Chapter 94 Vanished into Thin Air
The gilded bronze incense burner held a sweet fragrance of pear blossoms, and the smoke curled and swirled within the hall.
Chu Huaiyu's gaze fell on Lu Zhaoxue, who was leaning against the window.
The hairpin hanging down her temples covered half of her face, but even through that half of her face, one could see her melancholy.
"I've noticed you've been looking rather downcast lately. What's troubling you this time?"
His voice was not loud, but it carried the unique composure of an emperor, breaking the silence in the hall.
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoxue turned around, a hint of melancholy in her eyes.
She slowly began to speak: "Your Majesty, yesterday Empress Dowager Rong invited me to her chambers and mentioned the selection of concubines for the imperial harem, saying that this matter should not be delayed any longer."
Chu Huaiyu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, his tone carrying a hint of impatience:
"You don't need to listen to your mother's nagging; she's always been one to meddle in these kinds of things."
Lu Zhaoxue looked up at him, her eyes clear as a stream.
"The Empress Dowager was also thinking about the royal offspring."
A faint hint of mockery appeared on Chu Huaiyu's lips, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Just as the days of rain had just stopped, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.
Chu Huaiyu thought that Lu Zhaoxue must be bored living in the deep palace for a long time, so he issued an imperial decree to prepare the carriage and take her to the royal hunting grounds in the suburbs of the capital to relax.
When the imperial carriage arrived at the hunting grounds, the sun was still high in the sky, and the golden sunlight shone on the lush green grass and trees, giving them a vibrant appearance.
Chu Huaiyu, dressed in a black outfit, rode a tall, chestnut-red steed with an upright posture.
He was already exceptionally handsome, and coupled with his innate noble bearing, every gesture he made exuded imperial majesty.
He and his guards walked through the woods, drawing their bows and shooting arrows with unerring accuracy.
The prey quickly piled up like a mountain, and even more remarkably, he also captured a snow-white, furry rabbit alive.
Chu Huaiyu, holding the rabbit by its ears, dismounted and walked to Lu Zhaoxue, who was watching from the side.
He handed the rabbit to her, saying, "It looks quite well-behaved. If you like it, you can keep it as a pet."
Lu Zhaoxue carefully took the rabbit, and when her fingertips touched its soft fur, she couldn't help but feel a pang of pity.
She softly gave it a name: "I'll call you Snowflake."
As if it understood human nature, Xue Rong nestled obediently in her palm and rubbed its rabbit head against Lu Zhaoxue's fingers.
Chu Huaiyu led his warhorse over, looked at Lu Zhaoxue, and raised an eyebrow to ask:
"Would you like to try horseback riding?"
Lu Zhaoxue shook her head, a hint of fear in her eyes: "I've never learned to ride a horse, I'm afraid I can't."
"It's alright, I'll take you with me."
As Chu Huaiyu spoke, before she could react, he bent down, lifted her up, and gently placed her on the horse's back.
He leaped and landed steadily behind her, his broad chest pressed against her back.
He put his hands under her armpits and gripped the reins tightly, holding Lu Zhaoxue firmly in his arms.
Lu Zhaoxue's heart tightened, and her body stiffened slightly.
The faint scent of Chu Huaiyu lingered around her nose, causing her to unconsciously move forward slightly.
"drive!"
Chu Huaiyu squeezed the horse's flanks with both legs and gave a low shout.
Upon receiving the command, the chestnut-colored steed immediately set off, galloping forward at full speed.
The wind whistled past her ears, fluttering Lu Zhaoxue's skirt and hair.
Lu Zhaoxue's heartbeat became slightly erratic, and she squinted her eyes, trying to see the road ahead clearly.
But the jolting on the horse made it impossible for her to concentrate, so she could only hold tightly to the clothes of the person behind her.
Chu Huaiyu stopped his horse on a wide-open grassland.
He leaned down slightly, his nose almost touching Lu Zhaoxue's earlobe, his warm breath brushing against her cheek, causing a slight tickle.
Looking at Lu Zhaoxue's slightly flushed cheeks, the gloom that had accumulated in his heart due to the affairs of the court in the past few days instantly vanished.
"Are you still afraid now?" Chu Huaiyu's voice was deep and tender, with a hint of doting.
Lu Zhaoxue gave a soft "hmm".
"Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."
He chuckled softly and raised his whip once more.
The horse galloped up again, scattering Lu Zhaoxue's exclamation and his low laughter into the wind.
Chu Huaiyu was in a great mood and subconsciously wanted to stretch out his arms, but Lu Zhaoxue held his arms tightly.
