Chapter 31 Itching at the tip of my teeth.
The next moment, everything went black before Ji Chengnin's eyes.
If it weren't for the layered darkness and the faint light filtering through, the young marquis would have almost wondered if he had suddenly gone blind.
The thing covering his eyes felt delicate and smooth like flowing water. Ji Chengning pinched the corner of it; it was Cui Yao's handkerchief.
"Um?"
Cui Yao calmly said, "Your Highness's eyes have just been treated with medicine. I'm afraid the sunlight will damage them. You should close your eyes and rest for a while."
Ji Chengnin chuckled softly when he heard him speak so seriously.
Her moist lips curled upwards, her lip pearls were full, and she had a rather smug look on her face.
His laughter was so flamboyant that it made one want to suppress that defiant smile.
Cui Yao thought this way, and so she did it.
Silently, she stretched out her hands, which were as cold as if carved from ice, and gently pressed two fingers together on Ji Chengning's temples.
"Hiss!" Ji Chengning was so cold he almost jumped up.
Is his cousin a spirit from a snow mountain?
He opened his mouth to speak, but his cousin meant well, so he reluctantly swallowed his complaints. His lips, which had been upturned just moments before, tightened into a thin line, like a little dog that had suffered a loss and could only bark, pacing around in frustration.
Cui Yao's eyes curved into crescents.
Ji Chengning felt as if a piece of ice had been pressed against his skin. Fortunately, Cui Yao was a living person and would not melt upon contact with warmth, leaving behind wet streaks.
Although she was teasing Ji Chengning, Cui Yao's strength was just right.
Ji Chengning was already feeling dizzy and lightheaded after a long day of hard work, but his cousin's gentle yet effective massage made him feel much better.
Now that he was comfortable, the young marquis's tone became even more languid, dragging out his words with a boneless limpness, "Cousin, your hands are so cold. Why don't you find a royal physician to take a look?"
Cui Yao paused briefly. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. However, I have consulted a doctor before, who said that my body temperature is naturally lower than normal and that it is nothing serious."
Ji Chengning grunted in response.
Cui Yao's massage was so comfortable that he even felt a little sleepy, so his voice became muffled, "Your Highness is also feeling cold. A few days ago, the imperial physician prescribed a medicine for him, which seemed to be a few herbs to promote blood circulation and clear the meridians. Your Highness said that the effect was acceptable. I will ask for the prescription another day and have the doctor check it again to see if it is suitable for your constitution."
Her words were so thoughtful that they instantly wiped most of the smile from Cui Yao's eyes.
The only person Ji Chengning could address as "Your Highness" and speak to in such a familiar manner was Crown Prince Zhou Yu.
He leaned down slightly, almost whispering in Ji Chengnin's ear, "How did you know that His Highness was also cold?"
What kind of question is this?
Ji Chengnin was somewhat bewildered, and not quite lucid, so he casually replied, "Of course it's because I touched it."
My fingertips suddenly stopped.
Cui Yao seemed not to have heard clearly, and asked calmly and gently, "What?"
“Your Highness’s hands are cold, and sometimes you don’t like to use the tin can, so I warm your hands for a while.” Ji Chengning didn’t find anything strange about it. After all, he and Zhou Yu had known each other for more than ten years and had a very good relationship, so he didn’t care about etiquette and rules.
The Censorate frequently impeached him for being disrespectful and disrespectful to His Highness the Crown Prince. Ji Chengning did nothing, but he angered Zhou Yu to the point of turning pale and almost sent a royal proclamation saying that the emperor was pleased.
However, this natural intimacy that developed over many years of acquaintance was too glaring to outsiders.
For example, in the eyes of Cui Yao, who was standing in front of him.
Because his eyes were covered by a handkerchief, Ji Chengning couldn't see what kind of look his gentle cousin was giving him.
Gloomy, heavy, and lingering.
Why did Zhou Yu receive such preferential treatment from Ji Chengnin?
