Chapter 83 The scent of medicine and the tip of his tongue pried open her lips and teeth, teasing her wantonly...
Xie Qinghe did not return home that night.
News came from the palace that the Emperor and the Grand Chancellor had not seen each other for a long time and were talking late into the night by candlelight about important matters, and that the Emperor would not be returning to his residence that night.
The messenger was from the Imperial Guard. He came and went in a hurry, and Ning Lu didn't even get to see him. She only heard a vague and unclear message.
She's usually carefree, but tonight she was unusually restless, feeling like something was amiss.
He stared blankly at the stacks of account books in the front hall until late at night, then leisurely walked to the bedroom. On the way, he caught a glimpse of the arched doorway, turned around, and went into Xie Qinghe's room to inspect it.
His bedroom was as desolate as he was.
During her time in Changzhou, Xie Qinghe wouldn't let go of her, and she was forced to be inseparable from him.
She always pouted and complained that he was clingy, sensitive, insecure, and would throw tantrums if he wasn't seen by anyone.
Ning Lu felt a little uneasy when he suddenly wasn't around, or even stayed out all night.
In a fit of pique, she took off her shoes and sat cross-legged on Xie Qinghe's spotless bed, leaning against the corner, dozing off.
Perhaps because the master had not returned for a long time, the presence of Xie Qinghe had become faint.
Ning Lu buried her head and sniffed deeply before she caught a few clues, and couldn't help but hug him even tighter.
I don't know when, but I drifted off to sleep.
The next day, before dawn, Ning Lu was awakened by the commotion of the green locust branches in the courtyard. After listening for a while, she finally understood what they were saying: they were looking for her.
Still half asleep, she pushed open Xie Qinghe's door and responded in a hoarse voice to stop their panic.
Before Xie Qinghe returned, Ji Zheng led the three managers to the shop again to inquire about the shop's affairs. Ning Lu did not refuse this time, picked up her pen, signed the document, and accepted it readily.
At noon, she sat in the backyard eating, but she had no appetite and was listless.
Suddenly, a message came in from outside, saying that Xie Qinghe had returned to the mansion and had already gone back to Jingyuan.
Ning Lu's dim eyes immediately lit up. She sat up straight, staring at the untouched dishes on the table. She deftly picked out the few that Xie Qinghe could eat, instructed Qinghuai and Qingzhi to pack them into a food box, and then rushed headlong towards his Jingyuan.
He barged straight in through the archway and bumped into the Imperial Guards who were escorting Xie Qinghe back.
The man in golden armor was imposing, with a dignified demeanor, and his gaze was full of scrutiny and wariness as he looked at her.
Sensing something was wrong, I looked back and saw that Xie Qinghe's bedroom door was tightly closed, the smell of medicine was heavy and lingering, and there was no sound.
The door opened from the inside, and Wei Zhan came out carrying a bowl of medicine.
He had only drunk half of the medicine when he heard murmurs coming from inside the room, but he couldn't hear them clearly.
Ning Lu's attempt to peer out on tiptoe was subtly thwarted by the Imperial Guards, so she could only wave him over, calling out, "Wei Zhan."
Wei Zhan glanced at the Imperial Guards and immediately saw the crux of the problem. His face darkened, and he said, "Let this young lady in."
"His Majesty's decree..."
"His Majesty also said that you should obey your master's orders. My master said to let her in."
As he spoke, Wei Zhan's hand gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, his eyes gleaming coldly.
Upon hearing this, the imperial guard hesitated. The door behind him creaked open, and an elderly man in plain clothes with gray hair poked his head out.
"I told you you needed to rest, and you're still making a scene!"
After the old man finished speaking, he glanced at Ning Lu and Wei Zhan, then fixed his gaze on the two burly Imperial Guards, and said irritably, "Let her in."
A soft cough came from inside the room, and Ning Lu's already pounding heart jumped into her throat. After nodding her thanks to the old man, she stepped into the room.
Xie Qinghe sat leaning against the edge of the bed, his official robes off, leaving only his snow-white undergarments. His face was haggard and bloodless, almost blending into his clothes.
