girl the Crown Prince was holding. Wasn't she one of the girls he saw on the street just two days ago?
Zhao Sancai referred to her as Fushou Junzhu. Could she be the future Crown Princess?!
Krish728
Author's Note:
Crown Prince: Little Ming's grandfather lived to be a hundred years old.
Elder Xie: ...
On the day of Grand Tutor Du's burial, the sides of the funeral procession were filled with offerings from various families.
Some scholars who had received favors from the Du family spontaneously changed into coarse cloth and followed behind the funeral procession to send off the spirit. The descendants of the Du family cried, looking haggard, and could barely move without the support of their servants.
Some people wrote elegies, while others bowed and bid farewell at the roadside. Even some foreign envoys who had not yet left the capital placed offerings at the roadside.
Hua Liuli wore white clothes without any adornings, her black hair was tied up with several plain silver hairpins. The road offerings set up by the Hua Family Estate were close to those set up by the Princess Shunan Estate. Hua Liuli saw the exhaustion in Yao Jiamin's eyes and guessed that she had stayed with Du Xiuying at the Du Family Estate all night. She walked up to her and asked, "You didn't sleep all night. Can you bear it?"
"I'm fine," Yao Jiamin sighed, "Cousin Du has been through a lot in the past half month."
Hua Liuli pursed her lips and remained silent. Parting with the dead, regardless of one's noble birth, is inevitable.
Before long, the sound of mourning music could be heard from afar. Hua Liuli knew that it was the funeral procession approaching.
Valuable objects were flying in the sky as the Eight Diamond Generals carried the coffin, moving forward and stopping from time to time. When the coffin stopped, the filial sons and virtuous grandsons would kneel down and perform the three bows.
Du Daren, who was crying, hunched his back and stumbled forward while holding the memorial tablet. He wasn't even able to thank those who had set up road offerings along the way.
However, at this moment, no one would pursue the impropriety of Du Daren. They paid their respects to the coffin of Grand Tutor Du and took out a string of gold ingots, lighting them in the offering basin, "We respectfully bid farewell to Grand Tutor Du. May you have a blessed and long life in the next world, under auspicious stars."
The one who lit the gold ingots for the Hua family was Hua Changkong, Hua Liuli's third brother. Because he was the most educated person in the Hua family, Hua Yingting thought that letting his son, who had achieved the highest academic honor, burn the gold ingots would make Grand Tutor Du happier.
"Sister Du," Hua Liuli saw Du Xiuying, who looked emaciated, in the funeral procession of the Du family. She expressed her concern, "Please take care of yourself."
Du Xiuying silently greeted Hua Liuli and followed the procession, gradually moving further away.
The scholars who followed behind were silently weeping, making the funeral appear grand and solemn.
To be sincerely mourned by so many people after death could be considered as having no regrets in one's heart.
Even though she was accustomed to life and death, Hua Liuli's mood was somewhat gloomy. She looked at the paper money floating on the ground and turned around. She changed her clothes when she returned to her courtyard, and said to Hua Changkong, "Third Brother, I'm going out with Jiamin."
"At such a young age, don't be so listless," Hua Changkong patted Hua Liuli's head, "Cheer up."
"Okay," Hua Liuli went out and quickly found Yao Jiamin, who had already changed her clothes, and said, "Let's go. I'll accompany you to the teahouse."
Just as Elder Xie entered the city, his carriage encountered the funeral procession head-on. There was a rule among the common people that they must never collide with a funeral procession, as it was considered inauspicious and would bring bad luck.
He didn't expect to encounter such a situation as soon as he arrived in the capital. He quickly instructed the Xie family's carriage procession to make its way to the side.
Peeking through the curtain of the carriage, Elder Xie noticed that there were many scholars in the funeral procession, which made him somewhat puzzled. Could it be that someone of high prestige had passed away?
Looking at the paper money fluttering in the air and the funeral flags held by the procession, Elder Xie felt a bit uncomfortable. He had a vague feeling that this was not a good omen.
Why did he happen to encounter a funeral procession right at the moment he arrived in the capital?
After the funeral procession moved further away, Elder Xie took off the handkerchief covering his mouth and nose and said in a hoarse voice, "Go and find out whose funeral procession this is."
Soon, the servant who went to inquire came back and said, "Master, the funeral procession that just passed by was for Grand Tutor Du."
"Du Songwen?" Elder Xie was stunned for a moment, sighed after a long time, and said, "I didn't expect it to be him."
