Chapter 26. Afraid of him. Not that naive.

Jing Hui paused for a moment, then remained silent.

After a moment, she smiled, closed the book, and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the edge of the table.

She laughed and said, "Yes, I know what favor I need from you after you promised me last night."

Lu Songyuan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jing Hui. "I was drunk last night, but I don't remember nothing."

Jing Hui smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Oh? Is that so?"

Did I really promise you anything?

"nature."

Jing Hui said, "If you don't believe me, don't you believe your trusted confidants? Lu Zhouxue has already said it."

“If I don’t remember, then I don’t have it.” Lu Songyuan looked to the side.

They're cheating!

Jing Hui suddenly sat up straight, his chest heaving violently. He was being unreasonable, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.

How could you do this?

Her eyes drooped, and her nostrils trembled slightly with anger at him.

Lu Songyuan's eyes were deep. After looking at Jing Hui for a while, he threw the thin stick in his hand on the table and said in a conciliatory manner, "You tell me first."

Jing Hui blinked.

He quickly said, "When I woke up this morning, Ayan came to tell me about my older sister, so you must already know."

"Um."

"You know, her health wasn't good to begin with. First, there was the long journey; second, she was suffering from the change in environment; and third, Rong Xiren was wild. How could she possibly withstand it?"

Lu Songyuan asked calmly, "And then?"

"Everyone knows that Rong Xiren is afraid of you. If you can help me go to them and make them break off the engagement and leave Daliang, I will be extremely grateful."

After Jing Hui finished speaking, he glanced at Lu Songyuan and said, "This shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?"

"It's not difficult."

Lu Songyuan glanced at Jing Hui and said, "But this matter involves the Rongxi King's request for marriage. The Empress Dowager issued an edict, and the Fifth Princess accepted the edict on her own. What would it mean for me, General, to intervene?"

Jing Hui took out the imperial edict from his sleeve and placed it in front of Lu Songyuan, saying, "Here, the imperial edict is in my hands. My elder sister did not agree, so there is naturally room for negotiation."

Lu Songyuan scoffed, "Although the imperial edict has not been issued, it is already known throughout the city. Your Highness is not such a naive person."

Jing Hui choked back a sob.

"It's just a rumor. Once the imperial court actually issues the decree to grant the marriage, the rumors will naturally fall apart."

Lu Songyuan looked at Jing Hui with a deep gaze, as if he had locked onto his prey.

He stopped arguing with Jing Hui and asked, "What conditions did the Empress Dowager promise Your Highness? In other words, what does the Empress Dowager want from me when she sent Your Highness to seek my help?"

Such keen insight!

What do you mean by that?

Jing Hui straightened up, raised his voice, and said, "In this matter, few people besides you can accomplish it. I've come to you so sincerely, and you keep saying things I don't understand!"

"Oh."

People with guilty consciences are always like this. At this moment, Lu Songyuan didn't know whether to praise Jing Hui for being naive or not.

Jing Hui picked up his teacup and took a big gulp of tea, preparing to change his strategy.

She put down her teacup and continued speaking to Lu Songyuan: "Rong Xiren's actions are by no means as simple as just asking to marry my elder sister."

"You have been in the northern border for many years, so you must be familiar with the Rongxi tribe's way of doing things. They are located between our dynasty and other tribes, forming a pincer movement."

Jing Hui stared intently at Lu Songyuan, “Rong Xi has always been adept at playing both sides. Seeing your victory, he came to curry favor with you. Who knows if they are secretly entangled with other tribes and plotting against the Great Liang?”

The entry point is unusual.

Lu Songyuan raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say?"

Jing Hui said, "You led the troops to quell the rebellion in the north, and the other nations fear your reputation. Now they are provoking us. What will you do?"

Her eyebrows shot up as she spoke with great emotion, shouting before the battle that Jing should be brought back.

Lu Songyuan said, "They are just defeated opponents; I wouldn't even deign to give them a second glance."

"No!"

Jing Hui slammed his hand on the table. "You need to understand that you are not just yourself. You also represent the Great Liang and the Northern Border. If you let them trample on you now, wouldn't that tarnish your reputation?"

"I don't care about these things."

Lu Songyuan straightened up and said, "I only speak on the battlefield. As for what Your Highness said, let's talk about it when they actually provoke me."

"you!"

