68. Joy
The weather is nice today, but it's winter now and it's cold.
Yun Zhihe got on the carriage, followed by Lou Zhi. However, Lou Zhi didn't even look at him when she got on the carriage. He lowered his eyes and said nothing, avoiding Wen Yanhe's probing gaze, and jumped on the horse.
The figure is dashing and light.
Yun Zhihe pursed her lips and pulled the curtain. There was a small stove inside the carriage, which was also extremely warm.
"call……"
As if she didn't know what to do, she rubbed her aching brow with her fingertips.
Lou Zhi confessed his love to her.
He was drunk and hot that day, hugging her and murmuring joyfully.
The last syllable of his voice trembled, and Yun Zhihe could even touch his trembling Adam's apple with his skin.
He looked vulnerable.
...doesn't look like an evil spirit.
Last time, when someone from the Xuanyuan Army teased him, she came to his rescue and listened to him - he wanted to clear her name.
I thought it was a joke.
He was stubborn and naive, so he probably didn't understand, but he didn't know that he was hiding his joy.
Yun Zhihe is very confused now.
She did respect him, but how could she explain the feelings between men and women? So she slowly shook her head and asked someone to help the drunk man to rest.
Lou Zhi just looked at her deeply and left with his attendants.
The servant looked at him with a ferocious look and asked cautiously in the moonlight.
"Sir...you are drunk and need some sobering soup."
Lou Zhi's steps were strong and calm. He suddenly stopped, lowered his eyes to look at the servant's cautious gaze, and spoke in a hoarse voice.
“…I’m not drunk.”
"Need not."
Then he started forward again, leaving the little servant standing there in a daze.
Lou Zhi was much taller than the young servant. His cold and indifferent glance made the young servant feel quite depressed. He trembled a few times and followed Lou Zhi's footsteps.
The tip of Lou Zhi's nail dug into the flesh, and a lot of blood flowed out and ran down his hand.
He looked at the wound on the palm of his hand for a long time, his expression complicated and gloomy, and he did not sleep all night.
Meng Xiaojiao knew that she was going back to Beijing. She leaned against the door for a long time, looked up at the sun for a while, and her eyes were a little red.
"Just go if you want to. Can I keep you here?"
But he clearly knew that it would be difficult to see her again after this trip.
Ming City and the capital, bandits and court officials, were almost out of reach.
Meng Xiaojiao knew it better than anyone else. Who could blame his mother for forcing him to lecture her on the huge difference between bandits and officials?
A good woman, nagging like a man.
Yun Zhihe looked at him and said, "I'm returning to the capital this time to ask for an imperial decree for you. The reputation of being a bandit will eventually bring disaster. The people of Heitu Village are simple and honest, without a trace of evil. I'm thinking of turning Heitu Village into Heitu Village, with your mother as the village chief. Is that okay?"
The tears in Meng Xiaojiao's eyes were stuck in shock before they could fall.
"you……"
Although Meng Le was devoted to doing good deeds and never provoked the government, his identity as a bandit was still inconvenient. In this way, Heitu Village would be legitimate and there would be no need to worry about any more plots or bandit suppression.
Meng Xiaojiao lowered her eyes, not looking at her, and nodded sullenly, "...Thank you."
Yun Zhihe finally sighed, raised his hand and touched his head, "I know how you feel."
"But..." She chuckled, not knowing what to say, "Young people's feelings are so passionate. You have never seen a woman better than me. It's just a temporary novelty."
"I believe you'll eventually meet your soulmate, so don't be sad... If you miss me, we can be pen pals and share our secrets."
Meng Xiaojiao suddenly waved her hand away.
"Who wants to write to you?! I hate flowery things the most in my life!"
He suppressed his crying tone again, pursed his lips, and his voice became soft and small.
"But I...can't meet a woman better than you."
Yun Zhihe didn't know how to answer.
It seems that recently... she has been particularly popular with men.
The journey was still long, and Yun Zhihe fell asleep in the carriage by the warm fire in a trance.
The dream was gray.
