Chapter 59 The gnarled, cold fingers on his neck...
The regulations for the imperial examinations were soon made public in the court and among the people.
The questions were personally drafted by the emperor, sealed in a bronze box, and would be personally delivered to the examination hall by the third prince, Zhou Yan.
At this moment, in the Prince Rui's residence.
"Your Highness, Lord Lin requests an audience."
Zhou Yan looked up. "What's he doing here?"
The steward bowed. "Lord Lin was vague, only saying that he wanted to see His Highness. I think it might be related to the imperial examination."
Zhou Yan sneered, "One of the top scholars has already been eliminated because of the imperial examination. Do these fools want to drag me down with them?" He slammed the imperial edict appointing him onto the table, "Pass it down: I will not see anyone until the end of the imperial examination!"
With his good second brother, who had been stripped of his title and confined to his home, preceding him, Zhou Yan approached the imperial examination with utmost caution.
On the day the examination papers were to be delivered, the imperial guards were ordered to accompany and protect him. Zhou Yan carried the bronze box all the way from the palace to the examination hall—"Anyone who intends to commit any wrongdoing, regardless of the reason, may be beheaded on horseback!"
All the examiners held their breath and dared not slack off in the slightest. After all, no matter how good the gold and silver obtained through bribery were, one had to be alive to spend them.
The imperial examination proceeded as scheduled.
When the results were announced, six out of ten students came from impoverished backgrounds.
Soon after, the imperial examination was held at Hanyuan Hall, and the emperor personally selected the top three scholars.
Among them, the newly appointed top scholar, Yu Qiushen, had neither a prominent teacher nor a well-known reputation in the capital, nor a distinguished family background. Although his ranking in the provincial examination was not low, he did not come out on top. Some curious officials from the Ministry of Revenue investigated Yu Qiushen's background thoroughly.
He was from Yuzhou. His family had some meager assets, but his father died early, leaving him with only his widowed mother and younger sister to depend on each other.
Yuzhou has the largest population of the twenty-four prefectures. The number of candidates for the provincial examination is fixed for each prefecture. The more people a prefecture has, the more difficult the examination becomes. Yu Qiushen's ability to rank high in the provincial examination of his prefecture shows that he is indeed knowledgeable.
With such a scholar from a humble background achieving the highest rank in the imperial examinations, both the court and the public praised this examination as the most virtuous, just as enlightened, and unparalleled in the past fifty years.
The following day, the three top scholars rode horses on Tianjie Street.
Although it is called the "Three Top Scholars," there are actually four people. In addition to the top three scholars (Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua), a very beautiful woman must be chosen from among all the successful candidates to accompany them on horseback through the Heavenly Street, to Yingzhou Garden to pick flowers, and then to Qujiang Pool to attend the Deer Cry Banquet.
All four rode precious horses, tributes from the Western Regions. The horses were jet black, without a single blemish, tall and robust. The riders, however, were dressed in scarlet robes with crimson faces, and the golden peonies at their thick black temples swayed gently with their movements, gleaming with precious light.
Crowds thronged the streets, making it impossible to move on either side. Soldiers had to be dispatched to maintain order and prevent any unrest.
Experienced people would book a table at a nearby restaurant long ago. Everywhere they looked, they saw young girls leaning against each other, covering their mouths with handkerchiefs and chatting with smiles.
The bolder ones threw flowers from the second floor, and within half an hour, all four of them were covered in them.
The falling petals, like snowflakes, fluttered and scattered across the vermilion official robes, adding to their elegance.
All four had slightly flushed faces, with the one recommended by the other candidates being particularly red, as if he had applied rouge. Shy and delicate, he resembled a spirited young girl.
"Master! Master Ji!"
Li Bi shouted at the top of his lungs, but his voice was drowned out by the laughter and cheers of the onlookers. He could only watch helplessly as his master's figure disappeared into the distance, while he was trapped in the crowd, unable to move forward or backward.
Yu Qiushen seemed to hear something, and as if possessed, he turned his head to look.
The young official was tall and elegant, dressed in a dark official robe, with only the hem of his robe embroidered with golden paulownia leaf patterns.
The brilliance was so overwhelming that Yu Qiushen had the illusion that his eyes were being stung.
He caught a glimpse of the examination hall that day, filled with both bewilderment and delight. He thought he had long forgotten what Lord Ji looked like, but unexpectedly, he remembered it so clearly.
