Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Sir, can you carry me up? ...
Chapter 9
Su Li couldn't even get close to Cui Jue, let alone think of a way to seduce him.
In order to have a little interaction with the eldest son, Su Li had to cook the soup herself.
When hunting outdoors, most of the food is meat that is locally available. Not only does eating grilled meat make you feel irritated, but it also makes you feel sick easily.
Fortunately, Su Li liked to drink sweet soup, so she specially brought dried lily petals, dried lotus seeds, and honey, and boiled a large pot of sweet soup to moisten the lungs and relieve coughs. She then asked the servants to deliver it to Aunt Xu, Cui Shunying, and some girls she had met before.
She didn't care whether the noble lady would accept the food sent by Su Li. She just wanted to find an excuse to show some courtesy to Cui Jue.
Qiu Gui came to the door carrying a lunch box.
As soon as she handed the bowl of soup forward, Wei Zhiyan waved his hands repeatedly: "Miss Qiu Gui, the master does not accept soup from outsiders. This is a rule left over from the early years. Please go back!"
Qiu Gui took out a needle to test the poison in front of him, and then said, "My wife said that eating barbecue for several days in a row in the mountains will definitely cause dryness and heat to attack the heart. It's a small matter for the spleen and stomach, but if it causes nosebleeds and coughs, it will be bad for losing manners in front of the palace. Lotus seed soup is refreshing and soothing, and it is most suitable for drinking in summer. Guard Wei, please accept it."
After thinking for a while, Qiu Gui remembered Su Li's words and whispered, "Besides, this is what our wife cooked herself, just to moisten the eldest master's throat..."
"this……"
Wei Zhiyan thought about how Cui Jue had been staying up late to review documents recently, and he did have a faint cough. He was just a servant, and he didn't dare to say anything without his master's orders. He was diligently concerned about the eldest master's health.
After thinking it over, Wei Zhiyan took the food box and went inside to report.
Cui Jue glanced at Wei Zhiyan indifferently. How could he not understand that he was persuaded by Su again.
Cui Jue didn't like other people's overly intimate behavior and was about to refuse, but then he remembered that Chen Heng would come to chat with him at night.
Cui Jue closed his eyes slightly and tapped the table with his fingertips: "Put it there."
Wei Zhiyan was surprised.
He didn't expect that his master would actually allow the young lady to bring him food for the first time... But he didn't dare to say anything more. He put down the mahogany food box and left in a hurry.
In the evening, Chen Heng came to chat with Cui Jue again.
Most of the time, Cui Jue was reviewing memorials while perfunctorily answering Chen Heng's questions. The man was cold and frugal with his words.
Chen Heng knew Cui Jue's bad temper, but he didn't care. He just talked nonsense all at once, knowing that Cui Jue would listen to him.
Chen Heng was talking until his mouth was dry and he was about to reach for a sheepskin water bag to quench his thirst, but when he turned around, he found a bowl of lotus seed sweet soup on the food table to the side.
There was only a bowl of lotus seed soup, and he hadn't considered that Chen Heng would come to visit.
Chen Heng was angry: "You kid ate alone without calling me..."
Cui Jue said indifferently: "If you want, take it and drink it."
"Thank you."
Chen Heng took a sip, smacked his lips, and felt something was not right.
He knew Cui Jue didn't like sweets, and even rarely added sugar to the steamed cakes he made. But tonight's lotus seed soup tasted sweet, not like Cui Jue's favorite taste...
When he looked up, he saw Cui Jue slightly pulling the corner of his lips, and there was a hint of intriguing expression hidden in his cold phoenix eyes.
Chen Heng: "Where did this soup come from?"
Cui Jue: "This soup was made by Madam Su herself."
The reason why Cui Jue left this bowl of soup was actually out of bad intentions.
He deliberately used the soup to wake Chen Heng up - Su Li said that she had never touched water, let alone grilled meat, but in fact she was very good at cooking, which showed that she was full of lies.
