Chapter 106 [End of Main Text] A Perfect Couple
The scenery in Jiangnan during spring is infinitely beautiful.
Ning Jue had a few days of leisure, and the next day he took Bai Hua boating on the lake.
In April, the weather was warm and pleasant, with a gentle lake breeze. Bai Hua lay lazily in the boat awning, the lattice window open and the bamboo curtains hanging up. She felt comfortable and relaxed as the breeze blew by, and couldn't help but sigh.
"The weather is so nice. It's perfect for a midday nap."
Ning Jue, who was standing ahead with his arm on a pole, replied, "I told you I'd keep you company while you took a nap at the inn, but you didn't want to?"
Bai Hua pursed her lips, unwilling to expose him.
Spending the day alone with her in the inn, could it be just for a simple nap? He clearly intended to sleep... His intentions were as clear as day. Bai Hua wasn't stupid; she didn't expect that after finally arriving in Jiangnan for two days, she would be so trembling that she couldn't even get off the bed in the inn.
Bai Hua snorted and said, "You better steer your boat steadily so I can lie down comfortably."
Ning Jue gave a helpless laugh: "Fine, only you would dare to order me around like this."
This is true. Although Bai Hua did not know how Ning Jue treated the Emperor, she had personally witnessed his unruly and eccentric behavior when he was with the Grand General. He did not give the Prince much face, but the Prince never blamed him. On the contrary, he valued him highly.
Bai Hua glanced at his retreating figure, a hint of arrogance in her expression: "Can't I order people around?"
Ning Jue laughed: "Yes. In my eyes, what aren't you an exception?"
She wanted to be the most special one.
A sense of satisfaction welled up in Bai Hua's heart. She leaned back and said in a light tone, "That's more like it."
Hearing her confident tone, Ning Jue's lips curved into a deeper smile. He couldn't help but recall that half a year ago, when Bai Hua first came to Xianyang Mountain, she was trembling and afraid to even breathe in his presence. Now, times had changed, and she was completely different. Recalling those days, so many clear memories came to mind. For example, she, with her delicate and pampered skin, deliberately wore coarse cloth clothes to pretend to be a village girl, her every move exuding ladylike grace, yet she insisted that she was used to hard labor and volunteered to be his personal maid.
He saw through her act but didn't say anything, allowing her to put on her own clever performance. Little did he know that he would gradually become drawn into the role himself.
Zang Fan was right; he was completely smitten with her.
Inside the boat awning, Bai Hua's voice came again, bringing Ning Jue's wandering thoughts back to reality.
She said, "You are thinking of reuniting with me, but you don't know that my brother has been ordered to go south to serve His Majesty, leaving my sister-in-law alone at home with the baby. How much I miss you."
Ning Jue turned around and said, "I had planned this all along. I only went south after I had done something very kind by letting your brother accompany your sister-in-law during her postpartum period. I was considerate of others, so others should naturally be considerate of me as well."
Bai Hua reclined, holding a round fan, gently scolding him as she waved the fan handle: "How come you have so many mischievous ideas?"
Ning Jue flattered her, "To see a beauty, one will stop at nothing. Hua'er, don't worry, your brother won't be delayed for long before he returns to reunite with your sister-in-law, nephews, and nieces. When he does, have him take you with him. I will return to the capital later to see you."
Just now, Bai Hua was worried about her brother and sister-in-law, but now she suddenly realized that she and Ning Jue would not be able to spend many more days together, and her feelings became complicated.
Bai Hua stepped out of the boat awning, stood behind Ning Jue, and couldn't help but reach out and hug him: "How many more days can I stay?"
Ning Jue dropped the anchor, firmly gripping the sand and stones at the bottom of the lake, and moored the boat in the middle of the lake. Then he turned around and hugged Bai Hua back.
He replied truthfully, "About seven or eight days."
It's so short, wouldn't it be over in the blink of an eye?
Bai Hua snuggled into his arms, no longer caring about her composure: "After we parted, it felt like every day was an eternity, but now that we're together, time seems to fly by. How can this be... Although it is said that true love doesn't need to be together every day, I just want to be with you every day and every night."
Hearing this, Ning Jue was very gratified, thinking that he hadn't spoiled her for nothing.