Yu Qiushen subconsciously wanted to raise his hand, but suddenly remembered that he knew Lord Ji, but Lord Ji did not know him, so he forcibly pressed his hand down.
"Brother Zian," Meng Zaiyue, the third-ranked scholar, gently tugged at the reins and asked in a low voice with a grin, "What are you looking at so intently? Is some young lady arranging a marriage for you, and she's captured your soul?"
Upon hearing this, all three laughed.
Yu Qiushen was still somewhat bewildered, but subconsciously nodded.
Meng Zaiyue was taken aback, then burst into laughter. “Tell me quickly, which family’s young lady is she? If it’s someone I know,” he said, coming from a prominent family that had lived in the capital for generations. His words were half jest and half sincerity. “I’d love to play matchmaker for you.”
Yu Qiushen said, "Thank you, Brother Zhizhong," then paused, "Do you know where the Yongning Marquis's residence is?"
Meng Zaiyue: "...Huh?"
As far as he knew, the Yongning Marquis's residence did not have any young ladies of marriageable age.
The smile on Qu Pingzhi's face, who had been silently following by his side, suddenly froze.
He suddenly gripped the reins tightly.
...
As night fell, Young Master Ji, who had worked with the Imperial Guards to maintain order for most of the day, finally returned to the home he had been longing for.
Just as he was about to rush into the room, Huaide stopped him, "Young Master, Miss Biao has sent you something."
His cousin hadn't gone to the government office with him today. Ji Chengnin hummed in agreement, then patiently asked, "What is it?"
Chi Zheng pushed aside Huaide and ushered Ji Chengning into the courtyard, laughing, "Huaide is wrong. It wasn't Miss Biao who sent it. It was someone lurking outside." These were Cui Yao's exact words. "Miss Biao thought he had ulterior motives, so she went up to ask him what he wanted. That's when he took out this box and asked Miss Biao to pass it on."
As he spoke, he presented a delicate box with both hands.
It was a small bamboo box with little carving, just the natural color of bamboo. However, because the material was carefully selected, the bamboo strips were thin and had a jade-like luster.
Ji Chengning casually opened the small box.
The light shone like flames. He looked down and saw a slender, delicate, and lifelike golden peony.
"It seems so," Ji Chengning thought intently, "the three top scholars wore them?"
Ji Chengnin was somewhat confused. "Did A-Yao say who sent the gift?"
Chi Zheng shook his head. "Miss Biao said that the man panicked and left when he saw him take the box."
These are Cui Yao's exact words.
Ji Chengnin asked in confusion, "Let's accept it first."
...
According to tradition, the emperor should personally attend the subsequent Deer Cry Banquet.
The emperor had indeed made this plan; however, an urgent report delivered from afar disrupted all his preparations.
He opened the letter with a somber expression.
The dust on the envelope had been painstakingly wiped away by the eunuchs of the Inner Palace, but they were helpless to remove the dried bloodstains.
Bloodstains of varying depths were etched on the envelope, winding and twisting like ominous totems.
"Whoosh—"
The emperor unfolded the letter and scanned it quickly, his face growing increasingly grim with each reading.
The sender was Chen Chong, the prefect of Luanyang. He was terrified and reported to the emperor that a riot had broken out in Luanyang. The leader claimed to be the Divine Martial General and pretended to be a former subordinate of the Crown Prince. He had incited the people and attracted tens of thousands of followers. He led the local officers in a fierce battle, but they were outnumbered and his entire family of more than 170 people fell into the hands of the rioters.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you send troops to Luanyang to save the people from their suffering!"
The emperor's facial muscles twitched.
Mourning the Crown Prince.
He never expected that after fifteen years, he would still see that name.
His beloved elder brother caused him unease day and night while he was alive, and even after his death, he still felt a lump in his throat.
The emperor couldn't help but sneer, "Truly, quite the skill!"
He tossed the letter aside and said coldly, "Qin Min."
Half an hour later, the officials hurriedly entered the palace.
The Minister of War, the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of Works, several generals in the capital, and four princes.
The letter was quickly passed around among the people.
The Imperial Study fell into a deathly silence.
The emperor swept his gaze across the crowd, a hint of a cold smile playing on his lips. "Gentlemen, does anyone have a good plan?"
The Minister of Revenue remained silent for a few seconds before tentatively speaking, “There have always been treacherous officials who harbor ill intentions and incite the masses to rebel. However, throughout history, none of these incidents have ever amounted to anything significant. I believe the situation is not as serious as Chen Chong has described. Perhaps Chen Chong has mishandled the matter and exaggerated to avoid responsibility. Perhaps we should first send a special envoy to Luanyang to investigate the situation.”