However, Chen Heng was a rough man who had been trained in the military camp. He did not have as many complicated thoughts as Cui Jue. When he heard this, he was frightened.
Chen Heng thought: Could it be that Cui Jue likes this cousin from the Su family, but can't express his love? After all, Chen Heng had been attracted by her beauty before and had said that he would consider marrying Su Li...
Today, Cui Jue invited him to drink soup on the surface, but in fact he was deliberately using the fact that "my cousin personally stewed soup for me" to criticize Chen Heng.
He wanted to tell Chen Heng that Su Li already had someone in her heart.
Is Cui Jue asserting his sovereignty?
Chen Heng laughed teasingly: "Oh, what do you think of me? Do you think I'm a beast who takes what others want? Of course not! Don't worry, from now on I will only treat Madam Su as my own sister and will never have any improper thoughts about her!"
Chen Heng swore confidently and pounded his chest.
Cui Jue glanced at him indifferently.
Although I didn't understand what Chen Heng meant, I still achieved my goal.
Chen Heng already knew that Su Li was not as pure and innocent as she pretended to be, and he would not want to marry a daughter of the Su family. He just treated her as a cousin for Cui Jue's sake, which was fine.
Cui Jue no longer paid any attention to Chen Heng.
The man lowered his head and continued to check the matters concerning the tribute from foreign vassal states in the letter without saying anything else.
-
Su Li originally thought that she could get along with Cui Jue through food.
But she only gave out the bowl of sweet soup once, and after that, Cui Jue refused to accept it no matter what.
Su Li couldn't help but wonder, is the soup she made so unpalatable?
She doesn't think so.
After all, there are other noble ladies from aristocratic families who like sweet soup, but they are too embarrassed to do so, so they can only ask the aunt in charge to ask indirectly for the soup recipe.
It's obviously what the young ladies want.
Su Li thought, maybe Cui Jue just had no taste.
We will set off back to Jianye in two days.
Once Su Li returns to the heavily guarded Cui family, she might not even have the chance to step into Shuyue Pavilion, so how can she accomplish anything?
After much thought, Su Li could only take a risky move. She observed for a few days and knew that Cui Jue would attend to official business in front of the emperor during the day, and would ride his horse back to the camp along the mountain path in the dense forest at night.
As soon as evening came, Su Li would go horseback riding in the dense forest, hoping to meet Cui Jue by chance.
It rained in the mountains last night.
The peaks and mountains are covered with fresh green, and the cliffs in the distance are shrouded in circles of pale mist, mixed with the moisture of rain and dew, making the sky and the earth wet.
Even the mountain roads were washed by the rain and became muddy.
Su Li lost one of her shoes and was barefoot, leading the little white horse, waiting in the forest for something to happen.
The deafening sound of horse hooves was heard, Su Li jumped on the horse and chased after him in a hurry.
"Young Master!" Su Li called him.
The man in white robe came closer from afar.
The man came on horseback, his shoulders straight and upright, like a pine or a cypress, but his gaze lingered on Su Li for a moment without any intention of stopping.
Until the fierce sound of horse hooves approached, for some reason, the mare under Su Li's crotch was suddenly frightened.
The white horse's hooves slipped instantly and sank into the wet mud, knocking Su Li off the horse's back.
This time, Cui Jue failed to protect her in time. The young lady fell into the muddy puddle unexpectedly, her whole body covered with mud, looking miserable.
Su Li fell unexpectedly and was stunned for a moment.
The sharp sand and stones scratched the girl's palms, broke her flesh, and pierced her knees. Blood gushed out and a fishy smell filled the air in an instant.
Fortunately, the horse was not frightened while galloping, so Su Li did not fall badly.
But when she looked down, she saw that her palms were covered with black mud and her white knee bone was broken and bleeding. The wound was not terrible, but the ankle where the shoe was missing was in severe pain, obviously sprained.
