Chapter 165: What a Pity the Time Was Too Short

Meng Chuyue let out a small cough, paused for a moment, and then pulled the wine jar over to fill her cup. Turning her head, she looked at Shen Nanyuan. "Yuan-yuan, you shouldn't drink. Tomorrow I want to watch you come to the Jinghua Gate to see me off. In the past, I've always watched you send off General Shen and Commandant Shen; I'm finally getting my turn to have you see me off."

A faint, gentle smile touched her lips. "Seeing you always puts my heart at ease. It gives me the feeling that I will come back here again one day."

Shen Nanyuan's hand, which had been reaching for the wine cup, paused and drew back. "Alright."

Gao Xueluo patted her own chest. "Yuan-yuan won't drink, so I'll keep you company."

Meng Chuyue had probably never touched alcohol before in her life. After three cups, her entire face flushed bright red, and her gaze gradually grew hazy. Forcing herself, she poured another cup and looked across the table at Gao Xueluo with a hint of astonishment. "How can you hold your liquor so well?"

"Well, of course," Gao Xueluo replied. "I've been sneaking sips of my father's wine since I was a child. Compared to that, this is just child's play. The fine wines my father keeps in his private collection are truly potent."

Meng Chuyue’s eyes were somewhat misty. She leaned back against her chair with a smile as a wave of dizziness washed over her—woozy, yet strangely comforting.

She narrowed her eyes, her cheeks flushed with a rosy glow. "No wonder you've drunk so much without showing the slightest sign of drunkenness."

Gao Xueluo chuckled. "Alright, you shouldn't drink any more either. Your tolerance is poor, and you're already tipsy. If you drink anymore, you probably won't even be able to speak."

She paused for a brief moment before continuing, "I asked my brother about how things are in Houlan. My brother said that apart from some differences in cuisine, Houlan is pretty much the same as Shengqi. You might just need some time to get used to their food when you get there."

Shen Nanyuan chimed in as well. "As for the Fifth Prince, I heard from Xiao Yan that he truly is a fine man. Besides, you are a Princess of the Shengqi Kingdom, with Shengqi backing you up; I daresay he wouldn't dare to bully you."

Hearing their words, Meng Chuyue nodded with a smile. "I know. Don't worry, once I get there, no one will be able to bully me."

Watching her two caring friends, she lowered her gaze, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. "Actually, marrying the Fifth Prince is marrying above my station."

"Having lived in the capital for so many years, I don't really have any regrets. The only thing that makes me somewhat sad is that I didn't get to know you both sooner, so we could have had more time together."

The time she had spent getting to know Shen Nanyuan and the others was the happiest period of her dozen or so years in the capital.

It was a pity the time had been far too short, and there would be no more opportunities in the future.

How wonderful it would have been if they had met sooner.

Meng Chuyue raised her eyes and looked at Shen Nanyuan.

"Yuan-yuan should know why I wanted to get close to you in the first place."

Shen Nanyuan looked back at her and nodded.

She was the very first person Meng Chuyue had ever met who did not look down on her because of her status as a daughter of a concubine.

"To be honest, at the very beginning by Yuan-yuan's side, I felt so apprehensive," Meng Chuyue said softly. "But I never expected that the heavens would look upon me with favor."

From then on, she had a few more people by her side who treated her with genuine sincerity.

Yet this period had been far too fleeting.

From now on, they would no longer be able to see each other simply by wanting to. Separated by Houlan and Shengqi, perhaps tomorrow's parting glance would truly be their last.

All her past experiences flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern, scene after scene, and abruptly, Meng Chuyue's eyes reddened.

"How wonderful it would be if we could meet again in the future."

For a moment, neither Shen Nanyuan nor Gao Xueluo could find the words to reply.

This was not the modern era; there were no advanced communication tools or rapid transportation. Even sending a single letter took ages to arrive, and sometimes, a parting really was the final farewell.

Yet Shen Nanyuan said with steadfast conviction, "Chuyue, you must believe that we will definitely meet again."

Her eyes were bright, and a memory flashed suddenly in her mind—it was that scene at Puyue Temple when she had first set eyes on Shen Nanyuan.

Back then, she had asked with cautious hesitation, "I wonder if milady would be willing to make a friend of me?"

In her field of vision, Shen Nanyuan had seemed momentarily stunned before her brows and eyes curved like crescent moons. The light in her eyes had seemed even brighter than the stars, just as it did right now.

"Of course I am willing."

At that time, part of her reason for wanting to get close to Shen Nanyuan had been because of Shen Sinian, but at the same time, another part of her had genuinely wanted to make a friend of her.

Back then, she had never imagined that the appearance of Shen Nanyuan was truly a blessing bestowed by the heavens.

It was something she would recall countless times in the future with the deepest sense of gratitude.

In the end, Meng Chuyue became thoroughly intoxicated. Shen Nanyuan and Gao Xueluo were just considering how to send her safely back to the Prime Minister's Estate when the door to the private room was suddenly knocked twice and then pushed open. Liu郁礼 (Liu Yuli) walked in, followed closely by Murong Ming.

Shen Nanyuan was utterly astonished, while Gao Xueluo froze for a second before hurrying over to Liu Yuli, glaring fiercely at him as she lowered her voice.

"What are you doing? Why did you bring him back? Do you believe me if I say I'll throttle you?"

Liu Yuli glanced sideways at her. "Did you really think the Fifth Prince didn't know? The moment Miss Meng arrived at the Linglong Winehouse, the Fifth Prince showed up. The two of us talked downstairs for a long time before coming up."

He glanced at Meng Chuyue, who was completely dead to the world in her drunkenness, and continued, "If you two were to send Miss Meng back to the Prime Minister's Estate yourselves, wouldn't that stir up the entire household? Everyone knows Miss Meng snuck out to drink, and she's leaving the capital tomorrow. Surely you don't want any mishaps right before then."

"The Fifth Prince is highly skilled in martial arts and can quietly send Miss Meng back to the Prime Minister's Estate without a sound. You don't need to worry."

Gao Xueluo continued to glare at him. "Do you take me for a fool? Handing an intoxicated Chuyue over to a man? Rest assured, we certainly don't feel at ease. We'll find someone ourselves to quietly escort Chuyue back."

Hearing this, Murong Ming looked rather helpless. "My two ladies, I cherish Chuyue dearly, and from the very first moment I laid eyes on her, I liked her immensely. Therefore, I will naturally never do anything to harm her. Besides, she is about to set off with me back to Houlan; at a time like this, I am even less likely to do anything that might delay our return journey."

"Moreover, you both know Chuyue's temperament. If she found out, she wouldn't let me off the hook. So on these counts, you can rest completely easy."

Shen Nanyuan furrowed her brow. After a brief pause, she walked up to Murong Ming. "Even so, we still cannot feel entirely at ease. We will accompany you to the Prime Minister's Estate. Once you have delivered her inside, you must come straight back out. Only when we see it with our own eyes will we be reassured."

Murong Ming pondered for a brief moment and nodded. "Very well."

Seeing him agree so readily, Shen Nanyuan's heart settled down just a fraction. Sweeping a glance at him from the corner of her eye, she paused and spoke again.

"There is one more matter I must discuss with the Fifth Prince."

Her gaze was slightly cool, flashing with a sharp, piercing brilliance—so chilly that it was somewhat intimidating, causing even Murong Ming to feel a jolt of surprise that the Princess of Yong'an could possess such a side to her.