He gently stroked Bai Hua's back, comforting her, "There's no rush. Today we're boating on the lake in Jiangnan, and later we'll roam the northern deserts and set foot in Longxi. I promised to take you to see the scenery of the five lakes and the vast world, how could I break my promise?"
Bai Hua sniffed and nodded. Only with a greater vision for the future could she temporarily let go of the pain of leaving home.
Ning Jue's words stirred her emotions, and she said, "I know, I believe you, and we'll walk this path together from now on."
Ning Jue smoothed the wind-blown strands of hair from her forehead and made another suggestion: "Hua'er, are you really not going to try practicing swordsmanship again? In the future, we'll be inseparable, our sword intents united. If you become proficient in swordsmanship, perhaps we can even create a legendary tale of two heroes traveling the world together."
Bai Hua looked embarrassed and said honestly, "I don't have any talent for swordsmanship, and you've taught me before."
Ning Jue teased her with a smile, "Really? Your disciple is so clumsy? But your master is clever, can I help you make up for your shortcomings?"
Bai Hua was furious and punched him in the chest. She clearly used force, but she didn't realize that each punch landed on Ning Jue was not as satisfying as a tickle.
Ning Jue grabbed her mischievous hand and suddenly said meaningfully, "I still have something to settle with you, why are you hitting me first?"
Bai Hua was taken aback, wondering what leverage he had over her.
She looked bewildered: "What account?"
Ning Jue first snorted, showing his dissatisfaction, and then continued after a pause: "I heard that a few years ago, on the city wall of Jingqi, Hua'er climbed up with someone else and released lanterns side by side. Under the starry sky, the two figures were like a perfect couple, and that person still thinks of you to this day. Even when you got married, he couldn't help but look at you from afar and deliberately hid his name card to give you a precious and hard-to-find gift."
Bai Hua sensed something was wrong as soon as she heard the beginning. She carefully observed Ning Jue's expression and reacted quickly, saying, "Husband, who told you this nonsense? When I released the lanterns with the former crown prince, it was just a last-minute replacement. There was absolutely no romantic relationship between us. Besides the palace banquet, we only met privately once, and we weren't even familiar with each other."
Ning Jue knew, of course, that Hua'er and Wei Yu had no affair; it was just that he was naturally uncomfortable that his wife was being coveted by another man for so long.
Seeing that Ning Jue's tense expression softened slightly, Bai Hua quickly added, "As for the gift from the former Crown Prince, who is now the Prince Xian, if my husband doesn't like it, just put it in the storeroom to collect dust. I promise I won't use it."
Ning Jue then became generous again: "Why not use it? The chessboard made of Hetian jade is so precious and rare. It would be a waste to leave it to collect dust. We can find the chessboard and use it when we play chess another day. I can also benefit from your presence."
That remark still carries a hint of sarcasm.
Bai Hua pursed her lips, shook Ning Jue's arm in a flattering manner, her face as beautiful as a peach blossom, and coaxed him gently with a smile: "It's fine whether you use it or not, I'll listen to my husband. Now that this matter has been explained, my husband can't make things difficult for me again."
Ning Jue thought for a moment, then decided against it: "It depends on your performance."
Having said that, he leaned in to kiss her.
Bai Hua couldn't escape; her waist was bound, and she could only look up and let him press down on her, shrouding her in shadow.
These two brief, fleeting kisses were far from enough to quell the intense itch in Ning Jue's heart.
He moved away, his eyes fixed on Bai Hua with a deep, dark gaze. Then he picked her up and carried her into the cabin, hurriedly lowering the curtains and closing the windows to block his view.
Bai Hua was laid down on the flat couch in the cabin, her waist against the soft blanket. She belatedly realized the intention behind it, and her heart skipped a beat.
This is in the wild, on a sunny day, on the lake. How can one indulge in debauchery in broad daylight?
Bai Hua, with the poise and elegance of a noble lady, her eyes brimming with timidity, shook her head vigorously, pleading with him not to be foolish: "Ning Jue, let's go back to the inn. I... I've had enough of boating on the lake, and I'm tired. Let's go to the room; it's definitely not safe to stay on the boat."
Ning Jue was dissatisfied with her way of addressing her, and even if she begged for mercy, it was useless.
Bai Hua quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly changed her words, her voice gentle: "Husband, please... put down the anchor and row back to shore."
Ning Jue's voice was hoarse as he rejected her suggestion: "No rush. The lake is most stunning at dusk. Wouldn't it be a pity if Hua'er left too soon?"
