Chapter 24 "Smile".
Xiao Yuanshu in the past was a great beauty that everyone who saw her would praise. Yan Dibai, who always had a clear sense of beauty and ugliness, naturally did not hesitate to admire her beauty.
But this ethereal emotion is like the clouds in the sky; it dissipates with a gust of wind.
Moreover, he had never paid attention to anyone.
At this point, he couldn't help but sigh softly. Of all the concubines in the palace, only the women of Yuhua Palace possessed any intelligence.
Yan Di, with a pale face and an interested expression, decisively withdrew Xiao Yuanshu's hand.
"I am tired."
The young emperor possessed an exceptionally handsome face, the most radiant and beautiful in the world. Even the curve of his lips was more captivating than anyone else's.
A sliver of the setting sun cast its glow upon his jet-black hair, making it shimmer with light. He looked as beautiful as if those piercingly harsh words had never escaped his thin lips.
Xiao Yuanshu's face turned deathly pale, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
He casually spurred his horse, riding freely without ever looking back.
*
Yan Dibai used his bow to clear away the thorns and weeds blocking his way and followed the path that Yang Liuqing had taken.
I can't say whether I'm in a good or bad mood, I just don't want to be with stupid women.
He held a blade of grass in his hand and circled it twice, but couldn't find a way out.
...Yang Liuqing never returned. He crossed his arms.
There are wolves in the western suburbs. It's late now, could it be—
Yan Dibai suddenly threw down the grass, his face inexplicably darkening. He dismounted and searched around again, but still found no trace of him.
Just as he was inexplicably getting angry, a tiny red dot on a tree to his right caught Yan Dibai's eye.
Yan Dibai gripped the horsewhip and went up to take a look, only to discover to his astonishment that it was a red bean embedded in the bark of an old tree.
Complete and not covered in much dust.
Where did the red beans come from in the forest?
He lowered his eyes and reached out to break the beans off.
*
Yang Liuqing, clutching the last ten or so beans, sat on the old tree root and took a break for a while.
I made some marks along the way, so I'm not worried about not being able to get back. I just didn't expect the rest time to go by so quickly; it'll be at least a few miles to walk back to find those two.
She leaned against the tree, resting her chin on her hand and letting out a sigh of relief. Then, looking at the dusty little purse in her hand, she rubbed her temples again, feeling a headache coming on.
I originally planned to use these to make porridge to appease Yan Dibai.
He could have expressed his feelings regardless of whether he liked it or not, it's a pity.
She felt deeply sorry for the food supplies.
As darkness was about to fall completely, Qingqing carefully tied her purse and put it in her bosom. Patting her heavy legs, she got up and prepared to return home.
Unexpectedly, a blinding silver light suddenly pierced the air, causing Qingqing's pupils to tremble. An arrow shot from an unknown location, just grazing her falling hair before slamming into the old tree behind her.
A strand of hair was cut off and fell silently onto her shoulder.
She froze on the spot.
Just then, she heard a rustling sound all around, the sound of horses' hooves growing closer. In the blink of an eye, a tall, magnificent horse suddenly appeared directly in front of her. The man on horseback was handsome and resolute, nocking his bow to shoot another arrow.
"grown ups--!"
Xiao Yuanjing slowed his bow draw and looked again, his brows furrowing.
It is indeed a person.
The girl's slender figure was not very noticeable in the darkening twilight, and at first glance, she resembled a fawn with its hooves raised. It's no wonder he mistook her for someone else.
However, as Xiao Yuanjing spurred his horse forward two steps, his slightly relieved mood instantly soured.
The woman who was staring intently at him was none other than the favored maidservant of the young emperor.
Xiao Yuanjing's eyes flashed with a cold light.
He didn't know much about this woman.
He was usually so busy that he often had no time to pay attention to his younger sister. If it weren't for his spies in the palace constantly reporting matters big and small to Chen Mian, and Chen Mian mentioning her briefly when discussing important matters, this maid surnamed Yang would never have left an impression on him.
It's strange.
In Yuan Shu's letter, the young emperor treated her very specially, promoting her rank in less than half a year. Although he both punished and rewarded her, he never actually killed her and instead doted on her more and more. On his way here last night, he heard that the young emperor allowed her to wander around the palace wearing the dragon robe, which shocked even someone as composed as him.
Xiao Yuanjing was naturally wary of the maid, but also curious about her appearance, which could bewitch the emperor who possessed all the beauties in the world.
But seeing her sitting in front of all sorts of beauties today, I couldn't find her outstanding at all.