"Is there anything else?"

Lu Songyuan's patience ran out. He had always liked Jing Hui's frankness, whether it was in her temper or in her actions. Why was she being so roundabout today when she actually had something to ask of him?

He glanced out the window and said, "If Your Highness has nothing else, I'm going to go to sleep. I was woken up this morning, and my head is really throbbing."

As Lu Songyuan spoke, he reached out and knocked on the window frame, and Lu Zhouxue outside the window immediately responded.

"Has Qingyue written to say when he will return?"

Lu Zhouxue's shadow bent down for a moment, then straightened up and replied, "Reporting to the General, I just received a letter that the matter in the deep mountains is almost finished, and I will be able to return tomorrow."

"good."

Lu Songyuan straightened his sleeves and said, "Come in and push me to wash up."

Because the window was closed, Lu Zhouxue's voice came through in a muffled tone, "Yes."

Lu Zhouxue pushed Lu Songyuan's wheelchair in, helped him into the wheelchair, and then pushed him to the clean room.

The room quickly quieted down. Jing Hui picked up the imperial edict, rolled it up, and sighed.

Ayan and Ayu walked in together. They had been standing not far from the window under the corridor, so they had heard everything.

Although Ayu didn't accompany Jinghui on her journey today, she could tell from Jinghui's appearance that she was going through a lot of trouble.

"Princess……"

Ah Yu, with a droopy face, walked over and approached.

Jing Hui rolled up the imperial edict, reached out and tapped A Yu on the head, reassuringly saying, "It's alright."

He then handed the imperial edict to Ayan.

Ayan accepted the imperial decree, tidied it up, and glanced in the direction Lu Songyuan had gone.

"If the general refuses to help, does the princess have any other plans?"

Jing Hui shook her head. "No, and I will not give up until the very last moment."

Snow continued to fall outside the window. Jing Hui glanced at it and instructed A Yan, "Tomorrow, send some people to the deep mountains to pick up our people and Lu Qingyue and the others."

Ayan replied, "Yes."

"There's still time, it's alright." Jing Hui glanced at A Yan and said, "You've been traveling hard these past few days, you should go and rest."

Ayan looked at Jing Hui with concern, took the imperial edict and said, "Yes, Your Highness, please rest assured. This servant will take her leave now."

"Um."

After Ayan left, Jing remembered something and instructed Ayu, "Tomorrow, take some tonics to keep my sister company, and don't let her overthink things."

As she was speaking, she suddenly felt a pain in her abdomen.

"hiss--"

"Princess!"

Ayu rushed forward and saw Jing Hui clutching his abdomen, saying, "Have you caught a chill? This servant will go find the imperial physician!"

"No need, the water element was already present at that time."

Jing Hui waved her hand, "I caught a chill this month and only have a slight stomachache."

Ayu said, "The kitchen has already prepared a soup to replenish qi and blood. I will tell them to bring it over right away."

"Go."

Ayu quickly got up and instructed the maid, and then went with Jinghui to the back hall to change clothes.

As expected, it was Gui water. After the two changed their clothes, Jing Hui washed up in the bedroom and sat on the bed.

After wrapping Jing Hui in a blanket, A Yu brought her a large hot water bottle to hold. Jing Hui felt warm all over and became drowsy.

Ayu had been watching over Jing Hui the whole time. Suddenly, Jing Hui remembered something and said, "Go and tell Lu Zhouxue to let Lu Songyuan sleep in the side hall."

Ah Yu replied, "Yes."

When Ah Yu returned after giving her instructions, she brought in a bowl of nourishing soup.

After drinking the hot, nourishing soup, Jing Hui washed up and then lay down to sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, she vaguely heard someone talking by the bedside. After things quieted down, Jing Hui felt the blanket beside her being pulled back, and then she fell into a familiar embrace.

Jing Hui, still groggy, habitually refused, saying, "Go away, don't hug me."

Instead of a response, a pair of large hands covered her abdomen.

Lu Songyuan whispered in Jing Hui's ear, "Sleep, don't move."

With that same tone in his voice, Jing Hui hummed softly a few times before falling into a deep sleep.

-

The next day, Jing Hui slept until the afternoon, only to be awakened by the aroma of wine.

She was alone on the huge bed. Jing Hui called out with her eyes closed, "Ayu."

