A pure heart in a jade pot

Chapter 126

Yelü Pusa Nu, standing a few dozen steps ahead of them, had his back to them and was stroking the back of his horse. For some reason, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

Author's Note: It's so hot! So hot! It's unbearably hot!

Chapter Fifty-Eight

"Princess, if he takes a fancy to your horse, will you give it to him?"

Mo Yan watched as Yelü Pusa Nu picked out one horse after another, and had already chosen three or four.

"No!" Zhao Yu said without hesitation.

Mo Yan turned to look at her, and asked in surprise, "Didn't you just say that harmony is the most important thing?"

Zhao Yu hesitated for a moment, then said with a slight sense of dejection, "He probably wouldn't be interested in my horse, would he?"

“I think it’s hard to say. It seems he’s come back again…” Mo Yan lowered her voice, watching Yelü Pusa Nu warily as he walked back.

He walked straight toward the white horse that Zhao Yu had chosen. Zhao Yu gripped the reins tightly, took a few steps, and got closer to the horse.

"I remember the princess just praised this horse as quite good." Yelü Pusa Nu had already walked up to the horse, pried open its mouth to look at its teeth, adopting a businesslike demeanor.

Zhao Yu wished she could bite off her own tongue: "I was just saying it casually, it's really nothing special."

"Oh?" The voice was low and deep, but it didn't sound like a question; it sounded more like a joke.

Yelü Pusa Nu turned his face to Zhao Yu, his gaze fixed directly on her face without any regard for her presence. At this moment, the two were less than half a horse's length apart. Zhao Yu was startled by his gaze and suddenly remembered the time he had embraced her. Her cheeks flushed red, and she involuntarily took a few steps back... To avoid him, she even loosened the reins and strolled to the side, pretending to admire the flowers and plants.

Seeing her blush, Yelü Pusa Nu, not knowing the reason, was also a little puzzled. After a pause, he turned his gaze to the horses.

Mo Yan, standing to the side, was equally unaware of Zhao Yu's thoughts. She could only shake her head inwardly, saying, "Princess, there's no need for this. It's really pathetic to look at." At the same time, she pulled her horse back two steps, secretly hoping that he wouldn't take a fancy to her horse. Brother Zhan hadn't returned yet, and if this man insisted on taking it away, it would be perfectly legitimate, and there was really nothing that could be done about it.

Fortunately, Zhan Zhao returned before Yelü Pusa Nu could set his sights on her horse, accompanied by Yelü Hongji.

"I am truly sorry that Your Highness has gone to such lengths for such a small matter. If I were not afraid of disappointing Your Highness, I would never have asked Guard Zhan to bother you." Zhao Yu stepped forward gracefully and smiled gently at Yelü Hongji.

Yelü Hongji hurriedly said, "It was my oversight, Princess, please forgive me."

He looked up at Yelü Pusa Nu.

"Your Highness." Yelü Pusanu stepped forward and bowed according to custom.

"For something as trivial as a few horses, your uncle actually sent you personally. It seems these horses are truly your uncle's prized possessions," Yelü Hongji said with a smile.

Yelü Pusa Nu stood quietly, neither smiling nor answering.

Beside them, Mo Yan leaned casually against Zhan Zhao, watching the two of them bicker.

"I have already given these horses to the princess, and I truly feel I have to apologize to my uncle. You should go back now and convey my words to your uncle."

Yelü Pusa Nu remained unmoved and said calmly, "This humble servant came on orders and has returned empty-handed. I fear I will be unable to report back."

"Then you can take my horse," Yelü Hongji said with a smile that had lost all warmth.

"This humble servant dares not." The tone remained flat.

Yelü Hongji smiled again, stepped forward and patted Yelü Pusa Nu on the shoulder, saying with a smile, "I know your difficulties, so be it, I won't make things difficult for you. Another day I will definitely go and select a few more good horses and personally deliver them to your uncle's residence to apologize to him. In addition, I have a fine ebony bow that I have been unable to find its owner for a long time. After thinking about it, I think a good bow is for a hero, and it is most suitable for you. I will send someone to deliver it tonight."

