Chapter 689 Sister Song

As night fell and the city lights came on, Xie Zheng still hadn't returned.

Song Chunxue, however, was greeted by Lord Zhao.

"Senior Brother, what brings you here?" Song Chunxue stood up to greet him. "Senior Brother, please have some tea."

“No need to stand on ceremony, I am your senior brother, you don’t need to be so polite to me.” Lord Zhao got straight to the point, “I’m here to tell you that Xie Zheng has been invited to the palace, and you can probably guess why, it’s because I’m close to him.”

"No matter what they say, one thing is certain: the Emperor doesn't want to see us together. The key reason we're together is you, so he's trying every means to separate you."

"Yes, I heard he wanted to arrange a marriage." Song Chunxue remained calm, like an outsider. "Did Senior Brother already think of that?"

“I had expected this, but after weighing the two options, I chose the lesser of two evils. Although we are in a predicament, at least we have saved our lives.” Lord Zhao looked at Song Chunxue. “The assassin who tried to kill Lord Xie was not just a simple family member seeking revenge. After he entered the capital, the already precarious court underwent a change of winds, and there were also fluctuations in various places.”

His voice was steady and powerful, displaying an unwavering composure amidst adversity, and his few words calmed the listener's mind.

"So what are your plans, Senior Brother?" Song Chunxue could tell that her senior brother had come to her rescue.

She was an ignorant woman who knew nothing about court affairs; all she could do was listen to advice.

Lord Zhao laughed, "Junior brother is indeed insightful. Then I will speak frankly. I just hope you don't mind me meddling."

"I couldn't have asked for more. In this unfamiliar place, having someone like my senior brother to rely on is a surprise I never expected. It's the best arrangement from God. I believe in my senior brother, and I also believe that he has seen through many things more clearly than we have after hiding for so many years."

Lord Zhao's lips curled slightly, revealing a magnanimous composure in the face of adversity.

"That's good. It seems Master is good at choosing disciples. They understand things quickly, which will save a lot of trouble." He placed a small wooden knife on the table. "This is also a good thing. It can be used for self-defense. Give it to Xie Zheng. He may suffer some physical pain in the next few days, so let him be prepared."

Physical pain?

Will Xie Zheng be tortured again?

“He is an official appointed by the imperial court and has been demoted many times over the years. Why should he be punished for something like this?” Song Chunxue felt indignant for him and quickly realized that her senior brother probably knew better than she did.

Seeing his junior brother's excited expression, Lord Zhao smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, he will get through this. I've known for a long time that he's a rare and good official. He's done a lot of good for the people over the years, and the Emperor is also keen to cultivate him. But I'm worried that too much rigidity can lead to a broken heart. If he contradicts the Emperor and angers him, he will inevitably be punished."

Song Chunxue nodded, stood up and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother. I was being disrespectful."

Lord Zhao looked at her kindly, "It seems you truly like him."

"I don't know if I like him or not, but I know he's a good official. The local people all like him and hope that good officials will be rewarded. Having known him for many years, I also hope that he can receive the preferential treatment he deserves, instead of being used as a bargaining chip."

“That’s true. You don’t need to worry. Now that he has devoted himself to the Daoist sect, he won’t suffer too much.” Lord Zhao looked at her. “But you, do you know how bumpy the road to love is? Don’t fall too deeply in love.”

“Yes, thank you, senior brother,” Song Chunxue nodded solemnly. “I will treat this carefully, but both morally and logically, he has encountered a hurdle, and I will not stand idly by.”

If leaving the capital could resolve her predicament, she was willing to set off immediately.

Having said that, Lord Zhao rose to take his leave.

"Senior Brother, do I have to overcome this emotional hurdle before I can see Master? If Xie Zheng and I stop getting entangled, do I not have to overcome this hurdle?"

Lord Zhao smiled and lowered his head, "Don't be afraid, forget about love, and just cherish the time we spent together."

Are you scared?

Yes, somewhat.

What impoverished people fear most is losing something, especially since she had just experienced the anxiety of having something and learned what it means to be preoccupied with gains and losses.

If this is human nature, then how many twists and turns must one endure to laugh at the vicissitudes of life, and what is loss to them?

In the stillness of the night, the chirping of cicadas rose and fell, and the croaking of frogs drifted in from near and far, making Song Chunxue feel quite uncomfortable.

In the summer in my hometown, only the occasional sound of a ground ox can be heard from afar; there are no cicadas chirping, no frogs croaking, only the rustling of leaves in the trees and the barking of dogs.

She and Xie Lingyun sat in the front hall, waiting for Xie Zheng to return.

To calm herself down, Xie Lingyun held an embroidery hoop and was embroidering a crane and pine design.

Song Chunxue was flipping through books on alchemy, but the more she looked, the more annoyed she became, so she found a medical book that her senior brother had given her.

Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I've seen my senior brother.

Is he still in the capital?

I wonder if he's run out of money yet.

Last time, Master Han gave her a lot of gold. Now that she and Master Han have reconciled, could she go and ask him about her senior brother's whereabouts?

"The master is back!"

As soon as Liu Chunshu's voice rang out, Xie Lingyun ran out first.

Song Chunxue walked outside and saw Xie Zheng smiling and comforting his daughter, raising his hand to pat the top of her head.

"Go to sleep, Dad's fine."

"Yes, don't worry."

"Here, some osmanthus candy I bought on the way, for the two children."

Xie Lingyun smiled and said, "Isn't there one for me?"

"Of course, eat whatever you want, I'm not stopping you," Xie Zheng urged. "Get some rest early."

Xie Lingyun smiled and took it, then said to Song Chunxue, "I'm going to sleep now, Aunt."

"Okay, go ahead."

Xie Zheng walked up to Song Chunxue, grasped her hand tightly, his eyes filled with too many emotions, and gently stroked the back of her hand.

"You waited specifically for me?"

"Um."

Song Chunxue looked up at his face, something churning inside her, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

But she knew she could no longer say such heartless words as easily as she had in Jincheng.

"Are you alright?" She placed the wooden sword in his hand. "Your senior brother brought it here specially, saying you would suffer some physical pain. Have you gotten any new injuries today?"

"No, I disobeyed the Emperor tonight and was punished by kneeling outside the Imperial Study for an hour. It was a very light punishment." Xie Zheng put the wooden sword into his pocket. "Then I'll take it and continue to disobey him tomorrow."

"Actually, you..."

“I would not accept this marriage even if it weren’t for you. I may not have anything else, but I have a strong body. What is physical pain to me?”

For some reason, seeing him say those words with a smile, Song Chunxue's vision blurred, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She turned her face away and sniffed.

"Feeling sorry for me?"

"Go away! I'm just angry, I can't stand it..."

Xie Zheng quickly covered her mouth, "Grandma, don't you dare scold me, let's go inside and talk."

"I'm not going!"

"Would you stay with me for a while?" Xie Zheng lowered his voice and shook her arm. "Just out of pity for me."

"..." These words made her scalp tingle. Why didn't she feel this way when she read storybooks before?

But by the time she came to her senses, she was already in his bedroom.

She was gently pulled into his arms, giving her the illusion of being cherished.

"Sister Song, so this really is Xie's love tribulation. The thought of being separated from you makes me rather beheaded for disobeying the imperial decree."

Suddenly, Song Chunxue felt as if she had been swept into an indescribable wave of emotions, a mixture of bittersweet feelings that left her feeling unsettled.