Chapter 31031 Give me your hand, come up
Yun Sheng choked, and saw Xie Zhan pat his legs twice, the meaning was self-evident.
She bit her lip, and just as she got close, Xie Zhan held her waist tightly and made her sit firmly on his lap.
Xie Zhan's narrow and long phoenix eyes were half-closed. They didn't know how many times they had been to London at night. The person in his arms was always as timid as a newborn deer when he touched her.
He didn't know what she was afraid of?
Fortunately, Xie Zhan did not care much. After all, Yun Sheng was now willing to get on his bed and let him kiss and hold her obediently every night. He would make Yun Sheng unable to leave him.
"Aren't you sending me grapes? Why are you still standing there?"
Yun Sheng had just washed her hands when she came. She understood what she meant and picked up a big, round fruit. She began to peel it nimbly with two fingers and handed the crystal clear flesh to Xie Zhan's mouth.
Xie Zhan pressed Yun Sheng's pale pink lips and said in a low voice, "Feed her with this."
Yun Sheng blushed, a blush spreading from her earlobes to her neck.
She lowered her eyes, gently bit the fruit flesh, and moved closer to Xie Zhan. Her tassel earrings swayed and lightly brushed Xie Zhan's face.
The next moment, Yun Sheng's chin was lifted up, and a large shadow above her head covered her. Xie Zhan leaned over and kissed her lips.
The grape was taken away by Xie Zhan, and his breath came over. Yun Sheng lay on his back with his eyes closed, his fingers tightly grasping Xie Zhan's shoulders.
She was almost out of breath and swallowed her saliva unconsciously. The sweet and sour taste of the grapes spread between their lips and teeth. As they sucked and stirred, no one knew whose stomach it ended up in.
Xie Zhan was breathing heavily as he withdrew heavily from Yun Sheng's small mouth, leaving a silver line when their lips parted.
He leaned against Yun Sheng's smooth and full forehead, raised his slender fingers, and casually wiped away the silver hair.
Yun Sheng curled up in Xie Zhan's arms, his body stiff, not daring to move.
She breathed rapidly and panted, tilted her head, and whispered a reminder: "My Lord, this is still in the study."
Xie Zhan's voice was deep and magnetic. He chuckled, "What's going on in the study? What have you been doing these days?"
"I'm reading and practicing calligraphy." Yun Sheng's breathing gradually steadied. Her eyes lit up, and she said, "I've finished studying the two books the Marquis sent me. When can we put the matter of hiring a female tutor on the agenda?"
Xie Zhan's eyebrows slightly raised, and he curled his lips and said, "If this marquis randomly checks you, you will be blameless. Later, the matter of hiring a female teacher will be handed over to Bai Yuanbao."
She likes reading, so he naturally likes it.
Yun Sheng's eyebrows curved, and he said with some confidence: "My Lord, just go ahead and smoke."
Xie Zhan picked two quarters of an hour to check Yun Sheng. Yun Sheng had read the two articles by heart, so he was not afraid and handled it with ease.
She looked at Xie Zhan and said, "My Lord, you must keep your word. Don't forget what you promised me."
Xie Zhan laughed: "It's just a small matter, how can I break my promise to you?"
He looked at Yun Sheng's face carefully and was absent-minded for a moment. When she talked about reading and writing, there was light in her eyes, and the smile she gave him was more to his liking.
Yun Sheng felt uncomfortable being branded by Xie Zhan. Her face turned red. She wanted to move back a few times, but he pulled her back again and pressed her tightly against his chest.
Puzzled, she whispered, "It's getting late. My Lord, would you like to go back to the backyard with me?"
"No hurry." Xie Zhan's eyes were deep, and he said in a hoarse voice: "This Marquis still wants to eat grapes."
Yun Sheng was startled. She hurriedly said, "Then... then I'll peel another one for the Marquis."
Xie Zhan said nothing. He suddenly knocked the books and papers on the desk to the ground. Yun Sheng was caught off guard and was carried to the desk by him. The panic of weightlessness made her hug Xie Zhan's neck tightly.
