Chapter 25 Strange. It was dangling on his lap.

"ah!"

Jing Hui lunged forward.

At the same time, the wheelchair slid forward a foot, and Lu Songyuan reached out and firmly grasped Jing Hui under her armpits, then forcefully lifted her up and pulled her into his arms.

"Um!"

Her forehead collided with the hard chest, and Jing Hui was so frightened that her face turned pale. She cried out in pain and her fingers went limp, causing a candied hawthorn to fall to the ground with a crisp sound.

After settling down, Jing Hui was still shaken. She pressed her forehead against Lu Songyuan's chest, staring at a spot and panting heavily. She didn't even notice that Lu Songyuan had taken the last candied hawthorn from her hand.

Is something the matter?

After asking the question, Lu Songyuan saw that she hadn't moved for a while, so he handed the candied hawthorn to Lu Zhouxue and gently lifted Jing Hui up, letting her straddle his lap.

He then looked down at her stunned expression.

"Were you scared?"

Lu Songyuan softened his tone and asked.

The warm breath tickled her face, and Jing Hui finally came to her senses. She looked up at Lu Songyuan and nodded.

He belatedly realized, "My calf hurts so much."

Lu Songyuan frowned, tilted his body to the side, looked down, and lifted Jing Hui's trouser leg to look.

Jing Hui nearly fell to the ground just now, as the sharp edge of the step hit her calf.

The skin was scraped, but there was no bleeding.

Lu Songyuan tilted his head and stared at that spot, feeling that the horizontal wound on Jing Hui's fair calf resembled a red plum blossom in the snow not far away, so beautiful that one couldn't take their eyes off it.

He stared for a long time. A cold wind blew through the corridor. Jing Hui swung his legs, patted Lu Songyuan's shoulder, and said, "What are you looking at? I'm cold."

"Check the wound."

Lu Songyuan opened his hand and grasped Jing Hui's calf below the wound to drive away the chill before putting her clothes down.

He looked up at Jing Hui and immediately retorted with a sarcastic remark: "Why are you running? Do you think I care about eating this?"

Jing Hui glared at him, and was about to get up and lash out, but then she remembered how Lu Songyuan looked last night, so she sat steadily on his lap and couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips.

"Indeed, the general is always busy with social engagements, feasting on meat and drinking wine. How could he possibly be lacking in food?"

When he mentioned drinking, Jing Hui emphasized the word.

Lu Songyuan rested his elbows on the armrests of the wheelchair, grabbed Jing Hui's waist with his large hands, leaned back in the wheelchair, and raised an eyebrow at Jing Hui.

He asked, "What do you mean?"

"Last night you..."

Looking into Lu Songyuan's clear eyes, Jing Hui thought to herself, "Does he not remember?"

Great! It's like a pillow being delivered to someone just when you're about to fall asleep—what a fantastic opportunity!

Jing Hui coughed and said seriously, "Last night you used my private room and bathtub, which made me travel dozens of miles back and have to wait for you to finish bathing before I could take a bath myself. It just so happened that it snowed heavily, and I was feverish when I came out after I finished bathing!"

"There are plenty of clean rooms in the mansion."

Seeing that Jing Hui didn't seem to have a fever, Lu Songyuan looked at her amusedly and asked, "You'll wait for me?"

"Of course. Don't try to play the victim; you're the one who used my things!"

Jing Hui pointed at Lu Zhouxue and said, "If you don't believe me, ask your people. Was the bathtub in the other bathroom broken last night? Didn't this princess wait for you for a long time?"

Lu Songyuan turned his head and looked at Lu Zhouxue.

Jing Hui also winked at Lu Zhouxue.

Lu Zhouxue took a step back to bow and said without hesitation, "Yes, Your Highness is right."

“Look.”

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhouxue was so cooperative, and Jing Hui excitedly patted Lu Songyuan.

She was dancing around, it was so cute.

