Chapter 70 A tender kiss in the winter snow

A short while later, Jiang Yinyue brought out a medicine box, squatted down in front of Wei Qin, and began to treat the wound on his palm.

"Wei Yihe, don't get hurt again."

The man, with his head tilted back and eyes closed, grasped the strip of cloth wrapped in his palm, and also grasped Jiang Yinyue's left hand, which she hadn't had time to retract.

The rough calluses rubbed against the delicate, white fingertips.

Fireworks exploded above the alley, their vibrant colors reflected on the two people's hands.

This moment is peaceful and timeless.

"release."

Fireworks are fleeting, warmth is illusory. After Jiang Yinyue spoke coldly, Wei Qin lowered his injured right hand, not wanting to anger her.

Jiang Yinyue left behind a jar of ointment, picked up her medicine box, and left, leaving Wei Qin alone to dispel the lingering emptiness after the dazzling fireworks display.

As that beautiful figure disappeared, even the moon in the sky lost its brilliance; a hazy moon lingered among thin clouds, and the hustle and bustle subsided into silence.

The children went back to their rooms to sleep, blissfully unaware of their worries, unlike the quiet man who had no such blissful memories since childhood.

The past cannot be retrieved; he simply wants to grasp the beauty in the present moment.

The delicate fragrance of pears is wonderful.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, during the court assembly, the princes from various regions either returned to court in person or sent their heirs back to court, while the court officials brought their wives and children to court to pay homage to the supreme emperor.

Jiang Song and his son were not in the capital, and everyone thought that the eldest branch of the Jiang family would be absent. Unexpectedly, Jiang Yinyue, dressed in a moon-white long dress, entered the palace in place of her father and brother. A plum-red shawl was casually draped over her arm, and she wore a pomegranate-red gilded hairpin. She was more gorgeous and elegant than usual, and her beauty was beyond compare.

The Crown Prince, accompanied by a group of officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, stood not far away and all looked over.

She was indeed a woman who had seen a lot and had a certain amount of experience. She was not intimidated or timid, but rather slow, deliberate, and composed.

"Did the Jiang family girl come alone?"

"Why isn't Vice Minister Wei with you?"

"It seems the rumors are true; the two are going through a divorce."

Wei Xichen glanced at him repeatedly, then subtly looked away.

Before the palace banquet, the most frequent whispers were about the patient's illness.

"In my opinion, it may not be that the sorcerer's sleeping pills backfired on the emperor's body. It's more likely that someone has been secretly poisoning the emperor over the years."

"The imperial cuisine undergoes rigorous testing for poison, so there's no possibility like what you're describing. His Majesty's pursuit of immortality has led him to consume too many 'miracle pills,' causing toxins to accumulate in his internal organs."

Jiang Yinyue walked through the small groups of people, heading towards the main hall alone. Along the way, she was inevitably ridiculed and teased, with people asking her why she was alone.

Guo Zhenyong, mingling among the aristocratic youths, seized the opportunity to mock, "Shouldn't the Jiang family find a feng shui master to examine their feng shui? Why are so many couples getting divorced?"

Rumors of Jiang Wulang and his wife divorcing are rampant in the third branch of the family, and it's said to be a done deal, nothing secret in a wealthy and powerful family.

Guo Zhenyong pressed his advantage, "Is Miss Jiang going to follow in your fifth brother's footsteps?"

"What are you saying? It's the time for the Crown Prince to select his concubines, Young Master Guo, don't gossip."

"What do you mean? Is the selection of the Crown Prince's concubine related to Miss Jiang's divorce?"

Who knows?

The group chatted amongst themselves, revealing that these young masters were all Guo Zhenyong's cronies, and they were just hoping that the Crown Prince and Jiang Yinyue would tarnish each other's reputations.

Jiang Yinyue glanced at Guo Zhenyong, who was leading the group. Wei Yangwan had been led astray by confidants like Guo Zhenyong. Fortunately, Wei Yangwan wasn't smart, and by sheer luck, he had become a fool instead of a hypocrite.

"Divorce is not terrible; what is terrible is being abandoned by everyone. Guo Qing has never done anything benevolent or righteous. Be careful that you don't become a lonely person after losing power."

