Chapter 25 Chapter 25 A Touch That Seems Real
Xu Qing'an frowned. He really didn't know where Shangguan Xu's shouting came from.
Could it be that she knew from the beginning that he was deliberately hiding the matter of Xue Hong? And not only did she not want to touch Xue Hong, she even wanted to protect him, and those words just now were just a test?
Xu Qing'an responded and turned back, lying motionless, his fists clenched in his sleeves.
But just when he was feeling extremely nervous, a cold finger with the scent of peony fell on his nose.
The light in Xu Qing'an's eyes trembled, and his slightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed.
It was the same hand cream she always loved to use.
He closed his eyes, took a breath, and when he opened them again, he said with a forced smile, "Your Majesty, what are you doing..."
"Shh, don't talk." She spoke again to stop him, but her tone was not as strong as before. "Xu Qing, don't you think the night is just right now?"
Xu Qing'an glanced at the cloud-covered moon and said, "The moon is hidden among the clouds. So, Your Majesty likes this kind of moonlight?"
"That's right." Shangguan Xu's finger traced from his high nose bridge to the side of his face. "The moonlight is just right. Not too blind, but not too..."
Not too clear to see.
She just discovered that when she was vaguely visible, she was the most like him. Not only his aura, but even his shadow, she felt similar.
Perhaps because she couldn't see clearly, the darkness amplified her sense of him.
This is better. At this time, she doesn't want his face to appear too clearly in front of her.
However, in a short while, the clouds rolled away, the moon reappeared, and everything became clear.
Shangguan Xu indeed withdrew his hand.
Xu Qing'an turned his head and followed the lead.
Shangguan Xu lowered his eyes, still immersed in the feeling just now.
As excited as she was when she first saw him in the dim light, she felt the same disappointment when the moonlight returned. After all, it wasn't him.
While Fang was still in a daze, Shangguan Xu felt something tighten around her waist. By the time she came to her senses, she was already engulfed in a broad embrace.
She focused her attention for a moment and subconsciously put her hand on her collar.
The feeling was very complicated. After nightfall, the silk fabric on her body would only become colder, and the coldness would seep into her body from her palms. However, his aura was warm, wrapping her tightly and giving her a very safe feeling.
Xu Qing'an looked down at her and raised his lips, "Is it over, Madam?"
"What?" Shangguan Xu didn't understand what he meant and for a moment forgot to break free from his arms.
Xu Qing'an then said, "Is this the Majesty's method of controlling her? A seemingly ambiguous touch, without explanation or pursuit of results, simply hooking her in mid-air, neither rising nor falling?"
His tone was flat and it was hard to tell whether he was good or bad, but there seemed to be anger in his eyes.
Shangguan Xu raised his head and said, "What reason do you want? What result do you want? Doesn't Xu Qing like what I just did?"
Xu Qing'an's chest rose and fell noticeably for a moment. He had never expected her to have such an attitude.
He forced a smile and said, "So, whatever I like, Your Majesty will give me."
"Of course." Shangguan Xu smiled calmly.
"Um!"
He hugged her tighter. Shangguan Xu closed her eyes and groaned as he leaned forward.
She immediately turned her head away.
She knew what he wanted to do, so she leaned against his shoulder, not looking at him, and said with a somewhat unstable breath: "Let's talk about it after we deal with Xue Hong's matter."
Xu Qing'an's cheeks moved due to clenching his teeth, and he really stopped. He smiled and said, "Okay, then Your Majesty, please wait for good news from me."
——
The next day, after Xu Qing'an finished performing the play for the little emperor, he left and returned to his residence at the foot of Mount Li.
Zhang Fan had been waiting here for a long time.
The two of them exchanged greetings, and Zhang Fan spoke first, "How is it? Did she... agree?"
Xu Qing'an nodded.
Zhang Fan asked, "Did it take some time?"
Xu Qing'an shook his head: "No, it went very smoothly. She was even the one who said that first."
"She also wants to kill Xue Hong? But..." Zhang Fan was surprised and then asked in confusion, "But the Jinwu Guards clearly did the same to you back then..."
