CH 76.2

Chapter 76.2 – Picking a Peach Blossom

Princess Xiangcheng was the eldest among those who came today, and she also had the same mother as the Fourth Prince, who had now been granted the title King Liang. She was the one who led the gathering today.

As soon as she saw Qi Yang and her prince consort arrive, she took the initiative to greet them. She turned her gaze towards them and said with a smile, “Royal Sister and your prince consort really love each other. You’re always together wherever you go.”

Qi Yang held Lu Qipei’s hand without any shyness and also replied with a smile, “Royal Sister is teasing me. Isn’t the prince consort’s name also written on today’s invitation. Of course I have to bring her here.”

Of course, the prince consorts’ names were written on the invitation card, but there weren’t many princesses who would really bring their prince consort to the party. After all, not all of them got along so well with their prince consort that they would bring them on such occasions.

As for Qi Yang and her prince consort, they had been known to be lovey-dovey for three years. But a month ago, they heard that a child suddenly appeared in their mansion, and she looked very similar to her prince consort. It was widely rumored that she was the prince consort’s illegitimate child.

Everyone knew that Princess Qi Yang and her prince consort had been married for three years, and they loved each other very much, but they hadn’t been blessed by a child for a long time.

Most men care a lot about having an heir. Under such circumstance, what had been happening didn’t seem to need further explanation.

Princesses were proud creatures. When Xiangcheng and the others heard the news, they thought the two would break up. On the party this time, the number of princesses who brought their prince consorts with them were higher than usual, just to see Qi Yang make a joke of herself.

But when those two appeared, based on their behavior and speech, and how their eyes looked at each other, how could there be any discord among them?

Xiangcheng was a little surprised, but she didn’t show it on her face. She smiled and said a few words to Qi Yang, and then told her to take a seat at the banquet with her prince consort.

Qi Yang glanced at the people there but was not interested, so she said, “Not everyone is here yet, so my prince consort and I will go to the side to take a look around first.”

There was no problem with that. After all, today’s trip was originally for an outing, and there were many people who were not at their seats. Of course, Xiangcheng would not say anything.

She turned around and saw that Qi Yang had entered the peach blossom forest with her prince consort. After the two left, she was immediately surrounded by several of her royal sisters. Of course, they were there to gossip – Qi Yang had the Emperor’s favor, so she naturally attracted a lot of jealousy.

Plus, the group of princesses behind them didn’t believe that the two were in love in the first place, and thought that they were just acting.

Qi Yang was in a good mood as she led Lu Qipei into the peach blossom forest. She remembered that the latter had mentioned something about brewing peach blossom wine earlier, so she had the servants following her collect some peach blossoms.

The two of them took a stroll in the peach blossom forest. Sunlight was coming down, passing through the flower branches above their heads, creating dots of light and shadow on the ground below.

Qi Yang would look at Lu Qipei from time to time, watching her come under the sunlight and stepping on the fallen peach blossoms. Every time, she would be amazed.

Every time they came to the peach blossom forest, she seemed to have fallen in love with her more and more. “Ah Pei is still so beautiful.”

Qi Yang would say this every year, and Lu Qipei was already used to it, but her lips still smiled inexplicably as she said, “Your Highness keeps saying this every year. But as days and years past and I grow old and wrinkled, will Your Highness grow to dislike me?”

Qi Yang laughed when she heard this and whispered in her ears, “Why, is Prince Consort afraid that I will find other young girls in the future?”

Lu Qipei raised her eyebrows and looked at Qi Yang without saying anything. Her usually gentle eyes looked a little dangerous.

Qi Yang leaned over again to kiss her cheek, then smiled and said, “My prince consort is the prettiest, and no one can compare to you. Besides, when you grow old, I would also grow old. Wouldn’t it be nice to have our hair turn grey together?”

It was something that was far in the future, but such expectations could really move someone’s heart.

Lu Qipei’s eyes softened again. She led Qi Yang to continue walking forward, and words gently came out from her mouth. “It would be very nice.”

They wandered freely in the peach blossom Forest, seeing many people and being seen by many people. After strolling for a while, Qi Yang reached out and took out a fallen peach blossom from Lu Qipei’s hair. She collected the flower on a knitted bag and took them with her.

Lu Qipei felt that this scene was familiar and finally asked, “You collect these peach blossoms every year, what are you going to do with them?”

Qi Yang didn’t answer her and just smiled, leading her forward. She would go to the peach blossom forest with Lu Qipei every year when the flowers were in full bloom, and she would take one fallen peach blossom into her collection every year.

So far, she had only collected four peach blossoms. When her knitted bag was full, their life would be almost complete.

It was just a little thought that she couldn’t talk about. She just wanted to wait for a certain day when both their hair had turned white to show it to Lu Qipei.

She had collected this year’s peach blossom and strolled in the forest for a while. It was getting late, and the people who were coming to the party should have all come by now. Qi Yang pulled Lu Qipei to return, but suddenly stopped after taking just two steps.

Lu Qipei was puzzled and looked back at her. “What’s wrong?”

Qi Yang raised her chin slightly and signaled Lu Qipei to look forward. Lu Qipei immediately followed her instructions and looked up, only to see two young girls under a peach blossom tree in the distance.

They were holding each other’s hands and pressing their heads against each another, chatting intimately.

It was nothing strange. Friendship between girls were usually very close, and there were others who would be even more intimate than this.

Lu Qipei also didn’t think any different. She was just about to ask Qi Yang if she knew them when she saw one of the girls in the distance suddenly press the other one against the peach blossom tree and kiss her…

After her surprise, Lu Qipei quickly turned her gaze away, and even subconsciously glanced around her. Fortunately, this was a remote spot and there were no other visitors around, so no one else had seen this scene.

Qi Yang couldn’t help chuckling when she saw her like this. She pulled her away and said, “Let’s go back.”

Author notes:

Qi Yang (raising her eyebrows): My eyes can discover those of my kind!

Lu Qipei (suspicious): Could it be that I was one of your kind that Your Highness discovered back then?

Qi Yang (coughing lightly): It was too early back then. I was still a straight little princess. There was no ‘my kind’.

Lu Qipei (puzzled): Then who between us was the one who bent the other’s preferences?

Qi Yang (contemplating): I think we bent each other because we met… We’re really a match made in heaven!