Chapter 31 (9,000 words) Yizhen, I also want to...

The night wind caresses the candlelight, swaying and changing, casting a shadow of the intimate embrace on the ground, like the dense interweaving of vines and branches, quiet and natural.

Perhaps it was because Xuan Yizhen was as gentle as the spring breeze and rain, gradually calming the restlessness and noise.

After a while, Yin Xing calmed down a little and looked at Xuan Yizheng beside her. She lowered her narrow and clear black eyes, and used her slender fingertips to fiddle with the red silk ribbon on her wrist, calmly and attentively, teasing and stroking it gently.

Yin Xing was inexplicably reminded of the horrific words and deeds of bondage and torture that he had heard today.

"Yizhen, there was recently a male corpse in the Dali Temple with his face peeled off and his tongue cut off. It is said that the man's body shape is very similar to mine, and he has many scars from being tied up." Yin Xing spoke hesitantly, his eyes falling on Xuan Yizhen's jade-white cheeks, observing her eyebrows and expression.

"Is that so?" Xuan Yizheng responded casually, hooking the red silk ribbon with his fingertips and lightly tying the ribbons around their wrists, without stopping.

Yin Xing breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Xuan Yizhen's peaceful demeanor. He muttered, "I never thought the murderer not only enjoyed peeling people's skin, but also maliciously tied them up and tortured them. I imagine he must be incredibly cruel and merciless."

Such a terrifying murderer definitely couldn't be Xuan Yizhen. She usually wouldn't speak loudly to herself, and even when tying the knot, she would use very light force.

Xuan Yizhen tidied the knot of the red silk ribbon, appearing indifferent and responding slowly, "Well, what else did you hear?"

"Nothing else, but I suspected that the male corpse was the bad guy Yizhen let go a while ago, so I didn't dare to ask too much."

"Why would you come up with such a guess for no reason?"

Yin Xing responded frankly, "Because the coroner at the Dali Temple said there were stitches on the edge of the corpse's face, and Yizhen also mentioned disguise techniques to me, plus the man was about the same height and build as me, I felt a bit suspicious."

Xuan Yizhen looked at Yin Xing's cheek, saw the twinkle in her eyes, and replied thoughtfully, "Is that so? Doesn't that make me the biggest suspect?"

"Yes, so I think it must be that the bad guys tried to murder Yizhen but failed, so they silenced him." Yin Xing thought worriedly, secretly glad that the male corpse had his face peeled off, otherwise Xuan Yizhen might not be able to clear his suspicion.

After all, that person was rumored to be Xuan Yizheng's new favorite, and I think many people have seen him.

After he finished speaking, Xuan Yizhen placed his cool fingertips on Yin Xing's brow, very gently, and said calmly, "If that's the case, why are you still frowning and worried?"

Yin Xing met Xuan Yizhen's clear and beautiful eyes, softened his posture slightly, and snuggled up to her, muttering, "Because I think the forces behind the bad guys are so terrifying, I'm worried that Yizhen will be implicated."

Now, because of the incident involving Princess Xinyang, the Dali Temple has linked the missing cases in various places into a major case and has discovered countless bodies.

Now, because of the appearance of the male corpse, Xuan Yizhen may be indirectly suspected of being a suspect in a series of murders.

The seriousness of the matter is self-evident.

"Don't worry, as long as you don't doubt me, nothing else matters."

"Then what if someone from the Dali Temple comes to inquire about the male corpse?"

Although the male corpse had no face, Jiang Yun and the others had clearly suspected him today, so they came to extort information. Perhaps they had other evidence.

Xuan Yizhen laughed faintly, his heart sinking. He lowered his head and kissed Yin Xing's lips, rubbing them carefully before pulling away and explaining, "If the Dali Temple doesn't have real evidence, even the Dali Temple Minister has no right to question me. Stop imagining nonsense in your little head and looking for trouble."

"Oh." Yin Xing looked at Xuan Yizheng in a daze, feeling a burning sensation between his lips. He nodded with a dizzy head, sniffing the elegant fragrance with his nose, feeling a little moved.

Kissing is a magical thing.