With her eyes downcast and her body turned to the side, her arms dangling over the blanket, trembling silently with her breath, her fingertips twitching slightly.
He coughed occasionally, but it didn't seem to be spontaneous; rather, it was as if a mechanism installed in his chest and lungs was activated, stimulating his body to rise and fall.
Like a beautiful, abandoned doll.
"Xie Qinghe."
Ning Lu quickened her pace and rushed to his side, wanting to raise her hand to support his crooked shoulder.
"Don't touch him."
A warning came from behind her, and Ning Lu stopped what she was doing and turned to look at the old man.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that as Xie Qinghe breathed, his undergarment came undone, revealing countless red dots on his snow-white skin.
Terrified, she immediately sat down on the edge of the bed, took his trembling hand in her hands, and slowly pushed up his sleeve.
Xie Qinghe's already shallow breathing paused for a moment, and he unconsciously frowned and gasped for breath.
It was rare to see him afraid of pain, so she trembled and immediately let go, not daring to touch him again.
The long-awaited warmth vanished in an instant. Xie Qinghe finally mustered enough strength to lift his eyelids, move his fingertips to hook her little finger, and gently shake it.
Seeing that he was awake, Ning Lu's heart softened. She reached out and held his cheek, her fingertips brushing against the dark circles under his eyes, and said in a gentle voice, "Did someone bully you? I'll go and settle the score with him."
"A young girl acting like a bandit."
The old man opened his medicine box, stuffed in a leather acupuncture bag, and then took out several white jade porcelain bottles and placed them on the table.
Ning Lu looked over and saw the medicine he often took, guessing that this was the Imperial Physician Luo.
Looking at the barely visible needle marks on his arm, they were likely traces left by acupuncture.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she warmed her icy fingertips in her palm, quietly gazing at Xie Qinghe's haggard face. She dared not ask any more questions, nor did she want to.
I knew long ago that with his aloof personality, it was a pipe dream for him to have a long, intimate conversation with anyone.
The emperor was indeed lying.
Sensing Ning Lu's unusual gentleness and quietness, Xie Qinghe struggled to look up, opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound, only raising his eyelashes and staring blankly at her.
The tender longing in her eyes gave Ning Lu the illusion that she was the one who had been unable to return home after a night of trouble, while he was the one who was waiting, hoping, and thinking about it.
The chronic illness is difficult to cure.
Xie Qinghe fell ill this time and became visibly weak.
He was unable to get up for several days in a row, but even so, the number of people coming to discuss matters and report back increased rather than decreased.
After the officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War left, Ning Lu gently knocked on the door with a bowl of medicine in her hand. When she received no response, she slipped inside.
The afternoon sun shone on Xie Qinghe, who was dressed in plain clothes and leaned against the chaise longue. The memorial he held was casually placed on his lap, his fingertips trembling slightly and his eyes wide open.
Walking to his side, Ning Lu noticed that his eyes were empty and unfocused. She quietly put down the porcelain bowl, pulled the blanket up a bit, sat down to one side, and held his fingertips in her hands, waiting for him to wake up.
A moment later, the trembling of the curled knuckles in his palm intensified, the man's breathing suddenly became disordered, and he pursed his lips and groaned in pain.
He felt a dull pain in his chest, but he couldn't muster the strength to struggle, and his body swayed.
Having seen this many times before, Ning Lu was no longer as flustered as she had been at the beginning. She immediately reached out and picked up the porcelain bottle from the table, poured out twice the amount of medicine, and fed it to Xie Qinghe.
Without bothering to pour water, she picked up the medicine bowl, supported his tilted neck, and sipped it up and down his chest until he could hold a mouthful.
"Cough...cough..."
His eyelashes fluttered upwards, and he looked up in a daze, slowly focusing his gaze on Ning Lu's face.
The bleak winter sun shone on the bare branches, and a few soft rays fell on her hair.
Under the golden light, Ning Lu's black hair turned golden, and beads of sweat seeped from her temples and nose.
Catching a glimpse of the slight upturn at the corner of his lips, she was furious, gritting her teeth: "What are you laughing at?"
