Chapter 105 Tongue sticks out: Does it still hurt?
The woman before him wore wide robes and had unparalleled majesty, causing all the officials present to bow down and submit to her.
For a long time, Xun Suihuang couldn't find what to say. Even if she did, with so many ears around, she couldn't say it.
After hesitating for a moment, she fell silent.
Only two people were standing: the newly appointed Crown Princess and the oblivious Marquis of Pingding.
The only two people standing were neither of those present could control.
The jailer wanted to remind the foolish Marquis Pingding that he had finally found hope of being released, and that he shouldn't offend the Crown Princess and be locked up again.
Having gotten used to delivering meals during this time, and finding Xun Suihuang easygoing and approachable, the eldest sister immediately abandoned the rumors in Yongdu that Xun Suihuang could stop children from crying at night, stopped treating her as a high and mighty noble, and became familiar with her.
But when he saw that the precious Crown Princess was only talking to the Marquis of Pingding as soon as she entered the room, he immediately lowered his head and left his own words unsaid.
Her Highness the Crown Princess came specifically to marry the Marquis of Pingding; why is she meddling in this?
"It's been a few days, and you've become even more..." Xi Congshuang paused, lowered her eyes for a moment, and swallowed back what she was about to say, changing her words to, "It's getting late, and everything at the manor is ready. I'll see you off."
Xun Suihuang: "..."
Why don't you finish what you're saying?
Tell me quickly how many days I spent inside and how much weight I lost!
The food at the Dali Temple was really mediocre. Everyone only ate normally because it was for the sake of the Marquis of Pingding.
They had assumed that Xun Suihuang, a powerful and wealthy woman, would be unable to tolerate simple meals, completely forgetting that she was a person who had faced life and death, and had even eaten raw snow when thirsty. There was nothing that she couldn't eat.
If you eat well, sleep soundly, and disregard life and death, then naturally you have little to do with weight loss.
"..."
Xi Congshuang noticed the dissatisfaction and silence on her face, then lowered her head for a moment before stepping forward and tugging at her sleeve: "Come on, let's go back and have breakfast. I've been busy all night and haven't had a chance to eat yet."
I pulled it once, then pulled it again, with gentle force.
Xun Suihuang hesitated for a moment, then, after careful consideration, she couldn't bear to pull it away.
You're such a wicked person! What were you born with to be so good at piercing people's hearts?
She was clearly persuaded, glanced at Xi Congshuang silently, and immediately lost her breath.
Those who arrived early in the morning were the truly pale ones; their already pale complexion became even paler, and against their imperial robes, they appeared as cold and white as snow.
That makes sense. They've put in so much effort for this day. The palace isn't exactly a place to relax; they probably wouldn't have an easy time there.
At this time, Xun Suihuang was unaware that in the palace, only Xi Congshuang could make things difficult for others, but no one could make things difficult for her, not even Emperor Jianxing.
The fixed procedure of deduction upon release from prison was broken. Xi Congshuang told the person to rise, then turned around and led him away.
This time, no one said that Princess Rui was ordered to cause trouble, which made Marquis Pingding depressed and unable to eat or drink.
It turns out they were in cahoots from the very beginning!
The person was led to the carriage, where palace servants stood on either side. A palace maid by the carriage tracks raised her hand and opened the carriage door to welcome the person inside.
This was a very spacious carriage that could seat ten people, but only Xi Congshuang was inside. Incense smoke curled from the incense burner on the table, and the maidservant poured tea and then left, leaving the two of them alone in the carriage.
Even Xun Suihuang had never seen such a scene before. He raised an eyebrow and followed her into the carriage.
She had barely settled down when she heard a questioning voice beside her: "Why are you sitting so far away from me?"
Before Xun Suihuang could recover, someone appeared beside her. A cool finger pressed on Xun Suihuang's wrist, then released it after a while: "Fortunately, you are in good health. You have only been inside for a few days, so the cold air that entered your body will soon be cured."
The hand that had left the prison went to pick up the hot tea on the table: "It's cold in prison, have a cup of tea to warm yourself up."
Xun Suihuang was in a daze, as if she were dreaming, her soul floating in the sky. She still didn't understand how she had become the Crown Princess.
Is she really still alive? Or was it just a dream after she was given the poisoned wine?
He glanced at Xi Congshuang with a complicated expression, then took the hot tea and was about to bring it to his lips.
