Chapter 44 Osmanthus Dew: She wasn't his wife, she had no right to question him...
Upon hearing this, Gu Xi quickly got up from Xiao Heng's body. In fact, she had already woken up, but Xiao Heng kept pressing her down so that she wouldn't get up.
She quickly straightened her clothes and hair, and asked while touching her hair bun, "Your Majesty, please check if my makeup and hair are in order?"
Xiao Heng pulled her close, kissed her on the lips, and looked at her intently: "Very neat... Have you forgotten what I said? What should you call me?"
Gu Xi suddenly remembered what he had said last night. He said that their identities on this trip were the young master and his wife of a pharmacy in the capital, going to Jiangnan to purchase medicinal herbs. Because she was familiar with medical principles, it would be difficult for her to give herself away.
He also said... that in public she should call him "husband" or by his name.
Gu Xi hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Xiang...Xiang..." Before she could finish, her face was already flushed red. She gritted her teeth and decided to call him by his name, "Xiao...Xiao Heng?"
Xiao Heng continued staring at her and said, "That's not right."
Gu Xi looked up, puzzled, and asked, "Wait a minute? Then... Ah Heng?"
"Hmm." Xiao Heng smiled with satisfaction, then grabbed her and kissed her wildly, ruining her carefully arranged clothes and hair. He, on the other hand, got out of the car first.
Gu Xi hurriedly tidied herself up. When she got out of the car, everyone, including Xiao Heng, was waiting there. She was the only one who arrived late. The way her companions looked at her, with their deliberately evasive yet ambiguous gazes, made her feel embarrassed. She couldn't help but glare at Xiao Heng.
He acted as if he hadn't seen her, and led her into the tavern by the hand.
"Young Master, the person is already there." Zhao Fuquan, no, he should be called Steward Zhao now, led the way and brought them to a private room.
Inside the private room, a man dressed in a plain white robe sat with his back to the door, toying with a white porcelain wine cup in his hand, his knuckles gently stroking the glaze. Beside him stood four men dressed as guards, with swords at their waists, standing upright like pine trees.
Gu Xi felt that the person's back looked somewhat familiar. The person seemed to notice the movement and slowly turned around. When she saw his face clearly, Gu Xi's fingertips twitched slightly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master Bai...?"
That man was actually Bai Xingzhi!
Why is he here? Wasn't he supposed to be in Chanzhou managing the floods?
Gu Xi looked at Xiao Heng with a puzzled expression, but he did not explain. He simply pulled her down to sit.
Bai Xingzhi was momentarily stunned. The address "Young Master Bai" plunged him into his memories. His thoughts instantly returned to that snowy winter day a few months ago. Only when the smiling woman in his memory slowly overlapped with the face of the woman in front of him did he gradually pull himself out of it.
"Aheng, why is Young Master Bai here?" Gu Xi couldn't help but ask.
“I will explain why Xingzhi will be traveling with us this time later,” he suddenly remembered something and continued, “You can call him Xingzhi, just like I do, and you can address him however you like in public.”
Gu Xi nodded seriously.
She had a rough idea of what was going on. Bai Xingzhi's trip to Chanzhou was just a smokescreen. His real purpose was to make this trip. It seemed that Xiao Heng had something very important that Bai Xingzhi needed to resolve.
However, she felt a little uneasy because she had once told Bai Xingzhi... Although she had long since stopped liking him, she still felt somewhat guilty about the three of them traveling together. Fortunately, no one else knew about this except herself.
Then they told her that Bai Xingzhi was their distant cousin and was in charge of purchasing. The four guards were Xiao Heng's personal guards, named Wei Lin, Wei Ran, Lu Yong, and Lu Xiao. Gu Xi silently repeated their names in her mind.
During their conversation, Gu Xi felt that Xiao Heng and Bai Xingzhi were not like ruler and subject, but more like comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side for many years. She suddenly remembered the timing of Bai Xingzhi's appointment as prime minister, and perhaps Xiao Heng's ascension to the throne was also due to Bai Xingzhi's assistance.
After chatting for a while, the waiter interrupted their conversation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the dishes are served!"
"I just ordered a few things casually," Bai Xingzhi said casually, taking a sip of tea.
"Okay, let's eat first," Xiao Heng said.
As Zhu Yin helped Gu Xi set the table, she suddenly exclaimed with delight, "Miss, we actually have your favorite Osmanthus Dew and White Jade Dumplings here!"
"Really?" Gu Xi was equally surprised, then thought for a moment and said, "It wouldn't be surprising if it were, since this place isn't far from the capital."
"Let me try it quickly," she said eagerly, taking the small bowl from Zhuyin's hand. Her voice was full of joy. She had eaten white jade dumplings a few times since entering the palace, but she had never tried osmanthus ice dew. Just hearing the name made her mouth water. "It tastes the same." Gu Xi took a few bites and smiled until her eyes narrowed.
"You like it?" Xiao Heng's deep voice sounded as he looked at her satisfied expression, his eyes filled with deep emotion.
Gu Xi nodded repeatedly, then turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling, and asked, "Aheng, would you like to try some?"
Xiao Heng suddenly grabbed her hand, took a bite with the spoon in her hand, and said, "It tastes good."
Gu Xi stared at the spoon for a moment, then silently lowered her head and continued eating, her ear tips turning slightly red.
Bai Xingzhi ate as if no one else was around, seemingly completely unconcerned about the interaction between the two.
He simply felt that the tavern was not living up to its name; the food was bland and the tea was too strong and bitter.
