Duke Jing's younger sister

Just outside the wall of the royal villa is Jiangyang Lake.

When the evening breeze blows on your face, it is mixed with a little moisture, blowing the lush trees, flowers and plants in the courtyard, and the rustling sound is endless.

Being in such an environment, one's mind can be freed a lot. In addition, Shen Li is naturally happy to meet her relatives after a long separation today.

When people are happy, they feel refreshed and can't help but drink a few more glasses of wine.

During the conversation at the table, we learned that Jiang Cheng had just returned to Jiangdu City yesterday afternoon.

However, due to his special status, it was not convenient for him to return to the city, so Xiao Wencong temporarily placed him here.

Only after Jiang Minzhi returns to the city together can the two of them enter the palace together to meet Emperor Hongyang.

While drinking, Shen Li looked at the men sitting there.

They were toasting each other, and except for Jiang Cheng who was a little reserved, the others seemed like friends who had known each other for a long time and were familiar with each other and had a tacit understanding.

But as far as Shen Li knew, Shen Beiqi and the third prince Xiao Wencong were not close.

Moreover, Xiao Wencong was polite and elegant tonight, not as dissolute and vulgar as the rumors said.

But she didn't find it strange.

Not all princes are the same. For example, the Third Prince, who has no maternal background and is not favored by His Majesty, would die faster if he were too outstanding.

Crown Prince Xiao Wenhao pretends to be good by doing evil in order to gain fame and status.

The third prince, Xiao Wencong, was in hiding in order to save his life. Only by keeping a low profile and protecting himself could he have a chance to seize the throne when others were least prepared.

Thinking of this, she shifted her gaze to the handsome young man opposite her.

Could it be that... he is helping the third prince Xiao Wencong?

Shen Beiqi had a calm expression, and his angular face looked even more profound and handsome in the interweaving glow of moonlight and firelight.

Luo Jue, who was sitting next to him at this time, was chatting with him.

"You're late, aren't you? The four of us finished a jar of wine before you arrived. I'll just fine you three cups. How is that too much?"

"That's right, it's just a glass of wine!"

Liang Bo was chewing on the leg of some unknown bird. He wanted to follow Luo Jue in persuading others to drink, but when he saw Shen Beiqi's gaze flicking towards him, he immediately changed the subject, "...Then how about I drink for the Duke?"

"You're a coward!" Luo Jue said, "You're just afraid of his power!"

Xiao Wencong frowned, "That's not the right word. Majesty is the right word."

"It's all the same!" Luo Jue seemed a little drunk, and his words were nonsense.

Shen Beiqi actually drank quite a bit, but he couldn't stand Luo Jue's pestering.

He had no choice but to lift the wine glass and lightly touch it to his thin lips, then tilt his head back and drink the wine in the glass, then turn the empty glass upside down in front of Luo Jue.

"Satisfied?"

Feeling the scrutiny from the opposite side, Shen Beiqi put down his wine glass and raised his eyes to meet her gaze.

Suddenly the wind blew.

The branches and leaves in the courtyard were swaying, the shadows of the trees were dancing, and a rustling sound was made by the night wind.

The strands of hair on her forehead were messed up by the wind, and orange flames flickered between her clear eyes, shining like bright stars in the night sky.

Perhaps she was a little drunk, her palm-sized cheeks were slightly flushed, like a white viburnum stained by the afterglow of the setting sun, pure and charming.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at her with a smile, his eyes full of pampering and tenderness, like a pool of spring water, rippling with clear waves, making people fall deeply into it, unable to extricate themselves.

There was also a hint of aggression in it, as if it wanted to lock her up tightly so that she could not escape.

Jiang Cheng was sitting next to her sister and was keenly aware that there was something wrong with the look in Shen Beiqi's eyes when he looked at her.

Men understand men best, and can best understand the deep meaning in each other's eyes.

His heart sank slowly. Could it be that Brother Shen had some improper thoughts about his sister?

The two sides' eyes met in the air for a long time, and finally Shen Li was defeated. He coughed lightly and looked away somewhat unnaturally.

Seeing her picking up the wine glass again, Shen Beiqi was about to speak out to stop her, but Jiang Cheng, who was sitting next to her, simply covered her wine cup with his hand.

"As a girl, drink less." Jiang Cheng said.

Shen Li smiled and let it go. She had indeed drunk a little too much tonight and now felt her head was very heavy.

She raised her hand and gently rubbed her temples, her eyes just falling on Jiang Cheng's fingers holding the wine glass, and her heart couldn't help but choke.

Once upon a time, that hand was white and slender, and when practicing calligraphy, the strokes were as smooth as flowing water and white smoke.

But now, his knuckles were slightly bent.

Looking closely, one can see that his fingertips are rough and covered with thick calluses, which are the testimony of his years of hard work.

Shen Li felt a dull pain in his heart. After all, he had been exiled to Liangzhou for eight years, doing hard work every day. How could a person come back unchanged after going there?

She couldn't help but worry about her father again. No matter how young her brother was, she didn't know what their father looked like now.

My brother said that father is not as healthy as before, but I can’t tell how badly he is not as healthy as before.

Miao Yu saw that she looked a little strange, so he raised his glass and clinked it with hers, "Shen Li, let's have a drink?"

Miu Yu is one of the few people who can make Shen Li feel close to him the first time they meet.

Now the two of them are on a first-name basis, and just now Miu Yu even insisted on asking her to become sworn brothers with him. If Shen Beiqi hadn't stopped him, I'm afraid they would have set up a table and become sworn brothers directly!

Shen Li shook her head and said with a smile, "No, I'm a little drunk."

"Ah?" Miu Yu obviously didn't believe it. "You're already drunk at this young age?"

Luozhu people can all drink, both men and women.

Therefore, Miao Yu believed that women in the Central Plains should be like them. How could this little bit of sweet wine like water make people drunk?

Obviously, she overestimated Shen Li's drinking capacity.

She was seen holding her head up, and her expression was not as happy as before, but seemed a little worried.

"Do you want to laugh?" Miao Yu asked her in a low voice. Shen Li frowned when she heard it. "Want to laugh?"

"Well, I want to laugh!"

Miu Yu raised the corners of his lips and smiled as beautifully as a flower, "But, I still feel like crying!"

Shen Li frowned even more, somewhat confused, "Why?"

Miao Yu put his arm around her shoulders like a brother.

"It's normal to want to cry or laugh. We are all human beings. We have seven emotions and six desires, and we need to vent them. After drinking, you should do whatever you want while you are drunk. Don't hold it in!"

Shen Li understood. This girl...Oh no, this Princess Luo Zhu may seem careless, but she is actually very meticulous.

He must have noticed that she was unhappy, so he tried to comfort her in a roundabout way.

While you are drunk, you can cry when you want to cry and laugh when you want to laugh?

Do whatever you want? No need to hold back?

Shen Li admitted that she couldn't do it, or rather, looking at the entire Southern Wu, how many women could do it?

Girls are bound by rules and regulations from the moment they are born, from the big things like women's virtues and appearance to the small things like their every move and gesture. There are so many rules that if they want a spoonful of food, they should be given a basin of food, or a basin of food should be given a basket of food.

People have a kind of inertia. When these ideas are instilled in their minds since childhood, they will naturally think that there is nothing wrong with them.

When most people are following the same idea, then their perception is the truth.