318 Between me and Huang Xi
“Why did His Highness refuse to help Princess Jingfei?” Li Hua was upset to know that Lóng Wei didn’t help Jingfei. She put the chopsticks down on the plate and asked him to help her.
“Li Hua, I cannot help her,” Lóng Wei said and brought the dumpling near her mouth. “Open your mouth,” he said, and she did. After she took a small bite, Lóng Wei pulled his hand back and ate the same dumpling.
“My help will not help her. I cannot tell Huang Xi to marry her when he doesn’t like her. Then, the First Princess said something which grew Huang Xi’s disinterest in her,” Lóng Wei explained to her. Li Hua looked at him with inquisitiveness.
“What did she say?” she asked.
“You do not need to know,” Lóng Wei stated.
“Why?”
“Because it is between me and Huang Xi,” Lóng Wei replied.
“Then, can His Highness not share it with his wife? I won’t tell anyone,” Li Hua asserted. Lóng Wei didn’t want her to get upset after knowing what Jingfei thought of him.
“I will be late if I eat at this speed.” Lóng Wei said, and asked her that they should finish their meals soon.
.....
“Whom does Commander Huang Xi like?” Li Hua curiously asked.
“I do not know. He only told me that he hated Jingfei. He doesn’t like that she likes him,” Lóng Wei stated. He asked her not to talk about that anymore.
After they finished their morning breakfast, Lóng Wei left. However, before leaving, he kissed Li Hua’s cheek and asked her not to train hard. She nodded and asked him not to trouble anyone.
Lóng Wei chuckled. “I am not a kid, who will trouble people around me,” he said.
“His Highness threatens people, which isn’t good,” Li Hua stated. Lóng Wei smiled and waved at her as he took backward steps.
“I love threatening people, Li Hua. Accept me as I am,” Lóng Wei said.
“Walk straight if you do not want to fall,” Li Hua told him. He turned and walked out. Li Hua turned to go in. She reached her chamber and picked up the scroll that belonged to Lóng Wei. She was heading to the other room when a maidservant came inside with a man in his late twenties.
“Your Highness, Lord Xu has sent a servant from his residence with a message,” the maidservant informed Li Hua. She smiled to find out and asked him to sit.
“Your Highness, I do not dare to. Please hear out the message which my lord has sent for Her Highness,” the servant requested.
“Sure,” Li Hua said.
“Lord Xu wants to see Her Highness. He could not come to the palace because of work. So, he sent me to bring you to the residence,” the servant informed Li Hua. She wondered why her brother suddenly called for her.
“Brother, please wait for sometime. I will go out with you in a while,” Li Hua said. The man bowed and went out of the chamber with the maidservant, who had closed the door behind her.
Li Hua put the scroll into the cupboard and then went to the dressing chamber to take a look at herself. She brushed her raven hair and then put the comb on the dressing table.
It was her first time going alone outside of the palace. She decided to meet Lóng Wei later in the afternoon and give him a surprise.
“No. I cannot go to the administration center. Women aren’t allowed there,” she mumbled. She bit her lower lip and thought she would break the rule. She only wanted to meet her husband, which was not wrong. She went out of the chamber and told the maidservant that she should also accompany her.
“Sure, Your Highness. I have arranged a palanquin for Her Highness,” the maidservant informed her.
They left the manor, but Li Hua decided to inform the Queen before leaving.
The Queen scolded her first and then said, “It is the first and last time, I am allowing you to go out. You are no longer an ordinary woman, who can go out whenever she pleases.”
“I understood, Your Majesty. I will not go out after today,” Li Hua stated.
Liu Jin Yu wanted to go out too, but seeing how quickly the Queen got angry, she didn’t dare speak. But she wondered if Li Hua would go out alone. So, she intervened in their conversation.
“Your Majesty, pardon me for intruding. I would like to say something,” Liu Jin Yu said.
“Say,” Zhu Liling allowed her to speak.
“Li Hua must not go out alone, Your Majesty. If Her Majesty allows, then I shall accompany Li Hua,” Liu Jin Yu said, and she lifted her head to look at Zhu Liling. “I have to return the money of a shop owner in the market which I could not after the day I entered the palace,” she stated.
“You came to the palace without resolving your outside issues,” Zhu Liling frowned.
“Your Majesty, I didn’t know that I would not get the chance to go out. If Her Majesty allows, then I will pay the brother from the shop. I will bring Li Hua safely to the palace,” Liu Jin Yu said. She was tired from sewing and embroidering since the early morning. She wanted to breathe for a few hours in peace, and going out with Li Hua was the best option.
“Eunuch Lishi, did you hear Liu Jin Yu? Ask her about the shop, where she has to pay the money,” Zhu Liling said, thus shocking Liu Jin Yu.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Eunuch Lishi stepped up and bowed.
“Tell Eunuch Lishi about the shop location,” Zhu Liling told Liu Jin Yu.
“I am not good at giving directions, Your Majesty,” Liu Jin Yu said. “It is a very crowded place and then on a narrow street. Eunuch Lishi may lose his way. I don’t want him to feel inconvenienced because of me, Your Majesty,” she affirmed. She curled her fingers, wondering if the Queen would allow her or not.
“Fine. This is the last time I am allowing you to go out,” Zhu Liling said.
Liu Jin Yu immediately bowed and thanked the Queen for allowing her. “Li Hua and I will return soon,” she stated, with a wide smile. Seeing the glare from the Queen, she pursed her lips tightly.
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