Chapter 104 Disrupting the Springtime Breeze I dare to ask my wife, what do you think...?
The carriage slowly drove away from the palace gate. Inside the carriage, all was silent except for the sound of the wheels.
Huan Xun sat upright on the brocade cushion, his gaze fixed on the furrowed brows of the person opposite him.
He fiddled with the jade thumb ring on his thumb, tilting his head to look at her: "It's just an expected punishment, yet you seem more worried than I am, the person involved?"
After leaving the Dongguan Pavilion, Yu Nie took the initiative to recount in detail Zhao Yunfu's statement that he would punish him.
Upon hearing this news, Huan Xun showed no surprise.
When he made the request to "take the punishment in place of his father," he was certain that Zhao Yunfu would agree.
The reason he could make such a sure-fire judgment is quite simple.
The Gao and Wang families were outraged and demanded that Yan Yue be severely punished to uphold the law. Ostensibly, they were acting out of public interest, but in reality, they were acting out of personal desire.
They merely wanted to take this opportunity to suppress Yan Yue's faction, so as to consolidate their own power and retaliate against Yan Yue for preventing aristocratic youths from entering the battlefield.
What these powerful families excel at is disguising their private desires as public good.
However, Yan Yue represents a group of impoverished military households who hold weapons and guard the country's borders, and Yan Yue himself is at the core of this group.
If Zhao Yunfu were to severely punish Yan Yue, not only would he risk destroying his own defenses, but if the morale of the army were to collapse instantly, it could also trigger unpredictable military turmoil.
As an emperor, Zhao Yunfu needed Yan Yue to continue fighting, and he also needed the gentry to keep quiet for the time being.
In this dilemma, the only way out is to find a "scapegoat" that can appease public anger without affecting the northern frontier battlefield.
Huan Xun was Yan Yue's only adopted son. His status carried considerable weight.
It was important enough to make the gentry feel that the punishment had meaning and the dignity of the law was upheld, without seriously damaging the foundation of the poor military households. After all, he was an adopted son, not Yan Yue himself.
This punishment demonstrates our stance while leaving room for maneuver.
Furthermore, this battle report was submitted voluntarily by Yan Yue.
Zhao Yunfu thought that his teacher was probably testing him to see if he dared to make a move against this meritorious general.
Huan Xun's action was tantamount to offering him a ladder, which was also the only ladder he could use to get down from the fire.
An adopted son taking the punishment in place of his father... There could be no more perfect drama for this emperor to use.
His Majesty Zhao Yunfu granted his request, which allowed him to demonstrate his fairness and impartiality to the gentry; he did not let those who deserved punishment go unpunished.
At the same time, he could also demonstrate his benevolence and compassion to Yan Yue and all the soldiers of Beiya and Xuance's armies. This meant that he had not touched the root of the problem, but simply needed to give the world an explanation.
In this meticulously orchestrated drama, the dignity of imperial power was upheld, the Gao and Wang families gained face, Yan Yue preserved his substance, and a delicate balance was achieved among the various forces.
Killing three birds with one stone, why wouldn't Zhao Yunfu be happy to do it?
She looked up and gazed at him.
She could tell from his words that he wasn't surprised, as if it were all part of his plan.
Perhaps it wasn't just a matter of appearance; his expression and posture both proved that this was something he was certain of when he made the request.
Her voice rang out at the same time as the creaking of the axle: "It seems your godfather is extremely important to you, otherwise you wouldn't be willing to sacrifice yourself to quell this turmoil."
She asked, "Aren't you afraid they'll take this opportunity to make things difficult for you?"
“They accused me of embezzling military funds, let them investigate.” He didn’t care at all: “If I was afraid of making things difficult for them, I wouldn’t have taken the lead.”
He said, "In my eyes, they will all die soon. When that time comes, none of them will escape the fate of the one who killed your junior brother."
She took his words as just another example of power struggles commonplace in the imperial court, never expecting that he was also concerned about her junior brother's injustice.
Thinking of this, she seemed to remember something.
“You look… a little different than I thought.” She paused slightly, as if choosing her words carefully, then added softly, “You don’t seem as bad as I thought.”
