I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

The reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve is also full of warmth.

Aunt Liu bumped into her daughter several times in a row, but Lu Mingqin didn't react, so she had to do it herself.

"You are a very lucky person. Don't bother with Qin'er. She already knows she is wrong. If you want to punish me, punish me."

Although Lu Mingqin didn't say anything, she looked at Lu Mingyang timidly, without any of the tension she had in the past. Lu Mingyang couldn't help but sigh, "It's great to be a princess."

"Since it's the New Year, let's not talk about the past."

"Ah, no wonder the fourth young lady was able to become a princess. Her mindset is different." Aunt Liu offered a glass of wine and continued, "Qin'er is not young anymore. Why don't you two sisters marry together? It would be a double blessing."

Lu Mingyang choked on his wine.

Uncle Zhong hurriedly said, "Madam Liu, how can you say such nonsense? Don't be so presumptuous."

"I'm getting married on the same day, not marrying just one person." Lu Mingqin explained in an awkward whisper.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Aunt Liu hurriedly agreed.

Lu Mingyang asked, "Does anyone have a candidate for Concubine Liu?"

Aunt Liu said, "How dare I arrange a young lady's marriage? It should naturally be decided by you, the head of the household, Fourth Young Lady."

What a huge pot! When did she become so capable? But seeing Aunt Liu's expectant look, she couldn't bear to refuse.

"I haven't been in the capital for long, so I'm not familiar with it. How about waiting for some time and asking around? Fifth sister is still young anyway."

Zhongbo then tried to smooth things over.

Just then, the imperial gift of dishes arrived. Because the fourth daughter of the Lu family was the unmarried Princess of Ningyuan, the palace had gifted her with many delicious dishes. Laughter and joy rang out at the table again.

Lu Mingyang looked at the food and suddenly thought of someone. He wondered if the little monk who had helped him out with his problems had gotten through them.

I don’t know if he can have a hot and full meal on New Year’s Eve.

Lu Mingyang specially left two vegetarian dishes and asked someone to cook a plate of vegetarian dumplings. He then carried the food box to the mountain temple.

New Year’s Eve is the only day of the year when there is no curfew and the city gates are not closed, so as to provide convenience for people returning home from afar.

When Lu Mingyang walked into the mountain god temple, the Xiangguo Temple rang the New Year's bell and the sound of firecrackers filled the air with the excitement of the New Year.

"Master Little Monk, are you there?"

no respond.

Lu Mingyang felt a little disappointed, but when he thought that he could return to the temple, he was secretly happy for him.

Fireworks lit up over the capital, dazzling and brilliant.

Lu Mingyang stood halfway up the mountain, enjoying a rare moment of quiet. In the new year, she would become another man's wife, and the future was uncertain, whether good or bad was unpredictable.

Lu Mingyang lit a firework stick and held it high, echoing the bustle in the city and reflecting the silence of the clear water pool.

What is he doing at this time?

Are you going to have a reunion dinner with the Emperor and the Empress Dowager in the palace?

Why did she think of him? Lu Mingyang wrapped her white fox cloak around her and walked towards the mountain temple on the snow, where branches rustled. She had originally just wanted to take the lunch box back, but she didn't expect to hear a noise from inside.

"Master Little Monk, you didn't go back to the temple?"

"no!"

Chu Mingzheng had just returned from the palace when he saw from afar a girl holding a firework stick, glowing in the snow. Her face was unclear, but she had somehow come here.

But until he heard the sound, it still didn't feel real to him.

"Why is the girl here?"

"Today is New Year's Eve. I was worried that you had nothing to eat, so I brought you some dumplings." Lu Mingyang walked towards the wooden door of the inner room carrying the food box.

"Don't worry, it's all vegetarian, so I won't break the rules."

It took at least half an hour to get here from the Chengyang Marquis's Mansion. On New Year's Eve, in the cold winter, he traveled a thousand miles just to deliver a meal to a stranger.

Chu Mingzheng's voice was a little hoarse: "Are you so nice to all men?"

"You helped me!"

Lu Mingyang lowered her veil when she knocked on the door. Although she liked talking to him, she didn't want him to know who she was.

"Master, little monk?" The door was not opened, and Lu Mingyang called out in confusion.

"Girl, aren't you afraid that I'm a bad person?"

Lu Mingyang was surprised by his reaction, "Haven't we known each other for a long time?"

"Just because you did good things yesterday doesn't mean you won't do bad things today. Girl, it's better to be careful when you go out." His voice was deep and hoarse from a thousand miles away.

Lu Mingyang uttered an "oh" and looked down at the food box that couldn't be delivered. Just when she was at a loss as to what to do, the door moved slightly and a slender hand reached out.

"Thank you, young lady. I happened not to have eaten."

Lu Mingyang smiled, sat down against the statue, and listened quietly to the person inside eating. She didn't know why he was always willing to talk to him, perhaps because they didn't know each other, so he didn't hesitate.

"Is it cold?"

“It’s not cold!”

How could it not be cold? It has been sitting there for so long. Lu Mingyang laughed, "Monks don't tell lies. Little monk, you've broken your vows again."

Chu Mingzheng was stunned for a moment, then smiled: "What a pity there is no meat."

Lu Mingyang asked, "Master Little Monk, since you like eating meat so much, why did you become a monk?"

"It's not my intention to come."

Chu Mingzheng leaned against the door and smiled coldly: "When I was ten years old, they said they would give me the best thing in the world, so they sent me here. But now, they don't want to give it to me anymore."

"Immortality?" Lu Mingyang said angrily, "Master Little Monk, don't listen to those old monks' lies. There's no such thing as immortality. They're all lies."

"Yeah, it's all lies."

"So, you started stealing wine and eating meat." Lu Mingyang continued to guess.

"I guess so!" Chu Mingzheng didn't know how to explain it, but he still added, "Whether it exists or not, I don't really care. I'm just angry that no one has ever asked me if I want it."

Lu Mingyang asked: "Then why don't you go home?"

"Can not go back!"

The sound was heartbreaking to hear through the cold wooden boards.

How could I not be able to go back? Lu Mingyang asked: "Is there no one at home?"

"Yes, I have a father, a mother, and a younger brother and sister. Every spring, my sister would climb onto my back and let me carry her out of town to pick peach blossoms. Half of the blossoms would be given to my mother to make peach blossom wine. The other half would be placed in a vase to decorate the spring scenery. Spring back then was incredibly beautiful, unlike today, which is lifeless."

Seeing that he only mentioned his sister, Lu Mingyang asked tentatively, "Don't your parents want you to go back?"

"Let's not talk about them!"

Chu Mingzheng smiled faintly and did not continue the topic.

Lu Mingyang could hear the disappointment in his words. Perhaps it was the wine she had drunk, and the alcohol was getting to her head. She knocked on the wooden board and whispered, "Master Monk, I'll tell you a secret. I've been to another world."

No one responded.

"Little monk master, don't be afraid." Lu Mingyang comforted him and began to tell his story.