Gu Yingzhen raised a smile. “How could that be? We just took a casual stroll.”
Seeing someone approach, Princess Yiyue had no choice but to give up her detailed inquiry. “Then hurry to your seats.”
Coincidentally, the three of them were seated next to each other. Gu Yingzhen met Princess Yiyue’s eyes and saw her winking and making faces, realizing she had intentionally arranged it this way.
Guan Wan covered her lips and laughed.
Gu Yingzhen sat between Ming Shu and Guan Wan, while the girl seated below Ming Shu happened to be none other than that Miss Lin.
Ming Shu secretly observed Miss Lin’s pale complexion, which she couldn’t hide, and the sorrow in her eyes.
Ming Shu shook her head inwardly. In matters of love, nothing is more troubling than when the man is indifferent while the woman is deeply invested. The more seriously a woman takes her feelings, the harder it is for her to recover from heartbreak.
Suddenly, she felt a breeze brush her face, followed by someone pinching the soft flesh of her cheek.
Ming Shu had no choice but to snap out of her thoughts.
Gu Yingzhen’s eerie voice sounded beside her ear. “A-shu, what’s wrong with you? Is Sister Guan not pretty enough?”
Ming Shu looked innocently at the owner of the hand.
“Sister Guan is pretty, and Sister Gu is pretty too.” A clever person naturally knew how to anticipate her next words.
Gu Yingzhen grumbled resentfully, “Then why is A-shu looking at someone else?”
Others might be fine, but they had just seen Miss Lin not long ago. She didn’t believe A-shu hadn’t noticed.
Ming Shu skillfully pleaded for mercy. “Good sister, spare me this once.”
Gu Yingzhen withdrew her hand with an air of noble indifference, returning to her dignified demeanor.
Ming Shu rubbed her cheek, a faint blush spreading across her delicate face.
A commotion came from behind a screen, and Ming Shu realized it was reserved for the men.
Men and women were seated separately. To avoid impropriety, Princess Yiyue had specifically ordered several screens to be placed together, separating the men and women without spoiling the fun.
For a moment, only the voices of men could be heard in the courtyard.
To ease the atmosphere, Princess Yiyue raised her wine cup and said, “Spring fades as summer arrives, the banana leaves share their green. I am overjoyed that all of you could come. One cup to bid farewell to spring, and another to toast all of you.”
After Princess Yiyue drank two cups in a row, a voice from behind the screen exclaimed, “Well said!”
The Fifth Prince responded with a cup of his own. “As the elder brother, I cannot be stingy either.”
He drank three cups in a row before stopping.
A rustling sound came from the men’s side, and soon everyone stood up. The women followed suit.
Ming Shu rose along with Gu Yingzhen.
On the men’s side, someone downed a bowl of wine in one go. The women, however, only had fruit wine, which was harmless.
Ming Shu took a small sip and found the fruity aroma rich and irresistible, so she couldn’t help but take a few more sips.
Gu Yingzhen reminded her, “This fruit wine is a tribute from foreign lands. Drink less of it—it has a strong aftereffect.”
Ming Shu pursed her lips. It was sweet.
As the banquet progressed, Princess Yiyue naturally suggested playing some small games.
Ming Shu and the other two had no desire to participate, quietly watching the noble ladies showcase their talents.
It was truly a delightful sight. For a moment, Ming Shu understood the pleasure men found in such things.
Just as poetry and wine were at their peak, the tall screen standing in the middle fell with a loud crash.
The noble lady who had been painting was so startled that her hand trembled, ruining an exquisite piece of art.
Ming Shu was also frightened by the loud noise. She looked up and saw a person lying on the fallen screen.
It was a young master from some noble household, his face flushed red, eyes tightly shut, having collapsed heavily onto the screen. Everyone thought something serious had happened.
Someone boldly stepped forward and checked his breathing, seeming to sigh in relief: “He’s just drunk.”
