Chapter 2, Crown Prince (Middle)

Meng Tinghui noticed the young man's expression change slightly, and couldn't help but chuckle. He then walked to the side, chose a table by the window, and sat down, indifferent to the verbal dispute between the two.

Images flashed through her mind, causing her heart to tighten and her breathing to quicken

The Bofeng Building of the Yan family is much quieter today than usual

The waiter hurriedly stepped forward to block the way: "Miss, you may not know, but several distinguished guests have arrived today and have booked the entire second floor. Just look at the people in this hall; are there not many wealthy individuals? However, even the wealthy cannot go upstairs... Miss, perhaps you would consider waiting a little longer..."

Ten years later, he has grown taller and stronger, yet his face remains handsome, his eyes still captivating, and the piece of stone still hangs at his waist. She still lacks the courage to step forward and ask him a single question: what is his name, and will she ever see him again in the future

The young man, not angry, instead followed up with a smile and asked, "May I ask, since you are a student of a women's academy, why have you come to visit a wine house instead of focusing on your studies? Are you aware of how much effort the Emperor initially invested in establishing a hundred women's academies in the country? How can you waste this precious time on ... ... "

"Meng Tinghui?" she exclaimed in surprise

A young man jumped down from the window, walked straight to Yan Fuzhi, and looked her up and down. His expression became somewhat strange as he closed his fan and said: "Looking at your attire, you must be a student from the girls' school in this region, right"

The young man raised an eyebrow and said, "I am not a madman, I..."

Still echoing in my ears

If my body can benefit the people, I shall not hesitate to sacrifice it

She seemed as if she were nailed to the ground, lacking even the courage to ask him a single word.

She shook her head, "It's nothing." Her eyes felt a bit sore from the sunlight, and she surprisingly had the urge to cry. After pausing for a moment, she smiled faintly and said, "Didn’t you say you would take me out for a drink?"

Meng Tinghui, what is wrong with you

The sound of a horse's neighing came from the street, and she looked over to see him mounting the horse and turning the reins.

A brief and cold remark caused the young man to immediately stop smiling, close his mouth, and step back

Yan Fuzhi turned around and saw the same man in the blue robe as before, which made her even angrier. She was about to open her mouth to scold him for eavesdropping on others, but then another person walked out from inside, leaving her momentarily stunned

Yan Fuzhi's face turned crimson with shame, and she quickly turned away, muttering, "Shameless! Disrespectful!" She turned to pull Meng Tinghui, angrily saying, "I will go back and tell my father about this scoundrel's behavior, and then..." However, she found Meng Tinghui in a daze, staring fixedly at the man in the black robe.

She saw clearly, her eyelid twitched suddenly, her whole body shivered, and then without a second thought, she rushed downstairs.

Outside the Bofeng Tower, the sun shines brightly, its golden rays dazzling to the point that one can hardly keep their eyes open

Meng Tinghui

"My son has taken over the entire second floor today; I kindly invite you, Miss, to come downstairs for a visit," said the tall figure, his long arms resting on the staircase railing, his expression devoid of emotion

Yan Fuzhi waited to see him enter the elegant room before turning back and huffing at Meng Tinghui, "You are quite perceptive." The man in the elegant room sounded no more than twenty years old, yet he could make him behave so restrained, which piqued her curiosity, prompting her to glance back a few more times. When she turned back, she found Meng Tinghui in a daze, so she helplessly poked the small wine cup in front of her and said, "I ask you, what is it that you truly care about?"

It is really him

But how could he still recognize her

That person's back is so straight, shoulders so broad, and steps as steady as a picture book

No turning back

Two individuals approached, one in front and the other behind. The tall man who had been guarding the stairway followed them closely, not leaving a step's distance.

Meng Tinghui withdrew his gaze and after a long pause slowly said: "Study, take the imperial examination, and enter the court to serve as an official"

At that moment, she suddenly came to her senses, her heart racing uncontrollably

After all these years, he is the only person she has kept in her heart, but why, upon seeing him now, does it still end up like this

Who would consider marrying someone like her, who is without father, mother, home, or the world

Yan Fuzhi was utterly perplexed and said to Meng Tinghui: "I really don't know where this madman came from"

She is not a beauty; the only thing that can be praised is her vast knowledge. However, if she fails to pass the imperial examination and cannot hold an official position, what use is her knowledge if there is no opportunity to apply it?

... ...

The person wore a black robe and black boots, dressed simply, yet a single white jade hairpin at the back of their head was extremely valuable; their posture was upright, and their face was exceptionally handsome, but the right eye was covered by a piece of black cloth, revealing that they were a one-eyed individual

Ten years later, she wore her hair up and donned the attire of a female student, standing before him in a clean and tidy manner. How could he have imagined that she was the same child from back then

As the three individuals walked past them, the man in the blue robe suddenly stopped, turned sideways, lowered his head, leaned close to Yan Fuzhi's face, and said with a grin

The man wore a cold expression, no longer speaking, his gaze passing over her head and looking straight down.

Meng Tinghui's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but he did not speak again

It is he

Yan Fu pulled Meng Tinghui upstairs, muttering, "What are you frowning for? Don't you know that those who come to Bofeng Building for drinks and meals are precisely after the view from the second-floor windows? Otherwise, why would they come..."

Indeed, Yan Fuzhi's face flushed with anger as she pointed at that person and said: "I am actually asking you a question!"

"Please wait, miss," the young man called out to her, then he glanced disdainfully at the man guarding the staircase.

