Chapter 80 Heart-Rending Waves "Even if I say no, you can't ask any more questions..."
After a bountiful autumn hunt, the emperor hosted a banquet at the Chengbi Palace beside Tongxin Lake.
Xue Chan and the others attended the banquet in the side hall. Yu Lang and Bao Jia sat at the head of the table, with Cheng Huaizhu and Xiao Yangjun sitting beside her.
There were only two people, one with her head down, slowly drinking wine, and the other casually glancing at the vegetables in the dishes. Xue Chan seemed to be in good spirits and had a great appetite.
Xue Chan slowly sipped the fruit wine in her glass, looking at Cheng Huaizhu. Her usual liveliness had vanished, replaced by a deep sense of girlish innocence.
Cheng Huaizhu frowned and sighed, putting the food she picked up back down before even bringing it to her mouth.
Xue Chan asked her, "What's wrong? You were fine during the day."
Cheng Huaizhu looked at her with a gloomy expression, both distressed and puzzled: "I don't know either, I'm just happy and unhappy at the same time. I wasn't like this before, I clearly love autumn the most."
Xue Chan chuckled and said, "After the banquet ends and we go back, I'll play checkers with you."
"Okay, okay!" Cheng Huaizhu perked up instantly. Xue Chan pushed the plate of crab-stuffed oranges on her table towards her, and she happily said, "Qiao Niang, I knew you would always give in to me. You always give me the crab meat you like."
Xue Chan smiled and said, "The crab is cold, so don't overindulge."
If it weren't for the banquet, Cheng Huaizhu would have already jumped into her arms and acted coquettishly.
Xue Chan chuckled and poured her a glass of wine.
Cheng Huaizhu's mood improved considerably, and Xue Chan finally raised her head to look in the direction where Cheng Huaizhu had been staring blankly.
Zheng Shaoyu was sitting diagonally across from me.
He was pouring himself a drink, looking dejected, and he didn't look happy at all from a distance.
Actually, he ran into Cheng Huaizhu today, but he didn't know why she always left whenever she saw him. He finally managed to run into her and asked her about it.
But Cheng Huaizhu said, "We're both grown up now, it's better to see each other less often, and besides, I'm not very happy to see you anyway."
Zheng Shaoyu couldn't understand. The two had known each other for several years, and every time they got together, they were always happy to play. They would give each other fun gifts and share interesting stories.
They were clearly rare playmates, so why did they have to drift apart just because they grew up? He always felt that these two people, who had met so often and clicked so well, were meant to be friends for a lifetime.
I won a prize in the polo match and wanted to give it to her to play with, but I didn't give it to her and got a good scolding for it.
She said she was unhappy to see her.
Zheng Shaoyu didn't understand why he was unhappy.
He was thinking for so long that he didn't even notice someone sitting next to him.
"You won the football match, so why are you still unhappy?"
Jiang Ce suddenly spoke up, and Zheng Shaoyu looked up and was startled when he saw what was happening.
His expression was strange; he held the wine glass, unsure whether to drink or not. His mouth opened and closed for a long time before he finally uttered a sentence.
"You... are quite flashy."
Jiang Ce's face darkened, and he said disdainfully, "Zheng Shaoyu, I've known for a long time that you have no taste."
Zheng Shaoyu forced a smile as he looked at Jiang Ce, who was as flamboyant as a butterfly: "Forget it, not just anyone can pull off your kind of taste. If I had that kind of taste, I would have been so ashamed and angry that I would have killed myself long ago."
Jiang Ce gave a forced smile, maintaining his handsome appearance: "You know it yourself."
Zheng Shaoyu: "Haha"
Jiang Ce pulled him out of his despair and asked, "This isn't your seat, why are you sitting here?"
Jiang Ce paused as he brought the wine to his lips, glancing at him.
"Oh, I see." Zheng Shaoyu glanced at Xue Chan across from him, stroked his chin, looked Jiang Ce up and down, and said, "Miss Xue is really unlucky, having to face you every day."
Jiang Ce looked at him and curled his lips into a smile: "What are you saying?"
Zheng Shaoyu turned his head away, pretending not to see. Xue Chan, who was sitting opposite him at the banquet, had just finished drinking a cup of wine. When she looked up, she saw Jiang Ce coming from the head table and sitting next to Zheng Shaoyu.
He was so eye-catching that people at the table kept glancing at him.
