Chapter 48 The Department of Rites (2)
Hence that intertwining matter that didn’t go his way was nothing to him. It was just that when he thought about Lady Chen helping him heal his injury, he still asked Ah Da to take her to the warehouse to let her select some items. Afterwards Ah Da reported that Lady Chen didn’t take much. She just took a few pieces of jewelry and they were not too valuable. He thought about it, selected some himself and let Ah Da sent them to Lady Chen. He didn’t go see her. Li Youde got busy after having been promoted. In a few days, he just came back once to Li residence. After returning, he went back to the palace soon. He wouldn’t specifically summon Chen Hui. And she naturally wouldn’t go look for him. Therefore, the two haven’t seen each other since that night. His injury gradually healed. In the end, he removed the stitches at the imperial physician’s place. It was so painful that it made him gnash his teeth. However, even if it was painful he had to remain unperturbed, lest someone saw it and mocked him. Moreover, there was no one’s shoulder that he could bite on.
Chen Hui saw how Li Youde got busy after being promoted. There was often no biggest master in Li residence. She had a refreshed feeling of being in the country of the blind where the one-eyed is the king. Twenty days after the assassination attempt against the emperor, she heard that the assassin still hasn’t been caught. But the previous -panic at the slightest move- atmosphere was gone. The streets gradually returned to the usual bustling with noise and excitement. And Chen Hui also returned to her habit of going out for a stroll.
After choosing some pieces of jewelry herself and Ah Da sent some more afterwards, Chen Hui’s collection got fuller. She picked out some jewelry to match today’s clothes before going out and she was very happy seeing herself beautiful. She would occasionally go to the bookstore. There was nothing big there anyway. The place where she visited most frequently was her cloth shop. After she was able to come out, she no longer refused to meet with her customers. But at the present, the people who wanted to meet her were the wives and misses of some rich families. She was very knowledgeable and wouldn’t let the chat come to a dead end. She looked polite and courteous and not a bit of vulgarity could be seen on her. So, after seeing her, her customers tended to run to her more than in the past. But among these people, there wasn’t one with a too outrageous identity. Among her customers whom she knew the identity of Commander Princess Shuning and Zheng Rongrong have the highest status.
The weather was getting warmer. Chen Hui enjoyed the benefits of being the vassal of the one ruling. The ice in the cellar was used by her. She hid in her room when the weather was hot and she was unwilling to go out. Her whole person was cooled when the ice cubes were placed in the corner. The tabby cat of last time was brought again and wandered around her room as if it was patrolling the site. No new rat was found. Chen Hui was very satisfied and gave it a full meal before sending it away.
During this period, Chen Hui also asked Ah Da how Li Youde’s injury was. She heard that he had already removed the stitches. She was very happy when she imagined that he groaned in pain when the stitches were being removed but had to pretend to be nonchalant.
Sometimes, Commandery Princess Shuning and Zheng Rongrong would invite Chen Hui out to play together. The social restrictions for high-class girls were not so strict. With the company of maids, many people would go out to have fun on weekdays. It may be because they considered Chen Hui’s emotions, Commandery Princess Shuning and Zheng Rongrong didn’t invite others. There were only the three of them who were the masters.
This was a shady afternoon. Chen Hui accompanied the two to a pavilion facing the Jade Lake on the east side. Chen Hui left Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu outside and let them guard together with the servants brought by Commandery Princess Shuning and Zheng Rongrong to not allow outsiders to come over. Xiao Liu was smart and sleek. Chen Hui believed that he would not carelessly say the wrong things.
The maid of Commandery Princess Shuning spread a tablecloth, put tea and snacks and some other gadgets on the stone table.
Commandery Princess Shuning’s personality was lively and energetic. She actually didn’t want to sit here and preferred to stroll all over the place. However, she took the two other people into account, especially her cousin sister Rong, so, she had to obediently follow them here. However, it was impossible for her to sit down peacefully. The pavilion was built on the lake. She hung on the railing and threw rocks into the water. If she could hit one or two fishes, she would be excited for a long time.