Yun Sheng's legs were pressed against the cold table, and she shrank back trembling from the cold.
Xie Zhan supported himself on Yun Sheng's side with one hand and picked up a grape with the other. Yun Sheng's clear eyes suddenly froze. She held down the hem of her skirt and cried in her voice, "My Lord, no, it won't work."
"Why not? Let go." Xie Zhan's eyes were threatening.
His Adam's apple rolled, and he said again, "Let go, and don't make me say it a second time."
Yun Sheng bit her lips, and a low whimpering moan escaped from the corner of her lips.
The water is moist and cool, and the ice is about to melt by the fire.
Xie Zhan held Yun Sheng tightly in his arms. The person in his arms was like a trapped little animal, his body twitching constantly.
Yun Sheng slumped on the table, his white peony half-opened under his clothes revealing dense red marks, and the corner of the table made an endless creaking sound.
She turned her head and looked with her wet almond-shaped eyes at the plaque hanging on the wall, on which were written in large characters: "Be indifferent to fame and wealth, be clear about your ambitions, be calm and far-sighted."
Yun Sheng felt ashamed, feeling that he had desecrated these rows of sage books.
The veins on Xie Zhan's forehead bulged, and beads of sweat the size of beans dripped onto Yun Sheng's neck. As they slowly spread, they burned her heart so much that it made her tremble.
"Is this Marquis making you unhappy? How dare you be distracted at a time like this?"
He let out a deep breath and turned Yun Sheng's face over with his big hands.
Yun Sheng's hair was disheveled, and the already shaky hairpin was hit by him and fell to the ground with a "snap", and a crisp sound rang in his ears.
Her long black hair spread out across the entire table, her mouth slightly open as she gasped for air, her thin throat unable to control her screams. Yun Sheng looked at Xie Zhan with tears in her eyes, which had almost lost most of her mind. Her beauty was breathtaking.
Xie Zhan gripped her waist even tighter, wishing he could rub the person under him into his bones and blood.
…
The ground was covered with red maple leaves. Emperor Yonghui, with his imperial cinnabar calligraphy, scheduled this year's autumn review of the Northern Court's Imperial Guards and the Southern Court's Guards to be held in the Forbidden Garden at the foot of Mount Li.
A few days ago, officials from the Honglu Temple arranged for the chieftains of the various tribes who had traveled for months to Chang'an to stay in guesthouses. They invited the foreign guests to come, firstly to observe the autumn review, and secondly to participate in the autumn hunt.
Since the passing of the previous emperor, the surrounding vassal states, both large and small, have been feeling uneasy and trying to stop paying tribute to the Celestial Empire. Emperor Yonghui's move was intended to intimidate the envoys of these countries.
The Autumn Review was a solemn and important event for the imperial court. Xie Zhan, as the Grand Marshal and the commander-in-chief of the Southern Court Guards, rode out of the city at dawn to properly arrange and explain all matters.
The empress, concubines, and other ministers and their wives arrived at Huaqing Palace a few days in advance.
Yun Sheng followed Old Lady Xie and the Second and Third Ladies out of the palace. Xie Yulan and Xie Qingyuan's marriage had been hastily arranged, and the noble ladies of Chang'an had all heard about it. She had tried to commit suicide but to no avail, and she couldn't bring herself to actually tear her hair out and become a nun in the mountains. Recently, she seemed to have resigned herself to her fate and stopped her hunger strike and rioting.
She felt ashamed that she would not even go out for such a grand event.
Yun Sheng sat in the carriage with Zhao Yaoyao and Xie Tinglan. She and Zhao Yaoyao had just arrived in Chang'an this year and had never seen such a grand occasion, so Xie Tinglan told them in detail.
Qiu Yue had nothing to do with these female relatives, so Xie Tinglan only talked about the etiquette when meeting a noble person.
Zhao Yaoyao's eyes widened as she approached Xie Tinglan curiously. "A-Ting, wasn't the Crown Prince's biological mother always the Empress Dowager? How...how come she only got the title of Imperial Consort Zhao? And the Empress Dowager is so young?"
