"My lord, the Empress's men have arrived." A guard hurriedly returned to the courtyard carrying two bundles of firewood.
The smile on Xiao Chen's face vanished, replaced by cold indifference, with a hint of struggle hidden in his eyes.
Just as the guards put down the firewood, the sound of clothes rustling through the branches and leaves came from the woods.
In the blink of an eye, a masked man in black appeared at the entrance of the courtyard.
The masked man bowed to Xiao Chen, his gaze sweeping briefly over the woman on the swing.
"Your Highness, the Empress has sent word that once Qiu Pinglong is captured, return as soon as possible and do not linger in the Eastern Mausoleum territory."
Xiao Chen's eyes were as dark as a desolate night, cold and lonely. "Is that all?"
The masked man nodded. "That's all."
Ha, what a joke! In her eyes, there's only profit. He's been nothing more than a tool for her to seize power and gain benefits.
He nearly lost his life here, yet she didn't ask a single question. Since that was the case, he decided to show no mercy.
After the masked man left, Xiao Chen sat alone at the table with the missing corner, emanating a chilling aura.
The colder his face was, the colder his heart was.
Despite it being summer, the wind blowing through the courtyard was mercilessly cold.
"This handsome and noble young master, may I borrow your noble hands to peel my skin?"
The woman's sweet voice rang in my ears, and my cold heart felt as if something had gently touched it.
Xiao Chen silently accepted the peach and the knife, while the woman beside him cupped her face in her hands, looking at him with tender eyes.
"Alright." He didn't look into her eyes, but calmly handed her the peach.
She didn't take it, but said with a smile, "This peach looks very sweet, you should try it."
Xiao Chen wasn't particularly interested, but he patiently cut off a piece and tasted it.
"Is it sweet?" Nan Qianyue asked expectantly, her eyes shining brightly.
Xiao Chen casually raised his eyes and accidentally met her eyes, which were filled with stars. His dark pupils suddenly trembled, and he quickly looked away.
"generally."
Nan Qianyue smiled, took the peach from his hand, took a bite, chewed a few times, and commented, "It's clearly very sweet. It seems your heart is too bitter to taste the sweetness."
Xiao Chen lowered his eyes, speechless, could he still taste sweetness in his heart?
Suddenly, his hand, which was resting on the table, was gripped tightly.
He looked up blankly and met her warm, sun-like smile once again.
She said, "If the sweetness of the peach can't infect you, then I'll share half of my happiness with you!"
She raised her eyebrows. "No need to thank me. I already told you, I'm a good person!"
The woman's bright smile warmed my heart, and the starlight in her eyes illuminated the darkness.
Xiao Chen couldn't help but grasp her hand in return, but his movements were slow and gentle, as if afraid of startling her away.
His cold heart was gradually enveloped by a layer of warmth, and a smile slowly spread across his face, his eyes hiding a trace of longing.
...In the darkness, Xiao Chen quietly got out of bed and carried Nan Qianyue, who was sleeping on the floor, onto the bed.
Unexpectedly, the moon awoke from its southward migration.
"What's wrong?" She rubbed her sleepy eyes, not misunderstanding him.
This brought a sense of pleasure to Xiao Chen. He covered her with the blanket and said, "From now on, you sleep on the bed, and I'll sleep on the floor."
Nanqianyue didn't make any excuses, saying, "You should have done this a long time ago, but you don't have to sleep on the floor without taking off your outer clothes."
Xiao Chen didn't hide anything from her, "I have to go out to take care of some things, you go to sleep first."
"Huh?" Nan Qianyue grabbed his sleeve. "Do we really have to go at night? It's too deserted here, I'm scared to go alone."
This feeling of being relied upon was both unfamiliar and heartwarming.
"Don't be afraid, the guards who cook are on guard outside. I'll try to be back as soon as possible." His voice was gentler than ever before.
Nan Qianyue nodded. "Alright, then be careful and don't get hurt. Treating injuries is tiring too."
Xiao Chen smiled and said, "Okay."
As dawn approached, Xiao Chen carried the warm pastries and ran quickly from the woods into the courtyard.
Just as I was about to push the door open, I suddenly remembered something.
He quickly hung the pastries on the door latch, pulled his sleeves down to cover the wound on his wrist.
If the wound is small, don't let her worry about it.
"My lord..." A weak and feeble voice came from behind the stove.
Xiao Chen frowned slightly, a bad premonition rising in his heart. He pushed open the wooden door and rushed in, but the bed... was empty.
He rushed out in a panic, grabbed the guard behind the stove, and asked, "Where is she?"
The guard, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, leaned weakly against the stove. "It's Prince Anzheng... Miss Nan has been kidnapped by him."
Xiao Chen's expression changed several times, and his body was instantly filled with a sinister aura.
The guards who accompanied him flew down from the treetops. "My lord, this place has been exposed. With Prince Anzheng's methods, it won't be difficult for him to find us. Let's go back to Nanjing."
Xiao Chen's brows furrowed in gloom. He clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Notify Ye Jian and Zhong Xing to come to Dongling."
Since Heaven has bestowed upon him this warm light, he must hold onto it tightly, and no one can take it away from him...
——
Ye Jian, who was resting outside the carriage of the Nanjing delegation, was awakened by the sound of a porcelain cup breaking inside the carriage.
The slightly heavy breathing inside made him feel uneasy.
The lord has awakened?!
Ye Jian tentatively opened the crack a little and peered inside. His pupils suddenly dilated, reflecting Xiao Chen's gloomy face.
Ye Jian hurriedly closed the door, his heart pounding.
My lord, weren't you having a sweet dream? How come you woke up to this terrifying sight? Did your sweet dream turn into a nightmare?
"Ye Jian".
An overly calm voice came from inside the carriage.
Ye Jian closed his eyes resignedly. "My lord, it won't do you any good if I get hurt."
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