Chapter Sixteen: The two brothers drink together. Xiao Qingyan: I like her.
Zhao Yu did not leave Dali Temple until it was completely dark that day.
Outside the yamen, Xiao Qingyan waited for him by the horse in a very good mood.
Seeing this, Zhao Yu asked, "Why are you here?"
Xiao Qingyan: "Let's go, I'll find you for a drink."
The two rode their horses.
Compared to Xiao Qingyan's clear and bright appearance, Zhao Yu was acting very strangely today.
"He'an, does the Dali Temple have any difficult cases lately?"
Zhao Yu slowly exhaled and asked in a deep voice, "It's nothing. How is your brother?"
Xiao Qingyan laughed and said, "I was just about to tell you this. If you hadn't reminded me, my elder brother would have gone to that grain transport official's trap."
Unexpectedly, many Western Di assassins were lying in ambush at the banquet. Fortunately, the Crown Prince of Ding was prepared and secretly ambushed and captured them all.
"Only after investigating further did we discover that the grain transport official had long been bribed by the Western Di people."
Xiao Qingyan sneered: "The Western Di people's scheme even includes framing the imperial court for the crime of murdering my elder brother."
"The Western Di people are truly ambitious and treacherous."
After speaking, Xiao Qingyan paused, his expression turning serious.
The Western Di people were like that.
Was his father any different?
Xiao Qingyan's eyes dimmed.
Zhao Yu glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye and said calmly, "How is your father? The imperial army is invincible, and Uncle Ding only needs to guard the border."
He sensed the warning in Zhao Yu's words.
Xiao Qingyan's face was bitter. "I will remind my father to be careful."
Their back-and-forth exchange was full of hidden meanings.
Upon arriving at the tavern, the two dismounted.
Xiao Qingyan smiled and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's go have a drink."
Both of them were outstanding in appearance and had extraordinary temperament.
It was like a dark, deep abyss, inspiring fear and making one afraid to look directly at it.
Another is like a tall pine tree, with an upright posture and a free and unrestrained spirit.
Zhao Yu was preoccupied with something on his mind, and he drank cup after cup of wine.
Zhao Yu has always been respectful and cautious, so his current state is truly rare.
Xiao Qingyan frowned: "He'an, what exactly do you want?"
Zhao Yu shook his head, not intending to speak.
Xiao Qingyan had no choice but to start talking about his own affairs.
“He’an, I like her very much. I plan to tell my father and ask for her hand in marriage as soon as possible.”
"I can tell that she has feelings for me."
"However, she doesn't know who I am yet, so I hope I don't scare her."
"I'm taking her to see the lantern festival the day after tomorrow."
Zhao Yu hummed in agreement: "Mutual affection is the best thing."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Yu paused.
He and Chu Mian were never mutually in love.
When they first met, he was the one who fell in love at first sight.
The more he drank, the more sober he became, and Zhao Yu's cold gaze gradually darkened.
"I'm going back to my residence now."
Zhao Yu mounted his horse alone and returned to the Duke's mansion.
The servant waited at the door and relayed the Duke of Zhao's instructions.
It was too late at night, and Zhao Yu was reeking of alcohol, so he told his servant to tell him to come over the next morning.
Zhao Yu continued walking in, but suddenly a woman's figure appeared on the side path.
Zhao Yu withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, continuing his steps.
Qin Ruoyu gritted her teeth and had no choice but to call out to Zhao Yu, "Big Brother."
Zhao Yu paused, his deep, cold face revealing no emotion.
"What is it?"
Qin Ruoyu was dressed in purple, and she had subtly altered her waistline to make it appear even more slender.
She smiled sweetly: "Did you go drinking, brother?"
Zhao Yu frowned and was about to leave, passing Qin Ruoyu.
Qin Ruoyu's gaze changed slightly, and she quickly followed Zhao Yu. Suddenly, she twisted her ankle and fell towards Zhao Yu.
Zhao Yu was already impatient, so he directly used one hand to block Qin Ruoyu, even using too much force to push her to the other side and back a few steps.
Zhao Yu's eyes turned cold: "What are you doing here so late at night?"
Qin Ruoyu bit her lip. "Big brother, I was strolling around here with my sister Lingyao during the day. I think I dropped my hairpin here. What do you think I'm up to?"
As she spoke, Qin Ruoyu herself began to feel aggrieved.
The second patriarch of the Zhao family and the Duke of Zhao were born to the same mother and had a brother and sister.
The second master took his son to serve as an official in another region.
He left his wife and daughter, Zhao Lingyao, in Beijing.
Zhao Yu strode forward, ignoring him completely.
Qin Ruoyu watched Zhao Yu's retreating figure and couldn't help but stomp her foot.
Zhao Yu returned to the courtyard, and Guan Yan was surprised: "Master, you've been drinking?"
Zhao Yu: "Prepare water."
Zhao Yu entered the restroom, and only then did the effects of the alcohol begin to take hold. His eyes were no longer clear, and his swollen temples felt uncomfortable.
Zhao Yu leaned against the wooden tub, his brows furrowed. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see in his mind was that heartless face.
Suddenly, he clenched his fist, his fingers twitched slightly, but his palm felt empty.
Zhao Yu recalled the years after Xu Chumian's death.
When he returned home, he did not believe that it was Xu Chumian's body.
He had someone build an ice cellar, put his wife inside, and kept Xu Chumian company night after night.
On the surface, Xu Chumian's death seemed to have no impact on him, and even Zhao Yu himself thought so.
He couldn't accept Xu Chumian's passing from the bottom of his heart.
Until a torrential rain two months later.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down.
His wife was delicate and always afraid of thunder. He rushed back to Heyun Courtyard, but couldn't find Xu Chumian anywhere.
He fell into a coma during the downpour, and when he woke up, he was in a daze and went to the ice cellar.
Upon seeing the corpse, the long-suppressed grief finally erupted.
Since then, Zhao Yu's old ailment has recurred frequently.
He lived out the second half of his life without a ripple.
Xu Chumian's death was a somber moment in Zhao Yu's life, taking away all his joys and sorrows.
Zhao Yu opened his eyes. The bathroom reeked of alcohol. He put on his long robe and got up, his expression turning icy cold again.
There was a sudden noise outside.
"Miss Qin, the young master has important matters to attend to. Please return."
“When I came back just now, I saw that my elder brother was drunk. I had someone make some hangover soup. Young Master Guanyan, please take it to my elder brother.”
Guan Yan calmly declined, saying, "When the Crown Prince is handling official business, he does not see anyone."
After a pause, Guan Yan added another sentence.
"Including soup."
Qin Ruoyu bit her lip and forced a smile, saying, "I overstepped my bounds. I'll be more careful next time. I'll head back now."
Guan Yan smiled and said, "Miss Qin, please."
Qin Ruoyu's smile completely crumbled, and she hurriedly left.
Once the person had gone far away, Guan Yan hummed.
Not everyone is like Miss Xu, who can make the prince willingly bow down.
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