Chapter 211
General Zhu and his family didn’t dare to leave before Xie Xuanchen, so they remained in the lantern shop. However, Xie Xuanchen didn’t care at all, and still discussed the matter of lanterns with Mu Mingtang. “I think both of them are fine. Since you like it, buy both.”
Mu Mingtang glanced at him and said: ” We hang these lanterns once a year, and have to buy new lanterns next year. If I buy two styles, wouldn’t it be a waste?”
“Oh, then let’s buy the whole shop.” Xie Xuanchen said with a serious face.
Mu Mingtang was angry and laughed when she heard his words and couldn’t help but glare at him: “What nonsense, how can you toss people like this.”
Xie Xuanchen’s expressions didn’t change, but people near them were surprised after hearing Mu Mingtang.
Which ordinary wife dares to talk to her husband like this in front of outsiders? As a princess, how can she act in this way? Even the prince didn’t care. Maybe he is used to this way of talking. Mrs. Zhu thought for a while and quickly changed her facial expressions to normal, afraid of being discovered.
Mrs. Zhu didn’t notice that Zhu Yang Hong’s eyebrows were about to catch flies. Zhu Yang Hong looked at the young and beautiful princess who has never met before and then looked at Xie Xuanchen, who had a calm face, and felt that there was a problem with his memory.
In the past, was Xie Xuanchen like this?
Ignoring others’ surprised faces, Xie Xuanchen accompanied Mu Mingtang to pick up lanterns patiently. Who would have thought ‘the God of War’ would act in this way?
After seeing Mu Mingtang was interested in lanterns, Mrs Zhu also bought two sets of lanterns. Zhu Yuqing, who followed her mother, couldn’t help but secretly glance at Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen one after another.
Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen looked very rich and noble at first glance, so not only Zhu Yuqing but everyone in the store was peeking at the two of them. Both the man and the woman were young with outstanding appearances and stood side by side while chatting in a low voice from time to time. So it was not a surprise that others could not stop glancing at them.
Zhu Yuqing’s heart was full of envy after seeing the interaction between Xie Xuanchen and Mu Mingtang. It turned out that they were the princes and princesses. I thought they exist only in books and plays, but the real princes and princesses are much prettier than those in the plays. And what about the prince? He was so fierce a moment ago when he shoved the young master Song’s hair with that bamboo dragonfly. How can he be gentle to his wife? It was much better than the men I know who put arrogant air on their wives and daughters. She thought enviously.
Mu Mingtang saw that Zhu Yuqing was looking at her, so she didn’t put on the air of a princess at this moment and asked, “How old is Miss Zhu?”
“Born in the roster year[1], princess.” Zhu Yuqing said shyly.
“Oh, you are only one year younger than me. I just saw a set of zodiac lights over there, which is very creative. Xiang Nanchun, you bring a unitary lantern and give it to Miss Zhu as a gift from me.” Mu Mingtang said to one of her maids.
Xiang Nanchun couldn’t take two steps, and the attentive shop clerk had already brought the lantern over. Xiang Nanchun handed it over to Zhu Yuqing, Zhu Yuqing was flattered, and even Mrs. Zhu and Zhu Yang Hong were surprised: “How can she deserve such praise from the princess?”
“General Zhu and Mrs. Zhu were polite. I’m not much older than Miss Zhu, and it doesn’t matter if I say we are peers of the same age. I have a few peers in Beijing. When I saw Miss Zhu today, I felt that we could be friends. I was in a hurry today, and I didn’t prepare a generous gift, only a lamp.”
After listening to Mu Mingtang’s words, Mrs. Zhu could only agree, so she glanced at her daughter, winked and said, “Why don’t you thank the princess soon?”
Zhu Yuqing hurriedly stepped forward and said crisply: “Thank you, princess. Wangfei, you are much prettier than the princess in the play, and you are also kind and friendly. In the future, if someone asks me who is the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, I’ll tell them it is you.”
Mrs. Zhu was embarrassed and scolded her daughter, “How can you compare an actor with a princess?”
Mu Mingtang could not help but laugh. She waved her hand and said, “It’s okay, Miss Zhu is pure-hearted, and that’s not what she meant. I always stay alone in the palace, and I’m often bored. If Mrs. Zhu has time, you might as well bring Miss Zhu to the palace.”
Mrs. Zhu didn’t expect Mu Mingtang to favor Zhu Yuqing this much. So she hurriedly responded, and all the servants of the Zhu family also showed joy.
Everyone in the Zhu family was beaming, but only Xie Xuanchen glanced at Mu Mingtang with dissatisfaction on his face. Mu Mingtang was afraid he would demolish the platform in front of the Zhu family, so he hurriedly pulled his sleeve behind his back.
Xie Xuanchen endured reluctantly. The lanterns were bought, and Zhu Yanghong had to report back to the Ministry of War. So the two families separated at the door. After getting on the carriage, Xie Xuanchen flicked Mu Mingtan’s nose and asked, “You always stay alone in the palace? Are you often bored? You rarely see people of your age in the capital? Also I’m not your peer?”
This was deliberately provocative, Mu Mingtang sighed, and said, “I’m not trying to get closer to the Zhu family, the lady of the Zhu family seems to want to find a marriage for her daughter, and she is willing to often come and walk in front of me. After going back and forth, you and Zhu Yang Hong will have a chance to meet.”
Mu Mingtang knew that Zhu Yang Hong was an old acquaintance of Xie Xuanchen and was also the general guarding the southwest, a rare figure outside the emperor’s power. Of course, such a person could not be ignored.
Xie Xuanchen understood, but he was still uncomfortable when he heard Mu Mingtang say that staying in the palace was boring.
Xie Xuanchen was feeling awkward when he suddenly heard Mu Mingtang ask in a very strange tone, “However, do you think you and I are the same age?”
1.The Chinese zodiac is a traditional classification scheme based on the lunar calendar that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle. In order, they are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. ↵