novelden Chapter 134 Outing in Spring
Chapter 134 Outing in Spring
Two horse-drawn carriages clattered as they headed towards the peach blossom grove outside the city.
In the carriage behind sat Xue Wen and Lin Shu's three husbands. Because Song Yun and Feng Yu were constantly cracking jokes, the journey was filled with laughter, so it didn't feel dull.
The atmosphere between the father and daughter in the carriage ahead was completely different from that behind.
As Ling Huanan listened to the laughter and chatter coming from behind, his face grew increasingly gloomy, and he exuded a chilling aura that even sent a shiver down the spine of the guards driving the carriage.
Lin Shu sat opposite him, seemingly in a good mood, and occasionally lifted the curtain to admire the scenery outside.
Suddenly, she noticed something on the small table to her left, picked it up and took a look. It turned out to be a kite.
Seeing that the kite was made rather roughly, Lin Shu couldn't help but look up at Ling Huanan opposite her. She knew without a doubt that it must have been made by her.
But the paintings on these...! Ha! They're quite interesting! I never expected my adoptive mother to be such a repressed pervert!
"Shh."
Before he could even take a closer look at the poem beside him, Ling Huanan snatched the kite away, placed it next to him, and then pulled a blanket over it.
Lin Shu's lips twitched slightly: "..." Isn't your slightly guilty behavior a bit too obvious?
"Your Highness even brought a kite! But aren't we going to the peach blossom forest today? How are we going to fly a kite?" Lin Shu raised an eyebrow, her eyes full of teasing, and pretended to be puzzled as she teased the other party.
Ling Huanan glared at her fiercely, inwardly cursing his daughter for being so clueless.
Then, seemingly unwilling to waste any more words with her, he simply closed his eyes and coldly uttered two words:
"eventful."
Lin Shu was not a talkative person to begin with, and seeing the other party's attitude, she stopped talking and closed her eyes to rest.
The carriage fell silent instantly.
Time passed by, second by second, in this strange atmosphere.
Half an hour later.
Outside the Shili Peach Blossom Forest Manor on the outskirts of Beijing.
It is said that this ten-mile peach blossom forest is the property of a nobleman in the capital. Normally, both commoners and nobles can enter, but there is a limit to the number of people allowed in. Once the limit is reached, no one can enter.
It's currently the peak season for peach blossoms, so there must be quite a few people. Fortunately, they arrived early, and there weren't many people yet.
The carriage slowly came to a stop. Lin Shu and her entourage got out and were about to enter the manor when they saw two magnificent carriages slowly approaching.
The curtain was lifted, and there stood the Crown Princess Feng Zhao, dressed in casual clothes. She nimbly jumped down from the carriage and nodded to Ling Huanan and Lin Shu as a greeting.
He immediately turned to the next carriage and first helped a man out of a warm white long robe with cloud patterns and a David hat; then he helped out a petite and handsome man.
Seeing that several more people had arrived, Ling Huanan felt displeased. He turned to Lin Shu and asked with his eyes, "Did you arrange this?"
Lin Shu shook her head, also feeling strange!
"Cousin!" Lin Shu was about to say something when she saw the chubby boy beside her nimbly dart out and head straight for the petite man next to Feng Zhao.
Alright, the truth is out, it was my own little fatty who invited them!
"Prince Dingbei." Feng Zhao walked over with his men and greeted Ling Huanan first. Ling Huanan nodded.
Lin Shu also took the initiative to bow: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Princess!"
When Feng Zhao saw that Lin Shu's husband was about to bow as well, she quickly stopped him, saying, "When we're out and about, we should address each other as sisters. There's no need for such formalities!"
After saying that, he pointed to the two men beside him and said:
"Ah Shu, let me introduce you. These two are my... my fiancés. The one wearing the David hat is Feng Ci, the son of the former Grand Tutor, and the one Xiao Qi is holding is my cousin, Xiao Yuan..."
Feng Ci and Xiao Yuan then greeted Lin Shu and the others.
Although the crowd could not see Feng Ci's face, they could understand his situation by observing his demeanor and scholarly air.
It's just a mystery how the tall and imposing General Xiao Zhuqing could have given birth to such a cute and charming son.
After exchanging only a few words, the group went into the manor together, with Ling Huanan following behind with a dark expression.
She really hadn't expected that, having just accepted the fact that her daughter's family would be third wheels, a few more unwanted guests would show up! There were so many people that she couldn't even take out the kite she had made!
Not long after they went inside, several more carriages arrived at the gate...
The ten-mile peach blossom forest truly lives up to its name.
Petals drifted down in the wind like pink rain, dreamy and beautiful. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, making the peach blossoms even brighter. In particular, faint music drifted from the depths of the peach blossom paradise, making one feel as if they were in a fairyland.
The group found a pavilion, where they brewed tea and enjoyed the scenery together, having a wonderful time!
After a while, since everyone wasn't always in one place, they dispersed.
Xue Wen was originally going to be with Lin Shu and the others, but Ling Huanan had finally found a chance to be alone with them, so how could he let it go?
He grabbed Xue Wen's sleeve and headed in the opposite direction...
Ling and Xue continued their stroll. Along the paths in the peach grove, peach blossoms bloomed like a sea, filling the air with their fragrance. Bees busied themselves among the flowers, and butterflies fluttered about, seemingly enjoying this springtime feast as well.
Reaching a secluded spot, Ling Huanan stopped, and Xue Wen also stopped, looking at him with a puzzled expression.
Ling Huanan looked at Xue Wen, dressed in a smoky blue robe, who appeared even more handsome amidst the vibrant peach blossoms. He couldn't help but reach out and take Xue Wen's hand, his clear voice gentle as he said:
"Awen, let's get married!"
Xue Wen was taken aback. Hadn't the marriage already been arranged?
Ling Huanan tightened his grip, his eyes filled with expectation as he explained:
"What I mean is that the date we set before was too slow. Let's get married as soon as possible. I checked the almanac, and the 30th of this month is an auspicious day."
Xue Wen: "..." The wedding date is the 16th of next month, which isn't much different from the 30th of this month.
However, before Xue Wen could answer, a cheerful voice came from a distance:
"Oh! Prince Dingbei! What a coincidence! I hope I didn't disturb you!"
Ling Huanan's face suddenly turned icy cold, his eyes revealing obvious displeasure. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then turned to look at the newcomer, saying impatiently:
"Why are you here?"
The person who came was Xiao Zhuqing, who had gone to Shuomen Pass in her place.
"It's the Empress Dowager's birthday, so of course I have to come back. After all, I went there to help you, the Prince of Dingbei... Besides, this peach blossom forest belongs to me, so why can't I come?"
Ling Huanan: "..." If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have chosen this place!
After giving a forced, insincere response, Xiao Zhuqing turned and looked Xue Wen over with a genuine smile before saying:
"Little Awen is back? He's still so handsome after eighteen years! Why doesn't he come to play with his sister?"
-