Chapter 87 She smiled at that man for six breaths.
Yunxi heard Yuanxiao crying before she even reached Peach Blossom Village. Then she saw Xiaobei carrying him out of the tavern, gently coaxing him, "Yuanxiao, be good, don't cry, Mommy will be back soon, don't cry."
Yuanxiao cried even louder.
Xiao Bei quickly took out the rattle drum again.
Amidst the tinkling sounds, Yuanxiao abruptly pushed him aside, rubbing his eyes and crying, "Mother, Mother!"
Yunxi, who had been rushing all the way, stood in the sunset, looking at Yuanxiao who was crying with snot and tears streaming down her face, and at Xiaobei who was in a flustered state. All her fatigue disappeared in that instant.
"Lantern Festival!" she called out with a smile from the crowd.
As Yuanxiao immediately stopped crying and searched, Xiaobei turned around and looked over. When he saw Yunxi walking quickly towards him, he exclaimed with delight, "Miss!"
Even after having a child, Yunxi still insisted on being addressed as "Miss".
She was still very, very young.
"You're finally back! I've missed you so much these past few days," Xiao Bei said.
"Thank you for your hard work." Yunxi smiled and reached out to Yuanxiao, wanting to hug him.
As a result, Yuanxiao looked at Yunxi with two puffs of tears in her eyes, remaining motionless in Xiaobei's arms.
"Yuanxiao, Mother is back." Yunxi, enduring the pain, reached out to tease him, "It's only been a few days, and you don't recognize your mother?"
Yuanxiao stared at her, pouted in grievance, and burst into tears, but he still refused to hug Yunxi and turned his face away.
"Alright, alright, Mother was wrong, she was wrong. Next time we go somewhere, we'll definitely take Yuanxiao with us." Yunxi quickly apologized.
Upon hearing this, Yuanxiao finally reached out and hugged Yunxi's neck while wailing loudly.
Yunxi lifted his soft bottom with her uninjured hand and comforted him with a smile, "Alright, Gou Dan, don't cry, don't cry."
She stood in the crowd, holding a plump, white glutinous rice ball and spinning around.
When Xiao Shenjing's carriage reached the street, he spotted this scene in the crowd at a glance.
He was completely stunned, frozen in place as if struck by lightning.
Is Yunxi pregnant?
Who did she have the child with?
wrong.
She was already pregnant when she plotted to escape from the palace, so the child is his?
Does he have a child?
He became a father.
His and Yunxi's child?
Overwhelmed with ecstasy, the emperor could barely control his expression; his blood surged, and even his thick eyelashes trembled for a moment.
But what if, back then, pregnancy was just an excuse for her to send the palace maids away?
So whose child is this?
Xiao Shenjing's emotions surged wildly. The thought that the child might not be his sent a burst of rage straight to the top of his head.
Countless dark emotions surged and churned wildly in his chest, causing a terrifying flash of bloodlust to appear in his phoenix eyes.
In that instant, a strong killing intent filled the emperor's eyes.
Yunxi hugged Yuanxiao and kissed his cheek.
It was soft, chewy, and delicious, and she couldn't help but smile and kiss his other side.
Yuanxiao hugged her neck and finally giggled.
"Let's go in." Having finally appeased Yuanxiao, Yunxi turned to Xiaobei and said, "Xiaobei, quickly get me five ounces of beef and a pot of peach blossom wine. I haven't had a chance to sit down and have a proper meal these past few days, having been eating and sleeping in the open."
"Okay." Xiao Bei nodded quickly and asked, "How did things go, Miss?"
Yunxi kissed the glutinous rice ball, raised her eyebrows and smiled, "With me in charge, success is guaranteed."
Yunxi carried the child into Peach Blossom Village.
Inside the carriage, Xiao Shenjing seemed to finally regain some composure amidst his overwhelming rage.
He clenched his fist tightly and pressed it against his lips.
My jaw is very tense.
Whose child is Yunxi's?
Could it be his?
If it weren't for him
Just the thought of her possibly being with another man...
The bloodshot veins in Xiao Shenjing's eyes grew thicker, and he was on the verge of losing his reason.