Before he could finish speaking, General Lin Ling of Longxiang resolutely rejected the idea, saying, "Absolutely not. If the situation is critical, sending a special envoy there will not only put his own safety at risk, but will also delay the battle. We should immediately send the army to quell the rebellion in Luanyang."
The Minister of Revenue sneered, "The army spends countless amounts of military supplies and provisions every day it is out in the field. May I ask if this money came from your General Lin's private treasury?"
Lin Ling, a military man, was already impatient with discussing matters with these fussy civil officials. Hearing the Minister of Revenue's sarcastic remarks, he frowned and almost blurted out, "Since you cherish money so much, why don't you use it to pave your coffin?"
The emperor, annoyed by what he heard, said coldly, "Shut up, all of you."
The two of them shut up in a huff.
"Song Qing, is there nothing you can say to resolve this?"
Minister of War Song Guanghe lowered his head. "I think Minister Li's words are quite right," the Minister of Revenue snorted. "But General Lin's words are not without reason either," Lin Ling said expressionlessly. "However, if we are to send troops, who should be the general?"
“Local rebellions are not like those on the frontier. This person needs to be an official who is both swift and decisive, able to suppress the situation, and also able to unravel the clues and find out the cause,” Song Guanghe continued slowly. “I am foolish and cannot think of a candidate for the time being.”
They ostensibly agree, but in reality, they oppose.
After these words were spoken, even Lin Ling, who advocated sending troops, had nothing to say.
Yes, who should we send?
The imperial court must not delay in suppressing local rebellions, nor can it afford to fail. Even a single defeat would severely demoralize the imperial army, while emboldening the enemy.
Even if some veterans are capable of quelling a rebellion, they may not be willing to take on this thankless and exhausting task.
With local forces in disarray, who knows why the local people are rebelling? What if it involves nobles in the capital, or even members of the imperial family?
Zhou Yan's dark eyes darted around, and he said, seemingly nervously, "I have a great candidate in mind, but I don't know if I should say it."
The emperor turned to him, "Speak."
Zhou Yan said, “Your Majesty, I believe that if there are no experienced generals available, we should send Director Ji instead. Although Director Ji is young, he is extremely capable and methodical in his work. The local situation is unclear, and we need a capable official like Director Ji who is both literate and skilled in military affairs.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu abruptly looked up.
In the candlelight, the Crown Prince's already pale face was completely devoid of color.
A military officer immediately said, "Your Majesty, I think what Prince Rui said is absolutely right."
"I agree."
Zhou Yan couldn't help but raise her lips slightly.
Because of Ji Chengning's mess, that scoundrel Zhou Zhuo caused him a lot of trouble, either by sending people to impeach his disciples for being disrespectful or by obstructing procedures, making his officials feel uneasy.
How could he have known that his men would suddenly impeach Zhou Zhuo in a fit of madness!
Zhou Zhuo didn't even think about it; if he had given the order, why would he have made it so obvious?
Now that Zhou Zhuo is under house arrest, his subordinates are acting like mad dogs, biting anyone they see. The Third Prince has no way to vent his anger, so he naturally blames Ji Chengning.
In any case, the whole thing started because of Ji Chengning, so his actions weren't exactly wronging an innocent person.
"minister……"
"Cough cough cough—"
A heart-wrenching cough interrupted the crowd's agreement.
The officials couldn't help but look towards the source of the sound, only to see the Crown Prince, sitting at the lower end, covering his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing so hard he could hardly breathe.
All eyes were on him. Zhou Yu showed his apology for interrupting the important matter. He took a deep breath and slowly stood up with difficulty.
He had always been physically weak, and the magnificent Eastern Palace court robes draped over his body did not look like fine attire, but rather like chains that were about to crush him, making him appear even more emaciated and skeletal.
His action of getting up terrified everyone.
The eunuch tried to help him up, but Zhou Yu raised his hand to stop him.
"I think," his voice was extremely weak, so light that it seemed as if a gust of wind could blow it away, and every word was spoken with great effort, making it seem particularly difficult, "that something has happened in a certain place and the situation is unclear, so it is necessary to have someone of high status to quell the situation. Why don't you send me, Your Majesty?"
Before the words were finished, the Minister of Works, who had been silent all along, suddenly changed his expression, "Your Highness, you mustn't!"
Anyone with eyes could see why the Crown Prince suddenly spoke up.
