linfengchun

Capítulo 61

He regretted his slip of the tongue and gently stroked his black hair. "Now it's happening again."

"Mmm." She smiled again. "Thank you."

He was stunned. After weathering so many storms and facing life and death side by side, he had never heard of those three words before, yet he had obtained them in exchange for a paper kite.

Borrowing a sword

The people around me left quietly, just as they always do at dawn.

He kissed her cheek before leaving, then lazily turned over, unwilling to get out of bed in the warmth he had left behind. He removed the cold jade mat and replaced it with slightly cool ice silk, saying that this would be better for people with insufficient qi and blood.

Actually, it doesn't matter which one you use. It will still get cold once you're no longer ironing it from behind. The chill has already seeped into your bones, so it doesn't matter what kind of pad you use.

Recently, there have been occasional people spying on her in the vicinity, very discreetly, but they can't hide it from her.

After being punished twice, she became much more restrained. She was too lazy to attend court and didn't want to bother figuring out which side the enemy was on. She had been careful to avoid hitting vital points with those two hidden weapons, and the enemy would know that.

If she were in the Tianshan Mountains, she would never overlook any potential danger and would investigate thoroughly before giving up. But here, she has become completely lazy and unwilling to deal with anything until it comes to her. If he knew, he would surely scold her gently again.

Thinking of the person who left, a trace of emotion she herself was unaware of stirred within her, and her indifferent eyes softened slightly.

He held the lonely jade altar on the table, caressing it for a long time, still unable to make up his mind. Mother… where should I leave my hopes? Should I…? He stared blankly for a while, then sighed heavily.

He's been incredibly busy these past few days, while she's explored most of Yangzhou on her own.

He would buy odds and ends, then toss them aside, leaving them piled up before having his maids collect and throw them away. This cycle repeated itself until he grew tired of it. At that moment, a female musician, singing sweetly, sat on the viewing platform of the Quyuan Garden, propping her chin up in a daze.

There were fewer people on the second floor, and since it wasn't a private room, someone sat down next to me not long after. I didn't feel threatened, so I just let it be and picked up a snack to eat.

People were watching her, but she didn't turn around and continued eating and listening. Soon her plate was empty. She took out a handkerchief to wipe her fingers, and then placed a freshly baked hot pot on the table.

She glanced at the snacks that had suddenly appeared, and finally looked across at the other side.

A very gentle and refined man, with a calm aura, was smiling at her. Behind him was an attendant who looked…not so easy to deal with. She silently assessed him; compared to him, the man before her was more worthy of her attention. If he wasn't ignorant of martial arts, he must have already reached the level of profound inner cultivation.

"Young lady, you should try it. The thousand-layer oil cake here is truly exceptional and you will not be disappointed."

She thought for a moment, tore off a piece, tasted it, and then pushed the plate away.

"Thank you." She said these two words casually, paid the bill, and left. Even after walking a long way, she could still feel the gaze on her back.

Not knowing the other party's intentions, and not wanting to investigate further, I simply took it as a coincidence.

But... there are just too many coincidences.

From that day on, whenever I went out, I would always encounter this person.

There was nothing unusual about her behavior. Sometimes she would offer a bowl of soup or a plate of pastries, and other times she would give her a few pieces of colored paper, a scroll of calligraphy or painting, or various other small trinkets, depending on what kind of shop she was browsing that day. All the gifts were of the highest quality, without any unnecessary embellishment. She didn't seem to care about her turning away, and always maintained her unchanging smile.

She didn't ask, and he didn't speak; they seemed to be tacitly agreeing to keep at it and see who had more patience.

She continued to travel at her leisure, and finding it amusing to see the lotus-picking girls rowing their boats, she paid to rent an empty boat for them.

Rowing was more troublesome than she had imagined, but it didn't faze her. Gradually, she rowed to the center of the lake. The lotus leaves, stretching as far as the eye could see, seemed to merge with the sky and water, an endless expanse of green. From afar came the soft songs of lotus-picking girls, the sounds of water and oars blending together, creating a breathtaking scene against the clear blue sky.