Although she hadn't witnessed what happened on that rainy night a few days ago, she already knew the whole story clearly from Song Ai's detailed account.
How did he follow her all the way back to Hongzheng Pavilion, and how did he never let go when she bit him during her hysterical seizure?
She knew every single detail by heart.
Even looking solely at Yan Yue's case, from an outsider's perspective, no one can accuse him of being a purely evil person.
She was also a little confused about what kind of person he was.
He curled his lips into a mischievous smile: "You really think so?" He seemed to disbelieve that she would say such a thing.
Her previous sharp criticisms of him still seemed to echo in her ears, and when he asked her this question, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
“There’s no need to lie about this.” She deliberately used Yan Yue’s matter as an excuse to change her mind: “Your devotion to Governor Yan is no more than what a blood-related father and son could do.”
"What I'm saying..." she looked at him tentatively, "is there anything wrong with that?"
"There's nothing wrong with it." He said calmly, a faint smile in his eyes.
His dark, bright eyes held no scheming, but rather a rare air of ease: "I just remember that you used to dislike me quite a bit. I never expected to hear such praise from you one day."
She opened her round eyes and said, "'Not that bad'...is that considered a compliment?"
“Why not?” he replied frankly. “It’s because you said it.”
He didn't realize the ambiguity in his words, and Yu Nie became uneasy instead.
She felt that something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
She didn't have time to delve into the details of that feeling, but then she heard him ask, "You've been inside for so long, and His Majesty only told you about me?"
The emperor's proposal of marriage and his intention to cooperate with him weighed heavily on Yu Nie's mind. He didn't know how to bring it up, or even how to begin.
She remained silent for quite a while, and Huan Xun assumed that she had reservations and was unwilling to speak frankly.
He smiled slightly: "It's alright, you don't have to say it if you don't want to."
Hearing him say this, Yu Nie felt a hidden worry in her heart. If he had someone he loved, wouldn't agreeing to the emperor's arranged marriage ruin someone's chance?
However, the matter was already settled, and there was no possibility of reversal.
After much deliberation, she finally hesitated before speaking, and what she said was completely nonsensical.
"Huan Xun..." When she called his name, he suddenly thought of the flowers that bloom in March, which sounded sweet to his ears.
"Hmm?" His gaze never left her, his face showing a focus that neither of them noticed.
Her eyes flickered slightly, her tone wavering: "Do you... have someone you like?"
As soon as she finished speaking, his somewhat nonchalant expression froze, and a thumping sound came from his chest.
He gazed at her for a moment, as if suddenly realizing he had been staring for too long, then straightened up slightly and composed himself.
Then, he met her gaze again, his thumb unconsciously rubbing the jade thumb ring between his fingers, the movement gradually stopping as he spoke: "And what about you?"
Yu Nie was caught off guard by his question and was momentarily speechless.
She thought to herself, "How can someone answer a question with a question?"
She had come to test him, but he turned the tables on her instead.
"I..." She opened her mouth, but thought she couldn't let him have his way.
He didn't urge her, but patiently waited for her answer.
The carriage was somewhat stuffy, with glaring sunlight filtering through the slightly swaying curtains. The constant clamor of the city outside made the space inside the carriage exceptionally quiet.
She looked at him and said, "What if I say yes? What if I say no?"
She deftly tossed the question back, with a hint of stubbornness in her tone.
Upon hearing this, Huan Xun chuckled softly. The clear, melodious laughter, falling on her ear in the small space, felt slightly warm.
In a moment of haste, he suddenly leaned forward, his tall figure looming over her, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood, his arm braced against the windowsill beside her.
He was so close to her that she involuntarily held her breath.
He leaned down, gazing intently at her, his calm eyes reflecting her slightly bewildered expression.
“If you have…” he said in a deep voice, “I would like to ask who that person is and how he has managed to catch my wife’s eye.”
"If you don't..." He paused, his smile deepening, "then I'll dare to ask my wife what she thinks of me?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
What does he mean by that?
Two pairs of eyes gazed at each other in this vast space.
Looking at him, she felt his gaze was too intense, burning her face more intensely than the sunlight outside the window.
