Chapter 28: What happened to Chuntao? Was my gesture too harsh?
The dim morning light filtered through the gauze curtains, filtering in a layer of hazy pale gold.
Shu Yao woke up slowly, feeling sore all over.
There was a warm restraint around her waist, which turned out to be the man's arm. It was so heavy that she had difficulty breathing.
She tentatively poked his arm, but seeing no movement, she guessed he was still asleep.
He held his breath, hoping to take this opportunity to break free from the heavy arms.
Unexpectedly, just as she moved a little further away, the arm across her waist suddenly tightened and pulled her back into his arms.
The warm palm fits perfectly.
He had clearly woken up a long time ago.
Shu Yao frowned in annoyance and simply turned over, facing away from him.
Xiao Chengjing chuckled softly, his voice hoarse from just waking up: "What are you hiding for?" His breath brushed past her ear, causing her to shudder.
She hugged the quilt and said in a muffled voice, "My body hurts...I feel uncomfortable." The voice was wrapped in the quilt and sounded muffled.
He leaned in closer, rubbing his chin against her neck, his warm breath brushing against her skin: "Blame me, I was too impatient."
It looks like an apology, but it's actually showing off.
After hearing this, Shu Yao sneered coldly and refused to continue his conversation.
After finally waiting for Xiao Chengjing to leave, Shu Yao immediately threw back the quilt and forced herself to get up.
But her whole body seemed to be falling apart, and she hissed softly in pain.
She sat on the edge of the bed for a while, waiting for the discomfort to subside before she said, "Yunxiu. Prepare some water. I want to take a bath."
Yunxiu replied yes and went out briskly to make arrangements.
Soon, several young palace maids, under Yunxiu's instruction, prepared the fragrant dew and tested the water temperature.
Chuntao walked to the bedside holding a set of moon-white middle-length clothes.
A section of Shu Yao's jade-like neck was exposed from her loose collar, and a few faint traces of rouge were clearly reflected on her porcelain-white skin.
The hand that was handing over the clothes paused imperceptibly.
Suddenly I remembered what Manager Cui said before the ceremony yesterday.
"If we miss the time, I'm afraid Chuntao will have to take the blame on my behalf..."
If it weren't for her...
Maybe the girl wouldn't have to go through this...
Thinking of this, the hands that were tying Shu Yao's belt could no longer move nimbly.
"My Lady..." Chuntao lowered her head deeply, her voice choked with sobs. Every word she uttered was filled with burning remorse. "Did Chuntao... cause you any trouble?"
Shu Yao, who was adjusting her sleeves with her head down, was taken aback when she heard this, then interrupted her bluntly: "Don't think like that." She shook her head, forcing a helpless smile, her tone gentle but firm, "I'm just not as skilled as others, and I couldn't come up with a perfect solution." Finally, she looked directly at Chun Tao, her eyes as calm as water, "None of this is your fault, and it has nothing to do with you."
As soon as she finished speaking, she walked straight behind the screen, as if she couldn't wait even a moment longer.
Holding the edge of the bucket, she stepped carefully into the water.
The water was slightly hot, causing her toes to curl slightly.
She sat down slowly, the warmth spreading over her waist, then to her chest and abdomen, until her entire shoulders and neck sank into the water.
Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the edge of the bucket, feeling the long-accumulated sourness gradually ease.
I scooped up a handful of water and watched the water droplets slip through my fingers, creating ripples on the water surface.
She consoled herself: At least he's a powerful and handsome man, so it's not too bad.
After bathing, Yunxiu helped Shuyao out.
Shu Yao's legs were weak, so she had to lean most of her body on Yun Xiu's arms.
Every step she took felt like she was stepping on clouds, and Shu Yao gritted her teeth.
This is not a solution...
If this goes on every day, it would be difficult to even get out of bed, let alone escape.
Yunxiu helped her sit down in front of the dressing table.
Shu Yao picked up an ivory comb and combed her wet hair intermittently, her eyes were blank, not knowing where she was looking.