Xuan Yizheng lowered his eyes and looked at Yin Xing, who had returned to being well-behaved and quiet. Her lips were stained with moisture and looked particularly delicate, while her eyes were clear and bright, and he raised his palm to stroke her eyes, feeling her thick eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings. His heartbeat suddenly seemed to be pulled by an invisible tug, and he paused, quietly enduring the unusual swelling pain in his heart without saying a word.

At this moment, Yin Xing closed his eyes and couldn't see Xuan Yizhen's expression, but he could feel her silent gaze. His heart was pounding. He raised his arms and put them around her side, whispering trustingly, "Yizhen?"

"Hmm." The voice sounded clear and gentle, a bit like a flawless jade placed in a hot spring, but also a bit vague and hoarse.

"Yizhen, you will only kiss me like this from now on, okay?" Yin Xing asked nervously, secretly glad that his eyes were covered so as not to see Xuan Yizhen's hesitation and sadness.

After he finished speaking, Yin Xing did not get an immediate response, but a soft kiss fell on his lips, with a cool minty scent that made him feel unexpectedly tight.

The extreme entanglement of cold and heat is like a crystal ice cube covered with cold mist, falling into hot water, causing clear ripples, which is indescribably wonderful.

The sound of ice cubes colliding is crisp and brings a refreshing coolness on the unbearable summer night.

During the day, ice cubes from the Dali Temple's general storehouse were poured into bowls. Yin Xing looked at the sour plum cold drink floating on the crushed ice in a trance, holding the sour plum between his teeth, a smile filling his crescent-shaped eyes.

After kissing Xuan Yizheng many times that night, Yin Xing noticed that her lips were a little swollen, so she ordered someone to prepare some cold sour plum drinks.

"In previous years, the ice at Dali Temple was rarely paired with fruit drinks."

"Yeah, maybe it's just extra care for old people like us."

The officials of the general treasury were chatting and speculating among themselves, while Yin Xing held the bowl and sipped the sweet and sour cold drink without saying a word.

In the afternoon, Yin Xing was on duty in the hall, his head full of Xuan Yizhen's cold yet doubtful chuckle, as if his questions at that time were like those of a greedy child in her eyes, but were also given with great doting love.

Yin Xing was so embarrassed that she lay on the desk, and suddenly understood why she shouldn't fall in love too early, as it really affects her studies.

Now Yin Xing didn't want to deal with any affairs at all. His mind was full of Xuan Yizhen's gentle look when he agreed to him.

After a while, Yin Xing raised his hands to cover his face, trying to recover a little, and hurriedly got up to fetch water to wash his face.

Unexpectedly, just as Yin Xing put on the handkerchief to wipe his face, Jiang Yun jumped in from the corridor window and said in a very good mood: "You are quite diligent in guarding every day."

Yin Xing held the handkerchief in his palm and looked at her warily, thinking that she was trying to trick him again, so he didn't respond.

Jiang Yun didn't care about it. He sat aside, holding his sword, and looked at the furnishings on Yin Xing's desk. Even the teacups and utensils were precious items. He fiddled with the purple orchid rope-knotted sword tassel with his fingertips and asked inquiringly, "How is your relationship with Princess Zhang Hua?"

Yin Xing paused in wiping his face, remembering those intimate gestures. He put the handkerchief into the basin to wash, disturbing the reflection of his rosy cheeks. He replied vaguely, "It's okay. If you have something to say, just tell me."

After he finished speaking, Yin Xing turned around as if facing a formidable enemy, stepped down and sat down at the desk, waiting for Jiang Yun's move.

"Don't be nervous. This constable is just reminding you kindly. After all, it's not worth it if you accidentally lose your life because of some special interests." Jiang Yun said in a teasing tone, but there was a hint of reminder in his words.

Although Yin Xing is a little inflexible, he is not a bad person and is always kind to others.

"I don't understand what you mean, but Princess Zhang Hua is definitely not as sinister and treacherous as the rumors say, so this matter has nothing to do with her." Yin Xing responded confidently.

Jiang Yun narrowed his eyes slightly and said meaningfully, "So, you know about that male corpse?"

Yin Xing quickly shook his head and said, "I don't know. Suspecting Princess Zhang Hua will only confuse people and make them let the real bad guys go."

After hearing this, Jiang Yun felt even more suspicious. He quickly stood up and walked to the desk, looking at Yin Xing's expression inquiringly.

"Then tell me what you know, like the matter of the male corpse?"

