Yes, yes, yes, yes
Peony Banquet
The palace banquet was held in the royal garden, and people began to arrive around noon.
Enjoying flowers and tea, floating wine cups on a winding stream, composing poems and couplets—all are at your leisure, making it far more elegant than usual.
The first group to arrive consisted of officials of relatively lower ranks and juniors of high-ranking officials. They exchanged pleasantries or talked at length about politics.
Gu Jinghong had no intention of attracting attention, but when she took Gongsun Cheyuan's arm and walked to the Imperial Garden, she did attract the attention of many people.
Gongsun Cheyuan was naturally handsome and tall, and because he was born into a Duke's family but had a simple and honest nature, he was quite known for his refined taste among the young masters of noble families. At this moment, although he had not slept all night and could not hide his fatigue, he still forced himself to be energetic and maintain the kind smile of a young master of noble families.
Gu Jinghong, on the other hand, was preoccupied with worries and unable to sleep last night. At this moment, she had faint dark circles under her eyes, but her aloof and detached temperament and breathtaking beauty, set against the backdrop of peonies, only added a touch of melancholy. She stood out even more amidst the spring scenery, making it impossible to look away.
However, to outsiders, the two of them in this state seemed like evidence left behind after a night of passionate love and indulgence.
Soon, a member of the royal family who was familiar with the Duke's mansion came over with a wine cup, nudged Gongsun Cheyuan with his elbow in an ambiguous manner, and chuckled softly.
"Brother Cheyuan, it's wonderful to be newly married and have a harmonious marriage. But you... you should tone it down a bit. Look at your face, it breaks my heart. There's a long future ahead, a slow and steady approach is the right way!"
The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the nearby tables to hear, which immediately elicited a murmur of knowing laughter.
Gongsun Cheyuan blushed, feeling embarrassed and at a loss for words. He opened his mouth but didn't know how to explain this "misunderstanding," so he could only lower his head awkwardly.
This act of bowing his head seemed to confirm to others that he was newly married but had no marital relations.
This prompted several members of the imperial clan to pat Gongsun Cheyuan on the shoulder, saying, "The heir apparent, Gongsun, is ultimately very fortunate."
She then smiled and looked at Gu Jinghong sitting to the side—although this woman came from a fallen noble family, her aura was in no way inferior to that of the noble ladies of the capital. If you didn't know her, you might believe she was a princess.
The lingering resentment in everyone's hearts eventually turned into lukewarm smiles.
"Husband..." Gu Jinghong was about to say something when he heard the chief eunuch Li Mu announce from not far away: "His Highness Prince Jin has arrived—"
...
The first thing Xiao Chengyan saw when he entered the Imperial Garden was Gu Jinghong's eyes, which were tinged with dark circles, yet she was smiling slightly.
But Gongsun Cheyuan was so excited that he didn't hear what Li Zhong said when Gu Jinghong addressed him as "husband" for the first time in public. Instead, he leaned closer to Gu Jinghong and asked, oblivious to everyone else, "What is it, Madam?"
Originally, the tone of his voice was nothing special, but since Xiao Chengyan had just arrived and the scene was in a state of silence under his imposing presence, his words "What is it, Madam?" sounded particularly clear and attracted the attention of many people to the newlyweds.
Gu Jinghong stiffened, then quickly tugged at Gongsun Cheyuan's clothes, signaling him to get up.
The two stood to one side with their heads bowed and eyes lowered, just like everyone else, seemingly welcoming the prince who controlled almost 80% of the military force of Dayong with a humble attitude.
Xiao Chengyan cast a faint glance at him—both of them had been sleepless all night, and now they were in such a submissive state, it was simply… Could it be that he had misjudged Gongsun Cheyuan?
This thought made him panic for a moment. He didn't know why, but even though he knew it was wrong, he still walked towards the two of them and stopped just two steps away.
Then I looked closely at this person, and then at that person.
"...Didn't get enough rest?"
Gongsun Cheyuan raised his head, about to speak.
But he was interrupted by Xiao Chengyan's deep voice: "Come here, I have something to say to you."
It was a rather vague command, but Gu Jinghong managed to understand it. While Gongsun Cheyuan was scratching his head, wondering what Xiao Chengyan meant, she had already taken a step and followed.
Power is truly a fascinating thing.
Such a strange scene caused the atmosphere to freeze for only a moment before some quick-witted people returned to the original topic, and then more and more people started chatting as they had before Xiao Chengyan arrived.
The two walked one after the other. Xiao Chengyan finally stopped at the beginning of the corridor, and Gu Jinghong stopped two steps away from him.
The early summer breeze already carried a slight warmth, ruffling a strand of her dark hair.
A strand of black hair brushed across her forehead, past the red mole at the end of her eyebrow, past the corner of her eye, and across her small, delicate nose, finally swirling back and forth as if drifting towards Xiao Chengyan... His hand unconsciously loosened, then clenched tightly again.
Two forces are vying for dominance, and the side that gains the upper hand ultimately wins.
Gu Jinghong followed him all the way. At first, her heart was pounding uncontrollably, but then her tense back began to relax, and her heart gradually calmed down.
She looked down at her toes, as if she would refuse to speak if he didn't.
Xiao Chengyan finally broke the silence, his voice still low and hoarse: "You went to see Murong Xiao yesterday?"
She kept looking at her toes: "Yes."
Xiao Chengyan: "Has the deal been reached?"
Gu Jinghong: "Yes."
He paused, then seemed to let out a long sigh: "Selling weapons privately is a serious crime, do you know that?"
Gu Jinghong: "Yes."
