Hongli opened the box with great anticipation. What he saw was a scroll, which was narrower than ordinary scrolls. Could it be that Yushan had also written a love poem for him? Come to think of it, he had never seen Yushan write a poem before, so wouldn't he be the first?
Hongli eagerly unfurled the scroll, and saw two tiny figures drawn on it. One was a woman with her hair in two buns, pouting and resting her chin on her hand, seemingly angry. The other was a man standing with his hands behind his back, proudly raising his head and turning his back to her, seemingly also sulking. The tiny figures with their large heads and small bodies looked cute and lively.
As he unfurled the scroll, he discovered that it resembled a comic book, with other scenes depicted below. It recorded how the two went from disliking each other, to getting to know each other, to hiding things from each other, to hating each other, to tormenting each other, to resolving misunderstandings, Hongli being injured, Su Yushan resolving her inner conflict, and the two falling in love again. There were a total of eight paintings.
Hongli was amazed that although the two were in different places, their thoughts were surprisingly consistent, and they both painted each other's portraits. However, he painted normal portraits, while she painted peculiar miniature portraits.
He had always hoped that she would paint a portrait of him, but she always refused to put pen to paper, being very cautious. Unexpectedly, this time she painted eight portraits, which recorded the bumpy road of their love, showing her painstaking efforts.
After she finished looking at it, Su Yushan said, "I don't have anything too precious to give you. I can't write poetry, I can only draw. Just make do with it! I don't know if you can understand it or if you will like it."
These were all things he had personally experienced, so of course he could understand them. "To receive the portrait you drew by your own hand is the most precious thing to me, and I like it very much."
When he flipped to the back and continued drawing, he found a long blank space at the bottom. Hongli asked in surprise, "What does this mean? You haven't finished drawing yet?"
Su Yushan smiled gently, "We have such a long life ahead of us, who knows what will happen in the future? Let's draw it slowly later!"
It seems she intends to paint their entire lives into the scroll! Looking at the painting and listening to her words, Hongli couldn't help but recall their past, his eyes welling up. He couldn't help but pull her into his arms, resting his chin on her forehead, and sighed:
"We've wasted too many years in the past. From now on, we must cherish each other, trust each other, and live a sweet and warm life. If you don't want to, then so be it. But if you do want to, let's have more children. Each child will add a picture to this picture. What do you think?"
She loved the feeling of being held by him; it was comforting and reassuring. After a moment's pause, Su Yushan said, "Actually... I also want a daughter, to comb her hair, to dress her in pretty little dresses, and to make her look adorable."
He thought she would be traumatized and afraid to have children again because of the great suffering she endured during childbirth. But now it seems she is not so averse to children.
"You want it? Then let's start trying tonight." After thinking for a moment, Hongli added, "No, the doctor said that women need to recuperate after giving birth, and it's best to wait at least six months before trying to conceive again."
Su Yushan replied nonchalantly, "I don't mind! We can be intimate again in six months."
Hongli immediately stated, "We can postpone having children, but intimacy is essential; the two are not mutually exclusive."
How could there not be a conflict? "What if I accidentally get pregnant?"
"I have my own way." Hongli smiled mysteriously, and before she could ask for details, he picked her up and carried her into the tent.
Curious, Su Yushan pressed him for details about the method, but he refused to explain, instead saying in a mysterious tone, "This kind of thing is hard to explain. You'll only understand after you've tried it. Let's go inside and talk about it in detail."
"I won't believe you unless you explain it clearly!"
Feeling deeply wronged by the questioning, Hongli exclaimed, "What happened to the promise of mutual trust?"
With a quick glance, Su Yushan said with a coquettish snort, "What you say in the tent is never believable."
"Why can't I believe you? Tell me, what have I ever lied to you about?"
"There are too many to count," Su Yushan said, counting on her fingers. "For example, you said you'd only hold me and wouldn't do anything inappropriate, but while you were holding me, my clothes mysteriously disappeared. Or, for another example, you clearly said it would only be twice, but you made a fuss three times. Tell me, which one of those times actually counted? You're untrustworthy, how can you expect me to believe you? Humph!"
She recounted her grievances in great detail, and every word she uttered was true. Hongli had no way to refute her. He coughed lightly and coaxed her with a laugh, "Isn't it because you bewitched me? I tried to restrain myself, but I lost all reason as soon as I got close to you."
He kept flattering her, and Su Yushan had no right to scold him anymore. She smiled and said, "You're the one with the sweetest tongue, as if it's been coated with honey."
"Come and taste it, see how sweet it is." Hongli leaned down and brought his lips to hers, inviting her to savor it.
Their soft lips met, and their breaths gradually became erratic. He slowly stirred up the thoughts hidden deep within Su Yushan's heart; she began to feel hope, yet at the same time, worry arose within her.
"Oh? Your arm is just healed. Is it convenient for you? I'm afraid it might hurt you. If it's inconvenient and you're really having a hard time, how about... I help you?"
He wasn't happy about what she said, "There are countless ways to pose, and some of them don't require much arm strength. Don't underestimate your man!"
"But I'm worried..." He interrupted her before she could finish, "But I miss you! I haven't seen you for seven days, do you know how much it's been for me?"
His voice was deep and suppressed, and when she met his eager eyes, Su Yushan could no longer refuse and complied with his wishes.
"Alright then! But remember, be careful not to hurt your arm."
With her permission, Hongli smiled with relief, buried his face in her hair, and gently inhaled the scent of jasmine, his mind wandering...
Because he was just recovering from serious injuries, Su Yushan insisted that he not be presumptuous that night, only allowing him to do so once, and forbidding him from doing anything reckless again.
"Just a little indulgence is fine, but too much will damage your health."
Hongli smiled helplessly, "Alright, whatever you say."
With Su Yushan by his side, even if it was just to talk, he was happy. It was much better than those days in the palace, when he felt so oppressed and restless. In comparison, his own residence was much more comfortable. He could go wherever he wanted, and Consort Xi could no longer control him.
Because he was still recovering from his injury, Yongzheng granted him special permission to temporarily not participate in the morning court session. Hongli no longer needed to get up early and could finally sleep in with Su Yushan.
The next morning, Hongli was having breakfast with Su Yushan when Demin came to report that two of the six men in black had died, two had escaped, and two had been captured and seriously injured. One of them was too stubborn and died from torture. The remaining one was interrogated for many days and finally couldn't bear it anymore and confessed the truth, revealing the mastermind behind it all.
Hongli's eyes sharpened, and he put down his chopsticks, pressing for an answer, "Who is the mastermind?"
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