Excited, she swayed, and Lu Songyuan's legs, which had been icy cold all morning, suddenly felt warm.

Therefore, the hand pressing on Jing Hui's waist unconsciously tightened a little.

Jing Hui was unaware of what was happening, "Lu Zhouxue has already said that!"

"Um."

Lu Songyuan was absent-minded; all his senses were focused on his legs, so it's no wonder he was distracted.

"so what?"

"So when I went to bed with you, you felt deeply guilty. To express your apology, you said that I could come to you if I needed anything in the future."

Lu Songyuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?"

“You said you offended me and apologized. If the princess of Japan is in trouble, just come to you and you will definitely help me,” Jing Hui said.

Her inner turmoil was so intense that it instantly cleared Lu Songyuan's previously drowsy mind. "Oh? Is that so?"

"yes."

Jing Hui patted Lu Songyuan on the shoulder and said, "You don't know what you look like when you're drunk. You're just a humble and polite gentleman."

"Heh." Lu Songyuan sneered.

“Of course, you are usually a gentleman,” Jing Hui added.

"In that case, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond [1], General Lu wouldn't go back on his word, would he?"

After going through all this trouble, we're just waiting for him here.

If Jing Hui had directly mentioned Jing Ning's matter earlier, Lu Songyuan might have helped him if he was in a good mood. But now...

Lu Songyuan snorted coldly in his heart.

Although he was cunning and calculating, he truly hated those who approached him with ill intentions and ulterior motives.

The person on my lap suddenly felt like a hot potato, and was no longer cute at all.

Lu Songyuan's face instantly darkened. He lifted Jing Hui off his lap, pressed the mechanism to turn the wheelchair, and ordered Lu Zhouxue, "This general is hungry. Push me to have a meal."

Lu Zhouxue bowed and replied, "Yes, General."

Jing Hui didn't know why Lu Songyuan's expression suddenly changed, so she wrinkled her nose at Lu Songyuan's back.

Needing a favor, Jing Hui bit her lip, then limped forward and grabbed the wheelchair handle, saying, "This princess will push you there. I'm hungry too."

Lu Songyuan remained silent, his face dark as he let her rant.

Having been up all day without eating and having been chilled by the cold wind, with his legs still aching, Jing Hui sighed softly and turned to look at the courtyard.

A thin layer of snow had fallen in the courtyard sometime earlier, and it seemed to be snowing harder and harder.

"Zhou Xue," Lu Songyuan called out, looking ahead.

"What are the general's orders?"

"This general does not wish to go to the dining hall; let us have the meal in the backyard."

"yes."

As Lu Zhouxue spoke, she headed towards the kitchen. Jing Hui quickly said, "Wait, give me the candied hawthorn."

"yes."

After Lu Zhouxue handed it to Jing Hui, she bowed and went to the kitchen, leaving only three people in the corridor.

In winter, the icing doesn't melt, and the candied hawthorns remain as shiny as when they were first bought, glistening beneath the rice paper.

Jing Hui turned around, leaned over the back of the wheelchair, and reached out to Lu Songyuan from the side, saying, "Eat some of this first to fill your stomach, then you can eat more later."

She was too close; her wrist brushed against Lu Songyuan's earlobe.

Lu Songyuan stood frozen in place.

Jing Hui was oblivious, her hand resting on the back of the chair, swaying beside Lu Songyuan's face.

She said, "Candied hawthorns taste better in winter than at other times. This place makes the best candied hawthorns. You should try some..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Songyuan interrupted her with his actions.

Lu Songyuan took the candied hawthorn and grabbed Jing Hui's wrist with his other hand, pulling Jing Hui towards him with a forceful pull.

Jing Hui staggered two steps, hissed, and looked at Lu Songyuan in confusion.

His large, rough, and warm hands prompted Jing Hui to ask, "What are you doing?"