Stir up the water.
"Young Master Ji," the Minister of Works thought through gritted teeth, "has he cast a spell on His Highness?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan glanced at the Crown Prince in astonishment.
Has Zhou Yu finally developed brain damage due to illness?
The Minister of Works was an official of the Crown Prince's faction, sharing his fate. How could he stand by and watch His Highness risk danger? He hurriedly said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, His Highness's health has not yet fully recovered and he cannot withstand the long journey."
Zhou Yu only looked at the emperor, saying, "Please grant my request, Father."
The emperor's gaze was deep. "Crown Prince, do not be willful."
“Every word I uttered was for the sake of the country, not out of spite or willfulness,” the Crown Prince said firmly.
The emperor gave Zhou Yu a meaningful look, as if to say, "I know what you're thinking."
Zhou Yu's face was as pale as paper, but he did not look away. Instead, he stared directly at his sovereign father without any fear.
The emperor suddenly felt annoyed.
The crown prince looked so much like him when he was young that the emperor was shocked to realize that those memories he thought had long since vanished were actually incredibly clear.
Was he once also weak and incompetent?
When he spoke again, the emperor's voice was unusually cold and deep, "This matter is of great importance and cannot be swayed by personal feelings. I also believe that Ji Chengnin is suitable."
"His Majesty!"
Zhou Yan was secretly pleased.
Zhou Yu quickly said after a moment's thought, "However, Ji Chengning is still young and of low status. Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant Chief Ji the title of General and the title of Marquis of Yongning, so as to deter the petty officials."
Zhou Yan immediately said, "Your Majesty, there is no reason for someone to be rewarded without merit. If this precedent is set, will officials sent to local areas be rewarded or not? Your Highness, you are being too selfish."
The emperor looked down at the crown prince from his high position.
Ji Chengnin was on good terms with the Crown Prince, and it was only natural for the Crown Prince to request rewards for Ji Chengnin in order to consolidate his own power.
The Emperor said, “The position of general is acceptable. I had already planned to do so. Otherwise, how would Ji Chengning manage the army? However, the succession to the title can be postponed. As Prince Rui said, it is unjust to receive a reward without merit. Crown Prince, since you have taken a liking to Ji Chengning, do not bring trouble upon him.”
The prince's pale face was expressionless.
“Your subject understands,” he said, glancing at the soldier out of the corner of his eye, “but your subject still believes that those of noble status should accompany the army.”
The emperor glanced at Zhou Yan, whose joy was impossible to hide, and said, "Since it was Prince Rui's suggestion, then let Prince Rui go. It's perfect to see what kind of person you personally recommended."
Zhou Yan's expression changed drastically.
His Majesty actually sent him to such a dangerous place, and he even wanted Ji Chengnin to go with him!
Zhou Yanzhen wished he were dead. "Father, your son..."
The emperor interrupted, "You don't want to?"
Zhou Yan bit his tongue hard and said hoarsely, "Your subject obeys."
The next day.
Ji Chengning received the imperial edict early in the morning. Ignoring the praise before and after, the gist of it was that there was a local rebellion and he was ordered to lead 5,000 troops to quell it.
Ji Chengning was completely stunned by this news.
What suppression of the rebellion? Where did the rebellion occur? Why did it happen? And why was it him? Which army was mobilized?
They didn't say anything.
Fortunately, Qin Min acted graciously and told him that the detailed documents would be delivered to the Marquis's residence shortly, and that the young Marquis could rest assured.
Ji Chengnin was still full of doubts, and even more so, he felt a heavy feeling in his stomach, as if he had swallowed sand.
He accompanied Qin Min to the palace to express his gratitude.
The emperor had important matters to discuss with the Minister of Revenue, so Ji Chengning only stood in the study for a moment, said a few words to show he would not disappoint the emperor's favor, and was then dismissed. He then instructed, "Go to Yuqing Palace, the Imperial Concubine wishes to see you."
"yes."
Ji Chengnin accepted the order and left.
Yuqing Palace is one of the nine major palaces, second only to Weiyang Palace, where the emperor resided, and Changle Palace, which has been vacant and where the empress resided.
However, perhaps because Consort Ji preferred quiet, or perhaps because Yuqing Palace was simply too vast, Ji Chengning always felt a chill whenever he entered Yuqing Palace.
A lingering chill permeates the air.
The shadows of the trees swayed, and dappled sunlight fell on the young man's official robes.
Wang Shu led Ji Chengning inside.
