Chapter Eighty-Seven: Xiang He Yin

  Chapter Eighty-Seven: Xiang He Yin

  As the news spread, the fifth prince congratulated the fourth prince with a sour tone: "Fourth brother, you should be congratulated. I heard that Father Emperor personally asked about your marriage, and even had someone prepare a portrait."

  The fourth prince just smiled faintly: "No need for fifth brother to be anxious, you will have this day too."

  The fifth prince didn't want to say anything more about it and changed the subject, casually asking: "What's inside here?"

  The fourth prince did not speak up, so Cao Sheng naturally had to respond: "Reporting back to Your Highness, this is Xianghe Drink."

  On the case was placed a bowl of soup, and the pale green soup was served in a crystal clear lotus leaf bowl.

  The ceramic technology of this era is already very advanced, and this lotus leaf bowl is as white as jade, with walls so thin that it's scary to touch it in case it breaks. Because it's thin, it looks semi-transparent, a bit like the old bottles used to hold snowflake cream when I was young.

  The bowl is soft and white, with a greenish tint showing through from the inside, like an endless expanse of green seen through a window screen.

  "Is this tea?"

  It is Liangxue Tang.

  The fifth prince originally said it casually, but now he feels that this soup and this bowl are placed on the ebony table, which is inexplicably suitable and beautiful.

  "Also bring a bowl for the Fifth Prince."

  "Yes."

  Chao Sheng poured another bowl, this time into a delicate ink flower porcelain bowl, and presented it to the Fifth Prince with both hands, while handing the original bowl to the Fourth Prince.

  "Did you put sugar in it?"

  It's honey.

  The fourth prince's hand hesitated for a moment when he received the bowl, and Chao Sheng hurriedly steadied it, the color emanating from the bowl casting a greenish hue on her fingers.

  The fourth prince glanced at her and then took the bowl from her.

  The fifth prince muttered to himself - Old Fourth has always boasted about his good conduct, but with such a beautiful palace maid by his side, looking at their expressions...

  Hey, it's none of his business anyway. In the future when Eldest Brother's wife enters the household and sees such a pretty girl right by her side, that's when things will get lively.

  Although he thought so, his heart still couldn't help but feel a little sour.

  Lao Si is better than him in every way, things are better than his, and people are also stronger than his.

  The soup with the fragrance of lotus leaves seemed not so appetizing anymore. The Fifth Prince finished it in two mouthfuls, and Chao Sheng hurriedly reached out to take the bowl. In summer, clothes were thin, and the Fifth Prince's gaze swept over, only seeing a head of shiny black hair, behind which a segment of snowy white neck was exposed.

  Because he was close by, the fifth prince caught a whiff of a faint scent.

  Chao Sheng had already picked up the bowl, but the fifth prince didn't let go for a moment.

  Chao Sheng's fingers involuntarily retracted a little. The Fourth Prince coughed lightly, and the Fifth Prince seemed to come back to his senses, releasing his hand.

  Chao Sheng could feel the gaze of the Fifth Prince falling on her.

  That's not a comfortable gaze.

  The fourth prince also put down his bowl, and Cao Sheng hurriedly took the bowls away and withdrew from the house.

  The fifth prince looked at the fourth prince. Although this person was still calm and collected, for some reason, the fifth prince suddenly felt uneasy in his seat.

  He straightened his waist and shifted his body: "Fourth brother is really lucky."

  The fourth prince asked with a smile that was not quite a smile: "Is it?"

  The fifth prince smiled and said: "As a younger brother, I'd like to congratulate the fourth brother first. I've heard that Father has chosen a good family for you, with a virtuous and gentle bride."

  The fifth prince hastily bid farewell after hearing these two sentences from Gan Ba Ba.

  He only revealed his sulky expression after he went out the door.

  I also don't know what others think, they all say that Lao Si is a good-tempered person. How come he never feels that way?

  In his opinion, Lao Si appears to be gentle and kind on the surface but is actually cunning and deceitful. On one hand, he tries to please the Emperor, while on the other hand, he manipulates these younger brothers of his. Talking to him is suffocating, not a single useful word can be gotten out of him.

  I don't know what he's thinking in his heart either.

  Chao Sheng washed and hung up the towel.

  She didn't feel too comfortable in her heart either.

  The fifth prince arrived just as she had finished brewing the fragrant lotus drink. She was originally going to have Chun Mo deliver it, but Chun Mo and Xiao Shun were leading a group of people to Wei Gong Gong's place to pick up some things.

  The fourth prince looked at Xiang He's drink and seemed to be in a good mood, and asked: "How did you bring out this set of cups? I remember there were four of them."

  "Yes, this is one, and there's another inkstone, two saucers." Chao Sheng said: "Your Highness can rest assured, I will personally wipe and put them away, they won't be broken."

  Of course, Chao Sheng will serve carefully. Are you kidding? This set of cups is called Four Show, it's much more precious than her life.

  "Things are originally used, and it's no different from not having them." The fourth prince praised: "This is good for holding the soup."

  Chao Sheng lowered his head.

  The fourth prince wanted to say something else, but then the fifth prince arrived.

  "Chao Sheng?" Xiao Shun shouted from behind: "What are you staring at here?"

  "Have you guys returned?"

  Xiao Shun secretly took out a bundle of cloth from his bosom and handed it to her: "This is for you."

  The tide opened, and inside was a semi-circular wooden box. Inside the box were two pale yellow silk flowers with silver edges. The flowers were extremely small, one cluster crowded together, and several smaller ones scattered around. Although they weren't anything valuable, they were exceptionally delicate and elegant. Just like the *** that blooms at this time of year.