Feeling a slight chill on his wrist, Lu Songyuan ignored Jing Hui and called out, "Ayan."

Both master and servant were taken aback. Ayan glanced at Jing Hui and replied, "General, please give your orders."

Lu Songyuan released Jing Hui's wrist, his fingertips tracing across her palm.

He handed the candied hawthorn to Jing Hui and instructed A Yan, "Push me back into the house."

?

The master and servant were both bewildered, wondering why Lu Songyuan had suddenly changed his attitude and was ignoring Jing Hui.

Jing Hui looked at the string of candied hawthorns and suddenly felt a rush of blood to his head.

She brought him back a candied hawthorn skewer especially for him, and almost dropped it because of it. She didn't say anything or do anything, so why did he act like this? He really is very difficult to please!

Jing Hui's little flames burned higher and higher. After silently repeating twice that she needed his help and couldn't lose her temper, she snorted fiercely at Lu Songyuan, opened her mouth and bit into a candied hawthorn, chewing it loudly, and walked towards the bedroom with a sullen breath.

What are you standing there for?

Looking at Jing Hui's retreating figure, Lu Songyuan said to Ayan, "Push me inside."

"yes."

Ayan, concerned about Jing Hui's leg, pushed Lu Songyuan's wheelchair very quickly, and they returned to the entrance of the bedroom in just a few steps.

Lu Songyuan said, "Go find the imperial physician."

She had wanted to go find the imperial physician earlier, thinking to herself, "Isn't this all because I was busy serving you?"

After agreeing, he quickly led his men outside.

The dragon-shaped incense burner in the inner palace was burning brightly. Jing Hui casually placed the half-eaten candied hawthorn on the table by the window and walked into the inner palace.

Inside the bedchamber, Ayu was already waiting. After changing her clothes, Zhang Lin arrived just then.

After examining her, Zhang Lin said, "The steps are harder than usual in winter, but fortunately the princess's bones and muscles were not injured. It's just a superficial injury, and she will recover after three days of treatment."

As he spoke, Zhang Lin applied medicine to Jing Hui and carefully bandaged the wound.

That will do.

Jing Hui nodded. "Thank you, Imperial Physician. Ayu, see the Head Physician out."

"yes."

After straightening Jing Hui's clothes, A Yu stood up and said, "This way, Master."

After the room quieted down, Jing Hui swung her leg and looked down at her calf, where the wound felt hot and slightly stinging.

"Princess."

At the entrance to the sleeping quarters, Lu Zhouxue said, "The meal has been prepared. Would the princess like to dine now?"

After a long day of travel, Jing Hui was so hungry that she didn't even feel hungry anymore. She stood up and said, "Let's set out the meal."

"yes."

Lu Zhouxue went out to give instructions, and Ayan came in and asked, "Is the princess still able to walk?"

"Yes, it's possible, but it only hurts a little."

Jing Hui got up, took A Yan's arm, and after taking a few steps, looked at her and said, "You're walking just fine."

Ayan chuckled, "I was just saying that if the princess has trouble walking, I will have someone bring a wheelchair over so that the princess can rest for the next couple of days."

Now it was Jing Hui's turn to laugh. She said, "Like that annoying guy outside? I don't want to be like that."

The two chatted and laughed all the way to the outer room, where Lu Songyuan was already sitting at the table.

The table was laden with delicious food. He glanced at Jing Hui, then slowly looked away without saying a word.

He acts strangely, he must be crazy!

Jing Hui muttered a complaint to herself before sitting down at the farthest point from Lu Songyuan to begin her meal.

The aroma of the food whetted her appetite. Although she was very hungry, she ate her meal with measured steps, which was quite pleasing to the eye.

Neither of them spoke, and the dinner table was unusually quiet.

In winter, it gets dark early. After Jing Hui finished eating, he looked up and saw that the snowflakes were falling in large, distinct flakes, and the moon was already hanging on the treetops.

