Would You Like to Have a Drink

When he came out of the hall, it was already evening.

Before long, it would be the curfew time in the imperial city.

As the crown prince, the curfew was nothing more than a formality to him, but after all, it was too impolite to visit others after the curfew, let alone under the circumstance of not sending a Baitie, to request to see an unmarried girl. Although the customs of the Great Yuan were open, Zong Luo did not want to cause any trouble for Miss Shen.

He returned to Yuchun Palace, just about to order his servants to bring up Zhao Yebai, but he heard a palace attendant report, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, Miss Shen from the Ting Wei Mansion is asking an audience outside the palace.”

These two days, the imperial city was under martial law, and unrelated people could not even leave their houses, let alone enter the Imperial Palace. Although Shen Xinyue could come out of the Ting Wei Mansion, she could not step into the Imperial Palace, so she had to ask the eunuch to come in and pass the message.

Shen Xinyue coming at this time, it could only be for the same thing.

Zong Luo calmed his mind and immediately ordered his servants to prepare tea in the courtyard of Yuchun Palace.

The palace attendants took the order and quickly set up an elegant bamboo table in the pavilion in the courtyard for temporary guests. The table was burning with incense, and on it was tea at just the right temperature, and some snacks were placed in the dish.

Today, Shen Xinyue was still wearing that heroic Hu costume. The curved knife and bow and arrow on her body were searched out when she entered the palace, and even the maid could not be brought in, she was alone.

When she saw Zong Luo, she bowed and saluted. “This minister’s daughter pays respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The person in front of her was tall and straight, with a slender figure, wearing a snow-white robe, with only beautiful golden patterns embroidered at the cuff. The silver-white hair was tied up and hung behind him, making him look even more otherworldly.

Shen Xinyue suddenly lost her words.

The last time they met, she was on the tower of the Imperial City, and he was on the horse returning back to the court.

It was only a few months since the day of the outing, Yu Country was taken down, and at Hanmen Pass fighting with Lord Wu An, every time it was reported back to the Imperial City, no one did not praise it.

It was clearly a triumphant return to the court, but for some reason, when Shen Xinyue was leaning on the railing of the tea house, her eyes touched this head of white hair, but she only felt sad.

It was precisely because of this that she was deliberating whether to try again.

As a result, after only a few days of hesitation, once the Witch Sacrificial Ceremony was over, he became the golden and precious Crown Prince. The distance between them, which was already immeasurably far, became even more distant.

“Miss Shen? Miss Shen?”

The sound of her name being called in a voice as clear and cold as broken jade brought her back to her senses.

Shen Xinyue composed herself, “Your Highness, this minister’s daughter came here this time for the matter of Emperor Yuan’s marriage decree.”

This matter was originally proposed by Shen Xinyue herself to her grandfather.

In the Great Yuan, men and women value mutual consent, even in the case of a marriage decree, they would not arbitrarily matchmake. Originally, it was Shen Xinyue’s wishful thinking, wanting to give it a try. During the spring outing, she also felt that the Third Highness had no romantic feelings for her.

Unexpectedly, when her grandfather came back, he said that Emperor Yuan was quite satisfied with her, which reignited Shen Xinyue’s hope.

Unfortunately, at that time, the Third Highness left without saying goodbye and went directly to the front line. When he came back, before the Ting Wei could say much, after the Crown Prince’s ceremony, Emperor Yuan actually directly asked for Shen Xinyue’s opinion. He said that if there were no other mistakes, the decree could be issued directly in the next few days.

Shen Xinyue felt dazed, as if she was in a dream.

However, after the ecstasy passed, she calmed down and finally decided to come in person.

She was never the kind of person to be coy, if she liked someone, she would tell them. As long as the Third Highness was willing, feelings could naturally be cultivated in the future. If he was unwilling, then it was a case of destined to meet but not fated to be together, it was better to make things clear, so as not to leave any regrets.

Just after she said this, the Crown Prince in white across from her said in a low voice, “Miss Shen is thoughtful. I was just about to leave the palace for this matter. I didn’t expect Miss Shen to beat me to it, I am truly ashamed.”

Shen Xinyue could only smile bitterly, “If Your Highness is looking for this minister’s daughter, then perhaps it is the answer I don’t want to hear.”

Zong Luo was taken aback, he neither denied nor admitted, “Miss Shen, if you don’t mind, shall we move to the pavilion for a chat?”

After they arrived at the pavilion, the palace maids carefully helped to pour the tea, and lanterns were placed on both sides of the ground.

At this time, the sun was gradually setting, and the sun was a decadent deep red.

Inside the pavilion, one in white and one in pink, sitting opposite each other. From a distance, they complemented each other, looking like a pair of immortal lovers, harmonious to the point of almost hurting the eyes.

Zong Luo took a sip of hot tea, and as he looked up, he seemed to see a touch of crimson robe in the distance. It was only for a moment. After that moment, the color that was more decadent than the sunset disappeared without a trace, so fast that it was like an illusion.

He looked at it for a while, suppressing the bad premonition in his heart, and then he said, “This is the case, Miss Shen. I am honored by your affection, but there is already someone in my heart.”

As expected.

Shen Xinyue’s heart sank to the bottom.

In fact, this was what Zong Luo had decided to say from the beginning.

He thought it would be difficult for him to say it, but in fact, when it really came to this moment, it was not a difficult thing to say.

Perhaps the origin of all this was even earlier than he had imagined.

As early as when he opened the book “Would You Like to Have a Drink”, he was fascinated by the protagonist’s character setting.

A masochistic, crazy critic batch younger brother, who doesn’t like that?