"Thank you, Your Highness. I shall take my leave now."

Yelü Pusa Nu bowed slightly, then turned and mounted his horse to leave. As if sending away a plague god, everyone around breathed a sigh of relief.

Only after watching his figure disappear into the distance did Zhao Yu say apologetically to Yelü Hongji, "For giving me these few horses, Your Highness and my uncle have become estranged. What should I do?"

“Your Highness is too kind. This is just a misunderstanding,” Yelü Hongji said with a smile, gesturing towards Yelü Pusa Nu’s retreating figure. “A petty person like this can be appeased by giving him some benefits.”

To be honest, Mo Yan was quite surprised to see Yelü Pusa Nu leave so decisively without making any further entanglements. This man usually seemed very aloof, as if nothing could move him, but she never expected that Yelü Hongji would actually agree to something just by offering him a benefit.

Zhao Yu thought the same thing as Mo Yan. Although she remained outwardly calm, for some reason, an indescribable sense of loss slowly spread through her heart.

Before anyone knew it, Yelü Hongji had brought the white horse over and smiled at Zhao Yu, saying, "Does the princess like this horse? This is the first horse I've ever had my eye on; it doesn't have a single blemish."

Zhao Yu smiled and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. I just rode it, and it is indeed a fine horse."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Hongji seemed very pleased: "I'm glad the princess likes it. When we get to Fuhu Forest, we'll hunt deer, and the princess will surely have a good haul riding this horse."

Zhao Yu smiled in response.

Zhan Zhao and Mo Yan had already retreated without them noticing. Mo Yan could still vaguely hear Yelü Hongji's words and thought to herself: "This man has such a sweet tongue. If only my elder brother could chatter on and on like that someday." Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look up and steal a glance at Zhan Zhao, who was also looking down at her. The two smiled at each other... Mo Yan smiled and then lowered her head again, suddenly realizing: "Even if Yelü Hongji's words were ten times sweeter, they couldn't compare to my elder brother's smile; even if my elder brother didn't smile, just a glance from him was a hundred times better than Yelü Hongji's."

While Mo Yan was lost in her own thoughts, Zhao Yu was trying to maintain a smile so much that her face almost stiffened.

Yelü Hongji continued to ramble on with polite words: "Having been in Liao for so long, I wonder if the princess has settled in well? Because of the passing of the Empress Dowager, palace affairs have been very busy, and I hope the princess will forgive me for any shortcomings in my care."

"Your Highness is too kind. Datong Pavilion has everything you need and is extremely well-equipped."

"By the way, did the princess enjoy the camel meat I specially sent over the other day?"

"Thank you, Your Highness, it tastes very good." In fact, when Zhao Yu heard the word "camel" that day, he immediately thought of the camel blood he had drunk before, and almost immediately vomited it up. He didn't even look at the camel meat before ordering the maid to take it away.

Yelü Hongji laughed even more heartily: "I'm glad the princess is happy..." He suddenly changed the subject and said, "There's something I've been hesitating about how to bring up with the princess. I'm afraid that if I do, the princess will be unhappy."

"Your Highness, please speak freely."

“My grandmother has passed away, and according to custom, we should observe three years of mourning. However, the princess and I originally planned to hold a grand ceremony next month. So… alas, this is truly a dilemma,” Yelü Hongji sighed.

"Your Highness need not be troubled. Filial piety is the most important of all virtues, so it is only natural to observe the mourning period according to the established customs. The grand ceremony can simply be postponed."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Hongji immediately bowed to Zhao Yu and said, "Thank you, Princess, for your consideration of filial piety. I have another request, though I haven't asked. I would like to ask that you personally write a letter to your father, the Emperor, to explain this matter. Would that be alright?"