very princess

Chapter 3

?Chapter 3

Near noon, a person slowly walked out of the palace of Princess Pingyang.

Behind him, I vaguely heard Ping Zhao and Princess Ping Yang's smug laughter: "It's really interesting, I've never seen such a stupid person, and he won't resist being played like this. Hee hee, today is really enjoyable!"

Xinchen twitched the corners of her lips slightly, her footsteps never stopped.

This little trick is also used to show off!Isn't it just to let her wait for an hour hungry, and then come out and pretend to be surprised to ask her, why did you come to find them so early in the morning?The eunuchs immediately denied any mention of rice noodles.The next step is to help her dress up, paint her as an ugly monster, and then teach her to dance and sing...

She was at his mercy, completely dumbfounded, and in the end even they felt that it was no fun playing another wooden figure, so they let her go.

Xin Chen wiped off the remaining white powder on her face with her sleeve, and smiled a little erratically.This little trick was told to her as a bedside story by the aunts in the cold palace when she was three years old!
Really, she thought they would pretend to entertain her with laxatives; they would give her expensive jewelry, and then accuse her of stealing; they would trick her into breaking a vase given by the queen mother or emperor; Set fire to poison her...

There is no need to doubt, what kind of tricks did the group of resentful women in the cold palace never think of?In the boring years, they can only get comfort from fantasy revenge. Naturally, some very "creative" moves will be thought up, and then the aunts will show off to her obedient and obedient...

Xinchen considers herself a kind and tolerant princess, she looks down on the meaningless fights between various women, and will never lower her status to get involved.

But—the Bodhisattva will forgive her, she is just a young princess who doesn't know the world, she is far from learning the good virtue of repaying evil with virtue, so...

So she accidentally threw two pills with some side effects into the teacups of the two princesses, and then accidentally dropped a pack of powder that caused rashes in their powder box, as if accidentally on their clothes Put a few tenacious dog lice in it... Oh, the Bodhisattva will forgive her.She's just a poor, neglected, bullied little princess.It’s just that the aunts are always worried that she will be bullied, so they always give her some cute gadgets, and then explain how to use them in detail... So she is very innocent, and of course the Bodhisattva of Mingjian will not blame her.

She doesn't treat others like this often, really, it's just that she felt that something was going to happen in the past two days, so she prepared some gadgets.

Mother asked her not to resent, not to fight for favor, and she did.It's just that I have to do a little harmless bad thing occasionally, so that I can feel comfortable in my heart!This is what she learned from her aunts.

Although he felt comfortable, but after all he didn't sleep last night and didn't eat all day, Xinchen was tired and hungry, so he took a shortcut, and went back to his palace earlier to eat and sleep.

Xinchen clutched her restless belly and walked along the path through the imperial garden, when suddenly a scent of food came into her nose.ah!It smells so good!
She followed the smell and saw several plates of snacks and tea on the stone table in the pavilion.It looks delicious!She walked involuntarily under her feet——

Dongfang Wei had already seen that little maid!
There is no need to teach the prince to read today, he found a secluded place in the imperial garden to read.Just as I was about to go back at noon, I saw a palace lady walking from a distance.It is common for a court lady to come and go in the imperial garden, but her way of walking is a bit strange: she walks leisurely and leisurely.

Have you ever heard of it?Leisurely walking and sprinting should be two different things, but Dongfang Wei can only use such words when it comes to her!
She pressed her stomach with one hand, as if she was in a hurry, but her feet were like walking on a suspended single-plank bridge, maintaining her balance leisurely.The posture is a bit strange but not ugly, and there is a trace of unique elegance!

Dongfang Wei couldn't help staring at her, and suddenly felt that this court lady looked familiar.Ah, isn't it the little palace lady who patched shoes with bare feet that I met yesterday!
As she approached, she suddenly turned her head to look this way.

Dongfang Wei nodded to her with a smile, then her smile froze - her eyes were fixed on the dim sum plate in front of him, and there was no room for anything else!

This... this little maid... Dongfang Wei was dumbfounded, watching her walk into the pavilion, slowly sit down on the stone bench, and then focus her eyes on the dim sum again. "Cough." Dongfang Wei coughed, trying to get her attention.