"I don't know." Xu Qing'an lowered his head and walked a few steps to the side. "Maybe it's because the rabbit is dead and the dog is abandoned. Maybe it's a conflict of interests. Or maybe it's..."
He raised his head with his back to Zhang Fan, his eyes filled with a gleam of light, and a guess that he thought was ridiculous came to his mind - or perhaps she still remembered some of her feelings for him, and after that incident, she couldn't bear to kill him.
——
The reason why Xu Qing'an concealed Xue Hong's affairs was not because he was afraid that Xue Hong would not join the game and he would be happy for nothing, as he mentioned to Shangguan Xu, but because he was afraid that Shangguan Xu would protect Xue Hong.
He had planned to force Shangguan Xu to take action against Xue Hong after confirming that Xue Hong was in the game, but he didn't expect that Shangguan Xu also wanted to eliminate Xue Hong.
He couldn't figure out her intentions, but no matter what, with her permission, he wouldn't have to worry too much about eliminating Xue Hong.
The case of grain robbery in Youzhou was handed over to the Ministry of Justice, and naturally the matter of the Xue father and son related to it also fell to the Ministry of Justice.
Although most officials in the court tend to favor Su Wang, there are also many righteous people because of Su Yu's previous guidance under Shangguan Shi.
However, what Xue and his son did was indeed very problematic, and the court officials could not help but criticize them harshly. Therefore, Xue Hong's treatment in prison was not good during this period.
After the prison door was opened, Xue Hong was seen sitting cross-legged on a straw mat. The other ends of the iron chains that bound his hands were fixed to the wall, with several empty wine jars placed next to him.
Before Xu Qing'an walked in, the jailer whispered in his ear, "This man's temper has been unstable lately. Be careful, sir."
In just a few days, Xue Hong had several episodes of madness. Xu Qing'an naturally understood what he meant and said yes to him with a smile.
Xu Qing'an walked in and stopped in front of Xue Hong. He squatted down and looked around at him. He saw that he was taking a nap with his eyes closed. Although he looked quiet, his hands on his knees kept trembling.
He called out softly, "General Xue?"
Xue Hong raised his eyelids in response and saw Xu Qing'an. He said with a hint of contempt in his eyes, "It's Master Xu, but you've finished the investigation and are here to let me out?"
Xu Qing'an said softly, "No."
Xue Hong showed some impatience: "Why is it so troublesome? I was impulsive about the incident in the capital. I accept the punishment, but you don't have to keep me out for so long, right?"
Xu Qing'an pretended to think, "Hmm... the affairs in the capital are almost settled, but Mr. Xue's affairs are not over yet."
Xue Hong paused after hearing this, then pursed his lips and said something else: "Then why did you come to see me? Did you bring any wine?"
Xu Qing'an shook his head and sighed, "If you ask me, why is General Xue so anxious to get out? Although the conditions in this cell are a bit poor, he has never been treated badly in terms of food and drink. Although he was chained, it was only to give others an explanation. Even torture has never been used on him."
"And the brothers in prison all know that the general loves wine. They will give him whatever he wants to drink. I think life here is more comfortable than being exposed to the wind and rain all day long on the training ground."
Xue Hong heard his contempt and shot back, "What do you know? You youngsters, when I was injured for the Great Jin, you were still nursing! Now I just asked for a few more jars of wine, it's not your turn to mock me."
Xu Qing'an quickly said, "Yes, yes, of course I wouldn't dare." He turned to the jailer at the door and said, "Go and get the general some wine. The best wine in the warehouse."
The jailer nodded in agreement.
Only Xu Qing'an and Xue Hong were left inside and outside the cell. There was still a few sips of wine in the jar next to Xue Hong. Xu Qing'an picked it up, shook it, and poured him a glass of wine.
"General Xue, please."
Xue Hong took the wine glass: "You are quite sensible."
Xue Hong had been drinking this kind of wine here for the past few days. It was quite mellow and sweet, which suited his taste. Now someone handed him a glass. After drinking the wine, Xue Hong also showed satisfaction and said, "Don't worry, I will remember you when I get out."
