69. Snow

When Xuanyuan Ying woke up, he was met with Eunuch Li's distressed gaze. His voice was soft and sharp, "Your Majesty, you are finally awake. Although the situation has been tense recently, you must also take care of your health."

"Come, come, come..." He brought a bowl of ginseng soup and carefully placed the spoon to Xuanyuan Ying's lips.

Xuanyuan Ying lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and drank the ginseng soup obediently.

Eunuch Li seemed to have thought of something and spoke, "Just now, General Lou requested an audience. I originally thought you were unwell and declined, but General Lou insisted and is now waiting outside the palace. I estimate it's been an hour, and I can't ask him to leave... What do you think?"

Xuanyuan Ying frowned, coughed lightly, and seemed to be choking, and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"It's snowing outside and very cold. How can we let him stand outside the hall so stubbornly? Please come in quickly."

Eunuch Li apologized, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I will invite the person in right away."

"And get some ginger soup and blankets."

The tiredness between Xuanyuan Ying's eyebrows and eyes had faded a lot, but his lips were slightly pale and he looked a little haggard.

He stood up to greet Lou Zhi, who was covered in snow and had snow on the tips of his eyelashes.

Eunuch Li wiped the snow off Lou Zhi's body and carefully brought him a bowl of ginger soup.

Lou Zhi pursed his lips and calmly let Eunuch Li wipe his mouth, but he did not take the ginger soup. Instead, he raised his eyes to look at Xuanyuan Ying who was wearing a thin inner garment.

He has always been like this. They have known each other for many years, and Xuanyuan Ying also understands what he means.

Xuanyuan Ying paused, raised his hand and asked Eunuch Li to go out. Eunuch Li bowed and went out, carefully closing the door.

The soft armor on his body was slightly burning and cold, and his eyes were deep and calm.

The two just stood facing each other like this.

At this time, Xuanyuan Ying didn't understand what he meant.

Lou Zhi has a plain and simple personality and always speaks his mind. Now he purses his lips and remains silent, which is a bit strange.

Xuanyuan Ying asked, "When?"

The snow on Lou Zhi's eyelashes melted, and his eyelashes became moist, which combined with the darkness of his eyes made him look somewhat hazy and beautiful.

His throat moved slightly, then stopped, lowered his eyes, and then looked up at Xuanyuan Ying.

"I want her."

Xuanyuan Ying paused.

Lou Zhi's voice was calm and gentle, yet it carried a stubbornness that was hard to ignore.

"I...want her."

Xuanyuan Ying was a little cold. He was silent for a long time before speaking in a hoarse voice, looking at him deeply.

"……who?"

"she."

This conversation is strange, with no beginning or end, making it impossible to tell who "she" is.

But the two of them were clearly in a tight spot, staring into each other's eyes, unwilling to give in even a little.

Xuanyuan Ying's voice became hoarse, and it took him a long time to find his voice again. He lowered his eyes to avoid Lou Zhi's gaze, and the end of his voice trembled.

“…Change it.”

"Only...she can't."

For a moment, the room was silent again.

Lou Zhi stepped forward and met his evasive gaze, "But you said that except for the throne, you can have whatever I want."

"So, I want her."

Xuanyuan Ying pursed his lips, "...No."

The two of them said nothing more.

For a moment, a fierce burning sensation swept through Xuanyuan Ying's heart, along with a stabbing pain in the heart that was not sure if it was caused by a fever.

Why should we sigh that she made everyone happy?

The eldest prince, the second prince, Wen Yanhe... and this, the usually aloof General Lou.

Xuanyuan Ying closed his eyes, and an itchy feeling came from his throat. He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Lou Zhi.

"She is... mine."

He used the word "I" to demonstrate his power of imperial authority.

Xuanyuan Ying took a deep breath, his eyes filled with the arrogance and majesty of an emperor.

"It's... mine."

"It can only be mine."

…

Lou Zhi was stunned for a moment, then he understood what he meant, as well as the defense and pressure in his words.

