The court lady who danced "Snow Moon, Wind Flower" - this position was more serious than Shui Xinyuan thought.
Two days after the emperor's banquet ended, Shui Xinyuan was summoned to attend the banquet again...
The warm breeze blows listlessly in the afternoon of dense and thin bamboo leaves.
In the garden of Longquan Palace, which was originally used to entertain guests, there were Lu Fusu and five nobles. It was unclear why there were five noble daughters present.
"What the hell is going on..."
Qing'er, who accompanied Shui Xinyuan again, looked at the banquet with cold eyes and murmured.
Yao'er was dancing in front, but Shui Xinyuan knew that Qing'er was not referring to Yao'er.
Five noble daughters sat around Lu Fusu.
He looked extremely docile, with his head lowered, but his eyes were undoubtedly looking at Lu Fusu.
"Okay! It's so beautiful, beautiful dance, very exciting!"
After Yao'er's dance was over, the drunken nobles applauded.
"Although the dance is also beautiful, Your Highness, what do you think of sitting at the table with the daughters of various families present today?"
"..."
Lu Fusu did not change his troubled expression, glanced at the girls around him, and sighed softly.
"Minister of Punishment, I originally heard that you wanted to talk about government affairs, so I came here. Please tell me what is going on?"
The minister named Ban on the other side smiled and pointed at the five daughters.
"This is also a government matter! Prince. At the banquet a few days ago, everyone saw that the emperor's situation was not good. With all due respect, the day when the prince will succeed is not far away. When the time comes, you should understand that you must choose a queen.
"
"...Do you want me to choose one here today?"
"No, no, no! This, how should I put it? In short, it is just for reference."
"Dirty..."
Qing'er cursed softly.
Of course, the adult couldn't hear him at this distance, but Shui Xinyuan still hurriedly poked Qing'er's belly.
……really.
The day has indeed come.
All the daughters present have snow-white skin, are slender and steady, and even their fingertips are beautiful.
...It was not easy to meet His Highness Fusu...
If you look over there, you will see those extra beauties. If you had known, you might as well not have called us...
Shui Xinyuan even began to hate "Snow Moon Wind Flower".
...But, I am a dancer...
Since I was called, I must dance my best dance. This is my duty.
"Okay, who's next?...By the way, the court lady who danced 'Snow Moon Wind Flower' must be here too!"
"..."
Shui Xinyuan walked forward and saluted.
Lu Fusu looked at Shui Xinyuan with a somewhat troubled expression.
...Why do you show that expression...
Facing Lu Fusu's hesitation, Shui Xinyuan just narrowed his eyes slightly and responded with a smile on his lips.
Make preparations.
At the same time as the music, Shui Xinyuan started dancing.
At this moment……
"Danger!"
At the same time as the screams were shouted, a woman rushed towards Lu Fusu, and the two fell off their chairs.
"help……"
Shui Xinyuan stopped dancing.
An arrow was pierced deeply into the back of the chair where Lu Fusu was sitting just now.
"what happened?"
"It's a bow and arrow... there's an assassin!"
"Who did it?"
"Come here, there's a figure over there..."
Everyone was talking about it, and the court ladies and maids were shouting and running away to the left and right.
"Shui Xinyuan!"
Qing'er pushed through the commotion and ran over, grabbing Shui Xinyuan's wrist.
"Does it matter?"
"I……"
"That arrow just passed right next to you!"
Shui Xinyuan turned around and saw only the dense trees in the wide garden.
"Your Highness Fusu..."
"He's fine, look..."
Lu Fusu stood up, but the woman who rushed towards him was still wrapped around his arm.
"Are you injured, Your Highness?"
"Is Bao Ji of the Cao family injured? Thank you for noticing..."
The rich lady named Baoji firmly grasped Lu Fusu's sleeves, crying and shaking at the same time.
"Woo, so scary... so scary..."
"Yes! But you have done a great job, Baoji, you saved His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Who did such a thing..."
"I am now sending someone to search for the assassin! Your Highness, you and Bao Ji can go in together!"
Lu Fusu immediately turned back to look at Shui Xinyuan, but surrounded by people, he and several daughters were forced to enter the house.
Shui Xinyuan watched all this blankly.
The target of the arrow sniper was obviously Lu Fusu. If the daughter named Bao Ji hadn't discovered it, Lu Fusu's life would have been in great danger.
The heavy impact seemed to be about to break Shui Xinyuan's heart.
"Shui Xinyuan, it seems that the banquet should be over, let's go back!"
"..."
"Shui Xinyuan?"
The emotion in my heart is indeed something close to unwillingness.
…
The person who relieved the prince's crisis was Cao Baoji, the daughter of the Minister of Civil Affairs. This matter was spread throughout the palace that day because of word of mouth among the palace servants.
Gossips from court servants are always exaggerated. This time, it was later revealed that Cao Baoji was the savior of His Highness the Crown Prince. Therefore, after the Crown Prince became the emperor, he would definitely be appointed as the queen immediately.
These rumors were circulating everywhere and naturally reached Shui Xinyuan's ears, but Shui Xinyuan did not join the discussion circle and just stayed in his room to meditate.
Not willing to give in.
Even though she was preparing to dance, she did not pay attention to the arrows passing by her, and she could not protect Lu Fusu.
If he had noticed it earlier and tried his best to block it, His Highness Fusu might not be so dangerous...
He didn't notice, failed to protect, and all this opportunity was taken away by the noble daughter.
Shui Xinyuan felt that he had been taken away!
Cao Baoji protected Lu Fusu, who was more important to Shui Xinyuan than anyone else. Logically, she should be thanked.