"Shh, keep your voice down. There are officials' families all around here. Do you want to live?" Xie Tinglan lifted the curtain of the car and looked around.
Zhao Yaoyao stuck out her tongue and thought to herself that Chang'an was a place where people were eaten, and if you were not careful you would lose your head.
Yun Sheng appeared calm, but her ears had been pricked up since the beginning. She knew a few things about the palace, but she only remembered that Princess Anle, who was in love with Xie Zhan, was the daughter of Consort Shu.
Xie Tinglan glanced at the two people's identical bright eyes, and her eyebrows couldn't help but raise a little.
She poked Yun Sheng's arm and suddenly laughed, "Big brother knows these things best, why don't you ask him?"
Yun Sheng blushed when she called her sister-in-law. She tried to correct Xie Tinglan several times, but when it didn't work, she let her go in private.
Zhao Yaoyao's curiosity suddenly turned to Yun Sheng. "Yes, Sister Sheng, you are really amazing. You dare to talk to the Marquis every day. You don't know that when I see the Marquis, I get so scared that I can't say a word."
Yun Sheng was already shy, and his earlobes started to feel hot when the two of them teased him.
How could she be so powerful? She was actually more afraid of Xie Zhan, but she was just forcing herself to be so.
"The Marquis is busy with all kinds of affairs every day and is responsible for important tasks. How can I bother him with such trivial matters? The palace has strict rules. Sister, please talk to Yaoyao and me." Yun Sheng brushed the matter aside in a few words.
Xie Tinglan sighed and spoke slowly, lowering her voice. "I don't know the details, but I do know that when Your Majesty was still Prince Yongning, the most favored person in the palace was Consort Shu. Consort Zhao...she was the Princess Consort at the time. Although she wasn't entirely favored by Your Majesty, she held Your Majesty in high esteem because she gave birth to the current Crown Prince."
"Later, Your Majesty, summoned by the late Emperor, hastily ascended the throne. For some unknown reason, he appointed Minister Du's daughter as Empress, while the Crown Prince's biological mother was reduced to the title of Imperial Consort."
Zhao Yaoyao swallowed her saliva and said casually, "Men are all lustful. Your Majesty must be disgusted by his old and faded wife and has instead appointed the young and beautiful Du family girl as empress."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Tinglan covered her mouth from behind. She glared at him and said angrily, "Look at your temper. You even dare to make up stories about His Majesty. Just say it in front of us. When we go to the other courtyard to see the noble later, you must not speak without restraint."
Yun Sheng was stunned. Yes, all men are lustful.
She patted Zhao Yaoyao's hand, but couldn't help but feel a little worried for her. She had a childlike pure mind, saying whatever she thought, and couldn't hide her feelings on her face. What would happen to her when she got married?
Zhao Yaoyao shrank her neck and mumbled, "Do the nobles in the palace really eat people?"
Xie Tinglan was not in a good mood and just said, "Just follow me and my sister-in-law and keep quiet."
Zhao Yaoyao's mind is still too simple. The nobles in the palace are all like smart people. Even if they have subtle thoughts, they will smile gently on their faces and will not let you see any clues.
However, Xie Tinglan suspected that Zhao Yaoyao was so stupid that she probably couldn't hear anything.
The carriage traveled for most of the day, and it was not until after noon that it arrived at the imperial palace.
The palace maids came forward and led Old Lady Xie and her group to the palace for accommodation.
Thanks to Xie Zhan, Yun Sheng lived in a superior house.
Queen Du said that everyone had traveled hard by boat and that today's greetings could be excused, and the officials and their families could go to pay their respects tomorrow.
The palace maids in the small kitchen delivered meals to each room one by one.
Yun Sheng didn't have much of an appetite, so he ate a little quickly and then lay down to rest for a while.
When Fang Fang woke up, Ah Xi told her that Princess Anle invited everyone to play polo, and Xie Tinglan and Zhao Yaoyao were already waiting for her outside the palace.
