Chapter 9
Yue Qingning didn't want to say anything too harsh and embarrass him, so he patiently persuaded him again.
"There are servants waiting on the shore, so don't worry. His Highness is still here. If you leave like this, it will definitely displease him. The Crown Prince is the most important thing in all matters. Please return immediately, Third Young Master!"
Hearing this, he hesitated for a moment, seemingly wanting to continue. Fortunately, Sister Teng quickly arrived behind him and also entered the cabin.
"Young Master, I'm here! Don't worry!"
Sister Teng supported her and leaned on her shoulder and said to Cui Hu, he finally agreed and turned around and jumped off the boat.
After pushing the pole out of the shore, Sister Teng nodded towards the bank. Yue Qingning knew he was looking at her, so she closed her eyes and didn't want to look back.
"Qingning, how are you?" Teng Xieji asked anxiously, touching her forehead.
"I'm fine, don't worry, sister."
Teng Xieji clearly didn't believe it. He felt her pulse and listened carefully. It was beating so fast under his hand, as if she was frightened. The blood rushed to her and she felt dizzy. But why was she so excited?
She recalled the scene just now. During this period, the two of them had been together. Although Qingning felt a little uneasy, she was not afraid. What was going on with this pulse?
As we got further away from the shore, the sky became grayer.
The entire lake surface presented a deep blue coolness. In the hazy light, the lotus flowers gradually closed up. It was the time when water lilies were in full bloom. It was a pity that they could not go there and see the scenery over there.
The boat slowly approached, and soon it was getting closer and closer to the low buildings on the shore. The lights on the other side of the shore were lit one by one, and the lights in the restaurants were lit up. The lights shining on the water created a unique scene.
Yue Qingning stared at the bright yellow light in the distance, unable to take his eyes away. The crisis just now dissipated, and the beautiful scenery before him for a brief moment seemed like a comfort.
"Sister Teng! Look!"
She pointed at the few tourists releasing river lanterns on the shore and waved her hand, and Teng Xieji also looked over.
The yellowish lotus lanterns fell into the water one by one, spreading out from the shore and forming a galaxy in the blue water before your eyes. The interest of watching the stars is no less than that of appreciating the lotus flowers.
"You're so weak, yet you still have the energy to ask me to see you!"
Yue Qingning smiled and supported her arm. "It's a great pity that I didn't let you see the Red Lotus. If this lotus lantern can bring some comfort, it will make me feel better."
Teng Xieji looked at the lotus lanterns in the water, which were sometimes far, sometimes near, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, and she couldn't take her eyes away. The pretty girl under her hands moved slightly. She looked over and saw Qingning nestled in her arms, looking up at her, with a cunning look in her eyes that was comparable to the shadows of the lights in the river.
Yue Qingning looked up at her, and memories of his previous life resurfaced.
At that time, the political situation was turbulent and everyone was in danger. Perhaps the Teng family did not want to get involved in the affairs of the court, so Sister Teng was promised to a wealthy businessman in Suzhou, far away from Beijing. Yue Qingning didn't even have time to have a good talk with her or ask her what she thought, and he sent her away like that.
Before covering her with the mandarin duck veil that day, Yue Qingning still remembered her appearance. He forced a smile, and only at the very end did he reveal a moment of despair to her. The look in her eyes that day had already determined the ending.
Yue Qingning was the only guest who couldn't smile. She watched the groom in red wedding robe mount his horse behind everyone else. She didn't even see his face clearly as Sister Teng was taken away by him to a foreign land thousands of miles away.
If this life ends the same way, Yue Qingning wants to accompany her a little longer before she leaves, see everything she likes, and appreciate everything she likes. At least in the days to come, she can recall today's scene and feel a little comforted.
After looking at the river lanterns for a while, Teng Xieji came back to his senses and gently stroked her head.
"You! Why didn't you tell me you were not feeling well? If you had known, I wouldn't have forced you to come out."
"Sister, you're so worried! I'm fine, and I want to go swimming with you, too."
Yue Qingning still felt a little dizzy, but she smiled softly and held her hand.
"The time we spend together in the boudoir is so short. I'm afraid that soon, we won't be able to enjoy the lanterns and scenery like today. Qingning just wants her to remember me and remember this moment."
As she spoke, she was truly touched, and sounded more melancholy than usual. Teng Xieji didn't understand why.
"Even if we're getting married, you and I are both in the capital. Why are you so worried? Are you afraid that I won't be able to come out if you ask me out sometime in the future?"
Sister, life is unpredictable...
Yue Qingning swallowed his sorrow and stood up.
"Sister is right, I think too much!"
If the ending is the same, why should she bear the sadness so early? Besides, everything is still uncertain. If she can really change her own future, why not help her sister?
The two of them sat in the boat, watching the river lanterns floating farther and farther away on the water, just like the Milky Way, slowly becoming invisible in the distance.
Yue Qingning's worries had not yet stopped when she heard Sister Teng sigh softly and pick up her fallen hair.
Looking back, the boat was about to dock.
There was a man on the shore holding a lantern, the dim light could only illuminate a little bit of the front.
He didn't know that in the eyes of others, in the dark night, the lamp in his hand could only illuminate half of his face, which was sometimes bright and sometimes dim. Just this half-blurred face was enough to make people intoxicated.
Yue Qingning glanced at him and lowered her head. Her unreasonable behavior just now had contributed to her blushing. She was not that kind of person...
The boat gradually approached the shore, and before it stopped, he had stepped on it, squatted down and grabbed her wrist.
"What's wrong, miss? Why are you so pale?"
