Reaching her right hand into her left sleeve, she took out a wooden carving. The carving depicted a woman wearing a beautiful pleated skirt, with an exquisitely styled bun, a full forehead, and a lifelike, beautiful face—it was none other than Shen Lixue.
Ye Qianlong gently stroked the statue's delicate eyebrows and eyes, then looked at the sandalwood carriage. Just now, he had planned to give this wooden statue to Shen Lixue as a gift, but when he saw Dongfang Heng standing next to her, he changed his mind and did not take out the wooden carving.
The deep affection between the Holy King and the Holy Queen is truly touching. As their son, Dongfang Heng must also be a man of deep feelings. Shen Lixue will surely be very happy and cherished after marrying him.
Ye Qianlong looked up at the azure sky, cloudless and perfect for a roc to soar through the heavens. A faint smile appeared on his lips. As long as she was happy for the rest of her life, he had no other desires. Li Xue, take good care of yourself.
The carriage drove away from the villa and sped along the smooth official road. The carriage was stable and there was no bump in the slightest. Dongfang Heng picked up the teapot with his jade-like fingers and poured a cup of tea. Through the rising steam, he quietly raised his eyes and looked at Shen Lixue across from him.
Shen Lixue was also looking at him, a hint of coldness flashing in her clear eyes: "Dongfang Heng, is there something you want to say to me?"
Dongfang Heng put down the teapot and said seriously, "On the day of the Duke of Mu's rebellion, I went back to the clinic to look for you. The clinic was in chaos, and you and Zimo had already left..."
Shen Lixue nodded, a hint of mockery in her eyes as she looked at Dongfang Heng: "And then?"
"Then... I searched the whole city and learned that you had entered the palace, so I conspired with my father to lure out the Duke of Mu..."
"Still lying!" Shen Lixue grabbed a small cushion and pressed it against Dongfang Heng's handsome face. "You clearly didn't see me at the clinic, and following the marks left by the secret guards, you knew I was preparing to enter the palace. So you sent someone to lure Lu Jiangfeng to the palace, so he could use the Mu Chunfeng technique to deal with Consort Shu and secretly protect me. Emperor, Ye Qianlong, you then lure out Duke Mu and annihilate him in one fell swoop..."
"How did you know?" Dongfang Heng raised his hand to block the small cushion, and reached out to hug Shen Lixue. His plan was flawless, and even Lu Jiangfeng, the person in charge, did not notice anything amiss. How did Lixue know?
"It's all thanks to your ten most skilled bodyguards." Shen Lixue leaned her head against Dongfang Heng's chest, finding a comfortable position in his arms. "During the fight in the palace, I sensed several faint gusts of wind. The aura was very familiar; it was your ten most skilled bodyguards. You were worried that something might happen to me, so you specially sent them to infiltrate my side, weren't you?"
"It seems nothing can be hidden from you." Dongfang Heng sighed lightly, feigning helplessness, and lightly kissed Shen Lixue's forehead like a dragonfly skimming the water: "At that time, the capital was in chaos. My father and I were both holding back the imperial guards, so we had to send our secret guards to protect you."
As for Lu Jiangfeng, since he's idle anyway, it's better to let him enter the palace to deal with Consort Shu and save the Emperor and the Crown Prince. That would be a great achievement, and he wouldn't suffer any loss.
"Li Xue, how did the doctor diagnose your condition that day?" Dongfang Heng had never forgotten that Shen Li Xue went to the clinic because she was feeling unwell.
Shen Lixue frowned: "Don't even mention it. The doctor just finished taking my pulse and hadn't even told me how I was feeling when those imperial guards stormed in..."
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" The imperial physician came to their villa every day. If they had known that Shen Lixue hadn't finished her consultations, they would have had the imperial physician take her pulse.
"I've been feeling fine these past few days, nothing serious. The nausea I felt was probably just a minor stomach upset, nothing serious." With the Holy King and Holy Queen seriously injured, Shen Lixue had been taking care of them and hadn't paid much attention to her own health. It seemed like she only felt nauseous that one time, and hadn't had any problems at other times.
A gust of wind lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, and a figure in a light blue robe fluttered gently in the breeze.
Shen Lixue was startled. She pulled back the carriage curtain and looked outside. The early winter weather was very cold. Most of the leaves on the trees had fallen, leaving them bare and swaying gently in the wind. The flat ground stretched as far as the eye could see, covered in a yellow expanse, with a strong sense of life hidden beneath the ground.
"What's wrong?" A gust of cold wind blew into the carriage. Dongfang Heng held Shen Lixue's trembling body tightly, rested his chin on her shoulder, and looked out the window at the empty space. He paused for a moment at a small hill before looking away.
"I think I just saw someone standing on that high slope over there." A glimpse of light blue clothing flashed by, the fabric of which was very similar to that of Lu Jiangfeng's clothes.
Dongfang Heng carefully looked around, deliberately ignoring the small hill: "The carriage is far from the capital. There's nothing but land and plants around, not a single person in sight. Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Shen Lixue looked around carefully and indeed didn't see a single person. Her body felt weak, and a wave of drowsiness rose up for no reason. She slowly lowered the curtain, leaned close to Dongfang Heng, and closed her eyes: "Maybe I'm seeing things. I'm a little tired. I'll sleep for a while. Remember to wake me when the carriage stops for a meal!"
