"Fourth Prince, what's wrong with you?" Chu Qing-Yan saw him in a daze and couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Ran returned to his senses and somewhat embarrassingly scratched his head. "Nothing, just felt that it's been a long time since I last saw you. Seems like you have grown a lot taller and become more pretty."
Chu Qing-Yan heard this, and she smiled generously. "Growing taller is for certain, recently I have been undergoing devilish like training, it would be strange if I didn't grow taller! What's called "become more pretty"? This Miss has always looked pretty good!"
Being made fun of by Chu Qing-Yan, he didn't retort back like before and instead laughed with her. Chu Qing-Yan felt that having not seen this Xiao Ran for several days, it seemed his personality had completely changed. However, she didn't mind it much.
"Qing-Yan, this period of time I didn't go to Prince's manor, did you miss me?" Xiao Ran saw her gaze staring fixedly at those chrysanthemums and mumbled out the words he had hidden for many days in his heart.
But his tone was too low, so Chu Qing-Yan turned her head around to ask. "What did you just say?"
That courage just now was all used up, now seeing her turn around, he promptly waved his hand. "No-Nothing."
Chu Qing-Yan frowned. "Fourth Prince, today you seem really strange, are you sick?"
Sick?
Maybe he caught lovesickness ah!
Only the person in the play can not see his own heart, nothing more!
"No, it's only that mother concubine restrained me, not letting me leave the palace, so I'm somewhat bored and depressed!" Xiao Ran cooked up an excuse.
Chu Qing-Yan thought it was also like this, at that time Concubine Yue, because of Xiao Ran, she almost gave her punishment that would lacerate her flesh. It may be assumed that her methods of teaching a son would also be overbearing. As a result, looking at Xiao Ran in front of her who was twelve or thirteen, her heart spontaneously developed feelings of sympathy. She couldn't help but try to comfort saying. "The so called strict mother raises a great son. Although your mother is very strict towards you, she is however also doing it for your own good. You should properly receive it!"
The corner of Xiao Ran's mouth twitched, 'strict mother raises a great son'? Wasn't it strict teacher raises a brilliant student ah? This "steal the original and replace with a fake" skill was something only she could do. But she was definitely trying to comfort him and not rejoicing in his misfortune right? What does it mean to properly receive it?
But he remembered a matter, and with a guilty tone he said. "Qing-Yan, before how mother concubine treated you, were you angry?"
Chu Qing-Yan rolled her eyes toward the night sky. "If you were mysteriously wrongly accused and framed, also being sentenced to be punished, can you still be happy?"
"I'm sorry, I will apologize on my mother concubine's behalf. You shouldn't take it to heart." Xiao Ran promptly said.
Chu Qing-Yan wanted to criticize with a few more sentences, but seeing him as a pampered youth yet using such a humble tone to speak to her, her mouth pouted and she finally swallowed the words in her throat. She sighed. "Forget it, as long as she doesn't target me in the future or His Highness, then I won't get angry."
Xiao Ran immediately smiled as if among the black clouds of the night sky, the moonlight suddenly pushed aside the cloud and mist so that a clear sky could be seen. That kind of shining light invaded a person's heart.
Chu Qing-Yan sighed in her heart. How could this boy's mind be so straightforward? Doesn't he know that the Fu family behind Concubine Yue and the Liang family behind Big Block of Ice had irreconcilable differences? It could be imagined that after a few more years if there was Fu family, then there won't be Liang family. If there was Liang family, then there won't be Fu family , this was the cruelty of politics.
A pity now was not the time to point this out bluntly. Chu Qing-Yan closed her mouth and placed her thoughts on enjoying the chrysanthemums.
After the viewing of chrysanthemums will be the beginning of the banquet.
Faced with it and being unable to eat it, or being able to eat it but unable to eat your full of beautiful dishes, Chu Qing-Yan gave Big Block of Ice a thumbs up, sure enough he had the foresight. Otherwise she would go home hungry.
