Chapter 5: The Reckless Man. He seemed very eager to marry her.
Isn't he reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors?
Jing Hui's shoulders trembled, and her already pale face turned even paler. She gasped for breath but remained silent.
Seeing Jing Hui like this, A Yu felt very sorry for him and said, "I will go and tell the princess that you were frightened and have already gone to sleep. Let him go back."
Let him go back, not tell him to come back another day.
Jing Hui remained silent. Seeing that she seemed to agree, A Yu bowed and turned to leave.
Just as he was about to step over the threshold, Jing Hui's voice came from behind.
"No need, let him in."
Ah Yu paused for a moment, then replied, "Yes."
After she left, Jinghe closed the book, looked around, and instructed the maid standing beside him, "Go and get my dagger."
"yes."
The maid brought a dagger, which Jing Hui took in his hand and opened half of the scabbard to examine it.
This dagger is only seven inches long and is quite small to hold, but the blade inside is made of black iron, and it will draw blood if touched.
Under the light, the blade reflected a frost-like light. Jing Hui looked at it for a moment and then placed it on the table.
A moment later, the sound of a wheelchair rolling came from under the corridor. Jing Hui turned her head to look out the window, just as Lu Songyuan was passing by. The two met eyes unexpectedly.
The corridor was brightly lit, and the candlelight inside flickered, but neither could warm his icy demeanor. Warm flames appeared to him like will-o'-the-wisps.
He still looks like the King of Hell.
Jing Hui swallowed hard and turned her head away first.
A wheelchair needs a sloping threshold to get in. Lu Songyuan had some difficulty getting in, and it seemed that his wheelchair was lifted up by someone in the end.
The sound of wheels rolling over the carpet grew closer. Jing Hui picked up her cup, took a sip of water, and put the cup down when Lu Songyuan was already standing in front of her.
Jing Hui leaned against the side of the bed and looked up at Lu Songyuan.
The couches in the palace were built high, and even with her leaning against them, Lu Songyuan, who was sitting in a wheelchair, was still at eye level with her.
The maids had gone downstairs at some point, leaving only the two people in the room.
Lu Songyuan was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, and even though he was just sitting in a wheelchair, Jing Hui felt a strange sense of oppression.
She frowned and, without any politeness, said to him directly, "I'm scared when you get too close. Stay away from me."
Lu Songyuan paused for a moment, then silently reached out and flicked the wheelchair mechanism, causing the wheelchair to roll backward slightly.
After finishing, Lu Songyuan looked up at Jing Hui and apologized for what happened yesterday.
"Yesterday the situation was urgent, and I had no choice but to injure Your Highness. Please forgive me."
"ha."
He spoke so casually that Jing Hui laughed in exasperation, "Shouldn't this princess thank you for saving my life?"
Seeing her angry face, Lu Songyuan said, "That was not what I meant, Your Highness, please calm down."
Even when he came to apologize, he still acted with the same fearless attitude.
Jing Hui had never suffered such humiliation before. A sneer appeared on her lips, and the fear in her heart surged, gradually turning into anger. She glared at Lu Songyuan and snapped:
"That man's knife was at my neck. You risked my life to provoke him. The imperial physician said that if he had used even the slightest bit more force, I would have been killed!"
Lu Songyuan rarely explained his actions. He raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "I was just trying to distract him and save Your Highness."
"you!"
Jing Hui never expected him to be so shameless. Did he really think he was a hero?
Her eyes reddened with anger, and her peach blossom eyes gradually filled with tears. She glared at Lu Songyuan and cursed, "You're just as heartless and cold-blooded as the rumors say! You're a complete bastard!"
Lu Songyuan looked at Jing Hui.
In the candlelight, her face was pale, tears welling up in her eyes, and a white veil was wrapped around her neck, on which a streak of red blood seeped out was unusually conspicuous.
Her chest heaved rapidly; she was furious with him.
For no apparent reason, an unusual feeling rose in Lu Songyuan's heart, a feeling that made him want to obey the person in front of him and stop bullying her.
Lu Songyuan took out a silver-white porcelain bottle from his bosom and leaned forward to place it on the small table on the couch.
"This is a miraculous medicine used by the Northern Army to treat cuts. It can promote wound healing and also remove scars. After Your Highness uses it, the wound will heal in less than three days."
Jing Hui glanced at the bottle, wrinkled his nose, snorted, and gradually calmed down.
But he ignored Lu Songyuan.
Lu Songyuan added, "Please forgive my impulsive and offensive behavior yesterday, Your Highness."
Jing Hui remained silent.
