Perhaps she was too competitive, unwilling to lose to someone like Yafu, who was not as good as her? Women can be quite strange sometimes; the things they strive for might not be what they truly like. Chapter 90: Yuzhen Admires the Crown Prince
Her heart clearly admired Li Qin, otherwise, why would she have seemed so forlorn just now? Li Qin shrugged noncommittally, “I mean, in the future, there will be one more person in my Eastern Palace to control me, and it’s a woman.” “Are we women very troublesome?” Yuzhen immediately returned to her playful self, and a beauty like her wouldn’t remain downhearted for long. Li Qin raised a finger and waved it, “Women are very talkative.” Only then did the three of them understand, and they burst into laughter.
Before long, they had arrived outside the city. Qingqing instructed Xiao Dengzi, who was beside Li Qin, to fly a kite, while they nibbled on snacks and recited poetry. The willow trees by the river were sprouting green, with a mix of red and green hues, and a few wildflowers were just beginning to bloom, like shy brides-to-be. The sky was a strange blue, as if freshly washed, with warm spring breezes occasionally brushing against their cheeks, creating an indescribable sense of leisure. Qingqing plucked a piece of grass to chew on, looking as natural as if it were second nature to her. She closed her eyes, greedily taking in the scent, and sang softly, “The pheasant pecks every ten steps, drinks every hundred, not desiring to be caged, though divine, it’s not good… One drink… one peck… all preordained…” Yuzhen sat down beside her, “The first few lines are from ‘Zhuangzi’s Chapter on Nourishing Life’, but ‘One drink, one peck, all preordained’ seems unfamiliar to me, please forgive my ignorance.” Qingqing looked into the distance where Li Qin was playing with the servants, not directly answering her but instead asking, “Sister, do you have someone in your heart?”
