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Shui Rong didn't care about Ying Luo's anger. She just savored the sweet fragrance. The smell of lip balm was indeed unique. Shui Rong truly felt Jia Baoyu's happiness.
"Okay, let's go to Ning'an Hall to pay our respects to mother first."
We have made enough noise, it is time to pay our respects. This is serious business, if we continue making noise, the price may rise to an unbearable level.
Yingluo lowered her eyes and saw the bulge. She blushed and spat. Suddenly she remembered something and raised her bright almond eyes and said, "Your Highness, wait a minute."
Shui Rong looked at Ying Luo, whose cheeks were still red and whose lips were slightly panting, and said jokingly, "Why, you little slut, do you still want it?"
"Your Highness." Upon hearing that, Yingluo's cheeks turned red again. She stomped her embroidered shoes on the ground and pouted.
What do you mean she thought about it? Shui Rong took the initiative every time. She just ignored it when it made her feel uncomfortable.
With a huff, Yingluo took a handkerchief and helped Shuirong wipe the corners of his mouth, saying angrily, "My Lord, if you don't wipe off the lipstick on your mouth, the Concubine Dowager will laugh at you."
Shui Rong suddenly realized what was going on after hearing this. He thought the little slut was aroused, but it turned out that it was because of this that her lips would inevitably be stained with fresh lipstick. If she took her to Ning'an Hall to pay her respects, she would indeed be laughed at by her cheap mother.
Shui Rong lowered his eyes to look at Ying Luo who was helping to apply lipstick seriously, and felt satisfied. This little girl knew how to take care of things and had a high level of awareness. She should keep it up in the future.
After wiping the lipstick from the corners of her mouth, Yingluo also cleaned herself up, then walked through the hall to Ning'an Hall, lifted the curtain and went in. Shui Rong saw Concubine Beijing leaning on the brocade couch, pulling Zhen Hua to ask about her well-being.
Seeing this, Shui Rong felt helpless. This cheap mother really treated Zhen Hua as her future daughter-in-law.
"My child pays his respects to his mother." Shui Rong was speechless and paid his respects first.
Concubine Beijing looked at the polite Shui Rong with a smile on her face, nodded and said: "My son is here, get up quickly!!!"
Shui Rong stood up. Zhen Hua, who was standing beside him, had lowered her brows and eyes since Shui Rong entered the room. She twisted her embroidered handkerchief in her hands, looking a little overwhelmed. She pursed her lips, stood up, bowed, and said in a clear voice, "Hello, cousin."
At this time Shui Rong's eyes fell on Zhen Hua. She was wearing a light-colored Cui Yan shirt and a pleated skirt with scattered flowers and water mist. Her three thousand black hair was tied up into a loose cloud bun with a simple but elegant hairpin inserted diagonally. A light green silk ribbon was tied loosely around her waist. Her white arms and flawless face were lightly powdered, making her look even more rosy and beautiful. Her lips were a little red and she smiled slightly, revealing her teeth. Her two rows of snow-white teeth made her look very beautiful. Under her delicate and long willow-leaf eyebrows, a pair of beautiful and clear eyes looked around, as if filled with affection, like rippling autumn water, which made people extremely intoxicated.
It must be said that Shui Rong and Zhen Hua had only met three times in total, but each time gave Shui Rong a different feeling, especially today, the bright color at the corner of her lips seemed to be the scent of roses!!!
Shui Rong nodded slightly in response and sat down. A maid had already served tea and food. After taking a sip of the fragrant tea, Shui Rong looked at the beauty and asked in a gentle voice, "Cousin, are you having any trouble adapting to living in the palace?"
When treating guests, one should naturally show the host's hospitality, nothing else. As for Zhen Hua, she is different from Keqing and Yingluo, so Shui Rong naturally would not speak frivolously to her and instead showed a humble character.
Zhen Hua's eyes lit up when she heard that. She lowered her eyebrows and eyes and said "hmm". She replied softly, "Everything is fine in the palace. My cousin is so thoughtful."
Shui Rong said no more upon seeing this. He glanced sideways and saw Keqing with her head down, seeming a little depressed.
Without much thought, Shui Rong knew that it was because after Zhen Hua moved into the mansion to live temporarily, Concubine Beijing treated her too specially, so that she ignored Keqing. It's not that Keqing was narrow-minded, this is human nature. After all, when there was only Keqing, she treated her as half a daughter, but now... half a daughter is only half after all.
Well, I'll just comfort her later.
Zhen Hua’s eyes were always on Shui Rong. She was aware of Shui Rong’s little movements. Seeing her beloved cousin’s mind on someone else, she felt a little annoyed. She pursed her lips but didn’t say anything. After all, she was just a distant cousin now! ! !