"Okay!" Dongfang Heng agreed, turning to the side to retrieve the silk quilt from the hidden compartment. As the light blue quilt was unfolded, even breathing could be heard from within his arms. Dongfang Heng looked down and saw that Shen Lixue's eyes were slightly closed, her long eyelashes curled up, and her peaceful and serene sleeping face was too beautiful to be touched.
She fell asleep in the blink of an eye. Was she very tired?
A gust of cold wind blew into the carriage through the slightly open window. Dongfang Heng reached out and closed the small window tightly, put away the small table, teapot, and teacups, and then lay down on the blanket with Shen Lixue in his arms. He took a silk quilt and covered the two of them, gently closing his eyes. He was also a little tired from days of travel, and wanted to take advantage of the journey to rest and recharge. There were still important matters waiting for them in the capital.
The carriage sped along the flat road, raising plumes of smoke in its wake.
A handsome man in a snow-blue robe stood on a small hill, facing the direction the carriage had left. The matter of the Holy King and the Holy Queen had been resolved satisfactorily. She had returned to Qingyan and would not come to Xiliang again. He and she were originally two completely unrelated people, so why did he feel disappointed when he learned that she would not be coming back?
A guard hurried up to the man, clasped his hands in a fist and bow: "Third Young Master, the Emperor summons you to the palace!"
"Did they say anything?" Lu Jiangfeng asked casually, still facing the direction the carriage had left.
"According to the eunuch delivering the imperial decree, the Emperor intends to appoint you as Junior Tutor, so that you can guide His Highness the Crown Prince!" The guard guessed this, but judging from the eunuch's demeanor, it was probably true.
Lu Jiangfeng raised an eyebrow. The Emperor was cultivating advisors for the Crown Prince: "I don't understand the ways of governing a country!"
"Everyone in the capital of Xiliang knows that the Third Young Master is exceptionally talented and a rare genius. As the Junior Tutor, you are best suited to guide the Crown Prince!" The Crown Prince needs to learn not only the art of governing the country, but also strategic thinking. With Lu Jiangfeng's talent, he is best suited to teach Ye Qianlong.
The carriage drove further and further away until it disappeared from sight. Even with Lu Jiangfeng's keen hearing, he could no longer hear a sound. But he did not move. He just stood there quietly, watching the smoke from the battle gradually subside on the ground.
After a long while, the ground was completely still, and there was no trace of the carriage. He suddenly turned around, walked past the guards, and strode forward: "Let's go, to the palace!"
Ye Qianlong is the Crown Prince of Xiliang and also her good friend. As a citizen of Xiliang, he will do his best to assist the Crown Prince in governing Xiliang well. When they meet again, they can become good friends.
The bustling streets were teeming with people. A sandalwood carriage slowly made its way through the crowd. One of the curtains was open, revealing a bright little face. Looking at the rows of shops and the bustling crowd, Shen Lixue blinked and said, "Qingyan Capital is still as prosperous as ever, just like before we left!"
Dongfang Heng glanced out the window: "The important matter that my elder brother mentioned in his message by carrier pigeon should refer to important matters in the court, which the common people are unaware of. The streets and shops are still bustling."
Shen Lixue lowered the carriage curtain, nestled into Dongfang Heng's arms, and closed her eyes slightly: "We'll be at the Holy King's Mansion soon, and we'll soon find out what happened."
Looking at Shen Lixue's slightly tired face, Dongfang Heng frowned: "Lixue, do you want to sleep again?"
"The carriage ride was too tiring. I always feel like I haven't slept enough. When we arrive at the Holy King's Mansion, remember to wake me up." Shen Lixue's consciousness was hazy, and her voice was indistinct.
From Xiliang to Qingyan, the carriage traveled very smoothly, just like in a room, without any bumps. Of the twelve hours in a day, Dongfang Heng was awake for eight or nine hours, while Shen Lixue was the opposite, sleeping for nine hours out of twelve. She was a martial artist, so there was no reason for her body to be so weak. When they arrived at the Holy King's Mansion, they asked the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang to examine her pulse.
"Screech!" The carriage suddenly stopped, and a shrill child's voice rang out from outside: "How can you drive like that? Can't you see anyone?"
“I was driving very smoothly, you crashed into me yourself…” Zi Mo’s voice was low, cold, and ruthless.
"What a joke! I'm a perfectly healthy person, not someone who's tired of living. Why would I want to crash into your car for no reason?" The shrill child's voice was unforgiving.
"That's where the question comes in. Why did you stand in the middle of the road and deliberately crash into my carriage when it passed by?"
"Ahhh, you're framing me... Help! Someone help me... Adults are bullying children..." The sound of tantrums and rolling around came from outside the carriage.
Shen Lixue was awakened by the noise, but she didn't open her eyes. She asked indistinctly, "What happened?"
Dongfang Heng's strong arms gently embraced Shen Lixue's soft, fragrant body, making her more comfortable as he rested his smooth chin on her hair: "Something came up, Zimo can handle it..."