Chapter 48

  His mind was racing to think of a way out, and at this time he didn't even have time to be afraid! The 14th suddenly knelt down, knocked his head and shouted: "Your Majesty!" Before the sound had faded away, Suwan Guwalgiya Wangye stood up, bowed solemnly to Kangxi, and said with a bow: "Your Majesty!" Kangxi was startled and hastily waved his hand for him to get up. Suwan Guwalgiya Wangye leaned forward and said: "This is all the fault of my little daughter, I have something to say privately to Your Majesty!"

  Kangxi listened and his eyes scanned over me and Minmin's face, then looked at Thirteen and Fourteen, finally instructing: "All of you go back first!"

  Everyone scrambled to their feet and bowed as they backed away, I was dazed and confused, and Mingming also retreated with me. The officials who followed the princes paid their respects and left one after another. The Fourth Prince and the Eighth Prince were considerate of each other, and with the Crown Prince present, it wasn't convenient to ask questions, so they could only walk silently. We were all lost in our own thoughts, walking slowly, and gradually fell behind.

  The prince smiled and asked Minmin: "What's going on?" Minmin glanced at him with a clear and quick voice, saying: "What's going on? Didn't the prince see it? Isn't it just a horse racing competition, she won and I lost?" The prince hit a soft and hard nail, facing such an identity of noble beauty as Minmin, without reason to get angry, for a moment he was embarrassed, smiled at the fourth prince and eighth prince, saying: "I still have something to do, let's go first!" After finishing, he nodded to the fourth prince, glanced at thirteen again, and led people to leave quickly.

  Jiu Gege watched the Crown Prince leave, and with a thumbs up, he smiled at Minmin: "The princess is indeed a daughter of the grasslands, even the Crown Prince can't do anything about it!" Minmin's eyes widened as she looked at Jiu Gege. I quickly pulled on her sleeve and asked: "What will the king say to the emperor?" The several princes all listened intently.

  Minmin walked on, her head bowed in thought, her face gradually turning red. She glanced at Thirteen and pulled me away from them. The several brothers all had slightly stunned expressions, but then they smiled and looked at Thirteen again. The only difference was that Ninth Brother's smile was tinged with a hint of coldness.

  Min whispered in my ear, "I reckon your mother misunderstood that you and I were competing with each other for the emperor's favor, so she didn't dare let the emperor ask you again, fearing it would be embarrassing to expose it in public!" My heart was at ease, thinking that this misunderstanding was much better than the truth. I smiled and said, "Your mother wasn't mistaken! Isn't this the fact? Otherwise, why would you get so angry?"

  Before I could finish speaking, Minmin had already reached out to pinch me and scolded: "Why don't you dare to take a loss on your mouth?" I laughed and ran away, with Minmin chasing after me. I quickly hid behind Shisan's back, stuck my head out and smiled: "Good sister! If you haven't done anything wrong, why be afraid of what others say? This only makes things more suspicious!"

  Mingming was both angry and embarrassed, but was at a loss for what to do with me, so she just stomped her foot! "Hiding behind someone's back is not being a hero!" I chuckled and said: "I'm just a young girl, I've never thought about being a hero. But it's true that I am hiding behind the back of a hero."

  Thirteen smiled and stretched out her hand to pull me out, pushing me towards Minmin: "I don't care about your empty reputation! Do whatever you want! Don't be polite!" Minmin looked at Thirteen helping her, couldn't help but feel happy, and indeed didn't hesitate to rub her hands together, take a deep breath, then reached into my armpits and started scratching wildly.

  I was so ticklish that I couldn't help but dodge quickly, and at the same time, I was laughing so hard that I couldn't catch my breath. My mouth was just shouting: "Good girl! Stop messing around, I still have serious things to say!" Minmin didn't listen and kept chasing me.

  I laughed so hard my legs went soft, and I couldn't run anymore. I had to run back to Thirteen's side, walking with him while laughing and saying: "Don't just stand there watching the show! If you annoy me, I'll drag you along to perform too!" Thirteen quickly took a few steps to avoid me, jumping to the side of Fourth Brother, and said with a smile: "You've wronged me deeply today. I'm not angry with you, but you still dare to provoke me?"