"Wait a minute." Xi Congshuang grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand and the steaming teacup away from her lips, and said helplessly, "The tea is still hot, blow on it before you drink it."
She knew it would be difficult for Xun Suihuang to accept everything in a short time, so she came to pick her up in person to give her more time to adapt. However, it seemed that something had been forgotten.
But I can't remember, so it must be something unimportant. The most important thing is the person in front of me.
"Oh, okay." Xun Suihuang blew on it slowly, took a sip, then another, and sure enough, hissed.
The first sip was small and not too hot, but the second sip was larger, and I had to simmer it in my mouth before swallowing.
"Did you get burned?" Xi Congshuang frowned, pinched her chin, and moved closer. "Stick your tongue out and let me see."
The palace incense surrounding him suddenly became less faint, and a subtle herbal scent became more pronounced. It was this familiarity that gave Xun Suihuang a sense of reality.
The person sitting next to me was Xi Congshuang, and none other than Xi Congshuang.
It really was her; no one else could ever get that close to her again.
"Does it hurt a lot? Let me take a look. If it's a burn, I need to apply medicine."
"……good."
Xun Suihuang felt she had gone mad. She actually stuck out her tongue, her bright red tongue protruding between her lips, her pearly white teeth perfectly aligned. Her eyes seemed unsure where to look, and she unconsciously glanced to the side.
She then realized something was wrong, looked up and saw that the other person's eyes had suddenly darkened. She tried to retract her tongue, but it was too late.
With a "thud," the teacup fell onto the hem of her dress, rolling down her sleeve as Xun Suihuang's back was pressed against the carriage floor, her head tilted back to receive a kiss from another person.
Xun Suihuang responded subconsciously, but this only added fuel to the fire. Not only did it fail to quell the other party's intense emotions, but it also led to the other party taking advantage of her and grabbing her hand.
Those cool, yet unmistakably present hands moved slowly upwards from the palms, unaware that each movement stirred the heart, becoming increasingly audacious, probing deeper and gently caressing the elbows.
"Ugh... Be gentle, it hurts a little."
"Where does it hurt?"
A muffled response lingered between their tightly pressed lips, and a faint, sticky sound filled the air. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Xi Congshuang's response seemed to carry a hint of laughter.
Before the dazed Xun Suihuang could figure out whether Xi Congshuang was laughing or not, the tip of her tongue, which had just been burned, was licked, and a tingling, trembling sensation instantly exploded in her mind.
Xun Suihuang's mind was completely thrown into disarray, and she didn't come to her senses for a long time, only leaning against Xi Congshuang in a daze.
"Chengzhi."
"Um."
"Have you recovered yet?"
"..."
Xi Congshuang's voice was hoarse: "If not..."
"!"
Xun Suihuang realized her intention and immediately sat up straight to run away. Her hands around her waist tightened, and not only did she fail to run away, she also ended up sitting on Xi Congshuang's lap.
Startled, she quickly said, "I've calmed down, I've calmed down! You are Xi Congshuang, the Xi Congshuang who booked a room in my mansion and promised to admire the plum blossoms together in winter!"
Xi Congshuang was satisfied when he was about to bend the person over and kiss him again. She relaxed her strength and nestled comfortably with the person.
Xun Suihuang touched something with her lowered hand and said, "Cong Shuang, your clothes are getting dirty."
"What's there to be afraid of? It's just a set of clothes. If it gets dirty, we'll change it." Xi Congshuang glanced at the wet sleeves and said nonchalantly.
In her opinion, it was indeed just a piece of clothing, nothing special, and even if it was, it wasn't meant for Xun Suihuang.
Before long, a maid announced from outside the carriage: "Your Highness, we have arrived at the Marquis of Pingding's residence."
The maid's voice brought Xun Suihuang back to her senses: "...We're home so soon?"
Xi Congshuang's reply came from above: "Actually, I also think it's almost time. I should have had the guards circle Yongdu once to show off my carriage, and by the way..."
Xun Suihuang, filled with the grief and indignation of wanting to smash her head against Xi Congshuang's chest, buried herself in Xi Congshuang's shoulder, revealing her bright red ears in her hair, and remained motionless.
Xi Congshuang smiled without saying a word, a muffled complaint coming from her arms: "When did you become interested in showing off your material possessions..."
