Before the heavy snow blocked the mountain, Li Hua actually built a wooden house halfway up the mountain. On the day the wooden house was completed, Li Hua and Gan Qiongying made an appointment early in the morning to go for a walk in the mountains together.
He led Gan Qiongying there along a small path, giving her a huge surprise.
The cabin's exterior was simple, but the interior was exceptionally comfortable and spacious, about the size of three normal rooms. Several fire dragons coiled inside, making it warm and cozy, and there were even several potted rare flowers and plants on the wooden windowsills.
Moreover, there is a huge oven in the backyard, and I don't know how it was transported up the mountain, but it is used specifically for roasting ducks.
That evening, Gan Qiongying enjoyed a feast, not only eating the roast duck she had been craving, but also the Lihua fish she had been longing for.
The warm spring water from the mountain was diverted down, and an open-air pavilion was built directly in the backyard of the wooden house. Steam rose from the pavilion, and warm water flowed day and night, making one feel as if they were in a fairyland.
The wooden house is actually quite far from where they live now, but every time after a heavy snowfall, Gan Qiongying walks along the path and sees the road leading up the mountainside, where the snow has been cleared away.
Moreover, although Li Hua was in this remote place, she still had to manage her business, and the people monitoring Jinchuan would always send messages back.
There were many pigeons in the yard, as well as two gyrfalcons that looked somewhat like the ones Gan Qiongying used to keep, which were used specifically to deliver messages.
The road from the mountain to the foot of the mountain is cleared after every heavy snowfall. Gan Qiongying even went down the mountain to attend a large market near the end of the year.
On the contrary, Li Hua spent a lot of time with the two children. Even when looking at the account books, she would stay in the room and occasionally look up at the two children playing.
The things I bought before were gradually moved into the mountains, and this simple house has been filled with all sorts of precious items.
With Li Hua back by Gan Qiongying's side, Gan Qiongying's life became incredibly comfortable again. Although it wasn't as magnificent as the princess's mansion, living in the mountains had a unique charm. Occasionally, Gan Qiongying would take her bow and arrows and go hunting with Li Hua in the mountains.
Even though she couldn't shoot a rabbit, Gan Qiongying always had a great time. Covered in snow, her face was rosy and her smile was as bright as a child's.
With the help of wet nurses and maids, Gan Qiongying's role as a mother was quite easy. She could only set aside a fixed amount of time each day to play with her two children, and spent most of the rest of her time with Li Hua.
Although Li Hua cries easily in front of Gan Qiongying, he is truly a strong and upright man when it comes to daily life. He not only manages everything at home and outside the home perfectly, but also remotely controls the political situation in Jinchuan, and washes the diapers of the two little babies at fixed times every day.
He also had to take care of various businesses between the two countries, train his guards, and most importantly, he had to set aside three to four days, or even five days, each week to play with Gan Qiongying halfway up the mountain.
Just like at this moment, the warm spring pool stretches to the sky and the ground, with water constantly surging out of the pool, splashing all around and turning into wisps of misty water vapor.
A pair of slender, crimson hands braced themselves against the edge of the pool, frantically scratching around in a moment of crisis, but ultimately grasping nothing but a wisp of rising water in their palms.
Gan Qiongying tilted her head back, her hair framing her neck and cheek. Her eyes were slightly red, and she looked up like a swan about to break its neck, watching as a light snow began to fall from the sky.
Her phoenix eyes were bloodshot at the corners, and wisps of white mist rose from her breath due to the cold. At this moment, she looked extremely alluring, like a flower in full bloom, as if she had ascended to paradise and become an immortal.
Gan Qiongying exhaled several breaths of white air towards the sky before she was finally dragged into the water by a pair of large hands that gripped her waist.
"It's cold, come into the water." A voice, still hoarse, sounded behind Gan Qiongying. He held her and slowly sank into the water, with only their heads above the surface.
Gan Qiongying snapped out of her daze and looked at Li Hua with a smile, her eyes narrowed.
"I think the water is dirty..."
Li Hua paused for a moment, then explained, "This is running water; those things... will be washed away in a little while."