After a few moments of silence, Lu Songyuan took out a black and gold box from the side of his wheelchair and placed it on the table.
As soon as he approached, Jing Hui stepped back.
Lu Songyuan noticed her movement and pressed the corners of his lips down.
Jing Hui crossed his arms in front of his chest, a defensive posture.
"This is presented to the princess."
Upon hearing Lu Songyuan's words, Jing Hui glanced at the box and was immediately drawn to the patterns on it.
The box is engraved with a long dragon coiling around the wind and clouds. The dragon's body circles the box several times before the dragon's head finally lands in the middle of the box.
Golden lotuses bloom from afar beneath the dragon's body, their tenderness enhanced by the rippling waves.
Most importantly, she seemed to have seen this box before.
"This is?"
As Jing Hui unlocked the box, she unconsciously turned to look at Lu Songyuan. Their eyes met, and Jing Hui paused, immediately turning her head away.
The box was opened, and a hairpin was placed on the red velvet.
The hairpin is made entirely of gold, with a phoenix poised to take flight at the top. The phoenix wings flutter gently, and its eyes seem to be moving as well.
The phoenix holds several peony tassels in its beak, and beneath each peony is a golden bell that makes a melodious sound when picked up.
Lu Songyuan said, "This is one of the treasures that the Camel Wind people took from the inner palace when the previous dynasty's palace was invaded: the Phoenix Feather Harmony Hairpin."
Jing Hui's hand holding the hairpin froze.
She knew all the treasures in the world. This Phoenix Feather Harmony Hairpin was a love token personally drawn and made by the previous emperor in order to marry his empress.
Later, he was robbed, which Jing Hui did not witness, but he did not know how he ended up in Lu Songyuan's hands.
How could an emperor's gift of love be given away carelessly? The gold hairpin in her hand suddenly became too hot to handle. Jing Hui slowly placed the hairpin into the box, her delicate brows furrowed, and looked at Lu Songyuan.
The Phoenix Feather Hairpin was a priceless treasure, and after returning to the palace, it should have been directly given to Emperor Jingwen.
Lu Songyuan must have obtained this hairpin from Emperor Jingwen. It is unknown what he said to Emperor Jingwen, but in just half a day, Emperor Jingwen agreed to let him send the hairpin.
Moreover, Lu Songyuan is so arrogant that he is definitely not the kind of person who would take the initiative to admit his mistakes.
Jing Hui suddenly recalled the words Lu Songyuan had uttered before he got drunk at the palace banquet, words that sounded like they came from heaven when he agreed to the marriage.
Based on all these factors, she guessed that Lu Songyuan seemed to really want to marry her.
As for his purpose, she couldn't guess.
To confirm her suspicions, Jing Hui forced a smile, propped her chin up, and looked down at Lu Songyuan, asking, "Why did you give me this?"
"To win a smile from His Highness."
"That's all?"
Jing Hui's peach blossom eyes curved into a smile. "I don't believe it."
"Only the most precious treasures in the world are worthy of Your Highness."
Lu Songyuan then apologized, saying, "Please forgive my actions yesterday, Your Highness."
"snort."
Jing Hui scoffed, "You came here today not just to apologize, but for some other purpose, right?"
"No, I've only come to ask Your Highness for forgiveness."
Lu Songyuan's expression remained unchanged. "The boxes outside contain rare herbs from the Northern Territory. Your Highness, please take care of yourself. After all, the wedding is approaching."
"ha."
It really was about the marriage; she guessed right, Lu Songyuan really wanted to marry her.
Since you want something from her, don't blame her for being impolite.
Jing Hui suddenly felt enlightened. She tapped her fingertips on the table and a wicked smile appeared on her lips.
"That sounds so high-sounding. You're so eager to marry me, surely you've fallen for me at first sight, and yesterday's events were just to get my attention?"
Lu Songyuan was speechless, his lips twitching slightly.
Such a small action did not escape Jing Hui's eyes for a moment. She raised her eyebrows and thought to herself that it was really satisfying to have someone under her control.
"Congratulations, you've achieved your goal. However, my father has granted me permission today that if you don't wish to get married, you can simply tell him."
Jing Hui relaxed, changed her position and leaned against the soft pillow. Her legs, which had been bent, straightened and crossed, her slender white ankles dangling on the edge of the couch.
"This princess does not want to marry someone who does not care about my life."
Lu Songyuan's gaze was drawn to those fair feet. His eyes unconsciously followed Jing Hui's movements up and down. Even though there was still some distance, it felt as if Jing Hui was stepping on his chest.