"On the night of Qixi Festival, I was at the princess' banquet on the top floor of the Magpie Tower, and I accidentally discovered that someone was lurking and waiting for an opportunity to murder Princess Zhang Hua. There was a group of bad people behind the male corpse."

Jiang Yun frowned and thought, "Are you saying that not only did Princess Xinyang go missing at that banquet, but there was also an attempted murder of Princess Zhanghua?"

Yin Xing nodded in response: "That's right, so the male corpse might have been murdered after the murder attempt failed."

"Could it be that Princess Zhanghua would let that criminal with evil intentions go so easily?"

"That's right, because Princess Zhanghua said that the Dali Temple was busy with the disappearance of Princess Xinyang, so she didn't want to cause trouble."

At this point, Yin Xing felt even more indignant for Xuan Yizhen. He looked at Jiang Yun with a righteous gaze and asked, "Do you think such a kind and thoughtful Princess Zhang Hua would kill so many missing women?"

Jiang Yun remained silent. He did not completely believe Yin Xing's words, but was certain that the male corpse was not the victim. He might be the perpetrator, or a member of the gang. Otherwise, he would never dare to provoke Princess Zhang Hua.

No wonder the face of the male corpse was peeled off at the end. I think he disguised himself as Yin Xing to please her and then approached Princess Zhanghua to try to murder her.

But Princess Zhanghua saw through his evil plan, so she stripped him of his face and let him destroy himself.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun suddenly felt much more enlightened.

"If what you said is true, then the problem with Quelou is probably not ordinary."

"Why?"

Seeing that Yin Xing had no idea that attacking the princess would bring about the grave consequences of exterminating all nine generations of her family, Jiang Yun sighed, "Think about it, since it was a sneak attack, the enemy must have hit the target with one strike. Otherwise, it would be difficult for them to escape the tight defense, let alone abduct the Princess Xinyang quietly. So, there must be something complicated going on inside the Magpie Tower."

Now Jiang Yun felt that things were becoming more and more strange. That night, there were two different targets at the same place in Quelou.

If it is a coincidence, there are many connections. For example, the disguise of the male corpse must have some connection with the gang behind many missing cases.

But if it was intentional, it would be even more bizarre. That group of forces actually targeted Princess Zhanghua and Princess Xinyang at the same time, which was tantamount to going crazy and seeking their own destruction.

It is difficult to tell whether it is one group or two groups.

"That's true, but after so long, hasn't the Dali Temple sealed off the Que Tower?"

"The background behind Quelou is not small, don't you know anything about it?"

Yin Xing shook his head and replied frankly, "I've only been in the country for a short time. Could it be that the owner of Quelou is such a powerful figure that even the Dali Temple cannot afford to offend?"

Jiang Yun was so shocked by Yin Xing's self-righteous response that it felt like a punch hitting cotton. He could only say, "It's said that the person behind Quelou is the mother of Princess Xinyang, who is also the current eldest princess. So the Dali Temple could only submit a written request for inquiry, but there has been no response so far, as if a stone has fallen on deaf ears."

Originally, Jiang Yun didn't doubt Quelou. After all, judging from the known situation, Princess Xinyang was the young master of Quelou, so there was no reason for something to happen in her own territory.

But now that Jiang Yun knew about the attack that Princess Zhang Hua had concealed, he suddenly had a bold guess.

All the actions in Quelou that night might have been designed for Princess Zhanghua, but perhaps because of Yin Xing's reminder, she did not fall into the trap.

But why did Princess Xinyang get abducted?

"How did you watch Princess Xinyang being kidnapped in public that night?"

"I drank two glasses of fruit wine that night and passed out. I had no idea what was going on at the banquet."

Jiang Yun was speechless, staring at the frank Yin Xing in disbelief. He swallowed his disgust and took a deep breath before speaking, "How did Princess Zhang Hua tell you about that thrilling night?"

Yin Xing shook his head and replied, "No, she seldom interacts with those princesses and dukes. You should also know that Princess Zhanghua has always lived in seclusion."

Seeing this, Jiang Yun really couldn't refute Yin Xing's words.

After all, Princess Zhanghua's sudden attendance at the Princess Viewing Banquet this year is still a hot topic in the capital, which shows how mysterious that noble lady is.

