Upon hearing her third brother mention the matter she had temporarily set aside, Hua Liuli's expression froze for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Hua Changkong sensed that something was off with his little sister's expression.
"It's nothing. Let's not bring up the past," Hua Liuli took a deep breath, "Before I turn twenty, I don't need to consider this matter."
"That's good," Hua Changkong nodded, a relieved look on his face, "At your young age, it's not good to be obsessed with beauty."
"Third Brother, you didn't say that before," Hua Liuli looked at him expressionlessly.
"If it wasn't to make you happy, I wouldn't go against my conscience and say such things," Hua Changkong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Before coming to the capital, he worried that the bustling and lively atmosphere of the city would lead his little sister astray. Fortunately, other than causing a ruckus with a few young girls from the capital, she hadn't done anything else.
Now, even her bad habit of being obsessed with beauty has changed, so that's a good thing.
"It's rare for you to change your attitude. Who made you come to your senses?"
Hua Liuli suddenly changed her mind. There must be a reason for it.
"A few days ago, I had a casual chat with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
"You don't have to say anymore. I understand," Hua Changkong sighed inwardly. What not being obsessed with beauty anymore? She was clearly being bewitched by beauty, to the point of even rejecting the opportunity to raise other beautiful male companions.
He knew that his own younger sister wouldn't be so easy to handle.
"Third Brother..."
"You don't have to explain. I understand," Hua Changkong patted her shoulder, "Go to sleep early."
Instead of hoping that his little sister would have no interest in beauty, he might as well go to sleep and dream about it.
Hua Liuli cupped her face, "But I can't sleep. How about you chat with me?"
Hua Changkong, who had just stood up, sat back down, "What do you want to chat about?"
"Let's talk about the Crown Prince, for example, his past and what he likes in his daily life," Perhaps it was because the Crown Prince was too good-looking, or maybe it was because they got along very well, in addition to the fact that when she was in the palace, she often went to the Eastern Palace to eat and drink. Whatever it may be, Hua Liuli realized that she had a special affection for the Crown Prince.
"I suddenly feel very tired," Hua Changkong yawned and stood up, "I need to review my books tomorrow, so I won't accompany you."
Hua Liuli: "..."
Indeed, men are fickle, including her own brother.
The more Hua Changkong thought about it, the more worried he became. His little sister wanted to know everything about the Crown Prince. Could it be that she was bewitched by him?
In terms of appearance, the Crown Prince was the epitome of the imperial family.
In terms of intelligence, none of the other princes could compare to him.
In terms of favoritism, everyone in the capital knew that the Emperor's most beloved son was the Crown Prince.
Regarding romantic matters, there were many rumors about the Crown Prince. It was said that there were young girls who wanted to seduce him, but they were ruthlessly mocked by the Crown Prince, who would say, "You're not as good-looking as Benwang. Benwang looks at myself in the mirror every day. How could Benwang be captivated by you?"
Later, a beautiful noble young lady tried to get close to the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince pointed at a wild chicken on a tree and publicly mocked her, "Look at the bird on the tree, does its coquettish behavior resemble a mountain chicken?"
The noble young lady left in anger, but the Crown Prince took out his bow and arrow, shot down the mountain chicken, and plucked its tail to make a fan. He deliberately took out the fan in front of the noble young lady's father and played with it.
Since then, even though the Crown Prince was unmatched in appearance, not many noble young ladies dared to approach him. Who would want to be treated like a mountain chicken?
However, because of this incident, rumors about the Crown Prince's sharp tongue spread, and people occasionally complained privately. How long could the Emperor tolerate his arrogance?
Hua Changkong didn't care how long the Emperor could tolerate the Crown Prince. He was worried about his little sister being with the Crown Prince. One was quick-witted with words, while the other had a wandering hand. When they were together, there would definitely be either death or injury.
He walked two laps in his courtyard before he finally decided to make a trip to his parents' courtyard.
At this time, Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue still hadn't gone to sleep. The couple was enjoying the moonlight when they saw their son approaching, disrupting the atmosphere. Hua Yingting cleared his throat and set down his wine cup, "Changkong, why are you here so late?"
"There's an important matter," Hua Changkong squeezed next to the table. From under the table, he could smell the fragrance of the wine, so he couldn't help but say, "Father, I remember you said that this jar of wine was prepared for me to drink when I got married."
"I've been waiting for you to bring a wife home for nearly twenty years, but there's no good news. It's a waste to keep this wine, your mother and I might as well drink it," Hua Yingting drank without guilt, while also refilling his wife's cup.
Hua Changkong had nothing to say in response. It was his parents who were secretly drinking, so what could he do but smile and pour them wine? "I came here today for little sister's matter."
"What could be the matter with your sister?" Hua Yingting took a sip of wine, "She has always been well-behaved, likable, and intelligent."
Seeing the bottomless trust his parents had in his sister, Hua Changkong said, "There wasn't much of a problem with my sister initially, but now she's taken an interest in the Crown Prince, and that's become an issue."
He thought that when he said this, his parents would be shocked and surprised. However, what he didn't expect was that his father simply took the opportunity to have a few more drinks.
"This matter truly surprises me. I'll have a few more drinks to calm myself," said Hua Yingting as he took his third cup, but he was glared at by Wei Mingyue, so he reluctantly put down his wine cup.
From his father's calm face, Hua Changkong couldn't see the slightest trace of surprise.