She moved in surprise, Dongfang Wei could see her little ears pricked up, she was listening intently, but she still didn't look up at him!

Dongfang Wei sighed and coughed again.

This time she discerned the direction of the source of the voice and looked at him accurately.Seemingly recognizing him, she stood up and saluted him: "Teacher Dongfang."

Dongfang Wei nodded back, "Are you hungry?" Seeing her staring at the dim sum, she seemed very hungry, but she didn't make any move yet.

"Yes." She replied softly, and then looked at the dim sum again, "Can I eat it?"

She was really frank, Dongfang Wei smiled, "Yes." Ordinary court ladies would never dare to ask for food, is she ignorant or starving? "Thank you." After she thanked, she sat down and picked up the pastry, eating with relish, but still chewing slowly and gracefully.

Dongfang Wei poured her a cup of tea, "Why are you so hungry? No food to eat?" He knew that servants in the palace would be fined without food if they made a mistake, did she too?

She thought about it and shook her head.

"Then why?" The little maid successfully aroused his interest.Dongfang Wei looked at her handsome face, among the palace maids, there were few palace maids with such temperament.

She frowned in distress, "It's going to be complicated to tell, so don't ask, okay?"

Dongfang Wei smiled again, she was really different. "Then tell me your name."

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, "Xin Chen."

"Xinchen?" Dongfang Wei pondered for a while, "Not a bad name."

"Thank you." She took a sip of tea and put down the cup, "I'm leaving, thank you for the snacks."

"Are you leaving?" Dongfang Wei saw that there was still more than half of the dim sum on the table, "Don't you want to eat more? Or you can take it away."

She shook her head: "No need, thank you." She glanced at him, got up and saluted, "I'm leaving, goodbye." Then she turned and left.

Dongfang Wei looked at the background where she was slowly going away, and suddenly smiled, Xinchen?Very special woman.

After taking a bath, Xinchen sat by the window and pulled up the curtain to let the night breeze into the room.

Brushing her slightly damp hair, she couldn't help but think of the lunch snacks and... Dongfang Wei.

He is indeed an earnest gentleman, he is polite but not stubborn, and his gentle writing reveals a unique elegance, no wonder the princesses fall in love with him.

And he is very kind - Xin Chen smiled, thinking of those snacks.She knew that he should regard her as a court lady, she had no attendants and no palace attire, no one would have guessed that she was also a princess.

To be so tolerant to a little court lady, Dongfang Wei, is really extraordinary!
When he asked her name, she was hesitant to tell him that she was Princess Pingrui, but for some reason, Xinchen's usual name came out of her mouth automatically.

It's not that she wants to hide her identity from him, but it's just that it seems a bit weird to suddenly tell him that she is the Princess Pingrui who was meant to marry him.Something she didn't know kept her from speaking.

Today, after listening to Princess Pingyang and Pingzhao, Dongfang Wei really went to protest the proposed marriage to his father and the queen mother, and the queen mother agreed that he would choose another candidate himself.They just told her that she might not be able to marry Dongfang Wei!

So, Xinchen looked at the night sky, Dongfang Weilai can decide whether she will marry or not?
"My humble servant sees the emperor." Dongfang Wei followed Eunuch Fang into the imperial study room, and saluted the emperor who was sitting behind the desk.

The emperor put down the scroll and stood up, "Dongfang Aiqing is flat, come here, today's memorials are all finished, let's play two games of chess with me. I haven't played chess with Aiqing for a long time."

"Yes, please, Your Majesty." Dongfang Wei followed the Emperor and sat on both sides of the chess table, playing chess with each piece.Of course he understood that the emperor didn't call him here just to play chess.

Sure enough, after a few rounds, the emperor said: "Dongfang Aiqing, I decided to marry Princess Pingrui to you a few days ago, what do you think?" I heard that he protested to the queen mother the day before yesterday, could it be that he is not satisfied with the candidate? , or have another love?
Guessing that he was going to talk about this, Dongfang Wei put down his son and replied: "Back to the emperor, I am very grateful for the love of the emperor and the queen mother, but I am afraid that I am not good enough for the princess. My minister is weak and sick, and I'm afraid that the golden branches and jade leaves will be broken." This rhetoric should be invalid, but it doesn't hurt to talk about it.

