Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong talked for a while about other topics. In the end, seeing that it wasn't early, Wei Luo stood up to send Liang Yu Rong off.

rThe two of them walked outside. They hadn't been walking for long when they saw two people at Pine Courtyard's entrance.

They saw Wei Zheng first. She had meticulously dressed herself with a peach pink outer robe embroidered with colorful flowers and a pleated white skirt. There was a pair of jade birds in her hair. Behind her was Song Ru Wei. Song Rui Wei was Song Hui's younger sister. She was fifteen years old this year. She was wearing an autumn color robe with scattered flowers and her hair was arranged into two loops on the top of her head.

Since Song Hui had the appearance of a flawless immortal, then logically, as his younger sister, Song Ru Wei should also be an exceptional beauty. Unfortunately, she was a disappointment. Her face could only be considered delicate and pretty. Compared to an average girl, she was barely superior. But, when she was standing next to Song Hui, she immediately looked inferior to her older brother. But, her body type was pretty good. Although she was only fifteen years old, her body had already developed to match a seventeen or eighteen year old’s. It made Wei Luo envious. Her chest was still faintly sore from developing.

Song Ru Wei had a good relationship with Wei Zheng. They were as close as sisters and often talked to each outside of public gatherings. So, it wasn't strange for Song Rui Wei to appear here.

The strange thing was that Song Hui was with them today.

Song Hui was wearing a silk, sapphire blue robe with a pattern of two lions. He looked tall and thin and his bearing was noble and proper. It seemed that Song Hui had brought them home. He had stopped at Pine Courtyard's entrance.

Wei Zheng turned around, smiled, and asked, "Older cousin Hui, would it be okay if older cousin Ru Wei stayed here overnight? I'll order people to send her back early tomorrow morning."

After considering for a moment, he nodded and said, "Then, I'll have to bother you with Ru Wei. I'll come over tomorrow morning to pick her up. I won't trouble young sister Ah Zheng with sending her back."

Wei Zheng nodded and the two of them said a few more words. Her smile had the charming attitude of a young girl. She looked most lovable in this moment. Seeing that Song Hui was walking away, she hurriedly stopped him by saying, "Older cousin, I'm going to go burn incense in worship at Baoci Temple with older cousin Ru Wei in a few days. Will you come with us?"

Song Hui stopped walking and didn't say anything.

Wei Zheng asked again, "Older cousin Hui, will you go?"

Before he had the chance to shake his head, Song Ru Wei, who understood her older brother the best, tried to persuade him, "Older brother, could you come with us? Baoci Temple is in the capital. It's not far from here. You already finished the court examination and you haven't been busy lately, right? You should go out and walk around to relax."

Their voices weren't loud, but they also weren't deliberately keeping quiet, so Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong could clearly hear their conversation from the verandah.

Wei Luo just remembered that Song Hui had taken the court examination a few days ago! During that time, she had been sick and Wei Chang Mi had been bothering her. She actually completely forgotten, much less asked him how his exam had went.

While Song Hui was thinking about a reply, he looked up and saw that Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong had walked down from the verandah. His body froze for a moment. Soon after, he smiled and said to Song Ru Wei and Wei Zheng, "Ru Wei and younger sister Ah Zheng, go without me. I'll have Du Yu follow you two just in case you meet any danger."

Wei Zheng's face showed her regret and her heart felt disappointed. Seeing that he was looking somewhere else, she followed his gaze and her face immediately changed.

Wei Luo held up the edges of her skirt and leisurely walked to their side with Liang Yu Rong. With a well-behaved and lovable smile, she greeted them, "Older brother Song Hui, older cousin Ru Wei."

When Song Hui looked at her, his gaze showed a gentle desire to pamper that wasn't there when he had been looking at Wei Zheng and Song Rui Wei, "Younger sister Ah Luo."

Song Ru Wei was fairly polite. She nodded and said, "Younger sister Ah Luo."

They were all standing at the entrance. Although they were blocking it completely, it was still slightly inconvenient. Wei Luo tilted her head and casually asked, "I'm going to walk Yu Rong out. What about you two? It's not early. If you don't leave now, it'll be dark soon and it won't be easy to walk.”

