The Phoenix is Back - Chapter 82

Chapter 082 Winter Hunting
As the saying goes, auspicious snow heralds a good year.

The snow in the capital this year was exceptionally long, and the disaster in Su Yang had been resolved. The news of the people’s deep gratitude spread to the capital. His Majesty Long Xin was delighted and decided to hunt in the winter. He also ordered the royal family’s children to travel with the civil and military officials.

The day they left the city to hunt, the official roads in the capital were completely closed. The yellow banners on both sides of the imperial road sounded in the cold wind, and the five-colored clothes and ceremonies slowly formed a distinct square formation. This time, apart from the accompanying princes and concubines, the accompanying officials also brought along their families. In addition to Imperial doctor, the palace maids, and eunuchs, there were no fewer than several thousand people.

Xiao Xiwei sat in the carriage following behind him. Although she was holding Mrs. Tang in her hand, she still felt extremely cold. If it weren’t for the fact that she had been kissed this time, she wouldn’t have wanted to come out and suffer this kind of punishment. “I wonder what happened in the manor?”

She was afraid that Xi Chun wouldn’t be able to deal with all the matters in the manor.

“Young miss, it’s been a long time since you came out so openly. Why are you still thinking about the manor? Isn’t there a fourth young miss? Even if fourth young miss can’t, isn’t there still big sister Hong Yu around? Don’t worry, we won’t be in a mess.” Bi Yun said with a smile as she opened the car window.

As soon as the car window opened, a cold wind gushed in. Xiao Xiyang couldn’t help but shrink back. Just as he was about to ask Bi Yun to close the car window, he heard Bi Yun’s excited voice.

“Your Highness the seventh prince.”

Xiao Xiwei raised his eyes and looked towards the car window. He saw Chu Xizhi wearing an ink cloak and riding his horse with a smile. His gaze descended a little, but unconsciously landed on the pair of boots he was wearing in the purple-gold stirrup.

“Do you want to ride a horse?” Chu Xizhi smiled as he looked at the beauty in the carriage.

“No.” Xiao Xiwei hugged Mrs. Tang in his hand and coldly spat out two words.

“Eh, Your Highness the seventh prince, aren’t the boots on your feet our eldest young master’s?” At this time, Bi Yun also noticed with keen eyes that the boots on Chu Xizhi’s feet were different.

Chu Xizhi raised his eyebrows and raised his feet. He displayed the boots on his feet left and right, and the corners of his lips curved into a beautiful arc. “Don’t you think these boots look good on Your Highness?”

“No, this servant also feels the same way.” Bi Yun covered her mouth and laughed. Even Zi Yan, who was standing beside her, covered her mouth and laughed.

“It’s so cold. Close the window.” Xiao Xiwei coldly snowed at Bi Yun.

Bi Yun stuck out her tongue towards Chu Xizhi outside the carriage and quickly closed the window.

Chu Xizhi looked at Xiao Xiwei’s carriage and smiled. Then, he raised his whip and rode his horse back to the attendant guards, leading them to follow closely behind the carriage.

Not long after, the Imperial Ceremony arrived at the camp.

As soon as Xiao Xiwei got off the carriage, she was blown away by the cold wind, causing her to tremble. Mrs. Tang in her arms was already cold, so she had to tighten the cloak on her body. At this time, the other women in the carriage also got out of the carriage one after another, and a bunch of people gathered together in twos and threes to discuss, not even the little eunuch who had come to guide the way saw them.

“These young ladies are usually delicate. They are not afraid of being frozen even if they are standing in the cold wind.” Bi Yun looked at the excited young ladies and whispered.

Zi Yan smiled and said, “You don’t know that, do you? It’s rare for these ladies to have such an opportunity. The princes haven’t returned to their tents yet.” After saying that, he didn’t forget to turn around and look at Xiao Xiwei with a smile. “Miss, did you say that?”

Xiao Xiwei rolled his eyes at her and said, “If you’re not idle and cold, you can stay outside for a while longer.” After saying that, he lifted his foot and left.

Bi Yun and Zi Yan looked at each other and laughed at the same time, quickly catching up with Xiao Xiwei’s footsteps.

