Chapter 23: What good is being drunk and clever? It still falls into His Majesty's hands...
As the sky was getting light, Xiao Chengjing woke up from his desk.
After sleeping all night, his whole body felt numb and sore.
Without bothering to stretch, he turned his head to look at Shu Yao who was lying on the couch.
Seeing that she was still sleeping soundly, her face was as peaceful as a crabapple in spring, and a soft smile appeared in her eyes.
He tiptoed out of the tent, lifting the curtain and seeing Zhao Yan standing outside.
Upon inquiry, it was discovered that one of Shen Yue's deputy generals was unwilling to sit and wait for death, so he killed Shen Yue at night, brought his head to the city and surrendered.
The morning breeze blew gently, causing Xiao Chengjing's sleeves to flutter slightly.
At this moment, joy surged in his chest, like a river bursting its banks, and the excitement was hard to calm down.
The ancestors of Liang State worked hard to govern the country, and what they sought was...
He, Xiao Chengjing, did it!
The thousands of miles of mountains and rivers beneath your feet have since become part of the territory of Liang State.
The wind and clouds are all under his control; the sun and the moon rotate according to his will.
Turning his head to look at the Panlong Golden Roof Tent, Xiao Chengjing waved Zhao Yan away and called Cui Jinzhong.
He whispered, "Move the carriage to the side of the tent."
Cui Jinzhong replied yes and hurried off to make arrangements.
He then entered the tent, supported Shu Yao's shoulders with one hand, and gently put his other hand around her knees, and carried her out of the tent.
She snuggled softly in his arms, her breath warm against his neck.
It was a state of complete dependence without any guard.
He weighed it over briefly and couldn't help but hold his arms tighter, bringing her closer to his chest.
When Cui Jinzhong saw this scene, he lowered his head and closed his eyes, not daring to look any longer.
But my heart is as clear as a mirror.
Xiao Chengjing walked very steadily and did not stumble at all when getting into the car.
The carriage moved forward slowly until it began to shake a little when the wheels ran over gravel.
Shu Yao only felt her body lighten, as if she was walking on the clouds.
In a panic, he grabbed the sleeve of his clothes.
The touch of the crisscrossing golden threads suddenly woke her up.
Her fingers trembled, and she suddenly loosened the gold brocade she was twisting, as if the dark pattern had burned her fingertips.
He straightened up quickly and turned around to meet a pair of calm eyes.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly bowed her head and apologized: "This humble servant has been disrespectful, I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
But the man's tone softened, as if with a hint of helplessness: "Jiang Qing... there's no need to be so wary of me."
No need to be so defensive?
Shu Yao forced a helpless smile and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. As the saying goes, a safe boat sails a thousand miles. This is my nature, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to change it for a while."
Perhaps, people are always more tolerant towards rare and difficult-to-tame exotic animals.
Such barbed words did not anger him.
He spoke gently, "I know you had a hard time when you were young. But now the situation has changed. Why do you always worry so much? Things in the world may not be as bad as you think." His tone was slow, as if he wanted to soothe the ripples in her heart.
Shu Yao sneered inwardly: What's the point if she can't decide whether it's acceptable or unacceptable?
But she didn't dare show it on her face. She just raised her eyes and looked at him with bright eyes: "Since Your Majesty says so... can you please show mercy and release Chuntao?"
Xiao Chengjing thought she would continue to be stubborn, but unexpectedly she took the opportunity to speak softly.
He chuckled slightly, his voice filled with helplessness: "When the time comes, you will naturally be able to see her."
Shu Yao pursed her lips and lowered her head: "Then your Majesty, I would like to thank you in advance."
The interior of the car was extremely quiet for a moment, with only the rumbling sound of the wheels rolling over the official road.
After a moment of silence, Shu Yao spoke again: "Your Majesty, where do you want to take me this time?"
After several exchanges of words, she had already mastered his way of speaking. Without waiting for him to repeat his old tricks, she added softly, "This time, Your Majesty, please do not question me again. I only want to listen to Your Majesty's instructions."
