Chapter 355
The tent was warm and cozy, keeping out the bleak and cold wind outside.
Song Xuanhuai held the woman beside him, and smelled the faint scent of jasmine on her body. He felt his headache gradually subside and his mind became clearer.
The legendary healer once said that his heart ailment was Qing Nian, and that his headaches would be cured if Qing Nian were by his side.
"Qing Nian, Qing Nian..." Song Xuan murmured softly, feeling exhausted and drowsy after the pain subsided.
Shen Qingnian looked up at the man. His face was still pale, but his tightly furrowed brows had relaxed, and his expression no longer showed any signs of restraint. He looked much better than before.
She asked in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, would you like some water?"
Upon hearing this, Song Xuan did not answer. Instead, he tightened his arms around her, closed his eyes completely, and his breathing became long and even. Having exhausted himself during his illness, he immediately fell asleep now that his condition had improved.
Seeing that Song Xuan had closed his eyes, Shen Qingnian didn't ask any more questions. Instead, she rested her head on his strong arm and listened to his steady heartbeat.
She recalled everything that happened before and after Song Xuan fell ill at the bonfire banquet, trying to find clues about his illness.
Considering the circumstances at the time, the only suspicious item was the cup of wine that Shen Manduan had. In addition, the things that Shen Zheng threw into Shen Manduan's carriage on the way there made it even more suspicious.
Thinking this, Shen Qingnian wanted to say a few words to Song Xuan, but when she looked up, she found that the man had fallen into a deep sleep. Seeing this, her heart softened and she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Bright candles were lit inside the tent. The man's face was cold and deep. Shen Qingnian was not sleepy; on the contrary, she was very energetic.
She gently traced the man's features with her fingers, from his eyebrows to his eyelashes, then to his nose and lips. Now, the man only showed a gentle expression when he was with her and the children; he was always cold and stern to everyone else, no longer the gentlemanly man he once was.
Shen Qingnian felt a slight pang in her heart. She rested her head back in Song Xuan's arms. The warm candlelight shone on the two of them, filling the entire tent with warmth and tenderness.
*****
On the other side, Wang Jiarong, who was going to relieve herself, was helped by a maid to walk towards the banquet. However, when they passed a tent, they heard the sound of something breaking inside.
She paused, looking towards the source of the sound. It was coming from a small tent, and the location of the tent didn't seem to belong to the families of court officials; rather...
Wang Jiarong turned her head slightly, and the maid supporting her lowered her voice and said, "Madam, although this tent is far from the main tent, it is closer than the tents of the officials' families. It should be Consort Shen's tent."
Shen Man's rank was low, but she only brought two concubines with her on this autumn hunt. Logically speaking, her tent should not have been located in such a remote place, but who could blame her for Song Xuan's dislike of it?
Upon hearing that the tent might belong to Shen Man, Wang Jiarong instinctively looked around at the dark surroundings. After confirming that no one was around, she quietly walked around to the back of the tent.
The maid supporting her hesitated, but still followed, waving to the servants behind her to wait at a distance.
Wang Jiarong came to the outside of the tent. She put her ear close to the tent flap and heard faint voices coming from inside.
"You idiot, I gave you a chance and you couldn't even seize it. That love potion was something I went through a lot of trouble to get, and now you've wasted it all. You're really good for nothing and good for making things worse!"
"Father, this is not my fault. His Majesty simply refuses to eat my food, and he didn't even want to look at the cup of wine tonight... I don't know what to do..."
"Why shouldn't I blame you? I went to great lengths to get you into the palace, and this is how you repay me?"
"Father, I was wrong, I was wrong, please forgive me, please don't hit me anymore..."
......
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