49. Cold Hug
"His Majesty."
Yun Zhihe bowed his head and handed over the memorial.
Xuanyuan Ying paused, the ink from the tip of his pen smudged onto a piece of rice paper, and he put down the pen with a dignified and elegant movement.
"But is there any clue?"
Yun Zhihe nodded. "It's related to the Song Mansion. We're tracking down the Song Mansion's former staff and collecting their confessions."
Xuanyuan Ying was silent for a moment, then looked up at Yun Zhihe, "...Did Lou Zhi rest with you last night?"
...Hmm.
Yun Zhihe paused. How...did he know that?
He seemed to see Yun Zhihe's confusion and said, "General Lou told me about the report on leaving the city today."
Yun Zhihe nodded.
Men and women should not touch each other, and she did not overstep the line...she should not be charged with offending General Lou.
Probably seeing her silence, Xuanyuan Ying lowered his eyes for a moment to look at the ink stains on the table, then raised his eyes vaguely and asked her in a hoarse voice.
"Jinniang...is there a man you like?"
He had been holding this thought in his chest for a long time. He could not help but laugh at himself for asking such a question full of resentment even though they were discussing state affairs.
At his age, he has never tasted the sweetness of love.
He had tasted power, he had tasted high position, but he had never… known her taste.
When Xuanyuan Ying's period came, he would curl up on the bed, holding his belly and groaning, and he would always vaguely think of his wife Yun.
As ethereal as a fairy and as outstanding as the moon.
I don’t know...her lips seemed soft, or perhaps slightly cool.
The surging emotions almost overwhelmed him.
How could he be attracted to a girl nine years younger than him? And how could he be attracted to a girl he had grown up with...?
Ridiculous and funny.
Xuanyuan Ying paused, hiding the unclear emotions in his eyes.
Yun Zhihe pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then spoke.
"Your Majesty...No."
She was at a loss for words. She had never loved anyone, never tasted love, and didn't know what happiness felt like... Maybe?
Xuanyuan Ying closed his eyes, and his murderous and decisive look returned, as if the ten just now were not him. He raised his eyes, still arrogant and calm.
"This corruption case involves many people. I believe that with the help of many people, Jinniang will be able to solve the case."
"...Retreat."
Yun Zhihe bowed and left.
Xuanyuan Ying looked at her back for a long time until she left the room. He pursed his lips and heard Eunuch Li, who had just been serving beside him, speak.
There was a hint of resentment in his voice.
"Your Majesty...this..."
He raised his eyes and looked at Eunuch Li.
Then he saw Eunuch Li sigh and walked forward.
"Your Majesty, your voice was too cold just now. Which woman doesn't like a sweet-talking woman?"
"This old servant knows that Your Majesty is feeling overwhelmed... But, Madam Yun cannot remain unamused. Your Majesty, why don't you soften your tone and show some tenderness?"
Xuanyuan Ying paused.
The idea of being gentle...has never been compatible with Xuanyuan Ying's cold and hard demeanor.
His father died early, and Mother Cheng had never had much affection with her. How could she know what it meant to be coquettish and gentle?
He was a nobleman when he was young. He was arrogant and high-handed since childhood. He was dressed in fine clothes and fed with delicious food, and was surrounded by people. How could he...speak softly?
Xuanyuan Ying was confused for a moment, then lowered his head to listen to what Eunuch Li said.
"Your Majesty, you don't know that Madam Yun is of marriageable age. The young men seeking her hand in marriage line up at the city gate. Each one of them is so tender that you can squeeze out water from her, and they throw their handkerchiefs towards Madam Yun..."
Eunuch Li's tone was sour and full of disdain.
"Fortunately, Madam Yun didn't fall for those little tricks and behaved like an elegant lady without overstepping the bounds..."
"I haven't taken advantage of the young master in the slightest. I'm not interested in men, and everyone praises me..."
Before the word "beautiful" was uttered, Eunuch Li's expression froze. He paused suddenly, as if he had thought of something. His expression became stiff, and he seemed to be hesitant to speak.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Xuanyuan Yingben listened carefully, and seeing that he was hesitant to speak, he gestured for him to continue.
"Madam Yun is already nineteen... At such an age, she's not interested in men, is that possible..."
He stammered, speaking softly again.
"Could it be that... it's good for polishing a mirror?"
As soon as the words fell, the two looked at each other in unusual silence.
...?
Xuanyuan Ying looked at him with a dazed expression, as if he didn't know how to answer.
He took a deep breath, looked down at the documents on the desk, and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Back off, I'm tired."
"...I will take my leave."
Eunuch Li was a little anxious. He hesitated for a long time and finally left.
Only Xuanyuan Ying was left staring at the documents on the desk, his face expressionless. He pursed his lips, his rosy thin lips turning red.
...polishing the mirror?
He stretched out his slender fingertips and rubbed his forehead.
…
As soon as Yun Zhihe left the palace, he was thinking about investigating something. Before he paid attention to what was happening on the road, he was suddenly bumped into by a young palace boy.
“Hmm—”
She held the palace man in her arms, then hurriedly let go.
Xiao Gongnan was extremely anxious, almost crying, and stammered to apologize to her.
"Yes, I'm sorry... My Lord, I didn't mean it..."
Yun Zhihe shook his head.
"Nothing, no need to worry."
Xiao Gongnan paused, looked down at the things on his tray, and was truly relieved to see that they were intact.
"Thank you for your generosity, sir."
Yun Zhihe paused and looked at the thing in his hand that was no longer covered by the cloth.