Cui Yao curved her lips into a smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
If, with a gentle stroke of his fingertip, he could find a tiny mole on the lower part of Ji Chengning's nose, and realize that Zhou Yu was not the close friend he had always imagined, what kind of expression would Ji Chengning make?
Ji Chengning raised his hand and waved it in front of Cui Yao.
"What?"
The young marquis laughed heartily, and without a care in the world, "Want me to warm your hands too?"
All the dark thoughts in his mind paused for a moment as Ji Chengnin moved.
The young marquis had excellent bone structure; every finger bone was so beautiful that it looked as if it had been carefully sculpted by a master craftsman.
Cui Yao forced herself to look away, her gaze sliding down as if trying to escape.
It brushed past Ji Chengning's chest.
He wasn't the kind of skinny, gaunt guy. After joining the Light Guard, he trained even more, so his chest became more and more prominent. Most of the little flesh on his body was in there, giving him a powerful, healthy, and almost appetizingly fleshy look.
My teeth are itchy.
He looked away.
But she couldn't help thinking that Ji Chengning had plenty of blood and energy, and his palms were always warm. If the exposed skin was already so hot, what about the skin hidden under his clothes? Would it be even warmer?
“No need,” Cui Yao replied.
His voice was cold, with a hoarse, flat quality, as if it had been polished by sand and gravel.
"珰——"
The wind is blowing.
The bell suddenly rang.
...
At this moment, inside the Imperial Study.
The emperor threw the memorial onto the table, his expression somewhat gloomy.
The joint trial by the three judicial authorities yielded conclusive evidence, and the matter involved not only the Mei family, the Princess's residence, the Guo family, and the Lu family.
What a coincidence, he thought to himself.
Ever since Ji Chengnin launched his attack on Meixuewu, these illegal acts hidden in the shadows have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.
Rather than a coincidence, the emperor preferred to believe it was man-made.
The question is, who did it?
Ji Chengning?
No, even if it was just to establish his authority within the Qinglu Guard, everything Ji Chengning had done before was far enough, not to mention that the emperor was also pushing things along, making the fear of him among the people in the Qinglu Guard even greater.
Moreover, the emperor did not believe that the child he had always favored and trusted possessed such intelligence and skill.
What if it's Ji Chengnin's second uncle?
The moment the idea came to mind, the emperor himself gave a cold snort.
For many years, Ji Lin has been thinking about how to protect the Yongning Marquis's mansion. As far as Ji Lin is concerned, the less trouble he causes, the less mistakes he will make. The best outcome would be for the two of them to live in peace until they both die.
Who exactly is it?
The emperor suddenly spoke, "What has the Crown Prince been doing lately?"
Through the gauze screen, a eunuch bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, His Highness's old illness has relapsed in the past half month. He has only been recuperating in the Eastern Palace and has no connection with the outside world."
The emperor frowned.
He waved his hand, signaling the other person to leave.
...
Three days later, Cui Yao officially joined the Qing Lü Guard.
While it can be described as official, it's not entirely true. Unlike the guards who have fixed positions and the possibility of promotion, or the minor officials hired by the government to handle miscellaneous matters in the government office, Cui Yao's identity is that of a clerk hired by Ji Chengning.
Somewhat similar to the advisors kept by court officials in their residences, in any case, Ji Chengning paid for the people himself. As long as he wanted, he could employ a hundred or eighty people and change them every day without anyone objecting.
On the day Cui Yao and Ji Chengning went to the government office, the young marquis gave his cousin a silver Western-style purse.
The entire piece is woven from silver threads to form a small net bag that can hold small items such as official seals, pills, and handkerchiefs. If there is nothing inside, it can be twisted into a single strand with mechanical expansion on both sides. When fastened to the hand, it becomes a bracelet engraved with Western rose vines.
Cui Yao was somewhat taken aback. "What is the young master doing?"
Ji Chengning smiled and said, "According to the law, a clerk's monthly salary is three taels of silver. This is the salary paid by the employer."
Upon hearing this, Cui Yao accepted the silver chain without hesitation and fastened it to her wrist, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."