In the past, he and Du Songwen served together in the court, but their differing political views led to a strained relationship between them. At that time, there was a saying in Great Jin, "Xie in the south, Du in the north." The Xie family had a high reputation among the scholars in the south, while the Du family had great influence in the capital and surrounding provinces.
After the death of the previous emperor and the current emperor's ascension, he proposed to the Emperor to change the culture of the Great Jin Dynasty, but the Emperor refused. Out of anger, he resigned from his position and returned to the South, vowing to never set foot in the capital again.
Unexpectedly, after nearly thirty years, when he returned to the capital, the first news he received was the death of his old rival.
Unfortunately, Du Songwen's sons were all mediocre individuals. With his death, it would be difficult for the Du family to maintain their position among the scholars in the north.
Thinking of this, Elder Xie's mood became cheerful again. With the downfall of the Du family, it was a good opportunity for the Xie family. It was a pity that Xie Yao was useless and couldn't marry the Crown Prince. Otherwise, the Xie family could have taken advantage of this opportunity to expand their influence to the capital.
The carriage went straight to Princess Leyang Estate. Elder Xie was already old and had barely rested properly due to the rush of the journey. He supported himself with the arm of his servant and got off the carriage stiffly. Before he could approach the main gate of the Princess Leyang Estate, he was stopped by the Imperial Guards.
"Elderly Gentleman, this is Princess Leyang Estate. You cannot enter without permission."
"I am from the Xie family in the south. I heard that the Master of the Xie family is seriously ill, so I came to visit."
"You are from the Xie family?" the Imperial Huard scrutinized Master Xie with a cold attitude, "I'm sorry, His Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed to enter Princess Leyang Estate. If you are truly from the Xie family, you can petition His Majesty and obtain an imperial decree to enter."
"Thank you for letting me know, Young Gentleman," Elder Xie politely clasped his hands, turned around, and returned to the carriage. His face instantly became gloomy.
Emperor Changlong actually confined the Master of the Xie family and Princess Leyang in the estate. It seemed that His Majesty's dislike for the Xie family had surpassed his affection for his sister, Princess Leyang.
Elder Xie made a trip to the Ministry of Justice, but the result was the same. The Ministry of Justice wouldn't allow him to visit Xie Yao.
He was at a loss for what to do and could only settle with his servants in an inn. He then asked his former colleagues for help, hoping they could find a way for him to meet Emperor Changlong.
Unfortunately, it had been thirty years since he last visited the capital city, and most of his old friends were either old, sick, or dead. There were very few who could speak up for him and the Xie family, fearing they would be implicated in the Crown Prince assassination case.
Elder Xie had no choice but to swallow his pride to give gifts and plead for assistance until he finally established a connection with Cao Jinbo, the Minister of Revenue.
When Cao Jinbo participated in the imperial examinations, Elder Xie was one of the vice examiners for that year, so they could barely be considered to have a teacher-student bond.
Upon hearing what Elder Xie had to say, Cao Jinbo said, "Elder Xie, I am willing to deliver your memorial to His Majesty, but I cannot guarantee whether His Majesty will agree to see you."
"Cao Daren, if you are willing to deliver the memorial to His Majesty on my behalf, I am already grateful," Elder Xie breathed a sigh of relief. Emperor Changlong was a sentimental person; even if he harbored resentment toward the Xie family, he would still meet with him after reading the memorial.
After leaving the Minister of Revenue's estate, Mr. Xie looked at the bustling capital city, which didn't resemble his memory of it. He waved his hand, gesturing for the servant who helped him into the carriage to step back, "I want to take a stroll around, you can follow behind in the carriage."
When he left the capital city all those years ago, Emperor Changlong had just ascended the throne for less than a year. The previous emperor in his reign had been obsessed to build a palace for his favored concubine, creating a stifling atmosphere in the capital city, and the people lived in constant fear. It was a time of great caution.
Now, the capital city was bustling with people, and occasionally, people of different hair and skin colors could be seen. The common people wore vibrant clothes, and there was laughter and joy everywhere.
Unlike the South, the women here were bolder. Approaching early summer, some women wore beautiful gauzy garments, revealing the shape of their arms beneath the fabric.
Elder Xie furrowed his brow. Women are more attractive when they are gentle and reserved.
"Sister Du, it's not good for your health to stay indoors every day."
"Yes, Cousin Du, the view from the teahouse here is excellent. Sitting on the second floor by the window, you can have a panoramic view of the scenery downstairs. You can even throw a handkerchief or drop a few flowers on handsome young men and enjoy the sight of them being all flustered."
Who is this girl? How could she be so casual and rude?
