Chapter 74 Red Silk Fills the Sky "Oh no! You were originally mine!"...
The door was suddenly pushed open, and Gu Xi instinctively shrank back. After seeing who it was, she felt relieved.
"Miss, you're awake?" Zhu Yin came in carrying breakfast.
"Zhuyin, where is this place?"
Zhu Yin placed the breakfast on the table and walked towards Gu Xi's bedside. "Miss, this seems to be the Sixth Prince's residence."
She woke up earlier than Gu Xi and was also startled when she woke up. She saw two maids guarding outside the door, so she asked them what was wrong. They were the ones who brought her breakfast.
Gu Xi exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Che's residence?!" She frowned and asked, "Why are we here?"
Zhu Yin shook her head. "I don't know either."
She asked the two maids, but they didn't say anything. They only told them to stay there and that the Sixth Prince would be there soon.
No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a knock on the door.
Gu Xi and Zhu Yin exchanged glances, then called out, "Come in!"
The door was pushed open, and the person who entered was Xiao Che!
"Xiao Xi, you're awake?" Xiao Che strode towards Gu Xi with a warm smile on his face.
Zhu Yin quickly stepped aside.
Gu Xi asked in surprise, "Brother Che? Where am I?"
Xiao Che sat down on the edge of the bed. "This is my royal residence. It will be yours from now on."
That wasn't what Gu Xi wanted to ask. She frowned and continued, "Why am I here?"
Xiao Che didn't answer her question. He stared at Gu Xi's face and said, "Xiao Xi, you've lost weight," his eyes full of tenderness. "Were you having a hard time in the palace?"
Gu Xi's eyes dimmed, but she still smiled and said, "No, I'm doing very well."
Xiao Che raised his hand and stroked Gu Xi's hair, just like when they were children. Gu Xi felt a little uncomfortable, but she didn't pull away, feeling that he was just treating her like a little sister.
"Xiao Xi, you don't need to hide it from me. Just stay here and I'll take good care of you."
Gu Xi panicked upon hearing this, "Brother Che, I can't stay here, I want to go back!"
She was the emperor's concubine, and regardless of her relationship with Xiao Heng, she could not live in Xiao Che's residence.
Xiao Che suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, and said in a hoarse voice, "Xiao Xi, be good."
Gu Xi tensed up, and after realizing what was happening, she quickly pushed him away.
Although they are as close as siblings, they are not really siblings, and such behavior is really impolite.
Gu Xi was still in a daze when someone outside suddenly announced, "Your Highness, Consort Xu has arrived."
Xiao Che's face darkened, and he turned to Gu Xi and said softly, "Xiao Xi, wait for me a moment, I'll be back soon." After saying that, he got up and left.
Xiao Che strode to the front yard, where Consort Xu was waiting anxiously.
As soon as Consort Xu saw Xiao Che, she immediately shouted, "A-Che! Do you know what you're doing!"
Xiao Che clenched his fists and walked up to her, his eyes filled with stubbornness. "Mother, from childhood to adulthood you said you wouldn't fight for anything, so I won't fight for anything. I just want a little Xi!"
He had no interest in the throne; he only wanted to stay by her side every day and didn't want to be bound by that status, forcing her to compete for favor with others, just like her mother.
Consort Xu frowned, her voice urgent and angry, "But she is now your brother's concubine!"
She never imagined that Xiao Che's obsession with Gu Xi was so deep that he dared to steal her directly from the palace. If it weren't for the old man in the Prince's mansion secretly coming to tell her, she would never have known that he had done such a rebellious thing!
"But my brother doesn't love her at all!" Xiao Che's voice suddenly rose, filled with resentment.
Otherwise, why would they treat her like this?
That day at the banquet, when he saw her having to face the false accusations alone, when he saw her playing that sad tune with tears streaming down her face, you can imagine how heartbroken he was!
"How do you know he doesn't love her?" Consort Xu's expression was sharp, her voice carrying a warning. "Send her back before your brother finds out!"
