Chapter 96 [VIP]

Chapter Summary: Extra Chapter

As the weather gradually warmed up, Xie Ying, who didn't like going out, found the palace still unbearably hot at midday, even with the ice pots placed inside. It was better to go to the pavilion by the water to cool off and escape the heat.

Having just finished lunch, Xie Ying decided to go out. Fresh fruit chilled in an ice pot, along with refreshing mung bean soup, had already been prepared in the pavilion. Xie Ying lay on the chaise longue reading. Having just finished eating, she had drunk another bowl of mung bean soup, and now she felt quite full, which made her drowsy. Feeling sleepy, Xie Ying casually tossed the book aside, rested her head on a cushion, and dozed off.

She found herself becoming increasingly lazy while staying in the deep palace. She spent her days either eating or sleeping.

As Xie Ying pondered, drowsiness overcame her, and she soon put those thoughts out of her mind.

"Smack!"

The book was thrown precisely at the head of the kneeling official, knocking off his official hat, disheveling his hair ornament, and causing several strands of hair to fall down, making him look utterly disheveled.

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!" The man knelt even lower, begging for mercy in a trembling voice.

Qi Jin ignored him and simply said to Xu Xinshu, "By imperial decree, Chen Bin, along with those involved in the case, shall be stripped of his official rank and executed in the autumn. His clansmen shall be demoted to commoners and shall never be allowed to hold office again."

"Your Majesty! Please forgive my clansmen! I beg Your Majesty to forgive me! I was just confused for a moment!" The man kowtowed forcefully as he pleaded with Qi Jin for mercy.

Qi Jin was annoyed and didn't want to waste words with him. He stood up and prepared to leave, but before the man could be dragged out, he crawled over and grabbed Qi Jin's leg. Qi Jin's lips curled into a cold smile, and he lowered his brows to look at Chen Bin.

Before Chen Bin could react, Qi Jin's voice rang out above him: "The clansmen need not be demoted to commoners."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty..." Chen Bin said repeatedly.

"We will all be executed together in the autumn." Qi Jin's voice was cold and indifferent.

Chen Bin stood there, stunned, staring blankly at Qi Jin, seemingly unable to believe it. At that moment, the guards outside entered and quietly dragged Chen Bin out. Chen Bin could only murmur softly, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Qi Jin bowed slightly and glanced down at the hem of his clothes that Chen Bin had just held.

Xu Xinshu was a very perceptive person. Seeing Qi Jin's reaction, he quickly went to the door and told the eunuch to bring over a new set of clothes.

Qi Jin was changing his clothes when he casually asked, "Where's Xie Ying?"

"After lunch, Lady Xie went to the lakeside pavilion to escape the summer heat," Xu Xinshu replied respectfully. He could also see that Qi Jin seemed to care a lot about Xie Ying. But he didn't understand why Qi Jin was secretly trying to ruin the Xie family.

Qi Jin had already changed his clothes and was walking out when Xu Xinshu knew where he was going.

The sedan chair stopped halfway through the journey. Qi Jin propped his forehead up, lazily raised his eyes, and saw a woman standing outside through the curtain.

"Your Majesty, I greet you." A charming voice drifted in through the sheer curtains, as if coated with honey.

Qi Jin was stunned for a moment, and after thinking carefully for a while, he still couldn't figure out who the person was. Hesitantly, he asked, "Who are you?"

“Your Majesty, this is Consort Wu from the Silver Chang Palace,” Xu Xinshu said, taking over the conversation.

"Your Majesty, it's hot. I've prepared some watermelons in my palace. Would Your Majesty like to try some?" Wu Yan's expression turned somewhat unpleasant upon hearing this conversation, but she still forced a smile.

"No need," Qi Jin replied, reaching out to tap the frame of the sedan chair. The sedan chair lifted up and slowly moved forward.

Wu Yan watched as Qi Jin's sedan chair slowly moved forward and disappeared from sight. The palace maid beside her watched and muttered, "Judging from the direction the sedan chair is going, His Majesty must have gone to Consort Xie's place again. Since Consort Xie entered the palace, she has truly enjoyed all the emperor's favor."

"Slap!" The palace maid was taken aback. Seeing Wu Yan's angry expression, she realized what she had done and hurriedly knelt on the ground, begging for forgiveness, "This servant misspoke, please forgive me, Your Highness!"

As the sedan chair approached the pavilion in the middle of the lake, Qi Jin knocked it down and slowly walked into the pavilion. The first thing he saw was Xie Ying asleep. Her jet-black hair was spread out on the soft couch, her long black strands hanging down.

His previously agitated heart inexplicably calmed down upon seeing Xie Ying. He waved for everyone in the pavilion to leave. He remained silent, simply sitting quietly in the pavilion, casually picking at the fruit in the ice pot. The pavilion was mostly near water, cool and comfortable, and Qi Jin felt quite at ease, sitting there for a long time without calling out to her.

When Xie Ying woke up, she felt thirsty. Without turning over, she mumbled, "Dan'er, water."

Xie Ying spoke in a muffled, indistinct, delicate voice that was quite pleasant to hear.

Qi Jin smiled, poured some water, walked to the bedside, and handed it to Xie Ying. Xie Ying took the water, propped herself up to sit, drank a couple of sips, and only realized it was Qi Jin when she handed it back. Startled, she asked, somewhat bewildered, "Why has Your Majesty come?"

"What, can't you come?" Qi Jin reached out and took the teacup from Xie Ying's hand, asking with a smile. Xie Ying shook her head slightly, "His Majesty is usually very busy with state affairs, and at this hour, he is still in the Imperial Study or the Hall of Diligent Governance."