Yet when the young emperor looked at her, his eyes were filled with tenderness, as if he wanted to tie her to his body... This change in his preferences was truly unpredictable.
Yuan Shu had no one to reason with about being neglected.
Xiao Yuanjing put down his bow and asked:
"You can see His Majesty."
She immediately pointed out the direction: "Go southeast, and you'll find Shu Cai there."
He turned away, thoroughly unwilling to acknowledge the woman. Seeing him about to leave, Yang Liuqing hurriedly chased after him a few steps.
"grown ups!"
The young man glanced sideways as the girl, panting, ran to his horse and stopped, suppressing the metallic taste rising in her throat as she asked, "Sir, you won't kill me?"
This question surprised Xiao Yuanjing, who then glanced at Yang Liuqing with a hint of doubt.
He looked up at his maid, who was covered in dust and looked disheveled. Her face was filthy, blurring her features. She didn't look like someone who should be receiving imperial favor...
Only a few scattered lights remained in the woods, just enough for him to see the girl's clear eyes.
Yang Liuqing swallowed hard, quietly encouraging herself.
“This vixen has bewitched the emperor and caused the lady to be unhappy for many days. If Your Excellency wishes to act on behalf of Heaven, you may kill this servant here and no one will know.”
"..." Xiao Yuanjing stared at the girl earnestly listing her crimes, and remained silent.
For a moment, he was speechless.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Yang Liuqing pursed her lips. She raised her hand and tucked a handful of stray hairs behind her ear on her right cheek, asking for the third time.
"What do you think, sir?"
She spoke without blinking, earnestly awaiting a response that would decide her fate.
Under the cover of night, an unarmed woman and a tall, muscular man.
This was the perfect opportunity for those in power to arbitrarily decide life and death.
As she said, even if she died, no one would know. Many in the palace hated her.
The leaves rustled, and the woman's voice was scattered by the wind. She stood there as if waiting for something.
A strange feeling suddenly arose in Xiao Yuanjing's heart.
"I won't kill you." After a moment, he finally broke through the barrier he had erected.
Yang Liuqing's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly stammered, "Why...?"
The young man turned his head away, his tone indifferent:
"You are just a woman."
She's just a woman; she can't stir up much trouble. At most, she might cause trouble in the inner palace, but that's far less capable than her fighting on the front lines.
Yang Liuqing's fluctuating emotions suddenly calmed down. "Does Your Excellency mean that women can't cause any major trouble?"
The young man glanced away, saying indifferently, "The root of the problem isn't you. Killing one of you will only bring hundreds or thousands more. I don't believe in any so-called witch causing national disaster; it's just..."
He paused, his meaning ambiguous: "...Just incompetent."
Incompetence, indeed. Is the king incompetent?
Yang Liuqing suddenly felt a little excited. Just as she felt a similar sense of joy, she quickly thought of the other side of the story.
Xiao Yuanjing was indeed a leader capable of achieving great things.
Unfortunately, he was not the target of her mission.
The ruler she was to serve was precisely the incompetent monarch whom Xiao Yuanjing had subtly mentioned. He was a cautionary tale.
I will pretend I did not know what you said today.
The sky was completely dark, with stars and moon taking turns shining. Xiao Yuanjing inexplicably felt that this woman was strange. However, the time had come, and there was no need to waste any more time. This conversation should not continue.
“I will not question you about why you ask such a question. Since you are clear-headed, you should stop thinking about taking shortcuts. I will not kill you, but if you really want to be falsely accused of committing crimes like Daji and Baosi, and do evil,” Xiao Yuanjing pulled out a clean, dust-free white handkerchief from his sleeve.
"I won't let him get away with this."
The handkerchief swayed and landed precisely in the girl's arms.
Yang Liuqing slowly grasped it, her gaze never leaving his face.
It was difficult to see the young man's expression in the darkness.
Xiao Yuanjing spoke first: "My arrow wounded you. I didn't bring any medicine, so this handkerchief is just a token of my apology."
Yang Liuqing belatedly touched her face and found her fingertips damp, leaving a small wet mark.
It turns out the arrow had been rubbed.
The horse snorted, and he turned to leave. Suddenly, "My lord!"
Yang Liuqing called him for the umpteenth time. Just as Xiao Yuanjing was about to frown, she revealed her entire face and, in the perfectly timed moonlight, gave him a hazy smile.
Her eyebrows were curved, her eyes were curved, and her lips were curved.
He lowered his gaze.
The girl's eyes sparkled: "The people of Longnan must really like you, sir, right?"
