Chapter 21 Cooking While Wiping Away Tears: "Why are you smelling my shirt..."
Gu Shanyue blinked: "What are you doing?"
Qi Baitong kept her face down, her voice slightly hoarse: "Does the young lady still wish to practice her sword?"
"I'm not practicing anymore."
Gu Shanyue walked towards the main house. As he passed the lacquered white paulownia tree, he spoke again, "His Highness..."
Gu Shanyue stopped abruptly and turned to look at him.
Qi Baitong originally had something to say, but seeing Gu Shanyue's reaction, she didn't want to say it anymore.
Even if he didn't say anything, Gu Shanyue would still ask, "What's wrong with Yu'er?"
Qi Baitong shook his head and said only, "You care about His Highness very much."
"Of course, he is Yu'er."
Gu Shanyue spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Under the moonlight, her eyes were clear and bright, as if she would answer any question asked to her.
Qi Baitong couldn't help but press further: "Are you kind to him only because of Lady Wu, or because of you...?"
Gu Shanyue waited a moment: "What about me?"
"Or do you still have feelings for him?" Qi Baitong spoke very quickly, as if a wolf was chasing her from the back of her throat.
Without hesitation, Gu Shanyue replied, "Both."
Qi Baitong felt a sudden sense of relief, but the breath she had been holding in was released in a mess, a bitter and chilling sensation seeping into her internal organs.
She was indeed interested in Li Yuheng.
Seeing that he was lost in thought and no longer speaking, Gu Shanyue turned around and went back into the house without paying much attention, saying, "I'm hungry, go cook."
Qi Baitong tightened his grip on the knife, his knuckles turning pale, and said in a hoarse voice, "...Okay."
She still needs him after all.
Although it's only temporary.
Qi Baitong was always quick. After Gu Shanyue rested for a while, the table was already full of food. Qi Baitong stood silently by the table and served her food.
Gu Shanyue invited, "Sit down and eat with us."
Qi Baitong lowered her eyes: "No, thank you."
Gu Shanyue raised her eyes and tapped her finger on the table: "Who said he would listen to you?"
Qi Baitong pursed her lips and sat down: "It's me."
"Eat," Gu Shanyue commanded curtly.
The two sat facing each other and ate. The soup, rice, and dishes suited Gu Shanyue's taste perfectly, and she ate with great relish.
Qi Baitong held the bowl, barely touching his chopsticks, only serving food and soup to Gu Shanyue.
It wasn't until Gu Shanyue and Xiangxiang had eaten two bowls that they looked up and realized the rice in Qi Baitong's bowl hadn't been touched.
"Why aren't you eating?" As she was speaking, Gu Shanyue noticed Qi Baitong's reddened eyes and asked in surprise, "Why are your eyes red?"
"I...I'm fine." Qi Baitong said in a low voice, turning her face away.
This doesn't look like anything's wrong at all.
"You weren't crying, were you?"
Gu Shanyue looked at the table full of dishes, then at his red-rimmed eyes, and couldn't help but imagine a scene: Qi Baitong, tall and thin, huddled in front of the stove, wiping away tears as he cooked...
What's wrong with you?
Qi Baitong's lips were slightly pursed, her eyelashes fluttering, glistening with moisture: "Did you like the food I... made?"
"I like it," Gu Shanyue answered without hesitation.
"That's enough," Qi Baitong's lips twitched, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, it's just that some soot from the stove got into my eyes."
It was a very flimsy reason, but Gu Shanyue believed it.
After all, she really couldn't imagine that Qi Baitong could remain calm even when applying medicine, so what could possibly make him hide away and cry secretly?
"Then be more careful next time."
"I will." Qi Baitong fell silent again.
After dinner, Gu Shanyue strolled around the courtyard, washed up, lay down on the bed, and just as she was about to fall asleep, she needed to go to the outhouse.
Gu Shanyue scratched her head and got up. As she passed through the courtyard, a dark figure was standing there, which startled her.
Gu Shanyue's squinting eyes snapped open instantly. It was Qi Baitong, who was standing with his back to her, showing only half of his face. He was holding a basin in one hand and picking up a wad of cloth in the other.