This time, the urgency in Su Li's voice became real.
Su Li's eyes burned with pain. She sniffed and called out in a tender voice, "Young Master..."
She was afraid that Cui Jue would really abandon her.
Cui Jue rode forward on his horse.
The noble young man looked down at her, showing no intention of lending a helping hand.
Seeing that he refused to dismount to help, Su Li squeezed out two more tears, and said with pity: "Young Master, please save me... I was out horse racing and accidentally lost a shoe. Now I fell and hurt my leg and can't get up. If you don't lend a hand to help, I'm afraid I will die here."
Cui Jue lowered his eyes and looked at her with his cold and clear phoenix eyes: "No one would ride a horse in the forest after the rain..."
His voice was cold and ruthless, clearly reminding Su Li that her lies were clumsy and full of loopholes, and her motives were clearly impure.
Su Li was speechless. She knew that Cui Jue was smart and this little trick would not fool him.
It's just to arouse men's desire to protect.
But Cui Jue had no kindness at all. He was unmoved and would not be attracted by the delicate and helpless beauty, which really discouraged Su Li.
A gust of cold wind blew across her face. She bit her lower lip and choked out a lie, "Young Master, you misunderstood. I just wanted to practice more because my riding skills are not very good, so I didn't notice the heavy rain... I knew I was a burden and didn't dare to trouble you, but the Fourth Lady often said that her brother was the most kind-hearted..."
"A gentle and kind gentleman like the eldest son wouldn't abandon me even though he knows I'm seriously injured, right?"
In order to please Cui Jue, Su Li put one compliment after another on his head.
Cui Jue lowered his chin slightly, glanced away, and his eyes shifted away in an instant.
Su Li really lost one of her shoes.
She lifted her bare feet slightly, not wearing stockings, revealing a section of her pink toes.
The nail cover is dyed with bright red nail polish, like a dot of powder on the tip of a lotus bud, fresh and lovely.
The girl's skin was as white as snow, her figure was graceful, and even her hands and feet were well-proportioned and delicate... If Su Li hadn't been covered in mud, she would indeed be considered unparalleled in beauty.
Cui Jue guessed Su Li's bad intentions, and thought that the fall just now must have been a sudden accident.
She dressed up carefully and used her beauty to seduce, but she never expected that things would not go as she wished and she ended up in such an embarrassing situation.
Cui Jue withdrew his gaze. He didn't like young ladies like Su Li who were full of scheming.
"Mrs. Su, you are too kind. I am a cold and heartless person. The life and death of others is nothing to me."
The implication is that he will not help the person.
Su Li was struck by lightning and looked at Cui Jue in astonishment.
The young master of the aristocratic family was still sitting upright on his horse, his eyes as cold as ice, and he indeed had no intention of rescuing Su Li.
Su Li couldn't help but wonder... Cui Jue was obviously humble and polite to other young ladies, why did he treat her so coldly?
Could it be that those young ladies have prominent families and are difficult to offend, while Su Li is of little influence and is not afraid of retaliation from her father and brothers if she bullies her?
Su Li was at her wit's end and could only dejectedly say, "In that case, I won't bother you anymore. Please go ahead. I've been away for too long, and the maid will come to find me back at camp."
Seeing that Cui Jue was really leaving, Su Li quickened her pace and said in a panic, "It's just that the wind was strong at night. I even heard the howling of wild wolves in the forest when I fell asleep last night. A delicate young lady like me is probably just enough to feed the hungry wolves."
Su Li sighed heavily: "Before, there was the Buddha who cut off his flesh to feed the eagle, and later there was the Su family's eldest daughter who sacrificed herself to the wolf's belly. Both of them sacrificed the self for the greater good. It can be regarded as a kind act of self-sacrifice..."
Cui Jue didn't respond.