"I already know about the fondness between Liuli and the Crown Prince," Wei Mingyue spoke up, "Liuli is still young and hasn't matured in her thinking. We, as family members, have imposed too many restrictions, which is not good."
"She has seen too much separation and parting at the border since she was young, so naturally, she has developed a resistance to attachments and love," Wei Mingyue sighed, "Whether it's the Crown Prince or others, let her be."
Separation and parting are beyond anyone's control. Having seen it repeatedly, there is no longing for love and affection in one's heart but rather fear.
Perhaps in Liuli's mind, it is better to be free in life and carefree in death than to suffer heartbreak for someone.
"But what about the Emperor's side?" Hua Changkong was somewhat worried.
"The Emperor prefers people around him to be straightforward and trustworthy. The more open they are, the more he trusts them. It's not good to hide things," Hua Yingting understood Emperor Changlong's character very well, "The Emperor is different from other emperors. You don't have to worry too much."
Hua Changkong recalled the various rumors outside and nodded with a serious expression, "I understand."
The two elderly individuals had known and understood Emperor Changlong since they were young. They should understand his character and thoughts better than him. Since they said there was no problem, then surely there was no problem.
"But it's not without any issues," Wei Mingyue spoke up again, "The Crown Prince holds a prestigious status, and your sister... she's quite unique. You know what I mean."
The three of them exchanged glances and fell silent simultaneously, their hearts filled with worry.
"If one day your sister can't control herself and makes a move on the Crown Prince, how can I explain it to the Emperor?" Wei Mingyue voiced her concerns.
In Chenyang Palace, Emperor Changlong sighed as he spoke to the moon.
"Sancai, do you think Zhen is doing the right thing or not?" Emperor Changlong had a worried and pained expression. Deep down, he knew the temperament of his children. Even if he was biased, he couldn't deny that the Crown Prince was a gentle, considerate, and tolerant good man.
That delicate little girl from the Hua family, would she be able to handle the Crown Prince's sharp tongue?
If she couldn't endure it and ended up being frustrated, where could he find a daughter to give back to Yingting?
"Alas, how could Zhen broach this matter?" Emperor Changlong lost many hairs because of this issue.
He couldn't just go up to Hua Yingting and casually say, "Oh, Yingting, even though my eldest son didn't take a liking to your daughter, my third son is interested in her. Shall we pick a good day and arrange their marriage?"
Even if he dared to think about Hua Yingting's reaction, he wouldn't dare to think about Wei Mingyue's attitude.
Even if he was the Emperor, he couldn't be so shameless. Moreover, Wei Mingyue was Hua Liuli's mother!
"Your Majesty, although I don't understand matters of love, I do have some understanding of human nature," Zhao Sancai said, "Men in this world are fickle because they haven't encountered a woman who can make them transfixed. If they do meet such a woman, they would naturally be willing to restrain their usual habits in her presence, only hoping to see her smile."
"If there were truly a woman who could make him evolve into a better person, Zhen would wake up laughing in the middle of the night," Emperor Changlong always suspected that he had been too good to his sons, which made them more and more unreliable. They were dull, boring, foolish, and strange, one worse than the other. And his most favored son was always lazy. If his most favored son finally made an effort to do something, he would still have to go out and clean up after him like an old father wiping his buttocks.
The Empress Dowager always advised him to wait until the children were married.
But if he let them casually marry a girl, not only would they not improve, but they would probably cause more trouble. For example, the matter with the eldest son. He originally thought that Lin Zhou was a top scholar, and when he served as the Prefect of Yongzhou, he had the support of the people. He felt that his daughter must be clever and resourceful, complementing the eldest son.
As a result, that girl was indeed intelligent, excessively so. Before becoming even becoming Ying Wangfei, she was already considering whether the future of military officials would be good or bad.
The second son only knew how to eat and drink all day, lacking any independent opinions. Whatever the eldest son and the Crown Prince did, he followed suit. Sometimes, he wonders, if this second son of his is even less intelligent than the eldest son.
The fourth son couldn't speak a word in half a day, his gloomy personality was hard to fathom.
The fifth son seemed fine on the surface, elegant and graceful, exuding the demeanor of a prince with every move. But as soon as the topic of painting was mentioned, he would become completely abnormal.
Being an emperor is tiring, being an old father is tiring, being a person is also really tiring.
Emperor Changlong sighed countless times in his heart.
"Your Royal Highness, what are you looking for?" the private treasury of the Eastern Palace was filled with precious antiques and jewelry. Several eunuchs who served the Crown Prince were helping him search for the gift list from nine years ago. Finally, in a corner, they found a box labeled with words like "congratulatory gift for moving".
"Is this the congratulatory gift that General Hua and his family gave when Benwang moved to the Eastern Palace?" The Crown Prince glanced at the simple box and opened the lid.
Although there were many things in the private treasury, they were regularly cleaned by the eunuchs and had not accumulated any dust. Some of the items in the box had become a bit old due to not being opened for many years.
The Crown Prince bent down and picked up two small lucky dolls in the corner of the box.
"How could General Hua send such things in?" One of the eunuchs by his side had a drastic change in expression. This kind of small toy was not something anyone would send except for the people serving the Crown Prince.
Firstly, these things were easily tampered with. In the previous dynasty, a prince received such a doll, and it was later discovered that the doll had curse symbols inside. Therefore, in the current dynasty, although there was no explicit rule, court officials would not send such things to the Crown Prince or his descendants unless they had a very close relationship.
Secondly, the things used by the Crown Prince were all made of the best materials. Dolls made of ordinary cotton fabric like these would not be considered suitable.
