Chapter 128

Chapter 128: But I Don’t Want to Make Huo Zheng Worry

Chun Zhi stepped down from the carriage, and Yu Zhu came up to greet her.

Walking in together, Chun Zhi lowered her voice and asked: “Yu Zhu, why are you the one waiting at the door for me today?”

Yu Zhu answered: “After you went home from the flower-viewing party that day, I told the Princess Royal of Anyang the truth. That Miss Wang was knocked out by me with a flowerpot.”

Back then, to keep Yu Zhu from punishment, Chun Zhi had claimed in front of the Princess Royal of Anyang that she herself had knocked out Wang Yi Yue and told a small lie. With so much chaos that day, no one looked into the small details. Chun Zhi never expected Yu Zhu to confess on her own afterward.

Yu Zhu told her: “In this manor, there is nothing the Princess Royal of Anyang does not know unless she chooses not to know. If I kept quiet, someone else would expose me, so I confessed first. Thankfully, Her Highness did not blame me. She even said I was loyal and promoted me to a first-class maid. My monthly stipend has gone up several times.”

Chun Zhi had not expected such luck for Yu Zhu, so she said softly: “I’m glad you were not punished.”

Yu Zhu replied: “The Princess Royal treats us well and rarely punishes servants lightly.”

The Princess Royal of Anyang only had a poor reputation outside. Inside the Princess Manor, she was well liked and respected. Chun Zhi dared to come after receiving the invitation because she felt this Aunt Anyang was very different from the rumors.

Yu Zhu led Chun Zhi to the rear garden. It was spring, with green trees and grass, and flowers swaying on the branches. Huo Qiong Hua sat in a pavilion drinking wine. Under the flowering trees, a young man with a crane-like figure danced, and beside him a young musician in white played the zither. Huo Qiong Hua smiled and clapped in praise.

It was Chun Zhi’s first time seeing men dance, and she felt a little curious: [So this is how men dance.]

Yu Zhu seemed used to it. She guided Chun Zhi through the garden to the pavilion, bowed, and said: “Princess Royal of Anyang, your honored guest has arrived.”

Huo Qiong Hua finally looked away from the dancers to Chun Zhi, then beckoned with a smile and said: “Chun Zhi, come, sit.”

Chun Zhi answered: “Thank you, Aunt Anyang,” and sat beside the Princess Royal of Anyang.

A maid stepped up to pour Chun Zhi a cup of wine. Huo Qiong Hua said with pride: “This is Fusheng Drunk, a wine I have treasured for years. Others cannot get a taste even if they beg. I brought it out today just for you.”

Chun Zhi lifted the cup and drank it all in one go, then could not help praising: “Good wine.”

Seeing Chun Zhi drink without a second thought, Huo Qiong Hua said with a small laugh: “You truly have no guard up.”

Chun Zhi looked serious and said: “I do.”

Huo Qiong Hua raised an eyebrow and waited. Chun Zhi explained: “I don’t visit other people’s homes, and I wouldn’t drink there either. I came today only because Aunt Anyang asked for me.”

Huo Qiong Hua smiled and asked: “You and I have only met once. You trust me that much?”

Chun Zhi said: “Huo Zheng said Aunt can be trusted, so I trust you.”

Huo Qiong Hua sounded amused: “Seventh Lord would say that?” She smiled more brightly and told a maid to pour Chun Zhi another cup.

Chun Zhi said quickly: “My alcohol tolerance is poor.”

Huo Qiong Hua teased: “It’s fine if you get drunk. If you do, stay here for the night. When Seventh Lord cannot wait for you to come home, he will rush here to pick you up.”

Chun Zhi answered at once: “But I don’t want to make Huo Zheng worry.”

Huo Qiong Hua paused, then laughed: “You and Seventh Lord are truly a loving couple.” It had been many years since she had seen a pair who were honest and true in the Imperial Clan. To her, they were like a rare sight.

The taste of the fine wine still lingered on Chun Zhi’s tongue. [If I take a second cup, I will not stop at two; there will be a third.] So she stopped.

Huo Qiong Hua kept the handsome performers for Chun Zhi to enjoy. The musician at the side was also notably good-looking. Chun Zhi had never seen a woman enjoy herself like the Princess Royal of Anyang. In broad daylight, she watched handsome men play music and dance. Such a scene could only be found in the Princess Manor.

Chun Zhi tried her best to look natural. Huo Qiong Hua saw this and joked: “What is it, are you afraid Seventh Lord will find out you looked at other men?”

Chun Zhi smiled a little and admitted: “A bit.”

Huo Zheng was generous about important matters, but in some things he was rather narrow. Huo Qiong Hua had not expected Chun Zhi to be so honest, and she laughed even more: “Where in the world did Seventh Lord find a treasure like you?”

Chun Zhi said: “Nanzhou, Linshui Town.”

“All right,” Huo Qiong Hua laughed so hard she almost could not stop, then teased: “One of these days I should travel to some far-off place to find a hidden gem like you.”

Chun Zhi understood the Princess Royal was likely making fun of her for being afraid of her husband. In the streets, men who feared their wives were mocked. Here, it was the opposite.

Since Chun Zhi would not drink more, Huo Qiong Hua waved for tea. These handsome musicians and dancers performed for her every day. She had wanted to show Chun Zhi something fresh, but the young lady turned out to be very proper. Even when she saw other handsome men, she did not stare. Her heart kept thinking only of the one at home.

Huo Qiong Hua smiled and told the men to withdraw. The garden fell quiet. Only a soft breeze and drifting petals remained.

Looking at Chun Zhi, Huo Qiong Hua asked with a smile: “I heard you are Mu Qing Shan’s daughter. Is that true?”

Chun Zhi said frankly: “I am not sure, but it is probably true.”

One dared to ask, the other dared to answer. Huo Qiong Hua lifted her hand, tilted Chun Zhi’s chin, and studied her face closely for a while, then said with interest: “Back then, Mu Qing Shan was a great beauty who amazed the Capital. It is no wonder he has such a lovely daughter.”

Chun Zhi asked: “In Aunt’s eyes, what sort of person is Official Mu?”

Huo Qiong Hua answered with a chuckle: “You asked the wrong person. I judge people only by looks, not by anything else.”

Chun Zhi nodded and said: “Then Official Mu must be very good-looking.”

A portrait might capture only a bit of that immortal-like beauty. Chun Zhi said quietly: “I wish I could see him with my own eyes.”

“Don’t worry,” Huo Qiong Hua said: “The one you want to see, Seventh Lord will make sure you see.”

Right now, the Imperial Court argued every day over Mu Qing Shan. Huo Zheng did not care even when people accused him of favoritism, and he protected this man with all his strength to bring him back to the Capital. Before, Huo Qiong Hua loved to tease her serious-faced nephew, but it was hard to make him react. The things he had done for Chun Zhi shocked everyone. Last year in Nanzhou, he personally executed Prince Ning and his son. Now he was doing so much for Mu Qing Shan in the Imperial Court.

Huo Qiong Hua could not help looking Chun Zhi over again and again. What skill did this young lady have to make Huo Zheng love her so deeply? If one said Chun Zhi was beautiful, that was true, but the Capital never lacked for beauties. As for family and character, Empress Wang could have found the best for Huo Zheng. Yet he wanted no one else, only Chun Zhi.

With a smile, Huo Qiong Hua asked: “Chun Zhi, what kind of love spell did you feed Seventh Lord?”