He pursed his lips, then knelt down to salute, with his head lowered, his hair covering his dark eyebrows and eyes.

"My lord, it's abrupt."

Then, without waiting for Xuanyuan Ying to speak, he turned and left.

It’s not that he doesn’t value the imperial power, but it’s just his personality. In front of Yun Zhihe, he directly calls the emperor "Xuanyuan Ying".

The kneeling just now was only because of Xuanyuan's submission and loyalty to the word "I".

He was loyal to His Majesty, nothing more.

Xuanyuan Ying watched him leave, closed his eyes, and collapsed in the chair. He felt a little hot, his forehead was still aching, and he exhaled hot air.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were filled with moist mist.

As soon as Eunuch Li entered the room, he saw Xuanyuan Ying holding his forehead and breathing softly, looking fragile. He rushed forward in panic and shouted.

"Your Majesty! What's wrong with you? Ouch!" He touched Xuanyuan Ying's forehead, "You have a fever!"

He turned around and quickly shouted to the palace attendants at the door, "Call the imperial physician! Hurry up!"

Xuanyuan Ying raised his hand to stop Eunuch Li's anxious shouting, still breathing softly with trembling fingertips.

Looking at Lou Zhi leaving, the figure was gone.

He murmured softly, "In the end, I owe him."

Then passed out.

The shrill voice of Eunuch Li suddenly rose in his ears, "Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician!"

Xuanyuan Ying always had this nightmare, immersed in water, helplessly trying to catch the moon.

No matter what, the moon you get will slip through your fingers like sand that you can't hold.

Cool and gentle, calm and beautiful.

...It's her appearance.

Yun Zhihe asked the emperor for an imperial edict to pacify Heitu Village. After the imperial edict arrived, Meng Le specially asked someone to deliver a letter to express his gratitude. He was a little cautious in his heart and even indirectly asked Meng Xiaojiao if she had done anything inappropriate to bother her.

Yun Zhihe looked at the letter in silence for a long time.

She still missed Meng Le's generous and free-spirited look when he drank and discussed philosophy with her.

Then he looked at the flying snow all over the sky.

Yun Zhihe stood in the corridor, his hands on the mahogany railing, his upper body slightly leaning out, and looking up to feel the drifting snow.

Exhaling the mist, the soft black hair flew behind the head with the wind.

She seemed to be smiling, her eyes slightly curved, revealing a smile.

Especially ethereal and beautiful...like a fairy.

This was what Qin Zhi saw as he entered the door. He was dressed in red, looking particularly fierce and fiery. The wind and snow wrapped around his body, but could not contain his unbridled nature.

He was like that again, unbridled and arrogant.

But she no longer acted recklessly, and the court officials rarely criticized her.

They have been breaking up and getting back together recently, and Yun Zhihe is always away from the capital. He misses her a little.

Then it came with wind and snow.

He specifically warned Azhimu to inform her, and walked in, but was dazzled by her again.

……joy.

Qin Zhi pursed his lips to hide the burning pain in his chest.

The mixture of sweet and sour is particularly strange.

Still happy.

Yun Zhihe saw the scorching red in the wind and snow, paused, and saluted him.

Qin Zhi ran over quickly, his flamboyant blush intertwined with white snowflakes, and his clothes fluttering.

Just running over, his lungs were breathing rapidly, and he exhaled mouthfuls of mist, blurring his eyebrows and eyes.

"Huh... no need... huha... no need to salute..."

Qin Zhi reached out and pulled her up, his fingertips clenching her cold fingers.

"Are you cold?"

He raised his eyes and asked her, his pine green eyes like gems flashing with joy.

Before Yun Zhihe could speak, he held Yun Zhihe's cold hands in his palms, transferring his body temperature.

He pulled open his cloak again and placed her hand on his abdomen.

The girdle wrapped around the ascetic waist exudes warmth.