  Just then, Minmin was already close to me, and Thirteen was urging her on from the side. Minmin's energy increased, and I really didn't have the strength to run anymore. I glanced at Fourth Brother, who had a smile in his eyes, and subconsciously didn't want to get close to him. I quickly pulled Fourteenth Brother over and blocked Minmin with him. I ran past Eighth Brother and dodged to Ninth Brother's side. Looking at Minmin, I said, "I still have serious things to discuss! Stop causing trouble!" Seeing that Minmin seemed to not care, Fourteenth Brother laughed and tried to block her a few times but couldn't stop her from coming over. I pouted and said, "Besides, look at the masters here. If you continue like this, you'll be the one who's laughed at!" Ninth Brother smiled and said, "Who wants to laugh? I won't laugh. On the contrary, I think the princess has a straightforward personality, quite refreshing!" As he spoke, he gave way to Minmin.

  Minmin has always been worried that these brothers, who are deeply influenced by Han culture, would think she is impolite. Although she heard the ninth brother say so, she still slowed down her pace. The thirteenth smiled and wanted to speak again, I shouted "Thirteen Brother!", staring at him fiercely. Thirteen made a gesture of sparing you, and stopped talking.

  I beckoned to Minmin and walked with her to the side, I asked in a low voice: "Will your Ama tell the Emperor?" She thought for a moment and said: "I don't know! I can't guess what Ama will say to the Emperor. But anyway, you won't be in trouble!"

  I walked while lowering my head, thinking carefully. Would her mother directly tell the Emperor that Minmin likes the 13th brother? Probably not, otherwise if the Emperor were to give Minmin to the 13th brother, it would be something her mother wouldn't want to see. But if she didn't speak the truth, how could her mother make Kangxi stop investigating the horse racing incident between me and Minmin? After repeated deliberation, I was still at a loss, so I gave up! Let the old foxes fight among themselves!

  My heart began to worry about this matter again. If the Fourth Prince finds out, what will happen? Can the Thirteenth Prince not tell the Fourth Prince? After the Fourth Prince knows, how will he consider it? Will he tell the Crown Prince? The more I think about it, the bigger my headache becomes, and I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.

  Minmin asked with a pout, "Why are you sighing?" I shook my head and gazed forward in silence. Minmin also let out a long sigh, I turned to look at her and asked, "And why are you sighing?" She looked ahead and shook her head saying, "If only we could always be like just now, how great would that be!"

  I glanced sideways at the several brothers walking beside me, not knowing what they were saying, all with smiles on their faces. I thought to myself, how great it would be if things could always be like this! But that's impossible, these brothers walking alongside us will one day fight each other to the death!

  Suddenly, I faintly heard Thirteen say: "If Yu... leaned against Fourteen... just laughed loudly..." I quickly pulled Minmin over to listen. "...She saw the hairpin in the guard's hand and her face turned white, she didn't dare look at it again, twisting her neck and saying - Throw it away! Throw it away!" Ninth Brother and Fourteenth Brother both turned their heads to smile at me, Fourth Brother had a hint of a smile on his lips as he stared at me for a few moments, while Eighth Brother just smiled faintly, looked ahead, and walked slowly. I glanced over at the side of his face, helplessly shaking my head at Thirteen, unable to stop him from speaking.

  Thirteen laughed and said, "It's better to ask her herself how she dared to stab so fiercely?" I pursed my lips without answering. He continued to ask, "However, compared to two years ago, your horsemanship is really not bad now! It seems that last year's master taught you with great care. Who did you learn from?

  My heart tightened, and I subconsciously looked at the Fourth Brother. Before he could speak, Minmin said: "It's me... and..." I tightly pinched Minmin's hand and hastily said: "Minmin Gege taught!" covering up her words, while turning my head to stare at Minmin. Minmin turned her head to look at me, but didn't say another word.

  Thirteen laughed and said, "Good heavens! I've got to hand it to you, Ruoxi! You're just a newcomer, yet today you dared to challenge Master!" I glanced at the Eight Prince, whose expression remained unchanged as he smiled faintly and nodded at Thirteen before falling silent.

  After everyone dispersed, I walked a short distance towards my own tent and then turned in the direction of the thirteenth tent. As I was walking with my head down, Fourteen's voice asked from behind me: "Are you going to find Brother Thirteen?" He had already caught up to my side as he spoke.