"I think I should ask Princess Xinyang about this matter. She should understand the situation better than anyone else."

"But the current situation of the Princess Xinyang is even worse than that of the Third Princess. The officials of the Dali Temple can't even deliver a visiting card to the Princess's residence."

Yin Xing was silent, thinking that it sounded exactly the same as the last boat accident.

The position of Dali Temple officials is so humble and pitiful.

"Didn't Princess Xinyang's mother, the Princess Chang, persuade her to cooperate with the investigation?"

"Who do you think the Princess of Xinyang's temper is inspired by?"

Jiang Yun felt annoyed when he thought of these uncooperative royal relatives and nobles.

But thinking of so many missing women, Jiang Yun had to swallow his anger. He looked at Yin Xing and said, "Since you can go to the banquet at Quelou, you must have plenty of money. How about asking me to go and take a look and investigate?"

Yin Xing was dumbfounded, thinking, after all this talk, was she just here to borrow money from me?!

"I withdrew five months' salary in advance just to pay for the expenses of going to Quelou. I really have no money." Yin Xing confessed the fact that he was a pauper with a sincere face.

"Isn't that money the debt owed by you and Yi Sanniang?" Jiang Yun questioned in disbelief.

Yin Xing was helpless, knowing that the other party would not believe him, so he had to tell her about his embarrassing experience climbing the secret passage in Que Tower that night.

The more Jiang Yun listened, the darker his expression grew. He said solemnly, "Wait, there's a secret passage in the Magpie Tower. Could Yi Sanniang have been killed because of that?"

No wonder Princess Xinyang was abducted in public. It turns out there was another mystery behind it.

But that group of people were actually able to penetrate the eldest princess's power, which is really terrifying when you think about it.

"Come to think of it, Yi Sanniang did mention that evening that she knew the mystery of Princess Xinyang's disappearance. She might have seen the truth in the Magpie Tower." Yin Xing remembered that Yi Sanniang looked a little panicked and alert at the time.

Unfortunately, Yin Xing only thought that Yi Sanniang was extorting money, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

"It seems that we can only visit Quelou at night, otherwise the clues will be very confusing." Jiang Yun stood up with his sword and quickly left the hall.

"But you didn't..." Before Yin Xing could finish his words, the figure in front of him disappeared, so he had to shut up.

Without money, it seems that I can’t move forward.

Yin Xing sat alone at the desk, thinking about the murder of Yi Sanniang, and the recent pile of missing persons files in various states, not to mention that Lian Xuan Yizheng was involved. He immediately stood up and looked through the files.

Although he didn't know if it would be useful, Yin Xing always felt that he had to do something to feel at ease.

In the evening, Yin Xing took some case files out of the Dali Temple. Many women on the streets were wearing veils. It was obvious that they were still in shock from the horrific case that shocked the capital. The atmosphere was obviously completely different from that during the Qixi Festival.

The sunset glow in the sky was as brilliant as fire, and the huge capital was dyed blood red. Pavilions and towers in the distance looked like layers of forests, but Quelou stood out.

The entire Que Tower is a knot of circular cylindrical towers, with carved beams and painted buildings, and is magnificent. The inner layer has different passages and is tightly guarded.

But there were secret passages in secret, and Yin Xing felt that the one he climbed that night might be just one of them.

Such a large building, with each floor equivalent to a street market, would have a daily income that is difficult to count.

Thinking about it this way, it’s no wonder that Quelou doesn’t allow the Dali Temple to send people to search, after all, it affects business.

However, the eldest princess's reaction to the inhuman harm suffered by her daughter was too cold and a bit abnormal.

Yin Xing was thinking about all sorts of things along the way. When he returned to the courtyard, the dark blue night sky was falling and the bright moon was visible in it.

After having his meal and taking a shower, Yin Xing wrote a letter to Xuan Yizheng as usual, and then he flipped through a stack of case files.

Fenzhou was the first provincial capital to report the case of missing women. From three years ago to now, there have been more than 200 cases in this province alone.

After a recent reorganization and merger by the Dali Temple, the total number of missing women reported by various states is actually nearly 4,000.

About 1,500 bodies have been found in various places.

Yin Xing frowned, knowing that the other two thousand people were probably in danger.

But there are more than 4,000 faces. If they are all a group practicing disguise, this group of people must have some ulterior motive.

