Chapter 38 The Springtime Beauty Within the Palace Walls Leads to Deceit (Part 7) Feeling within my own body…
Ye Yixiang nestled in his arms, her nose keenly catching a faint scent of blood masked by the fragrance of agarwood.
Did he change the spices to cover up his injuries? Her heart tightened inexplicably. Her anger was interrupted by this sudden discovery. She subconsciously raised her still slightly dizzy head and looked at his face, which was so close to hers.
Only then did I notice that his handsome face seemed to have lost some color than usual, and there was a hint of fatigue between his brows.
"Are you injured?" she couldn't help but ask, her voice still hoarse from illness, but already tinged with concern she herself hadn't noticed.
Chu Huaili looked down at the clear worry in her eyes, and the corner of his heart that had been frozen by her illness and indifference for days seemed to crack open quietly, letting in a trace of warmth.
He smiled slightly, offering a reassuring curve, and said casually, "It's nothing. It was just that I didn't know my limits when I spoke during a meeting in the palace a couple of days ago, offended His Majesty, and was punished with a few lashes. It's just a superficial injury, nothing serious, I'll be fine in a couple of days."
The more nonchalantly he spoke, the more Ye Yixiang's heart sank. To defy the Emperor? What for? In the imperial family, father and son are first and foremost ruler and subject, then blood relatives. His blatant disregard for this order—wasn't he ruining his own future, and perhaps even inviting greater disaster?
“Turn around and let me see.” Her voice carried an undeniable insistence, and a slight tremor that she herself was unaware of.
Chu Huaili hesitated for a moment, but still slowly turned around as instructed. Beneath his dark outer robe, several dark, mottled bloodstains had seeped through the back of his inner garment. They were not conspicuous on the dark fabric, but they were enough to imagine the injuries beneath.
Ye Yixiang's breath hitched. Looking at the glaring mark, and remembering how he had just been holding her and feeding her medicine as if nothing had happened, the nameless fire in her heart surged up again, but this time it had a different flavor, filled with anger and heartache: "You... why didn't you say so sooner!"
Chu Huaili slowly turned around, her long, thick eyelashes drooping slightly, concealing the turbulent emotions in her eyes. When she raised them again, her deep eyes seemed to shimmer with starlight, reflecting only her face, which was filled with anger yet unable to hide her concern. With a smile on her lips, she asked in a low voice, "Then... is A'Rao still angry with me?"
His expression carried a hint of barely perceptible grievance.
Ye Yixiang was taken aback by his question, turning her face away, but her ears involuntarily burned slightly. Her tone was still hard, but the sharp edges had softened: "Where are your men? Pei Hong and the others...aren't they going to treat your wounds?"
Looking at the crisscrossing scars on his back, especially the newly added, gaping welts from the whipping, her heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by something, a mixture of bitterness and pain.
The executioner showed no mercy whatsoever, using such a brutal method!
She called for servants to bring her water and medicine, moving as gently as possible, but her fingertips still trembled slightly with heartache.
When the cool ointment touched the burning wound, Chu Huaili tensed his back muscles almost imperceptibly, but he never uttered a groan of pain.
"If I had known that a few lashes would make A-Rao feel sorry for me and even apply medicine for me herself," he suddenly said in a low voice, his voice slightly hoarse from suppressing the pain, yet mixed with an unmistakable joy. "Then even if I had to endure more, it would have been worth it."
"You!" Ye Yixiang paused in her bandaging, both angry and anxious. She unconsciously tightened her grip slightly. "If you continue to be so glib and don't know how to take care of yourself, I'll call someone else in to serve you and I'll never care about you again!"
Feeling the slight stinging pain and her annoyance from behind, Chu Huaili immediately dropped her joking expression and obediently quieted down.
He turned his head slightly, and from this angle, he could just see her tightly furrowed brows and pursed lips. Her usually cool eyes were now filled with tension and concern.
An indescribable warmth slowly flowed through his heart, and he felt a sense of softness, as if his heart were filled with the softest feathers.
After she carefully bandaged his wound and tied the last knot, Ye Yixiang looked at his broad back covered by the white cloth and couldn't help but whisper a word of advice, her voice still filled with lingering fear: "What terrible thing could have angered His Majesty so much? In the future, you must be careful with your words and actions in front of the Emperor, and never act so recklessly again."
Chu Huaili's eyes flickered slightly. He turned around, his face now relaxed and smiling, and skillfully changed the subject: "Alright, whatever you say, A'Rao. By the way, is there anything you want from A'Rao at the royal hunt tomorrow?"
"I've heard that if one wins first place this time, the Empress Dowager herself will bestow a prize upon them. What does A'Rao like? Pearls from the South China Sea? Or gems from the Western Regions?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Yixiang frowned even more deeply: "Hunting tomorrow? You still have an injury on your back, how can you be so reckless as to ride a horse and shoot arrows?" Besides, with so many princes and relatives present, and given his special status, why should he go out and make a scene?
"This little injury is really nothing!" Chu Huaili got up without caring, the movement aggravating his wound, causing him to gasp almost imperceptibly, but he still stubbornly held her hand, his gaze as intense as the sun, filled with a determined resolve.