The little eunuch brought Xiao Xiwei to the front of the tent. Bi Yun gave him a silver ingot and the little eunuch left happily.

The stove had already been lit in the tent, and as soon as he entered, the chill on his body was swept away. Bi Yun stepped forward to help Xiao Xiwei untie the thick cloak on his body, and then packed the luggage he brought along with Zi Yan one by one.

Xiao Xiwei walked to the couch and sat down. She casually poured herself a cup of tea. Before she could drink, the curtain at the door moved and a crisp voice sounded.

“Sister Xiao.”

Xiao Xiwei turned around and looked at the person. He unconsciously knitted his eyebrows, and the corner of his lips slightly pulled, “Miss Lin.”

“Sister Xiao, it’s so warm here!” Lin Yushi asked the girl to take off her cloak and smiled as she walked over to Xiao Xiwei and sat down.

Xiao Xiwei pursed the corners of his lips and raised his hand to take a sip of the teacup.

Seeing that Xiao Xi didn’t say anything, Lin Yushi smiled and said, “Sister Xiao, I heard that Honored Concubine Shen will treat you ladies and gentlemen to a banquet today. Will you go?”

Xiao Xiwei still drank her tea and remained silent.

“Young miss, the salute is all packed up.” Zi Yan smiled as she stepped forward.

Xiao Xiwei put down his teacup and nodded gently.

“Miss Lin, have you packed your bags?” Zi Yan turned to look at Lin Yushi and asked with a smile.

Lin Yushi did not expect a girl to dare to ask her. She was slightly stunned, but she still said, “My other girl is being cleaned up.”

“Oh.” Zi Yan nodded and then said, “Seeing that it’s getting dark, Miss Lin is not afraid that a girl will not be able to clean up. I heard that Consort Shen will treat the young ladies tonight.”

Xiao Xiwei, who was the master, did not say a word. No matter how deep Lin Yushi’s mansion was, she was still a little unhappy at the moment. She turned around and looked at Xiao Xiwei. Her eyes were slightly red. She twisted the handkerchief in her hands and said somewhat aggrieved, “Sister Xiao, do you, don’t you like me?”

The corner of Xiao Xi’s lips curled slightly, “Miss Lin, did you misunderstand something?” Lin Yushi pursed her lips and was about to say something when Xiao Xi Wei’s voice sounded again.

“Miss Lin and I have only seen each other from ear to ear twice. We really can’t talk about whether we like each other or not.” Xiao Xiwei added unhurriedly.

“Sister Xiao, you, you can’t be blaming me for what happened to my cousin, right?” Lin Yushi bit the corner of her lips and looked at Xiao Xiwei in grievance.

Lin Yushi’s cousin was naturally the fourth prince, Chu Yanzhi.

Xiao Xiwei raised his eyebrows and his voice sounded neither cold nor indifferent, “Why did Miss Lin say that?”

“Elder sister Xiao, actually, my Fourth Emperor Brother doesn’t want to cancel the engagement. It’s just that it’s hard to disobey the Holy Fate, so there’s nothing he can do about it.” Lin Yushi whispered with red eyes.

Xiao Xi frowned slightly, “Miss Lin, do you know what you’re talking about?”

‘”I know Second Miss Xiao Xiao is your sister. Elder sister must be angry because Fourth Emperor Brother canceled your sister’s marriage, but Fourth Emperor Brother really didn’t do it on purpose.” Lin Yushi nodded.

Heh …

Xiao Xiwei couldn’t help but laugh coldly, “Miss Lin, don’t you think I’m angry at you because of this?”

Lin Yushi looked at Xiao Xiwei, her eyes clearly saying, wasn’t it?

Xiao Xiwei smiled again, “Haven’t Miss Lin heard that my relationship with Xi Le is actually not good? It can even be said to be incompatible with fire and water.” At this point, Xiao Xi paused for a moment, and a trace of coldness flashed across the corner of his lips. “Or perhaps, I was the only one who did this. Is Miss Lin satisfied with such an answer?”