Sure enough, the emperor didn't like this, waved his hand and said: "Oh, why should Aiqing be overly modest, you are extremely intelligent and good-looking, it is really a loss to the royal family if I don't recruit you as a consort. You are not allowed to say such things in the future, You must be my son-in-law!"

Dongfang Wei hurriedly cupped his hands, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

Look, the price of being too good!When he was young, he did nothing but live a leisurely life, joining in the fun to participate in some scientific examinations.As a result, he passed the test to the Golden Luan Hall and could not escape from then on.Later, I became greedy for the vast collection of books in the palace, and ran to read books all day long. I didn't expect that after getting acquainted with the emperor and queen mother, there would be so many troubles. Fortunately, I can go out to get some air without pretending to be sick, otherwise I would have died of suffocation. up.It's a pity that in the end I still have to marry a princess.

The emperor thought for a long time, and made a son, "I heard from the queen mother that Dongfang Aiqing is somewhat dissatisfied with Princess Pingrui as the candidate for marriage?"

"How dare a humble minister? Princesses are all golden branches and jade leaves, how can a humble minister dislike them? The day before yesterday, I heard that the emperor proposed marriage, and I was a little surprised and panic." Dongfang Wei said, "But I don't know one thing. There are many princesses in the palace. Why did the emperor appoint Princess Pingrui?" This is what he couldn't figure out, how could the emperor suddenly think of a princess who had been neglected for many years and fell out of favor?

"Hmm, well," the emperor was a little embarrassed to tell him about the lottery, so he hesitated and said, "Pingrui is not bad either, he is beautiful and versatile, and he is virtuous and quiet, he is very suitable for Aiqing." He said I don't know what kind of person Pingrui is. He was surprised at the lottery night and couldn't see it very clearly. He could only guess based on his vague impression.

"Oh, so that's the case." Dongfang Wei nodded, why did the emperor say it so guilty?

The emperor then changed the tone, "However, you and Princess Pingrui have never met before. If you are interested in other princesses, just tell me that I am not an ignorant person, and I will not beat mandarin ducks!" Concubines and weeping princesses are too annoying!But you are not joking, and you can’t just change your words and replace Pingrui, but if Dongfang Wei comes forward to change the candidate, it’s none of his business, right?

"Oh." It seems that the emperor did not have to appoint Princess Pingrui, and Dongfang Wei became even more curious about the reason for this.

"How? Which princess is Dongfang Aiqing interested in? Tell me, and I will marry you!" The emperor approached Dongfang Wei, and settled this matter earlier, so that he could keep his ears quiet.

"Your Majesty, the princesses are extremely noble, how dare the humble officials pick on the princesses? Your Majesty really offends the humble officials by saying this! If it is spread out, it will damage the dignity of the royal family even more!" Dongfang Wei's frightened expression concealed his cunning.Of course he knew that many princesses were interested in him, making it difficult for the emperor to choose, but he just used this to delay the marriage.

"This... Why did Aiqing say that?" The emperor simply said clearly, "Actually, all the princesses like you, and they all come to ask me to make the decision. It's hard for me to decide, so it depends on what you want."

"However, all the princesses are very good, and it's difficult for mere ministers to make a decision. It's better to appoint the emperor." Dongfang Wei easily turned the ball back. Maybe the emperor was annoyed by the many concubines and princesses, so he canceled the offer in a fit of anger. The idea of ​​being a consort.

The emperor raised his face, and simply put on the emperor's airs, "Dongfang Wei, you can decide if I want you to! What, do you want to resist the order?"

Dongfang Wei was helpless, "I don't dare. However, Your Majesty, I don't know much about the princesses, so how can I propose a candidate in a hurry? It's better to let the minister think for a while before making a decision." Procrastinate, procrastinate Every moment is a moment, and he must be given a reprieve, right?

The emperor was right when he thought about it, "Okay, I will give you a month. After you tell me the name of the princess you have chosen, I will immediately issue a decree to marry you!"

I don't know if I can escape by pretending to be sick now?Alas, it's all because the imperial doctor in the palace is too tight!Dongfang Wei weakly cupped his hands: "Thank you, Lord Long!"

