Chapter 6 He deliberately went against her

Xie Zhuo touched his arm, then touched the part of his forehead that revealed the mask, feeling the familiar burning sensation.

That day, Physician Song instructed him not to get emotionally agitated, otherwise it would worsen his condition.

The poison of the Beauty's Intoxication had not yet been completely cured, and it has returned with a vengeance.

Behind the screen, at the table, Chen Liangqing gently raised her eyes, her beautiful eyes rippling with a gentle breeze and clear blue water, as if spring had just arrived after the snow.

"It's not worth it for the princess to go to so much trouble for me."

His gentle voice seemed to contain a hint of helplessness.

Xue Mingyao blinked and smiled at the refined gentleman. "Whether it's worth it or not is not up to you, but up to me. If my little effort can help Hanlin stay healthy and focus on compiling history, then I think it's well worth it."

With a sincere and beautiful smile, Chen Liangqing finally picked up the silver spoon and quietly finished the porridge, spoonful by spoonful.

"Thank you, Princess. It tastes very good." He smiled.

Xue Mingyao's smile deepened.

It feels great to do one part and say nine parts.

The official removed the food table, and the two men tidied themselves up and returned to the inner room. Xie Zhuo sat upright in the room, his mask securely covering his face.

The three of them started talking about the war in the southern border region again. Xue Mingyao had only been in the southern border region for two years and had only seen and heard about it. She kept quiet most of the time and listened to Xie Zhuo and Chen Liangqing's conversation.

Despite being a mere military man, Xie Zhuo possessed remarkable eloquence and insight. He could readily recall historical anecdotes and stories of the southern border regions, and was intimately familiar with the court's management and administration there. He was intimately familiar with the strategies and deployments of several large-scale campaigns, from General Pei Xiong a century ago to General Xue Chongyi more than a decade ago, demonstrating clarity, detail, and penetrating analysis.

Not to mention Xue Mingyao, even Chen Liangqing was surprised, "General, you are very learned and insightful, I admire you."

In just a few hours, Chen Liangqing had already sensed that Xie Zhuo's knowledge far exceeded that of a general. With such knowledge, it would not be impossible for him to pass the imperial examination and become a civil official. It was truly astonishing that such a person came from the lower ranks of the border army.

Xie Zhuo's dizziness and fever had not subsided, but he refused to show it in front of the two of them. He rubbed his temples and endured the discomfort, saying in a steady voice, "Hanlin, you flatter me. I am just showing off my limited skills in front of an expert."

Seeing his actions, Chen Liangqing asked with concern, "General, are you still recovering from the poisoning and feeling unwell?"

Xie Zhuo shook his head, "I am perfectly fine."

Chen Liangqing leaned over to add tea for him and Xue Mingyao, her snow-white sleeves fluttering down to reveal a section of her slender wrist.

The young master of the British Duke's mansion comes from a first-rate family and has excellent talents. He is gentle and calm, and never arrogant.

Xue Mingyao sighed inwardly. Chen Liangqing was her peer and had also grown up in the capital. He must have heard about her youthful arrogance, yet he neither showed any resistance nor acted intimately. He always treated her with peace and politeness, which showed his good upbringing.

Good manners also mean being unapproachable. She had come to the Hanlin Academy quite a while ago, and wanted to make the most of it by talking to him alone.

Xue Mingyao said to Xie Zhuoying, "General Xie, you are not fully recovered. Although you feel fine, you still need to rest more. You must be tired after talking for so long. Why don't you go back to your residence and rest soon?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt Xie Zhuo glare at her.

Xue Mingyao suddenly became angry. What right did he have to glare at her? Wasn't her implication that she was concerned?

He has only met her twice, yet he has been so forceful on several occasions. Could it be that he had a prejudice against her from the very beginning?

Xue Mingyao refused to tolerate it and, taking advantage of the fact that Chen Liangqing couldn't see her from this angle, glared fiercely back at Xie Zhuo.

Xie Zhuo did not answer, but Chen Liangqing listened to Xue Mingyao's words. "General Xie, the princess is right. You are still ill, and I cannot trouble you any longer. When you recover, I will certainly prepare a feast and invite you to my residence for a long talk."

"You flatter me, Hanlin. My illness is nothing to worry about."

Xie Zhuo replied simply, showing no intention of leaving, and continued the previous topic about the affairs of the Southern Frontier.

After a few more cups of tea's time, Xue Mingyao once again suggested that Xie Zhuo return to his residence to rest, but he resolutely refused again, not forgetting to give her a few cold looks.

Xue Mingyao was helpless. Half a day had passed, and her buttocks were sore from sitting. Xie Zhuo and Chen Liangqing started talking about serious matters, and she couldn't get a word in edgewise. She felt awkward standing to the side.

Xie Zhuo refused to leave, so she had no choice but to go.

Xue Mingyao got up to take her leave. Chen Liangqing looked out the window at the snow that had started to fall. "The snow is quite heavy. The Hanlin Academy is still some distance from the palace gate. Did the princess bring rain gear?"

Upon learning that Xue Mingyao and her servant only had a small silk umbrella, Chen Liangqing ordered a minor official to fetch an oiled paper umbrella.

"Princess, your body is too delicate to be exposed to snow. Please use this instead."

The umbrella brought by the minor official had sturdy ribs and a very wide canopy, large enough to support three people. At the end of the handle was a neatly engraved character "Chen".

Xue Mingyao was overjoyed, but said, "You gave me your umbrella, but what will you do when you leave the palace after your shift?"

"The Hanlin Academy has spare umbrellas."

"Thank you very much, Chen Hanlin."

