Chapter 691 Wishful Thinking
Ever since handing the wordless letter to Zhao Xie, Liu Xunyi has been eagerly waiting, wishing he could wait from sunrise to sunset, and from sunset to dawn. In order not to miss any news from Zhao Xin, Liu Xunyi didn't dare to go out for the past two days and stayed in Tianji Pavilion "waiting for good news".

It’s a pity that the flowers are willing but the water is heartless. After two days of eager waiting, all I got in return was a drop in the ocean and no news at all.

On the fourth day of the fourth month, when the sun was at its zenith, Ding Chou delivered the food to Liu Xunyi's room as usual. While serving the lunch, he also took away Liu Xunyi's unfinished breakfast.

"Lord Liu, why did you only eat a bowl of millet porridge this morning?" Ding Chou looked at the intact steamed buns and the spotless soup dish, and a layer of worry surged on his face. "Lord Liu is a martial artist, and so am I. I know the truth that 'if you move your muscles and bones, chickens and ducks are free'. Even a small body like me needs to eat a pound of rice to barely feel full, let alone Lord Liu? Your appetite is so cold, how can your body bear it in the long run?"

Facing Ding Chou's concern, Liu Xunyi smiled calmly and said, "I am different from you. Have you ever heard of 'the little boy who ate me to death'? You are in the period of growing bones and muscles, so you should eat more. As for me... it's okay for me to eat less."

Although Liu Xunyi said it lightly, the fact was that he did not have a small appetite, but he was worried and could not eat at all.

"Master Liu, you..."

"Is Commander Liu here?"

Before Ding Chou could finish his words, a sharp voice suddenly came from the courtyard.

"Captain Liu?" Ding Chou was startled, then turned and shouted outside the door, "There is only Guardian Liu here, not Captain Liu."

"Liu Shaobao has been promoted to the rank of Liu Duwei. Boy, you are too out of touch with the news. You have been with Liu Duwei all day, but you didn't know that he has been promoted to the fourth rank?"

With a burst of playful teasing, Rong Fu, a servant of Prince Rong's mansion, walked into the room.

As soon as he saw Liu Xunyi, Rongfu smiled flatteringly and said, "Master Liu, please accept my respects."

Liu Xunyi had known Zhao Xie for many years, so he was no stranger to the servants around him.

Seeing Rongfu, Liu Xunyi's silent heart suddenly ignited a glimmer of hope, and hurriedly asked: "But the young prince sent you here?"

"Lord Liu is worthy of being Lord Liu. As expected, he guessed it right. I admire you!" Rongfu has been with Zhao Yu for a long time. He hasn't learned any other skills, but the skill of flattery is deeply rooted in his bones.

"Really?" Upon hearing this, Liu Xunyi looked at Rongfu with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

"Last time, there was almost a disturbance in West Lake Langyuan, so the young prince invited Lord Liu to come to the mansion for a chat today."

"Okay, okay!" Liu Xunyi was overjoyed and quickly agreed. At the same time, he took out a few silver ingots from his sleeves and threw them into Rongfu's arms, urging him, "Lead the way!"

"Thank you, sir. Please, sir!"

After briefly informing him, Liu Xunyi, with a look of joy on her face, followed Rong Fu out of Tianji Pavilion and rushed to Rong Wang Mansion in a hurry, amid Ding Chou's surprised and curious gaze.

In the back garden of Prince Rong's Mansion, Zhao Xie had ordered people to prepare a table of wine and food, waiting for Liu Xunyi to take the seat.

"Haha... Master, I really have been waiting for you for a long time!"

Zhao Xie had just learned Bai Juyi's "Pipa Song" today, so he could recite it fluently, completely ignoring the strange looks from people around him.

"I pay my respects to the young prince..."

"Hey! The chef is one of us, there's no need to be polite in our own house!" Before Liu Xunyi could kowtow and pay respect, Zhao Yu couldn't wait to wave his chopsticks and pointed at the stone bench opposite him, saying proudly, "Come and try the new chef's cooking. I was drooling all over the floor while I was waiting for you just now."

"My Lord, I am so grateful to you that I cannot bear such kindness."

"Don't waste your breath, try it!" While speaking, Zhao Yu took the initiative to pick up a piece of meat and put it on Liu Xunyi's plate.

"My Lord, I..."

"Where's the wine?" Zhao Yu interrupted Liu Xunyi again and shouted at the maids, "Why are you standing there like wooden sticks? Where's the wine I asked you to prepare? Can't you just wait for the little prince to come by himself?"

Being scolded by Zhao Xie, several maids couldn't help but feel frightened. They were ashamed and embarrassed, their faces flushed, and they hurried forward to pour wine for the two men.

"These days, masters are not like masters, and servants are not like servants. They are all unruly and stupid!" Zhao Xie grabbed a maid's ear and kept nagging.

There is a saying that goes "the speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously". Zhao Yu's words seemed to be meant for the maids, but in fact, they made Liu Xunyi, who was sitting opposite him, feel uneasy.

As a servant, I dared to dine at the same table with the young prince. This was a huge sin.

As if he could see Liu Xunyi's embarrassment, Zhao Yu smiled and explained, "Master, don't worry. You are different from them!"

"Yes." Facing the table full of delicious food, Liu Xunyi felt a lump in his chest and had no appetite at all. "Young Prince, actually I came here for..."

"Eat first, and talk about other things later!"

"As ordered."

