Chapter 89 The Enchanting Scenery of the Train Car
The day before leaving Jiling, Bai Hua went to Rong Mansion to pick up Xiao You. So much had happened in the past few days, and Xiao You was unaware of the reasons. Bai Hua had been worried about her a lot. When they met for the first time, Bai Hua felt that Xiao You was so young, but her face was full of wrinkles from worry.
She didn't go into the mansion, but only asked a servant to pass on a message, and waited for Xiao You to come out from the back gate.
Upon seeing her mistress, Xiao You felt relieved, but many questions remained unanswered. Bai Hua gave her a reassuring look and gestured with her chin towards the back of the carriage, indicating that there were still people inside.
Before Xiao You could react, the person inside lifted the curtain and glanced out, saying in a flat tone, "It's cold, get in the car."
Bai Hua responded, and Xiao You, who was standing next to her, was startled. It was the first time she had met Ning Jue, and she was intimidated by his cold and unsmiling appearance. She was afraid and did not dare to look him in the eye.
Bai Hua scolded, "Young master, you scared my maid."
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do I look like a hideous demon?"
He was asking Xiao You this question.
Xiao You was embarrassed and immediately shook her head, replying hastily, "How could that be... Young Master, you have clear features, outstanding good looks, and an ethereal air. How could you say you are ugly?"
"Then why are you afraid of me?"
"..."
Ning Jue was aggressive and uncooperative, so Xiao You could only panic and hide behind Bai Hua, begging the girl to support her.
Bai Hua smiled and said, "He's just teasing you. Don't be afraid. The wind and snow are getting stronger. Get in the car quickly."
Xiao You quickly took Bai Hua's arm, her fingers pressing on the plum blossom embroidery on her sleeve: "Miss, please go first, I'll help you."
Bai Hua slightly lifted the hem of her pale yellow skirt and replied, "Okay."
Ning Jue also got out of the car and pulled Bai Hua along for help. The three of them quickly drove away, leaving deep and shallow tire tracks on the snow track.
Bai Hua lifted the carriage curtain, looked up at the plaque at the back gate of the Rong Mansion, and couldn't help but seem to be deep in thought.
When she first arrived in Jiling, her aunt and uncle had just taken her two older cousins out to a banquet, and her cousin was still at the Sword Hall. So when she entered, it was deserted and no one greeted her, making her feel particularly desolate. Now that she was leaving, just like when she arrived, no one saw her off. Although she had long since given up her expectations, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Ning Jue saw through her thoughts and felt that it was better to end the pain quickly than to prolong it, so he decided to just tell her the truth directly.
He comforted her, saying, "They are your cousins, but they are Rong Linyan's closest relatives. In their eyes, if you don't choose Rong Linyan, you are ungrateful and have let down the Rong family. Of course, they are unwilling to see you off. They are already biased and only care about the interests of the Rong family. They don't care about your feelings at all. Hua'er, from now on you have me and your brother. We are your closest relatives and will always stand on your side unconditionally."
Bai Hua smiled faintly at Ning Jue, not wanting him to worry about her, and replied, "I understand everything. My momentary sadness is simply because I've always been nostalgic."
Xiao You chimed in, her voice tinged with indignation: "Yes, Miss, they're not worth your trouble. After your accident, Madam Rong didn't care much at all, only thinking about how to please her new daughter-in-law and rarely mentioning you. And the Second Miss, to show her loyalty to her new sister-in-law, brought people directly to our Lanxiang Residence and removed all the red silk and wedding candles used to decorate the bridal chamber. Xiao You couldn't stop them and could only let them bully her. We won't have to suffer such humiliation when we return to the capital."
She said this with a wronged expression, intending to confide in her daughter, but as soon as she finished speaking, she was given a meaningful glare by Bai Hua.
Xiao You was taken aback at first, but quickly realized what was going on. She pursed her lips awkwardly, regretting that she had spoken without thinking. What wedding room and wedding candles? How could she discuss such things in front of Young Master Ning?
Ning Jue spoke up, picking up where she left off: "Yes, take good care of your girl, and no one will dare to cause you any trouble in the future."
Xiao You quickly put on a fawning smile.
Ning Jue turned his gaze back to Bai Hua, reached out and pulled the silver fox fur cloak draped over her body tighter, and said gently, "After we meet up with the Great General, we will switch to the new carriage that can be used to light charcoal, so it won't be so cold. Hua'er, please bear with it for now."
Bai Hua shook her head, placed her slender hand in Ning Jue's palm, and said to him, "Feel the temperature of my hand, it's very warm, don't worry, I don't feel cold."
Ning Jue took her hand in return, stroking the texture of the back of her hand, and said, "Your hands aren't as warm as mine. Hold mine, and I'll warm them up for you."
Bai Hua's cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment. Holding hands wasn't exactly an intimate gesture, but since they were in front of Xiao You, it was different from when they were alone together in private.