Her throat moved slightly involuntarily, as if her breath was being choked by an inexplicable and invisible longing, and her fingers clenched tightly.
In that infinitely long silence, he saw in the depths of her eyes the surface of a lake washed by rain, its shimmering water clearly reflecting his image.
He saw his reflection in her clear pupils. So small, yet so perfectly placed deep within her eyes, as if she had quietly treasured it.
He saw that tiny "himself" was being intently gazed upon by her.
At that moment, he wanted to get closer, to lean down and gently stroke the corners of her reddened eyes.
Suddenly, a hawker's cry came from outside the carriage curtain, crisp and abrupt, shattering the hazy spring moment.
As if their thoughts had been exposed, the two simultaneously looked away, their ears turning red.
Huan Xun, who was usually calm and composed, was speechless at this moment, his voice unusually hesitant.
He said, "I...I was just joking. Don't be afraid. It was my intrusion."
After saying this, before she could respond, he was about to return to his original position.
The carriage suddenly lurched, and he lost his balance before he could even get up.
She instinctively reached out to grab him, but her fingers had barely touched his sleeve when she was pulled forward with him.
In his haste, Huan Xun braced himself against the carriage wall with one arm and reached out to catch her with the other.
As soon as he steadied himself and turned around, her lips lightly brushed against his cheek.
The air inside the carriage seemed to freeze suddenly, leaving only the abruptly alternating breaths.
Huan Xun's arm was still firmly braced against the carriage wall, creating a small, enclosed space. His other hand was tightly supporting her waist, its warmth seeping through the thin fabric, almost unbearably hot.
She almost fell into his arms, the tassels hanging from the hairpin swaying, her black hair brushing against his clothes.
At that moment, her lips were just inches from his cheek, her breath quickening slightly. A faint fragrance brushed against the skin that had just been touched, and that small spot belatedly began to burn.
His neck was stiff, and he didn't move at all.
All the senses seemed to converge on that one point, clearly reproducing that extremely brief contact, and now, even more agonizing, the warm breath so close at hand.
Yu Nie seemed completely stunned, her eyes wide open, her hand clutching his sleeve, revealing the lingering panic she had just felt.
The sound of a heartbeat, whose it was, pounded loudly in the cramped air.
Time seemed to stretch out, or perhaps only a moment had passed.
The wheels rolled over another uneven spot, and the carriage shuddered slightly.
The slight movement broke the silence. She jumped up as if burned, almost bouncing back to her seat.
Huan Xun felt a sudden emptiness in his arms; the warm touch and fragrance vanished abruptly, leaving him feeling empty as well.
He paused for a moment, then sat back down.
A subtle silence fell over the carriage.
As if to break the silence, Yu Nie spoke first: "Are you alright? Just now... I didn't press down on you, did I?"
Huan Xun didn't expect her to ask first. As if to ease the atmosphere, he said, "You're so slender, how could you possibly weigh me down?"
He cleared his throat, his voice regaining its usual calm: "But you, you weren't hurt, were you?"
She shook her head quickly: "No, no."
Another brief silence followed.
Seeing her awkwardness, he changed the subject, trying to steer the conversation toward the important matter: "I heard from Cuiwei that you originally planned to look at a burial plot for Daoist Ahui today?"
She nodded: "Yes, I want to go and see, it will make me feel more at ease."
“I happen to have nothing to do right now, so I can go with you,” he replied.
"But the location was chosen by Prime Minister Gu, and I don't know the exact location."
Upon hearing that Gu Xiangzhi had done the same thing as him, he gave him no chance and gently opened his mouth:
“There are only two good burial sites in Jian’an. I’ll send someone to summon Attendant Lu. He has better places to recommend.”
As he spoke, he lifted the carriage curtain and instructed Sui En: "Go to Hongzheng Pavilion and call Lu Jinshi to Chongyue Tower. Tell him that the princess and I are waiting for him there."
"Yes, Lord Huan."
"etc."
Sui En was about to leave when he was stopped by him again.
He lowered his voice: "Avoid the people from the Imperial Stables and just tell Attendant Lu."
Sui En accepted the order and turned to head towards Hongzheng Pavilion.
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