The next day, the emperor wanted to recruit Dongfang Wei as his son-in-law, and gave him a month to choose a princess for marriage. The news spread throughout the palace.

There was an uproar in the Sangong and Sixth Courtyard, and the princesses were gearing up to try their best to win Tan Lang's favor.

Concubine Ning was overjoyed, Dongfang Wei chose by herself, so Xinchen would not be chosen.It's great, Xinchen finally avoided this marriage, and can still stay in the palace safely!

And Xin Chen still looked indifferent.Knowing that she is no longer in danger, and Dongfang Wei has nothing to do with her anymore, an unknown sense of sadness occasionally flashes in her heart.

What's wrong?She should be happy, shouldn't she?Without marrying off, there is no danger of falling out of favor, and you can continue to take care of your mother and stay with your aunts.As before, live in peace and security according to my mother's wish.Mother is so happy, she should be happy too. "Okay, now the limelight is over." Concubine Ning happily sewed her clothes, "This matter is over, and the other princesses will not take this opportunity to trouble you. Great, everything is safe at last!"

Xinchen took the needle and thread from her mother, helped her thread the needle, and tied a knot before handing it back to her.

Concubine Ning smiled at her daughter's thoughtfulness, and once again thanked God for giving her a good daughter, which made her life have the meaning of continuing to exist.

After a few stitches, Concubine Ning looked up, but saw her daughter in a daze, "Xinchen? What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Xinchen picked up the embroidery cloth at the side, picked up the embroidery needle, but didn't think about sewing for a long time.

"Why, don't you have the heart to do embroidery?" Concubine Ning smiled, "Then you might as well go find other things and do it well. By the way, didn't your Aunt Gu give you some articles for you to read?"

Xin Chen put down the embroidered cloth, "I've already finished reading those, mother, why don't I go to the Da Nei Library to read."

"Then you go." Concubine Ning nodded.Xinchen loved reading poetry and books since she was a child, and always went to that library.

The Da Nei Library is the house where books are stored in the imperial palace. There are many rare ancient books and various collections collected from the people, and there are special personnel in charge of management and preservation.For book lovers, this is indeed a treasure trove.

The crown prince Tai Fu Dongfang Wei has a dedicated study in the library, this is his favorite place to stay in the palace, but unfortunately he can't go now.

The reason is very simple, knowing in advance that there are more than a dozen princesses waiting there, how could he run to throw himself into the trap?
The emperor ordered Dongfang Wei to choose his own wife, and this made him start his miserable life of hiding in Tibet.Only now did he discover how fast the news in the palace circulated, and there were so many eyes and ears that it was frightening to death.As long as you are bumped into by a court lady, a princess will come for a "coincident encounter" a moment later, and then a dozen other princesses will come after hearing the news.Dongfang Wei can definitely tell anyone that being surrounded by a dozen gorgeous princesses doesn't feel good at all!

At this moment, Dongfang Wei was holding a few books, looking at his study room behind the pillar and sighing, looking at the number of court ladies standing outside the door, he could tell that there were at least three princesses inside.

It's so miserable, I can't return to a house.Dongfang Wei sighed again, and threw away the books in his hands gracefully. Fortunately, he was smart and smuggled out the books he wanted to read in advance.Well, find a quiet place to read a book!

The Da Nei Library is really a good place. The huge buildings are all bookstores, some are neatly arranged, and some remote studyrooms are inaccessible and disorganized.However, the real treasure may just be hidden there!
Dongfang Wei picked a room and walked in, only to see that there were rows and rows of bookshelves pushing dusty books around.He found an old chair by the window sill, wiped off the dust, sat down and picked up a book to read.

Time passed and the sky shifted.When Lie Yang shot directly at him, Dongfang Wei closed the book and rubbed the Qingming acupoint.

Well, take a break.He got up and put down the books, and walked along the bookshelves row by row, stopping from time to time to flip through the dusty old books.

Suddenly he paused, because he found that some books had been dusted off, and who else had touched these books besides him?Curious, Dongfang Wei followed the traces left on the dust to search all the way, could it be a bosom friend?
After passing through several connected rooms, he found a larger study room, in which more than a dozen tall bookshelves were densely arranged.The windows were opened, and the flowing air dispelled a lot of dust and musty smell.