"nice……"
What's interesting?
Before she could finish her rebuttal, Ning Lu realized what he meant and pinched her cheek.
"Am I pretty?"
"Um."
Ning Lu glanced at him and made a move to find the bronze mirror, but he had somehow hooked her sleeve.
As a result, his body tilted and slid down, causing him to feel dizzy.
"do what?"
Where to?
"Go find a mirror!" Seeing him panting again because of this, Ning Lu was still shaken and pinched his earlobe: "If Physician Luo sees this, he'll say I'm reckless and act like a bandit!"
"Don't move, stay right here."
Xie Qinghe chuckled and blinked: "In my eyes... you are beautiful... why do I need to look for a mirror?"
"Aren't you disgusting?"
Xie Qinghe got what he wanted, only to be met with laughter and scolding. He pulled her hand in his and they intertwined their fingers.
This is not a joke.
Compared to when we first met, this face and this person seem even more vibrant and real.
Her once dim eyes now shone brightly, and her cheeks became rounder, fair and rosy.
Her originally unremarkable appearance has become increasingly captivating.
"Would you like to go back to your room and rest?"
He shook his head in refusal. Ning Lu, annoyed, reached out and touched his pale purple lips. Still not satisfied, she frowned, leaned over, and bit them.
As a form of punishment.
It's bitter.
He instinctively stuck out his tongue in disgust, but Xie Qinghe caught it.
"Um!"
He was limp and powerless, and Ning Lu was afraid of hurting him, which gave him the means to manipulate her and act recklessly.
The unique sandalwood scent, infused with herbs and belonging to Xie Qinghe, spread in his mouth, and his cool nose was gently brushed against it.
The taste, so familiar it was almost unbearable, suddenly flooded my mind.
Ning Lu's heart started pounding again, much to her dismay.
What's even more infuriating is that Xie Qinghe only lured them in without attacking.
His tongue pried open her lips and teeth, teasing her wantonly, exchanging oxygen, and gently sucking.
A tingling sensation returned.
"Hmm!"
Ning Lu's legs went weak, and disregarding his delicate nature, she collapsed onto him.
She turned her head and bit his Adam's apple hard, warning him in a muffled voice, "Xie Qinghe! I think you've got plenty of strength."
"Um."
She fought back fiercely, her soft tongue teasing and tracing the blue veins on her fair neck.
The man's embrace tightened slightly, but he finally gave in, burying his face in her hair and groaning in weakness.
His ragged breaths spread across his skin, and Ning Lu's body was also damp with a thin layer of sweat. Even as she panted, she still managed to reach out and rub his back.
I've noticed that you can be quite childish sometimes!
"Um."
"Only hmm?"
"Um."
Xie Qinghe moved his head with difficulty and bit her earlobe.
Her breath sprayed near her ear, and Ning Lu's hair stood on end again. She raised her hands and begged for mercy.
“Ning Lulu…” Xie Qinghe remained silent for a long time, then gently tugged at her sleeve: “After this matter, let’s get married.”
She understood immediately that this person was referring to the remnants of Prince Jing's faction.
This matter involved a wide range of people, and Xie Qinghe didn't say much to her, but she couldn't resist her love of running around, and news from outside spontaneously flew into her ears.
While Ning Lu was out for her morning exercise, she learned from the merchants that since Xie Qinghe returned to the capital, at least five or six officials had been imprisoned.
The speed and ruthlessness of their actions were astonishing.
He never left his house, but he met with a few high-ranking officials every day, which caused a great uproar in the outside world.
Those who saw it were horrified, and those who heard it were filled with lingering fear.
Not hearing Ning Lu's response, Xie Qinghe continued to explain in a low voice, "Doctor Luo said that if I obediently recuperate, I can live for many more years..."
He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly said, "If I... everything in the Xie family will belong to you..."
"You can find many... men... I don't mind..."
His voice was hoarse and aggrieved, showing no sign of not minding.
Ning Lu was amused by the reluctance in his tone and felt relieved. She reached out and ruffled his hair: "Who else proposes like this?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com