Chen Hui looked in the front where the sky merged with the water. She just felt relaxed and happy. Eating fragrant and sweet glutinous pastries, she thought, who would’ve thought that she was a pitiful girl who didn’t have meat to eat and was confined two months ago? Even she wouldn’t think of that! Now, she wore gold and silver and was so happy to eat and drink every day. She really didn’t bring shame to her time-traveling female seniors! If she could’ve time-traveled as an ordinary girl and found a handsome male protagonist, it would’ve been perfect, but she…Just stay with her eunuch. She may have to deal with all kinds of in-house fights if she married someone else and it was unknown how much more trouble there would be. It was better to stay at Li residence and be so relaxed.
Chen Hui was suddenly in the mood and let Xiao Tiao bring brush and ink. There were several designs based on the inspiration that she got from this landscape. It was the first time that Zheng Rongrong saw Chen Hui draft a design and was a bit curious. Commandery Princess Shuning who was originally smashing fish also came around and watched the designs that came freshly out of the oven with Zheng Rongrong. Then, she grabbed two of the design and slapped them in front of Chen Hui, “Lady Chen, I like these two!”
Zheng Rongrong glanced at the two pieces that were snatched by Commandery Princess Shuning. She put the rest of the designs gently on the table and said with a smile, “If Lady Chen doesn’t mind, I’ll want these.”
Chen Hui was very happy to make friends with them and said with a smile, “Of course, you can. I will have someone make them and sent them to you in a few days.”
Zheng Rongrong nodded with a reserved smile on her face while Commandery Princess Shuning was much more direct. She said excitedly, “Lady Chen, I really want to bring you home. The clothes you come up with are so beautiful!”
Chen Hui smiled and didn’t say anything. She felt that Commandery Princess Shuning could do such a thing. Fortunately, she wasn’t a helpless orphan.
Clear and crystalline ripples were on the lake. A decorated pleasure boat gradually approached. Traditional Chinese music vaguely came from the boat. It was very lively.
Zheng Rongrong frowned. She only glanced at it and then withdrew her gaze. After all, this lake was not her household’s. It was impossible for her to not let people drive their boat here. Even if she hated it, she could only bear it and wait for the boat to leave.
But instead of moving away, the boat stopped not far away. Some men who looked like sons of nobility loafed about, held up a wine cup and stood on the railing of the boat. They whistled at the three people in the pavilion, laughed among themselves, and recited vulgar poems. It was obvious that they were taking liberties with the three of them.
Commandery Princess Shuning’s was the most hot-tempered. She who had always been spoiled by others naturally couldn’t tolerate this and scolded, “What kind of dogs are you to dare to be rude in front of this Commandery Princess?”
Chen Hui didn’t like the arrogant appearance of Commandery Princess Shuning, but at this time, she was fortunate to have such a precious Commandery Princess at her side. With her blocking in the front, only if those people were brainless would they continue to cause a disturbance. But when Chen Hui glanced over there at random, she discovered that these people looked familiar. One of them seemed to be the one who wanted to take liberties with her but instead had been tricked by her…that, what was it again…gentleman Huang?
When Chen Hui recognized gentleman Huang, he also recognized Chen Hui at the same moment. She really didn’t know what he relied on, he smiled and said to Commandery Princess Shuning, “Great commandery Princess, I am not looking for you. I am looking for that little lady at your side!” He laughed loudly, “Little beauty, the last farewell seemed like three autumns! I remember that you once said that a family member of yours works at the Department of Rites. What does he do again? It is such a coincidence. We also have a sir here who works at the Department of Rites. Tell me about it, maybe this sir knows your family member!”
Chen Hui stepped back silently. With Commandery Princess Shuning here, she didn’t want to rush forward to be the cannon fodder on her own initiative. Upon hearing this, Commandery Princess turned to at Chen Hui and asked curiously, “Someone in your family is a castra…eunuch?”
Chen Hui whispered, “…No, I don’t.”
Commandery Princess Shuning breathed a sigh of relief and said, “That is good. What I hate the most in this life are those eccentric things!”
Chen Hui didn’t say anything and she really had nothing to say…
At this time, an eerie voice came from the decorated pleasure boat, “I didn’t know that the Department of Rites accepted all kinds of dirty things.”
Chen Hui was dumbstruck and turned to look at the decorated pleasure boat.
The pale face of the owner of this familiar voice appeared from behind the pillar. When he saw Chen Hui in the pavilion, the corners of his mouth curved into a taunting angle. It froze there and wasn’t retracted.
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