"Chu Huaiyu, no! I'm scared." Her voice trembled slightly.
He looked down at the hand wrapped around his forearm, his smile deepening.
He reached out and put his arm around her waist, his voice so soft it could melt water: "Okay, I won't move, don't be afraid."
His words, though seemingly ordinary, were spoken in a deliberately lowered voice, which added an indescribable tenderness and affection.
——
Looking at the setting sun on the horizon, Chu Huaiyu put his arm around Lu Zhaoxue's waist, and the two sat side by side on the grassy slope.
Behind me stretched a verdant expanse, and before me shone the fading glow of the setting sun.
The glow of the sunset spilled over the clouds and fell on their shoulders, warm like a beautiful dream they didn't want to wake up from.
Lu Zhaoxue nestled lazily in his arms, her cheek pressed against his slightly cool brocade robe, and she could clearly hear the rapid yet steady heartbeat coming from Chu Huaiyu's chest.
She squinted slightly, her long eyelashes casting delicate shadows beneath her eyes.
"Do you see that temple up ahead?"
Chu Huaiyu's voice was low and deep, carrying a hint of barely perceptible probing, breaking the silence of the moment.
After hearing this, Lu Zhaoxue raised her head and looked in the direction of his raised hand.
Her gaze pierced through the layers of trees and, sure enough, she spotted a solemn and elegant temple.
She nodded gently.
"I saw it."
“We’ve been there before.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoxue's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a fleeting look of bewilderment crossed her eyes.
Did they go there before?
Why does she have no recollection of it at all?
Chu Huaiyu took in every subtle change in her expression.
Seeing her completely clueless expression, the fervor and longing in Chu Huaiyu's eyes vanished instantly.
"Back then, when we were being chased and had nowhere to go, we hid in that temple."
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hoarseness.
The harrowing past, those moments of mutual dependence, are unforgettable treasures for him.
But for Lu Zhaoxue, it had long since become a thing of the past.
"Oh...it's that abandoned, dilapidated temple."
Lu Zhaoxue seemed to have finally retrieved a fragment from the depths of her memory.
Her tone was flat, revealing no emotion whatsoever; she simply responded with a soft "yes."
Then, Lu Zhaoxue closed her eyes again, her long eyelashes hanging quietly, showing no sign of lingering affection or emotion.
It was as if it were just an old story that was insignificant to her.
Chu Huaiyu's heart sank suddenly, and he involuntarily tightened his arms.
He hugged Lu Zhaoxue's waist even tighter, with such force that it was almost as if he wanted to knead her into his own bones and blood.
His thin lips were pressed into a straight line, and his face was expressionless.
But his eyes were filled with disappointment and resentment, and a hint of panic that even he himself was unwilling to admit.
He had thought that mentioning the temple would at least move her for a moment.
But she didn't; her calmness was like an invisible wall, keeping him out.
I don't know if she hid her emotions too well, or if she really didn't care anymore.
I don't care about the past, and I don't care about him.
For a fleeting moment, Chu Huaiyu even wished he wasn't this high and mighty emperor.
He wouldn't have to worry about saving face or weigh the pros and cons.
He could set aside all pride and humbly beg her to remember something, to look at him again, just like before.
"I later ordered the temple to be renovated. It was decorated with carved beams and painted rafters and was now a popular place of worship. It is now one of the most efficacious temples in the capital."
His voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible melancholy.
"The people of the capital also fabricated a love story between a talented scholar and a beautiful woman, saying that as long as one prays sincerely, one's wishes will be fulfilled. This attracted many lovelorn men and women to burn incense, hoping for a perfect match."
As he spoke, his gaze was fixed on her serene profile, hoping to see a ripple of emotion on her face.
But Lu Zhaoxue had already drifted off to sleep in his arms.
He only gave a vague "hmm".
She was quite frightened while riding the horse today, and after the long journey, she was exhausted.
Held securely in Chu Huaiyu's arms, she was overcome with sleepiness and didn't hear a word he said afterward.
Looking at her sleeping face, Chu Huaiyu's emotions gradually subsided, leaving only a trace of helplessness.
He gently raised his hand and carefully brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead, his movements incredibly tender.
Oh well, let bygones be bygones.
As long as she's still by his side, that's enough.
He slowly lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead.
The temple in the distance gradually became blurred in the twilight, but the copper bells on the eaves still jingled softly in the wind.
It's like recounting a forgotten past, or anticipating an unfinished reunion.
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