"Why not?" The Crown Prince examined the two lucky dolls. The craftsmanship of the dolls was very good, with chubby faces that looked very auspicious. The bellies were soft, and a gentle squeeze revealed that there were no foreign objects inside. They had a soft and delicate touch, suitable for children to hold and play with.
"They are very cute dolls, Benwang likes them," the Crown Prince stood up and walked out of the private treasury and placed the dolls in his own sleeping quarters.
These dolls were so cute. They must have been even cuter when Liuli secretly put them in the box back then.
If only he had discovered these two dolls earlier.
The dolls were one male and one female. As the Crown Prince looked at them more and more, he called the people by his side, "Find someone to make a courtyard for them, a beautiful courtyard."
"Your Highness, what kind of courtyard?" the eunuch was a bit dumbfounded. He never expected that the Crown Prince, who had grown up, would actually develop an interest in playing with dolls.
"A bridal chamber," the Crown Prince said mysteriously, "And make a set of wedding attire for them."
"I will take note of it, Your Royal Highness," the eunuch replied.
After the eunuch left, the Crown Prince poked the face of the little doll with his finger, "Your owner has gifted you to Benwang. How should Benwang repay her?"
He adjusted the position of the dolls, allowing their faces to touch each other.
"How about... offering myself to her?"
As the most famous Taoist in the capital, Abbot Qinghui was admired by countless people. Some wealthy nobles would often spend a fortune to ask Qinghui to read their fortunes without hesitation.
When they learned that Abbot Qinghui would preside over a Taoist ceremony, countless people wanted to attend. However, when they arrived at the foot of the mountain, they saw heavy guards and guessed that some noble figures would be participating in the ceremony. They could only stay at the foot of the mountain, drinking tea and enjoying the lively atmosphere of the ceremony.
Every time such a ceremony was held, the nearby vendors were the happiest. They set up their stalls and occupied the best spots early in the morning. With the presence of people who came to watch the spectacle at the foot of the mountain, they could earn a good amount of silver.
The Taoist masters in the Taoist temple also understood people's desire to watch the spectacle, so they set up a stage at the foot of the mountain and performed some martial arts and swordsmanship, causing the onlookers to cheer repeatedly.
Inside the carriage, Yao Jiamin looked at Hua Liuli, who looked sleepy, and couldn't help but ask, "What were you doing last night? You slept so late?"
"I dreamt of a beauty," Hua Liuli yawned. She smelled the aroma of food and opened her drowsy eyes, "Are we there yet?"
"We'll be there soon," Yao Jiamin lifted the curtain and took a glance, pointing at several children running around, "Even the children have more energy than you."
"You have a point. Should I go back and get some more sleep?"
"What I meant was, you worked hard to come to this ceremony," Yao Jiamin was afraid that Hua Liuli would really change her mind and go home, so she quickly persuaded her, "Since we're already here, it would be troublesome to go back."
The carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain. The guards looked at the waist tokens of Hua Liuli and Yao Jiamin before bowing to let them up the mountain.
"Sister Jiamin," Hua Liuli took two steps and looked at Yao Jiamin with a smile, "You know, I have a weak constitution and lack energy..."
Jiamin looked at the tall stone steps and Hua Liuli's outstretched hand, and she was filled with refusal in her heart and eyes.
"Liuli," a plain white handkerchief fell into Hua Liuli's palm, then a warm hand held Hua Liuli's hand through the handkerchief.
"Benwang will take you up," the Crown Prince looked at Hua Liuli, "Jiamin is just a girl, she can't take care of you properly."
Yao Jiamin silently took two steps back. He was the Crown Prince, whatever he said was final. She quickly looked around to make sure there were no other noble young masters or ladies from prominent families behind them before secretly letting out a sigh of relief.
Wait, the ones holding hands are the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli. Why was she worrying about it?
"Come," the Crown Prince smiled at Hua Liuli. His charming smile made her heart itch, how could she bear to let go of his hand?
The Crown Prince walked slowly, whispering to Hua Liuli, "Benwang really liked the dolls you gave me."
"Your Royal Highness had found them?" Hua Liuli was somewhat surprised.
"Because they were gifts from the two generals, Benwang never had the heart to be separated from them," the Crown Prince turned to look at her. "Fortunately, Benwang had kept them, which allowed me to see this gift from many years ago."
"At that time, I was too young and didn't understand anything," Hua Liuli chuckled, "Fortunately, I didn't cause any trouble, otherwise..."
"Don't worry, even back then, Benwang would have liked them," The Crown Prince tightened his grip on Hua Liuli's hand. Despite the handkerchief between them, he could still feel the softness and warmth of Hua Liuli's palm, "It was the most sincere blessing from a little girl. How could Benwang not like it."
Hearing these words, Hua Liuli felt inexplicably embarrassed, yet there was also a sense of indescribable satisfaction.
Anyone would be moved if someone cherished the small gifts they gave when they were young and ignorant.
The Crown Prince was truly a rare gentle man.
"Benwang had people make beautiful houses and clothes for them. When you come to the palace next time, Benwang will take you to see them," the Crown Prince paused his steps when he saw Ying Wang and the Second Princess standing ahead.
Ying Wang stared wide-eyed at them holding hands.
"Fushou Junzhu is weak, so Benwang escorted her up," Faced with his own siblings, the Crown Prince's expression softened slightly, and he didn't let go of Hua Liuli's hand.