Yun Sheng didn't dare to delay any longer, so she changed her clothes and met up with the two of them.
Polo was a popular sport among the nobility, loved by both men and women. Sisters Xie Tinglan and Xie Yulan learned to ride horses at a young age.
Yun Sheng and Zhao Yaoyao didn't know how to ride horses, so they decided to just watch from the side. Zhao Yaoyao looked at the horses, her eyes brightening up. She tugged at Xie Tinglan's sleeve and said, "Sister, I want to learn how to ride a horse too. Please teach me later."
Xie Tinglan curled her lips and said, "Don't worry about it. I can't teach anyone my horsemanship skills. If you really want to learn, why not ask your grandmother to ask the groom in the mansion to teach you."
Zhao Yaoyao immediately laughed again: "That's right. Sister Sheng, do you want to learn with me?"
Yun Sheng's eyes dimmed a little, and he chuckled, "Sister, just learn by yourself first."
Ever since she became Xie Zhan's concubine, Old Lady Xie had secretly sent an old woman to do the job. She acted very arrogantly, spoke coldly to her, and told her a lot of rules.
Apart from the most important thing of serving and pleasing Xie Zhan, the second rule is not to show up in public or act ostentatiously.
She probably won't be able to learn how to ride a horse.
Zhao Yaoyao was a little disappointed, and then her eyes were drawn away by a figure on horseback not far away.
The girl had her hair neatly tied up and was wearing a dashing red riding suit. From a distance, one could tell she looked heroic and free and easy.
Xie Tinglan was afraid that the two of them didn't know who the noble was, so she lowered her voice and said, "This is Princess Anle, the daughter of Consort Shu. She is quite favored by His Majesty. She has a bad temper, so you should avoid getting involved with her."
Yun Sheng naturally still remembered this beautiful princess, and also remembered that she had been domineering and overbearing in asking Xie Zhan to marry her.
The attendant carefully led the horse for Princess Anle. She sat on the horse and looked down at everyone.
The ladies hurriedly bowed and greeted.
Princess Anle tightened the reins of her horse, and her eyes swept across them one by one, finally landing on Yun Sheng who was standing behind the crowd of heads. She lowered her brows and looked obedient, and seemed to be an obedient and honest person.
She has a foxy face, but today she is wearing a sky-blue skirt and her hair is tied up in a bun, which makes her neck look even more slender and makes her look very gentle.
Princess Anle sneered in her heart. She had seen many women like her in the palace. They looked pitiful in front of men, but had a completely different expression behind their backs.
Somehow, Princess Anle felt a little upset when she thought that Xie Zhan was also a vulgar man, no different from any other man who was bewitched by beauty.
Xie Zhan rejected her as a princess, but turned around and took his nephew's ex-fiancée as his concubine. Could it be that she, a princess of noble birth, was not as good as a village girl from the countryside?
She gripped the horse's belly hard, then stepped on the saddle and dismounted, asking everyone to please excuse themselves.
"What's your name? Come forward."
Princess Anle raised her jade finger and pointed twice in the direction of Yun Sheng.
Yun Sheng was stunned for a moment. The other party must be looking for trouble with her because of Xie Zhan.
"This princess asks you a question and asks you to come forward."
Xie Tinglan and Zhao Yaoyao were both worried about Yun Sheng, and they had no idea what kind of trouble this princess had found.
"To answer your question, Princess, my surname is Yun, and my given name is Sheng." Yun Sheng took two steps forward and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Yun Sheng?" Princess Anle repeated it twice to herself. It was a good name.
She raised her chin and said arrogantly, "This princess just happened to be in the mood. Can you play a game of polo with me?"
Yun Sheng pursed his lips and said, "I don't know how to ride a horse, and I don't dare to disturb the princess's leisure."
"You can't ride a horse? Then you definitely can't play polo either?" Princess Anle blurted out, and her eyes suddenly changed when she looked at Yun Sheng.
Yun Sheng clenched his palms and said yes.
