Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Peace in the World
Just after the beginning of summer, the heat is getting stronger and the bright moon is hanging high in the sky.
When Xie Zhiyan returned to Yunyu Hall, it was almost midnight.
The garden was silent, except for the warm yellow candlelight in the main room.
When he pushed the door open, he saw Sheng Puzhu leaning on the soft couch under the window to enjoy the cool air, holding a round fan in one hand and a book lazily holding it in the other, reading with great interest.
She had just showered, her dark hair hanging loosely on her shoulders. When she heard the door open, she subconsciously raised her head and looked at him.
Her skin, whiter than snow, was now filled with moonlight. Her face and neck were all like pink lotus flowers blooming in the early summer. Her figure was well-proportioned, and her full, rosy lips made her bones look sharp and graceful, and she looked warm, radiant, and lively.
"Why don't you go to bed first?"
Xie Zhiyan took off his outer garment, his voice revealing a barely perceptible fatigue, but his eyes were fixed on her, looking at her closely.
Sheng Puzhu put down the book, a faint smile spreading across her lips: "I can't sleep."
Xie Zhiyan draped his outer garment over the screen and slowly approached, brushing his fingertips through the ends of her slightly curly hair. His tone inexplicably deepened, "After you bathe, I'll hold you and coax you to sleep, okay?"
When Sheng Puzhu heard this, her ears felt slightly hot. She dropped the fan in her hand, stood up and walked to the basin rack, personally wrung out a warm handkerchief and handed it to him.
"My dear, would you like to have some midnight snack first, or take a bath to refresh yourself?"
Xie Zhiyan frowned, and suddenly remembered that in the ninth year of Mingzhen, when he returned from the great victory at Yumen Pass and stepped into the room exhausted, she came to greet him like this and said the same words.
But at that time, their relationship was not close, and he didn't know how to be a qualified husband.
The year of their wedding was when the battle at Yumen Pass was at its fiercest. The Turkic army marched straight into the inner city, burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of atrocities. Military orders were as firm as a mountain, and even though he knew he was letting her down, he had no choice but to put on his armor and go forward.
And tonight, these familiar words rang in my ears again, spanning several years.
Xie Zhiyan's eyes trembled, he reached out to take the handkerchief, the warm breath spread through his palm to his heart, even if he had thousands of words, they were all melted in the palms of their hands clasped together.
Xie Zhiyan held the soft hand, put it against his cheek, tilted his head, and kissed it deeply.
It seems that this is not enough. If there is a surge of resentment in my heart, it is a criticism and regret towards myself.
When he came back, he should have gone to the ancestral hall to receive his punishment. As a husband, he neglected his wife, and even a hundred lashes would not be enough.
Thinking this, Xie Zhiyan slowly leaned over and pleaded in a hoarse voice, "Puzhu, kiss me, okay?"
Sheng Puzhu felt soft-hearted. Since he said so, how could she refuse? She stood on tiptoe and touched it like a dragonfly skimming the water.
Xie Zhiyan has always been greedy for what he wants, but he used to hide it well. His lips were like petals, incomparably soft, like spring flowers and summer fruits.
He took the initiative by moving back and forth, and took her into his mouth again and sucked hard. Even though he tried his best to restrain himself, he still kissed her until she was slightly breathless and gasping for breath.
"Let's eat first."
"I've been hungry for a long time."
Xie Zhiyan curled his lower lip, spoke in a hoarse voice, his hot breathing as light as a whisper, and took the opportunity to speak.
However, Sheng Puzhu was so distracted by his kiss that she reacted after a while. She pushed him hard with her wrist and said, "Then I'll ask Madam Du to go to the small kitchen and give instructions."
"How about clear soup noodles, and a few side dishes?"
"good."
When it comes to food, Xie Zhiyan is actually not very picky, and he doesn't look like a man who was raised in the glitz and glamour of Chang'an at all.
I have been running around all day today. Even for lunch, I only had a few quick bites at the East Suburb Camp. I am really hungry now.
It was just late at night and the mourning period had just ended, so it was not appropriate to eat too much meat.