After a long while, she finally broke away from her laziness, turned her head slightly, and looked at Yunxiu. Her tone was deliberately gentle, mixed with a desire to compare with Qiao: "In this palace, besides the two at the enthronement ceremony, are there any other people?" She asked casually, but her eyes were always fixed on her, taking in every slightest reaction of Yunxiu.
Yunxiu was holding a soft cloth, carefully wiping the water droplets off the ends of her hair, her movements lightly and quickly.
Hearing this, she replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is diligent in government affairs and not fond of pleasure." Having said this, she quickly raised her eyes to glance at Shu Yao through her glasses and answered appropriately, "Except for you three, there are no other concubines in the palace."
Not good at enjoying yourself?
Shu Yao felt a little contemptuous.
The attitude last night didn't seem like he was not interested in enjoying himself.
"Oh?" She deliberately drew out her words, her fingers casually twirling a strand of wet hair that fell across her chest, as if it were just a casual conversation. "What are the names of those two sisters? What are their personalities...what are they like?"
Yunxiu raised her chin slightly, her eyes clear, "Your Majesty, the Xianfei's surname is Shen, and she is the granddaughter of Mr. Shen, the Imperial Secretary of the Hanlin Academy. The Defei's surname is Zhao, and she is the cousin of General Zhao, the Great General of the Nation." After a pause, she added, "You will be able to see them in two days after you move to the palace."
After hearing this, Shu Yao understood.
One comes from a civil service group, the other comes from a military family, and only she is a relative.
Yunxiu saw that she was lost in thought, thinking she was unhappy, and hurriedly said softly, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. His Majesty values you the most. Think about it, on the first night of the wedding, didn't His Majesty stay at..."
"Stop, stop, stop." Before Yunxiu could finish her words, Shu Yao quickly raised her hand and made a light move to stop her from speaking.
I couldn't help but hold my forehead and smile bitterly.
Yunxiu's classic lines from the palace fight only sounded disgusting to her.
The sun is getting higher.
Xiao Chengjing came back from court, took off his court clothes and changed into a set of indigo casual clothes.
As soon as I entered the hall, I saw Shu Yao leaning on a chair under the window, holding a book in one hand, while the other hand was always busy, sometimes pounding her lower back with a fist, and sometimes kneading her shoulders and neck with her fingers.
He couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips, slowly approached with light steps, and quietly stood behind her.
Then he leaned over and leaned close to her ear. His warm breath brushed against her ear and he asked softly, "Are you feeling better?"
Shu Yao was engrossed in reading, and was startled by his sudden question. Her hand trembled and the book almost fell.
He quickly calmed himself down and put the book on a small table beside him.
She turned around, put her hands on his shoulders to stop him from getting any closer, and said unhappily, "What does your Majesty think?"
Seeing her like this, Xiao Chengjing's smile deepened, and he deliberately asked, "Are you still angry with me?" Before he finished speaking, he put his hand on her shoulder and pinched it lightly.
Shu Yao felt as if she was scalded. She twisted her body and shook his hand away.
Xiao Chengjing paused in mid-air, his brows slightly furrowed. "What? Was my gesture too heavy?"
"No..." Shu Yao's ears felt slightly hot. She turned her head away, her voice unconsciously softening a little, "...It's a little itchy."
Xiao Chengjing saw the red spots on her neck gradually turning red, and he understood what was happening. Instead of retreating, he moved closer: "Really? Let me take a look."
Shu Yao was embarrassed and annoyed by this rogue behavior. She stood up suddenly and quickly took two steps back.
She used the most politically correct way of refusing that she could think of in ancient times: "Your Majesty! It's daytime now!"
The afternoon sun is at its brightest, filtering through the window and filling the room with light.
The two figures were stretched out and intertwined...
The cheek-burning noises in the hall gradually subsided.
Outside the hall, Chuntao subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
But my heart was beating faster and more violently than before.
The girl is the purest and proudest person in her heart.
Back in the State of Jin, there were tigers and wolves all around, but he managed to get through it safely.
Now, however...
