"Your Majesty, why...why did you tell me this?"
He actually smiled, and there was a hint of nonchalance in his smile.
"It's better to tell you all this proactively than for you to go through all the trouble and effort to investigate."
She gasped, feeling confused and helpless for the first time at his nonchalant tone.
"Aren't you afraid of me..."
Wasn't he afraid that she would tell Xiao Zhun the truth? Wasn't he afraid that she would reveal the truth? Wasn't he afraid that they might end up as enemies from now on...
"Can you?"
His smile froze at the corner of his mouth, and there was silence in his eyes.
Within the walls of this painting house, a room that just moments ago held such beauty, now seemed to be tinged with the chill of early spring. Just as the current situation made it hard to tell whether this was a lover's quarrel or a life-or-death gamble.
Suddenly, Shan Jiangfei's voice was heard outside the house.
"Your Majesty, Lord Qinghuai requests an audience and is waiting outside the courtyard."
The emperor withdrew his gaze, and when he looked up again, he had regained his composure.
"Let him in."
He was calm and composed, while Xiao Nanhui seemed a little at a loss.
Of course she knew why Xiao Zhun had come; it was him she had instructed Shrike to call an hour or so ago. In the Xiao residence, Xiao Zhun was the only one who could come to her rescue if she got into trouble.
The sound of hurried footsteps ascended the stairs, faintly mixed with the sound of armor rubbing against each other.
He was still wearing armor, and it seemed that he had just returned home from the military camp, so he asked Shrike to urge him over in a hurry.
She couldn't help but feel regret in her heart. This situation was even more tormenting than if something had really happened to her.
Xiao Zhun's figure stopped three steps away from the door with great discretion, and he took off his clothes and saluted.
"Your Majesty, I, Xiao Zhun, pay my respects to you."
After a while, the emperor's voice slowly sounded.
"You don't have to be so polite, Lord Qinghuai. I just don't know why you came here today?"
"I have military duties to attend to today, so I asked my adopted daughter to congratulate Prince Xuanyuan. I heard that she recognized the wrong person during the banquet, and I was worried that she might rashly cause trouble, so I rushed here specially. I didn't know Your Majesty was here, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me for any inconvenience I may have shown."
"Qing Huaihou is well-informed, but there was a little disturbance, which has now subsided."
"That's good. In that case, I will take my adopted daughter back home first." Xiao Zhun's eyes naturally turned to Xiao Nanhui, and he nodded to her as he had done countless times before, "Nanhui, come here."
Xiao Nanhui leaned forward, but for some reason he did not move forward immediately.
The next moment, the person next to her suddenly grabbed her hand.
He didn't look at her, and his body continued to move forward. Only the sleeves embroidered with dark patterns were intertwined with her plain cuffs, and no clues could be seen under the cover.
But this time, he held it very tightly, not just lightly.
She could feel the roughness of his palm. That was the scar she had left on him.
For a moment, she thought he would hold on to her forever and never let go, until the end of time.
Finally, he looked away and slowly loosened his fingers.
Looking at the hand that had turned white due to the force, Xiao Nanhui suddenly had an irresistible urge.
And before her mind could react, her body had already responded.
She reached out and shook the departing hand.
Although she only pinched his fingertips lightly due to panic, she could still feel the momentary tremor coming from those fingertips.
"Your Majesty, see you at the Spring Hunt."
She said this lightly and quickly, not daring to delay any longer, and quickly withdrew her hand and ran out of the door like escaping.
The sound of some messy footsteps faded away, and the painting house was as quiet as a deep pool. It seemed that even the sound of the evening breeze passing through the courtyard had disappeared.
After a long time, the eunuch came back, and the emperor's hand was still lingering in the air, as if there was still a little warmth left from her, and he was still lingering there reluctantly.
Shan Jiangfei sighed inwardly.
When did his majesty become like this?
Finally, Su Wei put on his clothes and stood up and walked out.
"How's Zong Hao doing?"
The eunuch quickly calmed down and followed closely behind.
"He has just left the palace. Your Majesty, don't worry. With Lieutenant Ding here, he will be cautious even if he wants to act."
"When we set out the day after tomorrow, prepare an extra carriage for him."
Shan Jiangfei paused, then understood the emperor's intention and responded in a low voice.
Since he couldn't hide it anyway, the best thing to do was to put it in the open. However, this move was probably more for that person. Zong Hao was not a character to be messed with. He was afraid that he would suffer if that person secretly investigated.
Thinking of this, Shan Jiangfei finally couldn't help but speak.
"Why didn't Your Majesty just tell Miss Xiao that you were so cruel just to show Mr. Zong..."
“That’s no longer necessary.”
Because he already knew the answer.
At some point, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, as bright as day.
The man's voice was lazy but also comfortable, and in the blink of an eye he had stepped into the moonlit courtyard.
"The moonlight is so beautiful, it comforts my lonely heart."
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