Chapter 13 The hem of the skirt in the stable had once gently brushed against his fingertips...
Before long, Xie Chengyan had freed Shen Xi from the hem of her skirt. He looked up, his expression still calm: "Since you are a beginner, you should be even more careful."
Shen Xi awkwardly shrank her legs, looked away, and replied, "It won't happen again."
The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment, but Xie Chengyan had no intention of saying more. He pulled Zhuiyun back to the middle of the path before turning around and mounting his horse. He then rode in front of her and said, "This pine forest was not originally built for horses. The road ahead is narrow, so be careful if you really want to see it."
As he spoke, he casually raised his hand to push aside a cluster of horizontal branches in front of him. The sunlight and shadows filtered through the woods, making it still somewhat dim.
"Don't just stand there, follow me."
She had strayed onto the wrong path by accident, so Xie Chengyan didn't hold it against her, and Shen Xi naturally obeyed him.
The figure before him was tall and broad, holding the reins with one hand to control the horse, while the other hand occasionally pushed aside branches that stretched out to block his path. His ten fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles. They were not pampered and unable to handle even the slightest bit of life, but rather hands that held strength, capable of drawing a bow and wielding a sword.
Not only when he drew a bow and wielded a sword, but also when he painted, his power was extraordinary, controlling her so she couldn't escape...
Shen Xi suddenly realized that Xie Chengyan in the present moment bore an inexplicable resemblance to her own absurd and decadent dreams.
When Xie Chengyan realized there had been no movement behind him for a long time and turned around to check, he saw Shen Xi, whose thoughts had wandered off somewhere.
Even with him leading the way, Shen Xi was lost in thought, letting the horse run wild as it pleased, and the pine needles along the path inevitably fell and got stuck in her temple.
Xie Chengyan slowed down, glanced at it twice, his knuckles unconsciously curling slightly, but in the end he didn't do anything, only looked away and said, "Watch where you're going."
The road wasn't long, and it soon came to an end. Beyond the pine forest was an open space. Xie Chengyan didn't wait for her any longer. He suddenly spurred his horse and galloped away, his clothes fluttering and creating a gust of cold wind, leaving Shen Xi behind.
Shen Xi blinked slowly, seemingly unconcerned. After all, it made no sense for Xie Chengyan to keep watching her and guiding her through the training.
So she rode the Chasing Clouds slowly and leisurely all the way.
I didn't look closely last time, but the scenery of this horse riding scene is quite nice, and the pine forest with its remaining snow is really pleasant, but to be honest, there's nothing particularly special about it.
Therefore, she didn't quite understand why Xie Chengyan, who cared for Xie Wenlang, wouldn't allow him to come to this horse farm at will.
Following the path out, Shen Xi determined her location and realized she had reached the south. She didn't bother chasing the clouds and let them wander aimlessly to the stable.
With no one around, Shen Xi didn't think much of it, assuming that Zhuiyun was tired from running and put it inside.
But when she opened the door, she was instantly startled. Looking around the entire stable, there were nearly a dozen foals that were remarkably similar in color, build, and even the unusually dark tuft of hair on their foreheads.
At first glance, Shen Xi almost mistook it for an entire stable of wind-riding animals.
Before he could react, Xie Chengyan's voice suddenly rang out from behind him: "Who gave you permission to come in?"
Shen Xi was startled and turned around. The sunlight outside the stable shrouded the area, drawing a clear line between light and shadow. Xie Chengyan happened to be standing at the boundary between the shadows, making his face appear half-lit and half-shadowed.
He still had the same expression he had when he left, unreadable. He seemed to always be like this, so much so that even after spending several time with him, Shen Xi still couldn't figure out his temperament.
The two faced each other, and Shen Xi suddenly remembered Xie Wenlang's words from last time—"No one is allowed to enter except the stables to the south."
Yes, she had accidentally wandered into the southern stable of this horse farm today. No wonder no one was allowed to enter. Shen Xi suddenly realized something.
They remained silent for a long time, with only the occasional sound of horses' hooves echoing between them, making the silence between them even more pronounced.
Shen Xi pursed her lips and gritted her teeth, unsure of Xie Chengyan's attitude, so she spoke first: "I'm sorry, I didn't know we weren't allowed in here. I'll leave right away."
