Chapter 60 Before you leave, could you kiss me...?

Chapter 60

The girl's voice was clear and melodious. She deliberately lowered her volume, which gave it a soft tone unique to Jiangnan, just like a clear spring in an empty valley, gradually nourishing He Hansheng's parched heart.

He Hansheng stopped in his tracks. Before he could turn around, his large hand was filled with softness. As she reached out and grasped his hand, the lamp in her hand illuminated the path beneath his feet.

"It's not dawn yet, watch your step," Shen Suining said softly, a faint smile in her eyes.

She held his hand and lit a lamp for him, as if she truly only wanted to lead him out of the long night and towards the distant dawn.

He Hansheng softly replied "okay," grasped her hand in return, and took the lamp from her.

The two walked side by side, their long cloaks rustling softly against each other as dawn broke on the horizon.

“He Hansheng,” Shen Suining called him again. She turned her head and looked at him with a very serious expression. “If you have any ideas, you must remember to tell me. If you leave me to do something by yourself, I will be unhappy.”

She wasn't a girl who was good at comforting people, and she probably had never experienced the pain of losing a loved one overnight, so she couldn't empathize with He Hansheng's current state of mind.

Even so, her words, which were half-coercive, still warmed He Hansheng's heart for no reason.

He responded softly, lowered his eyes, and his expression finally softened slightly.

When the two returned to the Marquis's residence, it was already dawn.

He Hansheng went to the bathroom to wash himself quickly, rinsing off the smell of smoke. When he came out, Shen Suining was already lying on the bed, half asleep. When she saw He Hansheng come out, she forced herself to open her eyes and sit up.

"Why are you already dressed? Aren't you going to sleep for a while?" Shen Suining rubbed her sleepy eyes and spoke softly.

He Hansheng shook his head, walked to the bedside and sat down, and said softly, "I have to go to the palace early today, so I can't have breakfast with you."

Shen Suining yawned. "You must be exhausted."

He Hansheng smiled, reached out and touched her cheek, then helped her lie down slowly. "Go to sleep. I'll leave after you fall asleep."

Shen Suining hummed in agreement and closed her eyes.

"Are you going to the military camp again today?" she asked, her words slightly slurred in her hazy state.

He Hansheng answered "yes" and added, "I will come back to be with you as soon as possible."

“No need, official business is more important,” Shen Suining tilted her head and mumbled somewhat incoherently, “And don’t overwork yourself. If you get thin from exhaustion, you won’t be able to beat me. Don’t cry if you lose.”

He Hansheng couldn't help but chuckle, "I understand."

Shen Suining's breathing gradually calmed down. He Hansheng gazed at her sleeping face for a moment, then carefully lowered the curtains on both sides of the bed.

"He Hansheng," she said, her eyes still closed, not yet asleep. She must have heard him get up and thought he was leaving. Suddenly she said, "Before you leave, could you kiss me?"

He Hansheng paused slightly with his fingertips, then released his hand, and the thin gauze slowly cascaded down to the bedside, half-covering the bed.

He lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, "I couldn't ask for more."

After saying that, he leaned down and gently placed a long, yet extremely tender, light kiss on the girl's lips.

...

It was almost noon when Shen Suining was still fast asleep.

She had just returned from Yangzhou yesterday and had to accompany the Princess today. It was almost lunchtime when Xiang Yemingke finally couldn't help but wake her up.

Shen Suining was very grumpy when she woke up. It took the two of them a long time to coax her gently before she finally got out of bed, sat in front of the dressing mirror, and let Xiangye comb her hair while her eyelids drooped.

After Mingke helped her wash up, he couldn't help but tease her: "The young marquis and his wife went back to Yangzhou, and their relationship seems to have improved a lot. I heard from Jinghao that the young marquis looked back every few steps when he left today, as if he didn't want to be separated from his wife even for a little while."

Upon hearing this, Shen Suining finally opened her eyes and glared at her: "It's been a long time, and you've become even bolder."

Mingke laughed, "What I said is true. There are over a hundred people in our Marquis's mansion. Who doesn't know that the young Marquis is a well-known workaholic? In the past, when he was busy with official duties, even the Princess would not see him for several days. When have we ever seen him like this, so reluctant to leave even when he goes out?"

Shen Suining ignored him, covered her mouth and yawned, her cheeks slightly flushed.

During her trip to Yangzhou, she and He Hansheng were practically inseparable, spending every day together. Naturally, she had grown accustomed to being together, so it was normal to feel a little reluctant to part ways. She would get used to it in a few days, and she didn't dwell on it too much.

After finishing her hair and makeup, Shen Suining mustered her spirits and went to pay her respects to the Princess.

Perhaps mindful of her long journey and the fact that she had only returned yesterday, the Princess did not scold her for sleeping in late. Instead, she gently and warmly took her hand and sat her down, smiling as usual, "It's been a long time since I've eaten with Ningning. Today the kitchen has prepared all your favorite dishes. You've worked hard these past few days, so eat more."

Shen Suining responded and obediently sat down. "After I returned to Yangzhou, I often missed the fish soup that the cook here at my mother-in-law's place makes. It's so delicious."

This is not a compliment.

As a pampered princess, the kitchen here is much more exquisite than the one at He Hansheng's Plum Garden. It is said that the servants at Plum Garden said that He Hansheng used to forget to eat when he was busy with work. Even if he was really hungry, he would just stuff a few bites to get by. Naturally, the cooks he used were not as good as those at the Princess's kitchen.