“Hmm—”

Yun Zhihe suddenly withdrew her hand. This series of actions made her a little confused. She pulled her hand away abruptly, feeling flattered, and asked him awkwardly.

"Second, Your Highness the Second Prince...you..."

Qin Zhi also stopped suddenly, pursed his lips, curled up his fingertips, and then stretched them out.

“…Nothing.”

His voice was a little hoarse.

He wanted to come over again. He hadn't seen her for a long time, and his enthusiasm scared her.

I had thought she would be somewhat happy when she fought for him in the busy city that day.

Qin Zhi turned his head and looked at the wind and snow in the distance.

"Ben...I want to invite you to enjoy the scenery."

"There's an open area in the suburbs, perfect for riding horses. Unfortunately, it's snowing, so we can't ride horses... I'm afraid the black panther in my house, the one you gave me, hasn't been seen for a long time..."

He murmured, then took a deep breath and said, "It loves snow so it can run wild. Will you ride the leopard with me?"

Yun Zhihe paused, and even though she was a literary person, she was slightly moved at this moment.

...What woman...can resist the charm of riding a leopard?

Although the Second Prince's actions just now were strange, but... she really wanted to give it a try.

Yun Zhihe nodded, which was considered as agreement.

The black panther was imprisoned in the carriage and pulled over. Originally, the second prince had led the panther directly before, but he restrained his arrogance and was afraid of scaring others, so he had someone pull it over.

Black Panther stretched lazily as soon as he got out of the car.

I haven't seen him for a long time. He is half the height of a human. He looks particularly terrifying and ferocious, but he exudes a lazy charm.

Although they haven't seen each other for a long time, Yun Zhihe can always see the figures of the Second Prince and Black Panther in the memorials.

Some ministers were making indirect accusations. On the surface, they were criticizing Black Panther, but they were actually scolding Yun Zhihe for sending Black Panther to apologize and being unreasonable.

Come to think of it, I miss those days when things were going uphill.

Yun Zhihe cautiously reached out to touch it, then looked into Qin Zhi's eyes. Qin Zhi nodded, his face slightly red.

He raised the black panther to such a large size, and it was given to him by her, so that there were three of them in the same place.

It feels a bit like... a family of three.

Qin Zhi's face turned even redder.

The servant put a special saddle on the black panther's back. The black goose was well-educated and did not struggle at this time. It let the servant put the saddle on it obediently.

Qin Zhi was the first to sit on it to demonstrate to Yun Zhihe. Before he could run a few steps, a team of carriages appeared in front of him. Behind the carriages were cages covered with black cloth.

Qin Zhi hurriedly asked the black goose to stop. The black goose had not yet galloped away and was about to let go when it was suddenly pulled back. It growled in dissatisfaction.

Qin Zhi frowned and stopped calling its name, "Black Goose."

The black goose lowered its head in grievance.

Yun Zhihe was also looking at the carriage that appeared inexplicably.

Qin Zhi raised his head arrogantly, his voice hoarse, "Hey, who's up ahead? My men are guarding here. How did you get here?"

"If you have strayed in, leave quickly."

"Yo..." A bony hand suddenly stretched out from the carriage entrance, and a hoarse male voice came out with a faint smile.

"It's been a while since we last met, but His Royal Highness the Second Prince is still so arrogant. Beise really admires him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Beise walked out, revealing the face that brought disaster to the country and the people.

The heterochromatic eyes narrowed and the eyelashes grew long.

Qin Zhi paused, his fingertips suddenly curled up, he pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and smiled.

"You're a barbarian prince. Have you recovered from your wound? With all this wind and snow, I'm afraid you must have been blinded. Then, for no apparent reason, you might run into my arrow and faint, and then put the blame on me."

Qin Zhi sneered and met Mo Bei's eyes with a provocative and smiling look.

Mo Beise was stunned for a moment, slightly surprised at the second prince's maturity, and then he smiled again.

"You shot the arrow and drew the bow, so how can it be so inexplicable?"

He spoke in the same provocative manner.