At night, Yin Xing was flipping through case files until he fell asleep without knowing when. When he woke up in the morning, he was still a little groggy.

In the morning, Yin Xing stepped into the Dali Temple, and unexpectedly saw the Dali Temple Minister, who usually only appeared in the pavilion, actually lecturing the detectives in the hall.

"How could a living person disappear?" Jiang Zhengming said angrily.

"Please calm down, sir. Your daughter has always been alone, and we are all men, so it is really inconvenient for us." A constable responded cautiously.

Yin Xing paused when he heard this and curiously asked a clerk, "What's going on?"

The clerk listened in a low voice and said, "Master Jiang's daughter did not return home last night and is now missing, so we are anxious to find her."

"It turns out that Jiang Yun didn't go home last night, and her father was unhappy." Yin Xing said slowly, then she remembered that she said she was going to visit Quelou at night!

Yi Sanniang once mentioned that the Que Tower was heavily guarded and that if she was caught, her life would be in danger.

After considering this, Yin Xing stepped towards the Dali Temple Minister and saluted, saying, "Master Jiang, Constable Jiang may be going to Quelou for a night visit."

Jiang Zhengming tilted his head to look at the fair-faced and delicate Yin Xing, frowning and saying, "Are you serious?"

Yin Xing felt a little uneasy at the Dali Temple Minister's dignified look, and responded as calmly as possible, "Although I'm not entirely sure, Constable Jiang did say so yesterday, so let's go to the Magpie Tower."

After he finished speaking, Jiang Zhengming looked at Yin Xing scrutinizingly, and finally did not hesitate any longer.

Soon, the detectives hurriedly left the hall, the sound of horse hooves rang out, and dust flew up.

Yin Xing looked at Jiang Zhengming, who had a solemn expression, returning to the main hall alone, and without stopping, he returned to the general warehouse with the case files in his arms.

In the afternoon, Yin Xing didn't hear any news, and he felt very nervous and uneasy.

If I had known Jiang Yun was so impulsive, perhaps I shouldn't have told her.

Yin Xing was really worried that Jiang Yun would be brutally murdered like Yi Sanniang. After all, the mastermind behind the scenes didn't even spare Princess Xinyang, so there was nothing he wouldn't dare to offend.

Fortunately, he told Xuan Yizhen in advance that night, otherwise he would have been humiliated. Yin Xing simply couldn't imagine such a situation.

Yin Xing anxiously wrung out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his cheeks, his eyes fixed on the wilted green branches outside the window. In the past, Jiang Yun always took an unconventional approach.

"Hey, what are you looking at?"

"ah!"

This sudden appearance of the face really scared Yin Xing. He was a little confused. He looked at Jiang Yun's face and called out tentatively: "Are you okay?"

The art of disguise can make the fake look real, Yin Xing has seen it with his own eyes.

Jiang Yun sat down and said, "The doors on the inner level of the Magpie Tower are different. There's no way I could get in by myself, so I have to thank you very much."

Yin Xing turned around and looked back at the carefree Jiang Yun, wondering, "What did I do to help you?"

"My father has always been reluctant to investigate the Que Tower, but now that he is willing to order a thorough investigation, I have the opportunity to explore the Que Tower." As he spoke, Jiang Yun picked up the teapot and was about to pour himself tea.

"You actually used me to lie to your father?" Yin Xing suddenly felt that there was no trust between people at all.

Jiang Yun replied in a casual tone, "Do you think my father is so stupid? If it weren't for Princess Zhang Hua's guarantee behind you, he wouldn't be so easy to believe your one-sided words."

Yin Xing became even angrier upon hearing this. He raised his hand and took the teacup away, saying sternly, "It's ok for you to lie to me, but don't involve Princess Zhang Hua in this. Otherwise, I will never show you any case files again!"

After saying that, Yin Xing took the teapot away, not wanting to bother with Jiang Yun, the fierce and bandit-like constable.

Jiang Yun was stunned. He didn't expect that someone who usually had no temper would be so angry.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Jiang Yun calmed down, cleared his throat, and said proudly, "Okay, this time, I owe you a favor. If you need any help in the future, just ask."

Yin Xing ignored Jiang Yun's words and put down the teapot. It was rare for him to speak to her. He thought to himself that this person was very cunning. She clearly still doubted him and Xuan Yizheng in her heart. He must not give her any chance to take advantage of him.

