"I'm not that fragile."
Shen Jintang retorted softly, but her voice was somewhat weak.
"But it hurts my heart."
Gu Zhixing's voice was low, carrying a hint of gentleness that was barely perceptible.
Upon hearing this, Shen Jintang was stunned and stared at him blankly.
Gu Zhixing seemed to belatedly realize what he had said, his eyes widened slightly, and his drowsiness vanished instantly.
The two stared at each other quietly, a subtle silence filling the air.
Fortunately, Shen Jintang didn't ask any more questions, but simply turned her head slightly to hide the blush on her face.
As the sunlight gradually rose higher, the shadows cast on the ground also gradually shifted their positions.
The room was so quiet that the only sound was their breathing.
"You should go to class," Shen Jintang said softly.
Gu Zhixing tightened his grip on her arm, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of reluctance, and said, "I don't want to go."
He closed his eyes, as if resisting something.
Going to class every day meant being separated from Shen Jintang, and after that, he had no idea what she would do, and she never told him anything.
He felt very uncomfortable being kept in the dark, and he preferred to stay with her so that he could at least know what she was thinking.
Gu Zhixing muttered something under his breath, but didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he buried his face deeper, seemingly enjoying the brief intimacy.
Shen Jintang sighed softly, but before she could say anything to advise him, she heard someone push the door open and enter.
"master!"
Xinghui's voice was urgent as she pushed open the door and rushed in.
However, when she saw the scene on the bed, she froze instantly, her cheeks flushing crimson. She quickly turned away, her voice trembling with panic: "Master, your subordinate... your subordinate is waiting for you outside!"
Shen Jintang was startled by Xing Hui's sudden intrusion. She subconsciously removed Gu Zhixing's hand, quickly stood up, and casually put on an outer garment.
She acted swiftly because she knew Xinghui wouldn't act so recklessly without reason.
"What's up?"
Shen Jintang asked in her voice, her gaze fixed on Xing Hui's back, waiting for her answer.
Gu Zhixing was still lying in bed, his eyes slightly narrowed as he watched Shen Jintang's movements, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes.
He reached out to grab the hem of her dress, but in the end he only grasped empty air.
He muttered under his breath, "Why the rush..."
Her voice carried a hint of languor, yet also seemed to conceal a touch of grievance.
Shen Jintang didn't turn around; she walked quickly outside.
His cloak billowed slightly behind him, giving him an exceptionally ruthless air.
Gu Zhixing watched her retreating figure, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Shen Jintang's figure quickly disappeared through the doorway, leaving only a gentle breeze carrying a faint fragrance.
The room fell silent instantly, leaving only Gu Zhixing lying on the bed, staring blankly at the doorway.
His fingers unconsciously traced the spot where Shen Jintang had just touched, and he felt empty inside, as if his heart had been hollowed out.
He frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "How heartless!"
In the reception room, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to solidify into a thick, dark cloud, making it hard to breathe.
Shen Huaixu sat on the carved wooden chair, the teacup in his hand emitting wisps of steam, but he paid no attention to it, staring intently at the doorway, his eyes filled with anxiety and urgency.
The aroma of tea filled the air, much like the gloom slowly spreading in his heart.
A few days ago, Shen Youyi mentioned to him with great concern that the number of refugees outside Kyoto was somewhat unusual.
At the time, he thought his sister was being overly sensitive and didn't take it too seriously.
However, things have become increasingly strange in the last few days.
A large number of troops from the Xingwu Guard in Kyoto were transferred away. He had just been reinstated when he noticed something was wrong. He sent people to investigate and found that it was the Crown Prince who was mobilizing the troops.
He was using the Xingwu Guard to stop refugees heading to Kyoto.
Shen Huaixu's intuition told him that things were not so simple.
He ordered a thorough investigation, which revealed that the Yellow River floods had already caused widespread devastation, but the disaster relief funds allocated by the Ministry of Revenue had been embezzled without a trace.
The displaced people along the Yellow River have not been resettled and have died in large numbers; there are even signs of a plague spreading.
However, the officials who went to provide disaster relief reported that everything was normal.
The conscientious officials at the lower levels couldn't get their complaints approved, while those at the higher levels protected each other and were determined to cover it up.
The price was the lives of tens of thousands of people in Yanzhou, and the shattering and despair of countless families.
Shen Huaixu knew that this matter could not be delayed any longer.
He must see the Princess immediately; the disaster relief effort cannot be delayed any longer.
On the way to Shen Jintang, Xinghui had already given her a brief report on the situation.
She entered the reception room with a faint smile on her face and softly called out, "Cousin."
Upon hearing her voice, Shen Huaixu immediately stood up and went to greet her, saying urgently, "I want to see the Princess."
Shen Jintang simply smiled faintly, gestured for Xinghui to step back, then slowly sat down, picked up her teacup, and took a small sip.
The steam from the tea rose gently in front of her, and her voice was calm and resolute: "It's no use."
Shen Huaixu was taken aback, his eyes filled with confusion and anxiety: "What did you say?"
Shen Jintang gently put down the teacup, which lightly collided with the tea table, making a crisp sound.
She raised her head, looking at him calmly, her voice tinged with weariness: "Do you think Her Highness the Princess is unaware of the Ministry of Revenue's embezzlement?"
Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable calmness as she said, "Of course she knows, but she can't investigate this matter."
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