Before Ying Wang could speak, the Second Princess spoke first, "The Crown Prince is truly considerate. We heard from Abbot Qinghui that Your Royal Highness was also coming, so we waited outside the gate. Let's go in together."
The Second Princess stepped aside to show her respect for the Crown Prince.
She then noticed Jiamin, who was following behind the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli. Feeling somewhat surprised, she asked, "Jiamin Junzhu, did you... come here with the Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu?"
Yao Jiamin had never been close to Hua Liuli, nor was she close to the Crown Prince. Why were the three of them together today?
Princess Shunan had always supported Consort Xian. Since Princess Shunan had a verbal dispute with the Crown Prince, their family shouldn't have gotten too close to the Crown Prince.
Could it be... Princess Shunan had secretly sided with the Crown Prince?
No wonder. A few days ago, the Empress Dowager ordered Yao Jiamin to live in the palace, but she had never once visited Consort Xian in Lincui Palace during her stay in the palace. It turns out she had found a new backer.
With countless thoughts running through her mind, the Second Princess maintained a calm demeanor and walked side by side affectionately with Yao Jiamin, "You haven't come to play with us these days. Have you been occupied with other matters?"
Yao Jiamin glanced at Hua Liuli. She accompanied Hua Liuli every day, so she didn't have time to play with other girls. But she couldn't speak out about this embarrassing matter, so she vaguely responded, "Hmm, I've been held back by some matters recently."
"I see," the Second Princess noticed Yao Jiamin's discreet glance at Hua Liuli, her speculations becoming even clearer. Indeed, Princess Shunan's family had indeed sided with the Crown Prince. Perhaps even the Yao family was likely leaning toward the Eastern Palace.
Suppressing the smile at the corner of her mouth, the Second Princess raised her head and looked at Ying Wang, her mind swirling with countless thoughts, yet she remained silent.
"Why is the Crown Prince with Fushou Junzhu?" Ying Wang noticed the faint blush on Hua Liuli's fair face due to climbing the steps and averted his gaze uncomfortably.
They had only walked a few steps, yet her face had turned so red. Hua Liuli's constitution was indeed too weak.
"Just happened to pass by. The stone steps are steep, Benwang was worried that Fushou Junzhu might fall, so Benwang had to support her to feel at ease," the Crown Prince accompanied Hua Liuli's pace, walking slowly, "Benwang seemed to remember that Eldest Brother didn't seem to believe in Gods and Buddhas. Why did you come today?"
"The Crown Prince could come, why can't Benwang come?" Ying Wang said in a strange tone, "Is this Taoist temple exclusively the Crown Prince's?" He couldn't possibly tell the Crown Prince that he had been driven to seek a marriage alliance by his mother, right?
"You're right, Eldest Brother. Benwang misspoke," the Crown Prince apologized with a gentle smile.
Ying Wang was taken aback by Yuansu's attitude. Was the Crown Prince okay today?
Whenever he faced the Crown Prince before, he would always end up on the losing side without exception.
Would the Crown Prince apologize?
Of course not.
Would the Crown Prince go easy on him just because he was the older brother?
Possibly in his dreams.
But today, not only did the Crown Prince go easy on him, but he also had a very agreeable demeanor. That gentle and tolerant attitude felt repulsive no matter how he looked at it. Could it be a new tactic the Crown Prince was using to deal with him?
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Ying Wang frowned and stared at the Crown Prince for a moment, without saying anything.
"Eldest Brother has always been like this, without any ill intentions," the Crown Prince turned to Hua Liuli and smiled, "You don't have to take it to heart."
Hua Liuli looked at Ying Wang and then at the Crown Prince, but she didn't say anything.
Ying Wang was completely confused. He hadn't said anything bad about Fushou Junzhu, so why should she take it to heart? He had a vague feeling that something was off, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was.
Or was it because the Crown Prince was acting weirdly unusual today, making him overthink?
"Benwang is going to light a lamp of longevity for Father Empero. Will you join Benwang?" as they were about to finish climbing the stairs, the Crown Prince slowed down even more, "If you don't want to go, Benwang will have someone accompany you for a walk."
"Let's go together," Hua Liuli said, "I'll come with you."
"Good."
As they stepped onto the last step of the stairs, the Crown Prince lowered his head and looked at the intertwined hands of the two. Then he slowly let go of her hand before hiding his hand in his sleeve, "Let's go. Let's light the lamps before the ceremony begins."
Ying Wang hesitated for a moment before he also followed along.
In the Dharma Hall, a Taoist priest greeted them and gave them instructions on lighting the lamps.
"Devotee, what kind of lamp would you like to light?" A young Taoist priest approached Hua Liuli and bowed.
"A lamp of transcendence," Hua Liuli took out a silver ticket and lit the most expensive lamp for the deceased.
"For whom is the devotee lighting the lamp?"
The Crown Prince and Ying Wang both turned their heads. The lamps of transcendence were usually lit for the deceased.
Hua Liuli looked up at the image of the Three Pure Ones, bowed deeply, and said, "I'm lighting it for the warriors who sacrificed themselves on the battlefield."
"The Great Jin is now enjoying peace and prosperity. I hope they can be reborn as citizens of Great Jin and live a peaceful life," After finishing the ritual, Hua Liuli stood up from the cushion and heard the Crown Prince say, "Let Benwang light a lamp for them as well, alright?"
"Sure," Hua Liuli smiled, her mouth slightly curved, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
An additional lamp would make the path of those soldiers in their next life brighter and smoother.