Xiao Chengjing did have this intention, and when she pointed it out, his eyes flashed with surprise. "You're quite clever." Then he raised the corner of his lips and laughed softly, "Go to the Liang Kingdom Palace. You are the Princess of Li Kingdom, how could I neglect you?"
Hearing that they were going to the temporary palace instead of the imperial palace, Shu Yao felt a little relieved and thought that the matter might still be able to be turned around.
She refused to be outdone, and said self-deprecatingly, "What good is cleverness? It still falls into your Majesty's hands. I'm afraid this little bit of cleverness only adds to your Majesty's amusement in capturing me."
Xiao Chengjing raised his eyebrows and laughed out loud: "Well said. It's really interesting."
Shu Yao fell silent in disappointment and turned her head to look out the window.
The carriage drove into a high-walled courtyard and finally stopped in front of a towering palace surrounded by guards.
Xiao Chengjing led Shu Yao into the palace.
The palace maids and eunuchs lined up on both sides to greet him bowed their heads and knelt to welcome him.
Although these palace maids were kneeling all along the way, to him they were no different from the painted screens in the corridor and the bronze cranes in front of the steps. They were just decorations in this palace.
Therefore, he didn't even look at them.
When he reached the depths of the palace, he glanced around and said to Shu Yao, "Jiang Qing, please stay here for a while."
Before he finished speaking, he walked away.
At night, Shu Yao tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.
She looked up at the dome's caisson and saw layers of golden colors interlaced, one on top of another.
I felt a tightness in my chest and a little breathless.
I couldn't sleep after all.
She stood up and called a little palace maid over.
Seeing the little palace maid standing at a loss beside the couch, she raised her eyes with some concern and asked softly, "Don't be afraid, can you get me a pot of wine?" She thought that maybe she could fall asleep if she got drunk.
The little palace maid looked embarrassed when she heard this and hesitated to answer.
Seeing this, Shu Yao gathered her hair and said, "I know you're in a difficult situation. How about asking Chief Steward Cui?"
The young palace maid then breathed a sigh of relief, answered yes, and hurried to find Cui Jinzhong.
Not long after, she came back carrying an engraved silver pot.
During these years since she traveled through time, Shu Yao has been living under someone else's roof and rarely drinks.
I just finished a pot of wine today and realized that this body can't handle alcohol.
The alcohol was taking effect and his cheeks were slightly hot.
Her throat choked, and she whispered with a thick nasal voice, mumbling vaguely: "Lu Bo... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked you to dig a tunnel... But even if you don't dig... we can still fight... Yuwen Zhao... you fool... why are you scolding me... just bear with it... Alas... it's no use to endure it... it's all useless..."
Seeing that she was becoming more and more confused, the young palace maid became worried and had to report it to Cui Jinzhong again.
Cui Jinzhong reported it to the emperor again.
Soon, Xiao Chengjing arrived walking on the moon.
Shu Yao sat on the footstool beside the bed, leaning against the bed.
In a daze, I saw a tall figure approaching.
She squinted her eyes with great effort, and after a long moment of searching, she softly hummed, "So... it's you..."
Normally, those eyes that were filled with vigilance and alienation were now hazy due to drunkenness, like black jade soaked in water, looking at Xiao Chengjing wetly.
"Do you know why I want to run away?" She smiled foolishly, stretched out her hand, and tentatively touched the wide sleeves hanging at his side with her fingertips. "A life of fine clothes and delicious food is good, but the fresh fruits of Minyue, the shrimps and fish of Bohai Sea, the game of Mobei... you can't eat them in the palace..." Seeing that he didn't dodge, she took advantage of the situation and grabbed her hand tightly, then pulled it back.
Her eyes suddenly lit up, and her tone rose, with a hint of unconscious naiveté: "Outside these palace walls, I can see the wind outside the Great Wall, the snow on the Ji River, and Mount Tai... wouldn't that be nice?" She changed the subject, her voice gradually lowering, and she even felt a little aggrieved. "What I want... is it really too much?"
Xiao Chengjing's gaze fell on the slender hand clutching his sleeve, and saw that her knuckles were slightly white due to the force, forming a sharp contrast with the dark material of the clothes.