“You’re right, I’m not really interested in these things.”
Their true purpose is obvious.
The maid who was announcing the arrival outside the carriage did not receive a response from inside, so she did not ask any further questions and stood quietly to the side.
The Marquis of Pingding's residence received the news first. Although few people in the entire residence reacted immediately, they still obediently came out to greet them and opened the gates.
The luxurious carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Marquis's mansion. People who had been waiting for a long time craned their necks, eager to see the Marquis of Pingding, whom they hadn't seen for some time. But after waiting for a while, no one got off.
"Why aren't they coming down yet?" Lu Hongdou was getting impatient. She couldn't resist looking up from the crowd, her eyes darting around, and then she slipped away.
The guards wanted to stop him and reprimand him for his rudeness and his intrusion on the Crown Princess.
The carriage door opened, and a person stepped out, dressed in black robes with wide sleeves, and walked down the carriage step by step.
As soon as she stood still, the sound of everyone bowing in unison rose from the doorway: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Princess—"
The person who had just been about to move in the carriage slumped back into their seat, unsure whether to leave or not. They regretted not getting off first, thinking that now they would be stared at by countless eyes.
Her smoky gray eyes scanned everyone present as she stood out from the crowd in front of the car: "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Everyone stood up and looked at Xi Congshuang.
It's impossible not to be shocked. No one could have imagined that the long-running battle for the crown prince would end with Xi Congshuang, a princess who was practically unknown.
She was a princess for less than half a month.
After a while, Xi Congshuang didn't see anyone. She turned to look at the carriage door and gestured to the person inside, "Get out."
Xun Suihuang shook her head and gestured with her hand, indicating that there were too many people and she didn't really want to go down.
A general who has led thousands of troops wouldn't be so afraid of being seen like a child, but the current situation is very strange, making it difficult to decide to get off the bus.
Xi Congshuang nodded knowingly, and amidst the bewildered gazes of the crowd, she was about to raise her hand to wave everyone away.
"Stop! No!"
Sensing her intention, Xun Suihuang jumped up, opened the door, jumped out of the car, and pressed the raised hand back down.
"Let's go home and see the plum tree. I wonder if it's bloomed yet." Xun Suihuang, wary of Xi Congshuang saying something unbearable, quickly interrupted.
"?" Xi Congshuang asked, puzzled. "It's almost summer, the plum trees shouldn't be blooming, right?"
"Never mind the flowers, if you can't look at the flowers, look at the trees!"
With lightning speed, Xun Suihuang grabbed Xi Congshuang and strode toward the gate of the Marquis's mansion, leaving everyone who hadn't reacted behind.
Everyone: "???"
Did something just flash by? I didn't see the person clearly before they disappeared.
Once inside the gate, Xun Suihuang relaxed considerably, but didn't let go of Xi Congshuang's hand.
I don't know what happened, but after returning to the Pingding Marquis's residence, she automatically picked up her mother's bad habit and couldn't help but talk, which made Xi Congshuang's situation miserable as well.
“Think twice, Cong Shuang. You are not only the sect leader now, but also the crown princess. You will eventually ascend the throne and become the empress.” Xun Suihuang said to the people around her as they walked. “You can’t do anything big because of my little problem.”
Xi Congshuang uttered a voice that could cloud judgment: "But if you don't like it, you can only ask them to leave first."
"..." If Xun Suihuang were a few years younger, when she was still a young girl, she would definitely love it if her sweetheart said something like, "I will overcome all difficulties just for you, and I will not care about other people's opinions just for you."
"Of all the waters in the world, I only drink from one ladle"—it sounds so romantic and poetic!
But she wasn't like that. She was already in her twenties and, after all, a student of Grand Tutor Fang, who had read many history books: "You can't do this. As a monarch, you should set an example for the world. This is only your first day as the Crown Princess. What if those old fogies in the court criticize you?"
Xi Congshuang chuckled: "Well, there's nothing I can do about it. I'm not someone who grows up forever; I can only do what I want."
Xun Suihuang had a bad feeling: "What if I upset you?"
Xi Congshuang calmly replied, "Then I'll make them all unhappy too."
Xun Suihuang: "What if I were in there too?"
Xi Congshuang replied without hesitation: "I will not be unhappy with anything you do. If that day ever comes, it will definitely be because someone else is using the relationship between ruler and subject to hold you hostage and sow discord between us."