But that person just rested his chin on his hand and smiled at Xue Chan.
Zheng Shaoyu looked at Jiang Ce, whose every eyebrow seemed to be conveying emotion, speechless, and silently moved a little further away.
Could this person be any more flamboyant?
Xue Chan thought: Sure, there's always room for more ostentation.
Cheng Huaizhu and Xiao Yangjun had somehow gotten closer to each other, their hands clasped together, as they looked at Xue Chan with suppressed smiles.
Xue Chan's forehead twitched. She wanted to turn her face away, but she was afraid that Jiang Ce would misunderstand and complain. However, she couldn't bear to look at him for too long, so she could only pour herself another glass of wine and drink it down in one gulp.
Why do I feel this familiar awkwardness?
She was still smiling, but the smile froze on her face, and her hands under the table were almost digging through the table leg.
Yu Lang held his wine glass, staring at Xue Chan and Jiang Ce, seemingly lost in thought.
Baojia, standing beside her, said, "Speaking of which, sister and Jiang Erlang are not only related by blood but also have a bond."
Yu Lang glanced at Jiang Ce, who was displaying his feathers like a peacock, and his breath hitched.
She couldn't bear to look and closed her eyes.
"He doesn't even deserve it?"
Xue Chan had drunk a bit too much, and her face was burning. She informed Cheng Huaizhu and Xiao Yangjun, then quietly left the palace with Yun Sheng and Chu Tao.
Seeing her leave, Jiang Ce immediately got up and also left the hall.
As he emerged from the Chengbi Palace, a cool breeze greeted him, carrying wisps of sweet osmanthus fragrance.
Jiang Ce's purpose was clear: he had come out to find Xue Chan. Ever since Xue Chan had explicitly accepted him on the day of the Qixi Festival, he had always wanted to see her more often and get closer to her. Although the wedding was approaching, he tried his best to restrain the urge to see Xue Chan frequently.
Since the polo match and the autumn hunt, it has been four hours since I last saw her.
He wasn't afraid of rumors or trouble, but he didn't want to cause trouble for Xue Chan.
I just wanted to be able to say a few words to her, to see her smile, even if it was from afar.
Jiang Ce saw Xue Chan and her two maids carrying lanterns heading towards the lake, so he strode after them. He had just descended the stone steps and crossed the bridge when he saw Xue Chan standing by the water, distributing wine.
He laughed and was about to quicken his pace to go down the bridge when he suddenly saw someone walking towards Xue Chan.
Jiang Ce squinted and saw that it was Shen Zhe.
He slammed his fist on the stone railing, gritting his teeth.
If I had known, I shouldn't have lent him the bow!
Jiang Ce stood on the other side watching the two. They were not close. After Xue Chan turned around, she deliberately took two steps back. Yun Sheng and Chu Tao each held a lantern and stood in front of her.
Shen Zhe bowed to her and said something, and Xue Chan seemed to laugh.
Jiang Ce wanted to cross the bridge and pull Xue Chan away, but he was afraid that if he got too close, Xue Chan would think he was petty. So he could only stand behind the tree and try to listen to what the two were saying.
However, the chirping of hibernating insects was clear and long, the water under the bridge murmured, and the sounds of zithers, lutes, drums, and sheng drifted from the Chengbi Palace, all mixed together and became somewhat difficult to hear clearly.
He saw Shen Zhe hand something to Xue Chan, then bow deeply to her and say something like, "I will definitely pay a visit to Lady Xue another day."
Jiang Ce immediately became alert.
Well, he hasn't even called his father-in-law yet, and this guy is already rushing to come knocking.
After Chen Zhe left, he kicked a stone into the water and slid onto the bridge.
Xue Chan was about to turn back when she bumped into Jiang Ce on the bridge. He leaned lazily against the bridge railing, a playful look on his face, and said with a smile, "Having a good chat, huh?"
Yun Sheng and Chu Tao exchanged a glance and smiled silently.
Xue Chan sensed the sarcasm in his words and found it quite amusing that he was smiling even though he was clearly angry.
She suddenly seemed less in a hurry to return to Chengbi Palace. With her eyebrows arched, eyes downcast, and lips curved, she said, "I suppose the Second Young Master is also slightly drunk and has come out for some fresh air. It's quite a coincidence that we met here."
Jiang Ce snorted: "There are just too many people I've run into by chance."
