Meiyi didn't expect to be filled with anticipation when she once again embarked on the journey back to Border Town.
The trees along the Redwater River had begun to turn yellow, and the breeze that blew against her face carried a hint of coolness. The sparkling river water rolled beneath her feet, and occasionally she could see fallen leaves slip past the side of the boat.
Without the anxiety and unease of her last trip, the autumnal scenery around her became picturesque.
"Meiyi xiaojie," a respectful voice came from behind her, "Was the script for your performance of 'Witch's Diary' really written by His Royal Highness himself?"
Meiyi turned around and saw a group of actresses gathering around her, the one at the head looking at her with a nervous expression. She remembered that the person seemed to be called Yanzi.
"Ah, sorry," Eileen waved to her from the bow of the ship, laughing loudly, "I couldn't answer their question, so I had them come ask you."
This idiot... Meiyi inwardly rolled her eyes. If it had been before, she would have only given them two cold snorts. Perhaps it was because she had been with Eileen for too long, but her patience had actually grown, "It wasn't written by His Highness for me, but by the Minister of Education of the City Hall, Lord Juan, for the witches."
"Uh, is that so?" Yanzi blinked, "When you were arguing with Bella, we all thought it was true."
His Highness wrote it himself and His Highness wrote it for me, the difference between the two was worlds apart. How could these people have heard the first half of the sentence as the second half? "However, the scriptwriting and theatrical performance have been recognized by His Royal Highness, so Bella's ridicule of the script is indeed equivalent to ridiculing His Highness himself. I didn't exaggerate this point to her."
"Have you met His Royal Highness?"
"I heard that he has the royal family's signature long gray hair and extraordinary handsome looks, is it true?"
"I also heard that he is naturally romantic and has many 'qingren'!"
"Eh, is that really so?"
"..." Looking at this group of lively little girls, Meiyi couldn't help but frown. Damn it, she shouldn't have responded to their curiosity.
"Okay, don't disturb Meiyi xiaojie," Luo Xia stepped forward and shooed them away, giving Meiyi an apologetic look.
"It doesn't matter," she shrugged and continued to admire the scenery along the coast, "After all, this is my own trouble."
"I... don't quite understand," Luo Xia scratched her head, "Why did you bring them when you left? Out of thirty-five people, only two have been on stage, and twenty-six haven't even completed all the drama classes. According to your previous statement, they are not even fledgling birds, still unhatched in their shells... Even if the Lord doesn't have high demands for drama, these people may be difficult for His Highness to accept. If you want to retaliate against Bella, you should also win over those experienced supporting actors."
"I don't plan to have them all act."
"Ah?" The other person was stunned for a moment.
"They can all understand the script, right?" Meiyi smiled, "Although there is still a long way to go before they can perform on stage, they can at least write. Haven't you noticed that His Highness needs this kind of talent the most now?" She paused slightly, "Do you think Roland Wimbledon really recruited us to perform because he likes drama?"
"This..."
"If it were Lord Peiluo, then the answer would definitely be yes. Before taking over Longsong Stronghold, he had a habit of visiting the theater once a week. But as for Roland, except for the premiere of the new play, he won't appear in the town square at other times—so he is promoting drama not because of his own preferences, but because he intends to use drama to promote his views to the masses." Meiyi continued, "Compared to the initial emphasis on resisting oppression and that witches are not xieè, the new scripts 'Dawn' and 'New City' have moved closer to goals such as recruiting people and getting rich through hard work. I'm just following his intentions and doing my best."
"S-so that's how it is, I never thought about these..." Luo Xia gasped.
"When studying a script, in addition to putting yourself in the role to think, you should also try to understand the meaning that the entire story wants to express. This is also a quality that an excellent actor must have."
"Yes, thank you for your guidance!" She bowed.
"Don't worry," Meiyi raised the corner of her mouth, "If you don't want to act anymore, you can also find a good job in Border Town, and maybe you can enter the City Hall and become an administrative official. After all, His Highness doesn't require status or family background, and this path is much easier than being an actor."
...
After the ship arrived in town, Meiyi immediately saw Feilin. Xierte standing by the pier to greet them.
Of course, he was here for Eileen.
Seeing the girl running into his arms, she sighed softly.
"Isn't that Dawnlight?"
"So he wasn't sentenced to exile by His Highness..."
"The First Knight of the West, that's great." Yanzi said enviously, "I thought he would be with the star of the theater—"
"What nonsense are you talking about," Meiyi's cold shout made everyone shut their mouths immediately, "Quickly take your luggage off the ship, Gatte and Luo Xia will take you to the City Hall to register your identities, and as for the rest, just listen to their arrangements."
"Yes." Everyone answered respectfully.
Walking off the dock, Feilin walked over with his wife and gave her a chest salute, "Meiyi xiaojie, Eileen just told me about the conflict at the theater, thank you for your concern for her."
"No need to thank me," Meiyi said indifferently, "The other party seemed to be looking for trouble with her, but was actually coming for me."
"Even so, I still want to thank you." The knight laughed heartily, "If it weren't for you, she would have cried on the spot."
After the two left, Meiyi pursed her lips, carried her luggage alone, and walked towards the residential area.
Although she had let go of this feeling, she still felt a little emotional when she saw this scene, and that familiar figure did not appear. Moreover, the person had sworn in the letter that they would give her a surprise.
Well, after all, the other party is an important figure beside His Highness, and it is impossible to move around as freely as Dawnlight, right?
Back home, Meiyi put down her package, and a long-lost sense of relaxation washed over her. She let out a long breath, took out white wine from the cupboard, and was about to drink a glass when there was a knock on the door.
Opening the door, Carter Lannister was standing outside.
"I didn't expect you to arrive half an hour early," he wiped the sweat from his forehead, "I heard that the ship from Longsong Stronghold had arrived, and I rushed over from the barracks."
For some reason, even though she didn't see him at the dock, even though he didn't pick her up, but seeing his appearance, Meiyi's mood instantly became cheerful, "Want to have a drink?"
"No, I have a mission in the afternoon," Carter waved his hand.
"Mm," she nodded, "His Highness's instructions are more important."
"I'm here to give you a gift," the Chief Knight took out a small white wooden box from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Is this the latest product from the Convenience Market?" Meiyi curiously took the wooden box, opened the lid, and saw a golden-orange ring quietly standing at the bottom of the box. Its top was inlaid with a dazzling transparent gemstone, refracting colorful light under the autumn sun shining through the window.
There is no doubt that this ring is valuable and is unlikely to be a sale item at the Convenience Market. Moreover, a noble giving a ring means... She couldn't help but cover her mouth.
"Meiyi xiaojie, will you marry me?" Carter asked seriously.(。)