  I busily bowed and asked: "Really? And you?"

  He walked silently for a while and said, "Thank you!" I smiled sideways and said, "It's thirteen brothers who should be thanked! I don't have to! I was just saving myself." He accompanied me all the way in silence, without saying another word.

  The thirteen tents were waiting for me, and the thirteen strange-looking men looked at me with a curious gaze. One of them smiled and said: "I knew you'd come! But I especially took leave from Fourth Brother to wait for you."

  I smiled and didn't speak, taking a soft cushion to sit on the carpet. Fourteen greeted Thirteen, who hastily laughed and said: "No need! No need!" Fourteen hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself, his face momentarily embarrassed. I shook my head thinking it was really hard for him to thank Thirteen.

  Thirteen Smiles let him sit down, I took a soft cushion for him. Fourteen sat down by himself. Thirteen Smiles looked at me and said: "Speak! What's going on?"

  I glanced at fourteen, saw that he had no reaction, and told the truth about why fourteen came, and how I happened to ask Minmin. While speaking, I also paid attention to fourteen's expression, and found that he didn't seem to object.

  Thirteen listened and looked at Fourteen, smiled and nodded: "No wonder you were sick and hiding at home that time! We wanted to visit you, but we were all blocked!"

  I hesitated for a moment, and asked: "Will you tell the Fourth Master?" Thirteen turned his head to look at me and asked: "You don't want your fourth brother to know about this matter?" I nodded slightly.

  He gazed at Fourteen and said slowly, "Four Brother's face may be cold, but sometimes he acts too rigidly. However, no matter what, he won't do anything to his own brother." Fourteen's expression turned gloomy, and Thirteen quickly smiled at me and said, "Don't worry! The matter will stop here!"

  I rolled my eyes, thinking that you probably wouldn't be able to keep it from the Fourth Prince, but I still couldn't help trying. "And what about the Crown Prince?" Thirteen smiled and said: "What a muddle-headed person! If we can't let the Emperor know, of course the Crown Prince won't let him know either!"

  I think you guys are all thinking crookedly, I'm afraid if I consider one more turn, it will be completely wrong. To be on the safe side, it's best to ask clearly!

  I pointed to the teapot on the table next to him, and he quickly turned around to pour a cup of tea for me. I took it and drank it all in one gulp, then handed it back to him. He smiled and asked, "Do you want more?" I waved my hand, and he put the cup back on the table.

  One side of the head, saw fourteen looking at me and thirteen with a surprised expression. Thirteen and I exchanged a smile, both smiling at fourteen. Fourteen pointed at me and asked thirteen: "Is she always like this in front of you?"

  Thirteen glanced at me and said: "She's never talked about these things before, there are even more unscrupulous ones than this!" Fourteen's gaze swept across our faces, then lowered her head.

  I smiled at Thirteen and said, "Su Wangualjia King knows Mianmian's thoughts, be careful he makes you his son-in-law!" Thirteen let out a very helpless sigh and said, "Let him do as he wishes! If he doesn't mind taking Mianmian as a concubine, then I'll just have to marry her!"

  My heart was shaken, I thought that since thirteen didn't like Minmin, he would definitely not marry her no matter what, but I forgot that the views of ancient men on marriage are completely different from mine. Having three wives or four wives makes little difference. It's just a matter of finding another courtyard to live in and having a few more maidservants to serve you. If you like someone, you'll marry her; if you don't like her, it doesn't matter if you marry her - at worst, you just won't go to her courtyard at night! It has little impact on him!

  Thinking of Minmin's deep affection for Thirteen, I glared at Thirteen and shouted: "If you don't like Minmin, then don't marry her! She's not a piece of furniture that you can just put in your home after marrying her!"

  Thirteen gazed at me blankly and said helplessly: "Of course, I don't want to wrong her, but if the Emperor decrees a marriage, can I still dare to disobey?"

  I sprang up suddenly, opened my mouth to speak, but had no words. Finally, I said: "No matter! If you don't like Minmin, then you're not allowed to marry her!" After finishing speaking, I hastily flung open the curtain and walked out. Behind me, I heard the sound of someone hastily making a bow and retreating, quickly chasing after me and following me.