In the suffocating pressure, Dao Yidao Er trembled inside the carriage.
"Your Majesty," Dao Yi called out.
Xiao Shenjing suddenly looked at him.
The intense killing intent made Dao's scalp tingle. He quickly lowered his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, shall we return to the inn now?"
Realizing his emotions were spiraling out of control, Xiao Shenjing closed his eyes.
After a long pause, he seemed to squeeze out a single word through gritted teeth: "Wait."
What are we waiting for?
Until Yunxi walked past the carriage carrying the child.
Having eaten and drunk her fill, she prepared to go home to rest. As she walked, she teased Yuanxiao in her arms, "Dog Egg, do you know how big a thing your mother did this time?"
"That was an incredible power, haha! Do you want to hear it? If you do, give your mom a kiss!"
Inside the carriage.
Through the thick carriage curtain.
I can't see anything at all.
Xiao Shenjing stared at Yun Xi without moving.
His turbulent expression was almost too intense to contain, threatening to burn through the carriage curtain.
Dao Er couldn't bear the oppressive feeling and couldn't help but move closer to his brother.
The two exchanged a glance, like quails.
Until Yunxi's figure walked by.
Until I could no longer hear her voice.
Xiao Shenjing finally turned around, his dark eyes looking at the two of them, and said, "Go and find out whose it is."
The cold, clear sound of the jade seemed so eerie and terrifying.
Dao Er reminded him, "Back then, Your Majesty, Empress Yunxi was pregnant."
Xiao Shenjing slowly raised his eyes and stared at him.
"Your Majesty, this humble servant will investigate immediately." Dao Yi dragged Dao Er out.
Dao Er was pulled so hard he almost tumbled off the carriage. As soon as he regained his footing, he immediately became furious. "Brother, why did you pull me like that?"
"Shut up." Dao Yi gave him a sharp rap on the head.
"Ouch, why did you hit me?" Dao Er covered his head.
"If you don't use your brain, you can use it to play football." Dao Yi was speechless.
Only after they were a distance from the carriage did Dao Yi lower his voice and say, "You really know how to bring up the most sensitive topics. How could His Majesty not know that Empress Yun was pregnant that day?"
"Then why is His Majesty so angry?" Dao Er still looked confused.
"Don't you know Empress Yun's temper? She has tried to escape from the palace time and time again, so how could she possibly be willing to have His Majesty's child?" Dao Yi rolled her eyes at him.
"What if?" Dao Er struggled to answer.
"That's why His Majesty sent us to investigate." Dao Yi really wanted to hit his clumsy younger brother.
Datong was an important border town, so naturally there were many inspectors from the Censorate.
Soon, information about Yunxi was delivered to Xiao Shenjing.
Xiao Shenjing skipped over when she arrived in Datong, where she lived, and how long she had been running her tavern, and jumped directly to the child's information.
Yunji, a little over two years old, nicknamed Yuanxiao and Gou Dan.
Xiao Shenjing stared at the time for a long time, stunned.
Yunxi has been away from the palace for more than three years, which makes perfect sense.
So, is it really his child?
Does her willingness to have his child mean she no longer dislikes him as much?
But the moment that thought crossed his mind, he shattered it with his own hands.
If she really wanted to, she wouldn't have taken such a huge risk to escape the palace.
It's more likely that she was forced to have his child because she had no other choice.
Why are people forced to have children?
Because of physical reasons?
Back then, after Yunxi was banished to the Cold Palace, Xiao Shenjing remembered that Fushun had come to report to him, but he was still angry at the time and interrupted him directly.
What was Fu Shun trying to say at that moment?
He suddenly recalled the palace maid's fragmented words before the fire: "Consort Yun has been feeling nauseous every day, vomiting until she faints. She hasn't had her period for two months, and tonight, tonight she's bleeding from her lower body."
I vomit until I faint every day.
How painful must she have been at that time?
And what is he doing?
He felt guilty about Cen Yuwei's death and took his anger out on her.
As if he could no longer hold on, the emperor slowly leaned against the carriage wall and covered his eyes.
Yunxi!