She stopped amidst layers of flowers and leaves. The hibiscus, like arrows, towered above her head, exuding a serene tranquility, as if untouched by the world. She reached down and plucked a few wild water chestnuts, played with the lotus blossoms for a while, and peeled off the round, green lotus seeds. Without picking out the lotus hearts, she swallowed them whole, savoring the bittersweet flavor mingled with the fragrance. The sunlight was blinding; she plucked a large, round lotus leaf and covered her face, falling asleep to the sound of the water.

The waves rose and fell, the small boat rocked gently, the intense sunlight dispelled the chill, and I slept even more soundly than usual. I had many fragmented dreams, and in the haze, something gradually approached the small boat.

He removed the lotus leaf covering her face, revealing a pair of gentle eyes that gazed quietly at her. They were also in a small boat, this time without any attendants. Both were tall and handsome, unlike the other man. However, the other man had a cold demeanor, while this one was as calm as still water.

The other party handed over a basket, and Er Ya smiled.

"Dongting Biluochun tea is perfect with lotus seeds."

The exquisite basket indeed contained a pot of fine tea, a dish of delicate snacks, and a pair of ebony chopsticks inlaid with silver.

After looking at it for a while, she raised her head.

"No matter who you're looking for, it won't be me." After a stalemate of half a month, he finally said something beyond two words. The man's calm gaze always seemed to be looking through her, and while she could tell he meant no harm, it wasn't pleasant. She decided to end it.

"How did you know?" The other person laughed, a hint of admiration flashing in their eyes.

This person had a certain relaxing quality about her. She tore off a lotus leaf to use as a cup and handed her a handful of tea.

"Thank you for your hospitality over the past few days." He took a sip of the fragrant tea with the scent of lotus blossoms. "I am not from Jiangnan; I only came here by chance. You must have mistaken me for someone else."

The man nodded, quite frankly. "I can't be sure either; perhaps I really am wrong."

"I hope you can find what you're looking for." She finished her tea, casually tossed a lotus leaf into the lake, picked up a paddle, and prepared to row. It was almost dusk.

"I have a favor to ask," he said at the opportune moment.

Tell me about it.

"May I borrow your sword for a look?"

His words were ordinary, as if he were merely peeking through a fan, yet the air suddenly turned cold.

Jia Ye's dark eyes were like ink, and he pursed his lips without a hint of a smile. "Kill me and you'll be fine."

"I don't want to fight you, I just want to see the sword," he explained apologetically.

"No matter what kind of sword it is, it's not the one you're looking for."

"Why are you so sure?" The other person still smiled gently. "You don't know who I'm looking for."

"You can't be sure either, otherwise why would you need to borrow a sword?"

“You’re right,” the man sighed. “After being apart for so long, many things are hard to be certain of.”

"Give up, maybe it will be easier."

“It’s better to be in a difficult situation than to be in despair.” He was looking through her at the unknown person again. “Even though people change, things remain the same, so I want to see if that’s true.”

"You insist on taking action?" she asked regretfully.

The man remained silent for a moment. "Is this the only way?"

She suddenly found it amusing. "I'll return this sentence to you verbatim."

The man smiled, his expression serene, his sleeves fluttering lightly, his demeanor gentle and refined.

"Never mind, maybe I am the one who admitted my mistake."

She picked up the oar and rowed away, saying goodbye casually. "I hope we'll never meet again."

The man stood there watching them go, his gentle voice seemingly still ringing in their ears. "One last question, is your sword called Inch of Light?"

In the twilight, only their blurry figures could be seen. The hand that was rowing paused for a moment, and the words were sent out in a flat tone.

"You've got the wrong person."

Stepping out of the room, Qinglan stared at him nervously, trying to glean any clues from his expression.

"Dad agreed?" The expectant look in his eyes made it hard to say no.

"without."

A single word extinguished her fervent hopes, and Qinglan's head drooped immediately, filled with dejection and disappointment.

“However…” he began slowly, not surprised to see his younger brother tense up again. “Father has agreed to lift the confinement order for five days, during which time the regular classes can be waived.”