Xue Chan pursed her lips, suppressing a smile, and sighed, "I had hoped that our chance encounter would lead me to invite you for a stroll along the shores of Tongxin Lake, to enjoy the gentle breeze and bright moon together. However, it seems that the Second Young Master is not so willing, so I will not insist."
"Ahem," Jiang Ce immediately stood up straight and walked to her side. "I didn't say that. You're just making things up."
Xue Chan looked up at him, her eyes bright: "So I guessed wrong?"
Jiang Ce suddenly felt a little embarrassed, touched his nose, and his voice softened considerably.
Even if I said no, couldn't you have asked me a couple more times?
He became increasingly embarrassed as he spoke, his face burning red, and his voice became as soft as silk: "Who knows... I might just give in to your insistence."
After speaking haltingly, Jiang Ce lowered his head, wishing he could bury himself in the sand.
That's so dramatic, so incredibly dramatic. Will she find it annoying?
Unexpectedly, Xue Chan took two steps closer and asked him, "There's a lot of noise here. I didn't hear what the Second Young Master said."
Jiang Ce abruptly looked up, as if struck by lightning. She hadn't even heard those embarrassing words? Was he really going to say them again?
Seeing him hesitate, Xue Chan frowned and was about to leave.
Jiang Ce grabbed her sleeve and blurted out, "I said I want to take a walk with you!"
He regretted it as soon as he finished speaking, but Xue Chan had her back to him and couldn't see his expression, so he could only stand there and whisper weakly, "Is it okay?"
Xue Chan turned around, smiling gently: "Okay."
His wavering heart suddenly settled down and calmed down.
The two walked slowly along the lake shore. Their figures were illuminated by the hanging lanterns, casting long, gray shadows that swayed and seemed to drift apart.
When the wind blew, they overlapped and merged together again.
After giving away what he wanted to give, Shen Zhe breathed a sigh of relief. He headed towards Chengbi Palace to return to his seat, but ran into Yu Lang, who was looking at him with his arms crossed and a frown.
He bowed and said, "Greetings, Princess."
Yu Lang frowned and cut to the chase: "Didn't you know she was engaged? Didn't you know she's getting married next month?"
Shen Zhe was momentarily stunned by the two questions: "I know."
She suddenly became angry, feeling that this person was utterly ungrateful: "Since you know that, why did you even approach her? You just..."
He likes her that much? Even if it means marriage, he'd still try to steal her away?
But Yu Lang didn't ask, he just gave a sarcastic smile.
Shen Zhe finally realized what was happening and quickly explained, "Although I admire Miss Xue, I have no intention of coveting her. I also greatly admire the young and talented Commander Yu, and I think their marriage is a good match."
"Huh?" Yu Lang blinked and asked, "Then why...did you go to see her?"
Shen Zhe smiled and said, "I have admired Master Xue since I was young, and I have collected her paintings everywhere. Unfortunately, my painting skills are not good enough, so I have never dared to visit her. Who knew that Master Xue would come to the capital in the autumn? I have visited her many times, but I have never been able to meet her. This autumn hunt, I thought I could meet her, but Master Xue was either with His Majesty or invited away by other officials. Helpless, I could only go to Miss Xue. I did not expect it to lead to this misunderstanding. I am really sorry."
After saying that, he smiled with a hint of shyness and shame.
Yu Lang: "So you're going to..."
Shen Zhe said, "I am going to deliver a visiting card."
"A visiting card?"
"Yes, a visiting card."
Xue Chan took out the visiting card that Shen Zhe had given her from her sleeve and handed it to Jiang Ce to look at.
"He wanted me to give the visiting card to my father and ask if he would like to see him."
Jiang Ce held the visiting card, feeling both amused and relieved.
But then he remembered Xue Chan staring at Shen Zhe during the polo match and praising him, and his face fell again.
The night was still dark, and his muffled voice fell into Xue Chan's ear: "You...you admire him that much? You're always staring at him and praising him."
As Jiang Ce spoke, his clear voice gradually turned into one of resentment and grievance.
Xue Chan gently corrected, "I didn't keep praising her, it was just that one time."
Jiang Ce, hands on hips: "That's still a compliment!"
Xue Chan was amused by him and a mischievous thought popped into her head.
"Lord Shen writes well and rides a good horse. I can't ride a horse or play polo, so I naturally admire him."