Elder Xie's brows furrowed even tighter when he saw several exquisitely dressed girls surrounding a young girl who was wearing plain clothes with a silver hairpin. They were chatting and laughing without any concern for the passing men.
Just over thirty years had passed, and the women in the capital city had become like this?
He covered his chest, feeling a bit breathless.
"Daren, are you alright?" Hua Liuli was persuading Du Xiuying to come out and relax when she saw an elderly man on the roadside holding his chest and struggling to breathe. She quickly called Yuan Yi, who had some medical skills, "Yuan Yi, please check on this old gentleman."
"Excessive anger, excessive liver fire," Yuan Yi took a quick glance and handed a pill to the old gentleman, "Daren, when you reach a certain age, you should strive to remain calm and content. You need to relax your mind."
Observing that the old gentleman was dressed in luxurious silk garments, he didn't seem to be from a poor family. Why did he have such a bad temper?
Elder Xie held the unidentified pill and couldn't catch his breath. He tilted his head and rolled his eyes.
"Hey, you have quite the temper, old man," Yuan Yi simply fed the pill directly into the old gentleman's mouth. After seeing his complexion gradually improve, she said, "Daren, take things slowly. It's not worth getting sick over anger when there's no one to replace you."
Elder Xie's face remained stern, "Thank you."
After thanking them, he glanced at the group of elegantly dressed girls who were laughing and chatting with each other, then turned and sat in the carriage.
He couldn't bear to witness the bold behavior of these women in the capital city any longer. He was afraid that if he continued to look, his eyes would not be able to handle it.
Elder Xie waited in the inn for another two days before he finally received news that the Emperor was willing to grant him an audience. Early the next morning, he changed into clean clothes and hurriedly entered the palace.
Unfortunately, he arrived too early; Emperor Changlong had not yet held the morning court.
"Elder Xie, it has been many years since you entered the palace. Let this old servant accompany you for a walk around," Zhao Sancai warmly entertained Elder Xie. If it weren't for the fact that he had been turned away at the entrance of Princess Leyang Estate, Elder Xie would have found it hard to believe that the person confining the master of the Xie family was none other than the Emperor.
"Thank you, Head Eunuch Zhao. I appreciate your company," Elder Xie didn't dare to offend the eunuch beside Emperor Changlong, so he had to go along with his words.
"Elder Xie is too polite," Zhao Sancai called a few palace maids and eunuchs to accompany Elder Xie to the Imperial Garden.
The capital city had become much more prosperous, but the palace remained the same as it was thirty years ago, with its towering walls, respectful palace attendants, and the Imperial Garden where colorful butterflies danced.
During the reign of the previous emperor, because of his favorite concubine's love for peonies, the entire Imperial Garden was filled with various types of peonies. After thirty years, there were fewer peonies in the garden, replaced by other flowers.
Elder Xie hadn't walked far when he heard the intimate laughter of a couple.
"Your Royal Highness, this flower is the most beautiful in the entire Imperial Garden. I'm giving it to you."
"You're lying. This isn't the most beautiful one. I clearly saw an even more beautiful one. Will you give it to me?"
"Where is it?"
"It's right here in my eyes."
Elder Xie stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Zhao Sancai. Which prince was this, daring to speak so frivolously with a young lady in the Imperial Garden?
Zhao Sancai lowered his head even further. His Royal Highness didn't attend court today!
"Your Royal Highness is mistaken. The most beautiful flower is clearly in my eyes."
"In that case, we will both give it to each other, okay?"
"Okay..."
"Cough, cough, cough," Elder Xie couldn't bear to listen anymore. He coughed a few times, reminding the young couple indulging in love talk in the Imperial Garden that there were others around.
"Zhao Sancai?" the Crown Prince peeked out from behind a rockery, half-bloomed peony still adorning his jade crown, "Why weren't you by Father Emperor's side today?"
"This old servant greets Your Royal Highness and Fushou Junzhu," Zhao Sancai grinned, "His Majesty summoned Elder Xie from the Xie family today, so this old servant was ordered to wait in the palace."
"Elder Xie from the Xie family?" the Crown Prince took off the peony from his jade crown, turned around, and held Hua Liuli's hand, placing the peony by her temple. He nodded in satisfaction, "Liuli is truly stunning, more beautiful than this flower."
This frivolous young man was the current Crown Prince?!
Elder Xie looked again at the girl the Crown Prince was holding. Wasn't she one of the girls he saw on the street just two days ago?
Zhao Sancai referred to her as Fushou Junzhu. Could she be the future Crown Princess?!
Krish728
Author's Note:
Crown Prince: Little Ming's grandfather lived to be a hundred years old.
Elder Xie: ...