Although he was a little confused, it was obvious that Su Li reaped the consequences of her own actions, yet she was able to link it to Buddhist scriptures and good deeds... She was really good at flattering herself.
Cui Jue ignored her no longer.
Since Su Li could devise a plan to intercept him halfway, he must have also prepared a backup plan for returning to camp. Furthermore, Chen Heng often led patrols at the Nanshan Hunting Grounds. Within half an hour, Chen Heng would lead his troops through, which could also save Su Li from the danger.
When Cui Jue whipped his whip and left, a twisted and flamboyant purple electric dragon suddenly flashed across the sky.
The thunder is deafening, and a rainstorm is coming.
Cui Jue didn't like being wet by the rain, so he quickened his pace.
But for some reason, a picture suddenly emerged in my mind - just now, to check her leg injury, Su Li carefully pulled up the hem of her skirt, revealing her red and swollen instep. Her thin summer shirt was soaked by the wet mud, revealing the thin skin and white porcelain-like leg bones.
Cui Jue accidentally lowered his eyes.
What caught my eye was a section of a girl's ankle.
Slender, thin, and lonely, like a tender lotus stem.
With a little force from your five fingers, you can break it effortlessly.
If it rained heavily, the thin shirt Su Li was wearing would be soaked by the rain, sticking to her body and skin. The gauze dress would not be enough to cover her petite figure.
When Chen Heng inspected the hunting grounds, he would lead a group of rugged soldiers through this place.
Cui Jue had been on the march for many years and was well aware of the many dirty words the soldiers said in private... Su Li was, after all, a distant relative of the Cui family.
After thinking about it, Cui Jue frowned and said nothing.
-
The other side.
Su Li listened to the thunder in the sky and secretly regretted her bad luck. She was sure to be soaked.
Fortunately, her white horse did not run away. Su Li was not that fragile. She endured the pain, gritted her teeth and climbed onto the horse's back. She should be able to return to the tent slowly.
Just as Su Li was eager to get on the horse, a tall black shadow came over.
Su Li turned her head in confusion.
The first thing I saw was the man's eyes, as dark as ink.
Cui Jue, wearing a tall hat and a wide belt, and his clothes were whiter than snow, walked quietly towards them.
When he came, he was like a ghost, silent and standing behind Su Li.
Su Li was startled.
But when she saw Cui Jue turning his horse around, obviously intending to help, she felt happy again.
Su Li didn't bother to complain about Cui Jue's elusive appearances. Instead, she deliberately reddened her eyes and asked in a low voice, "Are you here to save me, Master?"
Cui Jue thought deeply and said, "Madam Su's act of feeding the wolf is absolutely unacceptable."
Su Li was moved: "The eldest master is really kind-hearted..."
Before Su Li could finish, Cui Jue whispered, "Wild wolves don't have big stomachs. They need to divide a corpse into three days to finish it. If you are ill, the judicial authorities will have to search for the body in the mountains for several days, and they won't be able to return to the court. Unfortunately, it has been raining in the mountains for many days, and I don't like rainy days..."
Su Li suspected that she had heard it wrong.
Cui Jue was saying that if the wolf didn't handle her body properly, it would add a lot of work for him to investigate and keep him stranded in the rainy Nanshan for too long. So after much deliberation, Cui Jue decided to show mercy and rescue Su Li.
After hearing this, Su Li's scalp tingled. She suddenly remembered what Cui Shunying had said: the eldest son was not as gentle and refined as he appeared to be. He was also very good at killing people...
Su Li shrank back for a moment, not daring to speak.
Cui Jue looked at her and said, "Get on the horse."
Su Li's foot injury was serious, and you could tell it was swollen like a bun without even looking.
She had no intention of opposing Cui Jue, but his horse was too tall and strong for her to climb...
The young lady felt quite aggrieved, and despite her fear of Cui Jue, she asked in a soft voice.
"My dear, my feet hurt... Can you carry me up?"
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