Spring Banquet

// The restless Prince Ziyang

At present, His Highness, Prince Ziyang, is indisposed, and Bai Dezhong dare not neglect his duty. He glanced at Bai Zhuji ahead, frowned, and thought that he would ask her what happened after His Highness left.

“If His Highness trusts Zhuji, I naturally have no objections,” he said.

Seizing the opportunity, she smiled and clasped her hands. “Thank you, Master Bai.”

Jiang Xuanjin was escorted a few steps away by Huaiyu and the household servants, seemingly oblivious to the conversation. But when Bai Dezhong looked up, he tilted his head and nodded slightly.

Was he acknowledging him? Bai Dezhong was somewhat puzzled. Upon closer observation, however, Jiang Xuanjin resumed walking forward as if nothing had happened.

“Master,” Madam Bai stood by his side, frowning and whispering, “What kind of talk is this? Zhuji has acted out of line and should be punished according to the house rules.”

Bai Dezhong glanced at her. “Punished? His Highness wants Zhuji to prepare medicine for him. Are you going to punish her now?”

Madam Bai was momentarily speechless, clutching her handkerchief as she looked towards the distant figure of Prince Ziyang. Still somewhat resentful, she said, “His Highness should meet with our Xuanji instead. Xuanji understands the rules much better.”

“At Present, His Majesty, the Purple Sun Emperor, is indisposed, and Bai Dezhong dare not neglect his duty. He glanced at Bai Zhuji ahead, frowned, and thought that he would ask her what happened after His Majesty left.

“If His Majesty trusts Zhuji, I naturally have no objections,” he said.

Seizing the opportunity, she smiled and clasped her hands. “Thank you, Master Bai.”

Jiang Xuanjin was escorted a few steps away by Huaiyu and the household servants, seemingly oblivious to the conversation. But when Bai Dezhong looked up, he tilted his head and nodded slightly.

Was he acknowledging him? Bai Dezhong was somewhat puzzled. Upon closer observation, however, Jiang Xuanjin resumed walking forward as if nothing had happened.

“Master,” Bai Mengshi stood by his side, frowning and whispering, “What kind of talk is this? Zhuji has acted out of line and should be punished according to the house rules.”

Bai Dezhong glanced at her. “Punished? His Majesty wants Zhuji to prepare medicine for him. Are you going to punish her now?”

Bai Mengshi was momentarily speechless, clutching her handkerchief as she looked towards the distant figure of the Purple Sun Emperor. Still somewhat resentful, she said, “His Majesty should meet with our Xuanji instead. Xuanji understands the rules much better.”

Waving his hand, Bai Dezhong didn’t want to discuss these matters with her. He turned around and went back to his room to change clothes.

Huaiyu walked alongside Jiang Xuanjin, smiling with curved eyebrows.

Jiang Xuanjin coughed twice and whispered, “What are you laughing at?”

“I’m delighted that you care about me. You even went so far as to use the ‘injured lamb’ strategy to save me.” She glanced at him sideways, her eyes full of teasing. “Are you so reluctant to part with me? Could it be that you like me?”

Jiang Xuanjin raised his sleeve to cover his lips, his eyes cold. “I owe you my life, that’s all. We have no further debts.”

“Hahaha!” Huaiyu laughed merrily, covering her mouth as her almond-shaped eyes rolled mischievously on his face. “I just love your tough exterior and soft heart!”

Jiang Xuanjin halted his steps, his gaze threatening as he glared at her, indicating that he wanted to immediately release her from the Bai residence.

“Oh, no, I’m sorry!” Huaiyu immediately admitted her mistake, repeatedly bowing to him. “You are my benefactor now, and whatever you say goes! We have no further debts!”

With a snort, Jiang Xuanjin turned his head, gathered his robes, and continued walking forward.

Such a temper, just like a sulking child. Li Huaiyu looked at his receding figure and chuckled for quite a while. But as she laughed, a layer of confusion clouded her eyes.

That person ahead, could it be Prince Ziyang Jiang Xuanjin, the one from the court who would keep silent until he was forced to speak, pushing her towards a dead end?

Tilting her head, she pondered for a while, then shook her head and followed behind.

The rooms in the eastern courtyard were tidied up, and Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the bed, closing his eyes to rest. Li Huaiyu brought a chair and sat by his bedside, propping her chin up as she looked at him.

“Miss Bai,” Cheng Xu whispered beside her, “You can go rest for a while. I have someone here to watch over.”

“I’m not tired,” she blinked, “It’s rare that your master isn’t glaring at me right now. I should take this opportunity to look at him a bit more.”

Cheng Xu was taken aback and glanced at her, hesitantly saying, “Fourth Miss still has a marriage arrangement. It’s better to avoid suspicion.”