The floor-length curtains fell, completely blocking out everything inside the room.
Only a faint, distorted, and deformed outline can be seen, yet one can still discern a tall and slender figure.
Ji Chengning first greeted them respectfully.
Inside, he gestured for him to dispense with formalities, and Wang Shu invited him to sit down.
He didn't get up, but crawled forward on his knees and said with a grin through the curtain, "I haven't been able to come for almost half a year. Your Majesty should take this opportunity to see me properly. Otherwise, where else can you see such a handsome young man?"
A soft laugh seemed to come from inside.
The gloomy atmosphere inside the hall was instantly dispelled.
A moment later, a letter was handed out from inside.
There are only four extremely elegant words: "Don't look, don't think."
Ji Chengnin held the letter in both hands, staring intently at the words on it.
From the time he could remember, his imperial concubine aunt had never appeared; all he had ever seen was a vague outline.
He asked His Majesty the reason, but His Majesty only sighed.
Later, the imperial physician who often examined his aunt's pulse said that the empress was in poor health, could not be exposed to light or wind, and had been injured by an assassin many years ago, which also caused her voice to become hoarse and raspy. The empress then stopped talking.
For many years, what Ji Chengning saw were bowls of medicinal soup made from precious herbs.
The dark red medicine was all sent to Yuqing Palace.
The blurry figure moved.
Ji Chengnin looked up.
The figure seemed so close, no, it was right there.
They were separated only by a thick, ornate curtain.
Ji Chengning looked up, his chin seemingly able to rest against the latter's leg through the brocade.
He maintained this affectionate, coquettish posture, and said in a soft voice, "If Your Majesty does not wish to see me, I will leave."
The curtain moved.
From Ji Chengnin's clear eyes, one could see the curtain bulging, revealing the shape of a hand.
It gently landed on the top of his head.
Ji Chengning obediently rubbed against the other person's palm.
Consort Ji paused, and then slowly withdrew her hand.
A moment later, a fan was handed out from inside.
Ji Chengning took the fan.
He didn't open it because he could feel Wang Shu's gaze fixed on his hand, which made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
The servant inside seemed to have received some instructions, and said in a flat tone, "Her Majesty says that she is tired and requests that the young master return home."
Ji Chengnin took half a step back and kowtowed in the direction of the figure. "Yes, Your Majesty, I am leaving. Please take care of yourself."
Then, he got up and left.
Wang Shu saw him off all the way, but he didn't open his fan. She grew anxious and said, "Young Master, no..."
Ji Chengnin tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Wang Shu suddenly realized that the person in front of her was no longer the arrogant and impatient boy she remembered. She subconsciously took a half step back, her voice trembling, "This servant, this servant is fine."
“You can go back first,” Ji Chengnin said, raising his chin. “And you few,” he meant the palace maids and eunuchs who had come with him, “don’t need to see me off.”
Wang Shu said with difficulty, "Your Highness, this is against the rules of propriety."
"I'm going to see His Highness, are you all coming with me?"
Wang Shu hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "Yes, we will push it down."
She waved her hand, and the four eunuchs and palace maids followed her away.
Seeing that no one was around, Ji Chengning unfolded his fan.
The characters remain elegant and beautiful; the poem reads: "Be cautious."
Ji Chengning seemed to be deep in thought. He closed the fan and tied it to his waist.
The round jade rabbit pendant swayed back and forth with its owner's steps.
"Xiao Ning!"
Ji Chengnin didn't turn around, but a smile already appeared on his face. "Your Highness."
He turned around and, sure enough, saw Zhou Yu standing not far away.
Under the sunlight, His Highness the Crown Prince was as white as a handful of snow.
Ji Chengnin suddenly felt a chill and hurriedly stepped forward. "Your Highness, why are you standing here all alone? Aren't you cold?" He helped Zhou Yu up, whose gaze remained fixed on his face. Ji Chengnin couldn't help but wipe his own face with his free hand. "What's wrong?"
"You want to leave the palace?" Zhou Yu's voice was very soft.
Ji Chengning said, "I was just about to go find His Highness."
However, these words sounded too much like a lie to Zhou Yu.
“A month has fourteen days and seven hours,” he murmured.
Ji Chengnin didn't hear clearly, "What?"
Zhou Yu said nothing more.
Ji Chengning hadn't been to the palace for so long, and today he finally came, but she wouldn't even glance at him, and was in a hurry to leave the palace.
He lowered his head, the little rabbit pendant, clearly incongruous with Ji Chengnin's status, swaying back and forth in front of him.