Seeing this, Jiang Yun didn't hesitate to linger. As he left, he left a message: "By the way, I heard that Princess Zhanghua and the young master of the Xiahou family have been getting closer recently. Maybe they'll ask the emperor to grant them a marriage during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Don't get too carried away and only add to your sadness."

The footsteps were far away, but Yin Xing didn't take it seriously and didn't believe Jiang Yun's words at all.

But Yin Xing changed his mind and felt a little regretful. Since he had been fooled by Jiang Yun in vain, he might as well ask about the investigation results of Quelou.

Maybe we can get some clues about the bad guy who wants to harm Xuan Yizheng.

A few days passed like this, and it was almost time for the day off. The officials chatted about their vacation plans.

As the sun set in the west, Yin Xing took Xiaoguai out of the Dali Temple, thinking about going to the villa to find Xuan Yizheng tomorrow.

But when Yin Xing entered the water pavilion, Xuan Yizhen was sitting quietly in the water pavilion hall, with a dignified and gentle posture. However, the string of rosy and plump candied haws in her slender jade hands seemed a bit incongruous.

"Yizhen, don't you dislike sweets?"

"Well, so I brought it to you to try."

Xuan Yizheng held the candied haws and handed it to Yin Xing's mouth, his eyes wandering between her lips, quite patiently.

Yin Xingguai cooperated awkwardly and bit a candied haws. It tasted sweet in his mouth, and when he crushed the thin rock sugar between his teeth, he tasted the sourness of hawthorn. The flavors were mixed and rich.

In my impression, Xuan Yizheng never seemed like someone who cared about what ordinary people ate.

So Yin Xing asked curiously, "Why did Yizhen think of buying me candied haws today?"

Xuan Yizhen's beautiful eyes reflected Yin Xing's chubby cheeks. She remembered seeing a woman feeding candy to a child at the market. In a good mood, she replied, "On the way to the banquet today, I happened to see a lot of children clamoring for candied haws, so I thought you would like it too."

Yin Xing caught the small pit with her handkerchief and was about to ask Xuan Yizhen about the party, but she was already enjoying feeding him, so she had no choice but to cooperate and bite another one before saying, "I really like eating candied haws, but what party is Yizhen attending recently?"

"Usually, it's mostly banquets hosted by the three great families, but lately, we've been interacting more with the Xiahou family."

"Cough, cough cough!"

Xuan Yizhen raised his hand and patted Yin Xing's back, frowning and saying, "It seems that this candied haws is not safe."

After saying that, Xuan Yizheng threw the candied haws in his hand aside without any hesitation, and turned to pick up the tea for Yin Xing to drink.

Yin Xing drank tea to soothe his sore throat, thinking that this was not about candied haws at all.

Could it be that what Jiang Yun said was not a lie? Xuan Yizheng has been in close contact with the Xiahou family recently. Are they really going to get engaged during the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Thinking of this, Yin Xing felt more sour than hawthorn. He turned his head away and stopped drinking tea, staring at Xuan Yizheng with eager eyes, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"Are you still feeling uncomfortable?" Xuan Yizheng asked with his thin lips tightly pursed.

"No, much better." Yin Xing responded calmly.

Xuan Yizhen touched Yin Xing's cheek lightly with his palm, seemingly trying to comfort her, but he seemed even more nervous than the one he was trying to comfort. He said lightly, "That's good."

Yin Xing leaned his cheek against Xuan Yizhen's cool palm and asked hesitantly, "I heard that the son of the Xiahou family will ask the emperor for a marriage during the Mid-Autumn Festival. This must be a new rumor, right?"

God knows, when Yin Xing said this, he felt like his heart was hanging on the edge of a cliff.

"Maybe this is not a rumor." Xuan Yizheng responded indifferently, holding the embroidered handkerchief with his fingertips to wipe Yin Xing's lips soaked with tea.

"What?" Yin Xing opened his eyes wide and looked at Xuan Yizhen, who seemed ordinary, completely unable to understand what she was thinking.

Seeing Yin Xing's dull reaction, Xuan Yizhen had no choice but to explain to her, "If the Emperor agrees to Prince Xiahou's request for marriage, he will issue an edict to announce it to the world. This will no longer be a rumor. Isn't it hard to understand?"

