Back to Lingzhou Kiss
A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the river and lake. A small boat carrying a group of people cut through the water and headed towards the opposite bank. A slender man stood at the bow, his eyes gazing expectantly into the distance. His heart, which had been silent for more than half a month, began to beat vividly again.
"Your Highness, the wind is strong on the lake. Please go into the cabin and rest for a while. We'll be there soon." The guards who accompanied Losang were dutifully concerned for the prince's health. Fortunately, the prince was a kind and considerate master, and although reluctant, he went into the cabin to rest.
As the leader of the You tribe, Urentuya had to leave the tribe's territory unless absolutely necessary, lest she encounter misfortune and cause chaos within the tribe. After ascending to the throne, Urentuya was eager to find her missing brother, which is why she risked her life to confront Jiang Yanhui twice under pressure from the ministers.
Urentuya wanted to accompany Losang to Lingzhou to discuss Losang's future with Jiang Yanhui, but as the saying goes, "the third time is the last time," and the ministers threatened to kill themselves to prevent Urentuya from taking the risk of going to Lingzhou again. Urentuya also realized that she couldn't overstep her bounds again; she had only been on the throne for a short time and there were still many things waiting for her to handle.
Therefore, Urentuya sent her trusted guards to escort Losang to Lingzhou to find Jiang Yanhui, and also carried a handwritten letter. Of course, she did not tell Losang about the letter, so as not to let Losang be biased in protecting Jiang Yanhui and suffer the loss without knowing it.
After traveling by water for about half an hour, they arrived at the shore, where the carriage had been waiting for a long time. Only after sitting in the carriage did Losang feel his restless heart settle down. He would occasionally lift the side curtain to check on the progress, and the slight upturn of the corners of his mouth was a manifestation of his inner joy.
With the dagger Jiang Yan had given them as collateral, even though Losang and his group were dressed strangely, the soldiers guarding the city gate did not stop them and let them enter Lingzhou smoothly. Losang couldn't guarantee that he knew the roads in other parts of Lingzhou, but he could find the way to the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion with his eyes closed.
Leading the others back to the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion, which they had longed for day and night, Luo Sang looked up at the plaque of the mansion and was filled with emotion. Tears welled up in his eyes. As he lowered his head to wipe his tears, the gatekeeper seemed to recognize him. He bent down to look closely and called out uncertainly, "A Chou?"
After receiving a response, she beamed and quickly walked down the steps. "It really is you! We've been wondering where you've been. We haven't seen you these past few days!" She looked warily at the burly man following behind Ah Chou. It was obvious at a glance that he was a trained fighter and not someone to be trifled with. "You can go in now. I need to report to Aunt Pan about them."
Losang knew the reason and, without making things difficult for the gatekeepers, nodded, indicating that he would wait outside with them. While waiting for the message, Losang nervously clutched the clothes in front of him, his large eyes scanning his surroundings with a mixture of anticipation and unease. He suddenly realized that while he wanted to return to see Jiang Yanhui, it didn't mean Jiang Yanhui was still willing to see him.
Losang thought of Jiang Yanhui's expression when she chose to go with her sister on the ship. Others might not be able to see her inner feelings, but Losang could clearly feel the sadness and disappointment that Jiang Yanhui had not shown. At that moment, did Jiang Yanhui regret being so good to him? Losang dared not think about it too much, for he was afraid that he would be ashamed and run away at the last minute.
A short while later, the gatekeeper and Aunt Pan arrived together. Aunt Pan looked at Losang's expectant eyes, hesitated, suppressed the countless questions in her heart, and sighed silently, saying, "The King has gone to the military camp. Everyone, please go and rest in the mansion. We will send someone to inform him soon."
When Jiang Yanhui was not in the mansion, Losang was unsure whether to be happy or relieved. Upon entering the mansion and seeing the familiar scenery around him, his uneasy heart gradually calmed down. He followed Aunt Pan's instructions and sat in the hall to wait for Jiang Yanhui to return.
As the sun slowly sank in the west, the orange-red sunset painted Losang's cheeks crimson. He stared blankly at the sun, which was about to be swallowed by the rooftops, and pursed his lips. There was no sign of Jiang Yanhui, nor had the messenger returned.
"A simple meal has been prepared at your residence. Please have it first and then wait." It was Uncle Ban who spoke. His gaze towards Luosang was calm, as if he did not know Luosang's identity. Seeing the nervous look on Luosang's face, he couldn't help but comfort him, "After the King recovered from his illness a couple of days ago, he went to the military camp. The military camp is at least an hour and a half away from Lingzhou by fast horse. I'm afraid he won't set off until tomorrow."
Losang was stunned when he caught the key words. The news that Jiang Yan was sick hit Losang like a bolt from the blue. He was stunned and anxiously grabbed Uncle Ban's hand, asking him to describe what had happened.
Uncle Ban sighed deeply, and, harboring his own selfish motives, simply sat down and had a good talk with Losang about what had happened at the Prince's Mansion these past few days.
“That day, Wang Zun took you out, and after returning, he locked himself in his study and wouldn’t let anyone disturb him. He didn’t come out of the study until the next morning, exhausted. I thought that was the end of it, but when Wang Zun went back to his room to rest, his old illness flared up. I didn’t realize it until noon when I saw that something was wrong.”