The color and luster of that fabric... it looks like the shirt she changed out of today.
Just as she was about to speak, she saw Qi Baitong slowly lower her head, her sharply defined profile getting closer and closer to the piece of fabric.
Gu Shanyue: "?"
What are you doing?
Qi Baitong froze instantly, slowly turning around, still holding her little shirt in her hand.
"girl……"
Gu Shanyue walked over and, in the thin moonlight, saw that the basin contained all the clothes she had changed out of that day. She asked, "Why are you holding my clothes?"
“I… I’ll give it to the maid who does the laundry.” Qi Baitong spoke, her voice hoarse, her face obscured by the backlight.
"It's so late, they must be asleep. Let's deliver it tomorrow," Gu Shanyue said.
“Okay,” Qi Baitong’s tense arms relaxed slightly, “Then I’ll put the dress away first.”
Just as he was about to turn and leave, Gu Shanyue suddenly called out to him, "Wait."
Qi Baitong's eyes flickered again: "Miss?"
Gu Shanyue stared intently at him, then brought her hand close to his slightly twitching fingers, sniffed them, and asked curiously, "It smells like a fragrance. Are you smelling this?"
Qi Baitong's pupils trembled, and he answered in a desperate, "...Yes."
"It's probably the smell of incense in the courtyard. If you like it, just ask a maid for it," Gu Shanyue said considerately.
I assumed he liked the scent of the incense and didn't think much of it.
Qi Baitong: "...Okay."
Gu Shanyue yawned and then went to the outhouse.
Qi Baitong stood there silently, watching her receding figure until she was out of sight, before looking down at the crumpled shirt clutched tightly in her hand.
After a long pause, he chuckled softly.
Sometimes, she can be incredibly slow to understand.
He almost felt that even if she and Li Yuheng were mutually in love, she could easily be tricked into having an affair.
Before she knew it, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was upon her. Gu Shanyue reluctantly put on the palace dress that Li Yuheng had sent her. It was beautiful, but rather cumbersome, with too many visible and hidden buttons. She had no patience and just haphazardly gathered it up, fastening a few buttons randomly.
The door opened, revealing her in a light gold palace dress, without any makeup, which made the elaborate palace attire appear fresh and lively.
Qi Baitong, who was waiting at the door, stared at her intently until Gu Shanyue showed a puzzled expression, at which point he suddenly turned his face away.
After a while, he took a deep breath, walked over and whispered, "Miss, let me help you tidy up."
Gu Shanyue nodded, calmly stretching out her hands, waiting for him to serve her.
Qi Baitong's lips curled up almost imperceptibly as she reached out and deftly flipped out each of the visible and hidden buttons, re-fastening the ones that were fastened incorrectly or missed.
He fastened her skirt, knelt on one knee, and meticulously adjusted the hem of her skirt.
This posture doesn't resemble that of a hidden master or bodyguard at all; it's more like that of a devoted servant.
But Gu Shanyue couldn't think of all that; to her, there was no difference between a bodyguard and a slave.
She appreciated Qi Baitong's care and took it for granted that she would boss him around.
Coincidentally, Qi Baitong did not feel humiliated either.
He liked being bossed around and used by her.
Even if his service occasionally crossed the line, Gu Shanyue was completely unaware, and even if she knew, she didn't care much. A strange harmony was inexplicably achieved between them.
Qi Baitong's fingers groped along the hem of her skirt, slipping down to fasten row after row of delicate pearl buttons.
Gu Shanyue, who had been looking at him listlessly, suddenly looked up and gazed out of the courtyard.
Qi Baitong's ears twitched, and he recognized the person's identity. He immediately quickened his pace, his fingers flying as he fastened all the buttons, and then stood up to the side.
He had just stood still when the courtyard gate creaked open, and Li Yuheng walked in.
Gu Shanyue blinked and looked back at Qi Baitong. Why did he suddenly move so fast?
“Sister, this dress suits you so well,” Li Yuheng said, circling Gu Shanyue before her eyes lit up. “You look just as good as Mother in it.”