The silver light shimmered, and paired with Cui Yao's sharp, jagged bones, it radiated a chilling aura, making her so beautiful that she seemed unapproachable.
Ji Chengning glanced at it a couple more times.
Cui Yao seemed oblivious to his gaze, and with a flick of her wrist, placed her hand on her knee.
The wrist bone with the silver chain was directly facing Ji Chengning.
The young marquis couldn't help but glance at it again.
Cui Yao works in Ji Chengning's study.
He knew the young marquis's job wasn't easy, but he hadn't expected it to be so routine.
Ji Chengning arrived at the government office at 4:45 AM to deal with the unexpected events of the previous night. He then practiced for two hours at 7:00 AM, had lunch, patrolled the streets at 2:45 PM, returned to the government office at 3:45 PM to handle official business, and dismissed the government office at 4:45 PM.
Young Master Ji was afraid his cousin wouldn't be able to get up, so he deliberately got up a quarter of an hour earlier. However, when he got up with a yawn, his cousin was already dressed and standing in the courtyard talking to A Luo.
From what flowers the crown prince likes to which family's hair ornaments he favors, from the embroidery on his clothes to the restaurants he loves to eat at.
Alo's impatience was written all over his face.
This young lady, however, did not know when to back down. She kept asking what she wanted to hear and even took notes on Ji Chengning's preferences from A Luo's snippets of conversation.
This made Alo feel increasingly depressed.
"Does the Crown Prince usually get up at this time as well?"
Ji Chengnin paused in his steps.
Is my cousin saying he's a heavy sleeper?
Cui Yao caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, and her cold, indifferent smile instantly changed, becoming both sincere and tender.
The young marquis's ears were a little red, and Cui Yao said understandingly, "The young marquis is at the age of growth, so it's okay for him to sleep more."
Ji Chengning was unusually embarrassed and said angrily, "You're younger than me, cousin, don't speak in such an old-fashioned tone."
"I'm sorry," Cui Yao said with a smile and her head bowed, "I misspoke."
Ji Chengnin snorted.
It took a lot of effort to finally straighten out the prince's hair.
In the afternoon, Cui Yao went on a street patrol with the young marquis for the first time.
Ji Chengning wasn't satisfied. He had a candy bag made by pressing duck tongue, mint, and ginger juice together in his mouth. It was both cool and spicy, and his nose turned red from the heat, but he felt refreshed and comfortable. Seeing Cui Yao staring at him intently, he handed him the candy bag. "Want some?"
Cui Yao declined.
Near the city gate, merchants came and went in a lively atmosphere. The most spectacular sight was a carriage with an official license plate, numbering in the dozens.
Ji Chengning whispered to Cui Yao, "According to the law, carriages with official license plates do not need to be inspected for their goods; only the official documents need to be checked to confirm the owner's identity."
Cui Yao nodded. "I've got it."
Ji Chengning led Cui Yao forward.
The guards patrolling the gate were a squad of imperial guards. The leader clearly recognized Ji Chengnin. Upon seeing him, he quickly stepped forward and jokingly asked with a smile, "Young Marquis, what official business are you busy with today?"
Ji Chengnin laughed and said, "I'm just taking a casual look around. You can go and check yours."
The squad leader, trying to ingratiate himself, said, "Not at all. We wouldn't dare touch something with official credentials."
After all, the carriages and horses of this young marquis could also be registered with official plates.
Ji Chengnin glanced at the crowd, narrowed his eyes, and stepped forward.
While the two of them chatted idly, the deputy captain on the other side was having a hard time. He was new and didn't know the rules, so he could only wait for the captain's instructions. But the captain didn't come back for a long time, and the long convoy of cars with official license plates came to a stop.
Cold sweat kept dripping from the tip of his nose.
The curtain of the lead carriage was lifted, and a slender, fair hand emerged, clearly the hand that held a pen.
The owner of the hand half-lifted the carriage curtain, his brow furrowed slightly, and asked with some impatience, "Is it not ready yet?"