Seeing this, Concubine Beijing on the brocade couch turned her almond-shaped eyes slightly and said in a clear voice: "Brother Rong, Hua'er just arrived at the palace yesterday. She is very new. You can take her to the garden later."
Shui Rong frowned when he heard this. He didn't have the leisure time to take people to visit the garden, and his cheap mother was too purposeful!!!
Zhen Hua observed Shui Rong's every move with her sidelong glance, her mind turning over a thousand thoughts. She then raised her eyes to Concubine Beijing and said, "Aunt, I don't think I need to trouble my cousin. I can just let Sister Qin take me around. Besides, we sisters get along well with each other."
Hearing this, Concubine Beijing looked at Zhen Hua thoughtfully, groaned, and nodded, "Okay, I'll let Keqing take you around later."
Zhen Hua got permission from Concubine Beijing, and immediately asked Keqing warmly, "Sister Qin, can you take me around the palace when you have time?"
Keqing, who had been keeping her head down, was stunned when she heard this. Although she had entered the mansion earlier, she had rarely been to the garden. How could she lead the way?
But since Concubine Beijing agreed, she knew she couldn't refuse, so she stood up and said, "If Sister Zhen wants to go, I am willing to lead the way."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Hua said in a clear voice, "Then I'll have to trouble Sister Qin."
Concubine Beijing did not say much about this. She looked at Shui Rong with her beautiful eyes and said unhappily, "Brother Rong, what about you? What are you going to do later?"
Shui Rong, however, has no job and is an idle prince. Although he has plenty of other things, he has plenty of free time. She wants to see it. Since her beloved one has gone, why wouldn't Shui Rong go?
"I heard that the flowers in the garden are in full bloom. I have nothing to do, so I might as well go for a walk. Mother, come with me."
Since we are going, let's go together. Since we have nothing to do, we can just enjoy the flowers and just enjoy our leisure time.
Chapter 22 Garden Tour
In the garden of Prince Beijing's Palace, there are towering ancient trees, standing rocks of strange shapes, surrounding mountains and water, pavilions, terraces, and winding corridors. The scenery inside is so beautiful that it is no less beautiful than that of the imperial palace.
Shui Rong strolled on the gravel path. Zhen Hua and Keqing followed closely behind him, one on the left and one on the right, holding scented fans in their hands and taking lotus steps. Shui Rong took them for a stroll, which was quite pleasant. As for Concubine Beijing, she went to Ning'an Hall to worship Buddha.
Seeing the sweat on their foreheads, their breaths slightly off, and their delicate faces flushed, Shui Rong suggested, "We've been walking around for a long time and we're a little tired. Let's go to the pavilion in front and take a rest."
The two had already felt a little tired, but they were not in a position to speak. Seeing Shui Rong took the initiative to propose, the two nodded in agreement. Zhen Hua took a breath and said in a clear voice, "Everything is decided by my cousin."
Shui Rong glanced at Zhen Hua from the side. At first glance, Zhen Hua gave him the impression of being gentle, docile, graceful and well-mannered. In addition, she was very beautiful. It seemed that she could be a suitable wife. However, thinking about the mess in the Zhen family, he gave up the idea.
Zhen Hua saw Shui Rong looking at her sideways with a slightly drunk face, so she quickly lowered her brows and eyes, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling with stars.
Shui Rong didn't say much when he saw this. He led the two of them towards the pavilion. After walking a few steps, they saw a pavilion standing in the distance. It was surrounded by clear lake water, which reflected its beauty.
"This is the pavilion in the middle of the lake, surrounded by water and with beautiful scenery. There is a lotus pond on the north bank. Every summer, the lotus flowers are in full bloom and the fragrance fills the pavilion, making people feel relaxed and happy. It's just a pity that it's not the right season yet." Shui Rong acted as a guide, leading the way while introducing the beautiful scenery.
Shui Rong paused, looked back at Zhen Hua, and said, "Cousin, the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River are famous for their waterscapes, where water and rocks complement each other. I'm sure this kind of pavilion in the middle of a lake is commonplace."
The style of gardening is popular in the south of the Yangtze River. Every wealthy family has a garden at home. The craftsmanship is sophisticated, and they often use winding paths, covered bridges, and pavilions to connect these buildings together. Furthermore, between the buildings, water surfaces, and paths, various flowers and trees, screen walls, lattice windows, stone piles and other elements are used to embellish them, making the whole garden different with every step, and different scenery can be appreciated.
Because Jiangnan gardens are world-famous, the garden of Prince Beijing’s Palace was built by craftsmen from Jiangnan and imitated the Jiangnan style. For Zhen Hua, who was born in Jiangnan, the garden scenery must have been nothing strange.
Zhen Hua looked up, groaned, and said softly: "Cousin, most of the gardens in Jiangnan are small and delicate, elegant and beautiful, but the royal palace is different. It looks grand and rugged, heavy and steady, with a unique flavor."