After a pause, Xi Congshuang said, "Then they're finished."
No matter what, it will never be your fault.
"..."
Xun Suihuang was completely bewildered by the tyrannical emperor's words, as if she were witnessing a future tyrannical ruler.
No, no, no, we should have faith in Xi Congshuang. Doctors are dedicated to saving lives, so she must also have a kind heart; it's just that her upbringing wasn't quite right.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. She grew up among common people and used to be a doctor. It's a bit hard for her to adapt to suddenly becoming the Crown Princess.
Xi Congshuang noticed her hesitant expression and said, "If you're worried, keep an eye on me yourself."
Xun Suihuang pointed to herself: "Me looking at you?"
Xi Congshuang pulled up her wide sleeves and said calmly, "Your advice might be more effective than anyone else's."
“I’ve noticed that His Majesty gets a headache whenever someone offers advice these days. But you, on the other hand, are deliberately making trouble for yourself.” Xun Suihuang subconsciously recalled the remonstrating ministers who used to be particularly annoying, the ones who would bang their heads against a pillar at the slightest disagreement.
Thinking about how he had tried to persuade Xi Congshuang on the throne in the same way, and how she would bang her head against a pillar if she refused, startling all the officials and ministers, who would then rush to stop her from doing so, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Alright, I'll stand aside and watch you. Don't find me annoying later." Xun Suihuang found it more and more amusing, and continued to laugh while holding Xi Congshuang's hand.
"I can't." Xi Congshuang was being pulled by her, not realizing that she had said anything funny, and although she was puzzled, she helped the person continue walking inside.
As she laughed, she realized she had forgotten something. Who else could have stopped her from hitting the pillar?
But he couldn't remember what he had forgotten for a moment. Just as he was about to think about it, Xi Congshuang pulled him to have breakfast.
Xi Congshuang casually called over Lu Hongdou, who was peeking out from behind her. She had been running around outside these days, and Lu Hongdou deserved some credit for the success of the project.
"They're here!" Lu Hongdou's eyes lit up.
She wanted to call Xi Congshuang "Sect Leader" as soon as she saw her, but then she thought that since the Sect Leader was now the Crown Prince, it would be inappropriate to still call him by his martial arts identity.
However, she wasn't very willing to be addressed as "Your Highness the Crown Princess" like everyone else.
This feels too distant. This is the sect leader who took her in, raised her, and even hired a martial arts master for her.
Hearing Xi Congshuang's call, she breathed a sigh of relief, lifted her skirt, and strode after her.
Everyone present felt as if they had forgotten something, but since the master of the Marquis's mansion had returned, it seemed that nothing was missing.
The steward arranged everything for everyone in front of the mansion, but the mansion's courtyard couldn't accommodate such a large carriage, so it had to be parked by the roadside.
The carriage had an unexpected effect; within an hour, the news spread throughout most of Yongdu, sparking much discussion.
Most people shared the same thought—the Marquis of Pingding, who held military power, had a close personal relationship with the new crown prince, and the court officials who wanted to raise objections to this matter should think carefully about whether they could withstand Xun Suihuang's iron fist.
The news also reached the Court of Judicial Review, where the Vice Minister sat behind his desk, looking gloomy and sighing deeply.
He remembered that just half an hour ago, he had seen off the Crown Princess and the Marquis of Pingding. He should have been able to breathe a sigh of relief, but when he thought about what he had done these past few days, that feeling of relief stuck in his throat.
The carriages, in a grand procession, disappeared at the end of the street, just as they had arrived.
The silent officials of the Dali Temple all breathed a sigh of relief, straightened up, and shook their heads with emotion.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said in a low voice, "I never expected that this would be the one chosen as the Crown Prince."
"Yes." The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review looked dejected. How could things have turned out this way?
He offended the Marquis of Pingding, and now that she has turned the tables, he doesn't know if he can still be saved.
His life should be safe, but his career prospects are uncertain.
Who would have thought that the almost certain charge of deceiving the emperor by the Marquis of Pingding, after harboring a disgraced official, would take such a turn...
etc.
The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review suddenly stood up, finally remembering something: "His Highness has taken away the Marquis of Pingding, but there is still a Deputy General Gu who is left unattended!"
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There was a girl in the village named Xiaofang. She was beautiful and kind, and had a pair of fists as big as sandbags... ( )
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