Upon mentioning this, Jiang Xuanjin, who was lying on the bed, opened his eyes and looked at Li Huaiyu with a deep gaze. “When did you regain your consciousness?”

Li Huaiyu honestly replied, “It was on the day I ran into you.”

Such a coincidence? Jiang Xuanjin scrutinized her and found that her eyes were clear and bright, but he couldn’t see through her.

With a slightly solemn expression, he said, “Since you have regained your consciousness and know about your marriage arrangement, you should restrain yourself. In the future, refrain from saying inappropriate things.”

“Inappropriate?” Li Huaiyu was puzzled. “What did I say that was inappropriate?”

Jiang Xuanjin was about to repeat her words when he closed his mouth with a darkened face.

Li Huaiyu had a teasing smile on her face and nudged his arm with her elbow. “Why don’t you say it?”

Ignoring her, Jiang Xuanjin said in a low voice, “I will rest for two hours and then leave. Instead of wasting time here with pointless conversations, think about how you can escape punishment from the family law after I leave.”

Upon mentioning this, Li Huaiyu’s face fell.

Master Bai Dezhong was not easy to deal with, and moreover, the mistress of the Bai family didn’t seem to have much affection for her either. After Jiang Xuanjin left, she would probably suffer.

Sighing, Li Huaiyu became obedient and reached out to Cheng Xu. “Give me the medicine, I’ll go boil it.”

When she had previously reported to Lord Bai, Cheng Xu had someone bring the medicine from the carriage. Now, seeing her request, he inwardly sighed at his forgetfulness and handed her the medicine.

Li Huaiyu carried the medicine pouch and happily left.

Jiang Xuanjin watched her figure and his gaze turned gloomy.

“Is the master unhappy?” Cheng Xu asked worriedly.

“No,” Jiang Xuanjin replied, “I’m just a bit annoyed.”

The person who claimed to like him was actually his future niece-in-law. Although he hadn’t done anything inappropriate, he couldn’t help but feel guilty towards the Jiang family rules. In the future, when he entered the family, he didn’t know if this person could control her tongue. If she continued to speak so indiscreetly, it would be a mess.

Cheng Xu was quite clever and understood his master’s thoughts. Half-jokingly and half-seriously, he said, “This Fourth Miss Bai might not necessarily marry Young Master.”

“Why?” Jiang Xuanjin frowned.

“Didn’t the master notice the attitude of the Bai family just now?” Cheng Xu said, “Aside from Lord Bai, even the Bai family’s mistress and servants have never looked at Fourth Miss with respect. It seems that she is not favored in this residence. On top of that, Miss Bai’s reputation for being foolish precedes her, and the young master doesn’t have the slightest favorable impression of her. Considering both internal and external factors, it’s possible the bride might be changed.”

Jiang Xuanjin furrowed his brow. “But the marriage was set by Jiang Qishi before he passed away. There’s no reason to change it casually?”

After a pause, he added, “I will have a proper discussion with Lord Bai.”

Cheng Xu was somewhat surprised. “Does the master want Miss Bai to marry the young master?”

“Why wouldn’t I want that?”

“…” Cheng Xu touched his nose and felt that it was better not to argue with his master about these things. After all, he couldn’t win the argument. If he said he wanted it, then let him want it.

Huaiyu carried the medicinal ingredients to the kitchen and, despite the burning gazes of the onlookers, calmly started boiling the medicine as if nothing was amiss. The Bai mansion’s medicinal containers were subpar, so the resulting medicine would just pass muster. She didn’t pay much attention to it and instead listened attentively to the gossip around her.

“Has she stopped being foolish?”

“It seems like it. She even knows how to brew medicine and moves quite swiftly.”

“She was silly for three years because of her illness, and now she suddenly recovered… Ah, should we go and lend a hand?”

“You’re only thinking of flattering her now? It’s a bit late, and besides, even if she’s no longer foolish, so what? The madam is still the most powerful in this mansion. Whether she can rise to the top branches of the Jiang family is another story.”

Chattering and gossiping continued without end.

Huaiyu sighed as she squatted in front of the small stove, clutching her fan. It seemed that Miss Bai was quite pitiful. The servants in the mansion actually had the audacity to openly ridicule her, indicating how low her status was. If it were during her time as the Grand Princess, not to mention gossip, even the palace maids wouldn’t dare to breathe loudly in her presence.

To be oppressed like a fallen tiger being bullied by dogs, this was truly unfair!

Once the medicine was ready, Huaiyu filtered out the dregs and poured it into a bowl, preparing to take it to the eastern courtyard. However, a hand suddenly appeared from the side, took the bowl, and placed it on a tray.