"..." Xiao Yuanjing's expression was subtle. Suddenly, he puffed out his chest and hummed in agreement, his pride not showing.
"yes."
Yang Liuqing chuckled and said, "As expected."
She rarely spoke loudly: "Thank you, sir."
He didn't answer, only nodded. He then spurred his horse to search for the person.
The fleeting encounter ended as soon as the day was over.
Qingqing carefully put the handkerchief away and wiped the wound inside her sleeve. It didn't hurt much; it must have been just a small cut.
She didn't care much about that; her thoughts were still on Xiao Yuanjing, who had been gone for a while. She racked her brains, but couldn't find any reason why he was unfit for the throne.
wonderful.
In every aspect, Xiao Yuanjing was a chosen one.
As for Yan Dibai... never mind.
Yang Liuqing exhaled, intending to feel her way back to where she started, following the beans embedded in the path. Then she looked again; it was dark.
She was frustrated; how could she possibly see clearly? Yan Dibai and the others must be gone too.
...I was even more annoyed.
Why didn't I ask Xiao Yuanjing how he got here?
She ran around in circles twice, but couldn't find her way. Qingqing became discouraged and started to feel afraid. Tigers, wolves, wild dogs...snakes.
Staying here overnight might be risky. But no one would come looking for her specifically.
Slowly, she leaned back against the tree root where she had been sitting and stood on it, looking out.
The faint glow of flames indicates the hunting grounds.
Yang Liuqing was silent for a while, then looked up at the stars. Although she had only vaguely heard about the method of using stars to determine direction in short videos, she figured she might as well give it a try.
He nodded awkwardly, when a sneer reached his ears.
"You were laughing, weren't you? You were laughing so happily. Why aren't you laughing now?"
That familiar, pleasant yet sarcastic tone... Yan Dibai?
"His Majesty?"
A narrow shadow suddenly appeared behind her, and Yan Dibai looked at the astonished girl with undisguised laughter. His chest trembled repeatedly.
"I thought you were just a blockhead, but it turns out you just didn't see Xiao Yuanjing."
We were seen?!
Yang Liuqing was taken aback and uneasy. A bow lifted her chin. Its texture was cold and hard, not much warmer than ice.
She opened her mouth slightly in a bit of panic, immediately trying to explain. However, Yan Dibai didn't give her the chance. He chuckled:
"Or is it that you can't laugh because you see me?"
The boy's voice suddenly turned ferocious.
This woman is always putting on airs.
That's damn good.
That's absolutely damnable.
He restrained her, staring into her bewildered eyes, and curled his lips into a smile:
"I still hate you, as I always have."
*
The young emperor skipped the banquet and returned to the palace alone, acting as he pleased. The officials could say nothing, and could only take turns offering toasts to Xiao Yuanjing.
Xiao Yuanjing was distracted.
When I arrived just now, I only saw Yuan Shu with tears streaming down her face; the young emperor was nowhere to be seen. It seems he left with others beforehand.
He never saw the maid who had called out to him again, and felt a bit of unwarranted worry.
The wolves and tigers were too dangerous for her to withstand.
However, Xiao Yuanjing remained calm as he drank the wine that was about to reach his mouth.
The young emperor is fond of her and will surely send people to find her.
The trip to Jizhou cannot be delayed.
The bonfire roared, igniting the youthful ambition in their hearts.
The more brightly lit palace, however, was a scene of horrific fragmentation.
Yang Liuqing stood amidst these fragments.
After interrogation, Yan Dibai pinned a charge on her as "Xiao Yuanjing's spy," ordered palace maids to search her body, and even went to her courtyard to search for evidence.
The padded jacket was piled up at her feet, the purse was turned inside out, and a dozen or so beans were scattered everywhere. The handkerchief that Xiao Yuanjing had given her was even more shredded. The palace maid patted her body, which was only covered by her undergarments, again and again, and finally nodded.
"Your Majesty, there is nothing else."
Yan Dibai, sitting cross-legged on the couch smoking a leaf, let out a soft sigh, her phoenix eyes sweeping around with a flirtatious air. Hearing this, she granted them permission to leave.
There were only two people left in the hall.
Yang Liuqing hadn't changed her clothes, and her hair was still a mess. Her undergarments were loose, revealing glimpses of the slender figure of a fourteen-year-old girl.
The width of her clothes only served to accentuate her narrowness.
Very thin.
Yan Dibai saw this and couldn't help but feel disgusted.
How come she's even thinner than him?