The Fifth Prince let out a meaningful, cold laugh: “This fellow. Fine then, find an empty room to carry him to, lest he continue making such a disgraceful spectacle.”
That it was merely drunkenness could still startle them so—in full view of everyone, one wonders if he would regret it upon waking.
Princess Yiyue dispatched a servant from her side, who led people to find an empty room for him to rest.
The Fifth Prince’s gaze swept over the gathered women, lingering slightly on Ming Shu and Guan Wan.
Guan Wan clenched her palm tightly, her butterfly-wing-like eyelashes trembling faintly.
But soon the Fifth Prince spoke as if nothing had happened: “Hurry and set the screen back up.”
It was unclear to whom he was speaking.
The screen quickly blocked the view once more.
Yan Wei swirled his teacup, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes. How that man had fallen—others hadn’t seen it, but he had seen it clearly.
Before his eyes floated again that striking figure in the crowd, frail and delicate, yet with such a charming face.
Yan Wei noticed the Fifth Prince’s gaze lingering on Ming Shu a moment longer.
Slowly closing his eyes, a stronger aura of drunkenness enveloped him.
When Ming Shu felt the Fifth Prince look her way, it was as if something had seized her spirit.
Gu Yingzhen sat down and immediately noticed that both companions beside her seemed distracted.
Guan Wan was understandable—she knew some things.
But Ming Shu… Gu Yingzhen asked softly: “A-shu, are you a little drunk?”
Ming Shu looked up, clarity returning to her eyes: “Not at all.”
Gu Yingzhen rather thought she truly was drunk.
So she instructed Chu Cui to fetch three bowls of sobering soup.
Ming Shu whispered: “Sister Gu, when are we returning to the estate?”
On the other side, Guan Wan, who had been silent for a while, suddenly said: “We’ll leave after drinking the sobering soup.”
Gu Yingzhen was concerned about Princess Yiyue.
“Won’t this make Yiyue overthink?”
Guan Wan poured herself half a cup of tea: “It won’t.”
Since Guan Wan said so, Gu Yingzhen did not object, murmuring: “Leaving early is for the best.”
Had she known she would witness such a scene today, she wouldn’t have come.
Chu Cui brought the sobering soup, accompanied by Princess Yiyue’s personal maid.
“The Princess said, if the three young ladies wish to depart, this maid is to see you off.”
Princess Yiyue had guessed quite accurately, hence sending someone specifically.
Gu Yingzhen nodded: “Thank you.”
After drinking the sobering soup, the three indeed left directly.
Since Princess Yiyue had sent someone, it also indicated they need not bid her farewell.
Ming Shu first watched as Gu Yingzhen and Guan Wan boarded their carriages one after another, then lifted her skirt to step into the Yan family carriage.
Who would have thought that upon lifting the curtain, she would find someone already seated inside. Already somewhat drunk, and with her feet stumbling one after the other, instantly the world spun.
Just as she was about to fall from the carriage, a large hand caught Ming Shu’s teetering body.
Once Ming Shu steadied herself, that hand released her.
“Cousin… cousin?”
Yan Wei only said two words faintly: “Be careful.”
Since coming to the capital, Ming Shu’s strongest impression was that her already taciturn cousin had become even more sparing with words.
Ming Shu trembled slightly as she entered and sat down: “Thank you, cousin.”
Falling from the carriage—embarrassment was a minor matter; if she were injured, she might have to recuperate in bed for months.
Ming Shu secretly thought it fortunate.
Yet she also felt some resentment: if someone hadn’t been sitting properly inside, startling her, how could this have happened?
Yan Wei closed his eyes, a strong scent of wine exhaled with his breath.
For some reason, Ming Shu’s mind went blank and she blurted out, “Cousin, would you like some sobering soup?”
As soon as she said it, she regretted it—where on earth was she supposed to find sobering soup right now?
Wasn’t she just digging her own grave?
Fortunately, Yan Wei opened his eyes and glanced at her. “No need.”