Princess Anle hummed twice, then looked at the other noble ladies and said, "Let the maids take you to change your clothes. The weather is perfect, let's have a good fight."
After she finished speaking, she turned around and led the horse into the playing field.
Xie Tinglan looked over with some concern. Yun Sheng shook his head at her and said with a soothing smile, "Yaoyao and I will sit here for a while and have some snacks when we're free. Go and play quickly, sister."
After everyone left, Zhao Yaoyao patted her chest and sat down on the bench. "Sister Sheng, that princess thing just now was so scary. I couldn't even breathe. Is this the emperor's daughter? She's so imposing."
Yun Sheng straightened her temples that were blown by the wind, looked at Princess Anle who was riding on horseback in the distance with high spirits, and was absent-minded for a moment.
Seeing Yun Sheng's hesitation, Zhao Yaoyao assumed she was upset about what had just happened, so she quickly comforted her, "Don't take what the princess said to heart, Sister Sheng. It doesn't matter if you can't ride a horse. Sister Sheng is a very good housewife. Besides, riding a horse is something everyone learns slowly."
"I don't take it seriously, don't worry, sister." Yun Sheng smiled.
She just wanted to live her own life and had no intention of competing with the princess or anyone else.
On the horse racing field, after the warm-up, the two teams led by Princess Anle and another noble lady from the royal family officially started the game.
It's a polo match, but who dares to jump over the princess?
Princess Anle saw the clue and suddenly felt that the game was very unpleasant.
Her face turned cold, she took the ball handed to her by the servant, and swung the ball stick in her hand fiercely. The paint-red ball actually flew over the court, bounced high, and then slowly fell outside the court, right at the feet of Yun Sheng and Zhao Yaoyao.
The two people who just reacted were scared.
Princess Anle panted slightly and said, "If you want to play polo, just play it openly. What does Madam Wang mean by this?"
Everyone on the field was afraid of being startled by this sudden change, and they quickly dismounted to apologize: "Princess, you are right. It was a fair game, and I have disturbed your pleasure. If you don't mind, how about another round of fun?"
Princess Anle's anger had mostly subsided. When the servant was about to go outside to find the ball, she nodded at the ball stick and said, "Stop."
The servant was puzzled, then he saw the princess pointing in the direction of Marquis Xie's concubine and casually said, "Tell her to pick it up."
Zhao Yaoyao was in disbelief. Xie Tinglan frowned and said, "I don't know how my sister-in-law has offended the princess. I apologize to you on her behalf."
Princess Anle scoffed, "She hasn't offended me, but I just want her to pick up a ball, isn't that okay?"
Xie Tinglan's eyebrows jumped violently. Of course not.
Yun Sheng was Big Brother's concubine, and her every word and action was a reflection of Big Brother's reputation, as well as the reputation of the Marquisate. If word got out that she was like a servant picking up balls for Princess Anle, where would Big Brother and the Marquisate's reputation be?
Xie Tinglan opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Princess Anle reminded her, "Second Madam Xie, I'm talking to Madam Yun, are you going to keep interrupting?"
With just one word, she told Xie Tinglan to shut up and then looked at Yun Sheng.
Yun Sheng slowly raised her eyes and spoke calmly, "I am the Marquis's concubine and a member of the Dingbei Marquisate. The Marquis has fought on the battlefield for many years, and the Marquisate is loyal to the royal family. Is the princess's action intended to chill the hearts of loyal officials and generals?"
Xie Tinglan breathed a sigh of relief.
Princess Anle's face turned pale, her hands shaking with anger as she scolded, "Who gave you the guts? I just asked you to pick up a ball, and you dragged the Marquis and his mansion into this. How dare you put such a big accusation on me?"
She knew that Yun Sheng was not an honest and decent person. He was very eloquent, otherwise how could he have seduced Xie Zhan, who had never been interested in women.
"I gave her the courage, Princess, do you have any objections?"
The sound of horse hooves came from afar, and Xie Zhan's low voice suddenly rang out on the court.