After eating and drinking their fill, everyone was preparing to set off.
Xiao Heng suddenly called over the waiter and ordered, "Bring two more of those two desserts that were just served and pack them up to take away." He looked down at Gu Xi and said, "These are for you to eat on the way. It's so hot on the road, they'll be just right."
Gu Xi's face lit up with a smile upon hearing this.
The waiter glanced quickly at Bai Xingzhi, then stammered, "Sorry, sir, that's sold out for today."
Gu Xi was immediately disappointed.
Xiao Heng took her hand and comforted her, "It's alright, I'll come eat with you again after we return to the capital."
"Mmm," Gu Xi replied softly, her eyes lowered.
What followed was another long journey, and they stayed at a nearby inn for the night.
After bathing and changing, Xiao Heng held her in his arms on the bed. She suddenly felt less resistant to going on the tour. At least for this period of time, he belonged to her completely.
She even wished that the tour could last longer, much longer.
Gu Xi was lost in thought when Xiao Heng suddenly rolled over and pinned her beneath him. He lowered his head to kiss her, then asked in a hoarse voice in her ear, "Gu Xi, will you give yourself to me?"
He wanted her in the carriage today, and he's been holding back until now.
He pleaded pitifully, forgetting even to change his form of address.
Gu Xi simply shook her head.
"Why? You still won't forgive me?" There was a hint of frustration in his voice.
"No, Ah Heng... it's that..." Gu Xi said, her face flushed, "...I've had my period." Last night, Zhu Yin had repeatedly told her not to forget.
Xiao Heng was stunned for a moment, then let out a sigh, got off her, and continued to hold her.
"Young master, I have something to report." Butler Zhao suddenly knocked on the door.
After exchanging a few words with Zhao Fuquan outside the door, Xiao Heng returned to the room, kissed Gu Xi's forehead, and said, "I'll be back a little late tonight. You go to sleep first, don't wait for me."
After Xiao Heng left, Gu Xi tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. The unfamiliar environment and the discomfort of her period made her uneasy. She felt increasingly pathetic. Thinking back to when she used to travel with her senior brother to practice medicine, she could even sleep in a dilapidated temple. In just over half a year in the palace, she had become so spoiled.
Unable to sleep, she simply got out of bed to find Zhuyin.
"Zhuyin, are you asleep?" Gu Xi knocked on the door. Zhuyin and Cailian lived in the room.
"Miss, what brings you here?" The door opened, and Zhu Yin looked at Gu Xi in surprise at first, then asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Gu Xi shook her head and said, "I can't sleep, I want to talk to you."
"Young Madam," Cailian called out to her.
"Mm." Gu Xi replied with her eyes lowered. She had rarely spoken to Cai Lian these past few days. She wasn't angry with her, but she just didn't know how to face her.
Zhu Yin welcomed Gu Xi in and then closed the door.
After chatting for a while, Zhu Yin suddenly asked hesitantly, "Miss, has the young master gone out?"
Gu Xi nodded, then looked at Zhu Yin with a puzzled expression, wondering why she suddenly asked about Xiao Heng's whereabouts.
"Zhuyin, do you know something?"
Zhu Yin hesitated for a moment before saying, "I think I just heard the guards say that the young master... he went to Ningxiang Garden." She was still debating whether to tell Gu Xi, but then Gu Xi came over, and she didn't want to hide it from her anymore.
Gu Xi asked somewhat blankly, "What is Ningxiang Garden?" But she already had the answer in her heart when she asked the question.
"It's that kind of place..." She had inquired and found that Ningxiangyuan was a famous brothel in the area.
After regaining her senses, Gu Xi asked uncertainly, "Zhu Yin, did you hear that right?" She didn't believe it; he wasn't that kind of person.
“Zhuyin didn’t mishear,” she affirmed.
After listening, Gu Xi didn't say anything and went back to her room to lie down on the bed.
Did he go because he couldn't...?
No, Zhao Fuquan just contacted him; he must be busy with something. She composed herself, forcing herself not to overthink things, and decided to ask him herself when he returned.
Gu Xi waited until midnight but he didn't return, and she became increasingly anxious.
In her half-awake state, she heard him return; his footsteps were very light, but she still woke up immediately.
Feeling him reach the bedside, she immediately sat up and reached out to hug him, but he dodged away and said, "Don't touch me!"
Gu Xi's hand hovered in mid-air, but her heart sank little by little. She smelled the scent of his perfume, mixed with various indescribable and nauseating odors.
"I'll go change my clothes first," Xiao Heng said quickly, seemingly realizing his lapse in composure.
"Hmm." Gu Xi lowered her hand, said nothing more, and lay down facing the wall.
She heard him showering, changing his clothes, and the sound of him approaching.
As he embraced her, she whispered, "Aheng, why are you home so late tonight?"
"Well, something came up and I was held up. Didn't I tell you not to wait for me?"
Gu Xi didn't say anything more.
The next day, the team that was originally scheduled to depart suddenly said that they would stay there for another day.
During the day, Gu Xi tested him several times, but Xiao Heng always evaded the questions with evasive answers.
She wanted to ask him directly, but she was just one of his many concubines; she wasn't his wife and had no right to question him.
She was afraid he would think she was jealous and get tired of her.
Xiao Heng went out again that night.
Gu Xi sat in her room, feeling increasingly sad and agitated. Finally, she couldn't sit still any longer and decided to go and see for herself.
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Author's Note: It seems like I've lost some readers after a few days of hiatus due to revisions [laughing and crying emoji]. I'll try to update daily again, keep it up!
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