Having said that, he hurriedly pulled Zhuiyun towards the door.
Xie Chengyan approached and blocked her path. He half-closed his eyelids, stared at her for a moment, and then unexpectedly asked, "What? Do you find it strange?"
His voice was calm and even, without any inflection, as if he were an outsider, indifferently judging these horses in the stable, which were all cut from the same mold, along with her, the bystander.
Shen Xi tilted her head slightly to meet his gaze, hesitated for a moment before nodding and frankly saying, "A little. I didn't expect General Xie to be so devoted. It's not easy to find someone who looks so much like Marco."
"I wouldn't call it being devoted to anyone."
Xie Chengyan casually dismissed Shen Xi's tactful compliment, glanced around, and showed no intention of letting her leave.
Shen Xi had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue the conversation: "How many horses like this does the general have in total?"
"fourteen."
Upon hearing this, she subconsciously counted them one by one, but after counting them once, she paused for a moment, then turned her eyes and counted them again without making a sound.
There are clearly only thirteen horses here.
She was a little puzzled, but pretended not to notice and didn't say anything.
But her actions did not escape Xie Chengyan's notice. He took Zhuiyun from Shen Xi's hands and said casually, "This is the Thirteenth Horse, no doubt. I accidentally lost one before."
Shen Xi keenly sensed a different meaning in these words and instantly understood. Combined with her previous actions, something was about to be revealed.
She regained her composure, her soft voice echoing in the quiet air: "Actually, it's not entirely a bad thing. In ancient times, the Thirteen Classics were considered the culmination of spiritual practice, and a thirteen-story pagoda signifies the completion of one's cultivation. It's clear that the horse that accidentally got lost is exceptionally intelligent, and it will surely help the general turn misfortune into good fortune in the future."
Fallacies and heresies.
Xie Chengyan had never expected such a uniquely comforting tone. Suddenly, a very soft chuckle drifted past Shen Xi's ear, and she almost mistook it for an illusion.
"Indeed, what you said makes sense."
“That makes sense.” Shen Xi seized the opportunity to change the subject. “But these horses look so alike, will the general be able to tell them apart when they’re all mixed up?”
Xie Chengyan walked alongside her, accompanying her as they strolled slowly through the stable: "They only look alike, but in reality, the subtle differences are vast. You'll naturally be able to recognize them after looking at them for a while."
"That's really impressive."
Shen Xi made no attempt to hide her admiration, and then, in a playful mood, casually pointed to two horses and asked, "What's the difference between them?"
Xie Chengyan glanced at it and said in a flat tone, "The one on the right has the deepest pupils, and the one on the left has an injured front hoof and is the fiercest. It took a lot of effort to tame it."
Upon closer inspection, Shen Xi found it to be true.
However, Xie Chengyan did not intend to continue speaking. He stopped and looked at Shen Xi with his usual calm expression: "That's all for today. Liang Tuo will take you back."
Shen Xi was naturally sensible. Accidentally entering the stable and discovering this secret was not her intention, and she would never go out of her way to provoke Xie Chengyan.
So he readily agreed, saying, "Thank you, General."
After saying that, she turned and left, but at the last moment before stepping out of the stable, Shen Xi turned back and glanced inside again as if possessed. Xie Chengyan was still standing solemnly with his back to her, his tall figure standing in the dim light, his head slightly lowered as he fiddled with the reins in his hand.
For some reason, Shen Xi suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable emotions.
Perhaps he treated her as his brother's wife and had taken care of her.
No matter what, he was a good older brother.
In the end, Shen Xi withdrew her gaze and did not notice that Xie Chengyan turned around the moment she left, only managing to catch a fleeting glimpse of the hem of her skirt.
That piece of skirt had gently brushed against his fingertips, and he had personally taken it off from the bushes.
*
After parting ways at the horse farm, Shen Xi occasionally harbored a faint anticipation for their next meeting, perhaps to have an excuse to leave the mansion for some fresh air, or perhaps to ride Zhuiyun around the palace a couple more times.
Whatever the reason, anticipation has quietly taken root, like a pebble thrown into a lake, disturbing the tranquility of the past.