She was a little dazed.
Was it—Nine Records of the Taihang Mountains? It was rumored to have been written by a Taoist monk from the previous dynasty who traveled extensively as a Taoist. It was a rare and hard-to-find copy, and it was the book she had been searching for for a long time.
Seeing Yun Zhihe looking at the thing in his hand, Gong Nan paused and began to explain.
"This book is the only copy of 'Nine Records of the Taihang Mountains' that Madam Fu Ya asked me to give to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It was recently given to Madam Fu Ya by a friend..."
Yun Zhihe paused and then spoke.
"I'll deliver this book. I have something to discuss with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Gong Nan paused, a little hesitant.
"this……"
Yun Zhihe chuckled, his eyes curved, "I won't take the book and run away..."
"No, no, no..." Xiao Gongnan was extremely flustered and stammered in denial, but his face turned red because of the smile on her face.
"Thank you, thank you Madam Yun..."
Xiao Gongnan handed her the tray, lowered his head and ran away with a red face.
Yun Zhihe chuckled and looked at the book in his hand.
In fact, she didn't have much to discuss with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. She just wanted to meet him and discuss with him whether he could lend her this rare book after he finished reading it.
She was familiar with the palace and soon arrived at the East Palace.
The East Palace was magnificent. When the palace servants at the door saw that it was her, they did not stop her but welcomed her in.
Just as he was about to step into the back hall, a palace servant paused and stepped forward to speak.
"Madam Yun... His Highness seems to be in a bad mood, you see..."
Yun Zhihe paused, thought for a moment, and prepared to go in.
Was he criticized by Madam Fu Ya... or by His Majesty?
If you are in a bad mood and keep it in your heart, what if you get sick?
Yun Zhihe nodded to the palace maid, indicating that he understood.
Just as I stepped into the back hall, I heard the crisp sound of porcelain colliding, one after another... It seemed like the sound of tossing pots?
She looked at it with some doubts -
...Yun Zhihe paused.
He saw Xuanyuan He sitting on the corridor leaning against a pillar, his brows tired and as if bored, he picked up the arrow beside him and threw it into the pot in the distance.
She was only wearing a thin white inner garment, which loosely revealed her jade-colored body. Her small feet were curled up, her jade toes were intertwined, and her fingertips were round and slightly flushed.
The boy's body was particularly beautiful, with a slender waist. He leaned loosely against the pillar, with a unique youthful charm and purity.
Xuanyuan He didn't throw the arrows carefully, and the arrows missed the pot and hit the wall of the pot, making crisp sounds again and again, and then he closed his dark eyes.
Next to the touhu were arrows that had not been thrown in.
...Yun Zhihe glanced at him.
“Ahem…”
She coughed lightly, wanting to remind Xuanyuan He, but Xuanyuan He paused when he heard her voice, as if he didn't realize it was her. He just had a cold face, never looking up for a moment, and his voice was hoarse and full of disgust.
"Didn't I tell you not to disturb me—"
"You don't understand what I'm saying..."
He was in a bad mood and was about to look up to see which foolish palace maid it was, but when he raised his eyes, he suddenly met Yun Zhihe's gaze. The last word of his words stretched out, and he looked particularly confused.
The gloomy look on Xuanyuan He's face has not yet disappeared.
Seeing Yun Zhihe at this time, he was a little confused. He paused, lowered his eyes and hid his emotions.
The gloom in his body almost overflowed, and he seemed to no longer have the mood to pretend in front of Yun Zhihe. His fingertips even trembled as he pinched the arrow, and he pursed his lips and turned his head to the side.
Yun Zhihe paused and asked.
"...but you're not feeling well?"
Xuanyuan He did not answer. His fingertips holding the arrow turned slightly white due to the force, and he suddenly raised his hand and threw it out.
The arrow hit the wall of the pot and did not go in, only making a crisp sound.
He hates this thing.
He just forced himself to look at the pitching pot in front of him over and over again as if torturing himself.
...After all, he was bullied as a human pitcher when he was young.
Arrows tied with stones hurt a lot when they hit people. When they hit the bones, they make a sound like throwing a pot.
...It sounds so bad.
Xuanyuan He glanced over.
He suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice.
"...Do you know how to play pot-throwing?"
"meeting."
Yun Zhihe nodded, then paused, walked closer to him, bent down, took his hand, and picked up the arrow he was holding.
He was stubborn, holding the arrow with his slender and soft hands and refusing to let go, as if resisting Yun Zhihe's gentle action of prying his fingers open as if resisting checks and balances.
Finally let go.
Yun Zhihe knew what he was thinking.
Tossing a pot... How could she not know what this meant to him?
That pitiful, thin, and cautious child who tried to please others was the former appearance of this wise and virtuous, handsome and elegant prince.
Yun Zhihe pursed his lips, picked up the arrow, and threw it out.
It went straight into the pot with great precision.
Xuanyuan He just looked at the arrow still swinging in the pot with dark eyes, and then looked at its trembling tail feathers.
He closed his eyes.
Her jade-white body was wrapped in a thin white inner garment, which was loosely blown by the wind. It was extremely cold in the autumn, and her body was freezing cold.
Yun Zhihe turned to look at him and saw that he was still sitting against the pillar, his hair was soft and flowing, and his face was pale.
Then he opened his eyes, looked up at her, and slowly stretched out his hands to both sides, trembling slightly.
He said,
"……cold."
Then he said in a hoarse voice.
"hug."
The author has something to say:
Xuanyuan Ying: ...you'd better like men
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