"I wanted to come and see you," Qi Jin said to Xie Ying.

"What book are you reading?" Qi Jin asked, glancing at the book beside him.

"They're just some idle books to pass the time." Xie Ying stood up and straightened her disheveled light gauze cloak. "Has Your Majesty ever tasted the mung bean soup served here? It's mixed with milk, and it has a sweet and refreshing taste that's very cooling."

"No." Qi Jin replied, walking to Xie Ying's side and watching her serve him mung bean soup. Her hands were not as fair and delicate as others', but her nails were neatly trimmed and long, with small, glossy nail plates that resembled tiny seashells.

The bowl was placed in front of Qi Jin. Qi Jin lowered his eyes to look at it. The slightly thick mung bean paste, mixed with snow-white milk, looked harmonious and tempting. He picked up the white porcelain spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in his mouth. The fragrance of mung beans and the faint sweetness of milk blended together, and the taste was indeed very good.

"What would you like for dinner?" Qi Jin suddenly asked, catching Xie Ying off guard. She had already decided at noon, but she hadn't expected Qi Jin to ask.

"I would like to eat noodles."

Qi Jin looked up at her, his eyes filled with surprise.

"Noodles with soy sauce".

"You've already instructed the kitchen?" Xie Ying answered too quickly, and Qi Jin raised an eyebrow and asked in return. He usually ate delicacies prepared by the imperial kitchen or the small kitchens in each palace, and he had never even heard of noodles with soy sauce.

"No, I intend to do it myself," Xie Ying replied softly.

Back when they were at home, Xie Xuan and Xie Jin would practice swordsmanship in the evenings, and when they got hungry, they would eat something, and she would join them. Sometimes they would simmer chicken soup, sometimes they would make desserts, but what they ate most often was her specialty, noodles with sauce. Thinking of the past, Xie Ying felt a pang of sadness.

"You can even make noodles?" Qi Jin asked, seemingly surprised.

"Um."

In his mind, noble ladies were usually pampered and never lifted a finger, and it was rare to see someone like Xie Ying who could both wield a sword and make noodles.

"Then I'll have my dinner here with you," Qi Jin said to Xie Ying, stirring the mung bean soup in his bowl. His meaning was quite clear.

Xie Ying thought Qi Jin would return to the Qin Zheng Hall after sitting for a while, but unexpectedly Qi Jin did not leave and sat there with her until almost nightfall.

Xie Ying was going to the small kitchen to cook noodles, and Qi Jin followed behind her. Her Wanying Pavilion wasn't large, and the small kitchen was also rather cramped. When Xie Ying and Qi Jin were about to go in, they dismissed everyone else. Before Xie Ying went in, she had Dan'er pull up her sleeves with her wristbands. The vegetables had also been washed by the servants.

Qi Jin watched as Xie Ying initially felt a little uncomfortable, her hands clumsy as she chopped vegetables. But after preparing the sauce and heating the oil in the pan, she gradually relaxed.

Xie Ying, dressed in a light lilac-colored outfit, with snow-white sleeves and slender forearms sticking out, was intently stir-frying the ingredients in the wok. The sauce in the wok emitted a rich aroma, and even in the small, hot space, it felt warm and cozy. Qi Jin hadn't felt this way in a long time.

Xie Ying was stir-frying. It was a summer night, much cooler than during the day, but she was still sweating. She habitually raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

After a while, she felt a cool breeze and turned her head to look. Qi Jin had taken a palm leaf fan from somewhere and was standing a little distance away to fan her.

Xie Ying's heart stirred slightly, and she said, "Your Majesty, I am fine."

Qi Jin did not respond, his hands swaying as he continued his movements.

After a while, Xie Ying finished preparing the noodles and carried them out. Qi Jin followed behind Xie Ying with a palm-leaf fan in his hand.

The palace doors were open, and the ice cauldron inside had melted, making it much cooler than the small kitchen. Qi Jin picked up his chopsticks and looked at Xie Ying. Xie Ying hadn't yet untied his armbands and was just about to pick up the chopsticks. Right now, they really did look like an ordinary married couple. Qi Jin suddenly wished that time could stop at this moment.

Xie Ying watched nervously as Qi Jin picked up a piece of noodles. Qi Jin took a bite; the soft noodles were coated with a savory and rich sauce.

"What does Your Majesty think?" Xie Ying asked.

Qi Jin raised an eyelid slightly and saw Xie Ying looking at him nervously. He pursed his lips and replied, "Delicious."

Xie Ying then picked up her chopsticks to eat her noodles. Qi Jin ate quickly and finished in no time, then asked Dan'er to brew a pot of tea. Xie Ying ate slowly, and seeing that Qi Jin was already waiting, she became a little impatient, not even noticing the sauce on her lips.

"come over."

"Huh?" Xie Ying was a little confused. She stood up and walked to Qi Jin's side. Qi Jin also stood up. Before Xie Ying could react, she felt a warm sensation on her lips.

He meticulously and tenderly sketched the scene. A palace maid who was about to bring in hot water saw this, blushed, and retreated, closing the door behind her.

Qi Jin was tall and wore a black court robe with dragon patterns. Xie Ying wasn't petite, but standing next to him, she looked considerably smaller. His hand rested on the back of her fair, slender neck, gently caressing it. Xie Ying felt a tingling sensation run through her.

After tidying up and lying back on the couch, it was already 9 PM. Xie Ying was very sleepy, but Qi Jin was still energetic, holding her hand and playing with it.

Her hands had a thin layer of calluses, making them not very smooth, but Qi Jin just liked them.