With her hand held by him, Yue Qingning had no choice but to look up, but her eyes met his so close.
It seemed that he had not changed his clothes since he went into the water. The color of his collar had darkened and was slightly damp. A few strands of his tied hair had fallen on his forehead. The only thing that remained unchanged was his stunning face.
Sister Teng knew he was worried and answered for her.
"You suddenly felt dizzy just now. I took your pulse and it's fine. It's probably due to the summer heat that you're a little weak. You need to take some medicine and food to replenish your qi and blood when you get home!"
"I understand, sister."
As soon as Yue Qingning answered, Que Ming suddenly picked her up.
His frail body was surprisingly strong, without a trace of breathlessness or weakness. He tightly embraced her shoulders and firmly supported her to stand up. Yue Qingning was so frightened that she grabbed his collar.
"Miss Teng, my daughter is not feeling well today and cannot go back with you!"
Que Ming nodded to Sister Teng, then carried her out of the cabin. Yue Qingning hugged his neck and could only wave to Sister Teng behind him.
The smell of burning incense came to her nose. She grabbed his collar and felt it, and sure enough, he was not dry.
I'm afraid he simply roasted some incense in a nearby temple and then ran back immediately.
So anxious, as if afraid that she would leave him behind...
Qingzhu turned on the light at the side and when she looked up, she saw that the family carriage had arrived and she hurried forward.
Yue Qingning couldn't help but ask as he watched the carriage getting closer.
"Why don't you go home and change your clothes?"
He didn't pause for a moment, and his voice came out slowly, close to her.
"I'm afraid the young lady won't be able to find me."
Where can I find you? To be honest, I hope you won't wait here.
Yue Qingning suppressed the words in her heart and looked at the crease on his sleeves that was wrinkled from hugging her.
"You don't ask me why I asked you to come back and wait on the shore?"
He seemed stunned for a moment, paused, and then continued quickly.
"The young lady has her own plans. Que Ming will obey her in everything."
Will you obey me in everything? If one day I block your way, will you still obey me?
Resting her head on his shoulder, Yue Qingning thought back to the days when she constantly regretted after Que Ming left her. At that time, she felt really guilty towards him and even thought of many ways just to see him.
At that time, she really wanted to tell him that no matter what others said about him, Que Ming was still Que Ming in her heart.
Unfortunately, she thought he was still Que Ming, but he didn't think so. Who would be willing to be just a slave? Who doesn't like to cling to the powerful? She really had no reason to blame him, so she could only say nothing and let him go.
If he had never hurt her, Yue Qingning would never have stood in his way in this life, but people's hearts are fickle, so she didn't dare to take the risk.
"Queming, have you seen what I wrote for you..."
He slowly stopped and lowered his head. The lady was leaning on his shoulder, half asleep and about to fall asleep.
Written for me?
He didn't dare to think about it anymore. How could the lady write anything for him? Even if she did, how could he dare to read it...
The cool night breeze blew on my face, shaking the willow branches by the river and making them spin, taking away some of the dry heat.
——
The carriage had been traveling for an unknown amount of time until it suddenly stopped, waking Yue Qingning up.
She woke up from Qingzhu's shoulder and felt very uncomfortable with sweat all over her body. She thought that after all the shocks she had today, her body couldn't take it anymore, and she was sure to catch a disease after today.
After getting off the car, she didn't even have time to look at Que Ming. She was helped back to the yard by Qingzhu with unsteady steps.
And behind her, the gaze that was fixed on her refused to shift.
It was not until the dim lantern in the distance completely disappeared from his sight that he regained consciousness, concealed his expression, and returned to the stable.
There is still a lot to do, unloading the carriage, feeding and combing the horses, cleaning and sweeping. After doing all this, you can't rest yet, there is still a place to go.
But today was different. The servant beside the master suddenly called him over.
Que Ming quickly packed up his things and went to the study in the front yard with a dim lamp.
The night was slightly cooler, the heat of the day was gradually dissipating, and the bamboo forest on the path was even more lonely than during the day. He walked along the path, stepped onto the stone steps, and came to the door of the study from a remote corner.
“Knock, knock…”
There were two quick knocks on the door, and Minister Yue put down his pen and asked him to come in.
The man only held a lamp, illuminating the lower half of his face. No matter how many times he saw that look, it always made Shangshu Yue feel a sour ripple in his heart.
It was as if an old friend appeared before him again. He tried to calm himself down and pressed his eyebrows to stop himself from thinking about the past.
"Queming, come here."
Hearing this, Que Ming put down the lamp and walked forward.
"teacher!"
As he said this, he bowed to Minister Yue with both hands. Minister Yue didn't like his behavior and hurriedly helped him up.
"I told you there's no need for this! You are my mentor's only living descendant. I already owe him so much, and I can't bear such a generous gift from you."
He sighed deeply as he spoke, and hidden in the words he suppressed was endless sadness.
Que Ming naturally knew what the teacher meant.
From the day they met the eldest lady five years ago, from the day the teacher looked at him with a complicated expression and took him in, they could no longer talk about the past.
Over the past five years, the teacher had asked him to take on the lowest-level jobs in the mansion, but in fact, he had saved his life.
Every day, the teacher would wait in the study for him to come with a lamp, and teach him step by step from the Book of Songs to policy essays, day after day, regardless of the season.
It's good enough that a person who shouldn't have existed in this world is alive, but the teacher still took great risks to teach him how to read and write. This kindness can no longer be repaid in this lifetime. He has no guarantee of repaying it in this life, so he can only repay it in the next life.
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