s.h.i.+ Junhe patted Qingxue's head and said helplessly, “Well, you can tell me now.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue smiled sweetly and got to the point. “Father, tell Chi to marry Baoning.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe was shocked and suddenly raised his head, meeting Qingxue's bright eyes. Then he found Baoning's shy and joyful expression. He realized what was going on.

He had known that Qingxue didn't have feelings for Wenren Chi and didn't plan to get them married, but s.h.i.+ Baoning…

“Ning, do you want to marry Chi?”

s.h.i.+ Baoning's face was redder and she lowered her head. After quite a while, she responded in a low voice, “I will listen to you.”

That was not an answer.

s.h.i.+ Junhe had noticed Baoning's secret thoughts long ago, but then they were still young, and he often went out to the battlefields everywhere with Wenren Chi, so he didn't consider this matter.

Now that they mentioned it, s.h.i.+ Junhe thought about it seriously but didn't answer. He said, “I will discuss it with Chi. Ning, you go back first.”

s.h.i.+ Baoning nodded and ignored her little sister, running away.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue stared openmouthed and was about to call Baoning when she found that s.h.i.+ Junhe was looking at her with a complex expression.

“What's the matter?” she asked.

s.h.i.+ Junhe sighed deeply. “Qingxue, do you really not like Chi?”

“Father, aren't you going to arrange marriage for Baoning and Chi? Why do you ask me?” s.h.i.+ Qingxue thought there was something wrong with her father.

s.h.i.+ Junhe was unable to reply. Under Qingxue's pure eyes, he couldn't explain to his daughter, “With Baoning's current position, she would live a good life even if she marries some man randomly, but you are different. You won't be favored forever. If you can't marry a good man, you would probably be miserable for a lifetime. And in my opinion, Wenren Chi can be depended on for the rest of your life.”

The ups and downs were difficult to explain. s.h.i.+ Junhe tried to argue the matter off and said the same words, “You go back first, too. I will ask Chi.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue refused to go. “Just ask him. I won't interrupt.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe had no choice. After pondering for a while, he told Wenren Chi to come to the study but didn't ask directly. He said, “I hear that many people want to make a match for you recently. Chi, do you have someone you like?”

Wenren Chi was surprised and subconsciously looked at s.h.i.+ Qingxue. But he looked away after he met her bright eyes. “Father, why do you ask such a question suddenly?”

“Father will make a match for you.” s.h.i.+ Qingxue ended Junhe's euphemistic expression.

Junhe knocked at Qingxue's head and pretended to be angry. “Didn't you say that you wouldn't interrupt?”

Qingxue hurriedly covered her mouth and stepped aside, showing that she wouldn't say anything, but she stared at Wenren Chi and expected his answer.

Wenren Chi hesitated and clenched his fists in the sleeves. But soon he calmed down and said in a hoa.r.s.e and bitter voice, “Qingxue, stop joking.”

Anyone could hear the disappointment and helplessness in his words.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was more confused. “I wasn't joking. Don't you like Baoning? Are you unwilling to marry her?”

Wenren Chi was stunned again and then realized that s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't bring up the old story but wanted to pair him off with Baoning.

For a moment, he was relieved, frustrated and desperate…

He didn't know which emotion got the upper hand. At last, he could neither laugh nor cry. “Don't talk nonsense. Ning is my younger sister.”

He said with equanimity and had never thought of this possibility.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue and Junhe looked at each other and thought it was lucky that he had told s.h.i.+ Baoning to leave earlier.

But at this time, there was a voice from outside the door.

“My Lord, King Rui's eldest son came to see Lady Qingxue. Madam asked me to bring her to meet the guest.”

The three in the room were all astonished. s.h.i.+ Qingxue came back to her senses first and showed a smile automatically. She responded, “Okay, I am coming.”

Then she met two men's inquiring eyes. She felt guilty for no reason and explained in a hurry, “I didn't ask him to come.”

Suddenly s.h.i.+ Qingxue felt it rather baffling. Why would she have explained?

Fortunately, s.h.i.+ Junhe was not in the mood to think about it. He waved his hand, gesturing for Qingxue to go out and then looked at Wenren Chi, asking seriously, “Chi, what do you think about the matter we mentioned just now?”

Wenren Chi looked away from the closing door and was asked again. He had to repeat awkwardly, “Ning is my younger sister.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe didn't deny it and nodded, but he then asked, “Do you want to marry her?”

Wenren Chi was speechless.

He wanted to refuse as the fist reaction, but all of a sudden, he remembered Mo Junjiu had told him that he had too few bargaining chips.

Wenren Chi had no idea what answer was right, so he had to be frank. “I have never thought about it.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe nodded and had guessed this answer. He didn't push Wenren Chi but said sincerely, “Chi, I won't say something useless to you. Although you and Ning as well as her sisters are close, like siblings, you are not blood-related. I have brought you up and always want you to marry one of my daughters, but it depends on you whether you are willing.

