743 Trouble (4)
The palace maid said happily, “The doctor in the medical hall said that a merchant came over from afar to sell herbs yesterday. There happened to be a large basket of that herb inside, so the medical hall bought it all. I heard from the doctor that it’s enough to last until next year. What a coincidence.”
Yang Xin also smiled and said, “We’re in luck.”
Princess Rong Xin waved her hand and said, “Send it to the kitchen.”
The palace maid quickly nodded. After the palace maid left, Princess Rong Xin smiled bitterly and sighed. “When Jingxing was around, he also sent herbs in basketfuls, but now, it’s become rare luck.”
Yang Xin knew that Princess Rong Xin was thinking of Xie Jingxing and felt sad. Just as she was about to change the topic, she heard Princess Rong Xin say, “Help me to Xingzhi Courtyard.”
Yang Xin was stunned. Xingzhi Courtyard was a courtyard in the princess’s mansion. Back then, after Princess Yuqing passed away, Princess Rong Xin was angry with Xie Ding and brought Xie Jingxing to the princess’s mansion to live with her. Princess Rong Xin specially got someone to make a courtyard for him, which was called Xingzhi Courtyard. Later, Xie Ding took Xie Jingxing back, and Princess Rong Xin did not get anyone to tear down Xingzhi Courtyard. When Xie Jingxing grew up, he would occasionally come to the princess’s mansion to stay in Xingzhi Courtyard for a few days.
However, ever since Xie Jingxing died in battle two years ago, Princess Rong Xin had gotten someone to lock Xingzhi Courtyard. Other than having servants clean it every day, no one was allowed to enter. She was also afraid of recalling the past and getting sad, so she never stepped into Xingzhi Courtyard. Today, for the first time in two years, she wanted to go to Xingzhi Courtyard to take a look.
Yang Xin did not dare to disobey Princess Rong Xin’s instructions. She helped Princess Rong Xin to Xingzhi Courtyard worriedly. Princess Rong Xin said, “For some reason, I’ve been dreaming about Jingxing for the past few days…” As she spoke, her expression became strange. Yang Xin was a little puzzled.
Princess Rong Xin had been feeling uneasy for some reason.
For the past few days, she had been dreaming every night about a young man in purple with half a silver mask on his face. She did not know who it was, so she reached out and took off his mask. That person had a face identical to Xie Jingxing’s, but he called her “Princess Rong Xin” instead of “Auntie”.
It was Prince Rui’s voice.
Every time Princess Rong Xin woke up from her dream, she felt that most of her back was drenched in sweat. She wondered if she had mixed Xie Jingxing with Prince Rui because both of them shared the same pet name.
The more she thought about it, the more she missed Xie Jingxing. She wanted to go to Xingzhi Courtyard today to take a look.
While she was thinking, she had already arrived at Xingzhi Courtyard. The guards outside the courtyard were a little surprised to see her. Princess Rong Xin had not set foot here for two years, and she did not allow anyone to enter. The guards made way for her, and Princess Rong Xin and Yang Xin walked in.
The room was still the same as two years ago. Because someone cleaned it every day, there was no dust at all. It looked brand new and neat, as if time had stopped. It made Princess Rong Xin feel that when she turned around, she could see the handsome young man lying on the bed with his legs crossed, eating an apple casually.
The shelves were filled with the things Xie Jingxing liked to play with since he was young, and the chairs were draped with Xie Jingxing’s old clothes.
Princess Rong Xin walked to the clothes and picked it up. She reached out to touch the patterns on it and said nostalgically, “It’s exactly the same as before.”
Yang Xin did not know what to say. She was afraid that Princess Rong Xin would fall into the memories of the past and be sad, so she said, “The golden thread on it is still brand new.”
Princess Rong Xin chuckled and said, “Jingxing is a very well-behaved child. When he was young, other than purple, he refused to wear any other colors. I felt that purple would make him look old and not suitable for children, so I wanted to embroider flowers for him on it, but he didn’t like it. Later, the embroiderer in the palace embroidered dark patterns on the corners of his robe with golden thread, which satisfied him. He wanted his clothes to be gorgeous but not too eye-catching. He really had a weird taste.”