The hand that hung beside the chair gently closed into a fist

Colorful flags flutter high outside the building, and the red lanterns, bright and eye-catching, hang prominently. Looking up, one cannot see any guests on the second floor, yet the lobby on the first floor is crowded with people, with some even standing and waiting for seats, which strikes one as quite peculiar

She stood still, panting, searching for his figure in all directions

Her response was so straightforward that Yan Fuzhi was left speechless. After a long while, he finally spoke again, almost in a fit of pique: "Since Madam Shen, for so many years, women entering the court to hold official positions have mostly been in places like Honglu Temple and Guanglu Temple. Occasionally, there are those who handle affairs in the Six Ministries, but none have been able to take charge of the two offices again. Other women who wish to take the imperial examination merely seek a few years of glory, yet it seems you are wholeheartedly intent on becoming a high-ranking official, without considering whether it is even possible."

That year, that torrential downpour, that person, that heartfelt remark

There are no jade ornaments at the waist; instead, there hangs a thin piece of black stone, faintly imprinted with patterns. As one moves, it gently sways, concealed within the dark fabric of the robe, and if not observed closely, it is nearly undetectable.

Ten years ago, he picked her up from a pile of corpses, her clothes tattered, her hair disheveled, and her face dirty, her speech unclear; he could not even distinguish whether she was a boy or a girl

He turned to the side, his gaze sweeping over her face without pausing for a moment, then looked at the other two, saying something between his lips, and the three of them urged their horses to leave

Yan Fuzhi cast a sidelong glance and coldly remarked, "Do I have to wait in line just to come home and have a drink?"

Meng Tinghui closed his eyes and said, "No."

Meng Tinghui, however, showed no reaction, his hand clenched as hard as a stone, his gaze following that person all the way, watching him step by step walk towards the stairs, watching him descend step by step, watching him exit step by step

Whose territory is this? Naturally, it belongs to His Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Ping Dynasty

The man remained silent, yet from the open window facing the street came the clear laughter of a man

Meng Tinghui slightly raised his lips, fully aware that Yan Fuzhi was extremely concerned about his reputation. Now, being so disregarded by a servant, how could he swallow this humiliation? Thus, he leaned to the side with the intention of watching the drama unfold.

Several private rooms have been opened on the second floor, and the westernmost room has its door half open and half concealed. One can vaguely see that there are people sitting inside, but their appearances remain unclear.

A young man is leaning by the window, one leg casually resting on the windowsill, holding a jet-black folding fan, gently swaying it. The hem of his light blue brocade robe flutters up and down in the wind, and combined with his flower-like smiling face, it truly evokes a sense of spring.

"Have you never thought about getting married?" Yan Fuzhi fixed her gaze on her, "Back then, Madam Shen, née Shen, was the foremost female official in the court, holding the position of Chief Imperial Censor. In the end, she was still afraid of growing old and being unwanted, so she hastily resigned from her post to marry..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a man's voice coming from the private room over there: "Yanzhi, do not say too much."

In the cold wind and rain of the night, that person held her tightly, their warm breath whispering in her ear, softly saying, "Little girl, do not be afraid, do not cry"

Yan Fuzhi did not expect that person to say such a thing. After a long pause, he turned around and coldly smiled at Meng Tinghui, saying: "Early spring is still chilly, yet there are some who seem to have no sense, fanning themselves and causing a cold wind to blow here. I am no longer interested in this place; let us go downstairs..."

Yan Fuzhi shot him a glare and walked towards Meng Tinghui, spitting out, "Shameless scoundrel."

As Yan Fu stepped over the threshold of the Bofeng Building, the waiter bent down to greet her: "Miss." While saying this, he stole a glance at Meng Tinghui, who was dressed in plain white clothing, and the smile on his face faded slightly: "Miss, you brought a friend, but you didn't inform us in advance..."

Meng Tinghui, upon hearing these words, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and turn to look in that direction

The young lady just made an incorrect statement. Madam Shen, née Shen, did not resign from her official position and marry out of fear of growing old and being unwanted. In the future, do not speak so recklessly again

Yan Fuzhi chased after him, his tone somewhat hesitant

She was so preoccupied with talking behind her that she did not notice a sudden arm extending from the staircase, blocking the path of the two of them. She immediately halted, furrowing her brow and raising her eyes.

The door to the private room was pushed open at just the right moment, and a man's uncontrollable low laughter came through.

Meng Tinghui responded absentmindedly and turned his gaze towards the window

The man understood and respectfully said, "Yes, young master." He then stepped aside.

Yan Fuzhi remained unmoved, still wearing a cold smile: "So this second floor has been reserved by you? You have a pair of beautiful eyes, yet you fail to see how many people downstairs have left in disappointment due to the lack of seats?"

Yan Fuzhi did not pay attention, only pulling Meng Tinghui upstairs: "How strange today, why is there no sound of guests on the second floor?"

The sweat on the forehead of the waiter was evident; knowing her temperament, he dared not stop her. He could only watch helplessly as she led someone upstairs. In the end, he stamped his foot and turned to report to the head steward.

Yan Fuzhi cast a glance at him and said with slight anger, "Looking at the fabric of your clothes, it seems you have a bit of money. But does your young master know whose territory he is sitting on at this moment?"

He left in the same way ten years ago. She did not know his name, nor his identity; she only trembled as she remembered that face, that eye, and the beautiful stone hanging from his waist, remembering every word he had said to her

He no longer recognizes her