After finishing his words, Yin Xing stepped away from Xuan Yizhen's caressing movements. He was very confused by her calmness and asked in a dull voice, "Why did Yizhen decide to get engaged to Master Xiahou?"

"A marriage is naturally a matter of mutual benefit. Do you care about it?"

"Of course I care. Getting engaged and married means becoming the closest people to each other."

Xuan Yizhen looked at Yin Xing's expression in confusion. He took her hand in his, playing with her fingers inch by inch, and replied calmly, "Is that so? But most engagements for Dynasty princesses end in divorce after a year or two. It's just a game."

Yin Xing listened to Xuan Yizhen's gentle tone and chilling words. She felt that she was not only talking about the engagement, but also that getting close to him seemed like she was seeking fun. Her breathing became rapid. She broke free from Xuan Yizhen's playful hands and said restrainedly, "I don't like playing games. If Yizhen decides to get engaged to someone else, then don't do these intimate things."

After he finished speaking, Yin Xing was unable to break away from Xuan Yizheng's hand. Instead, he was pulled tighter, causing a slight pain.

"Okay, I don't understand what nonsense you are talking about. How does an engagement conflict with being close to you?"

"Because Yizhen will get close to others after getting married, this is clearly a sign of breaking one's promise."

Xuan Yizhen's expression was gentle, her beautiful eyes smiling. Her slender arms wrapped around Yin Xing like vines. Then she leaned closer, pressed her thin lips against her tightly pursed lips, and said solemnly as if making a promise: "I promise to be close to you alone, and naturally I won't be close to anyone else. This has nothing to do with whether or not we get married. What are you throwing a tantrum about?"

Yin Xing retreated in a daze, but was then held by the back of her neck. Only then did he realize her toughness. He looked at the unusually calm Xuan Yizhen and felt it was very strange. He turned his head away from the kiss and said sullenly, "But I just don't like Yizhen marrying someone else."

But the kiss that fell on the corner of the lips did not leave, but continued to move forward slowly and patiently, very patiently.

Soon, Yin Xing realized that he was no match for Xuan Yizheng. His lips felt numb as if they were swallowed by her and no longer belonged to him.

Although Xuan Yizheng no longer bit her so directly that it hurt like the first time they were close, she had obviously figured out another way to hide.

After a while, Xuan Yizhen's clear voice seemed to be tinged with the sweetness of rock sugar, and she called softly, "Xing'er, I am a princess of the dynasty. It is impossible not to choose a prince consort. This is just a temporary measure."

Yin Xing's breath was unsteady as he tried to calm his nerves, but he still couldn't suppress his bitter murmurs. He murmured softly, "I can also cooperate with Yizhen's expedient plan."

The premise is that Xuan Yizheng doesn't mind his status and gender, but Yin Xing himself feels that the chances are slim.

But Xuan Yizhen didn't respond. Instead, he curled his lips and smiled softly before casually replying, "No, being my consort would be very dangerous. The deaths of the two previous would-be consorts were not rumors."

"What if I'm not afraid of death, will Yizhen still reject me?" Yin Xing looked at Xuan Yizhen firmly with her bright round eyes, waiting for her final execution.

"Then you might die before you can become a prince consort. Isn't that stupid?" Xuan Yizheng placed his fingertips next to Yin Xing's eyes. Her beautiful eyes reflected her rare expression change, and she didn't quite understand the meaning.

Yin Xing looked at Xuan Yizhen's increasingly calm and cold eyes, and his heart sank to the bottom of the valley. He replied dejectedly: "If Yizhen agrees, then even if I die of stupidity, it will be worth it."

But Xuan Yizheng seemed unmoved. She seemed to just regard the closeness of the past few days as fun between good friends.

In a moment, Yin Xing felt Xuan Yizhen's movement to withdraw, and his heart tightened. He sighed that his first secret love ended before he could even confess his love. It was too hurtful!

Xuan Yizhen slowly distanced himself from Yin Xing's unfamiliar face, trying to remember her current appearance. He asked in confusion, "You're acting strangely tonight. Who would do something knowing they'll die? You should get some rest."

Maybe I don’t know enough, so I don’t understand.

