Di Jinghan saw that the man in front of him was upright and had a faint, comfortable smile between his brows. His handsome and heroic face, judging from his attire, should be a military general.
Yes, the battle of Nanling has just ended, and he should be going to the palace to report back to his elder brother, the emperor.
Di Jinghan, usually an arrogant little princess in everyone's eyes, now had a slight blush on her porcelain-white face. Ning Hui looked at her princess in confusion, wondering why she was shy today. Then she looked at the handsome young general opposite her, who was covering his mouth with a handkerchief and lowering his head.
The princess's spring has finally arrived. Winter will soon be over too, how wonderful!
Di Jinghan sized up the man before her, while Li Yannian dared not stare at her, keeping his head down and waiting for his subordinate to return with the kitten. He stood quietly beneath the vermilion palace walls, his official robes blending seamlessly with the wall, a truly harmonious sight. Di Jinghan observed that he possessed rosy lips and white teeth, exuding masculinity, and his skin was a healthy pale yellow.
Having seen so many eunuchs in the palace, I've finally seen a decent man.
Thinking of this, Di Jinghan smiled knowingly and softened his tone: "May I ask who you are?"
Listening to Princess Changning's playful yet gentle voice, Li Yannian felt a surge of emotion. Coupled with the fleeting glimpse of the princess he had just caught, his feelings were even more extraordinary.
He suppressed the pounding in his heart and bowed respectfully: "Your Highness, I am Li Yannian, son of General Li Yan, the Protector of the Nation."
Di Jinghan smiled, nodded, and slowly approached the person in front of him, wanting to get a closer look at him.
Li Yannian appeared calm on the surface, but was actually very flustered inside. His hands, hidden under his wide sleeves, tightened slightly, and he tried his best to maintain a smile.
Looking at his nervous appearance, Di Jinghan thought he was really cute. Judging from his reaction, he was truly a pure-hearted man.
"Li Yannian, what a fine name."
Li Yannian's Adam's apple bobbed: "Thank you for the compliment, Princess."
For a moment, they were silent. Di Jinghan thought he was incredibly tall; even with his head bowed, she only reached his shoulder. His appearance was also very appealing to her, though he seemed somewhat introverted?
She was completely absorbed in watching it.
After a while, Li Yannian's two subordinates ran back carrying snowballs, followed by a group of palace servants and eunuchs.
Li Yannian breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his subordinate return: "Princess, your cat is back. You must keep a close eye on it from now on, so it doesn't get lost again."
Ning Hui took the kitten, held it in her arms, and gently stroked its fur.
Di Jinghan stepped forward, grabbed Xue Tuan's two paws, and scolded it: "Little Tuan Tuan, if you run around like this again, this princess won't take care of you! When your brother has the imperial kitchen make you into braised pork, then you'll know what fear is!"
After scolding it, Di Jinghan leaned closer and made a "fierce" expression before putting its two little paws down.
Snowball meowed several times in dissatisfaction, waving its short legs in Ning Hui's arms.
Li Yannian watched the interaction between the girl and the cat, a smile creeping onto his lips. This princess was truly adorable, playing so enthusiastically with a kitten.
"Your Highness, I shall take my leave now," Li Yannian said at the opportune moment, his smile fading.
Di Jinghan turned around and met Li Yannian's gaze again. The two stared at each other for a moment before Di Jinghan looked away first and awkwardly flicked her handkerchief.
"Um... well, I've also found my kitten. Thank you, General Li."
The palace maids, Ning Hui'e, exchanging bewildered glances upon hearing their princess utter "thank you" for the first time. They couldn't help but glance at Li Yannian a few more times, wondering just who this man was!
Li Yannian felt a warmth in his heart as he watched her unintentionally reveal her girlish demeanor.
Finally, all thoughts settled in his mind: "This humble subject shall take his leave."
Li Yannian's tall and straight figure disappeared at the end of the palace road. Di Jinghan withdrew her gaze, rolled up her handkerchief, gently bit her lower lip, and her eyes were full of soft light.
Ning Hui smiled kindly as she looked at her eldest princess, who seemed completely captivated. She'd heard that General Li was a good man; he'd saved the Emperor during his southern tour when the Emperor was assassinated, and now he seemed quite righteous. Not bad at all.
As Li Yannian turned around at the end of the palace road, he subconsciously glanced back at the woman's slender and charming figure slowly disappearing.
——
In the Grand Secretary's residence, Mu Wanyu had been sitting blankly on the bed lately, neither eating nor drinking, her face expressionless, her whole being radiating sorrow. Her eyes were incredibly red and swollen, her long hair was disheveled on the blankets, and a few strands clung to her cheeks, making her look utterly pitiful.
She often sat there motionless, remaining still no matter who came in, occasionally shedding tears and letting them soak her clothes.
Outside the room, servants stood guard anxiously, and the Grand Secretary would come to the Lan Garden to keep watch whenever he had nothing to do. Mu Wanyu didn't want to see anyone, but he had to keep watch.
Night falls—
Mu Wanyu remained seated on the bed, motionless. Voices could be heard outside, but no one entered. Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in the room, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Miss Mu," the man called out to her, his voice filled with complex emotions that he himself could not quite explain.
He had already set off back to Beixiang, but as he rode on horseback, he kept thinking of the days and nights they spent together; she had saved him. Later, she was tragically sent to Yang Mingyue's bed, and he never knew who had done it.
However, whenever he thought of their time together and her pitiful, tearful appearance, he felt that leaving like this was too cold and heartless. So, he disguised himself and returned, also taking care of some matters in Xijing.
Mu Wanyu did not react; her tears continued to flow.
Liu Xinqi frowned, unsure how to comfort her, and stood quietly by the bed. After all, it was always women who pleased him; he had never comforted a woman before.
What he didn't know was that the soul he had been with before and the soul he was facing now were two completely different people.
Mu Wanyu didn't even lift her eyelids, assuming it was someone else trying to persuade her to eat and take her medicine. So she closed her eyes, buried herself in the blankets, and silently shed tears.
Liu Xinqi couldn't understand her behavior and didn't know what to do, so he could only awkwardly comfort her: "What's done is done. I heard you're in poor health, so it's better to let it go as soon as possible."
"If you need any help in the future, take this jade pendant to a temple ten miles outside the capital and find me."
Liu Xinqi sighed helplessly, placed his personal jade pendant with a dragon pattern on the bedside, took a deep look at her back, and then slipped away.
After Liu Xinqi left, Mu Wanyu slowly got out of bed, recalling the unfamiliar voice from earlier. Could this man be the man saved by another consciousness?
She stared intently at the fine Hetian jade pendant carved with dragon patterns, a glint of shrewdness and calculation flashing in her eyes. All those who had harmed her must die!
He reached out and grabbed the jade pendant, a strange smile appearing on his previously pale and numb face.
This is no ordinary person she saved! The person who invaded her body has finally done something useful.
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