Чистое сердце в нефритовом сосуде - Глава 63
Lin Zhao chuckled and said, "You've confessed now, haven't you? Last time you said you only went once."
I've been infected! I quickly covered my mouth.
Lin Zhao continued, "Huai En, why are you only interested in beautiful women and ignore us handsome men? Could it be..."
Here we go again. I knew Lin Zhao's initial words weren't well-intentioned. How could I ignore them? If I truly ignored them, I wouldn't have become close to them in the first place. Appearance is my first criterion for judging people. Although you can't judge a book by its cover, everyone has a sense of beauty, right?
"Alright, as the saying goes, 'everyone has a love for beauty.' Huai'en is just a little fond of beautiful women, so Brother Zhao, please stop teasing him." Song Zhixuan interrupted Lin Zhao with a smile. Song Zhixuan is so understanding.
The group returned to their lodgings in a lively atmosphere. On the way, Yin Yan glanced at me a few more times, which made me feel uneasy. Could it be that she thought I liked women, just like Shen Haoyu had mistakenly thought Shen Zexuan was gay?
That night, I was lying on the windowsill counting stars when Shen Haoyu silently appeared beside me. When I saw him, I was quite startled. Seeing my reaction, Shen Haoyu actually smiled, and I stared at him as if I'd seen a ghost: how long had it been since I'd seen him smile?
"Young Prince, it's been so long since I've seen you smile." The thought crossed his mind, and the words slipped out without him even realizing it.
Hearing this, Shen Haoyu actually smiled again and asked me, "Are you almost fully recovered?"
I nodded hurriedly, afraid they would still lock me up here and not let me go anywhere. Suddenly, Shen Haoyu grabbed me, pulled me out of the window with a strong force, and before I could react, he grabbed my waist and leaped onto the roof. Shen Haoyu placed me on the ridge and sat down, then sat down himself.
I hesitated for a moment before speaking, then said, "Young Prince..."
"Don't speak, just sit with me for a while." Shen Haoyu interrupted me and then sat quietly to the side without saying a word.
I was used to his domineering and awkward nature, and I would occasionally show him some small favors and consideration. But his sudden quietness and slight helplessness left me at a loss and very uneasy.
After a long silence, Shen Haoyu suddenly asked again, "Do you like the Third Prince?"
He asked me this question before, and I answered that I didn't like him. Now, do I like Shen Zexuan? Just thinking about that name makes my chest feel like it's blocked with something.
"Your Highness, I do not like the Third Prince." I omitted the word "dare." I did not dare to like the Third Prince. I could not see how sincere he was under his tenderness and affection, so after dating for a few months, I fled in a sorry state.
Shen Haoyu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, put his hands behind his head, and lay down on the roof tiles.
Shen Haoyu never asked me why Shen Zexuan was suddenly so kind to me, nor did anyone ask why Shen Zexuan risked his life to pull me back. No one asked, and I won't tell; even if someone did ask, I still won't say. But does my silence mean no one truly knows?
I followed Shen Haoyu's example, lying on the roof tiles with my hands behind my head, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky, my mind filled with countless thoughts.
Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 48
Chapter word count: 3751 Update time: 09-08-08 11:35
On the eighth day of the tenth month of the twentieth year of Tianxuan, Emperor Youjing held a state banquet in the palace to receive the Golden Sparrow Delegation and discuss related matters.
Pushing open the door early in the morning, I saw Shen Haoyu standing in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. This was the first time I had seen him since we watched the stars together on the roof that day. Shen Zexuan hadn't come over these past few days either; I suppose they were busy with the visit from the Golden Sparrow Kingdom.
Hearing the door open, Shen Haoyu turned around. His plain clothes made him look even taller and more slender. He remembered how he had been beaten to the ground by him back at the Marquis of Qiyun's mansion, and now he had unknowingly become like this. A sense of melancholy washed over him as time passed.
I stepped forward and bowed to him: "Good morning, Your Highness!"
Shen Haoyu stared at me for a while, and I felt a little uneasy. I had just gotten up and hadn't washed my face yet; I wondered if there was anything left on my face. Just as I was thinking this, I heard him ask, "I heard from Yin Yan that you really want to see Princess Luoli?"
I was slightly surprised, but I still nodded.
"Go change into men's clothes, hurry up and get ready, come to the palace with me today." After saying this, Shen Haoyu was actually a little flustered.
I looked at him with some confusion, and he had no choice but to explain, "You can see Princess Luoli at the palace banquet."
Upon hearing this, I happily rushed back to my room, forgetting to bow to Shen Haoyu, and simply left him in the courtyard. I took out some men's clothes that I hadn't worn for almost two months from my trunk, quickly changed into them, and then ran to Shen Haoyu's place to wait for him.
When I arrived outside Shen Haoyu's room, Yin Yan was standing at the door. She was quite surprised to see me dressed as a man.
"Huai'en, where are you going again?" Yin Yan asked, pouting.
I didn't answer her, but instead asked, "Where is the young prince?"
Yin Yan gestured towards the room and said, "Yu Ying is helping him change his clothes inside."
