The room was dark and blizzard-like
The interior of the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion could only be considered a unique taste in the capital city where powerful and noble people gathered, but in Lingzhou, where resources were scarce and the climate was harsh, it could be described as a paradise on earth.
Dou Yu strolled around, admiring the beautiful scenery in the garden. Everything seemed new and interesting after leaving the golden cage of the capital. The joy of gaining freedom of soul made him take a deep breath of the unique cold air of Lingzhou, cough, and still have a smile on his lips.
Walking through the covered walkways and through the archways, the scenery before you becomes classical and elegant.
Pushing open an antique door, the aroma of tea wafts out, refreshing and invigorating. Peeking inside, you see two slender men appreciating the art of tea tasting.
Aunt Pan said, "This is Uncle Ban. He will take you to your residence later."
The affairs of the inner quarters were not under Aunt Pan's jurisdiction, and she retired after handing over her work.
Under the warmth of the stove, the aroma of tea permeating the room became even richer, inexplicably bringing joy and relaxation.
Dou Yu's eyebrows relaxed, her hands behind her back with a touch of playfulness and cuteness, and she was the first to notice the well-behaved boy standing behind Uncle Ban.
Although the boy's fair cheeks were swollen with red frostbite, it couldn't hide his bright and clear eyes, which made people want to get closer to him.
"Young Master Dou, let me first arrange for you to wash away the dust of your journey and have the servants prepare your lodgings." Uncle Ban glanced at Ah Chou, who was holding a teacup, and instructed him, "That's all for today's lesson. The King is back, so you should go and serve him well."
Dou Yu was initially impressed by the good looks of Jiang Yanhui's servants in Lingzhou Prefecture, but Ban Shu's words implied that this seemingly young man was actually Jiang Yanhui's personal servant.
As far as he knew, his cousin, who was of noble birth and had many eccentricities, never wanted anyone to serve her.
In the capital, the only person who could serve her personally was an old nanny who served the late Consort Shu. The other palace maids were only allowed to do some rough cleaning work and were never allowed to touch anything close to her.
Jiang Yanhui had been stationed in Lingzhou for ten years without returning to the capital. The few letters he sent to his cousin were perfunctory and rambling, making no mention of the interesting people or events he had encountered in Lingzhou.
Now that such an intriguing story was presented to her, Dou Yu couldn't possibly miss it. She immediately asked, "Are you the servant who takes care of my cousin?"
Ah Chou hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"How long have you been serving her? What tasks does she have you do? Are you the only one serving her? Are you a local from Lingzhou?"
A barrage of questions left Ah Chou dizzy and unsure how to answer. As Dou Yu, with his hands behind his back and a probing look on his face, approached closer and closer, Ah Chou instinctively hid behind Uncle Ban, only revealing his wide, round eyes as he timidly looked at the stranger who had suddenly appeared.
Uncle Ban calmly defused the situation, saying, "Young Master Dou, this servant's name is A Chou. He is a mute servant that the King bought. He is timid and shy by nature. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
Dou Yusheng felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head awkwardly. "I don't have anything else to ask. Please take me to take a bath and change my clothes. I smell so bad that I can hardly stand it anymore."
He bent down to look at Ah Chou, who was a head shorter than him, and smiled apologetically, "I'm so sorry I scared you."
The wariness in Ah Chou's eyes turned to surprise as Dou Yu unexpectedly apologized, her eyes flickered and her lips tightened.
Startled, Ah Chou's thoughts began to race. She realized that the important person in front of her addressed Jiang Yan Hui as her cousin, so her status must be extraordinary.
I never expected him to apologize for his offensive behavior. It was truly shocking that a master would express his apology to a servant.
It wasn't until Uncle Ban led Dou Yu away that Ah Chou came to his senses and remembered Uncle Ban's instructions: Jiang Yan had returned.
Sweat beaded on his palms, which hung in his sleeves. With a sway of his body, he knocked over the tea canister with his elbow, scattering a patch of dried, curled, dark green tea leaves, just like Ah Chou's chaotic and disordered heart.
——
The back-and-forth journey between Lingzhou and the military camp caused a layer of frost to form on the outer robe, but fortunately, two layers of silk were used as a lining underneath to prevent the cold air from seeping into the inner garment.
Jiang Yanhui took off her outer robe and casually threw it on the carpeted floor. Her black, fitted inner garment hugged her slender figure as she sat casually by the stove, poking at the glowing red embers inside with iron tongs.
Light, shimmering footsteps sounded, and Jiang Yan glanced sideways. The flickering firelight illuminated her exquisite profile, highlighting the cold, aloof elegance that emanated from the imperial family.