It felt like something had hit my chest lightly. It didn't hurt, but there was an inexplicable soreness.
He sat down beside her and their eyes met.
Even though he knew she might not remember it after she sobered up, he still promised softly, "Thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, endless rivers and seas, one day, I will walk through them all with you."
She shook off his sleeve and snorted, "Who wants to wait until later! I want to go now!"
As he said this, he stretched out his index finger and, taking advantage of his drunken recklessness, poked him in the cheek.
When I touched it with my fingertips, I thought it was as cold and hard as jade, but it was unexpectedly warm and soft.
She frowned, as if admonishing a child, and said earnestly, "You are so beautiful, why are you still imitating others to make empty promises?"
Suddenly she retracted her hand, muttering with a stern face, "Don't think I don't know the bad things you did behind my back! I won't go with you. And..." At this point, she raised three fingers and shook them, a bit annoyed, "Why is my reward only three hundred taels of gold? Someone as important as me... the emperor's white moonlight... should deserve at least ten thousand taels of gold!"
Xiao Chengjing stared at her blushing cheeks and listened to her incoherent complaints.
Not only did he not feel offended, but he felt that her petty and arrogant look was a hundred times more vivid than when she pretended to be submissive.
He helped her lie down on the bed, and when her breathing became heavier and she fell into a deep sleep, he gently brushed away the loose hair on her forehead with his fingertips, as if comforting a furry kitten that had nowhere to escape.
Before leaving, he lowered his voice and instructed Cui Jinzhong: "Give her whatever she wants, no need to report it." Having said this, he paused slightly, and rubbed his fingertips subconsciously, as if he was still savoring the feeling of being touched on his cheek.
"Only one." His voice returned to its usual coldness and hardness. "She will never be allowed to take a single step out of the palace."
When Shu Yao woke up, it was already past noon.
The maidservant beside her saw her open her eyes and tiptoed to the bedside. With her brows lowered, she asked, "Madam, do you want to get up?"
Shu Yao nodded, but she didn't expect that this movement would bring back a hangover headache.
She hissed softly, frowned and rubbed her temples.
After a while, he finally fixed his gaze on the little maid's face: "Thank you for getting me some wine yesterday. What's your name?"
Several other palace maids brought her water and towels to help her wash up. The little palace maid replied softly, "My name is Yunxiu." Then she held up a stack of clothes.
Shu Yao looked at the pile of clothes.
The material of the dress is of pure and thick azure blue, and the patterns on it are not embroidered later, but are woven from the warp and weft.
Even with her limited knowledge of ancient times, she could sense that it was definitely not an ordinary item.
Seeing her examine it closely, Yunxiu flattered her, "This is the latest tribute of brocade from Moling. The silk thread is of the finest quality, and the gold thread is real gold. It's first beaten into foil, then twisted into silk, and woven into the cloth." As she spoke, she discreetly observed Shuyao's expression. "I heard that a brocade this wide and heavy would take two skilled weavers over a month, working day and night, to produce a single piece. It's worth... well over a hundred gold pieces."
"A hundred gold coins?" Shu Yao's hand, which was stroking the fabric, paused almost imperceptibly.
Then isn’t this dress the ancient version of haute couture?
The palace maid came forward to help her change her clothes.
The clothes are gorgeous, but when you put them on, you feel like you are being wrapped up and there is no escape.
Shu Yao felt a tightness in her chest.
Yuwen Zhao just said a few unpleasant words and then died of illness for unknown reasons.
She committed the serious crime of fleeing, but Xiao Chengjing provided her with fine clothes and food, and never said a harsh word to her.
This doesn't make sense.
After thinking for a moment, she asked Yunxiu, "Your Majesty, do you have any other instructions?"
Yunxiu glanced at Shuyao's expression and replied in a low voice, "Just saying... Madam, please rest in the palace and don't go out for the time being."
Although the words were said in a tactful way, Shu Yao understood that this was house arrest.
A small, self-deprecating smile played on his lips.
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I saw the baby's comment in the early morning, so I tried posting it in the middle of the night [let me know]
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