She suddenly remembered the girl's words asking her to go with the envoy from the State of Li, and her heart sank as if a piece of iron had fallen on it.
The young lady must have anticipated this day...
But she was such a stupid girl that she didn't even hear it!
She felt like a huge sinner.
If it weren't for her, the girl would never have been controlled by Emperor Liang and ended up in this situation.
If she were gone, would the girl be able to harden her heart and find a way to escape?
Chuntao walked back to her residence in a daze, went straight to a big box, rummaged through it, and finally pulled out a piece of plain white silk.
That was the material she originally intended to use to make autumn clothes for the girl.
Dusk is falling.
There was an urgent matter from the previous dynasty, and Xiao Chengjing had to deal with it.
Shu Yao called Chuntao twice, but no familiar figure came near, only Yunxiu walked over lightly.
Shu Yao frowned slightly, feeling uneasy, and asked, "Where is Chuntao? Why can't I see her?"
Yunxiu replied in a low voice, "Chuntao is not feeling well and wants to take a day off. Seeing that she looks really bad, I took the initiative to let her rest first."
Shu Yao's heart tightened. Without thinking, she grabbed her coat and rushed out.
Bang.
She pushed open the half-open door.
In the dim light, Chuntao hung straight on the beam, like a strange talisman.
His head drooped limply.
There was a kicked-over embroidered cushion under his feet.
"Chun Tao!" Shu Yao rushed over and hugged Chun Tao's hanging legs, trying to lift Chun Tao down.
But when he looked up, Chuntao's pale face was very close, and the marks on her neck were getting deeper and deeper.
She couldn't help but scream, "Someone come! Someone come quickly——!"
Several eunuchs rushed over upon hearing the news.
They hurriedly untied Chuntao from the beam.
Shu Yao trembled her fingers and touched Chun Tao's nose, feeling a faint heat that could not be any weaker.
Only then did he collapse on the ground, as if he had been pardoned.
Chuntao's eyelids twitched, and she opened them with difficulty, and vaguely recognized Shuyao's figure.
There is no joy of surviving the disaster, only hatred for oneself.
Tears flowed silently.
Chuntao turned her face away, not daring to look directly at Shu Yao. She clutched the corner of the quilt with both hands and sobbed, "Miss... please go away... don't worry about me... you treated me so well... but I made you suffer such humiliation... I hurt you... I deserve to die..." As she spoke, she struggled to get up and kneel down.
Shu Yao held Chuntao's cold hand and took a deep breath.
Although her throat was choked with sobs, she forced out an unusually steady voice: "Silly girl, this little humiliation is not as important as your life." She stared at Chuntao's tear-stained face, "Even if you died today, what was supposed to happen would still happen. Your death won't change anything, it only makes me sad."
She raised her hand and wiped the tears from Chuntao's face, saying firmly, "I never thought this was your fault. You don't need to, and shouldn't, feel guilty about me."
"I understand that life in the palace is tough, especially for aliens like us..." Shu Yao sighed, her voice lowering. "It's understandable that you want to be free." She held Chuntao's arms with both hands, looking at her with a burning gaze. "You've been a hostage for fifteen years, and you've managed to endure it. Why can't you bear it now?"
"If you're determined to die, I won't stop you!" Her tone suddenly turned harsh, and every word was as sharp as a newly unsheathed sword. "But before that, you must think clearly about one thing—"
"Who did you die for? If you dare to say it was for me..." Her eyes were like torches, piercing Chun Tao's eyes. "You have to take responsibility for your own life. Don't try to push it onto me!"
Chuntao stared at her blankly, tears streaming down her face.
Seeing that her determination to die was gradually fading, Shu Yao felt a little relieved.
This silly girl shouldn't ask for death so easily again.
However, a crueler reality hit Shu Yao hard: it was a taboo in the palace for a palace maid to commit suicide.
There was such a big commotion just now, how many eyes saw it...
How should this end?
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The author has something to say: The escape plot will not begin until two more chapters [evil smile]
Let the hero show off for a while [Joker]
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