Even Qingqiu noticed her unusual behavior and couldn't help but worry: "Are you worried about Young Master Xie? There's been no news of him for the past few days. Normally, Young Master Xie wouldn't bear to go so long without contacting you."
Shen Xi was stunned by the question.
Xie Chengyan seems to be tied up with official business recently and has not contacted her again, naturally cutting off Xie Wenlang's contact as well.
She realized that perhaps Qingqiu was right; this expectation should stem from Xie Wenlang, from her fiancé.
Only in this way is it correct.
Shen Xi smiled and said, "Yes, it's been a long time since I've seen Erlang. I wonder how he is doing."
Half a month later, Xie Chengyan finally had time to send someone to deliver a letter to Shen Xi, and they agreed to meet at Wangxian Tower as before.
Shen Xi went as agreed, but when she got downstairs, Xie Chengyan was discussing matters with someone in the private room.
Chu Chengji took out several memorials and threw them on the table, pointing with his finger: "The Gao family is a faction of the Crown Prince, and they are allies with your Xue and Xie families. Xie Wenlang was so reckless that he beat the Gao family's precious only son in public. The Vice Minister Gao was furious. In just ten days, he has submitted five or six memorials impeaching you. Even the Crown Prince's personal mediation could not stop him."
Xie Chengyan picked up one of them and glanced at it with an ambiguous expression: "After Xie Wenlang caused this mess, instead of impeaching the Duke of Wei, Minister Gao is impeaching me?"
Chu Chengji scoffed lightly: "You're also a member of the Xie family. Whether we impeach you or the Duke's Mansion, it makes no difference."
Xie Chengyan closed the memorial in his hand: "It seems that Vice Minister Gao is quite dissatisfied with me."
"More than that? He even declared that he would not serve as an official in the same court as you until this matter is resolved."
“In that case,” Xie Chengyan’s voice floated to the ground along with the memorial, “he no longer needs to stay in the capital.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Chengji, who had just been calmly watching the show, instantly sat up straight: "You..."
Xie Chengyan continued speaking to himself, "Of course, it must be the Duke's mansion's wish."
Chu Chengji understood something and couldn't help but laugh: "Chengyan, you really have a very good plan to shift the blame to the east."
"Anyway, I bear the title of Duke's Mansion, so it makes no difference whether I am the Duke of Wei or not."
Chu Chengji sighed slightly: "You are too meticulous. You have to think of everything in detail. On the bright side, you can come up with a solution in an instant, like today. On the other hand, the more you think, the more troubles you have. It would be better to just close your eyes and ignore everything, and enjoy a peaceful and carefree life."
Upon hearing this, Xie Chengyan did not deny it. Although there was some truth to what he said, he was used to being cunning and calculating, and it was not something that could be changed by a simple piece of advice.
Just like this time, he was still bothered by Shen Xi's repeated appearances in his dreams, and after several unsuccessful attempts to investigate, he suddenly changed his plans and stayed in the capital.
But as fate would have it, by sheer chance, we've stumbled upon such a wonderful opportunity today.
Once the matter was settled, Chu Chengji wanted to say something more, but Xie Chengyan had already given him the order to leave: "It's getting late, and if you stay any longer, someone might get suspicious."
Chu Chengji was puzzled, as he had never seen him care about this matter before, but he didn't dwell on it, since Xie Chengyan was telling the truth. So he got up to take his leave.
Before leaving, he saw Xie Chengyan summon a servant to replace the teacups on the table. Chu Chengji narrowed his eyes in confusion and whispered to the servant beside him, "Something's not right with him."
As he walked out the door, he was still processing Xie Chengyan's unusual behavior when he bumped into a woman at the bottom of the stairs. The two of them were going up and down the stairs, and they happened to pass each other sideways.
Chu Chengji glanced at her face unintentionally, not paying much attention at first, but after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped, turned around sharply, and followed her back. Sure enough, he saw her walk into the private room where Xie Chengyan was.
"Isn't that Xie Wenlang's fiancée?" Chu Chengji raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "Interesting."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Ah, Yan, starting to reminisce, huh? [Sunglasses]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com