She vaguely felt a warm touch, as if someone was calling her softly, "Jinniang."
The voice was suppressed and hoarse, very familiar.
That person was so high and mighty, yet gentle in everything, murmuring her name in a hoarse voice.
Yun Zhihe slept uneasily in his dream, frowned, and let out a few moans from his throat.
In the dream, Xuanyuan Ying possessed her and rubbed her brows, then lowered his eyes and hugged her, his body burning hot, especially scorching.
……joy.
He said so, gently rubbing the skin with his fingertips. Yun Zhihe tried to open his eyes wide to look at him.
She saw Xuanyuan Ying wearing a thin undershirt that revealed a large area of his chest, his brows and eyes filled with a special mist and a cold aura that had been dispersed.
——Yes, Your Majesty.
Yun Zhihe seemed to know in his daze that he was dreaming, and murmured in confusion.
"Why... Your Majesty, did you appear in my dream?"
Xuanyuan Ying said nothing, he still held her in his arms, his soft hair touching the warmth of her skin.
A hoarse voice.
"Jin Niang...Jin Niang...Jin Niang..."
Yun Zhihe suddenly woke up.
She gasped for breath, touched her hot cheek with her cold fingertips, and exhaled softly.
Or maybe it's because of the recent romantic chaos that has added a bit of...annoying worldly desire.
Yun Zhihe remained silent, closed his eyes and recalled the scene in his dream.
...It's too much of an offense.
He was high above everyone else, strategizing and looking stern. How could he be the soft person in the dream?
She remembered his crying that day again, holding the scroll to her chest and crying hoarsely.
Whispering the words of the moon.
This mystery should have been solved long ago. Xuanyuan He once told her about her scroll, and she saw the faceless woman with her own eyes.
Or perhaps we should sigh, how could Miss Xiaoyun, who is so beautiful, become a substitute for her mother?
Yun Zhihe pursed his lips, thought deeply for a moment, suppressed his thoughts, and fell asleep again.
After a few days of heavy travel, it was fortunate that it did not snow in winter and the journey was not delayed.
Although he had been away for nearly a month, Yun Zhihe still felt as if he was in another world when he stepped into the palace. He submitted a memorial to the court and reported the matter of the gold mine with great sorrow.
"Mother Cheng is truly audacious. She secretly hoarded gold, bribed officials, arbitrarily mobilized troops, and even murdered officials. With all these things going on, what can some of you adults say to refute her?"
Yun Zhihe raised his eyes and looked at Lord Chen who had been pleading for mercy just now.
Lord Chen has a straightforward personality and has always been used by Queen Mother Cheng. After the murder of an official was discovered, she brought a group of Xuanyuan faction members to write a letter to plead for mercy.
He even found faults of Su's mother in an attempt to reduce the sins of Cheng Guomu.
But now that the gold mine incident has been exposed, even if they want to speak out, they can't.
Such audacity, if it happened to anyone else, would be considered a serious crime of treason.
Although Lord Chen didn't dare, he lowered his head with lingering fear.
I’m afraid... it’s not going to be easy.
Xuanyuan Ying has been trying his best to control the Xuanyuan family these days, first by sorting out the complicated officials in the court, and then by dealing with his own family.
So much so that there are dark blue spots under his eyes due to fatigue.
Yun Zhihe raised his eyes and looked at him, "Your Majesty! Regarding the Qing County gold mine incident, Queen Mother Cheng is guilty of unforgivable crimes. To mine the gold and satisfy her selfish desires, she even forced nine-year-old children to carry ore on their backs, leaving them covered in rotting flesh and blood. Queen Mother Cheng has been sending people to suppress this movement. Apart from the officials who were bribed, no one in the court is aware of the plight of the people!"
"Many were forced to work in the mines, falling and dying from exhaustion. When I left, the people's eyes were filled with despair!"
Yun Zhihe pursed her lips and looked at the people who had just wanted to plead for Mother Cheng.
"Isn't this considered a heinous crime? If you gentlemen were to go there, I'm afraid you wouldn't last more than a few days."
