flstandardbreds Chapter 181 Li Rui's Beloved!
Chapter 181 Li Rui's Beloved!
"It's rare to hear you speak so boldly, girl." A slightly teasing voice came from behind the artificial hill.
Shen Li walked around the artificial hill and saw Li Rui standing by the lake. He was wearing a crimson brocade robe with dragon patterns, exuding a natural nobility. His fair and clean face had handsome features, and his peach blossom eyes seemed to be forever affectionate.
"Ninth Prince." Shen Li bowed respectfully and said with a smile, "If you were to address Your Highness privately, you should call me elder sister."
“There’s no one around.” Li Rui looked her over and then smiled after a while, “This looks a bit out of place on you. It should be made in a woman’s style.”
"It will happen," Shen Li said confidently.
Li Rui smiled as he looked at the confident expression on her face, then casually picked up a stone and threw it into the lake.
Shen Li looked into the lake and saw a pond full of lotus flowers, their blossoms and leaves complementing each other, wafting a delicate fragrance – truly a refreshing spring scene.
Li Rui tossed a few pebbles before turning to look at her: "How does it feel to be an official?"
"I feel much more at ease now. I have things to do every day, and I don't have to stay at home all day. It's great." Shen Li concluded, "It wasn't a wasted effort."
"As long as you're comfortable," Li Rui said with a smile, turning his gaze away.
"Is something troubling Your Highness?" Shen Li asked, noticing the hint of melancholy in his eyes.
“You know me best. Others wouldn’t ask me such a question if they saw me smiling.” Li Rui sighed almost imperceptibly before saying, “My father is urging me to get married again.”
"Isn't this a good thing? Why is His Highness so resistant? Are none of those young ladies from noble families worthy of His Highness's attention?" Shen Li had always had this question.
In his previous life, he also refused to marry no matter what, and was eventually betrothed to a princess by the emperor. It is said that they treated each other with respect and had no children, nor did he marry any concubines or secondary wives.
This is quite inconsistent with his philandering and dissolute image.
"No." Li Rui threw the pebble heavily into the lake and knocked a large lotus leaf into the water.
"Does Your Highness have someone you fancy?" Shen Li asked in a low voice.
In her view, there are only two possibilities for not getting married: either he has no interest in women, or he has lost heart because he cannot marry the woman he desires.
Li Rui looked at her, and the light in his peach blossom eyes gradually dimmed. After a moment, he turned his head to look at the lotus flower.
“No.” He tossed a pebble, but this time it was heavier than usual.
"This is difficult." Shen Li was somewhat puzzled. If there were people she liked, there would always be a chance if she could help them get together; otherwise...
Her eyes darted around, and her voice lowered even further: "Does Your Highness have a man you like?"
Li Rui was about to throw a pebble when he heard this and almost lost his balance and fell over.
He looked at her with disbelief: "What did you say?"
"It doesn't seem like it..." Shen Li felt a little guilty.
“I grew up with you, otherwise…” Li Rui clenched his fist, but ultimately chose to pull it back.
He couldn't very well hit her, even though he really wanted to.
"It's too stuffy in the palace. If Your Highness had the chance, you could work for the court like Prince Yi and travel around. You might even meet a woman you like." Shen Li had already listened carefully before saying this.
She couldn't hear any breathing sounds from a distance around her; there was no one there.
Li Rui, however, did not have such good hearing as her. Upon hearing this, he immediately became nervous and reminded her, "Be careful what you say."
The King of Chess did not imitate this casually; it was a method used to seize the throne.
He also knew why Shen Li said that; she wanted to test whether he had any ambition to seize the throne.
"It's good to travel around, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do a good job with the government's duties." Li Rui bent down to pick up pebbles. "Besides, having duties wouldn't be so comfortable."
Shen Li asked the question, so at least for now, he has no intention of vying for the throne.
But she always felt that Li Rui was the right person. He seemed cynical but was actually very upright, which was evident in his womanizing.
Moreover, he is intelligent and not so petty, so he is likely to be a tolerant and virtuous ruler.
They will never be as bloodthirsty as His Majesty and the Prince of Yi, nor will they be as ruthless and deceitful as the Crown Prince.
She had already sent Lin Wan'er to the battlefield for the last military reward. As long as Lin Wan'er performed normally, he could have earned military merit and returned. However, although he did earn military merit, he did not take the opportunity to enter the court. Everything was still at the starting point.
"Your Highness is truly magnanimous," she said sincerely.
Li Rui's smile was somewhat bitter: "It's just that I had no choice in the matter, but you're better off than me, you have more choices, so cherish them."
"Your Highness, rest assured, I will definitely do a good job as an official."
"That's good." Li Rui said, then repeated, "As long as you're happy."
Although Shen Li had the freedom to enter and leave the palace, she couldn't stay too long, so she chatted with Li Rui for a few minutes and then left the palace.
No sooner had she arrived home than people from the Imperial Household Department delivered thirty peony plants of different colors, which almost filled most of the courtyard.
Yu Die was completely dumbfounded. They just brought back things from the palace like that? She didn't even pay for them.
Shen Li admired it from outside.
"Sister-in-law, these flowers are so beautiful. Could you bring some to my yard?" A cheerful voice rang out, and then a girl dressed in a light green dress, with a swaying hairpin in her hair, walked into the yard.
"Miss Biao," Lian Qiao and the others greeted.
This person was Liu Yue, Gu Chang'an's cousin. She had been coming to Shen Li's place often these past few days, mostly to drink tea and chat, and would wait for Gu Chang'an to return before leaving. Each time, she would always take something with her.
Just as Gu Chang'an said, this family would disturb her peace. If she didn't want them to harbor resentment and be used by those with ulterior motives, she would have listened to Gu Chang'an and kicked them out.
Gu Chang'an's weaknesses cannot be left outside, but fortunately, she is calm and will not be unable to bear this disturbance.
Peony had the most obvious expression among them. She couldn't hide her feelings; if she disliked something, she disliked it. If it weren't for the sake of her son-in-law, she probably would have already given him a hard time.
"Does my cousin like these flowers?" Shen Li asked.
"I don't particularly like them, but the flowers here, cousin-in-law, seem especially different. I've never seen peonies bloom so beautifully before." Liu Yue smiled as she stood in front of Shen Li, blinking her eyes. "Could you be so stingy as to not give me any, cousin-in-law?"
Peony, standing to the side, was practically rolling her eyes. Of course, no peony was as beautiful as this, because this was not only a peony but also a peony cultivated in the palace.
"These were sent by Her Majesty the Empress for me to paint, so it's not convenient to give them to you, my sister, for now," Shen Li said, refusing. "After they're in the painting, we can choose a few more to move to your courtyard, my sister."
"I see." Liu Yue said with some dissatisfaction, but there was also envy in her eyes.
They're both women, so why is she born into such a privileged background that even the Empress sends her gifts?
"Is my sister settling in well at the manor?" Shen Li asked.
“Great! This place is much better than the house my cousin found for us, and it’s also more convenient for me to get closer to him and his wife.” Liu Yue said innocently, “My parents told me and my cousin’s wife to study hard.”