Chapter 180
Murong Xue answered in a soft voice, "Yes . I feel much better now . " She gently touched her wound beneath the silk handkerchief . The pain in her left arm was completely gone . Now the wound was a little itchy as it was healing .
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Ouyang Shaochen looked at her and asked, "Can you bear a long journey?"
"If I travel by carriage and the road is flat, I can bear a long journey . But if I have to ride a horse, I'm afraid that I can't travel too far . . . " answered Murong Xue . She looked up at Ouyang Shaochen and asked, "Why do you ask me this question?"
"His Majesty is going to Mountain Resort with the Empress, imperial concubines and princes . The third-ranked officials and above can bring with their wives and children . . . " Ouyang Shaochen replied .
"Really?" Murong Xue's eyes lit up . After the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather became hotter with each passing day . There was no air-conditioner in ancient times, so she was hot and sweaty every day at noon . "I want to go to Mountain Resort!" she said decisively .
Ouyang Shaochen looked at her injured left arm, frowned slightly and said, "Mountain Resort is more than 30 miles away from here . Your wound . . . "
"My wound is not deep . We can take a horse-drawn carriage and travel slowly . I will be okay . . . " she said eagerly . For fear that Ouyang Shaochen wouldn't believe her, Murong Xue reached out and was about to remove the silk handkerchief which was wrapped around her left arm . "Look at my wound . It is healing nicely . . . "
"Don't touch your wound . " Ouyang Shaochen caught her hand and stopped her from remove the handkerchief . He looked into her eyes and beheld eagerness . At last, he sighed with profound resignation and compromised, "Since you want to go to Mountain Resort, you have to wash and dress as quickly as possible . We shall set out at 9 o'clock . "
"Ah!" Murong Xue was dazed for a second, then glanced at the hourglass on the bedside table and exclaimed, "The departure time is approaching . "
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"That's why I asked you to be quick . " Ouyang Shaochen cast a glance at her as if to say, "Why are you so silly?"
Murong Xue's face clouded, as she said fiercely, "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
"I tried, but you were too soundly asleep to hear me," Ouyang Shaochen said helplessly .
"You . . . " His reply choked her off . Murong Xue glared at him with anger . She was very sensitive to disturbance . If Ouyang Shaochen had attempted to awaken her, she would have woken up early . However, in fact, she had been sleeping until a few minutes ago . So, he must be lying . . .
"His Majesty will soon set out . Now get moving . Otherwise, we will be late for this journey," Ouyang Shaochen said with a casual air . A teasing smile formed onto his lips .
Murong Xue gave him a dirty look, threw back the quilt and got out of bed reluctantly . Then she took a suit of clothes from the wardrobe and went behind the folding screen .
Sounds of water came from behind the screen . With a flicker of amusement in his bright black eyes, he thought, 'She is seldom in such a hurry . . . "
Before long, Murong Xue in a purple dress walked out from behind the folding screen . Her beautiful face was clean and rosy; her black eyes were clear and chilly; her figure was long and slim . She walked towards him, like a willow branch swaying in the wind . Her long hemline brushed the smooth and clean floor .
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A glint of affection passed through his eyes . Ouyang Shaochen quietly watched her coming closer . She caught him by the wrist and walked out of the room in a hurry, while saying, "It's getting late . Let's go . " The wind picked up her black hair and a wisp of her hair brushed past his face . Ouyang Shaochen felt a touch of sweetness in his heart .
He blinked unnaturally and asked, "Why didn't you comb your hair?"
"There's no time for me to wear my hair in a bun . Let's go to the carriage first," Murong Xue answered carelessly . She held his wrist tightly and strode forward .
As they approached the gate of Marquis Mansion, they heard a rough voice, "Mother, I told you many times to make salty pastries . Why did you ask the cooks to make so many sweet pastries?"
Murong Xue looked up to see Yuan Fangfei and Mrs . Zhou standing outside the gate and quarrelling furiously .
Mrs . Zhou looked at Yuan Fangfei with disdain and snorted, "Ji'er likes sweet pastries . As his mother, I prepared these pastries for him . Have I done something wrong?"
"Mother, I know you love your son . But don't forget that I'm your future daughter-in-law . When you prepare pastries, you should also think about my taste . I don't have a sweet tooth . I want some salty pastries . . . " Yuan Fangfei looked down at Mrs . Zhou with a haughty look .
Mrs . Zhou sneered in her heart, 'We haven't sent you betrothal gifts . There's not the slightest sign of anything happening yet . But you have already regarded yourself as my daughter-in-law and assumed great airs . You are really a wretched woman utterly without self-knowledge . Ji'er is my son . Of course I will put him first . But you are nothing to me . How dare you ask me to prepare salty pastries for you?"
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Mrs . Zhou snorted contemptuously with an indifferent look and said perfunctorily, "Maybe the cooks were so busy that they forgot to prepare salty pastries for you . Now it's too late . There's no time for them to make your pastries . . . "
"Well, I see . Since it is so, I'm not going to set out . Without salty pastries, I have no mood to travel," Yuan Fangfei said leisurely . She sat down on the steps, leaned her head against the stone lion and crossed her legs . Her leisureliness provoked Mrs . Zhou to anger . "Yuan Fangfei, how can you do this?"
"Why can't I do this?" Yuan Fangfei gazed up at Mrs . Zhou, raised her chin and said in an arrogant tone, "It's a long way to Mountain Resort . I can't bear to travel more than 30 miles hungry . "
"You . . . " Mrs . Zhou choked with rage . She tried her best to hold back her anger and soothed herself in her heart, 'Ji'er hasn't got a place in the military camp yet . I shouldn't offend Yuan Fangfei openly . She's unruly and domineering, but for the sake of Ji'er, I have to bear her for the time being . '
After calming down, she turned to a servant and ordered, "Go to the Riverside Restaurant and buy some salty pastries . "
"Yes madam . " The servant hurried towards the Riverside Restaurant the moment he received the order .
Yuan Fangfei stood up and beamed with satisfaction, "Thank you, mother . "
With a face like thunder, Mrs . Zhou snorted coldly . Then she turned to Murong Ji and exhorted him to be careful on the road . . .
Murong Xue looked at Mrs . Zhou and Yuan Fangfei squabble with a faint smile . With such a bossy daughter-in-law as Yuan Fangfei, Mrs . Zhou wouldn't live a peaceful life in the future . . .
Yuan Fangfei looked up to see Murong Xue and greeted, "Murong Xue!"
"Miss Yuan!" Murong nodded politely and asked, "I remember that you said you were going to the military camp this morning . Why are you still here?"
Yuan Fangfei raised her voice, "His Majesty decreed a new order . We have to leave for Mountain Resort first . I will go to the military camp when I come back . By the way, are you going to Mountain Resort?"
Murong Xue nodded, "Yes . " The Marquis was in the list of officials of the third rank and above . He and his family members were eligible to go to Mountain Resort with the Emperor .
"Let's go together . We can keep each other company on the way," Yuan Fangfei advised in such a loud voice that most people in the street could hear her .
"Okay!" Murong Xue nodded . Although Yuan Fangfei look rugged and wasn't beautiful, she was a person of integrity . She would be a good partner .
"It's time to go," Ouyang Shaochen said coldly . He took Murong Xue's hand, led her to his carriage, and then opened the curtain and pushed her into the carriage .