"What things?" Gan Qiongying deliberately moved closer to Li Hua and asked him, her cool nose brushing against his. Li Hua's long hair was all scattered in the water. In just over a month, his face had gained a lot of weight, and even his hair had turned much blacker.
His overall condition had improved significantly, and he looked like a well-fed and healthy tiger or leopard. Especially since he had indeed been more ferocious than jackals and tigers just now.
“It seems that Physician Xiao’s prescription is quite effective,” Gan Qiongying said, tapping Li Hua’s nose. “You’ve been quite vigorous lately.”
Li Hua grasped Gan Qiongying's fingers and kissed them on his lips for a moment. His eyes were also red, and his whole face was flushed with the rosy glow of the rising sun.
He was like a fallen immortal, trapped and entangled in human desires, unable to extricate himself.
He looked at Gan Qiongying with almost obsessive eyes and said, "Are we going back tonight?"
Gan Qiongying laughed: "Why are you staying here instead of going back? Are you even capable?"
Li Hua nodded.
Gan Qiongying shook her head and said, "Forget it, we've been fooling around for most of the day, and Gan Lin will be back tonight. Our family hasn't eaten together for over half a month..."
Li Hua naturally had no objections, but he preferred to be alone with Gan Qiongying. Although the two had a child, they still had many servants and Gan Lin living together.
Li Hua still enjoys the time they spend alone together on the mountainside the most, and Gan Qiongying's feelings, her desires, the things she wants to do and the things she wants to have are always Li Hua's top priority.
However, Li Hua always felt that he was not Gan Qiongying's first choice; Gan Lin was.
Whenever Gan Lin returned, Gan Qiongying's mood was always exceptionally high, and no matter how late it was, she would wait for him on any night he said he would come back.
Sometimes the siblings would chat until very late, until even Li Hua was getting tired and yawning constantly, but they were still very enthusiastic.
Li Hua's expression darkened slightly. He was jealous. He knew he shouldn't be like this, but how could a person control their emotions?
Just like when Gan Qiongying first returned to his side, Li Hua always thought that this was enough.
As long as Gan Qiongying is by his side, nothing else matters.
But after Gan Qiongying truly belonged to him completely, the jealousy that had been suppressed during their separation gradually resurfaced, emerging like wisps of steam floating on water, completely uncontrollable.
Li Hua always paid special attention to whoever Gan Qiongying looked at. Li Hua even sometimes felt jealous of her two children.
Li Hua also loved the two children very much, but the basis of Li Hua's love for the children was not that he wanted the two children to carry on his bloodline, but that the two children were born to Gan Qiongying.
Moreover, Gan Qiongying always showed great concern for Gan Lin, and the relationship between the two siblings gave people the feeling that no one else could interfere.
Moreover, Gan Qiongying... abandoned him because of Gan Lin.
Li Hua was momentarily unable to hide her disappointment. Just moments ago she had been full of enthusiasm and eagerness, but now she lay listlessly by the pool, not saying a word.
Gan Qiongying knew him very well. Just by looking at him like this, she knew that his petty scheming was starting to act up again.
Li Hua looks like a celestial being, but in reality, he's not a magnanimous person at all. What kind of broad-minded person is so love-struck? Gan Qiongying was speechless when she first noticed that Li Hua's eyes would look indescribable after she held the baby for a while.
Gan Qiongying even went so far as to find Buli, who had come to the mountain with the precious items that Li Hua had bought, to have a good talk about Li Hua's mental state.
When Bu Li heard Gan Qiongying say that Li Hua was even jealous of her two children, he remained silent for a long time before finally prescribing Gan Qiongying some medicine to soothe her liver and calm her mind.
Gan Qiongying then asked Buli, "Will this medicine relieve his symptoms?"
Bu Li looked at Gan Qiongying with an unreadable expression and said, "This medicine is for you. He's become so narrow-minded that there's no way to change him. Besides, you know he almost went insane. Just be more understanding and let him be..."
Gan Qiongying remained silent for a long time, then chuckled. After returning home, she had Manyue brew and drink the two doses of medicine. From then on, she spent most of her time with Lihua.
