"You're still bothered by me..."
"Don't come back to sleep tonight either. I'm heavily pregnant, and one more person will take up more space."
This person cannot be tolerated. I turned a blind eye when the courtesan came to my door last time, but now she's doing the same thing again, which reminds me of what happened years ago. So I feel uncomfortable and don't really want to see you.
The hand gripping my wrist tightened its hold. Was it using that trick again?
"What, do you want to argue or fight?"
He stared at me for a long time before slowly letting go of my hand.
"Don't get so angry that you'll ruin your health..."
"I won't treat myself badly, you... never mind, there's something I need to ask you now."
He immediately gripped my hand again, his eyes lighting up.
"Was it out of guilt, or some other reason, that you chose me? You knew who I liked all along, so why did you keep pressing and probing?"
"At first, I really disliked you. Sometimes, after arguing with you, I felt a lot better, but my impression of you remained bad. Then, that time you rushed in without hesitation to shield me from two deadly attacks, and the first time you laid a hand on Dad… I suddenly felt I couldn't live like that anymore. Thinking back on everything, I slowly figured out the intentions behind your aggressive behavior. By the time I understood, you had already run away with your tail between your legs. Actually, many times it wasn't that I didn't trust you, it's just that I couldn't control my fear, I was so afraid… afraid…"
"Alright," I interrupted him. If I listened any longer, I'd probably be the one to give in first.
That Nangong Yi is truly a master of creating trouble, completely eroding his son's sense of security, leaving me with not a single bit. My own temper is sharp and I never know how to back down, and I feel that many things don't need to be said. Nangong Ling isn't as carefree as he seems; he's anxious and uneasy inside. Being rubbed by my bad temper is like a flint igniting paper, ready to burst into flames at the slightest touch.
Why do I have to be the kind of person who only responds to force and never to gentleness? I've only made myself suffer so much for nothing.
"Let go, I want to go back and drink bird's nest soup."
His dark, jade-like eyes eventually dimmed, like lifeless, sunken stones.
"...It's not a solution for Xiaoman to keep changing the heater for me every night. She can't work properly if she doesn't sleep well, can she?"
He looked up, reacted for a moment, and then reached out to pull me into his arms.
"sorry."
"Why does it feel like Nangong Ling's 'I'm sorry' is becoming increasingly cheap?"
This time he ignored me and simply rested his chin on my shoulder.
"Granny Zhao said I'll be able to see my son in about four months."
He nuzzled my earlobe with the tip of his nose and gently patted my back with his hand.
"It's a daughter."
The setting sun outside the window ignited the snow, turning it a fiery red, and the last snow of the year was gone.
Chapter 128
Spring came early this year, and with it, problems arose.
"Ayu is back?"
"...Cang Zhe had infiltrated Li Mu's Imperial Guard earlier, but Li Mu was extremely wary. Even when he had few men left, he would still walk a distance and send some away. Cang Zhe was sent away in the second wave. He had no choice but to wait for Li Mu to walk a distance before secretly following him. Just before he was about to set off, he heard the sound of a golden whistle, which is why you saw him that night."
"Hmm, that resolves one of my questions, which is good, but what does that have to do with what I asked?"
"Yeah?"
"How did you know about this?" I asked, and only then did I realize that he had been there that day as well.
"Otherwise, why do you think we arrived so quickly that night? There is a unique medicinal herb in Xikou Valley of Lianshan. We said we went to collect the herb, but actually we followed the emperor at the master's behest, and sure enough, something bad happened."
"master?"
"That's Minister He."
“Minister He has always been considerate; letting him retire is also so that he can enjoy his retirement sooner.” I took a sip of tea, suddenly realizing that the topic seemed to be drifting further and further off track. “Are you avoiding my question? I’m asking you if A-Yu has returned?”
"All your questions can be answered by asking just one person."
"If I could get anything out of him, why would I need to contact you?"
He Mengyan slammed the soup bowl on the table. "Are you trying to get me killed? Don't you know who's going to be in trouble if they gossip about you?"
"So everything you just said was nonsense?"
I stared straight at him, and he got a little annoyed by my staring, so he simply dragged a chair over and sat down next to me.
"Just answer me whether the Arabic speakers are in the city or not, and they probably won't let you know anything more in-depth."
"The man is imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison."
"What crime could warrant being thrown into prison?"
"Now Li Mu is hiding in the shadows with his army and the command seal. As for Xiao Lianjue... do you know about his concubine?"
"Xiao Lianjue has a large number of wives and concubines. Explain yourself clearly, otherwise how am I supposed to know which one it is?"