Upon hearing the voice, Ji Chengnin looked over in surprise, then flashed a bright smile, "Brother Qu!"
The leader was none other than Qu Pingzhi's elder brother, Qu Fengzhi.
The annoyance on Qu Fengzhi's face immediately disappeared. He hurriedly got out of the carriage and asked with a smile, "What are you doing here, young marquis?"
“I’m on official business,” Ji Chengnin sighed. “There’s nothing I can do.” His gaze drifted over Qu Fengzhi’s shoulder without leaving a trace. “Brother Qu just returned from Wanzhou,” he said, glancing down at the completed document. “You’re newly married, how could you bear to leave your wife and go to such a faraway place?”
Qu Fengzhi smiled, “It’s for your sister-in-law. Look, take a look.” He led Ji Chengning forward, “Your sister-in-law had never been to the capital before her marriage. Her parents were worried about her, afraid that she wouldn’t be used to anything. This whole cart of silk tapestries was brought back by her parents.”
While lifting the curtain of the carriage to show Ji Chengning, he said with a smile, "Look, isn't it beautiful? I heard that a new cousin has come to your family. These are the latest styles from the south. Who knows, the young marquis's cousin might like them."
Ji Chengnin rubbed his nose sheepishly, "Brother Qu, I can't accept a reward without having done anything right."
He and Qu Pingzhi had played together since childhood, and he and Qu Pingzhi had everything that Qu Fengzhi brought back, and they were exactly the same.
Qu Fengzhi laughed heartily, his handsome face completely free of any gloom. He acted like an older brother who dotes on his younger brother, saying, "Why are you being so polite with me?"
As the two were talking, Cui Yao quietly walked around the back of the car.
His cold, deep gaze swept carefully over every part of the frame, and paused when it landed on the wheels.
He ran his fingers along the gap between the wheels, rubbing off a tiny bit of glistening substance. If he hadn't had excellent eyesight, he would have missed it long ago.
He frowned slightly.
Yes, salt?
Wanzhou does not produce salt.
"Good Chengning, for the sake of my newlywed life, could you please let me into the city? Your sister-in-law is anxiously waiting for me to return to the mansion. I will definitely go to the mansion to thank you another day."
Ji Chengning smiled, "Brother, you're too kind. Someone, let them through."
He waved, signaling the carriage to enter the city.
Qu Fengzhi finally felt relieved and smiled at Ji Chengning.
Ji Chengning looked up and met Cui Yao's gaze, who was standing behind a carriage.
In a short while, Cui Yao immediately understood Ji Chengning's meaning.
Suddenly, his hand reached into his sleeve, and unexpectedly pulled out a sharp blade, stabbing it fiercely into the silk when no one was paying attention.
"What are you doing?!" The attendant patrolling nearby hadn't paid any attention to Cui Yao. Firstly, official carriages and horses without official documents from the Ministry of Revenue couldn't be inspected. Secondly, Cui Yao was taciturn and stood in the shadows, making him easy to overlook. When he suddenly attacked, the attendant exclaimed in surprise without any warning.
Qu Fengzhi's expression changed slightly. "Cheng Ning, what do you mean by this?!"
Ji Chengnin seemed to be shocked as well. He quickly stepped forward and hurriedly explained to Qu Fengzhi, "Brother, you don't know this, but my subordinate's family is in the silk business. He can't resist beautiful silk. Ayao, even if you like it, there's no reason for you to snatch a piece off."
He explained in a gentle tone while grabbing Cui Yao's hand and twisting it forcefully inside.
"Click".
The blade collided with something.
Ji Chengnin drew his sword.
With his movement, a bushel of deep red liquid rolled down.
Ji Chengnin suddenly looked up, "Brother Qu, what is this?"
-----------------------
The author's note: The young marquis's working hours are roughly from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., about 12 hours a day, minus the lunch break, which is about 10 hours.
Honey, I wrote 9,000 words today! (Proudly) [Owl emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com