A subtle, sharp anger, like needles pricking his heart, suddenly rose within His Highness the Crown Prince. He smiled slightly, "Where is there any trace of me in your eyes? Who are you with all day? Your loyal subordinates in the Qinglu Guard, the court officials who admire you, oh, and your inseparable cousin at home," for some reason, Zhou Yu seemed to grit his teeth when he mentioned this, "Ha, it's just a pity they can't marry you, but being together day and night can at least soothe their longing."
Ji Chengning was surprised to see Zhou Yu, who then said something sarcastic and strange.
The initial joy was mostly overwhelmed, and Ji Chengnin suppressed his temper, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"
Zhou Yu countered, "Am I wrong?"
Ji Chengning found it absurd.
"Your Highness!" a sudden, urgent cry rang out.
Ji Chengning turned his head sharply, and several guards from the Eastern Palace rushed towards them as if they had seen a god.
Ji Chengning guessed that he had secretly gone out again, and was annoyed that he didn't care about his health, and also angry at his unusual attitude.
“Your Highness does not wish to see me,” Ji Chengnin greeted him curtly, his voice turning cold. “I will simply leave the palace. In any case, I am also leaving the capital. Your Highness will have at least six months of peace and quiet.”
Seeing that the palace guards had all arrived, he turned and left.
He turned around without hesitation.
Zhou Yu's body suddenly stiffened.
He shook off the guard's hand that was trying to support him.
Ji Chengning felt his sleeve become heavy. He turned his head and saw a pale, angular hand trembling as it gripped his wrist.
A drop of dark color seeped onto the sleeve.
Ji Chengnin was taken aback and quickly helped Zhou Yu up, "Your Highness?"
Zhou Yu's voice was unusually hoarse, his long eyelashes trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes. "I misspoke, Xiao Ning, please don't ignore me. I just... I just..."
Ji Chengning looked up, and the four Eastern Palace guards, who were sitting on pins and needles, hurriedly retreated dozens of feet.
“I just hate,” the Crown Prince’s voice, which was usually soft and gentle, suddenly turned cold, “I hate that even Zhou Yan can work with you, but I can’t. I hate that Heaven has no mercy on me.” He raised his eyes and looked at Ji Chengning, “Xiao Ning.”
Ji Chengning was surprised that Zhou Yu was angry for this reason. He felt both sorry for him and amused. He quickly comforted him, saying, "A son of a noble family should not sit under a dangerous roof. Even if Your Highness were made of iron, as the Crown Prince, His Majesty would not send you to such a dangerous place."
Zhou Yu countered, "Then can we send you?"
The sharp emotions were wrapped in a gentle and mournful tone, and Zhou Yu was glad that Ji Chengnin did not notice anything unusual.
Ji Chengnin opened his mouth, about to speak.
Suddenly, His Highness the Crown Prince broke free from his grasp, wrapped his long arm around his waist with one hand, and gripped his neck with the other.
The bitter aroma of medicine instantly filled the entire nasal cavity.
Ji Chengnin was stunned and subconsciously moved, but the hard, cold fingers around his neck tightened their grip on him.
Only at this moment did Ji Chengning suddenly realize that the other party's supreme status also fostered an unquestionable temperament.
He didn't like this feeling of being confined.
Even though Zhou Yu was holding him, her fingers were trembling slightly.
It's like being afraid.
I'm afraid I'll be pushed away.
So Ji Chengnin didn't move, letting him hold her.
Sensing Ji Chengnin's gentleness, Zhou Yu's tense body slowly relaxed, and his hand, which was holding the back of Ji Chengnin's neck, moved forward and gently brushed across Ji Chengnin's face.
Zhou Yu whispered, coaxing her gently: "Xiao Ning, power and wealth are fleeting. What you want, I can give you too."
Ji Chengnin's voice was clear yet confused: "Your Highness?"
Zhou Yu closed his eyes.
How astonishingly talented and brilliant was the Marquis of Yongning in his youth!
Although he was ennobled at a young age, achieved great military exploits, was favored by the emperor, and rose to the highest position in the court, enjoying all the glory and pleasures of the world, in the end, he still met a tragic end with his head separated from his body!
In the end, they couldn't even gather enough bodies, so they could only bury the body in the red clothes the person was used to wearing.
Zhou Yu slowly applied force, pressing Ji Chengnin's face against his neck.
Long, soft black hair passed through his fingers.
All I want is for you to be safe.
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