“I’ve never seen her and I don’t know how to describe her, I only know her name is Baojue.” He tilted his head and thought for a moment, “I heard that the Crown Prince dotes on her very much.”
Could it be that woman who came looking for trouble without understanding the situation?
"Oh, and then?"
Do you remember when Senior Sister Zhiyu was injured by the Heart-Shattering Palm?
I nodded; things were starting to look promising.
"That woman is indeed connected to the Hundred Days Sect. You mean Xiao Lianjue learned the Heart-Shattering Palm from her, right? And Ayu also had ties with the Hundred Days Sect before. Even though the Hundred Days Sect was destroyed, they were still members of the same sect. We can't rule out the possibility that they had no contact. Besides, the time of his disappearance was so suspicious. Isn't his return this time just a death wish?"
"I don't know about that."
"Looks like you know quite a bit. Where did you overhear this?"
He suddenly glanced at me cautiously, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but didn't.
"Xiao Yuan."
I frowned. "Who is it?"
He gave me another meaningful look, "The one who likes to wear feathers on her head."
I blinked, and it seemed there really was someone who made me furious just looking at them.
"Damn it, even her brother has submitted to the Crown Prince. Does she think she can just stay here and settle down?"
"You were analyzing things so logically just now, but now you're letting your emotions get the better of you. Isn't it better to keep her? Tianchen probably didn't expect Xiao Lianjue to act so quickly, not even giving him a chance to take Xiao Yuan away. Now that Han Xuanmo and Princess Yaoxing are in the capital, even if Xiao Lianjue puts pressure on him, he won't dare to make any rash moves."
"This is because there is still a chance for things to turn around. If pushed too far, he will still demand the country's support and then turn his back on his family and friends."
He Mengyan stared at me for a while, her eyes gradually darkening, then she lowered her eyes and remained silent.
"How did that princess know these things, and why would she tell you for no reason?"
"Her brother is Tianchen after all, and she's not someone who's been raised in seclusion and is ignorant. There are some things she wants to know, and it's not difficult if she puts in a little effort. She chatters away to Shi'er all the time, even though Shi'er doesn't understand a word, but it's better than having no one to listen to her. No matter how cheerful a girl is, she'll still feel lonely when she's in a foreign place. Besides, she probably really wants to talk to the Emperor, but he's very busy, and I've never seen him pay attention to anyone except you."
I smiled and said, "You seem cold on the outside but warm on the inside; you're quite gentle."
"Don't laugh like that, it makes me feel really uncomfortable."
"That brat won't even take the sweetness I offered him." I immediately tightened my lips. He wisely stood up, cleared the dishes from the table, and turned to leave.
Am I some kind of monster or a demon? Hey, I haven't even touched my medicine yet!
I've been back for more than half a year and only now do I realize that the princess of the Celestial Kingdom has been living in the city all along. To be honest, I don't have a particularly deep impression of her, nor do I think she can threaten me in any way, but for a princess, she seems to know far too much.
I'm a bit tired after spending half a day like this. My energy isn't what it used to be, but my appetite has doubled. I ate something half an hour ago and chatted with He Mengyan for a while, so I'm a bit hungry again.
"Xiaoman".
"What are your orders, Madam?"
"Prepare the sedan chair."
She immediately looked at me warily, "Where are you going, Madam?"
"Xianglong Pavilion".
Relieved, she put on a smile and obediently went to prepare the sedan chair.
Is it necessary? They're treating me like I'm some kind of monster.
"No need to prepare a sedan chair, go and serve the food."
Xiaoman was stopped by a voice as soon as she reached the door.
Someone arrives on the wind, bringing with them a cool, delicate fragrance; their brocade robes and flowing tassels exude elegance and wealth.
As soon as I raised my head, I felt a dark shadow loom over me, and a cool, fragrant sensation on my lips.
How are you feeling today?
"Hmm, that's a very accurate calculation. I happen to be hungry."
He lowered his head and took a sip of the tea in my hand.
"I was just thinking of coming over to have dinner with you when you arrived. Aren't you busy today?"
"fine."
Judging from his expression, you could tell he wasn't planning to talk about Arabic.
"Don't you think the past six months have been strangely peaceful?"
He sat down, picked up a piece of food, and then put down his chopsticks.
What do you want to say?
"Since that incident, Xiao Lianjue was originally the one with the best chance of winning, so why has he remained silent for so long? And what is Ayu's purpose in suddenly returning after being missing for so long?"
He frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, and looked at Xiaoman.
"Even if I force the person you taught to her death, she wouldn't say a word."