It's like they've never had a full meal since they were born.
No, that's off-topic. His brows furrowed in a dark expression; he truly loathed her submissive, feigned demeanor to the extreme.
He really wanted to kill her.
Yan Dibai smiled and said, "How about Xiao Yuanjing? How about I give you to him as a concubine?"
Yang Liuqing remained silent, her body tense.
The best thing to do at this time is to keep quiet.
But Yan Dibai wouldn't let it go. He put down his pipe and walked around her. "The people of Longnan like him, and you like him too, don't you?"
"Yang Liuqing." The eerie words sent a chill down her spine.
"You're really interesting."
Yan Dibai suppressed his unseen displeasure. Suddenly, he reached out, separated two fingers, touched the corner of her lips, and lifted them upwards.
Yang Liuqing unconsciously pressed her brow. He immediately caught her expression, and with a chuckle, his strength increased.
"Smile, and I will grant your wish and marry you off to Xiao Yuanjing."
Her breathing quickened. What? Marry Xiao Yuanjing?
On the way back, Yang Liuqing nervously considered many possible solutions.
Yan Dibai's anger today was different from usual.
It is extremely complex.
He was prejudiced from the start, convinced that he liked Xiao Yuanjing and even wanted to join him.
Once this framework is established, it will be difficult to dispel doubts later. It may even leave a lasting impression on his mind.
Yang Liuqing thought it over and decided not to explain on the way. He was giving the other party some time to cool down. Sure enough, after returning to the palace, he went into a frenzy, swinging his bow and smashing things everywhere, even drawing his longsword.
The clash of sharp blades chilled the hearts of all who heard it.
But in the end, he didn't kill her. He kept his promise.
Yang Liuqing continued to endure, and finally, when Yan Dibai was a little tired and sat down to pour tea and drink water, she opened her mouth and said her first words since returning.
"I have no romantic feelings for Lord Xiao."
Yan Dibai thought to himself, "As expected, she clearly likes me."
Just as I was about to try and trick her again, Yang Liuqing said in a serious tone:
"I only envy the people of Longnan for having Lord Xiao."
"How dare you! Discuss politics so recklessly! Do you want to die?!"
Yan Dibai angrily rebuked, immediately about to smash the cup, "You say I'm inferior to him?"
"I didn't," she immediately denied.
"Everything we have now is not entirely due to His Majesty's doing. The people understand this, and so do I. It's just that I happened to meet Lord Xiao and, out of curiosity, asked him a question."
The cup was half-broken but didn't fall; Yan Dibai held it in his hand, unmoved.
"You still think I'm inferior to him."
Yang Liuqing paused, and then, surprisingly, she wasn't so terrified anymore. She sighed, "I just think that Your Majesty could do better than him."
The boy thought he had misheard.
"What did you say? The Emperor?" Yan Di laughed: "The Emperor is a tyrant!"
Decisive and resolute.
She was certain: "No, Your Majesty can certainly do better. I've heard that Xiao Yuanjing comes from a humble background, not from an aristocratic family. Yet he has managed to hold onto Longnan and ensure the people's well-being. He must be an extraordinary person. Even if we take advantage of his ordinary circumstances, he can still be of use to Your Majesty."
"I once said that I wanted to be Your Majesty's subject, and that was not a lie."
Yan Dibai remained silent.
Huo Ran couldn't quite understand the girl in front of him. Was she really acting like a courtier offering advice?
Where does this confidence come from?
He propped his face up, convinced she was lying.
baffling.
He stared at her eyelashes for a while, vaguely recalling the image of her tears yesterday, and became slightly lost in thought.
Suddenly I didn't want to kill her anymore...
Keep it and play with it for a while longer, it won't hurt.
No, he still insisted: "Smile, and I'll consider whether I believe you or not."
Yang Liuqing: ...
Why are you so fixated on her smile?
Nothing special, nothing to see. But with the crisis slightly over, it's okay to make a fool of ourselves for fun.
She forced a smile, only to be met with an impatient "Ugly," so Qingqing tried to open her mouth even wider.
Before the ceremony could even begin, Wo Xue, returning from rounds, rushed in carrying something. Her expression was extremely solemn.
"Your Majesty, this woman has hidden a strange book under her bed!"
The package was opened, and a musty smell wafted out.
Yang Liuqing's newly settled heart suddenly sank back to the ceiling.
Oh no! It's a pamphlet that was confiscated from the Wende Hall!
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-08-31 23:13:31 and 2023-09-01 22:54:12!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Aurora 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 2 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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