Jiang Ce immediately replied, "But I can also ride horses and play polo, and I'm very good at it. What Chen Zhe can do, I can do, and what he can't do, I can also do."
"Besides..." He's clearly a good person, even better, but she still says, "You've never praised me..."
The two stopped, and he stood under the lamp.
Xue Chan smiled faintly and said, "I know you are very good. I saw everything during this autumn hunt and also learned one thing."
"What's up?"
He heard fish leaping out of the water, making a "pop" sound, followed by her very soft voice.
"The second young master is so handsome and dashing that he could be painted."
Feelings surged like a sudden wave, overwhelming and powerful. The shores of Tongxin Lake were so quiet that Jiang Ce could hear Xue Chan's heartbeat.
But it happened so fast, the sound was deafening.
Thump, thump.
But Xue Chan had already taken a few steps forward before Jiang Ce realized what was happening.
Ah, it was his own heartbeat.
He smiled, put his hands behind his back, and walked briskly to Xue Chan's side.
"You just said you can't ride a horse?"
"yes"
"Jiuhua Mountain has many gentle slopes, making it ideal for horseback riding. You can go to the Imperial Concubine and ask her for a horse, then have a palace servant or someone skilled in riding teach you. Isn't the Imperial Concubine a very good rider?"
Xue Chan smiled and said softly, "I don't need anyone to teach me."
Jiang Ce's heart skipped a beat, so she meant...
"Then... I'll teach you."
Xue Chan didn't respond at first, but soon after, she heard her voice again.
"OK"
Jiang Ce was overjoyed and turned to look at her, only to feel a sudden pain on his forehead.
"ah!"
Xue Chan was startled by the cry of pain, stopped and turned around to find that Jiang Ce had actually run headfirst into a tree.
He covered his face, which meant he must have been hit pretty hard, and he gasped for breath several times.
Xue Chan stepped forward: "Let me see."
Jiang Ce was already incredibly embarrassed and wouldn't let her see. If he didn't hide, she would directly see his blushing face and his disheveled appearance after the collision.
Xue Chan clutched his sleeve tightly, wanting to touch his face and look at it, but Jiang Ce desperately used his other sleeve to cover his face, saying, "Don't look, it's not pretty."
She found it both funny and helpless, and said, "It's just a bump, it's not like it won't heal. Besides, I can't just look at it and then call off the engagement, what are you afraid of?"
That's right, they're getting married next month.
Jiang Ce straightened up and slowly lowered his sleeves.
Xue Chan stood on tiptoe, leaning on his shoulders to look at the injury on his face. In the light, she could see that his forehead was only a little red and his face was covered with some wood chips.
"Don't worry, it looks great."
Jiang Ce then smiled somewhat embarrassedly.
Xue Chan gently wiped the wood chips off his face with a handkerchief, but her feet were sore from standing for so long that she slipped and almost fell into the lake.
Jiang Ce quickly pulled her back into his arms, and her face rested on his shoulder.
The dappled, dim light fell on the boy's face, and she could see his high nose bridge and slightly upturned eyes.
After staring at him for a long time, Jiang Ce felt the gaze and lowered his head.
She didn't turn her head away or flinch; she simply met his gaze quietly.
Their eyes met, a gentle breeze blew by the lake, and the boy's eyes shone with a soft, luminous light.
Once they were standing, Jiang Ce was about to let go of her, but Xue Chan unexpectedly climbed onto his shoulder and pressed down on him, her expression gentle and affectionate.
He always prided himself on being flamboyant and bold, but at this moment he was so nervous that he dared not move.
She was incredibly bold. Compared to him, she went too far.
She slowly tiptoed closer, and the two were almost touching ears.
The tassels on the girl's hairpin swayed in front of Jiang Ce's eyes, making him feel a little dizzy and lightheaded.
He was so nervous he could barely move, yet he was also secretly excited by the anticipation.
So he simply closed his eyes.
The world was completely still.
Jiang Ce felt a breath rushing past the boy's ear, ruffling the stray hairs at his temples.
His heart trembled violently, and a tingling sensation traveled along his meridians to his fingertips, swaying and fluttering like willow branches in spring.
Xue Chan's voice was low and soft, like a gentle breeze caressing his ear.
"You smell so good."
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A note from the author:
Xiao Xue: Sweet and Pampering Mode (on)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
