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A hint of melancholy suddenly appeared between Di Xiu's brows. He frowned slightly, about to speak. At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, accompanied by the tinkling of jade pendants. Yu Chi Mingyue suddenly pushed open the door and ran in.

When Mei Ziqi saw her enter, she jumped up, pointed at Di Xiu, and said plaintively, "Oh dear, Ah Xiu, it's one thing that you wouldn't take the medicine I fed you, but why did you have to break the medicine bowl? I'm so heartbroken..."

Di Xiu was shocked and was stunned for a moment.

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi Mingyue looked down and indeed saw the broken medicine bowl. She frowned, walked to the bedside, stood in front of Di Xiu, and said angrily, "Sir!"

Mei Ziqi became increasingly resentful, "Xiao Si, he treated me like this, and you still help him?"

“I didn’t help him. It’s your fault, sir,” Yu Chi Mingyue said matter-of-factly.

Mei Ziqi feigned tears, pounded her chest, and sighed, "Daughters grow up and leave home; they all turn outwards. Sir, my heart aches!"

“Sir…” Yu Chi Mingyue was immediately helpless. Her face flushed slightly, and she reached out and pushed Mei Ziqi towards the door. “Stop making a fuss and go find your master!”

"Hey, hey, hey? Sir, I haven't finished speaking yet!" Mei Ziqi said, but let her push her along.

"Let's talk about it next time!" Yu Chi Mingyue pushed him out the door, closed the door without saying a word, and ignored his lamentations.

She sighed, turned and walked to the bedside, smiling at Di Xiu, and said, "I'm back." She thought for a moment, then added, "I'll go tell them to brew another bowl of medicine..."

Just as she was about to leave, she heard Di Xiu call out to her, "Fourth Miss."

Yu Chi Mingyue was startled by the way he addressed her. She turned around and looked at him with a hint of surprise.

He gazed at her, feeling an unprecedented heaviness in his heart. He steadied himself, finally making up his mind, and said, "I..."

"Mingyue!" Yuchi Mingyue suddenly spoke, interrupting him.

He was startled and stared at her blankly.

Yu Chi Mingyue frowned, her expression full of dissatisfaction. She disliked being addressed as "Fourth Miss"; the unfamiliarity in the title reminded her of the days when she had ignored him at Yu Chi Manor. Every time she thought of this, she resented her own ignorance, recklessness, and callousness.

Yu Chi Mingyue thought to herself that this must be Mei Ziqi's doing again, deliberately trying to anger her. With a slight blush of embarrassment and annoyance, she walked to the bedside, frowned, and said to him seriously, "Don't call me Fourth Miss, call me 'Mingyue'."

After she finished speaking, she gazed at him intently, waiting for his reply. Her expression was solemn, as if she were waiting for a promise.

He couldn't utter a single word he had intended to say. He gazed at her, hesitated several times, and finally softly called out, "Mingyue..."

A smile suddenly bloomed on her face, like the moon emerging from the clouds, radiant and dazzling. She smiled, nodded, and called out to him, "Di Xiu."

He smiled quietly, burying all the words he wanted to say in his heart.

Yu Chi Mingyue felt relieved and free from worries. She smiled and said, "Then I'll go brew the medicine."

He watched her rush out of the room, a smile lingering on his face...

...

For the next few days, everything went as usual.

Di Xiu gradually learned that after Mei Ziqi rescued them during the attack, he did not rush back to the Nanling Prince's Mansion. Instead, he traveled day and night to Mei Valley, partly to heal his wounds and partly to break the curse.

Yu Chi Mingyue should have returned to the Nanling Prince's Mansion long ago, but she insisted on staying with him to recover from his injuries. So she sent someone back to the Nanling Prince's Mansion to deliver the message and stayed in Plum Valley. As for him, he slept for more than ten days before waking up. Now, it is already February.

Although he injured himself to deceive the enemy and avoid vital points, he already had unhealed injuries and was then struck by Yuchi Caiyao's palm. The internal and external injuries were naturally no small matter. Fortunately, the medical skills of the people in Plum Valley were excellent, and they provided timely treatment, so he was eventually out of danger.

After resting for more than half a month, he was able to get out of bed and walk with difficulty.

The weather was sunny and warm. He stood by the window, gazing at the scenery in the valley. After winter, the wintersweet in the valley faded, and plum blossoms bloomed everywhere, their red, pink, crimson, and white petals creating a breathtaking sight.