"you--"
Lord Chen's face turned red, but he finally suppressed his anger.
Xuanyuan Ying's eyes were a little tired and dazed, but he also became serious and frowned.
"I am deeply saddened by my mother's mistakes, but the law cannot be abolished. As a monarch, I should set an example and not cover up for her—"
"Chengguomu Xuanyuan Ming is guilty of heinous crimes. She has defied the imperial authority, concealed the gold mine, and murdered officials. She has been stripped of her real power and confined to the palace, forbidden to leave without imperial decree!"
As soon as the words fell, the officials knelt down suddenly, each with their own thoughts, but shouting in unison.
“Our Emperor is wise—!”
Although Mother Cheng's crimes were enough to punish her with death several times, she was still your majesty's biological mother, and filial piety should not be violated. This was still the greatest punishment Xuanyuan could give her as a son.
After the court session, Xuanyuan Ying summoned Yun Zhihe.
A lot has changed in the capital over the past month, especially Xuanyuan Ying, whose brows are etched with weariness.
Xuanyuan Ying walked forward, lowered his head and looked carefully at Yun Zhihe's cheek, pursed his lips, and said after a long time, "...You've lost weight."
Yun Zhihe paused, she glanced away, not meeting his fiery gaze, but finally spoke.
"Your Majesty, instead of worrying about my weight, you should rest more. You look tired. Although you are worried about state affairs, your health is the most important thing."
Xuanyuan Ying paused and nodded.
I don't know how to start again.
What should I do? I've already carefully reviewed and reported this incident from beginning to end, and it seems... I can't find anything else to say to her.
Xuanyuan Ying lowered his eyes to hide the darkness in them.
It seemed that since that day when they got drunk, there had been a subtle gap between the two of them.
His Jinniang was still high above him, but now she was more distant than ever.
...Xuanyuan should be a little scared.
He looked at her with trembling eyelashes, his eyes darkening, "What did I say when I was drunk that day?"
Yun Zhihe bowed his head and saluted, "Your Majesty, these are just state affairs."
Still the same answer.
But Xuanyuan Ying knew that was not the case. When he saw her, he felt joy in his heart, which overflowed and stuck to his chest.
How about… using drunkenness to talk nonsense about state affairs?
His voice trembled slightly, he swallowed his uneasiness and nodded, "Then Jinniang can leave."
Yun Zhihe quietly took his leave.
Xuanyuan Ying stood there for a long time, his black robe hanging to the ground, luxurious and almost cold. He closed his eyes.
Asked in a hoarse voice.
"I, what should I do?"
Eunuch Li lowered his head and came forward, his heart filled with pity. "Aiyo, Your Majesty... you should take a good rest. How can you bear these days of sleepless nights?"
"Your Majesty, can you please consider Madam Yun's matter after you have rested?"
Xuanyuan Ying's steps were somewhat empty, and he did not answer him, but still asked stubbornly.
"...What should I do?"
Eunuch Li sighed softly.
It was also his fault as a servant who didn't know how to be tactful. He actually let the drunk Majesty and Madam Yun stay in the same room without keeping a close eye on them. Then, seeing Madam Yun's distant look, he thought that the Majesty must have said something nonsense.
I’m afraid I said...what, joy.
How could Madam Yun, a scholar with such a cold and aloof temperament, bear it?
I'm afraid she thought that Your Majesty was in a high position and wanted to take her as a concubine. Which noble lady could stand such an insult?
Instead of being a good wife with a promising future, she becomes a concubine who serves men with her beauty.
What's more, Madam Yun is extremely talented and has a bright future, so she must have felt even more insulted and in pain.
Eunuch Li was confused about what His Majesty was thinking at this moment, so he looked up and asked him cautiously and tactfully.
"Your Majesty, this...if you marry Madam Yun, how would it be?"
Xuanyuan Ying paused.
"I……"
His mind and body had reached their limit. He pursed his lips and his eyes slowly became dull.
The ending tone carries a whisper of love.
"I, I think..."
"Be hers, my dear."
Suddenly, he fainted.
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