Yunxi lived in Renyi Lane in the south of the city, not far from the tavern.
Exhausted from the journey, Yuanxiao was finally brought to bed after the wet nurse had washed him. She reluctantly told him a story about Guan Yu's solo journey of a thousand miles, kissed Yuanxiao's cheek, and said, "Guan Yu was a man of great loyalty and righteousness. Yuanxiao, you should be a man like him from now on, okay?"
In the warm yellow candlelight, Yuanxiao nodded and said, "Okay."
Yunxi figured the little boy couldn't possibly understand anything, but he was being very kind to her, so she couldn't help but hug him and nuzzle him. "Yuanxiao, you must not only be a strong and upright man, but also a man who will never be defeated or back down in the face of any difficulty."
Yunxi was so tired that she fell asleep while talking.
Yuanxiao waited for a long time but didn't hear Yunxi's voice. She turned her head to look at Yunxi in her arms and saw that she was asleep.
He obediently did not disturb her, and instead used all his strength to cover Yunxi with the thin blanket.
Finally, he snuggled into Yunxi's arms and closed his eyes.
Yunxi was too tired and slept for a long time.
The wet nurse would take Yuanxiao out for a stroll every morning.
As soon as I stepped outside, I saw an unfamiliar woman come out from next door. She was very welcoming and said, "Sister-in-law, I just moved in. We'll be neighbors from now on. They say a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. I'll have to ask for your help in the future."
The nanny was an easygoing person, and the two hit it off as they chatted.
The woman repeatedly praised Yuanxiao for her good looks and auspicious appearance, saying that she would surely become a person who would do great things when she grew up.
The more he talked about it, the more he liked it, and casually invited the nanny to come in and sit down.
Since it was all going to be a walk anyway, the nanny naturally wouldn't refuse such a warm invitation, especially since they were neighbors who would run into each other all the time.
Upon entering the courtyard, the wet nurse found it to be quite ordinary. After passing through the front hall and arriving at the back courtyard, the wet nurse's attention was drawn to the bamboo wife beside the reclining chair.
"Isn't it especially cool to lie on like this?" the wet nurse asked.
It's very hot in Datong; it's unbearable during the day.
Naturally, I was curious when I saw this cooling device.
The woman immediately said, "Sister, try lying down on it. It will be even cooler if you put ice on it."
Just then, Yuanxiao also struggled to get down to the ground.
After the nanny put him down, she tried to lie down on the recliner.
The woman placed the ice on the table, saying, "If you like it, sister, you are welcome to come often. This bamboo mat was modified by my husband; it can be placed horizontally on the couch in the summer for ventilation and heat dissipation."
As she spoke, a cool breeze blew by, making the wet nurse so comfortable that she couldn't help but close her eyes.
I didn't even notice where Yuanxiao went.
Yuanxiao was attracted by a bamboo dragonfly that landed in front of him. After he picked it up, he saw a man standing at the corner with a puppet doll, smiling and teasing him.
The puppet doll was dressed in bright colors and held a long sword in its hand. Its joints could rotate, and it could also slash.
Yuanxiao, with her short legs, was drawn over.
Dao Yi breathed a sigh of relief after finally managing to trick the young master into coming over.
He stuffed the puppet doll into Yuanxiao's hands, then quickly carried him towards the house behind.
Whether he sensed that Dao Yi meant no harm, or the puppet doll in his hand was just too fun, he didn't cry at all.
Until Dao Yi carried him to a man he didn't know.
"Who are you?" Yuanxiao asked, tilting her head as she held the puppet doll.
Xiao Shenjing looked at the chubby, fair-skinned baby in front of him. Even though the baby hadn't fully grown up yet, his features looked so much like Yun Xi's.
A thousand thoughts were stuck in my throat, and I was speechless for a moment.
Finally, he could only ask softly, "Is your name Yuanxiao?"
I was afraid of scaring him.
"Hmm." Yuanxiao nodded, her attention drawn back to the puppet doll.
He lowered his head, revealing a chubby, soft chin.
In that instant, Xiao Shenjing's heart melted.
The emperor lifted his robe, squatted down, and slowly asked, "Does Yuanxiao have a father?"