Uncle Ban patted Losang's hand reassuringly and continued, "Doctor Zhang said that the relapse of his old illness was caused by emotional distress. The illness came on fiercely, and he only recovered two days ago. The King refused to stay in the mansion any longer and returned to the military camp. The King was afraid of being reminded of the past."
Losang knew exactly what scene would trigger what emotions, and a sorrowful expression appeared on his lips as he turned down. He understood that Jiang Yanhui's distress was most likely due to him, and that Uncle Ban's earnest advice was meant to encourage him to be more mindful and avoid hurting Jiang Yanhui further.
Losang's spirits immediately sank. He hung his head, tears welling in his eyes, a bitter taste filling his throat. He couldn't help but think about how Jiang Yanhui must feel after he left, and how painful it must be for his old illness to relapse. Every winter, everyone was on tenterhooks, fearing that Jiang Yanhui's old illness would flare up, only to find out that it was he who had caused it.
Losang covered his face in anguish, crystal tears streaming down his face, a sight that pained Uncle Ban deeply. But he had to tell Losang the truth, to let him know that his actions would affect Wang Zun's physical and mental health.
If he wants to be the prince of the You tribe, then he should stay there. Let the king suffer once to put an end to their relationship. If Losang wants to stay by the king's side, then he should stay by the king's side wholeheartedly. They will not discriminate against him because of his special status.
In short, it was both a warning and an admonition, hoping that Losang would return with a firm resolve, rather than tormenting people by taking advantage of the King's favor and moving on and on. Uncle Ban acknowledged that Losang was a rare good child, but his loyalty to the King had never wavered.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an inky black shadow over the sky. Losang only allowed his guards to eat, for he himself had no appetite and couldn't eat a thing. Since he wouldn't eat, his guards naturally wouldn't either, and so they all sat listlessly in the hall, waiting for the return of an uncertain figure.
Xiao Si had already changed the tea three times. When she came in to pour hot tea again, Aunt Pan followed her in. Her gaze lingered on Uncle Ban, who was accompanying Losang, for a moment before she said, "It's getting late. I imagine the King won't be back until tomorrow. The guest rooms have been prepared. Please have something simple to eat and then rest."
The darkening sky couldn't be faked; Jiang Yan Hui had indeed not returned. A Chou stared intently at the door, a faint feeling rising in his heart that Jiang Yan Hui would return, that he would definitely return. He ordered his guards to go eat and rest, while he stubbornly sat in the hall waiting. Uncle Ban and Aunt Pan tried to persuade Luo Sang several times, but to no avail, and gradually gave up.
She waited and waited, until the night wind chilled her fingertips, until her back and legs ached. Losang hung her head, fiddling with the patterns on her clothes, a bitter ache in her heart, a deep sense of grievance she couldn't share with anyone. Was Jiang Yan really not coming back tonight? That's right, the military camp was far from Lingzhou; there was no need to rush back at night, it was dangerous and she'd likely be exposed to the cold wind.
Losang thought it would be good if he came back tomorrow, as long as he was safe. It's never too late, he could wait.
Plop—A tear fell onto the fabric of her clothes on her knee, staining it darkly. In the empty hall, Losang sobbed softly.
Suddenly, through his tear-blurred eyes, he vaguely saw a pair of boots. Almost at the same time, he looked up and stared straight into those eyes that he had longed for for so long.
Jiang Yanhui, travel-worn and chilly, stood before him in a real way, as if it were all a dream. Without the slightest hesitation, Losang hugged her tightly, burying his small face in the woman's neck, his shoulders trembling, greedily savoring the hard-won warmth.
After a moment, Jiang Yanhui slowly raised her arms and hugged the person she hadn't seen for so long. Her arms tightened, as if she wanted to merge him into her bones and blood. She exhaled a deep breath that had been weighing on her heart, "You're back. It's good that you're back."
Losang lifted her tear-streaked face, sobbing as she grasped Jiang Yanhui's hand. She looked closely at the weariness in the woman's eyes, and her heart ached even more.
"You've lost weight." Jiang Yanhui smiled faintly, without a word of blame or resentment, which only made Luo Sang feel more guilty. The sentence, which she had practiced many times on the way, became awkward and difficult to say. Luo Sang licked her dry lips, "I'm sorry."
The words had barely left his lips when they were captured in a kiss. After a gentle caress, a fierce assault that could no longer be contained began. Unable to withstand it, Losang took a half-step back, her lower back bracing against the edge of the table. Her slender waist arched back in a beautiful curve like a bow, but then two hands protected his back and the back of his head. The unyielding attitude left Losang with no way to escape, and she could only open her white teeth to accept Jiang Yanhui's longing.
The wide-open hall couldn't hide their figures; anyone passing by would inevitably see the two locked in a passionate kiss. Days of longing had made Losang cast aside her shame; a pair of pale arms emerged from her fallen sleeves, tightly gripping Jiang Yanhui's shoulders, eagerly pulling herself closer to her for an easier kiss.
No need for many words; often, a single kiss can convey a thousand emotions and soothe the restless longing that has followed separation. Those who embrace tightly are like travelers in the desert, who have searched and waited for a long time, and finally found their own oasis.
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