The two exchanged questions and answers, when Xie Zhuo suddenly spoke up, "I have disturbed the Hanlin Academy for quite some time, and it is time for me to take my leave."

Xue Mingyao gritted her teeth. He had lingered all afternoon, but as soon as she said she was leaving, he followed her.

Is he deliberately trying to antagonize her?

Xie Zhuo did not bring an umbrella, so Chen Liangqing thoughtfully asked a clerk to fetch a spare umbrella. This one was obviously smaller and was placed on Xie Zhuo's tall head, creating a stark contrast with the large umbrella held by the slender young woman next to him.

The three stood under the eaves, and Xue Mingyao had no choice but to exchange umbrellas with Xie Zhuo.

Fortunately, the fact that Chen Liangqing was willing to lend her his umbrella was already a good sign; whether she used it or not was irrelevant.

Xue Mingyao and her servant left together with Xie Zhuo through a small door next to Chen Liangqing's cell. After Xue Mingyao turned around and could no longer see the tall figures watching them from under the eaves, she unceremoniously confronted Xie Zhuo, who was walking alongside her.

"General Xie, I have a question. I've urged you to leave several times, but you wouldn't go. Why did you finally agree to leave when I was the one leaving?"

Xie Zhuo stood two or three feet away from her, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. His voice carried calmly through the falling snow, "Princess, don't worry. I just suddenly realized that it's almost time for me to take my medicine, and I can't delay."

"Take medicine?" Xue Mingyao found it laughable. "Does the medicine prescribed by Physician Song have a set time to be taken?"

"Exactly."

Xue Mingyao gave him a look that said, "Do you think I'm stupid?" Xie Zhuo ignored her and walked straight ahead through the snow.

Xue Mingyao watched coldly as he walked with slightly hurried and even unsteady steps, seemingly in a hurry to return to his residence.

She followed diagonally behind him, and without realizing it, she quickened her pace, hurrying to her own carriage at the palace gate.

Strangely, Xie Zhuo also stood still in front of her carriage.

"General Xie, what are you going to do?" Xue Mingyao asked him suspiciously.

Xie Zhuo remained silent.

He stood under the umbrella, dressed in a black cloak, his forehead obscured by the edge of the umbrella, and the lower half of his face hidden beneath the silver mask, like a silent shadow standing in the snow.

The shadow spoke softly, "I entered the palace on horseback, not in a carriage."

"……so what?"

Go find his horse.

"The snow is heavy now," Xie Zhuo said.

Xue Mingyao understood a little. "You don't want to ride back to the manor in the snow?"

"I am currently unwell. If I were to ride back home in the snow, it would likely hinder the detoxification process and worsen my condition."

Xue Mingyao was convinced. He refused to leave before the snow started falling, but now he remembered that he was still unwell.

Xie Zhuo then said, "If the princess doesn't mind, could you give me a ride for the next leg of the journey? Our residences happen to be on the same route as yours."

Xue Mingyao chuckled.

How dare he ask her for a favor, and with such a nonchalant tone? Does he think she's a great philanthropist like Chen Liangqing?

Xue Mingyao smiled radiantly, "I'm sorry, this princess is very concerned. If the general is afraid of getting wet in the snow, then find a place to take shelter and return after the snow stops. Or, you can walk back to the manor."

Xie Zhuo stared at her delicate face and said calmly, "I cannot miss the time to take my medicine."

Xue Mingyao sneered again, "Then General, turn around and go into the palace to borrow a carriage. With your rank and prestige, it will be easy."

"No. I am of humble birth and have little merit. I am already deeply grateful for the Emperor's favor in granting me this high position. How could I possibly abuse my power and overstep my bounds?"

Xue Mingyao's arm, which had been holding the umbrella, was getting tired. She handed the umbrella to Lüzhi and said coolly, "Then General, surely you know that it is also a breach of etiquette for a woman like me to ride in the same carriage as you?"

“Isn’t it also a breach of etiquette for a woman like the princess to trespass into the Hanlin Academy? I don’t think the princess cares at all.”

Where did she go wrong?

Xue Mingyao puffed up her pretty face in anger, not bothering to waste words with him, "Lvzhi, let's get in the car!"

After saying that, he lifted the carriage curtain and was about to get in when Xie Zhuo grabbed his sleeve.

Xue Mingyao turned around and tried to shake him off, but failed. She said angrily, "Let go of me, are you going to act like a lecher?"

Green Branch stood helplessly by, holding an umbrella, watching her princess with worry, not daring to stop the iron-blooded general.

"The princess is understanding and considerate in front of Chen Hanlin, but she speaks coldly to me and stands idly by. Isn't this hypocrisy?" Xie Zhuo said coldly.

Xue Mingyao retorted, "Isn't the General the same? He's polite and refined in front of Chen Hanlin, chatting and laughing, but he's rude and sarcastic towards me, and even dares to belittle me!"

Xie Zhuo suddenly released her sleeve.

Unaware of his intentions, Xue Mingyao watched him warily and hesitated to step back into the carriage.

Xie Zhuo slowly and methodically put away Chen Liangqing's sturdy and fine umbrella. Snowflakes fell heavily on his black hair and dark cloak, instantly covering them with a layer of frost-white.

“What the princess says is true. However, I dare to admit my two sides, but the princess may not be so.” Xie Zhuo leaned forward, looking down into her almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, and said in a low voice, “These past few days I have had quite a bit of contact with Chen Hanlin. Does the princess dare to let him know your true self?”

Xue Mingyao was startled and looked up to meet his dark pupils. "What exactly do you want to do?"

Xie Zhuo took a half step back, his tone becoming indifferent again, "I only wish to ask the princess for a ride."