She felt uncomfortable being intimate with him in public, but she lingered on the warmth of his fingertips, so she nodded shyly and walked hand in hand with him all the way.
Xiao You shrank back, embarrassed to look behind him, trying to make himself less noticeable. At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder – he had heard that the girl had been kidnapped by bandits, but she happened to meet a guard from the Great General King and was able to escape. Because the two had an accidental physical relationship during their escape, the girl was forced to give herself to him by some twist of fate.
We met by chance, by accident, how could we possibly have feelings for each other?
Since the two were forced to be a couple, shouldn't they be estranged from each other, feeling distant and awkward when facing each other?
However, at this moment, the young lady is strangely close to Young Master Ning, and the two clearly seem to have known each other for a long time and have feelings for one another...
Xiao You couldn't understand what was going on, but felt there must be another reason behind it.
She secretly thought to herself that when she had a chance to be alone with the girl, she would definitely seize the opportunity to ask her in detail what was going on.
...
On the way back to Beijing, there were few sunny days. After crossing the Xiang River, they encountered wind and snow for several days in a row. However, the caravan's journey was not hindered. The leading horses were tall and strong, and they were all covered with animal skin armor, which could withstand the cold wind and frost. Their hooves clattered firmly on the cold and hard ancient road.
Although the outside environment was harsh, the inside of the carriage was a completely different world.
The air was filled with the fragrance of incense, and the warm mats and fur coats provided comfort. The charcoal fire in the copper basin burned brightly, so one could stay inside without feeling cold, even without wearing a thick cloak.
Xiao You noticed that Bai Hua's nose was slightly sweaty, so she considerately took the hot water bottle from the girl's arms and handed her some water to quench her thirst.
At the same time, taking advantage of Ning Jue's absence, he lowered his voice and said, "As expected of a member of the imperial family, the procession is really grand. We've all benefited from it."
Bai Hua smiled and said, "It's much more comfortable than when we left the capital and headed south."
Recalling the hardships of the past, Xiao You sighed and said, "We left in a hurry, packed our luggage hastily and simply, and the carriages we rented were small and old, all found on the spot. The young lady's delicate body suffered a lot along the way. Fortunately, we have Young Master Ning by our side to protect us, so we can travel north comfortably, but..."
Xiao You hesitated to speak, which caught Bai Hua's attention.
Bai Hua looked up at her and asked, "Just what?"
Xiao You's eyes darted around, and she secretly whispered what she had been pondering for the past two days: "But, does Miss really intend to agree to marry Young Master Ning? Actually, if Miss is unwilling, this matter can be easily postponed. The incident of you jumping into the river together happened in the suburbs of Jiling City. Now that we've gone to Jingqi, who else but those directly involved would know? Why don't we give Young Master Ning some money to repay his life-saving grace, and agree with him to keep it a secret from outsiders? This way, Miss's reputation won't be damaged, and she can find a better official family to marry into. Xiao You always feels that it's a real shame for a peerless beauty like Miss to be married to a bodyguard or thug."
Originally, considering that there were many people in the convoy and that it was inconvenient for Bai Hua to tell Xiao You the details of her true encounter with Ning Jue, she originally planned to tell her the truth after arriving in Jingqi and no longer having to worry about being overheard. However, she did not expect that this little girl was so cunning that she took it upon herself to come up with such a bad idea for her.
Just as Bai Hua was about to refuse firmly, a cough, neither too loud nor too soft, suddenly came from outside. It was very close, but it didn't sound like the driver's.
A bad feeling suddenly welled up in her heart. She exchanged a glance with Xiao You, and both of them had complicated expressions.
At the critical moment, Bai Hua steadied herself, mustered her courage, and slowly lifted a corner of the felt curtain blocking the wind in front of the car window. As the wind and snow blew in, a pair of sharp eyes also shot into her with a playful and meaningful gaze.
Bai Hua's heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat for a moment.
It turned out that Ning Jue had been riding his horse alongside the carriage the whole time, but the two women, mistress and servant, were completely unaware. Other than that, it was fine, but Xiao You's boastful words just now would probably anger the young master.
Bai Hua felt guilty, and Xiao You felt even more guilty.
Speaking ill of others behind their backs and getting caught, Xiao You was extremely embarrassed and just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Bai Hua tried to ease the tension by smiling apologetically, "Didn't you go to discuss matters with the Prince? Why are you riding a horse outside alone? It's snowing and freezing cold outside; it must be very uncomfortable riding against the wind."
Ning Jue replied casually, "I came out for some fresh air."
Bai Hua understood perfectly well that the prince loved using incense, and even the carriages carrying his guests were equipped with incense burners; the fragrance in his own carriage must be even stronger.
She glanced at Ning Jue a few more times and said, "Young master, the snow on your shoulders is quite heavy. Why don't you get in the carriage and rest for a while? If you don't like incense, I'll put out the incense burner."
Ning Jue remained silent, his gaze sweeping indifferently over Xiao You.