However, seeing the beauty clinging to Lu Fusu, Shui Xinyuan felt like Cheng Yaojin had escaped halfway.
...must think of a way...
She should be happy that Lu Fusu was safe, but Shui Xinyuan regretted her failure to protect Lu Fusu.
Yes, Lu Fusu was safe and sound, but there is no doubt that Lu Fusu was sniped by an archer.
This must be Lu Wuxian's masterpiece.
What on earth are you thinking about at such an important moment?
It's so embarrassing, so superficial, and my heart is so ugly that I can't see it.
However……
The scene of that rich man being close to Lu Fusu is still imprinted on his eyes and cannot be peeled off.
She said how scary she was, while she looked timid and crying, with a beautiful profile and the temperament that a queen should have.
...I am indeed a little country civet cat...
Just treat everything as a dream...
In the cold moonlit night, borrow my robe, plum branches, gentle hands, the weight of my head on the shield, the arms that hug me tightly...
How long will these things remain in the memory?
I just want to dance, that's all I need...
"Shuixinyuan."
Hearing Qing'er's voice, Shui Xinyuan slowly raised his head, and she didn't know when she was already lying by the window.
"Are you asleep?"
"without……"
"Are you crying?"
"I didn't cry..."
"lie."
Qing'er smiled softly and wryly, then entered the room.
"If you feel down, just cry...but there's something a little strange to me."
"……strangeness?"
"right."
Qing'er sat on Shui Xinyuan's bed, her hands on her legs and her cheeks supported.
"What I'm thinking of is that if His Highness the Crown Prince is really in danger, you should be the one who will immediately step forward to save him."
Shui Xinyuan turned away and looked out the window.
"...but it wasn't me who saved him."
"So I didn't say anything that was 'really' dangerous."
"..."
Shui Xinyuan turned to look at Qing'er.
"You were so focused on dancing that you didn't notice it, but I felt something was wrong... The woman named Cao Baoji yelled danger and rushed towards His Royal Highness, but her movements were not that sensitive. At least with her slow movements, it was necessary to
When she saw the arrow coming, she immediately rushed forward to stop it from hitting the prince, but she couldn't do it."
"What's the meaning……"
Shui Xinyuan didn't see that moment clearly.
When he heard the shout of danger and paid attention, Bao Ji and Lu Fusu had already fallen down together, and the arrow hit the chair.
"That woman was born to be a rich young lady, and her movements are not as agile and dexterous as yours. When an arrow flies towards you, most people usually just say, 'Huh? What is that?' and don't even move."
"Qing'er..."
Feeling that what Qing'er was about to say was terrifying, Shui Xinyuan stood up.
"Wait a minute, but...she blocked it with her body and saved His Highness Fusu!"
"It looks like that, but..."
Qing'er stared at Shui Xinyuan and said slowly but clearly: "I feel that if I hadn't known from the beginning that an arrow was coming, Cao Baoji would not have been able to protect His Highness the Crown Prince."
Shui Xinyuan took a few steps back, her legs were weak and she sat down in the chair again.
"I don't understand...I don't understand what Qing'er is talking about..."
"I can't prove that my idea is correct, but I can't believe that in that situation, who else would save His Royal Highness the first time except you."
"That……"
...It's just Qing'er's wishful thinking. After all, it was Cao Baoji who saved Lu Fusu.
Closing her eyes, Qing'er lowered her voice.
"It is possible that I am speaking for you, but not everyone can risk their lives to save others."
"When an arrow is flying towards you, your normal reaction is to avoid it, right?" Qing'er murmured.
Bao Ji did not escape, and saved Lu Fusu one step faster than others. This seemed to be the case for everyone.
"She...she...if she loves His Highness Su..."
"Do you like him more than you? I can't tell, but I believe this is a lame show she did to become the queen."
Send someone to shoot arrows, jump to protect yourself, and let the other party regard you as your savior... This is what Qing'er wants to say.
"She is beautiful……"
She has snow-white skin, a slender neck, and a pitifully crying expression that looks like she will fall over if the wind blows.
"She can become the queen without having to act like this, right?"
"We all think so."
Qing'er stood up.
"Although I don't understand what those adults think, there's nothing to feel down about."
"..."
"It's almost dinner time. When you're hungry, you'll feel even worse!"
"Um……"
Although he had no appetite, Shui Xinyuan also got up and walked to the corridor with Qing'er.
At this time, I saw Cuihua jogging from the front with an excited face.
"I heard it, I heard it!"
"What did you hear, Cuihua?"
"Ah, Qing'er! Let me tell you, you just attended the banquet, right? What kind of woman is Cao Baoji who saved His Highness the Crown Prince? Is she beautiful?"
"Hey, she looks very beautiful...what?"
"I heard that she didn't go back! Among the noble daughters who were summoned to attend the banquet, only Cao Baoji remains in the palace!"
Shui Xinyuan and Qing'er looked at each other.
"What's the meaning……"
"It's annoying! Of course being left here is a good thing!"
She covered her mouth with her hands as if telling a secret, but Cuihua's voice could be heard clearly, and all the court ladies in every room poked their heads out.
"Is this news true? Where did you hear it, Sister Cuihua?"
"My sister is a maid in the palace. I just met her for something. She was also called to help at the banquet today. She was also there when the commotion happened! She said that His Highness the Crown Prince said that only the daughter of the Cao family would be left..."
Shui Xinyuan staggered away from the circle of court ladies surrounding Cuihua and returned to his room.
"Ah, Shui Xinyuan..."
"Qing'er, I won't have dinner today..."
"Shui Xinyuan..."
Seeing Shui Xinyuan lying helplessly on the bed, Qing'er didn't make any more noise and left silently.