"He's dead," Yuanxiao said in a childish voice.
Xiao Shenjing.
Facing the little baby in front of him, Xiao Shenjing had never felt so helpless.
He had never been a father and didn't know what children liked, so last night he emptied out a Qibao store that specialized in children's toys, bringing back everything from ivory puppets and enamel carriages to children's theatrical candies and rhinoceros horn toys.
He wished he could give all these toys to Yuanxiao, but he was afraid that Yunxi would find out.
He, the emperor, acted like a thief, his conscience both guilty and guilty.
Finally, Xiao Shenjing ordered someone to bring out pastries to coax Yuanxiao to eat.
I'm also worried that he'll overeat and get an upset stomach.
This is truly being treated with utmost care, as if it were something you'd be afraid of melting in your mouth.
The food and games made Yuanxiao lower his guard, and Xiao Shenjing finally got his wish and picked him up.
Soft and chewy, with a milky fragrance
This is his and Yunxi's child.
He will definitely give the best things in the world to their children.
But Yunxi would absolutely not accept that now.
After the wet nurse left with Yuanxiao, Xiao Shenjing dealt with urgent matters in the room.
As an emperor, he suddenly could no longer bear the silence and desolation he had become accustomed to.
Soon, Dao Yi was summoned in. "Where is Yun Xi? What is she doing?"
"Empress Yun is currently at the tavern," Dao Yi quickly replied.
"Within one hour, go and take over the house opposite hers for me."
Across from the Peach Blossom Village Tavern is a pharmacy.
A regular customer walked into Peach Blossom Village and casually asked, "Why is the pharmacy across the street closed today?"
Yunxi waved her fan and glanced at the entrance of the tavern. Finding the pharmacy's doors tightly shut, she turned to the customers inside and said, "Perhaps something happened to the owner's family?"
Across the street, Yunxi was unaware that a pair of eyes were staring at her with almost greedy intent.
She was wearing the most ordinary narrow-sleeved ramie short shirt, woolen blue silk trousers, and a veil covering her face.
Xiao Shenjing's gaze slid from her eyebrows to the corners of her eyes, carefully tracing her features bit by bit.
To depict her vibrant life and drive away the nightmare that has lingered in my heart for years.
Those charred corpses, screaming in agony.
Only when he truly saw her could those dark pains leave him.
Only if she is alive will he be free from nightmares.
Around dusk, Li Chongshan arrived at Peach Blossom Village again.
"The boss lady is back?" Upon seeing Yunxi, the man immediately beamed with a smile that he couldn't hide.
"Li Canjiang is here!" Yunxi greeted him with a smile.
"How did the business you went to see go?" Lieutenant General Li asked.
In order to get out of the city smoothly, Yunxi made an excuse to go to the market, which was a favor to Lieutenant General Li.
"I need to think about it some more. How about another pot of peach blossom wine today? It's on me," Yunxi said.
Li Canjiang laughed and said, "How can that be? We still have the money for the drinks."
After a while, the large vat that Yunxi bought arrived. Seeing that Xiao Bei was too small, Li Canjiang carried her inside by himself.
Feeling embarrassed, Yunxi stuffed a bag of braised beef into Li Canjiang's hand as he left.
"No, no," Li Canjiang said, standing on the stone steps at the shop entrance. "How can I, a dignified man, take advantage of such a small thing?"
In the shadows on the second floor, Xiao Shenjing gripped the handrail, staring intently at the struggle between the two, a deep gloom momentarily settling in the corners of his eyes.
Yunxi smiled and stuffed the beef into his arms again. "This isn't about taking advantage of him, it's just a small token of my appreciation. Doesn't General Li like my family's beef anymore?"
Hearing Yunxi's familiar tone, Xiao Shenjing frowned deeply.
Has she ever spoken to him in that tone?
In his presence, she was unyielding and never yielded, speaking impatiently and often drawing her sword at him, making him wish he could kill her.
A wave of bitterness welled up inside him, and he abruptly turned his face away, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his profile cold and stern, as if he didn't want to look anymore.