The longer she and Li Hua spend together, the more time Li Hua pays attention to the child, and the less jealous he becomes.
However, Li Hua's recent aversion to Gan Lin left Gan Qiongying both amused and exasperated. Li Hua actually cared deeply for Gan Lin, even secretly sending people to protect him, having already planted agents within the Northwest Army.
However, every time Gan Lin came back, and Gan Qiongying spent a long time with Gan Lin, Li Hua would not show it or say anything, but she would always feel a little disappointed.
For example, right now, he's like... a swan suffering from depression. They're supposed to be in pairs, but he insists on swimming alone by the water.
Gan Qiongying pressed herself against him from behind, hugging his wet waist, and whispered in his ear, "When will you ever get rid of this habit of yours? Gan Lin is just my brother. In my life, besides you... in my past life and this life, I've never had another man besides you."
"A couple's frequency of making love twice a week is already quite frequent. We've come five times this week, and it's not just five times."
"I've devoted almost all my attention to you. What are you thinking about all day? Why don't you get a rope and we tie ourselves together? I'll follow you to the toilet, okay?"
"The reason I've been talking to Gan Lin more frequently and for longer periods lately is because I've noticed that he... he might have something he wants to say to me, but he's afraid to say it."
"You should have sensed that he was in a bad mood. As his brother-in-law, can you please stop being so jealous for no reason?"
Li Hua lay on the edge of the pool, eyes closed, brows furrowed. He didn't want to be like this, but he couldn't control himself. Especially... especially since he had been paying close attention to Nanzhao for a long time, and recently some news had come back, including some things about Princess Duanrong and the Emperor from the past.
These things weren't something Li Hua deliberately had someone investigate. Rather, the person who did things for him knew he was keeping an eye on Princess Duanrong's movements and, thinking he hadn't been able to find her, started digging into Princess Duanrong's past.
This person was quite capable. He even found an old nanny who used to work in the palace and could no longer walk. He thoroughly investigated everything about Princess Duanrong and Ganlin in the palace, including what happened after Ganlin became the crown prince and Duanrong was granted the title of princess.
I learned from a former palace maid who had served in the Crown Prince's palace that Princess Duanrong had once... fallen in love with Gan Lin.
Li Hua had kept this matter to himself ever since he learned about it, reminding himself that it was all in the past. Moreover... and that palace maid had only seen Princess Duanrong about to kiss His Highness the Crown Prince from afar, and hadn't even seen it clearly.
But Li Hua simply couldn't imagine that scene, and couldn't accept it at all.
He had never intended to bring this up, but Gan Qiongying kept telling him from behind that she hoped he could relax and not be jealous.
Li Hua suddenly turned around, looked at Gan Qiongying and said, "But you once had feelings for him. You abandoned me for him, did you ever think about living with him and never coming back to me?"
Gan Qiongying: "...Where did you hear that from!"
Li Hua's expression was very serious. The blush from their lovemaking had not yet faded, and he had already begun to question his partner, his eyes reddening.
Honestly, if it were someone else, they definitely wouldn't be able to stand someone like Li Hua.
He is suspicious, paranoid, and sensitive. He always gets stuck on a single issue, and not only does he get stuck on it himself, but he also drags others into it.
Gan Qiongying looked at Li Hua for a moment, thinking that she should go see Bu Li again that night and get some liver-soothing and qi-regulating herbal medicine to drink.
She reached out and pinched Li Hua's nose: "How many times have I told you, I am not Duan Rong. The one who likes Gan Lin is Princess Duan Rong. I have never had romantic feelings for Gan Lin. If I had romantic feelings for him, what would you have to do with it?"
Gan Qiongying rested her elbows on the edge of the pool, her wet clothes clinging to her graceful body. Her phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed as she looked at Li Hua and said, "Or do you think that if I really like Gan Lin, I can't handle a mere boy like him?"
“If I liked Gan Lin, I wouldn’t have brought him out of the palace. You helped me defeat the Regent, but even without you, I could have made him wish he were dead.”
