tallest building

Chapter 174 Warning Words

The sky brightens earlier on the mountain than elsewhere. Sanger got up, dressed, emptied the embers from the charcoal brazier, and rekindled the fire.

“The snow outside is so heavy, almost knee-deep,” Sang Er said as she came in, rubbing her hands. “I’m afraid we’ll have to stay on the mountain for a few days.”

Wen Mingqian also got up, and while combing his hair, he said, "I really didn't expect it to snow so heavily. Have breakfast in the room! Go and get it back, but don't take too much, and be careful."

After breakfast, Wen Mingqian dressed neatly and came over to greet the Princess.

Aunt Cuizhen said, "His Highness hasn't gotten up yet. He woke up in the middle of the night last night with an upset stomach and it took him a long time to finally rest."

Upon hearing this, Wen Mingqian hurriedly asked, "Is Your Highness suffering from alcohol poisoning?"

Cui Zhen nodded: "Your Highness only likes this one kind of wine, but unfortunately, this wine is extremely harmful to the spleen and stomach."

“Aunt Cuizhen, I do know how to make a mild hangover soup, but I don’t know if it will suit His Highness’s taste,” Wen Mingqian said.

“We did brew some, but His Highness doesn’t like to drink. You could try it, Madam,” Cuizhen said. “His Highness only likes to drink on an empty stomach and refuses to eat anything afterward.”

Wen Mingqian knew that this was the worst thing for his stomach, but people who drank like this were all too heartbroken and had no choice but to do it, using pain from other places to relieve their heartache.

Even someone as noble as the eldest princess was, in the end, just a heartbroken person.

Wen Mingqian then took Sang Er to the kitchen, selected the ingredients, and simmered them over low heat using a small stove and a silver pot. This was a skill he had learned from Zhang Ma.

After it was cooked, it was handed over to Cuizhen, and Wen Mingqian and Sang Er went back to their room.

After noon, Yu Hu came to invite Wen Mingqian over: "Madam Wen, His Highness invites you to play chess!"

"Is Your Highness feeling any better?" Wen Mingqian asked.

"Much better. Your Majesty's hangover soup is excellent, just what Your Highness desires," Yu Hu said with a smile.

Wen Mingqian arrived at the Princess's room and went forward to pay his respects.

"No need for formalities, come and sit down." The princess still looked a little tired. "You played the zither very well. I haven't slept so soundly in a long time."

"Your Highness flatters me. I am merely showing off my limited skills before an expert," Wen Ming said modestly.

"Your hangover soup is very good. It has a familiar feel to me, but I can't remember where I've had it before," the princess said.

“That’s what I learned from a recipe in my spare time. If it suits Your Highness’s taste, you can copy the recipe and leave it for Aunt Cuizhen. You can use it whenever you need it in the future,” Wen Mingqian said.

"The snow is so heavy, you can't go down the mountain, so you can stew it yourself." The princess smiled. "Come and play a couple of games of chess with me to pass the time in the mountains."

The eldest princess played chess very slowly, and it got dark after two games.

"Your Highness, it's time for your dinner. The weather is cold these days, so your meals must be well prepared," Wen Mingqian said with concern.

“Alright,” the princess did not refuse. “What kind of incense did you burn for me yesterday? I haven’t used incense for years, but I didn’t expect it to help me sleep so soundly. That’s good.”

"I'm glad Your Highness doesn't blame me for taking matters into my own hands. That incense is called 'Sweet Dreams,' and it's meant to be burned before bedtime." Wen Mingqian said, taking out the remaining incense from her purse. "I only have these with me. If Your Highness wants more, I can go back and make some more."

After returning from the princess's room, Wen Mingqian did not go back to his own residence.

There is a thousand-year-old plum grove on the top of Bowang Mountain. Although there are only five or six trees, it is still a magnificent sight.

It was dusk, and with the white snow as a backdrop, it was the perfect time to appreciate the plum blossoms. The steps leading up the mountain were only a narrow strip, and as Wen Mingqian climbed them, he could smell the fragrance of plum blossoms carried on the cold wind from afar.

The fragrance stirred her emotions, giving rise to a deep sense of melancholy.

On this deserted mountaintop, her heart sank heavily.

Standing beneath the blooming plum tree, Wen Mingqian reached out to gently touch the plum blossoms, as delicate as ice silk and moonlight, that grew on the dark, rugged branches, as if he were gently caressing the face of an old friend.

"Sister, look how beautiful these plum blossoms are, just like you, beautiful and noble..."

"Sister, the wind is so cold at the top of the mountain, but I can't stop. I want to go higher and higher..."

"Sister, are you watching over us from heaven? You must be protecting us all the time..."

"Sister, look, the moon is rising over the eastern hill, just like that year when we were in the mountains, admiring the plum blossoms under the moon..."

Wen Mingqian murmured to herself, how could she not be lonely and suffer? It's just that she can't stop, and she can't even tell anyone about her hardships.

As the sun sets, the mountain breeze gradually subsides. Under the glow of the mountain moon, the plum blossoms appear even more vibrant.

Wen Mingqian just looked up at it, motionless, as if he had turned into a stone statue.

They didn't even notice the people walking behind them.

"Shouldn't we compose poems and essays while appreciating plum blossoms under the moon?" the visitor asked sarcastically.

Before turning away, Wen Mingqian wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. When she looked at the person, her gaze was calm, and she was once again the dignified and composed Lady Wen in public.

"So it's Your Highness. I've been rude." Wen Mingqian bowed to Ying Wuchou, the Prince of Changliu.

"I've heard you're skilled in music, chess, and perfumery; you're truly multi-talented." Ying Wuchou openly scrutinized Wen Mingqian, just as he had when they first met.

Wen Mingqian naturally saw the wariness and scrutiny in his eyes, and even the barely perceptible disgust: "I am flattered by Your Highness's praise. It is getting late and I must go down now. Please make way for me, Your Highness."

Ying Wuchou stood there motionless, his tall figure completely blocking the path.

"Going down? Are you going back to the city?" Ying Wuchou smiled. "Are you really willing to leave?"

The path up the mountain was originally impassable, but the fact that Ying Wuchou is standing here now is enough to show that he has had the path cleared and made accessible.

So he said, "The plum blossoms here are truly captivating."

"You're not just attached to these plum blossoms, are you?" Ying Wuchou further pointed out, "You've been scheming to please the Princess, you must have something to gain. I advise you not to disturb Her Highness's peaceful cultivation. If you want to climb the social ladder, you can find another way."

"Your Highness is in such a hurry to have the mountain path cleared just to send me down the mountain?" Wen Mingqian smiled. "However, I am staying here at the behest of the Princess, so how could I possibly obey the orders of Prince Changliu?"

The Prince of Changliu suspected Wen Mingqian of having ulterior motives. Wen Mingqian was unable to prove himself to him, as he had indeed approached the Princess with ulterior motives. However, he could not back down because of his words, as he had no way out.

Seeing that Ying Wuchou wouldn't give way, Wen Mingqian simply stepped into the snow and trudged down, his steps uneven.

Ying Wuchou narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her retreating figure.

This woman must have some unspeakable secret. Just a while ago, rumors about her were all over the place, but in the blink of an eye, the Lu and Cui families suffered.

While others might not know the source of the rumor, Ying Wuchou was able to find it, and he didn't believe it was a coincidence.