Xiao Chengyan: "..."
Xiao Chengyan frowned: "He didn't stop you?"
That was a question far below the standards of a prince—who was he? Gongsun Cheyuan? Did he think he should stop her? Or did he think Gongsun Cheyuan could stop her?
Having grown accustomed to his sharpness, his sudden loss of accuracy was somewhat perplexing.
Gu Jinghong chuckled inwardly, then took a deep breath and looked up not at Xiao Chengyan, but in the direction of Gongsun Cheyuan: "Does Your Highness have anything else to say? If not, I'm afraid I should return."
"Something has happened. Someone has already seen through your plan to use the Hu merchants as a route, and today you can't avoid being accused of 'aiding the enemy'."
He answered so hastily, as if he had been suppressing his emotions for a long time, and suddenly couldn't hold back anymore the moment Gu Jinghong said she was leaving. He was afraid that she really left, and he was even more afraid that she was going to Gongsun Cheyuan's place. If that were the case, he would be helpless.
However, being a prince who had experienced many ups and downs, he was always able to restrain himself. Even though his emotions had reached that point, he quickly realized that he had lost his composure and swiftly regained his composure.
From a distance, the two maintained a proper distance, appearing as if it were truly just an sworn brother caring for his sworn sister, without the slightest transgression.
"yes."
She lowered her eyes again to look at her toes.
Xiao Chengyan felt a pang of pain and an overwhelming sense of unease, and he suddenly raised his voice, "Look me in the eyes and say 'yes' again."
Gu Jinghong looked up.
Today he was dressed in a sky-blue princely robe, which made him look less somber and more scholarly than his usual black robe.
She suddenly thought of something from long ago, when she said he always wore black and looked too dignified... But what was the point?
So she quickly glanced at his clothes and looked into his eyes: "Yes."
Xiao Chengyan: "..."
He was a very good at hiding his true feelings; though there was a storm brewing in his eyes, he appeared calm and collected at first glance.
Looking at Gu Jinghong standing in front of him, like a lifeless jade sculpture, Xiao Chengyan suddenly felt a hollow pain in his heart, as if her energy had been exhausted after she had hurled insults at him and herself last time, and she could no longer react to him.
She was trying to sever his influence on her; she intended to remove him from her life.
Thinking of this, the Gu worms on Xiao Chengyan's shoulder seemed to begin wriggling wildly again.
He slowly looked up at the sky, which was so clean that not a speck of dust remained, just like his empty and inexplicably shattered heart—it was so ironic.
He consciously brought his thoughts back to "business" and pulled back his emotions that were about to overflow.
“I know my father. Although he is old and his health is declining, he will not compromise on important military matters. Gu Jinghong, you are playing with fire.”
"Your Highness." Gu Jinghong finally seemed to have pulled herself out of a daze. She said, "You are busy with official duties. I really dare not trouble you with my little matters."
She was impeccable and courteous, but that wasn't her; she disdained such superficial formalities.
"Gu Jinghong," he called out to her, enduring the pain in his chest.
Before he could say anything more, Gu Jinghong curtsied slightly and turned to leave.
Her steps were steady, her back straight, and she appeared calm on the surface.
But she knew the embarrassment in her heart. She knew that the curtsy she had just performed was only because she was afraid she couldn't hold on, and she was afraid that her panic would betray her.
Xiao Chengyan stood there, watching her resolute departure. The wind blew through the corridor, lifting a corner of her clothes. That slender figure looked incredibly resilient, yet incredibly... fragile.
His hands, hanging by his sides, slowly clenched into fists.
How could he not see the panic in her lowered eyes for a moment? How could he not hear the suppressed tremor in her voice? She could never learn to perfectly pretend in front of him.
"I hope your schemes will truly bring you what you desire." He uttered these words in a low, hoarse voice as he looked in the direction she had disappeared, and they dissipated in the wind.
Turning the corner of the corridor and entering the clean room, Gu Jinghong's straight back finally relaxed slightly once he was completely out of his sight.
Her tears finally streamed down her face uncontrollably, one drop, two drops, which she quickly wiped away forcefully with her sleeve.
She took a few deep breaths, then straightened her clothes and walked out of the clean room with her body upright.
Gongsun Cheyuan's heart and eyes were only for his beloved wife. As soon as he saw Gu Jinghong come out, he rushed forward to greet her, his tone particularly concerned: "Jinghong, His Highness, he..."
As Gongsun Cheyuan spoke, his eyes involuntarily glanced in Xiao Chengyan's direction.
It would have been better if he hadn't glanced at it. But when he did, he saw Xiao Chengyan's gaze transform into a thousand sharp beams of light, shooting straight toward Gongsun Cheyuan, startling him so much that he stood frozen in place for a full three seconds.
Then Gu Jinghong noticed his unusual behavior and took him to admire the flowers.
This simple act made them look like an extremely loving young couple in the eyes of onlookers.
Passing by the special fruit and tea station in the Imperial Garden, Gongsun Cheyuan even picked out a loquat-flavored fruit tea for Gu Jinghong to try.
Gu Jinghong smiled and waved his hand in refusal.
Gongsun Cheyuan recommended again: "Try a bite, I've tried it, it's very delicious and has a very unique flavor."
Gu Jinghong couldn't refuse, so she took the loquat tea and tasted it.
To be honest, she had no appetite and couldn't taste anything in the tea, but for no reason, she thought of him again; he always drank only pure tea...
Just then, the chief eunuch Li Mu announced again: "Princess Yongning has arrived—"
With a "crack", the teacup fell from Gu Jinghong's hand.
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