Sure enough, Li immediately confirmed, "That's right, your braised beef is absolutely amazing."
"Then the adjutant should not refuse anymore," Yunxi said smoothly.
When the familiar voice rang out, the emperor, who had turned his head away, couldn't help but turn back and look at Yunxi.
But then she stood in the golden sunset, smiling at another man.
Li Canjiang scratched his head, confused, and accepted the beef. As he looked back several times, he saw Yunxi still standing at the shop entrance, waving at him.
"Go back now, Manager Wang." Lieutenant General Li couldn't help but smile and wave at her.
One breath.
Two breaths.
Three breaths.
Xiao Shenjing counted each breath, disappearing into the darkness, counting the time she smiled at other men.
There were six breaths in total.
She smiled at the man for six breaths.
Six breaths.
A strange calmness lingered in his phoenix eyes, which were as deep as a frozen pool.
It's as if emotions, after being frantically squeezed and burned, eventually turned into pitch-black ashes.
Yunxi had been busy all day, and before it got dark, she carried the Yuanxiao (sweet rice balls) and headed home.
No matter how good her business is, she will always go home on time to sleep with Yuanxiao.
For children to grow, they need to eat well and sleep well.
On the way home, Yuanxiao struggled to buy candied hawthorns.
Yunxi didn't buy it, and coaxed, "Good boy, Mommy will buy it for you next time. We need to go back for dinner now, so you won't be unable to eat."
Yuanxiao pouted, feeling wronged, and tears welled up in her eyes instantly.
Yunxi was disgusted by his tactics and showed no mercy.
That night, she wasn't very sleepy. After coaxing Yunxiao to sleep, Xiaobei also came back.
Yunxi's favorite thing to do was count money.
After counting all the copper coins on the table, Yunxi said excitedly, "We've earned another eight strings of coins today, bringing us one step closer to our goal of opening Peach Blossom Village all over Jing Kingdom!"
Overjoyed, she clapped her hands and exclaimed, "I absolutely have to have a drink tonight!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Bei ran to get the wine, and the two sat under the moonlight playing a drinking game.
The atmosphere was lively and cheerful.
The courtyard next door was quiet and desolate.
Xiao Shenjing sat under the cold moonlight, taking in every word she said. He could even imagine her expression as she spoke.
His eyebrows danced with joy, and he laughed heartily.
Growing upwards, vibrant and lively.
Yunxi
His Yunxi!
Xiao Shenjing lowered his eyes and stared at his hands.
Clench your fist.
I really want to hug her.
A bone-deep longing clamors, churning wildly within my very bones.
At this moment, the self-control that the emperor was so proud of completely crumbled.
But he knew he had to be patient.
He had not yet figured out a way to resolve his current predicament.
He will definitely find it.
He would never lose her again.
The next day, when he saw Li Canjiang reappear in Peach Blossom Village, Xiao Shenjing narrowed his eyes.
He just sat there on the second floor opposite, waiting.
He looked at the memorial in his hand for a long time but couldn't understand a single word.
When Li Canjiang reached the entrance of the tavern, Xiao Shenjing saw that Yunxi personally escorted him to the street.
Just like yesterday, she smiled and waved goodbye to that man.
This scene was particularly jarring.
The sight was so dazzling that a hint of uncontrollable impatience flashed in the emperor's eyes.
He wanted to see her.
He wants to see her.
He didn't want to endure it any longer.
"Knife One".
Soon, Dao Yi walked in.
After having dinner and taking a bath, Yunxi felt dizzy and sleepy.
She carried Yuanxiao to the bed and fell into a deep sleep before she could say more than a few words.
Soon, Yuanxiao also fell asleep, sprawled on her lap.
When a thick cloud obscures the moon.
A tall, slender figure appeared outside Yunxi's room.
When the door was pushed open, the last ray of moonlight in the world was swallowed up.
Xiao Shenjing stepped into the room and walked step by step toward the bed.
He walked steadily towards the person on the bed.
The knife appeared by the door.
Soon, Xiao Shenjing handed the sleeping Yuanxiao to him.
As he turned around holding the glutinous rice balls, the door behind him slowly closed.
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