Upon hearing her third brother mention the matter she had temporarily set aside, Hua Liuli's expression froze for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Hua Changkong sensed that something was off with his little sister's expression.
"It's nothing. Let's not bring up the past," Hua Liuli took a deep breath, "Before I turn twenty, I don't need to consider this matter."
"That's good," Hua Changkong nodded, a relieved look on his face, "At your young age, it's not good to be obsessed with beauty."
"Third Brother, you didn't say that before," Hua Liuli looked at him expressionlessly.
"If it wasn't to make you happy, I wouldn't go against my conscience and say such things," Hua Changkong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Before coming to the capital, he worried that the bustling and lively atmosphere of the city would lead his little sister astray. Fortunately, other than causing a ruckus with a few young girls from the capital, she hadn't done anything else.
Now, even her bad habit of being obsessed with beauty has changed, so that's a good thing.
"It's rare for you to change your attitude. Who made you come to your senses?"
Hua Liuli suddenly changed her mind. There must be a reason for it.
"A few days ago, I had a casual chat with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
"You don't have to say anymore. I understand," Hua Changkong sighed inwardly. What not being obsessed with beauty anymore? She was clearly being bewitched by beauty, to the point of even rejecting the opportunity to raise other beautiful male companions.
He knew that his own younger sister wouldn't be so easy to handle.
"Third Brother..."
"You don't have to explain. I understand," Hua Changkong patted her shoulder, "Go to sleep early."
Instead of hoping that his little sister would have no interest in beauty, he might as well go to sleep and dream about it.
Hua Liuli cupped her face, "But I can't sleep. How about you chat with me?"
Hua Changkong, who had just stood up, sat back down, "What do you want to chat about?"
"Let's talk about the Crown Prince, for example, his past and what he likes in his daily life," Perhaps it was because the Crown Prince was too good-looking, or maybe it was because they got along very well, in addition to the fact that when she was in the palace, she often went to the Eastern Palace to eat and drink. Whatever it may be, Hua Liuli realized that she had a special affection for the Crown Prince.
"I suddenly feel very tired," Hua Changkong yawned and stood up, "I need to review my books tomorrow, so I won't accompany you."
Hua Liuli: "..."
Indeed, men are fickle, including her own brother.
The more Hua Changkong thought about it, the more worried he became. His little sister wanted to know everything about the Crown Prince. Could it be that she was bewitched by him?
In terms of appearance, the Crown Prince was the epitome of the imperial family.
In terms of intelligence, none of the other princes could compare to him.
In terms of favoritism, everyone in the capital knew that the Emperor's most beloved son was the Crown Prince.
Regarding romantic matters, there were many rumors about the Crown Prince. It was said that there were young girls who wanted to seduce him, but they were ruthlessly mocked by the Crown Prince, who would say, "You're not as good-looking as Benwang. Benwang looks at myself in the mirror every day. How could Benwang be captivated by you?"
Later, a beautiful noble young lady tried to get close to the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince pointed at a wild chicken on a tree and publicly mocked her, "Look at the bird on the tree, does its coquettish behavior resemble a mountain chicken?"
The noble young lady left in anger, but the Crown Prince took out his bow and arrow, shot down the mountain chicken, and plucked its tail to make a fan. He deliberately took out the fan in front of the noble young lady's father and played with it.
Since then, even though the Crown Prince was unmatched in appearance, not many noble young ladies dared to approach him. Who would want to be treated like a mountain chicken?
However, because of this incident, rumors about the Crown Prince's sharp tongue spread, and people occasionally complained privately. How long could the Emperor tolerate his arrogance?
Hua Changkong didn't care how long the Emperor could tolerate the Crown Prince. He was worried about his little sister being with the Crown Prince. One was quick-witted with words, while the other had a wandering hand. When they were together, there would definitely be either death or injury.
He walked two laps in his courtyard before he finally decided to make a trip to his parents' courtyard.
At this time, Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue still hadn't gone to sleep. The couple was enjoying the moonlight when they saw their son approaching, disrupting the atmosphere. Hua Yingting cleared his throat and set down his wine cup, "Changkong, why are you here so late?"
"There's an important matter," Hua Changkong squeezed next to the table. From under the table, he could smell the fragrance of the wine, so he couldn't help but say, "Father, I remember you said that this jar of wine was prepared for me to drink when I got married."
"I've been waiting for you to bring a wife home for nearly twenty years, but there's no good news. It's a waste to keep this wine, your mother and I might as well drink it," Hua Yingting drank without guilt, while also refilling his wife's cup.
Hua Changkong had nothing to say in response. It was his parents who were secretly drinking, so what could he do but smile and pour them wine? "I came here today for little sister's matter."
"What could be the matter with your sister?" Hua Yingting took a sip of wine, "She has always been well-behaved, likable, and intelligent."
Seeing the bottomless trust his parents had in his sister, Hua Changkong said, "There wasn't much of a problem with my sister initially, but now she's taken an interest in the Crown Prince, and that's become an issue."
He thought that when he said this, his parents would be shocked and surprised. However, what he didn't expect was that his father simply took the opportunity to have a few more drinks.
"This matter truly surprises me. I'll have a few more drinks to calm myself," said Hua Yingting as he took his third cup, but he was glared at by Wei Mingyue, so he reluctantly put down his wine cup.
From his father's calm face, Hua Changkong couldn't see the slightest trace of surprise.