The two waited outside for a while before Yu Ying and Shen Haoyu, dressed in a magnificent purple robe, came out. After seeing Shen Haoyu to the door, Yu Ying stopped and said to Yin Yan, "This time when you enter the palace, you must take good care of the master."
Yin Yan smiled and said, "Okay, dear sister!"
I looked at Yin Yan with surprise. It turned out that she could accompany Shen Haoyu to the palace today. In the past, it was Yu Ying who went.
“Master said that after serving him for so long, it’s time for me to see the world,” Yin Yan replied to my questioning gaze.
Seeing that we were still standing there talking, Shen Haoyu turned around and said, "It's getting late, aren't you two coming up?"
Yin Yan and I exchanged a glance, then happily followed Shen Haoyu toward the main hall. On the way, I quietly thanked Yin Yan for mentioning my desire to see Princess Luoli to Shen Haoyu, which gave me the opportunity to enter the palace with her. Yin Yan, however, only gave me a half-smile and didn't say anything.
Outside the gates of Prince Qing's mansion, Prince Qing, dressed in court attire, boarded a luxurious carriage with his princess. Shen Haoyu, however, mounted his chestnut horse, "Yunlu," and a group of guards followed, while the accompanying maids boarded another carriage.
Upon arriving at the Mingde Gate of the Imperial City, most of the guards remained; only eunuchs who had undergone castration and their accompanying maids were allowed to enter. After the carriages were inspected, they were herded to a designated area for foreign officials, and the group had to walk into the palace. High red walls, ten meters high, lined both sides, but the spacious area prevented a feeling of oppression. Heads were bowed the entire way, avoiding looking around, yet the coldness of the gleaming armor of the imperial guards lining the road could still be felt.
Upon reaching Yong'an Gate, we were subjected to another inspection before finally being allowed to enter the palace. From Yong'an Gate to Chongde Hall, the entire route was covered with red carpets, and decorated with lanterns and colorful balls, creating a festive atmosphere. Red-clad imperial guards stood solemnly on both sides, holding iron halberds, their bearing imposing and dignified. Outside Chongde Hall, some early-arriving princes and officials were already waiting, awaiting their appointed time to enter. Upon seeing Prince Qing arrive, many people surrounded him to greet him warmly. In the current Youjing Dynasty, besides Emperor Youjing's family, Prince Qing's residence was the most prestigious. Shen Haoyu accompanied the Princess Consort towards the Sleeping Spring Pavilion, where the women rested, while Yin Yan and I followed leisurely behind.
Many noble ladies had already arrived at Shuichun Pavilion, where they were sitting together drinking tea and chatting. From a distance, it looked like a vibrant garden of flowers, dazzling the eyes. When the young eunuch guarding the door saw Princess Qing arrive, he quickly bowed and shouted, "Princess Qing has arrived!" Upon hearing this, the noble ladies all stood up and bowed to the princess. The princess gracefully waved her hand, indicating that there was no need for such formalities, and found a seat for herself.
Yin Yan and I were both entering the palace for the first time, so we didn't dare to make any rash moves and carefully followed behind Shen Haoyu. Seeing that the princess was already seated, Shen Haoyu called Yin Yan and me to a secluded place and said, "I can only bring two people into the hall later. The rest of you will have to stay outside. Once you two are in the hall with me, there will be no one to guide you, so try to stay by my side and do what others do."
Yin Yan and I nodded nervously, feeling both excited and nervous. After giving us a few more instructions, Shen Haoyu left the Sleeping Spring Pavilion, presumably to accompany Prince Qing in dealing with the court officials. Yin Yan and I stood in a corner like invisible people, observing the large group of women in the room.
After standing for a while, we heard the eunuch announce, "The First Prince's Consort has arrived! The Second Prince's Consort has arrived!" The noble ladies in the room rose and bowed once again. The princess also stood up and gave a slight bow to the two consorts who entered the room side by side. The two consorts quickly returned the bow. Only after the masters finished their business and sat down again were we allowed to get up from the ground.
Stealing a glance at the Second Prince's Consort, Mu Hanyan, I noticed she had become even more mature and alluring than when I first saw her. Half a year of living as a prince's consort had imbued her with an air of nobility, and her eyes held a hint of haughty indifference. The First Prince's Consort, dressed in the same pale gold gown, was remarkably warm and welcoming, like a radiant rose, greeting everyone around her.
Three cannon shots rang out outside, presumably the arrival of envoys from the Golden Sparrow Kingdom. The ladies of the Sleeping Spring Pavilion, accompanied by their maids, filed out. Yin Yan and I followed closely behind the Princess, so Shen Haoyu could find us later. An elderly man in a dark green court robe, his hair and beard slightly gray, stood atop the nine steps of the Chongde Hall—it was Prime Minister Wei. Prime Minister Wei led a group of people, whose attire differed slightly from that of the court officials, into the Chongde Hall. The officials below then entered the hall in order of rank. Shen Haoyu found us immediately, and we followed behind him, while the Princess and the other ladies went to a side hall.