As they spoke, Ning Jue had already swiftly removed his outer robe and pounced onto the flat bed. While he relentlessly demanded kisses from Bai Hua, he forcibly tore at her thin clothes.
The boat rocked, and ripples spread in all directions.
Bai Hua was wearing a flowing, shimmering brocade dress in a light green pleated style today, which was exceptionally fresh and elegant. As the layers of her dress were peeled away, her fair skin was revealed, like parting layers of green leaves to reveal a cluster of flowers, which was quite charming.
Ning Jue was infatuated with her.
Originally, Bai Hua's makeup was exquisite, her hair was cloud-like and her face was beautiful, making her incomparably beautiful. However, soon her hair was disheveled, her lipstick was smeared, and even the half of her skirt that covered her body was about to fall down.
With her last bit of strength, she clutched the pitiful half-piece of her garment, trying not to look bad in front of anyone.
Ning Jue kissed her smooth, firm back, his voice hoarse as he soothed her: "Don't be afraid. We're wandering in the middle of the lake, where there's no one around. Here, Hua'er can call out without worry."
"..."
It turns out he still remembered the embarrassment she felt last night at the inn, when she covered her mouth with her hands and dared not make a sound.
However, his current "consideration" didn't make Bai Hua feel particularly good.
They met in the wild, and she repeatedly crossed her own bottom line for him, abandoning all the proper etiquette she had been taught in her youth. Was she being too reckless in her decadent behavior?
She was so worried, but Ning Jue showed her with his actions that he absolutely loved her just the way she looked.
The rippling water kept crashing against the hull, but it wasn't enough to shake it. The culprit was the relentless force inside the cabin that was causing the boat to rock and threaten to capsize.
As dusk fell, Bai Hua, utterly exhausted, nestled in Ning Jue's arms and fell into a deep sleep.
As for the best sunset lake view that Ning Jue mentioned, she is destined to miss it today.
...
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a year and a half has passed.
Ning Jue rose to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guard, enjoying immense prestige before the Emperor, and the Bai family also benefited from his promotion.
With the assistance of the Grand General, the emperor gradually consolidated his power and finally secured his throne. The Great Yan Kingdom was peaceful and prosperous, and the world was at peace. The streets and alleys were filled with a scene of peace and prosperity, and everything was developing in a positive direction.
Originally, according to the agreement, Ning Jue was supposed to continue serving the Grand General for another year and a half before he would be free. However, he recommended Duan Yi to the Grand General and was given an important position, thus allowing him to be relieved of his duties and leave the capital ahead of schedule with the Grand General's reluctant consent.
Bai Hua was also surprised that the days of roaming the martial world that the two of them had longed for would come so quickly, and she was somewhat dazed for a moment.
She was reluctant to say goodbye to her family, and when her niece asked her to stay, she couldn't help but shed tears. She promised Xiaoyi that when she returned, she would tell her all about her experiences outside the capital, just like in the travelogue.
Friends also attended a farewell banquet for them, including Zang Fan, Chen Fu, Jiu Qiu, and several of Bai Hua's close friends in Beijing. In short, the two of them attended many farewell banquets and ate and drank quite a lot.
Before leaving, Bai Hua dismissed the servants, leaving only Xiao You to return to the Bai residence, and then locked the gate of Duyuan.
Having made all the arrangements, the two traveled light and set off from Jingqi, roaming freely in the wilderness.
In countless ordinary days and nights, the two of them traveled all over the mountains and rivers. Ning Jue fulfilled all his promises to Bai Hua, taking her to drink the water of desert oases, feel the biting wind of snow-capped mountains, and see the moon floating on the sea. They traveled to the northern frontier, through canyons, and along ancient roads. The scenery that one person saw was probably something that ten or a hundred people could not see.
Also worth mentioning is that Bai Hua ultimately failed to learn swordsmanship, thus letting down such a good master, but she cleverly mastered excellent horsemanship.
The two roamed freely between heaven and earth, unrestrained, braving the wind and rain, becoming the most enviable divine couple.
As for Ning Jue, he realized his lifelong dream—a man, a horse, and a green shadow, with a beautiful woman by his side for the rest of his life.
He was willing to sacrifice himself, but not his sword.
For the rest of his life, the one person he could least bear to part with was Jiang.
[The main story is complete]
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