Ah Chou, with his head bowed and eyes downcast, did his best to minimize his presence. He twitched his nose, which was red from the wind, and forcibly suppressed the urge to sneeze. He picked up the expensive outer robe from the ground and began to tidy it up.
Dark clouds drifted in from afar, obscuring the sun; fierce winds blew the bamboo curtains along the long corridor wildly; gusts of howling north wind were fierce and menacing; and the window frames creaked under the strain.
In the blink of an eye, the room darkened, and I could barely make out objects by the light from the charcoal stove.
Jiang Yanhui put down the pliers, her gaze fixed on Ah Chou, and slowly said, "Light the candles in the room."
Ah Chou shrank back, her doe-like eyes filled with fear, yet she was forced by power to enter the inner room, where she skillfully lit the candlestick on the table.
The brightly lit room revealed Ah Chou's face completely. Even though Ah Chou tried his best to lower his head, he couldn't hide the dark brown scabs on his cheekbones, which looked like some kind of dirty grime on his fair skin.
Jiang Yanhui's gaze shifted downwards, noticing Ah Chou's swollen finger bones, and her brows furrowed. "How did this happen?"
The question, devoid of any personal emotion, caused Ah Chou to instinctively turn her hands behind her back, her chin trembling as if she wanted to pierce her chest and bury her face in it, so that no one could see her and no one would ask her.
No one understood the severity of the snowstorm in Lingzhou better than Jiang Yanhui, who had been stationed there for ten years. Moreover, the fact that a perfectly healthy person could be completely transformed overnight gave him a general idea of the reason.
The thoughts and feelings of a lackey are nothing more than the feelings of an ant to a long-time ruler, not worth wasting even a glance on.
Jiang Yanhui, who was constantly on edge and engaged in fierce battles, could not possibly be as sensitive and gentle as Dou Yu, who grew up in a glamorous and prosperous environment. Her blunt gaze was like a slow, agonizing torture for the self-conscious and ashamed A Chou.
"From now on, you will serve me in my room. If there is anything you don't understand, ask Uncle Ban." Jiang Yanhui's eyelashes were straight and thick, looking as if they were drawn with thin black eyeliner.
If one had never met her, one would surely be deceived by her beautiful appearance and overlook her wicked and cunning nature.
Jiang Yanhui's beautiful thin lips curved slightly as she uttered words that chilled the bone: "Once the frostbite on your body heals, I'll treat the scars on your shoulders."
A Chou, unaware of the method, was taken aback. She covered her shoulder with her hand, slightly raised her eyes to look at Jiang Yan Hui, and confirmed whether her words were true or false.
If only we could remove those hideous scars...
After a brief eye contact, Ah Chou lowered his eyes as if he had been electrocuted, clutching his furry cuffs behind his back, and remained silent.
A blizzard swept across Lingzhou once again, thick clouds tightly trapping the light, and darkness instantly engulfed the land, creating a grand scene reminiscent of the eve of the apocalypse. The gale-force winds were accompanied by a sky full of snowflakes, which powerfully descended upon the barren land of Lingzhou.
For the first time, Ah Chou truly felt the grandeur of nature. His restrained emotions vanished without a trace under the magnificent natural phenomena. He walked to the window, mesmerized, and watched the wind and snow rushing in like sharp arrows through the silk cloth.
"Lingzhou hasn't seen a blizzard for two years."
Jiang Yanhui's approach brought a burning heat, and his low, husky voice penetrated into her ears, causing A Chou to shrink her neck uncomfortably.
The two were about a fist's distance apart, and their close yet distant presence created an inappropriately ambiguous atmosphere, making it appear from a distance as if Jiang Yanhui was holding someone in her arms.
Ah Chou's neck was stiff and he dared not move. His vision was already blurry, and his fingers, which were gripping the windowsill, were clenched tightly in tension.
Jiang Yanhui chuckled softly, her eyes catching his every move. She leaned down, almost touching his ear, and asked, "Have you applied medicine for your frostbite?"
Warm breaths brushed against her sensitive skin, causing a blush to rise visibly. Ah Chou turned around in a panic, her back pressed tightly against the windowsill, her eyes meeting his deep, dark gaze.
If he could calmly meet her gaze, he would surely notice the amusement in Jiang Yanhui's eyes.
Ah Chou lowered his head, his fluffy head facing Jiang Yan Hui, his breathing slow and shallow, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to jump out of his throat.
Uncle Ban had said that one must be absolutely loyal and honest with Wang Zun, and Ah Chou dared not disobey the rules, so he shook his head truthfully.
A note from the author:
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Bad weather, the two of them alone, blushing and their hearts pounding...
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