  "Where did this come from?"

  "This was given by someone else. I see you usually wear simple clothes, this one suits you just right."

  "Ouch..."

  Chao Sheng was just about to decline when Xiao Shun had already turned around and run away.

  This flower is really beautiful, and Chao Sheng also really likes it.

  But receiving things for free always makes me feel uneasy at heart.

  And what happened just now...

  The gaze of the fifth prince made her feel as if there was something sticky stuck to her skin, and she wanted to wash it off thoroughly.

  This might be her being overly sensitive. After all, the Fifth Prince didn't even touch her.

  In her previous life, Chao Sheng didn't have the same appearance as she does now, and she had never experienced - that without using words or actions, just a glance could be enough to cause trouble.

  After dinner, Shanhuo came to deliver a message: "Chao Sheng's sister? The prince is calling for you."

  "Oh, here it comes."

  Chao Sheng thought that the Fourth Prince was going to order her to do some errand, but after entering the house for half a day, the Fourth Prince didn't say a word.

  Chao Sheng hung her head, staring at the hem of her own skirt.

  The skirt of the palace maid was not that long, just covering her feet. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient to move and do things. Of course, the masters' skirts can be very wide and long, Chen Fei had a swallow-tailed skirt, the hem opened up almost filling a room, she cherished it exceptionally. It was a memento of her being favored, an affirmation of her youth and beauty.

  "Come here."

  Chao Sheng took two steps forward, and the fourth prince's fingers tapped on the case once. Chao Sheng took a deep breath and took another step forward.

  He stood by the bookcase now.

  The fourth prince seems... upset?

  Chao Sheng also couldn't grasp what he was doing it for.

  The lamp's shadow danced, the Fourth Prince's figure was reflected on the screen by the candlelight. As Chao Sheng approached, her own figure also cast a reflection on it, and the two figures seemed to merge into one.

  The fourth prince wrote a full page of words and lifted his head up.

  Chao Sheng felt relieved.

  She sometimes still has a good intuition.

  The fourth prince's mood seems better than before.

  The atmosphere in the attic is no longer so unbearable.

  The busy servant brought the tea over and presented it.

  Why is there still no one coming? Chun Mo, Xiao Su... even if it's the Eighth Prince, that would be better.

  The silence in the room makes people feel somewhat uneasy.

  The fourth prince took over the tea and drank a mouthful.

  "Put away those bowls and don't use them to entertain guests again."

  Suddenly enlightened and understood

  Oh, so the fourth prince isn't happy here.

  Things you love, sometimes are unwilling to take out and share with others.

  Not to mention, the person who came to share was a despicable and sarcastic individual.

  The fourth prince said so, and Chao Sheng also felt that the fifth prince was not worthy of using that thing.

  But at that time, the situation was there, the fourth prince used one, and gave the fifth prince a different treatment with ordinary objects, which might not be appropriate.

  Chao Sheng replied: "Yes."

  "The fourth prince asked: 'What did you want to say before he came in this afternoon?'"

  After some thought, he was able to pick up where his train of thought had left off earlier.

  "The slave is thinking of saying, Your Highness has been eating less these past few days... should we invite Doctor Meng to come and take a look?"

  The fourth prince shook his head: "No need. It's just the hot weather... The Xianghe drink in the afternoon is very good, and I'll often cook it to drink."

  They didn't mention anything about the fifth prince.

  The unhappiness in her heart couldn't be expressed to anyone.

  What can she say? Oh, the fifth prince's gaze makes me feel very uncomfortable?

  However, after coming out of the study, the suffocation in her chest had eased a lot.

  Although the fourth prince didn't say anything either.

  However, um, she just felt more comfortable in her heart.

  It's roughly the kind of unspoken rejection and belittling that the Fourth Prince had towards the Fifth Prince, which made Chao Sheng find a sense of alliance.

  It's not just her who feels uncomfortable, the fourth prince also dislikes this younger brother of his.

  Perhaps people's psychology is always like this. When you know that there is someone who shares the same feelings and views as you, your happiness will increase, and your worries and anger will decrease.

  Chao Sheng later told Li Auntie about this matter. Li Auntie looked at her with a hint of worry in her expression.

  "What's wrong with Aunt? Why look at me like that?"

  Auntie Li turned her head and said, "Nothing."

  After a while, Aunt Li suddenly said: "You were born well... but I'm afraid it will only bring you suffering."

  Chao Sheng touched his own face.

  She never wore bright skirts, didn't wear makeup, worked diligently and lived a down-to-earth life.

  But today, the gaze of the fifth prince also made her vaguely sensed crisis become clear and real.

  No matter how hard you try to keep a low profile, ...a fire cannot be wrapped in paper.

  What will happen in the future?

  She used to think that in the future, she could leave the palace, get married safely, be someone's wife and mother...

  Maybe everything won't go as smoothly and flatly as she thought.

  In the future, the four princes will take wives, and the fate of these inner house slaves is actually in the hands of this madam.

  Nor did he know what kind of wife the fourth prince would marry.

  Chao Sheng also sincerely prayed in his heart, hoping that the wife of the fourth prince would be a gentle and tolerant person.

  It's sad to entrust one's fate to someone else's mood.

  But they had no other choice.

  Even someone as strong-willed as Chun Mo has to accept her fate.

  Li's aunt has become a human spirit through such refinement, but she is also uncertain about her future.

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  And there are those serious comments. Whether long or short, they all bring me a great comfort.

  Because I feel someone likes me and pays attention to me, it's happier than anything else.