Is anyone here?Dongfang Wei looked at the stack of books piled up at his feet, it was obvious that someone had just picked them out.He looked around the bookshelf, no one?
Suddenly hearing a sound from above, Dongfang Wei raised his head——

"What are you doing up there?"

My God, what is that little maid doing climbing so high?On the top of the tall bookshelf, there was a woman squatting there flipping through the books piled on top of the shelf.

Dongfang Wei recognized it immediately, it was her!The strange court lady he had met twice.

Xin Chen was taken aback, her body swayed involuntarily, and Dongfang Wei stretched out his hand to catch her.But she stabilized herself and looked down—Dongfang Wei?

"Teacher Dongfang, we meet again. Why did you come here?" These abandoned bookstores have always been her world.

"Don't talk about that, why are you climbing so high? Come down!" Dongfang Wei looked at her worriedly. She didn't know if the bookshelf was stable. If it collapsed, she would fall to her death!However, she squatted there leisurely chatting with him as if she wasn't worried at all.

"I'm looking for books." She turned her head and continued flipping through the pile of books. "One set of books is missing, and I can't find it. I think it should be here?"

"Xinchen!" Dongfang Wei glared at her fiercely. This stupid woman, standing in such a dangerous place, slowly wiped the dust off the books with a rag, looking for them one by one, the most outrageous. What's more, there is still time to fix the binding thread of the worn-out book by the way!Does she have a brain? "Don't look for it, come down quickly!"

Xinchen looked down at him, not understanding why he was angry, "I've been looking for it for a long time, it should be here."

Dongfang Wei rolled his eyes, and said in surrender, "Then you push those books down and look for them slowly on the ground, it's very dangerous to flip through them." Xin Chen thought for a while, then shook her head: "No, later It’s very troublesome to move them up. I’d better find them here.” Besides, pushing all the books down from such a high place might break them up.

"Xin Chen," he was really angry!This woman is really willing to die for the book, "Get down for me immediately!"

She didn't hear it, and happily grabbed a book and waved it at him, "Look, I found it! This is it!"

Dongfang Wei stretched out his hand helplessly, "Then can you come down?"

"Of course, I'll go down now." She nodded, stood up and wobbled along the top of the bookshelf to the other end.

Dongfang Wei was shocked: "What are you doing?!" He didn't ask her to perform acrobatics!

"I want to go down." Xinchen pointed to the other end of the bookshelf, "the ladder is over there. Well, or can you help me move the ladder over here?"

"No need!" Dongfang Wei looked at the dilapidated ladder with a few broken steps, "You jump off, I'll catch you."

"Ah?" She quickly shook her head, joking, her life is not for playing like this! "No need, Taifu Dongfang, I don't need to trouble you like this, I can go down by myself." Maybe she would crush him when she jumped down.

What is that look in her eyes?Dongfang Wei finally couldn't take it anymore and jumped up to hug her down.

After putting her back on the safe ground, Dongfang Wei calmed down.This is much better. If I had known that he shouldn't talk so much nonsense with her, I would just hug the disobedient her down!

Huh?Xinchen clutched her chest in shock, he, he... She raised her head to look at the bookshelf in a daze, and then looked at him: "You just...was that martial arts? You know martial arts?"

Jumping so high must have been done lightly in the book.Isn't he a frail scholar? How can he know martial arts?And when he was holding her, she could feel his strong arms and firm chest.

Xin Chen blushed—he actually hugged her down, how rude!
Dongfang Wei didn't pay attention to her face, and went to look at the books she had found with her life, and shook her head, "You are ignoring the danger just for this set of books? I have these books in my study, if you want to read them, you can find them at my place another day. Stop rummaging by yourself."

"Can you?" Her eyes lit up.I heard that his study room is not big, but it gathers many excellent books from the inner library.She has been coveting it for a long time!
"Of course." Seeing her bright face, Dongfang Wei smiled and nodded, "I will tell the guards at the gate to let you in."

"Great, why don't we go and have a look now." Xinchen pulled him impatiently.

