"Thank you for telling me this. I've just arrived at the mansion and there are many protocols that I'm not aware of. Please do teach me about them."
Before she arrived, His Majesty had already briefed her on many things regarding Prince Yu.
It was said that Prince Yu's mother also lived within the mansion. This girl who just arrived must be Concubine De's maid servant.
If she managed to please this maid, she might put in a good word for her before Concubine De, which in turn would be beneficial to her.
Hongyu's submissiveness had improved Jinyue's impression of this foreign woman immensely.
There were also other beautiful women in the palace who were gifted to them by the western foreign land, however, they had a lower status than her.
Their warm and forthright nature had also gained the favor of the other princesses. In this light, she had a rather good impression of this foreign girl before her eyes.
"Why have you come personally, Aunt? Come in to have a seat."
All three maids were considered Jinyue's mentees.
For this reason, they had developed a closeness towards her, as if she was a kinsman.
Lin Mengya going missing was not a new thing in Liuxin Courtyard. In fact, it happened rather often, but today was the first time that it happened when Concubine De had sent for her.
Jinyue entered the side hall following behind Baiji and Hongyu quietly followed them back into the hall, tip-toeing.
"What? The princess has disappeared again? Who has taken her this time?"
It was no longer surprising for Aunt Jinyue anymore. This went to show that Lin Mengya's disappearance was commonplace.
"Neither do we know. She must have gone out to have some fun to cheer herself up."
The three maids replied helplessly.
In the past, their mistress would bring them along when she went out. However, now they were clueless as to where she had gone.
"Sigh, you girls! Please follow the princess closely, lest we can't find her again. Now, how shall I answer to Concubine De?"
Hongyu laughed quietly to herself when she realized the princess's willful character.
How did she become so infuriated just because her husband merely brought home a woman?
It was said that the women of Dajin valued a virtuous wife. It looked like she was getting her chance.
When she woke up, the sun was right above her head. It must be noon.
Lin Mengya got up from the flower bed and was astonished by the soft and smooth flower petals falling off from on top of her.
It was no wonder that she did feel cold at all, she was covered by a thick layer of petals as her blanket all these while.
"You're awake? Come, have a piece of fruit."
There was a huge leave with ten over pieces of fruits wrapped in it, which was placed in front of Lin Mengya.
Qinghu was still smiling his cheeky smile, so much so that his eyes turned into the shape of a crescent.
"Thank you."
She had not imagined this fox to be so useful. Lin Mengya picked up a piece of fruit and gracefully bit off a little.
The fruit tasted as sweet as honey and was very juicy, only it was a bit too small.
She finished the whole piece in three bites.
"Why don't you take a bite too?" Lin Mengya asked Qinghu after she finished most of the fruits and was beginning to fill up.
Interestingly, this guy had always lunge to grab the first bite in the past. When did he learn how to give in?
This was strange!
"These fruits are poisonous, so I'm not eating any of them."
When he finished making this statement, Lin Mengya stared at him in a daze.
Immediately the sound of his laughter filled the entire valley.
"Ha, ha, ha, do you really believe it? Wouldn't you be able to tell since you're so skilled in toxicology?"
Lin Mengya was an expert in toxicology in the eyes of Qinghu.
He had planned to play a prank on her while Lin Mengya was still asleep a while ago.
He would not expect Lin Mengya to be so easily taken in when she just woke up and was not thinking clearly.
He was laughing so hard that there were tears in his eyes.
The reason Lin Mengya dazed was not because of Qinghu's prank. In fact, she could discern that the fruit contained one of the ingredients which she was missing in the antidote.
When she first came, she had been poisoned by a very potent toxin. Although most of it had been neutralized, there were still some components of the antidote which was missing.
Coincidentally, the fruit which Qinghu gave her contained one of them.
There were just too many coincidences in this world.
Eh? Qinghu was surprised that Lin Mengya, who was eating the fruits, did not rebuke or attack him.
This was unlike the Lin Mengya he knew!
"Lass, is your brain damaged?"
He walked up to her cautiously and lifted a finger to touch Lin Mengya's forehead. To his surprise, she did not try to bite his finger off.
This was getting strange, very strange.
"Idiot, do you feel something amiss whenever I don't scold you?"
Lin Mengya, who was feeling cool, rolled her eyes at him and Qinghu quickly beat his chest.
Thank goodness this lass had not lost her mind.
"Alright, now are you feeling better? It's getting late. Let's go back for lunch!"
Qingyu carried Lin Mengya once again and in that instant, his nose was filled with her fragrance.
There had always been a fragrance exuberating from Lin Mengya's body.
Now with the additional fragrance from the flowers all around, the air smelt especially sweet. It truly gave them a fresh wave of energy.
Qinghu swung on the branches and the two of them were tossed up onto the cliff.
Lin Mengya had apparently fallen in love with the sea of flowers. She wished she could live here if there was another chance.