"I already know about the fondness between Liuli and the Crown Prince," Wei Mingyue spoke up, "Liuli is still young and hasn't matured in her thinking. We, as family members, have imposed too many restrictions, which is not good."
"She has seen too much separation and parting at the border since she was young, so naturally, she has developed a resistance to attachments and love," Wei Mingyue sighed, "Whether it's the Crown Prince or others, let her be."
Separation and parting are beyond anyone's control. Having seen it repeatedly, there is no longing for love and affection in one's heart but rather fear.
Perhaps in Liuli's mind, it is better to be free in life and carefree in death than to suffer heartbreak for someone.
"But what about the Emperor's side?" Hua Changkong was somewhat worried.
"The Emperor prefers people around him to be straightforward and trustworthy. The more open they are, the more he trusts them. It's not good to hide things," Hua Yingting understood Emperor Changlong's character very well, "The Emperor is different from other emperors. You don't have to worry too much."
Hua Changkong recalled the various rumors outside and nodded with a serious expression, "I understand."
The two elderly individuals had known and understood Emperor Changlong since they were young. They should understand his character and thoughts better than him. Since they said there was no problem, then surely there was no problem.
"But it's not without any issues," Wei Mingyue spoke up again, "The Crown Prince holds a prestigious status, and your sister... she's quite unique. You know what I mean."
The three of them exchanged glances and fell silent simultaneously, their hearts filled with worry.
"If one day your sister can't control herself and makes a move on the Crown Prince, how can I explain it to the Emperor?" Wei Mingyue voiced her concerns.
In Chenyang Palace, Emperor Changlong sighed as he spoke to the moon.
"Sancai, do you think Zhen is doing the right thing or not?" Emperor Changlong had a worried and pained expression. Deep down, he knew the temperament of his children. Even if he was biased, he couldn't deny that the Crown Prince was a gentle, considerate, and tolerant good man.
That delicate little girl from the Hua family, would she be able to handle the Crown Prince's sharp tongue?
If she couldn't endure it and ended up being frustrated, where could he find a daughter to give back to Yingting?
"Alas, how could Zhen broach this matter?" Emperor Changlong lost many hairs because of this issue.
He couldn't just go up to Hua Yingting and casually say, "Oh, Yingting, even though my eldest son didn't take a liking to your daughter, my third son is interested in her. Shall we pick a good day and arrange their marriage?"
Even if he dared to think about Hua Yingting's reaction, he wouldn't dare to think about Wei Mingyue's attitude.
Even if he was the Emperor, he couldn't be so shameless. Moreover, Wei Mingyue was Hua Liuli's mother!
"Your Majesty, although I don't understand matters of love, I do have some understanding of human nature," Zhao Sancai said, "Men in this world are fickle because they haven't encountered a woman who can make them transfixed. If they do meet such a woman, they would naturally be willing to restrain their usual habits in her presence, only hoping to see her smile."
"If there were truly a woman who could make him evolve into a better person, Zhen would wake up laughing in the middle of the night," Emperor Changlong always suspected that he had been too good to his sons, which made them more and more unreliable. They were dull, boring, foolish, and strange, one worse than the other. And his most favored son was always lazy. If his most favored son finally made an effort to do something, he would still have to go out and clean up after him like an old father wiping his buttocks.
The Empress Dowager always advised him to wait until the children were married.
But if he let them casually marry a girl, not only would they not improve, but they would probably cause more trouble. For example, the matter with the eldest son. He originally thought that Lin Zhou was a top scholar, and when he served as the Prefect of Yongzhou, he had the support of the people. He felt that his daughter must be clever and resourceful, complementing the eldest son.
As a result, that girl was indeed intelligent, excessively so. Before becoming even becoming Ying Wangfei, she was already considering whether the future of military officials would be good or bad.
The second son only knew how to eat and drink all day, lacking any independent opinions. Whatever the eldest son and the Crown Prince did, he followed suit. Sometimes, he wonders, if this second son of his is even less intelligent than the eldest son.
The fourth son couldn't speak a word in half a day, his gloomy personality was hard to fathom.
The fifth son seemed fine on the surface, elegant and graceful, exuding the demeanor of a prince with every move. But as soon as the topic of painting was mentioned, he would become completely abnormal.
Being an emperor is tiring, being an old father is tiring, being a person is also really tiring.
Emperor Changlong sighed countless times in his heart.
"Your Royal Highness, what are you looking for?" the private treasury of the Eastern Palace was filled with precious antiques and jewelry. Several eunuchs who served the Crown Prince were helping him search for the gift list from nine years ago. Finally, in a corner, they found a box labeled with words like "congratulatory gift for moving".
"Is this the congratulatory gift that General Hua and his family gave when Benwang moved to the Eastern Palace?" The Crown Prince glanced at the simple box and opened the lid.
Although there were many things in the private treasury, they were regularly cleaned by the eunuchs and had not accumulated any dust. Some of the items in the box had become a bit old due to not being opened for many years.
The Crown Prince bent down and picked up two small lucky dolls in the corner of the box.
"How could General Hua send such things in?" One of the eunuchs by his side had a drastic change in expression. This kind of small toy was not something anyone would send except for the people serving the Crown Prince.
Firstly, these things were easily tampered with. In the previous dynasty, a prince received such a doll, and it was later discovered that the doll had curse symbols inside. Therefore, in the current dynasty, although there was no explicit rule, court officials would not send such things to the Crown Prince or his descendants unless they had a very close relationship.
Secondly, the things used by the Crown Prince were all made of the best materials. Dolls made of ordinary cotton fabric like these would not be considered suitable.
