in2ebook Chapter 174 Backyard Meeting
Chapter 174 Backyard Meeting
"Lili, you don't understand this, right? Who comes to watch singing and dancing for the real purpose? They all have other intentions. So, I can't leave you alone anymore. I'm worried." Murong Yanhui smiled and handed a fruit to Yu Qingli, but he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. It seemed that Lili had really recovered.
After struggling for so long, Yu Qingli did feel a little hungry, so she took the fruit and started to chew it with a crunch.
Seeing this, Murong Yanhui leaned back in his chair with a smile, but his eyes intentionally or unintentionally swept to the several private rooms on the side. Although they were called private rooms, they were separated by latticed windows woven with rattan. People with good eyesight could naturally see into the private room opposite through the gaps in the lattices.
At this time, Murong Yan returned to the box on the left where Murong Feng was sitting, and the box on the right where Murong Cheng was sitting. Both of them seemed to be in deep thought.
Murong Yanhui's thoughts turned slightly, but she didn't care and continued talking about the various music houses in the capital.
Yu Qingli couldn't help but ask, "Murong Yanhui, how come you know so much about the Imperial Capital?"
"Of course I am knowledgeable and talented. Lili, you just discovered it." Murong Yan came over with a playful smile.
Yu Qingli looked at Murong Yan's smiling face and couldn't help but think of his loneliness at that moment in the carriage, and lowered his head in silence.
"What's wrong? Do you find me too handsome and don't dare to look me in the eye?" Murong Yan smiled back.
Yu Qingli finally couldn't help but spit at him, thinking to herself, she must have been blinded by the sight in the carriage just now. Otherwise, with Murong Yanhui's shamelessness, how could he have such a bleak expression?!
After a while, the play began, the stage was brightly lit with candles, and there were bursts of music and singing. Then, many women with slim figures, slender waists and enchanting dancing postures emerged from both sides of the stage.
Almost at the moment when the song and dance started, Murong Cheng suddenly stood up, opened the door and walked out. Murong Feng, who had been listening attentively, immediately noticed it and also opened the door and walked out.
Murong Yan looked back at the two people, chewing the fruit without saying a word.
Murong Cheng was familiar with the route. He walked around several turns on the other side of the second floor and finally arrived at a staircase. He looked back cautiously before walking down the stairs. The stairs were straight and led to the backyard of Jinghong Music House.
The backyard was brightly lit at this time, and the grass and trees seemed to be covered with a layer of frost under the moonlight. A slightly sturdy tree stood in the yard, with nameless flowers blooming.
A gust of night wind blew by, and the flowers on the branches fell onto the head of the graceful woman sitting alone under the tree.
The woman was wearing a deep purple dress. She reached out to pick the flower and looked up at the branch with sadness and loneliness in her eyes, as if she was also lamenting that her youth was as fleeting as the flowers on the branch.
Murong Cheng paused on the stairs. He stared deeply at Liu Jinghong in the courtyard. He felt that such a beautiful scenery was like a fairy banished to the mortal world, and he couldn't bear to disturb her.
Perhaps feeling Murong Cheng's gaze, Liu Jinghong looked up. In just a moment, Murong Cheng clearly saw that the loneliness in Liu Jinghong's eyes suddenly turned into warm joy.
Liu Jinghong stood up and asked softly, "What are you still standing there for?"
Murong Cheng smiled faintly, "I'm afraid of disturbing the beauty."
Liu Jinghong touched his cheek and whispered, "Where did this beauty come from?"
Murong Cheng walked over to Liu Jinghong, took her hand that was caressing his cheek, and said with a smile, "Jinghong, if you are not a beauty, then there are really no beauties in the imperial capital."
"The prince always teases me. There are beauties like flowers in the imperial capital, and there are ladies from noble families everywhere. How can they be compared to a mere Jinghong?" Liu Jinghong pulled her hand away from Murong Cheng, looking lonely.
"Jinghong, with you here, not to mention the women in the capital, even everything in this world will be impressed by you. No matter how beautiful a woman is, she can make fish sink to the bottom of their chests and geese fall to the ground, or how beautiful the moon and flowers are, they cannot compare to you in the slightest." Murong Cheng said it sincerely, which made Liu Jinghong unable to help but feel happy.
But after a moment of joy, he felt sad. After all, they had different identities, and he didn't know how long this kind of meeting could last?
In the past few days, every time she saw him coming happily, she would also feel happy in her heart. Even if she didn't say a word, just sitting there would make her feel comfortable. She was greedy for this warm moment, but every time he left, she felt more and more melancholy.
He was the high and mighty prince, and she was just a dancer whose beauty had faded. There was such a huge difference between them. She knew it herself without anyone telling her that everything before her was just a mirage.
Sighing inwardly, Liu Jinghong whispered, "Actually, the Crown Prince shouldn't have come today!" Then he added, "Not just today, but in the future, you'd better not come here too often!"
Murong Cheng felt as if someone had poured a basin of ice water on his head, and his face suddenly became gloomy.
"Jinghong, are you tired of me?"
Liu Jinghong smiled bitterly, "How could I possibly hate the Crown Prince?! I'm just worried. There's no such thing as a wall that's impenetrable. If the Crown Prince frequently visits the music hall, he'll be treated as a plaything and lose his ambition. Then wouldn't his reputation be..."
