31 Sima Xiuyuan, do you regret it?

◎Have a cup of Xinghuacun◎

"Xiuyuan, try the Xinghua Village wine here. Although it can't compare to the Haoyuebai wine from Taoleju, and the taste is a bit rougher, it has a local flavor." Qi Gu poured him a cup of wine, her bright black eyes looking at him expectantly.

Her face, which was usually taut and tense like a fully drawn bowstring, now showed a faint smile, her eyes brimming with joy.

Under her expectant gaze, he drank the wine she poured into Xinghua Village.

Later, in countless dreams, he and she were in this little shop, reliving the same scene.

She smiled and urged him to drink a cup of Xinghuacun tea.

Her vivid face was right in front of him. He reached out, his fingertips trying to touch her lively eyes, but he could never reach them.

That was the first time Qi Gu invited him to drink here. At that time, the court was busy with government affairs, the implementation of the land law was hindered by various parties, the famine had not been resolved, His Majesty's health was deteriorating, bandits were rampant, and the struggle for the crown prince position in the harem was becoming increasingly fierce.

His grandfather was also in poor health, and he placed great hopes on him, entrusting him with the heavy responsibility of restoring the Sima family to its former glory.

Everyone saw that he was bathed in moonlight, and they praised him, saying that Sima Hong's talent was as high as the moon, his demeanor remained undiminished by wind, frost, rain and snow, and his appearance was even more stunning.

People admired him, envied him, were jealous of him, and feared him.

He was a high-ranking official who was highly valued by the emperor and empress, an heir who carried the expectations of his family, the goal of men in the capital, and the favorite of women in the capital.

He should be a god; he should be omnipotent.

However, Qi Gu noticed a weariness he had never shown before.

A month before Empress Zhang bestowed marriage upon him and Qi Gu, they drank the most unforgettable wine of his life in this small shop.

He had no romantic feelings for Qi Gu; he only pitied her for having been orphaned at a young age and living without parents. Therefore, when she asked him about her early education books, he always showed her a little more patience than he would a child.

He never expected that Qi Gu would fall deeply in love with him, and this was his first mistake.

His second mistake was that after drinking Xinghua Village wine with Qi Gu, he remembered Qi Gu's relaxed smile and, when the Empress brought up the matter of marriage again, he inexplicably agreed to the Empress's proposal to let him marry Qi Gu.

The Empress had always hoped that he could marry Qi Gu, so that the Sima family and the Crown Prince could form a closer connection. In addition, Empress Zhang ultimately hoped that her daughter's wish would come true.

Later, Empress Zhang, whose hair had turned white, stood with her back to him, hands behind her back, in front of the empty Jianzhang Palace, and asked him, "Sima Xiuyuan, have you ever regretted it?"

He, Sima Hong, was worthy of the emperor and empress, worthy of the Jin Dynasty, and worthy of the Sima family.

He has always been expected to achieve great things, and he must think ten steps ahead before taking one!

He can't regret it!

Unexpectedly, strange and supernatural things happened to him. Standing in this familiar place, Sima Hong thought that back then, when he was unable to answer the Empress's question, he actually already had the answer in his heart.

But neither he nor the Empress dared to mention it.

"Father, although this shop is not well-known, its roast goose is the most authentic, and the Xinghua Village roast goose is also very genuine."

"You look like you've been to the capital a thousand times," Li Shi said casually, looking at the shop.

Qi Gu chuckled, having already prepared her excuse, "I heard it from Hongyan and Honghu."

When Sima Hong, such a handsome and refined gentleman, walked into this small shop, it seemed as if the shop itself brightened up.

Qi Gu looked up, and Sima Hong's face, as bright as the moon, slowly came into view. Qi Gu felt a daze before her eyes, and the dimly lit shop suddenly became radiant.

"You, how did you get here?" Qi Gu came to her senses and stared at Sima Hong with a lingering look on her face.

Sima Hong readily agreed and sat down next to Qi Gu, then turned to Li Shi, who was looking on with a gossipy expression, and asked, "Sir, did you have any success in your trip to the outskirts of the city today?"

Qi Gu gritted her teeth. How come this person is everywhere? She remembered that in her past life, she wanted to bump into him by chance, but she didn't know how much effort she had to put in.

She would be grateful if it happened twice out of ten, but how come she was reborn and kept running into him everywhere she went?

Li Shi told Sima Hong what he had seen and heard in the suburbs that day, and said, "The grain harvest next year is still not optimistic. If it is like this in the capital, the situation in other places will probably be even more serious."

Qi Gu gritted her teeth, but Sima Hong was really cunning. As soon as he sat down to drink, he talked to her father about serious matters, so she couldn't directly kick him out!

She crossed her arms. It was truly strange that Sima Hong, who was so noble that he only drank dew, would come to a shop like this.

Thinking back to her past life, the only time she and he came here, it was she who forced him to come.

After listening to Li Shi's words, Sima Hong turned to Qi Gu and asked, "You've had a hard day."

Li Shi, standing to the side, listened to Sima Langjun's words and felt a burning desire for gossip ignite within him.

Look at how businesslike he was just a moment ago, and now he's so gentle and considerate towards his Qi Gu.

Yes, it felt like an old man caring for his granddaughter, but Li Shi quickly banished this dangerous thought.

Qi Gu said, "What's so hard about it? Back in the countryside, I could easily plow two acres of land every day. It's only because Lord Sima has condescended to come to such a small shop."

"Small shops have their advantages. I am only human, so why can't I come here? Besides, the roast goose and Xinghuacun wine here have a unique flavor."

