Xiao Changyi ignored Linghe entirely and sat on the ground with An Jing. Then, he pulled out a small packet of peanuts from his bosom and began shelling them for An Jing to eat.
Seeing Xiao Changyi treat An Jing so well made Linghe even more jealous, her heart brimming with sourness.
While An Jing leisurely enjoyed the peanuts Xiao Changyi peeled for her, she slowly smiled and said, "Commandery Princess, did you not return to the Capital just to tell my husband this? Even the Emperor wouldn’t say this to my husband."
How could she compare herself to the Emperor? Linghe was immediately frightened into performing a gesture of apology, "It was Linghe who overstepped her bounds, I hope the Prince can forgive me!"
Xiao Changyi still paid no heed to Linghe and continued to shell peanuts, offering them to An Jing.
Peanuts can make one’s mouth dry; after eating two more peanuts, An Jing then said, "Husband, I’m thirsty."
Xiao Changyi immediately poured a bowl of water from a clay jar for An Jing to drink.
With Xiao Changyi doting on An Jing , Linghe’s jealousy made her teeth itch – after all, she was still maintaining her apologetic posture!
After An Jing had her water and ate some more peanuts, she then feigned pity and said, "Wuyu is working all alone, it’s quite hard for him. Commandery Princess, why don’t you help us out, out of the goodness of your heart?"
"I wouldn’t dare not help, I’ll start making the ridges right away." Compared to continuing the posture of apology, Linghe would rather wield a hoe to make sweet potato ridges.
Only when Linghe went back into the field and picked up the hoe again did An Jing turn her gaze toward her dear husband’s face and quietly laughed, "Guess how long she can last?"
Xiao Changyi didn’t even glance at Linghe, and just kept peeling peanuts. He didn’t answer how long Linghe could last, but instead said indifferently, "You should deal with her more harshly."
An Jing immediately laughed out loud, "Turns out I’ve been too compassionate?"
"You know that’s not what I mean." Xiao Changyi let out an almost inaudible sigh, stuffed another peanut into An Jing’s mouth, and then continued, "I don’t want to see her; she’s annoying." He just wanted to live a peaceful life with his wife, without anyone disturbing them.
Anyone who dared to disturb them deserved to be dealt with!
"Alright, I understand," An Jing said, munching on the peanut in her mouth, and then slipped one into Xiao Changyi’s mouth as a gesture of consolation before she added with a smile, "I’ll make sure she arrives smiling and leaves crying."
When An Jing returned to the field, she hadn’t even spoken to Linghe, but Linghe couldn’t contain her impatience and took the initiative to ask, "Princess, when will the Prince return to the Capital?"
At this moment, Linghe had finally understood that Xiao Changyi would not pay attention to her; if she wanted to know anything, she could only ask An Jing.
An Jing smiled and said, "The Prince never mentioned returning to the Capital to me, but he did tell me that next year, he plans to plant rice on all eight acres of this paddy field." As she spoke, she pointed to the casually planted eight-acre paddy field not far away.
Doesn’t that mean not only farming this year but continuing to farm next year?
Linghe was utterly confused and couldn’t comprehend why Xiao Changyi, a perfectly good Prince, would insist on being a farmer.
She had only done a bit of work, but was already exhausted to the limit; her arms ached as if they would fail at any moment, and even her back seemed like it might not straighten.
She wanted to marry Xiao Changyi for a better life, not to till the land with him!
"Commandery Princess, what’s wrong?" An Jing pretended not to know what was going on in Linghe’s mind and asked with concern.
Linghe immediately shook her head, "Nothing, nothing at all."
An Jing said, "Well if there’s nothing wrong, then please help me make the ridges quickly."
Linghe didn’t want to continue working, but couldn’t bring herself to refuse Princess An Jing’s request, so she gritted her teeth and kept on working.