"Why not?" The Crown Prince examined the two lucky dolls. The craftsmanship of the dolls was very good, with chubby faces that looked very auspicious. The bellies were soft, and a gentle squeeze revealed that there were no foreign objects inside. They had a soft and delicate touch, suitable for children to hold and play with.
"They are very cute dolls, Benwang likes them," the Crown Prince stood up and walked out of the private treasury and placed the dolls in his own sleeping quarters.
These dolls were so cute. They must have been even cuter when Liuli secretly put them in the box back then.
If only he had discovered these two dolls earlier.
The dolls were one male and one female. As the Crown Prince looked at them more and more, he called the people by his side, "Find someone to make a courtyard for them, a beautiful courtyard."
"Your Highness, what kind of courtyard?" the eunuch was a bit dumbfounded. He never expected that the Crown Prince, who had grown up, would actually develop an interest in playing with dolls.
"A bridal chamber," the Crown Prince said mysteriously, "And make a set of wedding attire for them."
"I will take note of it, Your Royal Highness," the eunuch replied.
After the eunuch left, the Crown Prince poked the face of the little doll with his finger, "Your owner has gifted you to Benwang. How should Benwang repay her?"
He adjusted the position of the dolls, allowing their faces to touch each other.
"How about... offering myself to her?"
As the most famous Taoist in the capital, Abbot Qinghui was admired by countless people. Some wealthy nobles would often spend a fortune to ask Qinghui to read their fortunes without hesitation.
When they learned that Abbot Qinghui would preside over a Taoist ceremony, countless people wanted to attend. However, when they arrived at the foot of the mountain, they saw heavy guards and guessed that some noble figures would be participating in the ceremony. They could only stay at the foot of the mountain, drinking tea and enjoying the lively atmosphere of the ceremony.
Every time such a ceremony was held, the nearby vendors were the happiest. They set up their stalls and occupied the best spots early in the morning. With the presence of people who came to watch the spectacle at the foot of the mountain, they could earn a good amount of silver.
The Taoist masters in the Taoist temple also understood people's desire to watch the spectacle, so they set up a stage at the foot of the mountain and performed some martial arts and swordsmanship, causing the onlookers to cheer repeatedly.
Inside the carriage, Yao Jiamin looked at Hua Liuli, who looked sleepy, and couldn't help but ask, "What were you doing last night? You slept so late?"
"I dreamt of a beauty," Hua Liuli yawned. She smelled the aroma of food and opened her drowsy eyes, "Are we there yet?"
"We'll be there soon," Yao Jiamin lifted the curtain and took a glance, pointing at several children running around, "Even the children have more energy than you."
"You have a point. Should I go back and get some more sleep?"
"What I meant was, you worked hard to come to this ceremony," Yao Jiamin was afraid that Hua Liuli would really change her mind and go home, so she quickly persuaded her, "Since we're already here, it would be troublesome to go back."
The carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain. The guards looked at the waist tokens of Hua Liuli and Yao Jiamin before bowing to let them up the mountain.
"Sister Jiamin," Hua Liuli took two steps and looked at Yao Jiamin with a smile, "You know, I have a weak constitution and lack energy..."
Jiamin looked at the tall stone steps and Hua Liuli's outstretched hand, and she was filled with refusal in her heart and eyes.
"Liuli," a plain white handkerchief fell into Hua Liuli's palm, then a warm hand held Hua Liuli's hand through the handkerchief.
"Benwang will take you up," the Crown Prince looked at Hua Liuli, "Jiamin is just a girl, she can't take care of you properly."
Yao Jiamin silently took two steps back. He was the Crown Prince, whatever he said was final. She quickly looked around to make sure there were no other noble young masters or ladies from prominent families behind them before secretly letting out a sigh of relief.
Wait, the ones holding hands are the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli. Why was she worrying about it?
"Come," the Crown Prince smiled at Hua Liuli. His charming smile made her heart itch, how could she bear to let go of his hand?
The Crown Prince walked slowly, whispering to Hua Liuli, "Benwang really liked the dolls you gave me."
"Your Royal Highness had found them?" Hua Liuli was somewhat surprised.
"Because they were gifts from the two generals, Benwang never had the heart to be separated from them," the Crown Prince turned to look at her. "Fortunately, Benwang had kept them, which allowed me to see this gift from many years ago."
"At that time, I was too young and didn't understand anything," Hua Liuli chuckled, "Fortunately, I didn't cause any trouble, otherwise..."
"Don't worry, even back then, Benwang would have liked them," The Crown Prince tightened his grip on Hua Liuli's hand. Despite the handkerchief between them, he could still feel the softness and warmth of Hua Liuli's palm, "It was the most sincere blessing from a little girl. How could Benwang not like it."
Hearing these words, Hua Liuli felt inexplicably embarrassed, yet there was also a sense of indescribable satisfaction.
Anyone would be moved if someone cherished the small gifts they gave when they were young and ignorant.
The Crown Prince was truly a rare gentle man.
"Benwang had people make beautiful houses and clothes for them. When you come to the palace next time, Benwang will take you to see them," the Crown Prince paused his steps when he saw Ying Wang and the Second Princess standing ahead.
Ying Wang stared wide-eyed at them holding hands.
"Fushou Junzhu is weak, so Benwang escorted her up," Faced with his own siblings, the Crown Prince's expression softened slightly, and he didn't let go of Hua Liuli's hand.