After finishing her meal, Shen Suining remembered the etiquette Xiangye had taught her, and only put down her chopsticks after the Princess had also finished eating.

After lunch, Shen Suining played a game of chess with the Princess.

Unlike Shen Yan and He Changxin, the Princess's chess skills, while not reaching the level of divine perfection, were still quite good. Shen Suining no longer needed to rack her brains to figure out how to subtly give away pieces to her opponent.

The eldest princess looked at Shen Suining, who was deep in thought, with eyes full of affection, and asked, "How has your mother been?"

“She’s doing well. Martial artists are much stronger than ordinary people, but she injured herself while practicing martial arts in her early years, and now her old ailment flares up from time to time, so she can’t travel long distances,” Shen Suining placed a piece on the board. “Otherwise, she would definitely want to come to Huadu in person to catch up with you.”

The eldest princess smiled and said, "Your mother is an extraordinary woman. My acquaintance with her was purely by chance. I thought that someone with her personality wouldn't enjoy being with a woman like me who lives a secluded life in a traditional household."

The two began to chat about everyday things.

Shen Suining kept the words she had heard at Zhou Hao's mourning hall in her heart. After thinking about it for a long time, she still couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Mother-in-law, what kind of person was Father-in-law? I often heard Father talk about him. He said that He Hansheng now is exactly the same as Father-in-law when he was young."

“Asheng does resemble his father, but not exactly the same,” the princess said, not shying away from talking about her late husband. Instead, she recalled him earnestly, “His father was darker and stronger than Asheng, and his features were much more rugged. He looked like a tough guy who had fought on the battlefield. Compared to him, Asheng was too spoiled.”

Shen Suining smiled and agreed, "After all, we grew up in different environments. My father often says that I resemble my mother, but I can't compare to her decisive and efficient manner."

“Yes, different environments lead to different temperaments,” the eldest princess said, placing a piece on the board and glancing towards the door, her thoughts drifting away. “Jingchuan and your father both risked their lives in chaotic times to get to where they are today. Your father was educated, while Jingchuan rarely even held a pen. But Asheng is different. He was born into royalty, a chosen one of heaven, so naturally he has some arrogance. My father and I were strict with him to temper his character, but even so, Asheng’s true growth began after his father passed away.”

"His father's death was sudden. I remember that he and his father had just returned from the spring hunting grounds with His Majesty when they received an urgent military report that there was a peasant rebellion in Yunzhou and that the court was requesting reinforcements. Jingchuan volunteered to go without thinking, which led to an argument between him and Asheng."

Recalling the past, the eldest princess sighed softly, her eyes seeming to moisten, but she still managed a forced smile. "The father and son had a fight, and on the day Jingchuan left, Asheng didn't go to see him off. When we received the news later, it was His Majesty who sent Asheng to Yunzhou to retrieve his clothes and belongings. When he went there, he was still riding his horse, saying goodbye to me, but when he returned, there wasn't even a skeleton left."

Shen Suining was secretly startled and subconsciously asked, "What were they arguing about?"

“Ah Sheng, that child, is a bit too clever. He said, why should his father use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? It's just a rebellion of refugees, not worth him personally going from the capital to Yunzhou to support them. The court has other people who can lead the troops. But Jingchuan is stubborn. His ancestral home is Yunzhou. He said that the people of Yunzhou would not rebel for no reason. He doesn't trust anyone else to go and insists on going himself. The two of them had a big fight over this.”

The eldest princess sighed again, her voice choked with emotion, "If only he had listened to Ah Sheng back then."

Seeing the princess looking distressed, Shen Suining quickly said, "It was my fault for talking too much. I didn't mean to upset you, but I did."

"It's alright, it's all in the past," the princess wiped her eyes and smiled. "I'm sorry Ningning had to see this."

Fearing that she would upset the Princess again, Shen Suining stopped mentioning He Changxin and changed the subject.

The two didn't chat for long. In the afternoon, Princess Chang needed to rest, so Shen Suining stayed a little longer before taking her leave.

After leaving the Princess's courtyard, Shen Suining sighed to herself, which made Xiang Ye chuckle and say, "What's wrong with you, Madam? You're talking like an old lady."

"I just feel that separation and death are like autumn leaves swept away by the wind, a normal occurrence in the world that cannot be changed by human power, yet it still makes people feel sad." Shen Suining shook her head with a self-deprecating smile.

As the two walked into the courtyard, Shen Suining heard someone outside the wall shouting "Selling sweet soup." Her expression tightened slightly, and she released Xiangye's hand, saying, "You should go back first."

Xiangye responded with a "yes" and, without asking any further questions, returned to Tamei Garden.

After Xiangye left, Shen Suining saw that no one was around, so she went out through the side door and called out to the rice wine vendor. Looking at the people coming and going, she smiled and said to the vendor, "I think your rice wine is quite good, give me a bowl."

"Hey, I'll get you a bowl right away."

The rice wine vendor was thin and small, wearing a straw hat with the brim pulled low, so that only his clean chin without a single stubble could be vaguely seen. He bent over and quickly filled a bowl of rice wine for Shen Suining.

When the rice wine vendor handed it to Shen Suining, he lowered his voice and said in a tone only the two of them could hear, "Recently, the Dali Temple has been investigating whether General Fenyong is involved in the Ministry of War's embezzlement case. His Majesty has ordered the princess to secretly cooperate and provide full assistance."

"Understood." Shen Suining took the rice wine, picked up the money tube hanging on the stall, and turned to go inside.