Such a bewitching paper man, it’s as if he was grown on Zong Luo’s xp point.

Even after transmigrating inside the book, Zong Luo, while packing up and running away, couldn’t help but oppose Yu Beizhou, the son of fate. He couldn’t deny that the latter indeed had a great attraction to him.

This attraction was mutual, not only Zong Luo, he believed Yu Beizhou also had the same feeling.

There was a kind of elusive attraction between them, almost soul-stirring tension. To give a simple example, if they stood together, even if they didn’t get close, they seemed to become one, excluding everyone else, and their eyes would only have each other.

It’s fate, and it’s inevitable. In the words of a science student, it’s like the gravitational pull between two equal-mass planets in the universe, attracting each other, existing as soon as they exist, and unavoidable.

But the past Zong Luo cared too much about the original text, cared about those male supporting characters who coveted Yu Beizhou, did not put himself in a high god’s perspective, even if he noticed it, he always warned himself not to step over the thunder pond. Plus some reasons of not losing face to the archenemy and difficulty of speaking out, of course, the most important thing was the truth and hatred that ran through them. This created the current scene.

(t/n: thunder pond-not overstepping the prescribed limits; to remain within bounds)

Zong Luo calmly and honestly analyzed his heart. “However, I already know. No matter what, I can’t live with this person, harmoniously.”

In the past, Zong Luo once naively thought it was possible.

When he hadn’t figured out his feelings, or noticed the clues but didn’t want to admit it, he asked that sentence ‘Do you like me?’ The original intention was to stab Yu Beizhou, but it was also considered self-questioning.

Who would have thought that this sentence became the thread that ignited hatred.

Zong Luo gave Yu Beizhou a stab, and Yu Beizhou returned it. These two stabs were too cruel, the white knife went in, the red knife came out, the fire that was about to ignite was about to extinguish, and blood dripped profusely.

Then came what could be described as a long torment.

Just when Zong Luo decided not to think anymore, why he asked that ambiguous question that night, the hand holding his ankle in the dark room rekindled the faint flame.

Perhaps, they are harboring the same feelings?

More than once, Zong Luo thought so.

It’s just that the returned to normal Yu Beizhou gave him another bucket of cold water.

As long as the water was cold enough, it could freeze the ashes left after the raging fire.

Shen Xinyue opened her eyes wide, finding it hard to believe what he said.

“Your Highness is a man of great talent and disposition, how could anyone bear to reject you?”

“Miss Shen misunderstood, it has nothing to do with another person.”

Zong Luo shook his head with a smile. “It’s just that I don’t want to, can’t, and won’t.”

He had his own persistence and pride.

Now as the crown prince, he couldn’t do anything beyond his status.

Most importantly, Zong Luo himself was unwilling.

He admitted that he had given Yu Beizhou enough soft-heartedness and tolerance. The latter also remembered everything that happened in the dark room that night, but still looked indifferent. It’s enough to make people feel cold and disappointed.

Even if Zong Luo was moved, he didn’t need to rush to make a fool of himself. Their feelings have not progressed to that point, even if Zong Luo calmly said that there was someone in his heart, it was just a realization of his own heartbeat, far from favorable impression, far from liking, there was a long, long distance.

“So I’m sorry. Even if this decree comes down, I can’t give Miss Shen a wholehearted promise, it’s better to refuse earlier, not to delay Miss Shen from finding a good match.”

Zong Luo lowered his eyes and stared at the broken leaves floating in the teacup. “Zong has already been honest about everything. But if Miss Shen insists, I will also abide by my duty, without any complaints.”

Finally, it came to this step.

Even though he repeatedly said that he would shoulder his own responsibilities and give Miss Shen the right to choose in the matter of the marriage decree, in Zong Luo’s heart, he still did not want to accept that decree.

Because of that unspoken liking, and also because of responsibility.

If it weren’t for Yu Beizhou, Zong Luo would certainly not defy the decree.

Just as Emperor Yuan said, this was purely a political marriage, where feelings have to be cultivated after marriage. It’s best if they could fall in love, if not, mutual respect was also very good.

But in Zong Luo’s heart, marriage was a sacred thing. Even if it’s a political marriage, before the marriage, one must be unattached in order to accept the decree. Otherwise, it would be irresponsible to others.

The pavilion was completely silent.

From beginning to end, Shen Xinyue did not take a sip of the tea in front of her, until the steam rising from the tea disappeared, and it was no longer visible.

After a long time, she said softly, “Your Highness, these words, you didn’t have to tell me originally.”

With the emperor’s love for the crown prince, it’s just a matter of rejecting a marriage decree, what’s so difficult?

Zong Luo: “I know. But I think Miss Shen has the right to know. And I am the one who is guilty in this matter, even if I want to refuse the marriage, it should be proposed by Miss Shen.”

The matter of the marriage decree, Emperor Yuan did not hide. But in one day, the Imperial City would receive a lot of rumors.

If Zong Luo were to refuse the marriage, he would be at ease, but Shen Xinyue would be miserable.

This kind of thing was a devastating blow to the reputation of an unmarried girl, even if she was the daughter of the Shen family, it would definitely have a great impact on her search for a future husband.

So it could only be done by Shen Xinyue.

This person is really too gentle.

Whether he is a prince or a crown prince, this gentleness never changes because of his status.

Even if it is so cruel.

Shen Xinyue’s eyes slowly began to turn red.

She sat for a long, long time, like a silent statue, “Your Highness, can you give me some time to consider? I will go back and talk to my grandfather, asking His Majesty not to issue the decree so soon. I just ask Your Highness to give me some time.”