“Grand Princess Huian and the imperial clan are on our side. The Empress Dowager’s health is deteriorating. According to my estimation, she is now locked in a life-or-death struggle with Kou Shi.”
"Lihua, I am not a delicate person whose mind is only filled with romantic love."
"All my love is for you, can't you feel it?"
Gan Qiongying leaned against the pool, and her appearance and demeanor at this moment vaguely revealed the domineering aura of a princess who truly held royal power.
Without Li Hua, or if everything had gone wrong, her desired outcome might not have been wandering the world.
Upon hearing Gan Qiongying's words, Li Hua suddenly panicked, swam to Gan Qiongying's side, hugged her tightly around the neck.
It seems that Gan Qiongying relies more on Li Hua, because Li Hua is the one who makes money and handles everything.
In reality, Gan Qiongying was the one in control of everything. Whether it was emotions or the relationship between the two, Gan Qiongying never lost and could never lose.
Her relationship with Li Hua was mutual, and things progressed naturally. However, if Gan Qiongying liked someone who didn't like her back, she also had many ways to seduce them.
Having experienced Gan Qiongying's meticulousness and gentleness, and knowing how charming her qualities were, Li Hua naturally understood this principle.
It was precisely because she understood that Li Hua panicked, couldn't help but feel jealous, and couldn't help but reject Gan Lin.
Gan Qiongying whispered in Li Hua's ear, her voice suddenly becoming incredibly soft and suggestive, "I am not Duan Rong. The real Duan Rong would never give up her position as princess. The real Duan Rong would only want to kill you, a spy from an enemy country. How could she be holding your neck and calling you 'husband' so passionately like I am?"
"Didn't you tell me you had those dreams too? Did that Princess Duanrong in your dreams have any feelings for you at all?"
Li Hua held Gan Qiongying silently, his eyelashes wet, but this time he didn't cry; he was still jealous.
He also wanted to ask Gan Qiongying, "You are not Princess Duanrong, but you possess Princess Duanrong's memories. Have you ever, for even a moment... confused about who you are?"
Have you ever had a moment of confusion about your feelings for Ganlin?
Did you... did you ever fear him, hate him, or even want to give him up completely because of those dreams?
But Li Hua knew that if she asked any further questions, Gan Qiongying would definitely get angry.
Therefore, Li Hua simply held Gan Qiongying and lingered with her, his hands around her waist, leaning against the stone wall on the shore, gently touching her.
Li Hua knew that Gan Lin's frequent contact with the Northwest Army was actually an attempt to seize power and profit.
The reason why there has been no progress until now is that there is no opportunity for Gan Lin to make a decision.
In fact, the situation in Nanzhao is now extremely chaotic. King Kangguang has no talent for governing the country, but he is ambitious for the throne. Princess Huian is old and frail, and the new emperor she supported is no match for the fierce infighting among the court officials. Recently, he has also developed some health problems, which has frightened the child.
Meanwhile, Li Hua's people had already sent the inhuman regent back to Nanzhao. Now, the Empress Dowager is locked in a fierce battle with her own brother, clinging to life only to avenge her son.
However, the Kou clan refused to sever ties with Kou Ningyu, their source of wealth, for the sake of Empress Dowager Kou Ning'an, and now the entire Kou clan is torn apart. Meanwhile, other clans are seizing this opportunity to rise to power, desperately trying to win over other clans and unite in an attempt to capsize the Kou clan's great ship.
While Nanzhao may appear calm on the surface, it is actually in a precarious state.
If Gan Lin were to return at this time... he could rightfully stabilize the situation by becoming a true emperor. Gan Lin is not without the talent to govern the country, but he was previously bound by the regent and acted as a puppet for too long, so he now acts cautiously and hesitantly.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken so long to make a decision.
The Chinese New Year is just around the corner. After the New Year, when spring arrives and flowers bloom, Li Hua plans to take her family on a trip to the south.
If Gan Lin had been with them back then... that would have been really annoying.
Li Hua had no ill intentions towards Gan Lin. Even though Gan Qiongying cared about him so much, he would never do anything to harm Gan Lin.