Guo Zhenyong was about to retort, but when she met Wei Xichen's gaze, she immediately changed her expression and bowed with a forced smile.

Wei Xichen smiled faintly as he walked past the crowd, including Jiang Yinyue, who had not yet stepped into the palace. He didn't even glance at her, merely offering a helping hand as if it were a trivial matter.

After the Crown Prince and his entourage had gone some distance, Guo Zhenyong looked at Jiang Yinyue with a smile, "Miss Jiang, what do you think about being protected by His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Jiang Yinyue uttered six words in a nonchalant tone, "I hope my words come true."

"you!"

During the Lunar New Year, Guo Zhenyong felt a deep sense of bad luck.

When a touch of crimson appeared at the front of the Ministry of Personnel officials, Jiang Yinyue pouted her cherry lips, reached out and took Wei Qin's arm, and stepped into the main hall with him amidst the various gazes of the nobles.

The rumors of divorce have been disproven.

The two figures side by side were also reflected in Wei Xichen's eyes, who had already taken his seat.

The hand holding the cup tightened slightly.

Behind them were witty remarks from officials of the Ministry of Personnel, who laughed and said that the perfect match would not break apart amidst gossip.

The fact that Emperor Shunren did not attend a court assembly and banquet, and that the Crown Prince presided over the event, further confirmed everyone's suspicions.

The emperor's condition worsened.

After the palace banquet ended, most officials traveled by carriage, while some young ministers and sons of nobles chose to ride horses.

In the palace stables, there were countless fine horses with excellent bloodlines, but one mixed-breed horse stood out from the crowd, and its bone structure was smaller than that of the other horses.

"Whose mount is it?"

Either they're too broke to buy a fine horse, or they've been ripped off by horse dealers.

Jiang Yinyue walked up to the group and said, "Mine."

"Without purebred blood, this horse won't run fast."

After the guards untied the reins of the horses, the scraggly horse, at Jiang Yinyue's whistle, wiped its hooves, leaped out of the manger, and shook its long mane.

Jiang Yinyue mounted her horse and flicked her whip in the wind.

The scraggly horse galloped ahead, leaving prejudice far behind.

Jiang Yinyue reached out her hand to Wei Qin, who was standing by the roadside, and pulled him onto his horse.

The crimson hem of his dress fluttered as the man mounted his horse.

Wei Qin straddled her back, his arms wrapped around Jiang Yinyue's waist, and he could clearly feel the woman taking a deep breath.

The two men and one horse galloped past the moving carriages, the scraggly horse flying at high speed, its running posture unrestrained, wild and unbridled.

It merges into the winter snow at dusk.

Snowflakes fluttered down her neck, and Jiang Yinyue shivered, but then became even more spirited.

Wei Qin pulled a fluffy white fur collar from his sleeve and wrapped it around the woman's neck.

Jiang Yinyue turned her head slightly, then looked straight ahead, showing little reaction.

Upon arriving at the secluded little house, the woman pulled on the reins and called for a halt to the horse, saying, "Minister Wei, dismount."

"Come in and have a seat."

"Does an adult not understand the art of playing along?"

Pretending to be affectionate in front of outsiders to dispel rumors of divorce, mission accomplished. Now that no one is around, it's time to be sensible and keep your distance.

Wei Qin remained seated, repeatedly pulling his arm back. "It's cold. Have some ginger tea before you go. Even the lightning strike needs a rest."

Jiang Yinyue pulled away his entangled hands, jumped off her horse, and knocked on the door of the house, but Wei Qin pushed it open directly.

The small house was empty. Jiang Yinyue called out to Wei Ying, but received no response.

"Are they all gone?"

Wei Qin tied up the horse and replied, "They might have gone out."

Where can we go on the first day of the Lunar New Year? And why aren't we locking the doors?

Jiang Yinyue turned to leave, but Wei Qin intercepted her and led her into the east wing.

The main house has two bedrooms, one for the old doctor and his son, and one for Xie Jincheng and Yan Yi. The left and right wing rooms are where the brother and sister Wei Qin and Wei Ying live respectively.

Wei Qin led Jiang Yinyue into his room and closed the door behind him.