Under Zhao He's strict order, Liu Xunyi could only force himself to stuff the food into his mouth. The delicious food tasted like chewing wax in his mouth. Zhao He's eloquent talk was like a monk chanting in Liu Xunyi's ears, and he didn't interest him at all. After enduring for nearly an hour, Zhao He finally wiped his mouth with satisfaction and ordered: "Take away the food, and all of you leave."

After a while, only Zhao Xie and Liu Xunyi were left in the huge back garden.

"Master, are you tired of waiting?"

Facing Zhao Yu's teasing, Liu Xunyi could only force a smile: "Little Prince, what is this...singing about today?"

"It's been a long time since we've had dinner together to reminisce about the past. It's a rare opportunity for me to host you today, so I cherish it especially." Zhao Yu said with a smile, "Also...if Master and Sister Xin end up getting married, they will probably move far away. By then, it will be extremely difficult for us to meet again."

"What did the young prince say?" Liu Xunyi was shocked, and his eyes couldn't help but tremble slightly, "What... lovers finally get married? What about running away?"

"It seems that Master has been unable to let go of Sister Xin in his heart." Seeing Liu Xunyi so excited, Zhao Yu couldn't help but laugh at himself and said with a hint of meaning, "If I had known this, I shouldn't have agreed to help you deliver the letter."

"What do you mean, young prince?"

"Nothing!" Zhao Yu's expression froze for a moment, but the change was fleeting. He continued, "Don't worry. I won't break my promise. I've given your letter to Sister Xin."

"How is Xin'er now?" After learning that Zhao Yu had seen Zhao Xin, Liu Xunyi hurriedly asked, "Is she eating well? Is she sleeping well? How is her health? How is her mood?"

"Master, rest assured. Sister Xin can eat and sleep well. She is healthy and in a good mood. Everything is fine."

When Liu Xunyi heard Zhao Yu's answer, she couldn't help but feel an indescribable complex feeling in her heart. She felt happy and sad, happy and worried, half happy and half worried, and she didn't know what it felt like.

I was happy that Zhao Xin was doing well, but I was worried that Zhao Xin didn't seem to miss me as much as I missed her.

"Could it be that... Xin'er has really forgotten me completely?" Liu Xunyi repeatedly questioned herself in her heart, "If that's the case, would it be right or wrong for me to disturb her again?"

"master?"

Suddenly, Zhao Yu's shout woke Liu Xunyi from his trance. He was immediately alert and answered subconsciously, "Young Prince, please speak."

"Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"Xin'er...how did she react after reading my letter?"

Looking at Liu Xunyi's eyes full of desire, Zhao Yu's expression became a little unnatural. He seemed to be afraid to look at Liu Xunyi, and subconsciously dodged his gaze. He said nonchalantly: "I didn't have any special reaction, just... took a casual look."

"Just a casual glance?" Liu Xunyi's heart ached. At this moment, his mind was full of Zhao Xin's shadow, and he didn't notice Zhao Yu's abnormality at all. "Then what did she... say?"

"She didn't say anything." Zhao Yu had something to hide, so he spoke hesitantly, "But she wrote you a reply letter."

"Reply?" Liu Xunyi raised his head suddenly, his face changing color, showing that his heart was in turmoil and chaos.

"Yes." Zhao Yu mustered up his courage and nodded heavily. "That's why I just said that you and Sister Xin are very likely to run away. Just think, if Sister Xin really forgot about you, how could she possibly write back to you?"

"Where is the letter?" Liu Xunyi had no intention of listening to Zhao Xie's random analysis.

"I can give you the letter, but..." Zhao Yu said with difficulty, "But this matter is against the wishes of my uncle and father after all, so no matter what Sister Xin writes in the letter, I can no longer reply for you. Besides, I don't want to interfere with your future and I don't want to know..."

"I understand!" Liu Xunyi said gratefully, "Young Prince has helped us a lot."

"Alas!" Zhao Yu looked helpless and regretful, then he took out a letter from his arms and slowly handed it to Liu Xunyi, "Master, this is Sister Xin's handwritten reply to you."

Looking at the long-awaited reply letter, when the time came, Liu Xunyi was a little afraid to reach out to take it, because he didn't know what he would see in the letter?
Once upon a time, he was sure that Zhao Xin would never leave him no matter what the situation was. But after going through so many ups and downs, Liu Xunyi's heart was no longer firm. He felt that after returning to Lin'an, everything... was different from before.

After hesitating for a long time, Liu Xunyi finally took the letter and tremblingly pulled out the bamboo paper. At this moment, his heart was already in his throat, and he wished it could jump out of his mouth.

However, when Liu Xunyi cast his nervous and expectant eyes on the bamboo paper, there were only four simple lines of beautiful small characters on it. Liu Xunyi recognized it at a glance, it was Zhao Xin's handwriting.

"The princes and nobles followed in the footsteps of others, and Lu Zhu shed tears on her silk scarf. Once you enter the mansion of a noble, it is as deep as the sea. From then on, Xiao Lang is just a passerby."

"boom!"

When Liu Xunyi finished reading the poem with tears in his eyes, a roar suddenly came from his head. In an instant, his body became stiff, his blood was as cold as ice, and he felt so sad that even breathing became a luxury.

Every word in this heartless poem was like a sharp sword, piercing Liu Xunyi's heart fiercely, turning all the beauty and hope in his heart into illusions and shattering them.

When he read the last word, his heart was already full of holes and in a mess, as if he had fallen into an endless abyss, suffering the torment of ice and fire, and being trampled by thousands of troops. He was depressed and could not find relief, and anxious and could not find peace.

……

(End of this chapter)