Just go back and think it over. No matter what happens, you are my good son.”

n.o.body knew what was on Wenren Chi's mind. He had a stiffened expression and nodded after quite a while, answering seriously, “I see. I will give you a reply after I think it over.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe gave a nod with satisfaction and continued, “You just told me about sending armed force to suppress bandits. It is imperative but we can't be rash. What's more, the situation in the capital city is unstable recently. I will be worried if we leave Qingxue and others in my mansion. Let's talk about it later.”

Wenren Chi opened his mouth and tried to persuade him, but he thought of something and stopped himself. “Okay.”

Mo Junyang took s.h.i.+ Qingxue out of the mansion with a good reason. “Didn't you agree to help me look for a wife?”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue thought for a while and agreed with Mo Junyang. Then she asked Baojing to go out with them.

“Don't you think my sister Baojing is nice?” she asked and took it for granted, without hiding her intention to pair him off with Baojing.

Mo Junyang couldn't reply.

Mo Junyang might find fault with another girl, but s.h.i.+ Baojing was really nice. She had no weakness except that she was a concubine's daughter and was not favored, which was not what Mo Junyang cared about.

But was it good to say it directly in front of him and s.h.i.+ Baojing? The girl had lowered her head almost to her chest.

s.h.i.+ Baojing pulled Qingxue's sleeve with shyness and said in a low voice, “Qingxue, don't talk nonsense.”

When she spoke, she stole a glance at Mo Junyang.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue chuckled and blinked at Mo Junyang, saying on purpose, “Fine, I was talking nonsense. But it's rare for us to come out. Let's go to the Juxian Pavilion.”

Mo Junyang was quite clear about Qingxue's secret thought but didn't expose her. He thoughtfully led the way, and his warm breath could make anybody happy.

When the three sat down, s.h.i.+ Qingxue couldn't wait to express, “Third Princess's mansion is nearby. I haven't seen Yuzhen for a long time. I am going to visit her first.”

She wanted to leave as soon as they arrived, and her intention was too obvious.

Mo Junyang glanced at her and said indifferently, “Third Princess entered the imperial palace today. She is not in her mansion.”

“…Eh.” A perfect excuse was declined by Mo Junyang, so s.h.i.+ Qingxue had to sit down.

But maybe because s.h.i.+ Baojing was too nervous or too numb, she sat by the window since they entered the private room. She kept silent and just lowered her head, drinking tea, as if she didn't take s.h.i.+ Qingxue's hint.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue had no choice but to break the ice by asking, “What's the date today? Why did Yuzhen enter the palace? Isn't she like a bird out of the cage as soon as she moved to the mansion?”

Mo Junyang shrugged. “The Qingming Festival will come in the next few days. Maybe she wants to hold a spring outing dinner party.”

“Right, I almost forgot it.” s.h.i.+ Qingxue attended a spring outing dinner party last time a few years ago, and she hardly remembered it. Then she turned to Baojing and smiled. “Baojing, do you remember where the spring outing dinner was held last year?”

s.h.i.+ Baojing shook her head silently and then answered softly, “I seldom attend such dinner parties.”

Later she fell into silence again.

However, Mo Junyang changed the topic. “Qingxue, Second Prince also came to this restaurant today. If you don't mind, I will invite him here. Okay?”

The second prince Mo Junwen was born to a low-level concubine, who died many years ago. Now he was raised as Concubine Tao's son, but she had a son, the ninth prince, so she didn't care about this adopted son. She just let him sink or swim on his own. So s.h.i.+ Qingxue was petrified to hear his name.

But soon she nodded repeatedly. “Great. We can have fun with more people.”

Mo Junyang went out to see Mo Junwen.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue couldn't help but complain to Baojing, “Sister, don't you like Mo Junyang? Why did you keep quiet?”

As a matchmaker, she felt embarra.s.sed.

She didn't understand. When the two of them were talking in secret, s.h.i.+ Baojing had expressed that she liked Mo Junyang, but why did she become a coward in front of him?

s.h.i.+ Baojing looked into Qingxue's confused eyes and smiled bitterly. She didn't answer Qingxue's question but asked about something irrelevant. “Why can you call His Excellency's name?”

“Ah? I forgot it.” s.h.i.+ Qingxue hurriedly covered her mouth. Earlier she was relaxed and didn't pay attention to it.

“My dear sister, don't tell Mother. Otherwise, she will teach me a lesson.”

s.h.i.+ Baojing didn't intend to find fault with her but said frustratedly, “But I don't dare to and would never call his name anyway.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was stunned and didn't understand what Baojing meant.

s.h.i.+ Baojing didn't expect her answer but continued, “This is our difference.”

“Baojing, what on earth do you want to say?” Qingxue noticed that Baojing felt something lost, but she couldn't figure out why.

“Nothing.” s.h.i.+ Baojing refused to explain but stood up and smiled. “I suddenly remember that I have something to do and have to go now. Please say sorry to His Excellency for me.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue watched Baojing leave and couldn't stop her. When she was feeling helpless, she saw Mo Junyang come back alone.

“Gee? Didn't you go to invite His Highness?” s.h.i.+ Qingxue looked at Mo Junyang's back and found n.o.body.

Even Second Prince became so arrogant nowadays and didn't accept the invitation?