In the South Garden of Yuchi Manor, several plum trees were also planted. However, she only stayed there briefly in December and January each year, only able to admire the wintersweet, but never witnessing the plum blossoms in full bloom…

He was lost in thought when he heard someone approaching. The footsteps were hurried, and without needing to look closely, he knew who it was. He turned to look at the doorway, waiting for her to come in.

When Yu Chi Mingyue pushed open the door, she saw him standing at the window, smiling at her. The warm spring sunlight touched the corners of his eyes and brows, making him look so captivating. She was momentarily mesmerized, and when she came to her senses, she felt a surge of shyness.

"How did you know it was me..." Yu Chi Mingyue asked, her face slightly flushed.

Di Xiu smiled and replied, "Footsteps."

"Footsteps?" Yu Chi Mingyue looked down at her feet, puzzled. "How are they different from others?"

Di Xiu just smiled and didn't answer her.

Yu Chi Mingyue didn't delve into it. She took a few steps forward, took his hand, and said, "Come with me, I'll show you something good!"

Di Xiu knew that whether he agreed or not, he would eventually have to go with her. So he refrained from answering and let her help him.

Yu Chi Mingyue carefully helped him out of the room, down the wooden steps, and around a patch of plum blossoms before stopping.

Before me lay a nursery. At this time of year, the nursery was full of tender green seedlings, which were quite lovely.

Yu Chi Mingyue released Di Xiu's hand and said with a smile, "Wait a moment."

After saying this, she lifted her skirt and stepped into the nursery, not caring how many seedlings she trampled underfoot, and began searching around. After a moment, she squatted down, pulled out a hairpin, and started digging in the soil.

Seeing her like this, Di Xiu couldn't help but want to step forward and dissuade her.

At this moment, Yu Chi Mingyue shouted with a smile, "Found it!"

She stood up, ran a few steps to him, and opened her palm.

In her palm rested a green plum blossom. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an exquisitely carved jade pendant. The silk tassels on the pendant were worn and decayed, presumably from being buried underground for a long time.

She reached out and gently brushed the soil off the jade pendant, smiling as she said, "When I was little, I was naive and thought whatever I planted would grow. I thought this jade plum blossom was cute, so I planted it... Hehe, as time went by, I forgot about it. Luckily, it's still here." She handed him the pendant and said sincerely, "This is for you."

Di Xiu was slightly surprised and hesitated for a moment.

Seeing this, Yu Chi Mingyue took his hand and placed the jade pendant in his palm.

“I originally asked the maid to bring your clothes and accessories, but who would have thought that I would run into my second sister…” Yu Chi Mingyue said, frowning slightly. “I wanted to buy some more, but Plum Valley is in a remote place and there are no shops. This is not bad, you can take it for now.”

Looking at the jade pendant, Di Xiu felt a warmth in his heart and was moved. He closed his fingers and smiled, saying, "Thank you."

Yu Chi Mingyue shook her head, "You're welcome, I'm glad you like it."

He nodded, about to put away the jade pendant, when he heard Mei Ziqi's shrill voice: "Ahhhhhh... my herbs...ahh ...

Yu Chi Mingyue and Di Xiu were both startled, and then they saw Mei Ziqi rush to the edge of the nursery, looking like she was about to cry.

Upon seeing him, Yu Chi Mingyue felt a sudden panic. She helped Di Xiu up and said, "Oh no, we have to go!"

Mei Ziqi noticed and leaped forward, blocking their path. She cried out in anguish, "Little Four!!! What deep-seated grudge do you have against the herbs of Plum Valley? You can't be at ease unless you trample them every year, can you? Oh dear..."

Yu Chi Mingyue lowered her head, feeling guilty, and said, "Uh... I'll pay you back for the ones I broke..."

"Oh dear..." Mei Ziqi was lost in her grief, completely ignoring what Yu Chi Mingyue was saying.

Yu Chi Mingyue tugged at Mei Ziqi's sleeve and said, "...Sir, don't be sad. It can still live if you water it..."

"What do you mean he can survive after being watered?" Mei Ziqi pulled Di Xiu over. "If I water him, will he recover?"

"Sir, what do you mean by that?"

The two were arguing when a maid rushed in, slightly out of breath, and said, "Fourth Miss, the Prince has arrived!"

Yu Chi Mingyue was startled, and the argument stopped abruptly.

"Grandpa?"

Chapter Seventeen

"Grandpa?"

Before anyone could react, they heard the sound of galloping hooves.

A black-maned steed galloped towards them, its rider a man around sixty years old, dressed in a red robe and draped in a purple-gold cloak. He possessed an imposing and extraordinary bearing, undoubtedly the legendary Prince of Nanling.