“Oh my, Sima Langjun and my Qi Gu are really on the same wavelength. What you just said is exactly the same thing Qi Gu said.”

"Yeah."

Qi Gu noticed that Sima Hong's gaze held a hint of ambiguity and speculation. She avoided Sima Hong's intense gaze and said, "I... I only heard it from Hongyan and Honghu."

Sima said, "Hongyan and Honghu are people in the palace. As far as I know, they entered the palace at the age of six and have never left the palace."

"Gentlemen, your roast goose is here!" The waiter brought a whole roast goose to the table at just the right moment.

Upon smelling the aroma of roast goose, Li Shi's gossipy spirit vanished, his appetite disappeared, and his craving for gossip was awakened.

"This roast goose smells delicious!" Li Shi reached out and broke off a goose leg, handing it to Qi Gu, and then broke off the other leg for himself. "Master Sima, please help yourself. I've been walking for so long today, I'm really hungry."

"You flatter me." After saying that, Li Shi took a big bite and without any hesitation, he bit into the goose leg. Mmm, so delicious!

Qi Gu lowered her head and ate roast goose. Thinking of her past life, she could see that Sima Hong was in a terrible predicament, even though everyone knew that Sima Hong was good at everything and could do anything.

But when she went to the Sima residence to find him on his day off, she saw him lying on his side on the step, the breeze ruffling his hair and unable to smooth his slightly furrowed brows. It seemed that even in his nap, he was thinking about the state of the nation.

She pulled her along, saying, "Xiuyuan, even immortals need to rest. Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

She led him to this small shop, and wanting to maintain her elegant princess image in front of him, she dared not eat heartily.

Hmph, she no longer cares about maintaining any elegance or image. Nothing is more important than a full stomach!

Qi Gu retaliated by biting off a large piece of duck leg meat, stuffing her mouth full.

As she chewed, she glared at Sima Hong, "What are you looking at? This is exactly who I am! How about that, scared now!"

Sima Hong looked at Qi Gu, whose mouth was stuffed with meat, whose eyes were bulging as she glared at him and chewed heartily, and recalled the weasel he had encountered when he was a child and lived in seclusion with his clan.

People at the time believed that the weasel was an earth deity and should not be killed lightly. As a result, the weasel was allowed to act recklessly and often broke into farmhouses to steal chickens, ducks, fish and meat, which it would then eat on the spot. When it was discovered, it would show a look that said, "What can you do to me?"

His gaze lingered on Qi Gu's face, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

She glared at him fiercely, but he just smiled gently, as if to say, "You eat yours, I'll watch mine."

Feeling uncomfortable being stared at like that, Qi Gu gradually reduced her biting motions.

Seeing that she had finished eating, Sima Hong thoughtfully took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and said, "Wipe your mouth."

Qi Gu glanced down at the handkerchief Sima Hong offered, her eyes darting around slightly. Ignoring the handkerchief, she haphazardly wiped her greasy lips with her sleeve.

Then, she looked at Sima Hong defiantly and said, "You'll disgust me to death."

Seeing how rude and uncouth she was, Sima Hong naturally kept his distance from her.

Sima Hong chuckled softly, looking at Qi Gu as if she were a naughty child. He leaned closer to Qi Gu, supporting her head with his slender hand, and with the other hand, he gently wiped the oil stains left on the corner of Qi Gu's mouth with a handkerchief that left no room for refusal.

Qi Gu leaned back in horror, "Lord Sima, you feel like a stranger to me!"

Those eyes, like a pool of cold spring water, now held a hint of relaxed laughter, like spring water flowing through a mountain stream, making a light, murmuring sound. "Is that so? I feel like I've known Aunt Qi for a long time."

A person, bathed in the gentle breeze and bright moonlight, naturally put away the handkerchief, as if he had done this action a thousand times.

This is so wrong. In his previous life, Sima Hong was always distant and polite, and never took the initiative to get close to anyone, including her.

"Lord Sima, you..."

Sima Hong, who even the emperor and empress had to show him deference, was a man of refined character who treated everyone with the same grace and composure, yet there was always a distance between him and everyone else, as if he were the moon in the sky and everyone else were just mud on the ground.

They would avoid suspicion even with a favored princess, let alone be so close to a country girl from the countryside, especially a princess who has not yet been officially recognized by the royal family!

Something's not right with him. The real Sima Hong wouldn't be this close to anyone.

Unless—he really damaged his brain!

"Lord Sima, I think it would be better to have Atai and the others find you a doctor."

"Qi Gu, does it hurt?"

Qi Gu: ? ? ?

"It's nothing. I mean, if there's anything you want to do in the future, you can tell me, and I'll try my best to make it up to you."

Qi Gu waved her hands repeatedly, "No, no, it's alright." Suddenly remembering something, she changed her waving hands to clasping them together, "The one currently possessing Lord Sima, you'd better get off quickly. You can't easily possess someone like Lord Sima, otherwise you'll be reduced to ashes in no time!"

"Pfft!" Li Shizheng was drinking Xinghua Village wine when he involuntarily spat out a mouthful, which, of course, was directed at Qi Gu.

He dared not imagine what Sima Langjun would look like after he sprayed him with wine. Sima Langjun was not to be defiled, not to be defiled.

"Hahaha, Aunt Qi, your father has a saying for you: 'Give a flirtatious glance to a blind man.'"

"Sima Langjun, here's a piece of advice: when talking to a straight-talking woman, don't beat around the bush, hahaha! That's hilarious!"

[Author's Note]

Author: Lord Sima, do you regret it or not? [doge emoji]

Sima Hong: I will compensate Qi Gu

Qi Gu: Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!