The small kitchen worked very quickly. I had just given the order and the noodles were served in just a quarter of an hour, accompanied by a small plate of golden-baked Hu pancakes.
A bowl of light vegetarian noodles was topped with two golden fried eggs, sprinkled with chopped green onions, and served with a plate of pickled cucumbers drizzled with sesame oil.
It looks simple, with steam rising from the air.
Xie Zhiyan ate quickly, but not voraciously. He took every bite seriously and even drank up all the soup.
This was a habit he developed after going to Yumen Pass. Food was precious and not a single bit should be wasted.
While he was eating, Sheng Puzhu supported her cheeks with her palms and sat at the table, watching quietly.
Under the candlelight, the man had handsome and deep features, and if you looked closely you could see a solemn look on his face.
The situation in the court must be not very good. I heard Princess Shoukang say during the day that the emperor had not attended court for three consecutive days.
Her heart sank, and after Xie Zhiyan put down his bowl and chopsticks, she asked softly, "In the palace, how is the Sage Dragon's health these days?"
Xie Zhiyan's hand, holding the wet handkerchief, paused imperceptibly, then slowly raised his eyes: "Did mother tell you?"
Sheng Puzhu nodded. "Mother and the Empress have been in private contact. She didn't say much, but just told me not to leave the house unless it was something serious."
Their eyes met in mid-air. Xie Zhiyan's deep eyes were filled with complex emotions. He was silent for a moment before speaking, "Master Yundeng, I bid farewell to the Saint three days ago."
Sheng Puzhu was stunned for a moment, and then a clearer and more terrifying thought came to her mind, like a splash of cold water, making her instantly understand what the word "farewell" meant.
"It's reached the point where no medicine is working anymore, right? It's no use, right?" Sheng Puzhu's fingertips felt cold and his voice became lower.
Xie Zhiyan nodded, and the candlelight cast a deep shadow on his straight nose.
"The dragon's body has been weak for a long time. All these years, it has been supported by its will."
"Plus, the Crown Prince passed away suddenly last year. Even if he pretends not to care, I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on for much longer."
The moment he finished speaking, the room fell into dead silence.
Sheng Puzhu's emotions went from shock to calm in the blink of an eye. She stared at the flickering candlelight and asked, "What about Xiao Heyin? If the sage decides to adopt a son to strengthen the country, according to etiquette, Xiao Heyin, as his only child, should be recalled to Chang'an?"
After a pause, Sheng Puzhu said with certainty, "I don't know where she went, but she's definitely not at Yumen Pass."
"Because the last time I wrote to my brother Shen Ce, he hasn't heard from me for three months."
Xie Zhiyan raised his eyes, his gaze still calm. He only answered the first question: "Based on my understanding of the saint's temperament, he will not let Xiao Heyin return to Chang'an."
"Although it was the Imperial Astronomical Observatory that proposed the theory of the Eight Characters' conflicting influence, and Xiao Heyin was sent far away to her fiefdom, to the fiefdom of Baling, in reality, all this was because the Saint was wary of her."
Sheng Puzhu frowned, puzzled. "But at that time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was clearly alive and well, and his health had shown signs of improvement."
Xie Zhiyan raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips into a cold arc.
"It's too long ago, you probably don't know."
"About ten years ago, when His Royal Highness was critically ill, his life was practically hanging by a thread, and everyone in the government was horrified."
"Back then, some suggested adopting a son to preserve the dragon vein, but the Sage was in his prime at the time. How could he willingly adopt Prince An's son? So, your grandfather, my teacher, secretly petitioned the Sage. If something happened to the Eastern Palace, for the sake of the country, perhaps we could follow the ancient system and choose a virtuous person."
"And the Crown Prince's younger sister, Princess Xiao Heyin, is intelligent and courageous. Although she is a woman, she also has the talent to stabilize the country."
Seeing Sheng Puzhu completely stunned, with a complicated look in his eyes, Xie Zhiyan smiled silently and continued, "It's a pity that this advice touched the most untouchable edge of the Sage. He immediately flew into a rage and rebuked the teacher for making irresponsible remarks about the foundation of the country."
