"I like her!" Dongfang Xun was taken aback. The cold and ruthless Dongfang Heng actually used the word "like": "To win Second Brother's favor, Shen Lixue must be an extraordinary woman!"
Dongfang Heng's displeasure eased slightly: "She is Lin Qingzhu's daughter, and the Sixth Imperial Uncle has already taken her in as his goddaughter!"
Dongfang Xun's faint smile froze: "Shen Lixue is indeed a good girl, but marriage is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. I hope you will be happy and not force yourself to accept people or things you don't like because of external reasons!" Being in the royal family, there are many things that are beyond one's control. As the heir of the Holy King, he deeply understands this.
“I understand what you mean, brother. Li Xue is the one I love. I am willing to marry her. It’s not something that someone else is forcing on me!” Dongfang Heng raised an eyebrow coldly. How could someone force him to do something he didn’t like?
"That's good!" Dongfang Xun's gentle smile turned slightly serious: "Today is your once-every-three-month flare-up of serious illness. These medicines should help you get through the pain!"
Dongfang Heng was stunned. He had almost forgotten that in addition to flare-ups once a month, his illness also relapsed once every three months. This time, the pain was so intense that it would make him wish he were dead!
"There's still a long time before dark, I'll have someone start brewing the medicine first!" The medicinal herbs used by Dongfang Heng are all extremely precious and need to be simmered over a low flame for a longer time to achieve the best results.
“Alright!” Dongfang Heng’s gaze turned serious as he selected the necessary medicinal herbs. His injuries were getting worse and worse, and a serious injury that occurred every three months was no small matter. Could he pull through?
In Fengsong Garden, Shen Lixue had finished bathing and changed into a fragrant purple Xiang dress. She sat on the soft couch by the window reading a book and nibbling on snacks. When she saw Dongfang Heng walk in, she didn't even look up, her gaze still lingering on the book: "Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Not yet." Dongfang Heng removed the book that Shen Lixue was blocking in front of him. "Want to share some?"
"I'm full!" Shen Lixue looked up at Dongfang Heng: "Have you found the painting I lost?"
"Not yet!" Dongfang Heng shook his head: "Are you sure that painting fell in the Holy King's Mansion, or on my carriage?"
Shen Lixue frowned: "Although I was out of my mind after being drugged, I remember that after getting into the carriage, I gripped the scroll in my sleeve. It must have fallen into the carriage or the Holy King's mansion!"
Dongfang Heng frowned: When he carried her into the Holy King's Mansion, he didn't see anything fall off. When he took off her outer clothes, he didn't see the scroll either. It seemed that the scroll must have fallen on the carriage. But the carriage was turned over several times and the scroll was still not found. Could it have been accidentally left on the road?
"Don't worry, I'll help you find the scroll!" Dongfang Heng picked up Shen Lixue and walked slowly outside.
"Dongfang Heng, what are you doing?" Shen Lixue stared at him with wide eyes.
"Have a few drinks with me!" Dongfang Heng's expression was somewhat forlorn.
"I don't drink strong liquor!" Shen Lixue frowned tightly. Just thinking about the strong smell and spiciness of strong liquor made her want to avoid it.
"It's osmanthus wine, but it doesn't taste like alcohol!" Dongfang Heng said softly, his words carrying a hint of seduction.
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "I don't want to get drunk again!" After sobering up last time, she had a splitting headache and felt weak all over. She didn't want to go through that painful experience again.
"A few cups will do, you won't get drunk!" As he spoke, Dongfang Heng walked into the pavilion and gently placed Shen Lixue on the chair next to the table.
"Why don't you drink with your elder brother?" Men love to drink, and Dongfang Xun has just returned from his travels. The brothers have been separated for a long time, and Dongfang Heng should be drinking with him. Why should she drink with him?
"He's busy, he doesn't have time!" Dongfang Heng gracefully sat down next to Shen Lixue, picked up the wine pot and poured wine. The fragrant wine slowly flowed into the porcelain white cup, its aroma filling the lungs.
Shen Lixue held a white porcelain wine cup and gently swirled it, the sweet wine rippling on the cup: "Dongfang Heng, how is Su Yuting?" After she was imprisoned, Shen Lixue had been busy with the affairs of the Prime Minister's residence and hadn't had time to inquire about her situation.