Dongfang Wei smiled, "No, not now, let's wait for a while."

"Why... ah! Uh..." Before she could finish asking, he was pulled to the dark place of the bookshelf and covered her mouth.what happened?She struggled to push him away.

"Shh, don't move." Dongfang Wei lowered her head.

At this time, two eunuchs entered the room and searched everywhere.

Are they looking for someone?Xinchen looked at Dongfang Wei questioningly, and he gave her a rather helpless look.

The two eunuchs randomly searched among the bookshelves, and one of them frowned and waved the spider web that got on it, "Let's go, why did the Dongfang Taifu come to such a place?"

The other also took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead: "I know, but the princess ordered to search carefully, we will be scolded for going out so soon. Why don't we sit here for a while and go back to work later."

"That's right," the previous eunuch also sat down, and suddenly shouted, "Huh? The dust on this stool seems to have been wiped off!"

His companion replied: "What's so strange? Could it be that it must have been rubbed by Master Dongfang?"

"It's possible. The guard at the gate said that Mrs. Dongfang Mingming had come to the library and didn't see him go out, so he must still stay in the library, maybe he's hiding nearby!"

"Then let's go find it again. The princess said that whoever finds him will be rewarded heavily. Don't let others get ahead of you!"

After the two eunuchs left, Dongfang Wei and Xinchen walked out of the bookshelf.

Dongfang Wei sighed, while Xinchen looked at him with a half-smile: "Teacher Dongfang, what are you hiding? Isn't it happy that so many princesses favor you?"

Dongfang Wei snorted coldly, and tapped her on the head, "Even you dare to make fun of me!" But her playful appearance is very cute, at least she is more pleasing to the eye than his three bad friends.

Xin Chen took a step away from him, knowing that it was none of her business, she couldn't help asking: "Teacher Dongfang, which princess would you choose?" "I don't want to choose anyone!" Dongfang Wei went to the window and looked Looking at the people searching everywhere, "Xinchen, do you also know about the marriage?"

"The whole imperial palace knows about it." How could she not know, she was once the person involved after all.

Dongfang Wei smiled wryly: "Then you saw it, I can't take you to my study for now, let's talk about it after this matter is over."

"En." Xin Chen replied, but turned around.When he became someone else's son-in-law, how could he still have the time to take a little maid to the study?Hearing the depression in her voice, Dongfang Wei rolled her eyes, "But I can smuggle out some books for you to read. What kind of books do you want to read?"

"Really?" Xinchen's heart was moved again, "There are so many books I want to read!" She counted a bunch of titles with her fingers.

"No problem, I'll bring it to you tomorrow." Dongfang Wei paused, "However, where shall we meet? I'm being chased so hard, I don't know which place is quieter."

"How about...it's in the woods where we met for the first time. Few people go to that place." That place is also a little closer to the palace where she and her mother lived.

"Okay." Dongfang Wei readily agreed.Looking at her smiling face, he reached out to stroke her hair.

Xin Chen was taken aback for a moment, but saw that he had plucked a strand of spider silk, so it was just to help her remove the dirt from her hair!hurt her...

Xinchen smiled shyly, and suddenly froze again—he, he actually lifted her face, took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the dust off her face...

"Look at you, your whole face is covered with dust." Dongfang Wei smiled at her blankly.

Xinchen couldn't help but open his mouth wide, how could he do this?And can it be done so naturally?What's even more strange is, why didn't she break free and just let him wipe him blankly?She seems... suddenly lost the ability to move...

After wiping, Dongfang Wei withdrew his hand and showed her the dirty handkerchief, "Look, there is so much dust, going out will scare others."

Xin Chen blushed, and took a step back, "Then...then I'll go first." Her mother might be waiting for her to eat.

"Wait," Dongfang Wei stopped her, "promise me, don't climb so high to find books in the future, it's very dangerous." He was really worried about this little woman who loves books like her life.

"It's not dangerous. I've done this often and nothing happened...well, I won't do it again." Xin Chen's retorting voice changed his tune in a timely manner after seeing his downcast face.A warm current slipped through my heart quietly, he cared about her...

Dongfang Wei nodded, "Then see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

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(End of this chapter)