Xiao You stiffened, feeling genuinely intimidated by him. Having just offended him, she felt a chill run down her spine as she met his gaze.
She quickly offered to make room for him: "Young master, why don't you come up and rest? I'll wait in the car in the back for a while."
The carriage behind carried several beautiful concubines and maids who served the prince. It would be appropriate for Xiao You to go over there.
Ning Jue glanced over and tightened the reins.
Seeing this, Xiao You quickly stopped the driver in front. In order not to affect the progress of the caravan behind, the two of them got on and off the car quickly. As for Ning Jue's horse, the soldiers following behind were responsible for leading it.
The felt curtain was drawn tightly, keeping out the wind and frost.
The carriage was filled with warm smoke. Bai Hua and Ning Jue sat side by side, neither of them speaking for a moment, but the atmosphere around them became increasingly intimate.
Bai Hua tugged at her sleeve, waiting for the torment to pass by. Her eyes kept glancing to the side, unsure whether Ning Jue was angry or not, or whether he was holding a grudge against them.
After thinking for a moment, she decided to explain: "Well... Xiao You didn't know the details and just spoke without thinking. Please don't take it to heart."
Ning Jue finally made a move. He took off his black velvet cloak and put it on the ground to prevent the frost and cold air on his body from getting into her area.
Then he said, “Xiao You is a loyal servant, and she has thought things through for you. She is right. Jingqi is a thousand miles away from Jiling, and rumors cannot spread there. Since you have changed places, you really don’t need to continue to wrong yourself and insist on marrying a rough man like me.”
Bai Hua pursed her lips.
Ning Jue said this on purpose, belittling himself while simultaneously elevating her, making the person feel awkward.
Bai Hua wanted to make amends, so she hesitated and tugged at Ning Jue's sleeve, her eyes moist and apologetic, and her voice softened: "Young master, please don't hold it against us. I can't stand such teasing. Besides, you know I won't have any disloyal thoughts, let alone such ideas."
Ning Jue looked at her, his expression quite hurt: "Really? But after hearing Xiao You's suggestion to leave me, I can't help but feel a little sad. What should I do?"
Bai Hua was in a dilemma, and cautiously discussed with him, "Xiao You is ignorant, how about I apologize to you on her behalf?"
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "If you're going to substitute, it's not in this way."
Bai Hua sensed something in his eyes, her face flushed slightly, and she quickly looked away, feeling a little flustered.
Seeing that she did not refuse, Ning Jue took it as tacit agreement.
He pressed closer to her, placing his palm on her knee and teasing her with varying pressure, his presence very strong.
Bai Hua held her breath gently, feeling her calves and lower back tighten with his force, unable to relax.
"Hua'er, give me a kiss."
His tone, which sounded both commanding and consultative, stimulated Bai Hua's nerves when it reached her ears.
She suppressed her embarrassment, gestured forward with her chin, and reminded him, "No... there's a coachman outside."
Ning Jue didn't take it seriously: "We didn't do anything excessive. The carriage made a lot of noise as it rolled through the snow. It was just a kiss, who could hear it?"
“But…” Bai Hua’s fingers twisted together, trying to find another reason, but she couldn’t think of a convincing one at the moment.
Ning Jue couldn't resist. He didn't give her time to slowly agonize over it. He leaned forward and pressed against her, wrapping his arms around her and forcefully forcing Bai Hua against the car wall. Then, he lowered his neck and bit her lips.
Caught off guard, Bai Hua felt a sudden rush of heat to her head, her blood boiling. Her teeth were pried open, her breath taken away, and she was forced to tilt her head back, tears welling in her eyes, her pitiful appearance inviting further bullying.
In a moment of passion, she instinctively wanted to hum aloud, but the thought that the coachman in front of her was only separated from them by a door made her unable to relax, fearing that her improper sounds would be heard and she would be too ashamed to face anyone.
The person in front of her was aggressive and forceful, pressing her back tightly against the back wall of the carriage, leaving her nowhere to retreat. Fortunately, the carriage was lined with soft fox fur on all four sides, so even though she was cornered, she didn't feel particularly uncomfortable.
Outside, the snow-covered road stretched endlessly. Although the driver was on high alert and driving carefully, the wheels inevitably ran over mounds of dirt or rocks, causing the carriage to jolt and shake.
The porcelain cup on the table wobbled, splashing a drop of liquid onto the surface.
Bai Hua's nose was covered in sweat. She used one hand to hold onto the corner of the table for support, and the other hand was forced to push backward. In a daze, she finally managed to steady herself from her stumble. Suddenly, she felt someone lift up her clothes and then reach up from below with fingertips.
She suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze wet as she looked at Ning Jue, silently pleading: Please don't do this, there are still people outside...
Ning Jue met her gaze, a smirk playing on his lips, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint as he asked in a flippant tone, "Looking at me like that... Hua'er, do you want me to be gentle, or do you want me to be rough?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