Shui Rong nodded slightly. Most of the gardens in the south of the Yangtze River are private gardens. They are cleverly planned and exquisitely designed. They reproduce real natural landscapes in a limited space, seeing the big picture from the small. In contrast, the garden of the Beijing Prince's Palace covers a larger area and is quite gorgeous. Both have their merits.
Without saying much, he led the two of them from the boat-shaped bridge on the side towards the pavilion. Inside the pavilion, several people sat down leaning against the railings. Zhen Hua and Keqing breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they sat down. Seeing this, Shui Rong couldn't help laughing. If you can't bear it, just say it. Why bother to hold on? He is not a rude person. Zhen Hua had just entered the palace, so it's okay for her to be ignorant, but Keqing shouldn't be like this, it seems strange.
Not long after we sat down, Xiao Fuzi came over with a tray containing exquisite bean cakes.
Shui Rong saw this and said, "The lake is full of greedy fish. You can use the bean cakes to lure them out. It would be nice to have a look."
Since there is a lake, there are naturally fish. The entire lake is filled with living water. During the Daqian Dynasty, the emperor had to give permission to introduce living water into the capital's residences, and the Prince of Beijing's Mansion was one of the few palaces that enjoyed this honor. As for the introduction of living water into the Jia family's Grand View Garden in the original novel, it might have been a favor from the emperor, or it might have been a violation of the rules.
The two of them were quite interested when they heard it. They reached out and picked up a piece of bean cake. They broke off a small piece with their slender fingers and threw it into the lake. Soon, layer upon layer of ripples appeared on the surface of the lake. Red, white and yellow fish were flipping up and down in the water, like a changing colorful cloud. This scene caused the two beauties to smile slightly, and it was a different kind of scenery.
"What a greedy fish." Keqing saw that as soon as the bean cake fell into the water, it was snatched into the mouth of the fish in an instant. Some fish seemed to be anxious, and their whole body jumped out of the water, like a crescent moon passing through the sky, and swallowed the fish food in one gulp. She couldn't help but laugh.
Shui Rong quietly watched the two people feeding the fish. Their every move revealed the figure of a girl, especially Keqing, whose buttocks were round and full, like a crescent moon.
Zhen Hua's attention was not on feeding the fish. She turned around and saw Shui Rong looking at them. Her face was slightly red. She held up a scented fan and half covered her face. She whispered, "Cousin, I see these fish are all koi. Could it be that all the fish in this huge lake are raised with koi?"
Koi is easy to raise. It has a strange posture and bright colors (usually golden yellow). It has a beautiful shape and can beautify the environment. It is very popular among people. Therefore, dignitaries build gardens and fish ponds and send people to search for koi to raise.
Shui Rong nodded and said, "Yes, the fish in the lake are all koi, and there are about 80,000 golden koi."
Although there are red and white fish in the lake, it is also a golden koi. It’s just that the fish has changed its color due to the environment, but the species remains unchanged.
"Eighty thousand golden koi." Zhen Hua was amazed when she heard this. You know, koi are quite rare and valuable, but they are just ornamental animals and there is no need to raise so many. Her Zhen family is also a wealthy family, and even if all their money turned to mud, they would not be so extravagant.
Shui Rong knew what Zhen Hua meant, but the koi in the pond were not raised by him. Instead, they were the masterpiece of the old Prince Beijing. He must have wanted to see other people's surprised expressions to express the dignity of the Prince Beijing's Mansion. This was just vanity at work.
But I have to say that Zhen Hua's surprised expression makes people feel happy. Could it be that he is also vain?
Shaking his head, Shui Rong said no more. They were in a good mood for a while. However, Shui Rong looked at Zhen Hua leaning on the railing, twisting her feet in her cream satin beaded shoes, with a strange look on her face and a look of restlessness. He couldn't help but ask with concern: "Cousin, are you feeling unwell?"
Zhen Hua's face turned red when she heard that. She hung her head and said nothing, like a quail. How could she answer? Could it be that she drank too much tea in the morning? How could she even bring herself to say that?
Thinking that her cousin knew the reason, Zhen Hua felt numb all over and wanted to find a rat hole to crawl into. She wanted to leave immediately.
"No, it's okay." Zhen Hua covered her face with the scented fan in her hand and replied in a trembling voice.
It was so hard to travel with my long-cherished cousin, how could I give up halfway? However, it was really hard to cover the dam. After thinking it over again and again, Zhen Hua stood up and said, "Cousin, I'm a little tired, and I'll go back first."
Shui Rong nodded slightly when he heard this and did not try to persuade her to stay. He thought it was better for her to leave so as to avoid any inconvenience. However, looking at Zhen Hua's hurried steps, he felt a little puzzled. If she was not tired, how could she walk so fast?