After the meal, the servants lit the lamps. Jing Hui rinsed his mouth and sat on the couch by the window in his bedchamber, enjoying the snow while reviewing the memorials he had accumulated over the past few days.

In winter, Jinghui felt lazy and didn't want to go to the study.

Ah Yu changed to a brighter lamp, and Jing Hui picked up the folded book and started reading.

She read through several books, but found them all to be trivial matters. She sighed, and as she looked up, a cup of hot tea was placed in front of her, and the person who poured the tea was slowly withdrawing their hand.

Jing Hui frowned and looked up to meet Lu Songyuan's gaze.

He had somehow ended up sitting opposite Jing Hui. After exchanging a glance with Jing Hui, he slowly put down the teapot and picked up a book to read.

?

Just moments ago they were avoiding it, but now it's come right up to them without saying a word.

Extremely bizarre!

Jing Hui glanced at Lu Songyuan sideways and pushed the cup of tea he had poured away.

"I won't drink it."

"Um."

Lu Songyuan remained unmoved, continuing to look at his book.

When Jing Hui took her hand back, she suddenly noticed that the candied hawthorn she had placed aside was gone. Upon closer inspection, she saw that Lu Songyuan was playing with a thin stick in his hand.

Jing Hui narrowed his eyes and asked, "Where are my candied hawthorns?"

Lu Songyuan then turned around, shook the stick in his hand, and said, "I'm finished eating."

She's already eaten half of it!

He doesn't want a new one, and now he wants to give it to him!

"Give me ten more."

After speaking irritably, Jing Hui lowered his head again and began to look through the memorial.

There were ten memorials in a row. Half of them were requests for Emperor Jingwen's well-being, and the other half were reports on local harvests. All of them came from remote areas, and not a single one was sent to the capital.

Jing Hui looked at a few more, and sure enough, they were all the same.

She sighed softly, picked up her teacup, and took a small sip.

Back when they were in the palace, after Emperor Jingwen fell seriously ill, Lian Zhong would read most of the memorials together with Jing Hui.

But ever since she got married, the explosion in the deep mountains, and Lian Zhong’s focus shifted more to the mountains and the people from the outer court, and the Empress Dowager became more deeply involved in politics, the memorials sent to the General’s Mansion have become increasingly useless.

What does the Empress Dowager want?

Jing Hui bit the rim of her teacup, pondering deeply.

The divisions within the court are becoming increasingly apparent, but the key ministers, the important officials of the three provinces and six ministries, and even the military, including Lu Songyuan's, are all under her control; a single move can have far-reaching consequences.

Jing Hui blinked.

Is the Empress Dowager's move finally an attempt to slowly push her away from the center of power?

If that's the case, there are only two methods.

Firstly, they spread rumors that she was already married and no longer of much use, thus undermining morale and diverting the support behind her.

Secondly, she also transferred the old ministers who supported her from important positions and reassigned them to less important posts.

For the sake of the stability of the court, the latter would not, but the former might.

No wonder they bestowed Jingning upon Rongxi in marriage.

Jing Hui slammed her teacup down on the table, spilling a lot of tea and wetting the back of her hand.

She asked herself if she had ever harbored any ill intentions. When did the Empress Dowager become so intolerant of her, starting her attack on Jingning?

No, we absolutely cannot let Jingning get married. Otherwise, once we take this first step, things will become increasingly difficult to handle later.

Jing Hui looked up and met Lu Songyuan's eyes directly.

Snow was falling outside, while the light inside danced in his eyes. His dark eyes, as deep as the night, remained unblinking, staring at her for an unknown amount of time.

Jing Hui paused for a moment, then remained silent.

Lu Songyuan closed the book, rested his elbows on the edge of the table, and asked, "Does Your Highness have something to say?"

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Author's note: [1] "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond" is a Chinese idiom, which comes from the Analects of Confucius. It is often used to remind people to keep their promises and not to make promises lightly.