When Yu Chi Mingyue saw him, she smiled sweetly and said, "Grandpa."

Mei Ziqi bowed his head, clasped his hands in greeting, and said respectfully, "Your Highness."

Di Xiu was pondering how to respond when the horse galloped up behind them and leaped into the nursery. The rider quickly pulled on the reins, and the horse came to a stop. The Prince of Nanling reined in his horse and emerged from the nursery. Reaching the crowd, he dismounted and laughed loudly, "Hahaha, this horse is spirited and doesn't obey!" He then reached out and helped Yuchi Mingyue up, saying, "Yue'er, your grandfather has come to fetch you. Aren't you happy?"

Yu Chi Mingyue smiled and snuggled closer to him, saying, "I'm happy."

The Prince of Nanling looked around and said, "Yue'er, what's so good about this place? You don't even want to go home anymore?"

Just as Yu Chi Mingyue was about to answer, a white shadow flashed by. Looking closer, she saw it was an elderly man in white robes. The man was very old, with white hair and beard. However, he was tall and slender, with a refined and otherworldly air. At this moment, his brows were furrowed, and he angrily rebuked, "Ming Yongjing! What deep-seated grudge do you have against the herbs of Plum Valley? You can't seem to relax without trampling on them every time you come here?!"

This Ming Yongjing was the name of the Prince of Nanling. Hearing this person address him directly, he was not angry, but said disdainfully, "What kind of treasure is this? I will compensate you."

"You..." The old man was furious.

"Ah, flowers and plants will live if you water them. If you're still not satisfied, I'll grant you a hundred miles of fertile land, and you can plant them there." The King of Nanling frowned and said this.

The old man grew increasingly angry and rebuked, "You...you...you are crude, uncouth, and utterly unteachable!"

Hearing this argument, both Mei Ziqi and Di Xiu felt helpless. Yu Chi Mingyue, however, was secretly pleased and gave Mei Ziqi a provocative look. Mei Ziqi felt even more helpless, sighed, stepped forward and pulled the white-robed old man aside, advising, "Master, please calm down."

The old man was none other than the Recluse of Plum Valley. Suppressing his anger, he dusted off his hands at the Prince of Nanling and said, "Get out of here! Don't defile my peaceful place!"

The Prince of Nanling snorted coldly, "I never intended to keep you here! Yue'er, let's go!"

"Mm!" Yu Chi Mingyue responded, about to take a step, but then stopped. She let go of Nanling Wang's hand, walked back to Di Xiu's side, helped him up, and smiled, "Let's go."

Di Xiuwei felt a little embarrassed. As soon as she raised her eyes, she met the gaze of the Prince of Nanling. It was a sharp and vigorous gaze, like that of a hawk. The prince, who had made great military achievements, was frowning and scrutinizing her, looking her up and down, left and right, down to the smallest detail, as if trying to see right through her.

Yu Chi Mingyue, completely unaware of what was happening, was about to help Di Xiu take a step when the Prince of Nanling walked over and said with a smile, "This young man looks familiar. Where have I seen you before?"

Upon hearing this, Mei Ziqi answered for Di Xiu, "Your Highness has a good memory. He is Di Xiu, the steward of Yuchi Manor."

Upon hearing this, the Prince of Nanling nodded. "Oh, so it's you..." He smiled, then looked Di Xiu up and down for a moment before saying, "It seems you're injured." He stepped forward and pulled Di Xiu up with his arms.

Di Xiu felt a soreness in his arm, but he couldn't resist, so he couldn't help but feel nervous.

Yu Chi Mingyue frowned and said reproachfully, "Grandpa, what are you doing?"

The Prince of Nanling said, "Silly Yue'er, you're a young lady, aren't you tired of helping him? Why don't you ride my horse instead?"

After saying this, he exerted his strength and helped Di Xiu onto the horse's back.

Seeing this, Yu Chi Mingyue smiled again. "Yes, that's good." She looked up, smiled at Di Xiu on horseback, and reached out to take the reins.

The Prince of Nanling quickly snatched it away, saying, "Yue'er, don't touch it. This horse is still spirited; be careful not to hurt it. Alright, let's go."

Di Xiu, though on horseback, felt extremely uncomfortable. The grandfather and grandson, however, chatted and laughed freely, appearing completely at ease.

Mei Ziqi watched them leave, his smile growing wider. At this moment, the old man beside him spoke up, saying, "Ziqi, you should come along, and be careful in everything."

Mei Ziqi suppressed her smile, bowed and said yes, and followed.

...