Xu Qing'an sneered, almost inaudibly, "Out? Where are you going? General Xue doesn't still think he can walk out of this cell safely, does he?"
His voice was soft, but loud enough for the person he was facing to hear clearly.
Xue Hong's face changed when he heard this: "What did you say?"
Xu Qing'an also crossed his legs and sat down casually. "General Xue just said he was wounded for the Great Jin? But as far as I know, General Xue has been in the Imperial Guard since he joined the army. In the nearly thirty years since then, he has never been on the battlefield, right? How could he have been wounded for the Great Jin?"
"Oh..." Xu Qing'an looked up, as if suddenly realizing something, "Or did you do something shady in secret? So you've been injured all over, and now you're drinking to dull the pain?"
As he spoke, he tutted, his face showing confusion, "But that shouldn't be the case. I didn't see you on Shangsi Night that year."
As soon as the word "I" came out, Xue Hong's mind went blank, and then the heat from all over his body surged to his head, and his eyes turned red.
But he was speechless.
Xu Qing'an continued, seemingly oblivious, "That year, by the Qujiang Lake, I emerged from the water covered in blood. Weak and dazed, I saw the charging Jinwu Guards. I thought they were coming to save me, but I didn't expect they were also out to kill me."
Xue Hong supported himself on the ground with one hand, covered his throat with the other, stared with his eyes wide open, and sobbed.
Xu Qing'an smiled at him: "Don't worry, there will be time for you to talk, it's just that the medicine has just started to take effect and your body hasn't adapted to it yet."
Xu Qing'an suppressed a laugh. "Are you wondering what the medicine is? And when did you take it?" He looked at the wine glass he had just handed over and said nonchalantly, "Logically speaking, you've been quite good at scheming and plotting, so why do you trust anything someone else gives you?"
Xu Qing'an raised his eyes to look at the person in front of him. He saw that he was full of shock and fear, but more of it was probably the regret for not being able to completely eradicate the problem.
Xu Qing'an: "If Soul Separation Syndrome is difficult to treat, then let's not treat it. Since you love wine so much, I put all the medicine in it. You've been drinking quite a bit lately, and I came here today just to personally feed you the last bit of medicine, which can be considered as bringing an end to our brief master-disciple relationship."
He sighed softly and wiped his fingers, which had been soaked from pouring wine. "I remember back then, when others taught me martial arts, most of them were afraid to teach me the most dangerous moves because they were concerned about my status. Only you taught me that if a man wanted to practice martial arts, he shouldn't be afraid of injury or fatigue, and that a crown prince should set an example. So you were willing to teach me everything."
"But later I understood why you did this—you're a gambler who lives on the edge of a knife. The country is stable, with no internal or external wars. As a military commander, it's truly difficult for you to achieve rapid advancement in such a situation. So you can only take risks, betting on me, betting that my father will think more highly of you because of your 'loyal advice to the emperor.'"
"Congratulations, at least you succeeded at that time." Xu Qing'an looked up at him with a smile.
"But you know, back when I was in a daze, the moves I used to kill the Jinwu Guards you sent were taught by you."
The more Xue Hong listened, the more he felt out of control. His head was buzzing, dry and painful.
This is what the soul-leaving syndrome is like.
Xu Qing'an stared at him with great interest, speaking tenderly, "I wonder if the General has occasionally thought of those past events over the years?"
Xue Hong's lips opened and closed, and a few 'ah' sounds came out of his throat, as if in response.
Xu Qing'an knew it was almost time, so he placed his hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, adding fuel to the fire: "You must remember this, especially what happened on Shangsi Night that year."
"Shangsi Night, Shangsi Night..." Xu Qing'an gritted his teeth and emphasized each word, "Shangsi Night!"
Like a breath of foul air rolling out, Xue Hong opened his mouth and let out a low roar of extreme pain.
Xu Qing'an looked at him, stood up with a wine jar in his hand with an expressionless face, put his foot on his shoulder, curled his lips, and kicked him to the ground.
The wine jar was smashed.
Xu Qing'an shouted outside: "Help! Someone's killing someone!"
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