Although she didn't say much, Song Hui understood the meaning behind her words. He didn't want her to misunderstand, so he explained, "Ru Wei and younger sister Ah Zheng went to buy rouge together today. I coincidentally met them while they were shopping, so I brought them back here. I was just about to leave."

Wei Luo pursed her lips and faintly smiled, "Why is older brother Song Hui telling me this? Should I be concerned with who you decide to bring back here?”

Song Hui realized that he had been too impulsively. He also smiled and said, "Younger sister Ah Luo is right. My words were wrong."

On the side, Wei Zheng didn't say anything, but she tightened her hold on the silk handkerchief inside her sleeve.

Wei Luo didn't stay here for long. After saying a few words with Song Hui, she left Pine Courtyard with Liang Yu Rong without looking back.

-------

During the next few days, Duke Ying's residence was very peaceful.

After Wei Luo fully recovered from her cold, she wasn't idle. In the morning, she went over to Mister Xue's to listen to his lectures. In the afternoon, she went over to Han-shi's to fiddle with perfumes and other fragrances and learn etiquette. If she still had free time in the evening, she would talk a bit with Wei Chang Hong. Her days were fairly fulfilled.

She hadn't forgotten what she had promised Zhao Jie. She would seriously consider their relationship. When she had free time, she couldn't help thinking about their previous conversations and interactions. As she thought about this, the ball of thread in her heart seemed to get messier and messier until it had completely wrapped up heart. Her mind was filled with thoughts about him. The more she thought, the more chaotic her mind became.

Without her noticing, over a month had passed. The temperature had become hotter.

Today, a carriage came to Duke Ying’s residence to bring her to palace at the request of Zhao Liuli.

Wei Luo didn't have any suspicious. She changed into a thin summer yellow top, a green skirt embroidered with an eight treasures pattern in golden thread, and hu tou shoes. She led Jin Lu and Bai Lan out of the Duke Ying's residence and into the green canopy carriage that had stopped outside of the entrance.

(T/N: Below is picture of someone wearing hu tou shoes.)

The carriage slowly departed and moved forward.

She thought she was only going to meet Zhao Liuli, so she wore thinner, more refreshing clothing that wouldn't be suitable if she was meeting an elder. Even so, she still felt it was very hot. Summer had just started. She didn't know how she would survive the hottest period of summer from mid-July to mid-August.

Jin Lu and Bai Lan were holding ivory fans and fanning her. Soon, the carriage stopped.

Jin Lu asked in confusion, "This is strange. Why did we arrive so quickly today? It usually takes half an hour to enter the palace. Today, it only took fifteen minutes."

Wei Luo also felt doubtful. She held Bai Lan's hand as lifted up the carriage's curtain that was embroidered with golden thread and stepped down from the carriage. As she stood at the side of the carriage, she saw the residence in front of her and was stunned.

There were vermillion lacquered doors and two magnificent stone lions in front of the doors. The doors were open and she could see the vermillion roof tiles inside the residence.

When she looked up, she saw the three words majestically and horizontally inscribed on the board, Prince Jing's residence.

This was Zhao Jie's residence. She hadn't come to this place in a long time. She only remembered coming here when she was a child.

But, why did the carriage driver bring her here?

Prince Jing's residence’s doors were open. Had Zhao Jie already returned? Was Zhao Liuli looking for her or did he... use Liuli's name to meet her?

Thinking of this, Wei Luo retreated half a step. Just as she was about turn around, go inside the carriage, and order the carriage driver to bring her back to Duke Ying's residence, she suddenly saw Zhao Liuli coming out from the inner part of the residence.

Zhao Liuli was holding her skirt as she arrived in front of Wei Luo. Seeing that she was about to leave, she hurriedly grabbed her. While crying, she persuaded her to stay, "Ah Luo, don't go. Don't be mad... I didn't lie to you intentionally. My older brother came back today. He's injured and currently resting inside. Come inside to visit him!"