That day, when she went to the Gu family, Su Jinhe told her that she had sent Gu Xi a letter before Gu Xi entered the palace, but she had not received it. She had a vague suspicion that the emperor had probably already taken a liking to Gu Xi.
Although she didn't know the reason, he would never simply hand over Gu Xi to Xiao Che.
Xiao Che's jaw tightened, and he said slowly and deliberately, "I cannot comply! Mother, please return!" Without waiting for Consort Xu's reaction, he strode towards the inner courtyard.
Xiao Che returned to Gu Xi's room and had a meal with her.
Gu Xi was filled with anxiety, still not understanding what had happened. "Brother Che, why did you bring me here? I want to go back."
Xiao Che avoided her question and placed a piece of osmanthus cake in Gu Xi's bowl. "Xiao Xi, try this. It's your favorite."
Gu Xi pursed her lips. "Can you let me go back after I finish eating?"
Xiao Che paused in his actions, looked into Gu Xi's eyes, and asked, "Xiao Xi, why do you insist on going back? Isn't it better to stay by my side?"
Gu Xi was stunned for a moment, her clear eyes filled with doubt and confusion. "Brother Che, what are you talking about? I am your imperial brother's concubine."
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat. Could it be that Xiao Che... had feelings for her?
No, no, they are siblings who grew up together since childhood.
Xiao Che's eyes darkened slightly. "Xiao Xi, after we finish our meal, I'll take you to see something."
Gu Xi finished her breakfast with a feeling of unease.
Xiao Che pulled her by the wrist and led her to a carved wooden door. Gu Xi could feel his fingertips trembling slightly, as if he were welcoming some important moment.
For some reason, her unease intensified.
Xiao Che pushed open the door, and a scene of red silk filling the sky instantly came into view.
Inside the room hung large red palace lanterns, and on the table were pairs of dragon and phoenix candles. The bed was covered with a brocade quilt embroidered with twin lotus flowers, and two sets of bright red wedding clothes hung on a golden clothes rack next to it.
There were also sugar figurines all over the room, some of them rabbits, some of them double carp, all shapes that she loved when she was a child.
Xiao Che led her to the wedding dress and asked, "Xiao Xi, do you like this wedding dress?"
He chose it according to her preferences; he had wanted her to choose for herself, but she didn't have the chance.
He then pointed to the sugar figurines, "And look at these sugar figurines, they're all your favorites. When we were little, you loved giving me sugar figurines."
Gu Xi was shocked and took two steps back. "Brother Che, what are you trying to do!"
Xiao Che took two steps forward and pulled her into his arms again. His voice was hoarse, yet filled with a hint of expectation, "Xiao Xi, shall we get married today?"
Gu Xi was terrified upon hearing this. She pushed Xiao Che away abruptly and asked in a trembling voice, "Brother Che, what nonsense are you talking about!"
Xiao Che looked intently at Gu Xi and called out towards the door, "Someone come here!"
Four maids pushed open the door and led Gu Xi behind a screen, forcibly changing her into a wedding dress.
When she came out, she found that Xiao Che had also changed into his wedding clothes. Gu Xi looked at him with a look of panic.
Xiao Che stared intently at Gu Xi, whose heart was in her throat. She glanced at the doorway, wanting to run away.
She had just taken a step when Xiao Che appeared in front of her and lifted her up in his arms. Gu Xi wanted to struggle but dared not use too much force, for fear of hurting the baby.
Xiao Che carried Gu Xi to the bed, supporting himself on the bed with one hand and loosening her hair with the other. He ran his fingertips through her hair, looked down at her, and said in a hoarse voice, "Little Xi, do you know how long I've been preparing for all of this? I had already planned it before I went to war. When I returned victorious, I would ask you for your hand in marriage."
Gu Xi was tense all over, her voice trembling, "Brother Che, please let me go."
"No! You were originally mine!" Xiao Che's eyes were bloodshot, filled with resentment and stubbornness. "It was my brother, he deliberately sent me to war, he tricked me and took you away from me!"
He knew perfectly well that Gu Xi was in love with him, yet he still deliberately stole the woman he loved, and then he didn't treat her well after taking her away.
Gu Xi looked at him with surprise and fear, not understanding what he meant.
