Chapter 61: The Emperor blurts out his words, the old name is hard to take back
The clamor of the temple fair surged like a tide, jarring Xiaoyanzi's eardrums. She clutched Xiaojian's sleeve and stumbled through the crowd at Taoranting. Her stone-blue skirt was wrinkled by the passing pedestrians, and the red silk ribbon at the end of her braid clung to her neck, matted and sticky with sweat.
"Brother, let's go home." Her voice trembled and she didn't dare to look back, as if countless pairs of eyes were staring at her from behind - Yongqi's gentle inquiry, Erkang's cautious scrutiny, Ertai's curious eyes, were all like fine needles, pricking her all over.
Xiao Jian grasped her wrist with his backhand. The warmth of his palm was soothing, but it couldn't block the coldness of her fingertips. "Don't be afraid, they've already gone far away." He glanced back and saw that the three people hadn't followed him. He slowed down his pace and asked, "Do you want to go to Liu Qing and Liu Hong's teahouse first?"
Xiaoyanzi nodded vigorously, as if grabbing a life-saving straw: "I want to go! Go now!" She needed the familiar atmosphere of fireworks to suppress the panic in her heart, and she needed Liu Qingliu Hong's hearty laughter to dispel the surging old memories.
The two turned into a quiet alley, and the noise was gradually replaced by the clattering of footsteps on the bluestone pavement. Xiaoyanzi breathed a sigh of relief and was about to speak when she heard the sounds of children playing in front of her, mixed with the hawker's shouts: "Sugar paintings - sweet and sticky sugar paintings -"
It was the alley near the Liuqingliuhong Teahouse. Xiaoyanzi's heart settled a little, and her steps became lighter. She was looking at the familiar old locust tree at the entrance of the alley when she suddenly heard the hurried sound of horse hooves approaching from afar, accompanied by the driver's stern shout: "Make way! Make way!"
The alley was narrow, lined with small stalls, and crowded with pedestrians. A frightened bay horse rushed over like crazy, its reins untethered, its eyes red and its hooves flying, sending passersby screaming and running for cover.
"Be careful!" Xiao Jian pulled Xiao Yanzi to the wall and stood in front of her.
Amidst the chaos, a little boy in a coarse cotton jacket was squatting on the ground picking up fallen candied haws, completely unaware of the approaching danger. The neighing of a horse was getting closer and closer, and it looked like it was about to hit the child!
"Run!" Xiaoyanzi's heart instantly leaped into her throat. In her past life, she had witnessed the horrific sight of frightened horses injuring people in the paddocks, and at that moment, her blood seemed to freeze. Without a second thought, she rushed over and pushed the little boy aside.
Just then, a familiar figure hurried out of the teahouse entrance, seemingly trying to stop the startled horse. The man, dressed in navy blue casual attire, stood tall and straight. Though not wearing a dragon robe, he exuded an air of majesty—it was Emperor Qianlong! He was accompanied by Eunuch Su and several plainclothes guards, clearly traveling incognito.
The frightened horse was blocked by the sudden appearance of the figure and became even more manic. It stood up and raised its front hooves suddenly!
"Be careful!" Xiaoyanzi was quick-witted and swift-handed. She grabbed Qianlong's sleeve and pulled it back, screaming out in surprise at the same time. It was a name engraved in her bones, a reliance she had blurted out countless times in danger in her previous life, a mark she had tried desperately to forget but had never truly erased:
"Emperor Father!"
The three words echoed clearly in the narrow alley, like a thunderclap.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
The neighing of frightened horses, the screams of passers-by, and the shouting of hawkers all came to an abrupt halt.
Xiaoyanzi's hand was still tightly gripping Qianlong's sleeve, deep wrinkles forming in the dark blue fabric. Her mind was blank, her pupils dilated with shock, and her mouth slightly open, but no sound came out.
What did she just shout?
Qianlong slowly turned around, his gaze settling on her pale face. A flicker of shock flashed through his deep eyes, followed by understanding, and finally settled into an indescribable complex of emotions: inquiry, relief, and a subtle hint of heartache. He didn't immediately break free from her hand, but simply stared at her quietly, as if confirming something.
"Emperor...Emperor Father?" Eunuch Su was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out of his head. He hurriedly covered his mouth and looked at Qianlong with a look of panic - was this girl crazy? How dare she address the emperor like that!
Xiao Jian was also stunned. He stepped forward quickly, pulled Xiao Yanzi behind him, and bowed to Qianlong. His voice trembled with nervousness: "I am Fang Yan, your humble servant. Greetings... greetings, Your Excellency. My sister was frightened just now and talked nonsense, offending You. I hope You will forgive me." He deliberately omitted the title "Your Majesty" in an attempt to get away with it.
The mother of the rescued little boy stumbled over and kowtowed repeatedly while holding the child: "Thank you, girl! Thank you, sir! Thank you, all kind people!" She didn't know that she had just walked through the gates of hell, and she didn't hear clearly the earth-shattering call.
The frightened horse was subdued by the guards, and order gradually returned to the alley, though an eerie silence permeated the air. Pedestrians watched from afar, unsure of what was happening but feeling the heavy atmosphere.
Xiaoyanzi hid behind Xiao Jian, shivering uncontrollably. She could feel Qianlong's gaze on her back, as if it were real, the heat stiffening her spine. It was over, everything was over. The thing she'd feared most had finally happened. The word "Emperor Father" slipped out of her mouth like a key, suddenly unlocking the past she had desperately tried to lock away, and instantly filling her peaceful life after her rebirth with cracks.
Qianlong finally looked away and winked at Eunuch Su. Eunuch Su immediately understood and shouted to the guards and passersby around him, "Go away! There's nothing to see!"
He turned to Xiao Jian again, his tone somewhat dignified: "Your sister is indeed frightened, you should take her back home to rest."
Xiao Jianru felt as if he had been pardoned, and hurriedly pulled Xiaoyanzi away.
"Miss Fang." Qianlong's voice sounded behind him. It was not loud, but it carried unquestionable power.
Xiaoyanzi's steps seemed to be filled with lead, unable to move. She did not dare to look back, did not dare to look at Qianlong's eyes that seemed to see through everything.
"Thank you for what you did today." Qianlong's voice was unremarkable. "I'm sorry for the fright. Go back and get some rest."
After saying that, he turned around and walked straight into the teahouse with Eunuch Su and the guards, as if everything that had just happened was just an accident.
It wasn't until the dark blue figure disappeared behind the teahouse door that Xiaoyanzi felt as if all her strength had been drained away. Her legs gave way and she nearly collapsed to the ground. Xiao Jian quickly supported her and found her hands were as cold as stone.
"Ci'er, it's okay, let's go home." Xiao Jian's voice was low and powerful, with unquestionable firmness.
The sunlight in the alley was clearly warm, but Xiaoyanzi felt cold all over. She looked down at her hand, the hand that had just grabbed Qianlong's sleeve. The touch of fabric still lingered on her fingertips, and the deep-seated fear brought on by the word "Emperor Father" remained.
She knew that from this moment on, some things could never be undone. Qianlong's clear eyes, like a mirror, revealed all her disguises and foreshadowed the end of her peaceful days.
The wind blew through the alley, stirring up dust from the ground and blinding her. This time, she could no longer use the excuse of "sand blinding my eyes" to hide the moisture in the corners of her eyes.
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