"Arao, just tell me what you want. Whatever you desire, I will fetch for you, even the stars in the sky and the moon in the water."
The warmth of his palm seeped through her skin, making her heart tremble. Looking at the undisguised fervor and determination in his eyes, all of Ye Yixiang's words of advice stuck in her throat, finally turning into a barely audible sigh.
The two spoke in hushed tones for a while longer. The light and shadows inside the tent flickered, illuminating their close figures. The air was filled with the scent of medicine and the aroma of ebony and sandalwood emanating from him, creating an atmosphere that was both comforting and thrilling.
However, looking at her still slightly pale face, remembering that she had just recovered from a serious illness, and feeling the desire gradually awakening within him as she approached, Chu Huaili finally forced himself to get up.
"You should rest well," he said, tucking the blanket around her, his voice unusually low and hoarse from restraint. "I...I'm going to the study to handle some military affairs."
Having said that, he quickly left the fragrant inner room.
The following day, at the Royal Hunting Grounds.
Banners fluttered in the wind. The sound of bugles pierced the air, long and powerful, intertwining with the stirring sound of war drums, shaking the heavens.
Outside the hunting grounds, tents and viewing platforms had already been set up. The left and right viewing areas were separated according to etiquette, with male and female guests each occupying one side. The middle was separated by a wide imperial road and a martial arts training ground, allowing for an unobstructed view of each other's surroundings.
The air was filled with the scent of grass and dust, mixed with the warm smell of horses and the faint aroma of roasting meat in the distance.
Ye Yixiang sat in a relatively secluded spot among the women's seats, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the lotus pattern on her cuffs. She could clearly feel the gazes coming from all directions, like countless fine needles pricking at her carefully maintained dignified demeanor.
"See that? That's the one..." A lady across from them, dressed in a crimson and gold-embroidered jacket, lowered her voice, her gold-flecked fan half-covering her lips. "I heard she's been kept outside the city for five or six years. Today she's dressed quite well."
The girl in the pale yellow dress next to her scoffed, "No matter how she dresses up, she can't hide her rustic air. Look at that pearl hairpin in her hair, so shabby, how dare she come to an event like this."
On the other side, several young noble ladies gathered together, their eyes occasionally glancing at Ye Yixiang before quickly looking away.
“General Chu glanced this way several times just now.” A young girl with her hair styled in a high bun tugged at her companion’s sleeve. “Could it be that he was watching…”
"Stop talking nonsense." The girl in the lake-blue brocade dress immediately interrupted, but her eyes involuntarily swept over Ye Yixiang. "You'd better be quiet, don't you know the place!"
On the opposite side, the men's section was filled with dignitaries, their elegant attire and gleaming hair creating a vibrant atmosphere. Several young noblemen in brocade robes were gathered together, chatting and laughing.
"I heard that today's prize is the Jade Lion of Night, a tribute from the Western Xia. It's a divine steed that can travel a thousand miles a day!" A young man in blue waved his folding fan, his tone excited.
A young man in a crimson riding uniform beside him laughed loudly, "Since Your Highness is interested, you should show off your skills later! However..." He deliberately dragged out his words, glancing at the ranks ahead, "With General Chu here, it's probably already decided who will win this prize!"
Before he finished speaking, several older members of the royal family on the other side stroked their beards and whispered among themselves.
"General Chu has garnered numerous military achievements in guarding the northern border over the years. Now that he has returned to the capital, he enjoys the Emperor's favor." An elderly prince with white hair and beard said slowly.
The middle-aged man beside him nodded slightly, lowering his voice even further: "Indeed. I heard that His Majesty praised him as a 'pillar of the nation' in court the other day. This first prize of the spring hunt is probably just icing on the cake for him."
Amidst the whispers of envy and awe, Chu Huaili stood at the front, conversing quietly with an elderly prince with slightly graying temples. He remained composed, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding chatter.
"General, your youth and talent are truly a blessing to our dynasty." The old prince raised his cup with a smile.
Chu Huaili raised his cup in return, his posture humble: "Your Highness is too kind. I, Shuoqing, dare not accept such praise."
But in those seemingly focused moments, his peripheral vision would always glancing across the opposite side, through the noisy crowd and fluttering banners, precisely capturing that slender and slightly lonely figure.
His deep eyes were calm and unwavering, revealing no emotion whatsoever. Only when his gaze met hers did the fingers gripping his wine glass tighten almost imperceptibly. She seemed to dislike such occasions.
"quiet--!"
The high-pitched, shrill voice of the chief eunuch suddenly rang out, drowning out the noise in the room.
"By imperial decree!" He unfurled the bright yellow scroll, his voice echoing throughout every corner, "This spring hunt will last for nine days! Each evening, the hunt's catch will be tallied as usual, and the one with the most abundant catch each day will be personally rewarded by His Majesty! The one who accumulates the largest catch over the nine days—" He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping across the entire area, before proclaiming, "By the grace of the Empress Dowager, will be richly rewarded!"
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager!" The crowd shouted in unison, their voices like a tidal wave, shaking the mountains and fields.
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