She had sneaked out quietly and was now returning to her room quietly.
However, when the two entered the Prince's Mansion, there was ashen-faced Lin Kui, standing at the gates, blocking Lin Mengya and Qingyu's way.
"Princess, the Prince is asking for you."
Qinghu was trouble.
He had just come to stay and he had lured the princess out to play. It was no wonder there were such rumors concerning him going around in the society.
"Alright, I'll be right over."
Lin Mengya was totally unperturbed, being caught by Lin Kui. Long Tianhao had, in the beginning, agreed to her term of letting her go freely in and out of the mansion.
Moreover, Qinghu was her bodyguard. Long Tianhao was agreeable to this too.
After Lin Mengya instructed Qinghu to return to her courtyard to send her servants the message, she followed Lin Kui and headed towards Long Tianhao's study.
"Your Highness, I have something to tell you, yet I'm hesitant about it."
Lin Kui was a forthcoming person, and he had been getting along with Lin Mengya well. Therefore he was usually rather direct with her, than to be bound by the rules.
"Please say it."
"It was not becoming of you to go out with that guy today, Your Highness. There is a rumor going around that that guy was the exclusive companion of a courtier. Eventually, he became a fugitive because he murdered his master. I would advise the princess to keep a safe distance from him, lest your reputation be ruined."
Lin Mengya's heart missed a beat when she heard Lin Kui's words.
She had been guessing in her heart the first time she set her eyes on Qinghu.
However, the rumors about Qinghu's background still took her by surprise.
"Rest assured, I'll be more cautious in the future."
In Lin Kui's mind, it was a ludicrous thing for a man to be another man's exclusive companion.
Therefore, while he could accept the fact that Qinghu was a killer from Peach Blossom Dock, he could not accept that he was a some man's toy.
It was no wonder people had looked at Qinghu in a strange way.
It seemed that this guy had quite a remarkable past which was kept a secret from others.
On the other hand, Lin Mengya was not one bit curious about Qinghu's past. She would like to believe that he thought of his past as a nightmare that was past.
She did not have the habit of digging up people's ugly past.
It was sufficient for her to know that Qinghu was her friend now.
When she entered Long Tianhao's courtyard, she could see a bright red figure from afar.
Long Tianhao was a tall, imposing man. Clad in a jet black robe, he was stunningly handsome.
Behind him was a beautiful lady with gorgeous features, smiling sweetly.
The entire scene was like a beautiful picture. Even Lin Mengya, as an outsider, felt a tinge of envy.
"Your Highness, the princess is here," said Lin Kui, at a loss of what to do. Although the Prince was not to blame, he was after all inexperienced under such circumstances.
In the past, there was no woman in the mansion. There were only men serving the Prince. They were never faced with such circumstance.
Sigh, the more women, the more trouble there would be.
Long Tianhao gave Lin Mengya coldly as if his eyes were frozen with ice.
She had thrown him out last night, and today, she had left the mansion in the fits of rage.
Why was this woman so bad tempered?
"You may step back for now," Long Tianhao waved his hand, indicating for Lin Kui and Hongyu to leave. Just like the night before, there were only the two of them frozen in a stalemate in the courtyard.
"Who did you go out with?" asked the Prince as he could smell the floral fragrance on her although her clothing was neat and tidy. Could it be that she still had the mood to go enjoy flowers?
"Qinghu," replied Lin Mengya. To her, Long Tianhao had no right to be upset, given that he had another beautiful lady by his side.
"How is it appropriate for you to go out of the mansion with another man in private?" questioned Long Tianhao as a great fury began welling up in him.
Qinghu was a man after all. Would they not develop some kind of emotions between them if they spent all their time together?
"Yes, I was prepared to jump over the wall. I was going astray! You and I are just pretending to be husband and wife anyways, why should that be a taboo for me?"
Lin Mengya blurted out in a frenzy, but her own words had taken her by surprise and she was feeling dizzy.
What about climbing over the wall？Did she say that she was going astray? For goodness sake, why was she unable to contain her emotions?
"Alright! Since that is the case, let's make ourselves rightful husband and wife, so you can't climb over the wall!"
Regardless of whether there were emotions of love involved, every man would feel badly hurt and their dignity as a man threatened if his wife said that she wanted to climb over the wall.
Before she grasped what Long Tianhao was trying to say, she was being lifted and put over Long Tianhao's shoulders.
"Ah! What are you trying to do? Put me down!"
She kept pounding on Long Tianhao's back and her small pale face was totally flushed from rage.
Long Tianhao, on the other hand, seemed unperturbed by her yelling and beating, but continued heading towards his study.
"You... you dashed me in pieces!"
Without any warning, Lin Mengya was thrown down onto the small bed in the Prince's study.
The wooden paneled bed was nothing like her soft bed in her room in Liuxin Courtyard.