Gu Shanyue's expression shifted slightly, then she shook her head: "Senior Sister looks beautiful."
“They all look good,” Li Yuheng smiled, taking her hand. “Let’s go.”
The two walked side by side, with Qi Baitong following silently behind. Before they even stepped out of the courtyard gate, Li Yuheng stopped and turned around: "Lord Qi, please wait. You don't need to follow me this time."
Qi Baitong raised his eyes and his gaze fell on Gu Shanyue.
Gu Shanyue frowned: "Why can't he come along?"
“Sister, the palace is well-defended. It would be disrespectful for us to bring secret guards into the palace,” Li Yuheng explained, his words reasonable and well-founded.
But Gu Shanyue is sometimes unreasonable, especially when it comes to the rules of this imperial city.
"Disrespect? Disrespect to whom? The Emperor?" Gu Shanyue sneered, her tone full of disdain. "I'm already sparing his life out of consideration for my senior sister. Does he even deserve my respect?"
Li Yuheng remained silent for a moment, then compromised, saying, "...Alright, sister can bring it if she wants."
Gu Shanyue was sometimes indifferent to everything, and at other times she was extremely stubborn. Li Yuheng’s years of experience with her told him that he could not go against her wishes at this time.
Li Yuheng glanced sideways at Qi Baitong, who had remained silent throughout, and said calmly, "Let's go, Lord Qi."
Qi Baitong lowered his eyes and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
The carriage swayed and rocked along the way. With Li Yuheng present, Qi Baitong naturally had no right to sit with Gu Shanyue. He rode his horse behind the carriage, traveling with Bai Yan.
He couldn't see what was happening inside the carriage, but he could hear Li Yuheng's laughter from time to time.
They must have gotten along very well.
Bai Yan couldn't help but sigh, "Even after two years apart, Your Highness's affection for Miss Yue has not diminished in the slightest."
Qi Baitong, holding the reins, said upon hearing this, "Even the imperial family has feelings."
Bai Yan paused slightly, sighed, and said nothing more.
Over the years, the story of the twin swords of Zhuoguang Mountain and the Li family father and son has been the subject of much speculation and controversy, an unprecedented event.
The affection between the imperial family and the emperor is so profound that it seems almost indifferent.
Just as Lady Wu was like that back then, so too is Lady Yue today.
With peace and quiet around him, Qi Baitong turned his gaze back to the carriage, staring at it even though he couldn't see anything.
Upon arriving at the palace, the carriage entered the palace gates, and Qi Baitong, Bai Yan, and others dismounted and followed.
When the carriage arrived at Taiwei Palace, Li Yuheng and Gu Shanyue got out and were led into the hall by palace servants.
But then trouble arose.
"Your Highness, this girl's sword..." The palace servant looked troubled.
Li Yuheng was not surprised and explained, "She is Gu Shanyue. My father issued an edict that Gu Shanyue may bring a sword into the palace."
When Gu Shanyue visited Wu Shanyu in the palace, she refused to remove her sword, so Emperor Yong granted her permission to bring it into the palace.
But as everyone knows, Gu Shanyue slaughtered his way through the palace, taking away Wu Shanyu's body and the five-year-old Li Yuheng. After this incident, can the old imperial edict still be considered valid?
The palace servant dared not make the decision and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, please wait a moment while I report back."
Li Yuheng calmly waved his hand: "Go."
Gu Shanyue didn't care at all. He patted Wugou at his waist and asked, "If the emperor doesn't allow me to enter the palace, will you still ask me to accompany him?"
Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss: "What does sister mean by this?"
"If you say so, I will venture into Taiwei Palace. Twelve years have passed; it's a good opportunity to see how much the palace guards have improved."
As Gu Shanyue spoke, a hint of eager anticipation shone in his eyes.
Li Yuheng was helpless. Everyone else feared the emperor like a tiger, but Gu Shanyue insisted on crossing the line of the imperial palace and disregarding everything in this palace city.
"What if Father Emperor allows it?"
"Then let's go in."
Gu Shanyue pursed her lips, looking as if she was really looking forward to Emperor Yong forbidding her from bringing a sword into the palace, so she could cause another scene.
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