Wasn't her entry into the palace an accident?
Before Gu Xi could figure it out, Xiao Che continued, "Xiao Xi, don't be afraid, I won't hurt the child." His fingertips ran through her hair again and again. "After the child is born, I will raise him with you. I will treat him as my own."
The doctor from the Prince's mansion has already examined her. Although the child is not his, he will love any child that is hers.
"And your heart ailment, I will definitely find the best doctor to treat you, as long as you don't leave me."
After saying that, the hand that was originally on her hair turned to cup Gu Xi's cheek and lowered his head to kiss her lips.
Gu Xi's hair stood on end. She pushed his shoulders away forcefully with both hands and said in a trembling voice, "Brother Che, no!"
Xiao Che paused for a moment, then restrained her hands that were pushing him away, raised them above her head, and lowered his head again.
Seeing that the kiss was about to fall, Gu Xi couldn't care less about anything else. She struggled desperately and shouted, "Brother Che, no! No!" Gu Xi cried out in fear, her voice choked with sobs, "You said you would protect Xiao Xi."
Xiao Che froze, staring intently at the tears in her eyes. The tears slid down her cheeks and into his palm, making him feel as if he had been scalded.
He had said that when she collapsed in the heavy snow that year, and he carried her step by step back to the Gu family home, he vowed that if she could wake up, he, Xiao Che, would protect her for the rest of his life.
But now, she no longer belongs to him, and he can no longer stand openly by her side.
He must get her back!
Xiao Che swallowed hard, wiped away the tears in her eyes with his fingertips, staggered up from the bed, looked at Gu Xi and said, "Xiao Xi, I will definitely make you forget your brother and fall in love with me."
Once free, Gu Xi quickly got out of bed, straightening her clothes while keeping a wary eye on him.
Xiao Che stared at her for a moment, then walked towards the door. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped. "Xiao Xi, don't worry about your brother anymore. He's barely able to take care of himself, let alone you."
Gu Xi was startled by his words. "What do you mean?"
“Now that the Empress Dowager, the Right Chancellor, the Imperial Concubine, and the State of Qi have joined forces, my brother is no match for them,” he paused, “and with the Left Chancellor dead, many officials in the court have suspended their duties because of this. No one is on his side, and the State of Sheng will soon change hands.”
Did Bai Xingzhi die?
Gu Xi suddenly felt a daze, her heart ached uncontrollably, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Did that gentle and refined man, who was aloof yet gave her all his tenderness, just die like that?
It took her a while to find her voice. She opened her mouth and said, "Brother Che, if you go and help him, I'll agree to be with you."
Anyway, she wouldn't live much longer, so it wouldn't matter where she was, and she knew Xiao Che wouldn't hurt her.
Xiao Che suddenly turned to face Gu Xi, his fists clenched and his eyes bloodshot: "Xiao Xi, do you love him that much?"
Gu Xi remained silent. Did she still love him?
I don't love you anymore.
She simply couldn't bear to let go of the man she had once loved so deeply, now utterly defeated.
Xiao Che looked at her dejectedly, his eyes filled with an unprecedented sense of humility and longing. "Xiao Xi, did you ever, even just a little bit, ever like me?"
Gu Xi lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and clutched her skirt tightly. After a long while, she finally moved her lips, "I'm sorry..." Her tone was full of apology and helplessness.
She never thought that Xiao Che liked her; she always thought that he only had brotherly and sisterly feelings for her.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Che closed his eyes briefly, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times. "I understand," he said, then turned and continued walking towards the door.
Gu Xi quickly took two steps forward and called out to him, her expression anxious, "Brother Che..."
Xiao Che stopped in his tracks, his eyes darkening, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips. "Xiao Xi, he is my imperial brother. I will not stand by and watch him die, but I will not use this to force you." His voice was steady and firm. "Besides, I am the sixth prince of this Sheng Kingdom... You can stay here with me. It's safer than in the palace."
-----------------------
Author's note: Another story has been completed! [Sprinkling flowers] It was so difficult! [Laughing and crying] There might be another update tonight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com