"You don't need to worry about this! Jinghong, you should have known my feelings since the first day I met you. I only drink from one of the three thousand rivers! I am not playing with you!"
Murong Cheng's eyes were firm, their gleaming brilliance igniting Liu Jinghong's heart. How could she possibly let down such deep affection? She couldn't help but feel a little aggrieved. Given her status, how could she possibly let it go?
It’s really a dilemma!
Liu Jinghong had no choice but to turn around and leave. There was no future between them.
Murong Cheng was anxious upon seeing this, and said resolutely, "If you really care so much about the constraints of your status, then tomorrow I will petition my father and ask him to give up the position of Crown Prince. There are many people in the court eyeing this position, and it doesn't have to be me!"
Liu Jinghong turned around in panic upon hearing this. How could he lose his position as Crown Prince because of her?!
"Your Highness, you must not do this!"
Murong Cheng looked calmly into Liu Jinghong's eyes with a stern face. "If it's for the woman I love, I'm willing to be just an ordinary man."
Liu Jinghong sighed inwardly, "This birth is destined, how can it be changed at will? Jinghong just feels it's not worth it, it's not worth it for His Highness! Jinghong was born in a humble family, and her beauty has faded. How can she be worthy of the Crown Prince's love?!"
Murong Cheng snorted coldly, "They are nothing but excuses. There are so many people in this world who are well-matched but appear to be in love but are not together in spirit. Besides, how can fate be measured by birth and age? I have no other wishes in this life except to find someone who loves me and grow old with me!"
Liu Jinghong was moved and was about to speak when Murong Cheng reached out and hugged him in his arms, "Jinghong, from the moment I saw you, I knew that you were my calamity!"
"Your Highness!"
Tears slid down Liu Jinghong's cheeks, staining her makeup. Whatever! It didn't matter if she, Liu Jinghong, lived for herself once! No matter what, she would never let such deep affection down!
After secretly making a decision in his heart, Liu Jinghong reached out and hugged Murong Cheng's waist.
Even if nothing was said, this action was worth a thousand words, and Murong Cheng was extremely happy.
Holding the warm and beautiful girl in his arms, Murong Cheng couldn't help but feel his heart fluttering. In addition, the cool wind at night brought the scent of lilac flowers on Liu Jinghong's hair into his nose. The scent seemed to carry Liu Jinghong's special body odor, and Murong Cheng was extremely familiar with it, which made Murong Cheng greedily take a few deep sniffs.
"Why did you suddenly come here today? Didn't you always send someone to notify us in the past?" Liu Jinghong adjusted his mood and asked while putting his arm around Murong Cheng's waist.
Murong Cheng frowned and told everything that happened today.
Liu Jinghong couldn't help but say, "I never thought that Yuezhao Temple, which has always had such a good reputation, would actually do such dirty things behind the scenes."
"Yes, if we hadn't discovered it today, no one would have thought of it." Murong Cheng also nodded.
Liu Jinghong thought for a moment and then asked, "Then how does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince plan to deal with this matter?"
Murong Cheng said without hesitation, "It's only because Crown Prince Tang Yi is here today that we can't lose face for our country. Otherwise, why would I personally take action on such a trivial matter?"
Liu Jinghong hurriedly pushed Murong Cheng away and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me for being so nosy."
Murong Cheng gently brushed away Liu Jinghong's hair and said with a smile, "What's the point of talking about atonement between you and me? Feel free to say it."
Liu Jinghong still knelt respectfully on the ground, and refused to get up no matter how Murong Cheng pulled her. Finally, Murong Cheng had no choice but to say, "Jinghong, if you have something to say, please get up and tell me. No matter what it is, I will definitely agree to it."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jinghong stood up and said, "Your Highness, the incident at Yuezhao Temple may not be a major event compared to national affairs, but it affects the lives of ordinary people and has aroused their anger. You ordered the imprisonment of all the monks at Yuezhao Temple, and this has already won the support of the people. However, if Your Highness is careless and hastily resolves this matter, it will undoubtedly disappoint the people."
Murong Cheng was silent for a long time after hearing this, and then asked, "Jinghong means that I should handle this matter properly and win the favor of the people?"
Liu Jinghong nodded. "Only in this way can His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's position become more and more stable. As the saying goes, he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world."
Murong Cheng thought about it. Although he felt that Liu Jinghong was making a fuss, he still wanted to please Liu Jinghong. He hugged Liu Jinghong in his arms and said lovingly, "Okay, okay, okay, Jinghong, you are right. I will send someone to deal with this matter tomorrow, okay?"
When Murong Cheng said "OK", he put his whole mouth on Liu Jinghong's cheek and took the opportunity to steal a kiss. When facing the one he loves, it is inevitable that he can't help himself!
Liu Jinghong hit Murong Cheng's chest a few times in a coquettish manner. Murong Cheng's eyes darkened, and there was no trace of his usual indifference. His handsome face was full of tenderness, and he held Liu Jinghong's hand in his.
With the beauty in his arms and the soft hand in his hand, Murong Cheng's mind was distracted. The two of them snuggled up together under the tree, their breathing gradually becoming heavier, and they didn't notice the peeping figure at the top of the stairs at all.