The two front hooves of the maroon horse were raised high, raising a cloud of dust. Xie Zhan tightened the reins and slowly stopped outside the field.
The ladies inside looked in the direction of the sound.
Princess Anle couldn't hide the joy in her eyes, but it was immediately replaced by anger. She asked, "Xie Zhan, what do you mean by this?"
Xie Zhan sneered: "Princess, how can you bully my people for no reason?"
He frowned and ordered the servant to hand over the ball and the stick.
The servant looked at Princess Anle's expression, then glanced at Xie Zhan's fierce profile, and immediately his legs went weak and he did as he was told.
Everyone was confused and still in a daze when they saw the ball that Xie Zhan swung go across the field and straight into Princess Anle's goal, hitting the net.
The latter's face turned ashen and he gnashed his teeth in anger.
Xie Zhan actually slapped her in the face for a concubine.
"Give me your hand and come up."
Xie Zhan looked down at Yun Sheng with an unclear expression.
Yun Sheng looked up and only saw half of his angular jaw. She breathed a sigh of relief and raised her hand to gently cover Xie Zhan's palm.
Xie Zhan increased the strength in his hands and held her tightly, then freed his other hand. He gently clamped Yun Sheng's armpit and lifted her up without much effort.
Yun Sheng resisted the urge to scream out in surprise. Before she knew it, Xie Zhan had brought her to the horse. He put his arms around her and pulled the reins.
The sound of wind whistled past his ears, and Yun Sheng's heart beat like a drum.
Princess Anle looked at the backs of Xie Zhan and Yun Sheng as they rode away on horseback, and the handkerchief in her arms was almost torn to pieces by her.
The ladies looked at each other with complicated expressions.
The steed wagged its tail, gaiting leisurely. Yun Sheng glanced back and couldn't help but ask, "My Lord, you're busy with the military review, so how did you find time to come to the palace?"
Xie Zhan said calmly, "After the military review is over, His Majesty's guard of honor will be moved to the temporary palace. I will take the time to make arrangements."
The palace is occupied by the empress, concubines, and wives of ministers, so there can be no room for any mistakes in defense.
This kind of defense was originally the responsibility of the imperial guards, but Emperor Yonghui asked him to do it. Xie Zhan sneered in his heart, not knowing who he was guarding against?
Yun Sheng looked at Xie Zhan's expression, pursed her lips, and swallowed back the words she wanted to say. It would be better to find another opportunity.
Xie Zhan stared at her and asked in a deep voice, "Do you have anything to say to me?"
Yun Sheng nodded and mustered up the courage to say, "I, I want to learn horseback riding. Will the Marquis agree?"
She was learning in private and had no time to ride out in a big way, so it didn't matter to Old Lady Xie, but she needed to tell Xie Zhan.
Xie Zhan's face was calm and he remained silent for a long time, so Yun Sheng began to back off.
"I just said it casually, my lord, you don't have to take it seriously."
"Want to learn polo?"
Yun Sheng lowered her eyes. She was not so keen on playing polo, but she liked the exhilaration of riding a horse, as if even the wind was free.
It's always good to learn more.
Hearing Xie Zhan ask this, she responded solemnly.
Xie Zhan's lips brushed Yun Sheng's ear, and he chuckled softly, "Alright. How could this matter be so insignificant that you're left speechless?"
Yun Sheng looked at him, stunned for a moment.
Before leaving, Xie Zhan instructed: "I have something else to do, so go back to your room and rest. Close the doors and windows at night, and ask Ah Xi to keep watch."
"I know everything. Lord, go ahead and do your work without any worries."
Yun Sheng saw Xie Zhan off and walked into the hall alone.
She took two steps, looked back nervously, her eyelids twitching constantly, and she always felt that someone was following her.
Yun Sheng couldn't help but quicken his pace.
She turned the corner and the two dark shadows suddenly disappeared.
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The author has something to say: I’m about to burst into tears, my friends, cherish this little bit of sweetness, woooooooooo [covering my face with laughter and tears]
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