Drunk Bamboo

Chaoyang placed his hopes on Xie Yuzhu.

"Although the prince is not close to Prince Wen, he has always regarded Prince Wen as a brother. He never thought that Prince Wen would conspire with Han Jian. Han Jian has always targeted the prince in the court. He also framed the prince for saving the tutor, causing the prince and his wife to be not only wronged but also injured. The person the prince hates the most is Han Jian. He gets angry when he hears his name."

"The prince usually looks carefree and has no worries, but he is actually very stubborn. He needs the princess to comfort him."

Xie Yuzhu nodded in understanding: "I understand. You and Yunling go back to the mansion first. I will take the prince out for a walk. I will send someone to the temple to find Abbot Ci'en later. There are a few pots of flowers that need to be brought back to the mansion."

Chaoyang received Xie Yuzhu's order and left with Yunling.

Xie Yuzhu took Hua Qinfeng's hand and walked out of Daci Temple.

She smiled and spoke softly and briskly, "My Lord, I want to eat the tofu pudding from Wang Po's house. Can you go with me?"

Hua Qinfeng looked at her blankly: "...Okay."

Unable to find their horses outside the temple, Hua Qinfeng stood there in a daze again, but did not say a word, with a confused look on his face.

Xie Yuzhu smiled and said, "Your Majesty, can we just walk there?"

He glanced at her again and replied, "...Yeah."

Xie Yuzhu took him to a bustling market with many people, many things, many sounds, a strong smell of fireworks, and many traces of life.

Pointing to the shops that were open one by one, he said, "Your Highness, look how lively this morning market is. Shop owners are opening their shops, breakfast sellers are selling breakfast, and business owners are doing business. Everyone is busy and full of vitality."

"Look, some of them are smiling, some are energetic, some are in a hurry... Even a hawker looks hardworking. They are all ordinary people. They may not have a life of luxury, they may only earn a little money every day, and they may work hard all day. They know all this, but they still face the day with a smile."

He walked through the alley and onto the stone bridge, pointing to the willow trees on both sides of the river: "Your Highness, look at the willow trees on the shore. They have sprouted new buds, swaying in the wind. They are very charming and beautiful. Don't they look like the waists of slender girls or women with long hair?"

When he came to the shore, he looked up at the sky and said, "Your Highness, the swallows are flying in the sky, so free and beautiful. Look, the blue sky is so vast and boundless, and the white clouds are so leisurely and contented."

Turning the corner, we walked into another busier street, where shouts could be heard one after another:

"Buying vegetables, fresh greens——"

"Come and take a look at these crucian carps that were just pulled out of the river this morning..."

"Don't worry, everyone knows that my Zhu family's pork is the best on this street!"

"Cheaper, I'll buy more..."

……

Xie Yuzhu said patiently all the way:

"Your Majesty, look at the green vegetables. They are so fresh!"

"This fish is so lively, it will be delicious if cooked into crucian carp soup!"

“When I see pork, I think of braised pork made with ginkgo nuts. It’s delicious!”

Hua Qinfeng said nothing.

But the gloom and unhappiness on his face were like ice in winter meeting spring, slowly melting away.

Wherever Xie Yuzhu pointed, his eyes would be there, and he would listen to whatever Xie Yuzhu said.

He thought he had fallen into a dark cave, in agony and lost.

But Xie Yuzhu's voice kept echoing in his ears, the warm sunlight warmed his body, and all the sounds and sights around him stimulated his five senses and brought him back to reality.

"Your Majesty, tell me, if you were not a prince, but just an ordinary person, I would also have to be like the aunt just now, calculating and bargaining to make a living. Although I have never bargained before, I think it is not difficult. I can grow flowers and vegetables, so it should not be a problem for me."

He finally spoke, and he said, "Yuzhu, I won't let you live a hard life."

"Most people live like this. If that day really comes, I won't feel bitter." Xie Yuzhu raised her eyes with gentleness, "There are no fathers and sons in the royal family, and there are no brothers in the royal family. I know that the prince is sad and heartbroken. I don't know how to face King Wen in the future."

Hua Qinfeng lowered his eyes, his gaze no longer empty and powerless: "I know that the ministers in the court have supported my fifth brother because of my father's preference for him. My father also loves the Imperial Concubine very much, and my father seems to have tacitly agreed to the open and covert struggles among the ministers in the court. I thought that the Imperial Concubine would do something for my fifth brother, but I never thought that my fifth brother would have such a close relationship with Han Jian."

"Yuzhu, you don't know that my fifth brother has been docile since he was young, and he is always respectful to me. In the palace, he is the only one who calls me brother as soon as we meet. I never thought that he and Han Jian are in the same group. What I hate most is the Han family father and son! They are insidious and cunning!"

As he spoke, his voice became louder and louder, and he angrily said, "The Han family father and son are abominable!"

Xie Yuzhu breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. It was good that her anger had burst out.

Just then, a man selling candied haws passed by. She bought two strings and handed one to Hua Qinfeng.

"Your Majesty, try some candied haws. When you're in a bad mood, eating something sweet will make you happy."

Hua Qinfeng, who was angry, was stunned.

Xie Yuzhu brought it closer and coaxed her, "Take it and try it."

Hua Qinfeng took the candied haws, watched Xie Yuzhu eat it, and then he ate too.

Xie Yuzhu asked: "Is it delicious?"

He said, "It's sweet and sour, it's okay. You don't dislike sweets, so why do you like this?"

Her lips were rosy. "Because the candied haws are pretty, a bunch of bright red, and look festive. Maybe if it's changed and placed on a plate, I won't like it that much."

"Just because of this?" His eyes were attracted by the candied haws in his hand. He looked at it for a while and then took a bite.

"Hawthorn is sour and soft, and the syrup coating it is sweet and hard. When you take a bite, it tastes sweet and sour, not too sweet or greasy, not sour or astringent, and is delicious and appetizing."

"Well, it's delicious, really good." Hua Qinfeng suddenly fell in love with the sour and sweet taste.

A string of candied haws was eaten up in no time.

Looking down at Xie Yuzhu's lips that were red from eating, his eyes became gentle: "Yuzhu, you didn't want to eat Wang Po's tofu pudding, you came here specially to accompany me to relax, right?"

She raised her eyes and met Hua Qinfeng's gentle gaze, her lips curled up slightly: "I can't solve the prince's troubles, and I don't know how to solve them. I can only take the prince for a walk, see different things, make him feel better, and not fall into stubbornness alone."

"Prince Wen and the prince are inseparable by blood, and the prince has an unbreakable brotherly love for King Wen. No matter what I say, it is only superficial comfort to the prince. Only the prince himself can resolve the contradictions and entanglements in his heart."

"Your Majesty is willing to tell me your inner thoughts and express your unhappiness. Do you feel better now?"

He hugged Xie Yuzhu tightly.

"Much better, thank you, Yuzhu. Everything is fine with you around."

Gently stroking his back, he said softly, "I am here. The people in the palace are here, and Changfeng Tower is here. Your Majesty, don't worry. If Prince Wen provokes Feng Palace again in the future, we will not recognize him as our fifth brother."

"Well, I don't recognize you." He buried his head in the crook of her neck and held her tighter with his hands. "I have you now. You are my family. Everyone in the mansion is my family."

"Let's go to Wang Po's shop and eat tofu pudding."

"it is good."