Lin Yushi’s eyes widened and her innocent face was filled with astonishment, but she still muttered in her heart.

What kind of medicine was Xiao Xiwei selling in his gourd? She actually told her everything in front of her without even concealing anything. What exactly did she mean?

If she hadn’t known Lin Yushi’s true face long ago, she would have been deceived by such an innocent face.

“If Miss Lin doesn’t have anything else, please help yourself.” Xiao Xiwei coldly glanced at Lin Yushi, then picked up the teacup on the table and took another sip of tea.

Now that Xiao Xile had been sent to Shuiyue Temple, Chu Yanzhi had completely lost Marquis Mansion’s help. Therefore, she could only think of Lin Yushi again, wanting her to get close to her so that she could climb up to her brother. However, she had already been stupid once in her previous life, so how could she be stupid a second time?

“Sister Xiao, actually I …”

“Yi, Little Imperial Sister-in-law, who are you talking to!” The curtain outside the door moved again, and a round head stuck out.

When Xiao Xiwei saw the person, the corner of her lips curled up and she stood up from the couch, “Ninth Princess, why are you here?”

“Ninth Princess.” Lin Yushi also hurriedly stood up and bowed to Chu Zuizhi.

Chu Zuizhi chuckled and walked in. After entering, she did not say anything. She only raised her eyes to look around. Finally, she fixed her gaze on the table and placed a few bowls of delicate snacks. “I knew that Brother Qi Huang was partial. All the delicious food had come to Sister-in-law.” After saying that, she quickly walked onto the couch. Her round body knocked Lin Yushi back a few steps. Before she could sit down, Xiao Mei grabbed a snack and stuffed it into her mouth. As she stuffed it, she shouted, “Delicious, delicious.”

When Bi Yun and Zi Yan saw the Ninth Princess’s greedy look, they tried their best to suppress their laughter.

“Princess, why are you here alone? The palace maid?” Xiao Xiwei said.

Chu Zuizhi waved his hand as he ate. “Those palace maids are so annoying. I snuck over.”

Xiao Xiwei burst into laughter. She looked up at Lin Yushi who was still standing at the side and her smile subconsciously vanished. “Miss Lin, are you alright?”

Lin Yushi pursed the corners of her lips, her hands still pulling on the handkerchief as if she was at a loss. “Then, I won’t disturb Sister Xiao anymore.” As he spoke, he raised his eyes and looked at Xiao Xiwei timidly. He saw that Xiao Xiwei did not have the slightest intention of retaining her. Although he was unwilling, he could only lead the girl out of the door.

“Eh? Are you leaving?” Chu Zuizhi raised his head from the plate and looked at Lin Yushi.

Hearing this, Lin Yushi was delighted. Just as she was about to stay, she heard Xiao Xiwei’s cold voice. “Could it be that the Ninth Princess is planning to split the snacks with Miss Lin?”

Chu Zui was stunned for a moment. Then, he held the plate in his arms and said vaguely while biting the snacks, “Then you should leave.”

Xiao Xiwei looked at Chu Zuizhi’s appearance of protecting food and unconsciously smiled.

Compared to Lin Yushi’s naive schemes on the outside, the Ninth Princess, who seemed shrewd but was actually too innocent, was truly clean and innocent.

Lin Yushi glanced at Xiao Xiwei unwillingly. In the end, she had no choice but to take the girl out.

“Sister-in-law, why do you look like you want to kick her out? Did she offend you?”

Xiao Xiwei walked over and stuffed a snack into Chu Zuizhi’s mouth. He smiled and said, “You, why can’t so many snacks be stuffed into your mouth?”

During this winter hunt, Yan Yunwei, who was the direct son of Marquis Mansion and was personally appointed by the Emperor, naturally followed along. If she didn’t get rid of Lin Yushi, what would happen if her brother came later? She didn’t want Lin Yushi to have anything to do with her brother right now.

After stuffing two plates of dessert, Chu Zuizhi covered his belly and smiled contentedly, “At this time, if only there was wine.”

“Who wants to drink?” Along with this low voice, Xiao Xiyang also lifted the curtain and walked in.