Ah Yu rushed in, lifted the curtain, and asked, "Is the princess awake?"

"Um."

Jing Hui's voice was still a little hoarse as he asked, "What's going on outside? I can smell wine."

"That's right."

Ah Yu laughed and said, "The princess really treasures your wine the most."

Jing Hui opened his eyes, sat up, and said, "Lian Zhu brought my wine?"

Yes, that's right.

Ayu helped Jinghui sit on the edge of the bed, put her shoes on, and said, "The General brought most of the wine from the palace to you early this morning."

"Quickly, I'll go take a look."

Ayu helped Jinghui put on his shoes, and Jinghui grabbed a cloak from the side, quickly put it on, and ran to the backyard.

Ah Yu quickly followed, shouting as she ran, "Princess, slow down, be careful not to slip!"

The backyard was full of people. The palace servants unloaded the wine from the carriage, while Ayan led the servants from the general's mansion to slowly carry the wine into the cellar. People were going in and out of the cellar, but it was not chaotic at all.

Jing Hui stepped forward, and A Yan saw her and quickly came over to greet her, saying, "Princess, you're awake. Nearly half of the wine has been brought over and is being slowly stored in the cellar. The storage method is the same as before, so please don't worry, Princess. The General said he would send the other half of the wine to you in a few days."

"good."

Jing Hui's hair was blown by the wind. She looked around and asked, "Where is Lian Zhu?"

"The General said that the person in the deep mountains was returning today. He was ordered by the Prime Minister to go and meet him. He also had to go to the Censorate to interrogate the hunter, who had been interrogated for quite some time. He went to see if there was any news, so he did not wait for the princess to wake up."

Upon hearing this, Jing Hui asked, "Did you send one of our men with him?"

Ayan said, "They have been sent. In addition, General Lu also sent Lu Zhouxue to accompany the Lieutenant General."

Lu Qingyue is Lu Zhouxue's brother, so it's only right that he goes.

Jing Hui nodded.

Ayan then said, "There's one more thing."

Someone pushed a wine cart past her. Jing Hui glanced at it, and a faint aroma of wine wafted from the cracks in the mud seal. She took a deep breath and asked A Yan with a smile, "What?"

"General Lu also went out this morning."

Jing Hui gets a little angry when Lu Songyuan is mentioned; he's such an unreasonable person!

"Oh, whatever."

Ayan glanced at Jing Hui and whispered, "General Lu went out with the Second Prince. The Second Prince came to the mansion early this morning, and the two talked about something in the study. They stayed for about an hour before leaving together."

"What?"

Jing Hui's eyes widened. "Jing Ao?"

Jing Hui hasn't settled the score with Lu Songyuan and Jing Ao for having dinner together at Fugui Restaurant last time, and now he's going out with Jing Ao again!

She's told Lu Songyuan countless times that she's annoyed by Jing Ao, and that Jing Ao's approach to Lu Songyuan is bound to bring trouble, but Lu Songyuan never listens. This is the umpteenth time she's caught him like this.

"Have someone follow him."

Jing replied, "There's no need to avoid it!"

"yes."

After Ayan left, Ayu straightened Jinghui's cloak.

"Princess, it's quite cold outside. You haven't been feeling well these past few days, why don't you come inside first?"

Jing responded, watching the wine jars coming and going, and smelling the aroma of wine filling the courtyard, the anger in his heart gradually dissipated.

Instead, a different emotion arose within her, and she suddenly gave a malicious smile.

She turned and instructed, "Ayu, the strongest jar of wine that I personally sealed should be ready soon. Starting tomorrow, keep a close eye on it, and bring it to me as soon as it's done!"

Ah Yu quickly replied, "Yes, Princess."

"Hmph."

Jing Hui seemed to remember something, and his smile grew wider, as if the warm sun had melted the ice on the eaves into water droplets.

Lu Songyuan reached out and caught a drop of ice water that had melted from the eaves of the Dali Temple.

A water droplet landed in his palm, splashing out a spray. Lu Songyuan brushed the water droplet away with his thumb, then turned his head to look at the man standing proudly to the side.

Lian Zhu noticed Lu Songyuan's gaze, turned her head to look at him, and felt that his gaze was anything but friendly.

He found Lu Songyuan's behavior utterly inexplicable and frowned as he asked, "What are your orders, General Lu?"