Before Ying Wang could speak, the Second Princess spoke first, "The Crown Prince is truly considerate. We heard from Abbot Qinghui that Your Royal Highness was also coming, so we waited outside the gate. Let's go in together."
The Second Princess stepped aside to show her respect for the Crown Prince.
She then noticed Jiamin, who was following behind the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli. Feeling somewhat surprised, she asked, "Jiamin Junzhu, did you... come here with the Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu?"
Yao Jiamin had never been close to Hua Liuli, nor was she close to the Crown Prince. Why were the three of them together today?
Princess Shunan had always supported Consort Xian. Since Princess Shunan had a verbal dispute with the Crown Prince, their family shouldn't have gotten too close to the Crown Prince.
Could it be... Princess Shunan had secretly sided with the Crown Prince?
No wonder. A few days ago, the Empress Dowager ordered Yao Jiamin to live in the palace, but she had never once visited Consort Xian in Lincui Palace during her stay in the palace. It turns out she had found a new backer.
With countless thoughts running through her mind, the Second Princess maintained a calm demeanor and walked side by side affectionately with Yao Jiamin, "You haven't come to play with us these days. Have you been occupied with other matters?"
Yao Jiamin glanced at Hua Liuli. She accompanied Hua Liuli every day, so she didn't have time to play with other girls. But she couldn't speak out about this embarrassing matter, so she vaguely responded, "Hmm, I've been held back by some matters recently."
"I see," the Second Princess noticed Yao Jiamin's discreet glance at Hua Liuli, her speculations becoming even clearer. Indeed, Princess Shunan's family had indeed sided with the Crown Prince. Perhaps even the Yao family was likely leaning toward the Eastern Palace.
Suppressing the smile at the corner of her mouth, the Second Princess raised her head and looked at Ying Wang, her mind swirling with countless thoughts, yet she remained silent.
"Why is the Crown Prince with Fushou Junzhu?" Ying Wang noticed the faint blush on Hua Liuli's fair face due to climbing the steps and averted his gaze uncomfortably.
They had only walked a few steps, yet her face had turned so red. Hua Liuli's constitution was indeed too weak.
"Just happened to pass by. The stone steps are steep, Benwang was worried that Fushou Junzhu might fall, so Benwang had to support her to feel at ease," the Crown Prince accompanied Hua Liuli's pace, walking slowly, "Benwang seemed to remember that Eldest Brother didn't seem to believe in Gods and Buddhas. Why did you come today?"
"The Crown Prince could come, why can't Benwang come?" Ying Wang said in a strange tone, "Is this Taoist temple exclusively the Crown Prince's?" He couldn't possibly tell the Crown Prince that he had been driven to seek a marriage alliance by his mother, right?
"You're right, Eldest Brother. Benwang misspoke," the Crown Prince apologized with a gentle smile.
Ying Wang was taken aback by Yuansu's attitude. Was the Crown Prince okay today?
Whenever he faced the Crown Prince before, he would always end up on the losing side without exception.
Would the Crown Prince apologize?
Of course not.
Would the Crown Prince go easy on him just because he was the older brother?
Possibly in his dreams.
But today, not only did the Crown Prince go easy on him, but he also had a very agreeable demeanor. That gentle and tolerant attitude felt repulsive no matter how he looked at it. Could it be a new tactic the Crown Prince was using to deal with him?
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Ying Wang frowned and stared at the Crown Prince for a moment, without saying anything.
"Eldest Brother has always been like this, without any ill intentions," the Crown Prince turned to Hua Liuli and smiled, "You don't have to take it to heart."
Hua Liuli looked at Ying Wang and then at the Crown Prince, but she didn't say anything.
Ying Wang was completely confused. He hadn't said anything bad about Fushou Junzhu, so why should she take it to heart? He had a vague feeling that something was off, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was.
Or was it because the Crown Prince was acting weirdly unusual today, making him overthink?
"Benwang is going to light a lamp of longevity for Father Empero. Will you join Benwang?" as they were about to finish climbing the stairs, the Crown Prince slowed down even more, "If you don't want to go, Benwang will have someone accompany you for a walk."
"Let's go together," Hua Liuli said, "I'll come with you."
"Good."
As they stepped onto the last step of the stairs, the Crown Prince lowered his head and looked at the intertwined hands of the two. Then he slowly let go of her hand before hiding his hand in his sleeve, "Let's go. Let's light the lamps before the ceremony begins."
Ying Wang hesitated for a moment before he also followed along.
In the Dharma Hall, a Taoist priest greeted them and gave them instructions on lighting the lamps.
"Devotee, what kind of lamp would you like to light?" A young Taoist priest approached Hua Liuli and bowed.
"A lamp of transcendence," Hua Liuli took out a silver ticket and lit the most expensive lamp for the deceased.
"For whom is the devotee lighting the lamp?"
The Crown Prince and Ying Wang both turned their heads. The lamps of transcendence were usually lit for the deceased.
Hua Liuli looked up at the image of the Three Pure Ones, bowed deeply, and said, "I'm lighting it for the warriors who sacrificed themselves on the battlefield."
"The Great Jin is now enjoying peace and prosperity. I hope they can be reborn as citizens of Great Jin and live a peaceful life," After finishing the ritual, Hua Liuli stood up from the cushion and heard the Crown Prince say, "Let Benwang light a lamp for them as well, alright?"
"Sure," Hua Liuli smiled, her mouth slightly curved, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
An additional lamp would make the path of those soldiers in their next life brighter and smoother.