Xiao Xu shot her a faint glance, on the surface he didn't show his feelings but a speck of smiling expression flashed from the depth of his eyes.
"Big Block of Ice, you say where would the venue be for the next Mid-Autumn festival?" Chu Qing-Yan had held her chin with her hand, although her eyes looked at those female singers and dancers, her thoughts were far far away.
"Why ask like this?" Xiao Xu held the wine cup, swirled it a bit but didn't drink it. His gaze landed on the surface of the wine, his gaze was deep and far away.
"Because today, we don't know tomorrow's matter. This year, we don't know next year's matter. No one can guarantee that because today we are here, next time we will still be here. Also can't guarantee that the people accompanying us after today, whether they would still be by our side tomorrow. There are many unexpected things in life no one can control it!"
August fifteen is the Mid-Autumn festival.
Everyone is doubly homesick for their dear ones on such a festive day.
Using the shining moonlight, she remembered many things. That twenty years of life being accompanied by childhood sweethearts. Her seatmate in school, those high school friends that promised to test into the same university, together planning to be college roommates——
She originally thought there weren't that many mishaps in her life, everything traveled along the established tracks.
However all of a suddenly a mishap occurred, she only took a nap and appeared in the ancient times. There was no advance means of transportation, there wasn't any familiar friends. She could only rely on her own efforts to protect her family from being bullied.
When she saw the rays of moonlight, it seemed as if a hole had opened up in her heart. Cold wind with whooshing sound drilled in. Don't know what kind of night today's night would be!
Therefore she sighed ruefully, would her long time friends leave? Would everything disappear if she opened her eyes again just as if she was dreaming? She didn't dare think deeply about this.
Xiao Xu didn't know why she would give such a rueful sigh. He only knew this kind of mood in worrying about gains and losses didn't suit her bright nature. "No matter what time, this king would never abandon you by yourself!"
"Big Block of Ice, it's a promise." She turned her head and seriously looked at him.
"En."
Tonight's Chu Qing-Yan gave him a feeling that something was wrong. As if she had matured a lot and grown up a lot. But he carefully looked at her smile full of innocence and his eyes narrowed. Was it because of the atmosphere in the imperial palace?
"Let us return to the manor!" Xiao Xu suddenly said.
"The banquet has only progressed halfway, is it proper for us to return just like this?" Chu Qing-Yan was slightly surprised.
"No matter. Whatever this king does, they won't dare to question." Xiao Xu stood up and instructed people to let Western Xuan Emperor and Empress know.
Chu Qing-Yan subconciously took a glance at the surrounding. Xu Xian had long disappeared. It seemed leaving early didn't matter.
Consequently, the two of them left together.
Although many supercilious looks was given to their backs, Chu Qing-Yan just calmly received them. Since she sat on the seat of Princess Consort Ying, she had to get used to this kind of envy, hate and jealous gazes.
Tonight it's not as if nobody come to strike up a conversation, only that the aura Big Block of Ice gave off was too formidable. It was enough to make them all flinch. And for some that weren't afraid of death that approached to toast him, Big Block of Ice remained at leisure and ignored them. Or it was to let her use tea to replace wine and return those Miss's toast so as to let those Miss's hearts give birth to the idea of retreat.
Chu Qing-Yan tsked with her tongue in comment. Her family's Big Block of Ice come preinstalled with a ruthless heart that effectively mopped up women who wanted to be his partner, not bad, not bad!
And just when Chu Qing-Yan and Xiao Xu left, not long after on the stage with the princes, a eunuch quietly walked to a person's side and said in a low voice. "His Highness Prince Ying has already left."
One only heard that gorgeous voice say. "Start."
"Yes."
That pair of warm eyes seemed to give off a bloodthirsty light.
Eldest Royal brother, Fourth royal younger brother, this time you guys would have a hard time escaping this calamity.
Chu Qing-Yan and Xiao Xu who left didn't know that now, a scene of trials and hardship was about to hit.