“I like it too.” Prince Zhou was unwilling to let her go, he flipped through them gently. “Why is there only one red flower on them?”
“Your Highness does not like monotone designs but there is someone that likes it.”
Everything in the bundle was made for Sheng Chumu. Ever since Sheng Chumu returned to Chang’an, she had spent every day working on these. It was only after she almost lost him did she realise that he was more important than anything else. In the past, when he asked her for embroideries, she was always reserved and refused to give more. Now, he didn’t need to ask her.
Prince Zhou found it strange. His eyes suddenly flashed. “Huh? Why are there men’s clothes?”
“Maybe Her Highness wants to give it to someone? Her Highness did not say, and I did not ask.” Fu Rou had already prepared herself for his question.
Prince Zhou’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Is this really for Xinnan?”
“Yes.” She could not hesitate at all. The person in front of her knew how to read people.
“Okay, I want this set of clothes.” Prince Zhou picked it out. Fu Rou blurted, “It's not for you.”
“Today is my birthday.” If not, why would he demand that she met him today. “Is it too much to ask for me to have a set of clothes you personally made for a birthday gift?”
“It is not too much, but this set…” This set does not belong to him.
Prince Zhou, however, had already worn the clothes. He lowered his eyes and assessed himself. “It fits just right.”
Fu Rou panicked. “For Your Highness’ birthday, it is natural for you to ask the Seamstress Department to make you a new set of clothes. However, we have rules and cannot do as we please. When I get back, I will immediately make a set for you. However, Your Highness has to return this set to me.”
“I have already worn it. If you want it back, you have to take it off yourself. Come on.” Prince Zhou lifted his elbows calmly.
Fu Rou scolded him internally before packing her bundle and leaving. She could not be bothered to argue with him.
Prince Zhou lowered his head as he looked at his new clothes. Despite having forcibly taken it, he was satisfied.
Fu Rou was fuming as she walked around the lake. How could he do that? It wasn’t his clothes but he forcibly took it. It was like his feelings towards her; it didn’t matter if she wanted it or not, he was forcing it on her. Unfortunately, he was of a high status and she could not offend him.
Fu Rou was distracted by her thoughts. All of a sudden, a black figure jumped in front of her and caused her to shriek in fright.
“Sister-in-law.” Luckily Sheng Chuling shouted in time.
“Sheng Chuling, if you don’t stop scaring people, I will get Chumu to teach you a lesson!” Fu Rou patted her heart.
“I have been wronged. Since when did I want to scare you. I am…” Sheng Chuling felt wronged. He looked left and right, remaining alert. “Guards cannot interact with female officials. I am afraid that someone would see us, so I hid to wait for you.”
Fu Rou knew this too and quickly handed the bundle over to Sheng Chuling. “Help me pass this to your Elder Brother.”
Sheng Chuling did not stand on courtesy as he opened it up to have a look. “Two pouches, two spice bags, three fans. Wow, so many. Sister-in-law, you are too generous. If Elder Brother wears all of this, he would be extremely fragrant. If he adds the three fans to his belt, he will look even more imposing.”
Fu Rou laughed, “You dare to make jokes about your brother and me. Be careful or I will hit you.”
Sheng Chuling guffawed, “Sister-in-law, I am helping you deliver things, how can you bear to hit me…”
“Sheng Chuling!” Princess Xinnan’s shout resounded from across the lake.
Fu Rou immediately turned around and rushed off.
Sheng Chuling ran around the lake to Princess Xinnan. “Princess, what a coincidence”
Ever since the Qinglou incident, with the help of the Peace Knot and kite, the relationship between the two have vastly improved.
Princess Xinnan pursed her lips slightly. “Who were you talking to?”
Sheng Chuling snickered, “Why? Are you jealous?”
“Are you going to tell me?” Princess Xinnan became suspicious.
“Actually, I was going to tell you. But with this attitude, hmph, I am not going to.” Sheng Chuling thought to himself that he was not going to give in to her princess attitude.
“What are you holding in your hands?” It was hard not to notice the huge bundle.
“It is not for you anyway.” Why is her attitude still like this? Sheng Chuling decided not to tell her.
Princess Xinnan reached out to snatch it from him. Sheng Chuling gripped it even tighter. In the midst of their fight, the bundle tore and the things in it fell out. Sheng Chuling bent over to pick it up. When he saw that the spice bag was covered in dust, he quickly tried to dust and blow it off. This made Princess Xinnan even angrier.
“You are not allowed to pick it up!” Princess Xinnan stomped.
“You are unreasonable. I already said it is not for you, but you purposely tried to snatch it. Now, you don’t allow me to pick it up?”
Princess Xinnan shouted, “That’s right, you are not allowed to! I am ordering you to throw all these disgusting things into the water now.”
“Ridiculous.” Sheng Chuling turned to walk away.
Princess Xinnan glared at Sheng Chuling’s retreating back, wanting him to look back. However, he very quickly disappeared from sight.
Princess Xinnan fumed as she asked Zhenzhu to call for guards nearby. She then asked the guards which palace maids had been around. The guards replied that there were no palace maids, just Head Seamstress Fu.
Princess Xinnan froze initially before recalling that Fu Rou was the one that brought the peace knot to her. So Fu Rou acted like she was helping her on the surface but was actually seducing Sheng Chuling behind her back? Good! Very good! She wanted to see whether a female official would win over her, a princess!
Chapter 22.1: Hidden Treasure
The peony in Duke Lu Residence bloomed once again. Sheng Chumu sat on the steps in the front courtyard, laughing bitterly at the garden. He recalled when his father chased him to scold him and he escaped to Guangzhou, meeting Fu Rou there. A year had passed since then. Not only has he not returned with a beauty, the more time passed, the less he got to see her. Meeting her was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
“Elder Brother, I am back!” Sheng Chuling ran over with a huge bag in hand.
Sheng Chumu did not move as his eyes filled with resentment. Who would have thought that Sheng Chuling would like Princess Xinnan. That brat was actually capable and went into the palace to become a guard. Although his position was low, he could enter the interior palaces easily and meet with the person he likes everyday. Tsk, if he had known this, he would have followed his brother to become a guard. What general? If he could stay by Fu Rou’s side, he would do anything. However, climbing a mountain was easier than getting off. He could not simply tell the Emperor that he did not want to be a general and just wanted to be a guard.
Seeing how Sheng Chumu had no reaction, Sheng Chuling’s eyes flashed. He hugged the bag and laughed sinisterly, “Elder Brother, do you know what this is?”
Sheng Chumu looked at Sheng Chuling with jealousy in his eyes, his tone was bad, “Hurry and say what you want!”
"I had to take a huge risk to get this. I crossed mountains and oceans -” Sheng Chuling opened his mouth, “Sister-in-law gave this to you!”
When Sheng Chumu heard him, he immediately snatched the bundle over. He quickly opened it and his eyes lit up. He could tell that all these embroideries were made personally by Fu Rou! Rou’er knew that he really loved her work and he had to spend so much effort just to get them in the past. Now, she literally prepared embroideries for him to don on from head to toe. He could tell that Rou’er was also missing him from the palace.