After he finished speaking, Xuan Yizheng stood up and was about to leave, but his sleeve was pulled. He lowered his eyes and saw Yin Xingming's eyes full of water.

This was an expression that only appeared when one was sad and in pain, and Xuan Yizheng recognized it.

"Why are you crying?"

"I didn't cry."

Yin Xing avoided Xuan Yizheng's gaze, but his fingertips were reluctant to let go of her sleeves, because he was worried that he would never see her again if he left.

Last time, Yin Xing didn’t know that Xuan Yi was really angry, and she hadn’t seen him for such a long time.

Now that I'm entangled in this and things are so unpleasant, I'm afraid I'll have to move out of the yard tomorrow.

Xuan Yizhen's fingertips traced the moisture in Yin Xing's eyes, and he pursed his lips tightly, saying solemnly, "Even if you die, you must become my consort?"

Yin Xing looked at the coldness in Xuan Yizhen's clear eyes, and timidly let go of his hand. He shook his head and said, "Since Yizhen doesn't want me to be his consort, then forget it. Good night."

Being greedy will only add to the trouble. Yin Xing cannot bring trouble to Xuan Yizheng.

Seeing this, Xuan Yizhen suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. He touched Yin Xing's face with his fingertips. Seeing that she didn't resist, he softly replied, "Good night. Have a good rest and don't let your imagination run wild."

After he finished speaking, Yin Xing nodded, watched Xuan Yizheng leave the pavilion without looking back, raised his hand and wiped away his tears.

Yin Xing fell asleep in a daze that night, and before dawn, he packed his bags alone.

The maid who served the meal in the morning looked at the package with suspicion and said hesitantly, "Young Master Yin, are you going on a long journey?"

Yin Xing's eyes were dark as he forced a smile and replied, "No, the Dali Temple has been very busy lately, so they might be on duty at night. If you don't return after the hour of Xu, we'll close it."

"Yes." The maid nodded doubtfully.

So Yin Xing made the Dali Temple his new residence. Within a few days, all the officials knew about it, and most of them thought that he had lost the favor of Princess Zhanghua.

Yin Xing didn't say much about this. He stayed diligently in the general warehouse every day, trying his best not to think about the sad fact that Xuan Yizheng was going to get engaged to someone else.

In the afternoon, Yin Xing was on duty alone as usual, with a handkerchief covering his cheek to cool down.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard in the hall. Yin Xing didn't even blink, and said lazily, "There's no water boiled today. Go get some tea somewhere else."

Jiang Yun always treats this place as her territory, and even after not seeing her for several days, she still hasn't changed her bad habits.

After he finished speaking, Yin Xing did not hear Jiang Yun's arrogant voice, nor did he hear the sound of the scabbard knocking. He thought that Jiang Yun had left tactfully, and felt relieved.

After all, Yin Xing really didn't want Jiang Yun to trick him into saying something else that would influence Xuan Yizheng.

The shadow cast on my life by the two Wu Sichengs has not yet faded.

Just when Yin Xing's mind was distracted, he smelled a faint cold fragrance at the tip of his nose. The smell was very similar to the medicinal fragrance on Xuan Yizheng's body.

Yin Xing sniffed lightly, raised her hand to take off the handkerchief, and saw a cool and tall figure sitting by the window. A few strands of long hair swayed slightly in the warm wind. Time flowed around her, as if she was a banished immortal who was one with the light and the mortal world, but her expression was a little blurry.

This scene made Yin Xing suspect that he was seeing things. He did not blink for a moment, for fear that the illusion would disappear in the next glance.

"You, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, seem to be very busy. Now you don't go back to your residence and don't even write a letter. You seem to be becoming more capable." Xuan Yizheng's voice still sounded soft and pleasant, as if she really appeared in Dali Temple and talked to him.

“…” Yin Xing stood up without answering, stepped over from the desk, raised his hand and gently touched her face, then suddenly fell silent.

It feels warm, and this doesn't seem to be an illusion.

Xuan Yizhen ignored Yin Xing's rude behavior, raised his hand and took out a document from his sleeve, handed it to him and said, "This is the marriage proposal document. If you have made up your mind, just copy it and submit it."

Yin Xing blinked his round eyes and looked at the document, then looked at the gentle and beautiful Xuan Yizhen in front of him. He reacted slowly and stood there with a red face!

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