He pursed his lips and drew a short sword from the side of his wheelchair.
"bass--"
The sound of the sword being drawn startled Jing Hui.
Her heart, which had just settled, suddenly leaped into her throat again. She felt a sharp pain in the wound on her neck and exclaimed, "What are you doing!"
Lu Songyuan did not answer.
He flicked his wrist, pointing the sword tip at himself, then shifted it slightly, and the sword landed on his shoulder, the blade no more than a hair's breadth from his neck.
Jing Hui glared angrily, "You!"
Lu Songyuan slid his wheelchair forward, moving closer to Jing Hui, and placed the sword hilt not far from Jing Hui's hand.
"I injured Your Highness yesterday, and today I am at Your Highness's mercy. You may kill me or torture me, I will obey Your Highness."
He repeated, "Please calm your anger, Your Highness."
All they know how to do is use knives and guns; they're just reckless brutes!
Jing Hui's anger, which had just subsided, surged again, and her face turned bright red.
Looking around, finding nothing of value nearby, Jing Hui had no choice but to grab a handkerchief from the table and smash it hard against Lu Songyuan's face. Then, she stretched out her bare, snow-white foot and kicked him in the knee.
Lu Songyuan remained completely still.
Jing Hui gasped in pain from the wound on her neck and yelled, "Get out!"
The soft handkerchief slid down Lu Songyuan's face and landed on his thigh. Lu Songyuan glanced down at it, then looked up at Jing Hui.
"Regarding the marriage, Your Highness..."
"roll!"
Lu Songyuan paused for a moment, then said, "Your subject takes his leave."
As soon as he finished speaking, a man and a woman entered from outside, presumably Lu Songyuan's two deputy generals.
The two had a clear division of labor: one took the sword, and the other pushed the wheelchair. They bowed to Jing Hui, and in a short while, the three of them disappeared from Jing Hui's sight.
Jing Hui waved his fist at Lu Songyuan's retreating figure, "Madman!"
As Lu Songyuan walked along the corridor, Ayu hurriedly brushed past him and ran into the house.
There had been quite a commotion inside the house, and she was worried that something might have happened to Jing Hui.
However, Jing Hui's other personal maid, Ayan, was waiting in the corridor. Ayan had been ordered to leave the palace to do errands for Jing Hui today, and she had just returned, still panting.
She bowed to Lu Songyuan, "General Lu."
"Um."
Lu Songyuan instructed the two people beside him, "Qingyue, Zhouxue."
Lu Qingyue is a male deputy general, and Lu Zhouxue is a female deputy general.
The two stepped forward together and handed the gift lists of the two boxes to Ayan.
Lu Qingyue pointed to the two boxes in the yard and explained to Ayan.
"This is a box of rare herbs, and another box is a treasure that the general found in the northern border. Please deliver these to His Highness on behalf of the general."
Ayan glanced at the gift list and indeed saw several herbs that were rarely seen in the capital.
She smiled and said, "This servant thanks the general on behalf of the princess."
"You're welcome."
As Lu Songyuan turned to leave, he heard Ayan say, "No matter how rare herbs are, they are still medicine. The princess didn't need to take them, and the general didn't need to make this trip so late at night."
The blatant reprimand made Lu Songyuan turn his head to look.
When Ayan met his gaze, she inexplicably shivered.
But she still forced herself to meet Lu Songyuan's gaze.
She was a servant girl who protected her master.
Lu Songyuan glanced at her but ignored her.
Stepping out of the Brocade Palace, the palace road was deserted, save for the occasional patrolling eunuch.
Lu Qingyue asked impatiently, "General, how is it? Will the princess break off the engagement with you?"
Lu Songyuan leaned back in his wheelchair, sighed, and fiddled with the red jade pendant hanging from his waist, saying, "No."
"You frightened the princess yesterday, and now you're so certain she won't break off the engagement. I'm afraid this isn't the time for the two of you to be alone..."
Lu Qingyue chuckled and leaned forward to tease Lu Songyuan, "You've already offered yourself to me!"
Lu Songyuan glanced at him coldly, and Lu Qingyue immediately shut her mouth.
"Huh?"
As Lu Qingyue retreated, she caught a glimpse of white on Lu Songyuan's leg and asked, "What's this?"
Lu Songyuan looked down and saw that it was a handkerchief that Jing Hui had thrown at him.
The handkerchief had slipped onto her thigh earlier, and as the wheelchair was moved around, it slid down to her inner, unspeakable area.
The four corners were open, covering everything completely.
Lu Songyuan: "..."
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