Chapter 23: Jia Baoyu's Happiness, I Understood
Shaking his head, Shui Rong ignored it and his eyes fell on Keqing. The lake was wide, the breeze was gentle, and the belt around her waist fluttered in the wind, adding a touch of quiet beauty.
Keqing noticed Shui Rong's gaze and her heart started beating like a deer. She lowered her brows and twisted the embroidery handkerchief in her hands. He was fine before, why did he suddenly want to eat people?
Just when Keqing was at a loss, a dark shadow on the floor tiles came over, causing Keqing to tremble suddenly.
"Keqing, why didn't you use the peach blossom dew I gave you yesterday?" Shui Rong sat next to Keqing. The girl's fresh fragrance filled his nose, which made Shui Rong's heart flutter.
Shui Rong bought three lipsticks yesterday. Yingluo was applied by Shui Rong himself this morning, and he tried something new. Keqing had a light makeup on her face and did not apply "peach blossom dew". The rest were applied by Zhen Hua on her own initiative. As the saying goes, women dress up to please themselves. They have bought the lipsticks but don't know how to show them off. So what lipstick should Shui Rong buy?
Keqing glanced at Shui Rong when she heard this, then lowered her eyes and whispered, "I haven't used up the lipstick from before. When it's used up, I'll apply it on the prince."
Shui Rong's mouth curled up slightly when he heard that. Yesterday he said that he wanted Keqing to put on lipstick for him to see. It seemed that he took it to heart. This was a change in attitude, which was very good. Perhaps they could go further.
"But I want to see it now." Shui Rong reached out and took Keqing's soft hand, stroking it gently. It was soft and smooth, like silk, making people unable to let go.
Keqing was not surprised by Shui Rong's abruptness. Whenever the two of them were together, the prince would always like to warm her hands.
She was a little shy when listening to Shui Rong's request. After a moment, Ke Qing raised her autumn-water eyes and said in a clear voice: "But the lipstick is in the warm room, how about..."
At this point, Keqing lowered her eyes and whispered, "Why don't I apply it later and show it to the prince."
Shui Rong chuckled, thinking it was a big deal, and turned around and ordered: "Shuangjiang, go get Keqing's peach blossom dew."
Upon hearing this, Keqing raised her eyes and glanced at Shuangjiang, but didn't say anything. After all, it was the prince who wanted to see it.
Frost responded and went back to get the peach blossom dew. However, Yingluo, who was standing beside her, curled her lips and cursed in her heart, thinking, what's the point of putting on lipstick? It's just eating, and her heart is not what she said.
Thinking of this, Yingluo recalled the scene in the early morning. Her cheeks flushed, her bright almond eyes moved, and her delicate body softened.
Shui Rong did not notice Ying Luo's abnormality. He just took Ke Qing's hand and stood up, saying softly, "Ke Qing, let's go to the pavilion in front and rest."
There is also a long corridor by the water of the Lake Center Pavilion, which is connected to a two-story pavilion on the shore. Standing on the pavilion and looking out, you can have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery of the Lake Center Pavilion. Every summer, Shui Rong would move in temporarily to stay there to escape the heat.
How could Keqing refuse at this moment? She followed Shui Rong in a panic to the front of the pavilion, where she saw the words "Xiaoqiao Renjia" printed on a tall plaque, which was obviously the name of the pavilion.
As you step in, you will find the pavilion is magnificent with carved beams and painted buildings, fully displaying the royal style.
Shui Rong led Keqing to sit on the Luohan bed in the northwest corner. On the table in the middle, Yingluo and others placed tea and fruits.
"Keqing, you seem unhappy today. Is it because your cousin from the Zhen family makes you unhappy?"
Earlier in Ning'an Hall, Concubine Beijing's different treatment made Keqing unable to hide her disappointment, so she needed to be comforted.
Keqing was startled when she heard this. She ignored her panic and said quickly, "My Lord, Sister Zhen is very kind to others. I am not unhappy. Please don't let your imagination run wild."
The people in the palace have already regarded Zhen Hua as the future Princess Beijing. She cannot pierce her spine in front of Shui Rong. If Zhen Hua knew about it, she would have a hard time after entering the palace.
Shui Rong didn't take it seriously. Seeing Keqing's frightened expression, he comforted her gently, "Keqing, I'm telling you the truth. I only treat Zhen's cousin as my cousin. There's nothing more to it."
Although Zhen Hua is good at the moment, Shui Rong is not interested in her. The main reason is the mess in the Zhen family, which makes him worried. Moreover, Shui Rong is not familiar with Zhen Hua, and he just has a good impression of her because of her appearance and speech.
Shui Rong is an adult at heart and has to consider practical issues. Judging from the fate of the Zhen family after their property was confiscated, a marriage between the two families would most likely drag down Prince Beijing's Mansion. In that case, why would Shui Rong seek trouble for himself and step on a landmine?