"With the accusations of more than ten young ladies, coupled with the scars all over her face and her unfathomable martial arts skills, the Ministry of Justice has already convicted her and will execute her in the autumn!" Dongfang Heng drank a cup of wine, his gaze as deep as a pool.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow, truly convicting her: "Su Yuting is the only legitimate daughter of the Wen family, and the Duke and Duchess of Wen will certainly not let this go easily!"
Dongfang Heng lightly gripped his wine cup, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "The Duke of Wen has been quite calm lately, without any unusual actions. However, Ruan Chuqing's whereabouts are rather strange, as if she is secretly plotting something!"
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened: "How do you plan to save Su Yuting?"
Dongfang Heng shook his head: "I don't know. Just keep a close eye on Ruan Chuqing and make sure her scheme doesn't succeed!"
With a rumble, the clear sky suddenly became overcast, and amidst lightning and thunder, a torrential downpour began.
Shen Lixue frowned deeply. Why was it raining so heavily all of a sudden?
Suddenly, she remembered Lin Yan's words. On the day the Duke of Wu passed away, there was also thunder and lightning, and torrential rain: "Dongfang Heng, do you know why the Duke of Wu's family was demoted fifteen years ago?" When she asked Lin Yan, he couldn't give her a reason either. Lin Qingfeng kept his mouth shut and refused to tell her the real reason.
Dongfang Heng elegantly drank the wine in his cup: "Officials in the court have always been very wary of the matter of Duke Wu. Over the years, very few people have mentioned the real reason for his demotion. You can ask the Sixth Imperial Uncle; he should know!"
Shen Lixue nodded. Even Dongfang Heng didn't know the reason, so what happened back then must have been extraordinary.
The rain grew heavier and heavier, and the sky gradually darkened. Dongfang Heng looked up at the black sky and gently touched his severely injured chest. When the sky was completely dark, that would be the moment his illness would flare up again.
Dongfang Heng's jade-like fingers gently caressed Shen Lixue's delicate, smooth face. He gazed deeply at her, as if trying to see her into his eyes and remember her forever in his heart. A faint smile appeared on his lips. For her, he would live.
"Dongfang Heng, what's wrong?" Shen Lixue was stunned when she saw the deep pain in Dongfang Heng's eyes.
"It's nothing!" Dongfang Heng smiled, withdrew his hand, and poured himself and Shen Lixue a full glass of wine: "Let's drink!"
The fragrant wine went down my throat, but I couldn't taste what it was.
"Dongfang Heng, how much of the half of your internal energy have you recovered?" Shen Lixue suddenly asked.
Dongfang Heng paused, then smiled: "He's fully recovered!"
"Really?" Shen Lixue was skeptical. She wasn't very knowledgeable about ancient internal energy cultivation, but she knew that it was hard to cultivate internal strength. Dongfang Heng had spent fifteen years cultivating his internal energy, and he had lost half of it. How could he possibly recover it completely in just a few days?
"Of course it's true." Dongfang Heng handed Shen Lixue another cup of wine: "Osmanthus wine is a rare delicacy, drink more!"
As darkness fell, Dongfang Xun arrived outside Fengsong Courtyard with an oil-paper umbrella. His light-colored clothes fluttered in the wind, making him appear as ethereal as a fairy.
In the pavilion, Dongfang Heng, dressed in pristine white, with a faint smile on his lips, raised his cup and drank heartily. The crimson Ruan Yanluo, bathed in the bright light, looked like a dream, her radiant smile even more dazzling than the sun in the sky.
Dongfang Xun suddenly stopped in his tracks. When he was three years old, Dongfang Heng was taken to the military camp by the Holy King for training. He gradually became cold-hearted and ruthless. He had never seen him smile again. Now, when he smiled at Shen Lixue, his smile was faint but warm!
"Young Master!" The servant behind him, whose view was blocked and who hadn't seen what was happening in the pavilion, was puzzled when he saw Dongfang Xun stop and not leave, and spoke up to remind him.
"Give me the medicine and you can go back!" Dongfang Xun's voice was as light as a cloud as he gracefully accepted the medicine bowl from the servant.
"Yes!" the servant replied respectfully and quickly withdrew.
Dongfang Xun glanced at Dongfang Heng, who was looking at him tenderly in the pavilion, and Shen Lixue did not go to disturb him. She slowly walked to a small pavilion next to her and sat down.