The room was chilly because the floor heating wasn't on, which suited Wei Qin's constitution, who was sensitive to heat.

Jiang Yinyue, who was being held and seated in a round-backed chair, glared angrily at the man who was busy brewing ginger tea, her fair cheeks puffed out.

Soon, the outside was covered in snow, while inside, the aroma of ginger wafted from the simple wooden table.

The room was simply furnished, with a four-poster bed separated by a screen. Outside the screen was a small living room with a square table, two long benches, and a pair of armchairs.

In another corner, there was a bath tub with a curtain hanging from a bamboo frame.

Jiang Yinyue did not accept the ginger tea offered by Wei Qin, so Wei Qin knelt down on one knee in front of her and blew on the tea.

Jiang Yinyue had never considered divorce, but she couldn't reconcile so quickly and ignore his deception and manipulation. However, seeing the man kneeling with such an incomparably handsome face, Jiang Yinyue's cold and hard heart stirred with a strange feeling. She lifted his face and scratched his chin with her index finger.

Don't you understand what it means to play along?

Feeling vaguely like he was being teased, Wei Qin slightly furrowed his brows, lifted his face following the force of the woman's fingertips, and then slowly lowered his thick eyelashes. "Have some tea."

"I'm asking you, don't you understand the meaning of playing along?"

"I don't understand, I'm serious."

Jiang Yinyue gently turned his face away, took the covered bowl, and sipped her drink.

A layer of water film covered her cherry lips.

She took out a red envelope and handed it to Wei Qin, saying, "This is for Ying'er. Please pass it on for me."

"What about mine?"

Jiang Yinyue choked on the ginger tea, took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and coughed lightly, and then a large hand patted her back.

Perhaps finding the cloak too thick, the man unceremoniously took it off for her, folded it on the table, and continued to pat her back to help her breathe.

Jiang Yinyue brushed his hand away and pointed to her cloak.

It's too cold inside.

But Wei Qin thought she was going to leave, and the hand that had been pushed away landed on her again.

He stood beside the armchair, leaning down to beg her to stay a little longer, just a little while.

His low tone conveyed uncertainty and caution.

Jiang Yinyue said frankly, "I'm cold."

Wei Qin did not fetch the cloak as she wished, but instead bent down and pulled her into his arms, warming her with his unusually high body temperature.

But it couldn't compare to the warmth of a woman's body.

Jiang Yinyue laughed in exasperation, pinching his waist tightly, but his waist was firm and hard, without an ounce of fat.

Despite the pain, Wei Qin traced his fingertips down Jiang Yinyue's hairline, across her small ear, and pinched her earlobe.

A small act of retaliation, neither too light nor too heavy.

Her earlobes burned, and Jiang Yinyue twisted Wei Qin's waist even harder, showing some restraint and not holding back.

Wei Qin released his hand from her earlobe, hooked her chin, and precisely sealed her pouting lips with his.

He sucked on the still-dry film of water on her cherry lips.

Gently suck and tease.

Jiang Yinyue had no choice but to give up pinching his waist and instead push his arm.

But the lingering kiss in the winter snow made her scalp tingle and her legs go weak.

He accidentally bumped into the armchair while leaning back and sat down with a "plop".

Wei Qin bent down and placed his hands on the armrests, trapping her inside the chair.

As they kissed, he parted Jiang Yinyue's knees, knelt between them, and tilted his head back to kiss her.

One hand was placed on the back of the woman's neck, while the other hand slipped inside her trouser leg and gently caressed it.

A kiss amidst contradictions is both intertwined and agonizing, creating ambiguity and tormenting each other's hearts.

Wei Qin restrained herself, yet was reluctant to let go. She hadn't been this gentle in a long time, and she had put away her raised thorns.

On a snowy day, nothing soothed his soul more than her body temperature, nourishing his heart that had been parched for many years.

"Miss." Wei Qin looked up at her, a hint of alluring red in his eyes. "Stay tonight?"

Jiang Yinyue, still feeling dizzy, glared at him, her expression a mix of fierceness, coquettishness, and allure.

They're pushing their luck.

Unsatisfied, Wei Qin hugged Jiang Yinyue's legs and lay on her layered skirt, a faint smile on his face.