"Since then, Xiao Heyin seemed to have been forgotten by Chang'an. The Saint was still kind to her, but he no longer loved her as much as before."
Sheng Puzhu sucked in a breath of cold air, biting her lower lip with her pearly teeth. After a long pause, she said, "So the current sentiment is that the Sage would rather leave the crown prince position vacant, causing suspicion among the royal family and turmoil in the court. He would rather adopt someone else than consider Xiao Heyin, simply because she's a princess and has a healthy body that all the male members of the Xiao family envy and even hate?"
Xie Zhiyan didn't deny it, his eyes were deep. "This isn't a saint's balance, but a thorn in his heart that he can't remove. He always believed that he had a chance to break the Xiao family's nearly century-old curse."
Sheng Puzhu was a little dazed and found it funny, but he also admired his grandfather who had been prudent throughout his life and had made such shocking advice back then.
"Where is Xiao Heyin now?" Sheng Puzhu couldn't help but ask.
Xie Zhiyan lowered his eyes, reached out and gently rubbed Sheng Puzhu's soft hair, without hiding anything: "She is in the East Suburb Camp."
"There are my trusted followers there. They are well-guarded and can handle any emergency. Don't worry."
Sheng Puzhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "What about Xiao Xuan? He is in the Jinwu Guard now. Will he find any clues?"
Xie Zhiyan laughed, "The Jinwu Guards won't be a force to be reckoned with. The ones we really need to be wary of are the troops of Yongzhou. If there's any unrest in the capital, the Luo family will be the biggest threat."
Sheng Puzhu nodded, the candlelight casting a soft, warm hue on her face, making her dark almond-shaped eyes appear even clearer and more translucent. "My dear, when do you think Prince An will lose his patience?"
"In a month, it will be the Queen's birthday."
"And just a month ago, the Saint went to Prince An's mansion and gave him poisoned wine, waiting for him to make his own choice."
"Prince An has lived in fear for so many years, he certainly doesn't want to die. Even if his son could take that position, he wouldn't gamble his life on such an empty possibility."
Xie Zhiyan sneered, "With Prince An's forbearing and sinister nature, he would have lost his patience long ago, and the Queen's birthday banquet is probably the best opportunity for him to take action. As long as the Saint passes away and there is no one in the court, his son will naturally take the throne."
Sheng Puzhu looked at him and felt his heart beating faster. Prince An was waiting for this opportunity, and Xie Zhiyan was also waiting for the same opportunity.
"My dear, do you want to force Prince An to abdicate?"
Xie Zhiyan hummed calmly: "It's not forcing, it's giving him a chance. If Xiao Heyin wants to come back, he must have a legitimate reason."
…
Prince An's patience was worse than Xie Zhiyan had expected.
Three days later, late at night.
The window of Yunyu Hall was knocked by the official.
"Master." Cang Guan stood respectfully outside the house, holding a secret letter in his hands.
Xie Zhiyan silently opened the window, took the letter, and nodded expressionlessly.
The words in the letter were concise but shocking.
"The troops in Yongzhou are making unusual movements and are secretly moving towards Chang'an. Almost at the same time, another urgent report from Yumen Pass confirmed that the long-dormant Turks outside the pass have once again shown unusual signs."
With the internal and external linkages, King An was indeed willing to spend a huge amount of money.
Xie Zhiyan's eyes were filled with murderous intent as he slowly brought the letter closer to the candlestick. The orange-red flame licked the letter, quickly turning it into ashes.
"Why are you awake, my dear?" Sheng Puju curled up on the side of the bed and opened her eyes in a daze.
"It's okay, go back to sleep." Xie Zhiyan blew out the candle, turned and walked towards the bed, lay down again, and carefully hugged the person in his arms.
Soon, Sheng Puzhu's breathing gradually calmed down and she fell asleep again. Xie Zhiyan tightened her arms and opened her eyes to look at the dark tent ceiling. He whispered silently, his breath brushing her cheek: "It will be soon. When everything is over, the world peace that Madam wants will come true."
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