But Li Hua can help him make a decision.
Li Hua didn't care whether Princess Duanrong was the present one or the former one; whichever she was now, she could only be his.
He had to completely possess the person in his arms before he could... close his eyes and sleep peacefully every day and night.
That night, the two did not spend the night in the cabin halfway up the mountain. Instead, they spent some more time together. Gan Qiongying thought she had comforted Li Hua, and then they sweetly held hands and went back together.
As expected, Gan Lin returned in the evening. Li Hua personally cooked the meal, and the family ate together warmly. After dinner, they played with the children.
Then Gan Qiongying and Gan Lin sat together and chatted endlessly. Gan Lin spoke animatedly and eloquently, telling Gan Qiongying about things in the army and his observations of the surrounding area at the foot of the mountain.
They also made a promise to go see the lanterns together on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month with Gan Qiongying.
Li Hua sat opposite the two of them, a smile on her face that looked somewhat fake upon closer inspection.
Watching lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, oh.
Neither he nor Gan Qiongying had ever seen lanterns before. They could have, but it was all because of Gan Lin!
Li Hua used the excuse of refilling tea for the two men to run to the outer room, write a letter, and slip it into the letterbox on the gyrfalcon's foot, thus releasing the gyrfalcon overnight.
With only three days until Lunar New Year's Eve, a gyrfalcon can travel a thousand miles in just one night.
On New Year's Eve, Gan Lin unusually stayed home and the whole family happily put up couplets, hung lanterns, and made dumplings.
The two children were making a ruckus over there, looking incredibly happy. But before midnight, when they were staying up to welcome the New Year, Gan Lin received a letter.
After reading the letter, the joyful smile on his face vanished completely.
At that moment, Li Hua was playing with a string of nine-linked rings to amuse the child. Seeing Gan Lin's trembling hand holding the letter, she silently moved closer to the kang (a heated brick bed).
It has nothing to do with him; he did nothing.
He simply... simply tried his best to get the news that Nanzhao had been unable to send to Gan Lin.
He just... hoped that Gan Lin would make a decision as soon as possible, and go to become emperor when spring was in full bloom, instead of going south with his family.
After reading the letter, Gan Lin's eyes turned red, and tears streamed down her face like large beads.
Seeing this, Gan Qiongying hurriedly asked him, "What's going on! Who sent the letter? And why are you crying..."
With red nose and eyes, Gan Lin looked at Gan Qiongying and choked out, "Sister... Li Quan is dead... He died as soon as we left the capital!"
"No wonder all the letters I sent disappeared without a trace. He assassinated the Empress Dowager so that I could escape, and was killed by her!"
Upon hearing this, Gan Qiongying's eyelids twitched rapidly, and the veins on her forehead bulged.
She turned her head fiercely to look at Li Hua sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed). Li Hua dared not meet Gan Qiongying's gaze and held the child in her arms to shield herself from the disaster.
Gan Qiongying held Gan Lin's head to comfort him, stammering, "How...how could he be dead? How could he assassinate the Empress Dowager..."
In fact, Gan Qiongying had received the news long ago, but she hadn't told Gan Lin because she wanted to wait a while before slowly telling him.
Li Quan was no ordinary person to Gan Lin; he was the one who had taken care of Gan Lin since childhood. His death was so tragic and undignified, and Gan Lin had only been happy for a few days. How could Gan Qiongying bear to tell him such a thing?
But Gan Lin suddenly received a message. Gan Qiongying took the letter and saw that the person who replied to Gan Lin was a little eunuch that Li Quan had once trained in the palace.
Moreover, she embellished the story, describing Li Quan's tragic death with heart-wrenching detail. Gan Lin, who had always been thinking about him, was devastated upon reading this.
Gan Qiongying gritted her teeth, already convinced that this was Li Hua's doing. Li Hua dared not meet her gaze, pretending to be indifferent, but she was actually feeling incredibly guilty.
While comforting Gan Lin, Gan Qiongying thought that she might need to go to Bu Li's place to get a few more doses of medicine.
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