"Really?" Qinglan couldn't believe her ears, and after a long while, she exclaimed in surprise. "I can go out now, I can go play in the street, ya!" She rushed over and hugged him enthusiastically, "Thank you, Third Brother, Third Brother is so good."

After being shaken like a tree for a while, Xie Yunshu broke free from his underling and solemnly instructed, "This is for you to accompany our visiting friends, don't just play by yourself."

Qinglan readily agreed, and after a moment she slyly rolled her eyes.

"What are you thinking?" You can tell at a glance that you're up to no good.

"It just so happens that Shen Huaiyang has been going out a lot these past few days. He's probably run into something fun. I'll secretly follow him tomorrow." Qinglan smiled mysteriously, her mind already soaring to the heavens.

He shook his head at the sight. Fortunately, it was only five days, otherwise his younger brother, who was as unruly as a wild horse, would probably have caused trouble again.

Xie Qinglan had no idea what her brother was thinking, and followed her new friend with great interest.

Passing through bustling city streets and narrow alleys, relying on my light-footed skills to leap across, I was fortunate enough not to be dismounted by the fast horse, and unexpectedly arrived at the back gate of a luxurious villa in the mountains.

He almost suspected that his friend had discovered he was being followed and deliberately led him to this remote place. But his expression didn't seem to suggest it. Shen Huaiyang waited quietly in the corner for a long time. Suddenly, the door opened a crack, and a slender and beautiful woman stepped out, flashing a sweet smile upon seeing him.

The girl had bright, beautiful eyes and a captivating gaze. She seemed to be about the same age as Shen Huaiyang, and was indeed a beauty from the Western Regions. From a distance, she possessed a graceful and alluring figure, already displaying the charm of a mature woman.

With his sharp eyesight, he could easily spot the suspicious blush on Shen Huaiyang's face, and he couldn't help but lament inwardly. Following his third brother, yet another close person had become a fool in matters of the heart.

But... this guy has only been in Yangzhou for a short time, yet he's already moved so quickly.

Seeing the young couple talking with a mixture of shyness and joy, Qinglan felt a lingering sense of resentment.

Old Grudges

After that day's boat trip on the lake, she didn't go out again.

Xiao Shicheng will be leaving Yangzhou in a few days, and her schedule corresponds roughly accordingly, so she figured she wouldn't have another chance to meet him. Regardless of who that person is…

He didn't give it much thought, nor did he inform the person who came every night. Everything will pass, the future seems clearly discernible, and nothing is unexpected.

"Miss Ye, someone outside the garden requests an audience." Uncle Li, the steward, called out from outside Xia Chu Garden, personally announcing the arrival.

He flipped through the name card that the maid had brought him; it contained no words, only a complicated mark drawn on the front.

The emblem of the royal family of Kucha.

She thought for a moment. "Please ask him to wait in a private room at the restaurant ahead."

He declined Uncle Li's offer to send guards and attendants, and leisurely walked into the private room, where Chi Shu was indeed waiting.

"What advice does Your Highness have?" she asked calmly, dismissing the maids.

Chishushi was a handsome man with distinctive features typical of people from the Western Regions. The contrasting qualities of bravery and nobility made him exude a strong masculine presence, and even sitting casually, he seemed poised to unleash his power.

"It's nothing. After all, my journey to Jiangnan was all thanks to the Snow Envoy. It's only right that I treat an old friend to a meal in a foreign land." He replied with a smile, his eyes shining with a peculiar light. Under that gaze, one always felt as if they had become the prey.

Unfortunately, it had no effect on Jia Ye. "So Your Highness is quite carefree after leaving Kucha."

"Isn't it the same for Xue Shi even after leaving Tian Shan?" He smiled and poured her another cup of tea. "We are both wanderers in this world, and besides, we are old acquaintances, so we should have a good chat."

"You speak Mandarin quite well." It was quite interesting to listen to the pronunciation of the Kucha accent.

“Living in the Central Plains is not easy,” Chi Shu frankly admitted. “Especially as a hostage.”

"So you approached the Prince of Nan."