CH 138

Gu Shuyi felt that she and the crown prince were somewhat fated. She smiled and thanked the crown prince, before taking a glance at the young girl beside him. She was slightly surprised inside her heart. This girl was really beautiful, she had white jade-like skin, her charming eyes contained shyness, her waist was slender and soft, she looked just like a gentle and delicate young lady.

Gu Shuyi knew the crown prince had a favored concubine in his backyard, there were all kinds of rumors about her, and now that she saw her, she could understand why this concubine was being favored so. She was so delicate and pretty, like a small dependent bird, the beads of her eyes were slithering around like a fawn that had just escaped from the deep woods.

While Gu Shuyi was sizing her up, Ming Zhu was also secretly looking at her.

That evening, it was too dark, and Ming Zhu had not been able to clearly see her face, she only remembered a vague appearance, as well as a soft voice.

This miss had the kind of appearance that made people feel good just by looking at her. She looked gentle and harmless, her smile was affable, her temperament was not ordinary. One could smell, by getting closer, the elegant fragrance of ink and books on her body.

Ming Zhu could tell, from the way she was looking at Zhao Zhi, that she liked him.

With Ming Zhu’s understanding of Zhao Zhi, she knew that he valued very much educated, proper and gentle women like this miss Gu.

It just so happened that the position of crown princess was vacant, she wondered if this miss Gu in front of her could get what she wanted.

Zhao Zhi tightened his grip on Ming Zhu’s fingers and, feeling the pain, she slightly frowned and tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled look.

Zhao Zhi’s tone was cold, “Let’s go.”

“Oh.”

It was a place with dim light and ancient buddha statues, but it was quiet and clean. There was a bamboo forest at the back of the temple, and the scent of bamboo was being carried over by the wind.

The young monk led the way in front and brought them to the room reserved for guest worshipers who stay the night.

The room was simply furnished, except for a simple bed, there wasn’t any other furniture.

Ming Zhu had slept on the way here and now her hair looked messy. Zhao Zhi raised his hand to tidy up the hairpins in her hair bun and said to her in a gentle voice, “Go wash your face first.”

The makeup on her face looked a little blotchy now.

There was an ancient well outside of the room. Ming Zhu, feeling hot and uncomfortable, ran to the well and bent over the edge. Most of her body was sinking in.

Zhao Zhi, in a careless moment, let her escape, and when he saw her, bent over on the edge of the well, his complexion immediately changed and turned quite ugly.

He walked over and vigorously dragged her up. Ming Zhu felt a great pain on her wrist because of his grip, and she grimaced, asking in grievance, “Didn’t you tell me to wash my face?”

The man’s thin lips pursed into a cold straight line, and the words he spat out were also cold, he was controlling his rage, yet it was hard to hear any emotion from his voice, “I thought you were planning to jump into the well.”

Ming Zhu’s body and movements were flexible, although that action just now looked rather dangerous, but she would not let herself fall down.

In just an instant, fine sweat appeared on her forehead again because of the heat of the sun.

“I’m not going to fall down.”

Zhao Zhi kindly let go of her wrist, “Go back to the room and wait there.”

Ming Zhu said “oh”, but did not enter the room, she just stood under the eaves where the sun could not reach.

Zhao Zhi drew a bucket of water from the well, the water of the well was cold and clear, Ming Zhu used the cool water to wash the makeup off her face and then wiped off the water droplets with a handkerchief.

Like this, her face looked much cleaner and fresher.

From not far away came the low, heavy sound of ringing bells. It turned out it was already noon.

Ming Zhu took shelter in the guest room to avoid the summer heat. There was a shuttered window on the north side of the small room, which could be opened to see the bamboo forest in the backyard.

A cold breeze came in, it was soothing and refreshing.

When Zhao Zhi pushed open the door, he saw her standing by the window.

She had changed into a water-blue dress made of thin silk, a blue like mist sash was tied around her waist, the clothing material was light and breathable. Her waist-length hair was like a waterfall in her back.

Zhao Zhi quietly watched her for a while, reluctant to disturb this picture of tranquility.

Ming Zhu felt like someone was watching her in the back, she turned around and saw the man in a blue attire, “Your Highness.”

Zhao Zhi took two steps forward and asked, “Are you hungry?”

Ming Zhu was honest: “A little.”

She had been carried to the carriage in the morning before she was even awake, and she hadn’t eaten anything until now, so she was really hungry.

Zhao Zhi took her hand and led her to another courtyard to eat a vegetarian meal.

The vegetarian meal was light and bland, it couldn’t be said that it was sumptuous at all.

Ming Zhu was not a picky eater, if she was really hungry, even if she did not like a dish, she would still eat it. But looking at the vegetables and white porridge in front of her, she had no appetite, and did not even feel like lifting her chopsticks.

On the contrary, the crown prince sitting across from her, with a calm face, finished eating the vegetarian meal in front of him.