Chapter 14 Ah, this... a hero saving a beauty?
The palace door opened, and a young man dressed in the prince's uniform walked in steadily.
He is almost as tall as an adult, as straight as a bamboo, with the thinness that is unique to teenagers, but he does not look weak.
He walked with a steady pace, an elegant posture, and a natural nobility and composure in his movements.
The most striking thing about him is his face, which is extremely delicate and beautiful, with picturesque eyebrows and fair skin, and an almost androgynous beauty.
However, those calm and deep eyes and the calm demeanor he exuded diluted the femininity that might be brought by his overly delicate appearance, leaving only the captivating handsomeness and elegance.
It was the second prince Liu Cong.
"Your son pays homage to His Majesty the Father."
Liu Cong walked to the imperial desk, saluted meticulously, and spoke in a clear and pleasant voice.
He has the unique freshness of a young man, yet is extremely calm.
Liu Jin looked at this capable adopted son with a rare hint of gentleness in his eyes.
"Have all the follow-up matters regarding the Jiangnan flood been properly handled?"
"Your Majesty, this is exactly why I came here."
Liu Cong stood up, took out a memorial from his sleeve, and presented it with both hands.
"The details of the levee repairs, disaster relief resettlement, spring plowing and reclamation, and the handling of corrupt officials in the various prefectures and cities south of the Yangtze River have all been clarified. Please review them, Your Majesty.
This time, I, your son, will work with the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works to conduct strict checks on the disaster relief money and grain to ensure that every penny and every grain of rice is actually used.
Subsequent resettlement arrangements have also been made, striving to ensure that the farming season is not affected and to reassure the people.”
Liu Jin took the memorial but did not open it immediately. He just looked at Liu Cong.
The boy's pretty face was a little dusty after a long journey, but his eyes were still bright and focused. His report was clear and well-organized with clear key points.
This practicality and competence, and this calmness and composure made Liu Jin quite satisfied.
Compared to the impetuous and incompetent eldest son, this second son is indeed capable of taking on the responsibility.
"Yeah, well done."
Liu Jin nodded, his tone full of approval.
"You've had a hard journey. You don't have to rush back to the palace these few days. Just stay in the palace and rest well. Also... spend more time with your third brother. He was frightened a few days ago."
A hint of just the right concern flashed in Liu Cong's eyes.
"Yes, Father. I was just about to go visit my third brother."
He paused slightly and added
"I heard that my third brother's study companion, the Prince of Weiyuan, was quite calm during the events of that day."
Liu Jin's eyes moved slightly, looking at Liu Cong
"Oh? You heard about it too? Cui Xiao is indeed a smart guy."
"It's good to be able to share the worries of my father and my third brother."
Liu Cong smiled slightly, his smile was gentle and flawless.
He didn't say much, but just expressed his brotherly love and respect for his father's will in a perfect way.
That night, a small banquet was held in the palace to welcome the second prince Liu Cong, and the opportunity was taken to allow several princes and close ministers to get together.
The banquet was held in the "Yingbo Pavilion" by the water, with bright lights and melodious music.
As the third prince's study companion, Cui Xiao naturally sat at the end of the table.
This was the first time he met the legendary second prince Liu Cong.
Under the bright lights, Liu Cong sat not far below the emperor.
He spoke and behaved in a gentle and appropriate manner. He chatted and laughed with several old princes of the royal family, quoted from classics, and responded with ease. His calm demeanor was far beyond that of the eldest prince.
It was just that the distance was too far, so Cui Xiao couldn't see his appearance clearly. He only felt that beneath his perfect demeanor, there seemed to be an invisible layer of glass, distant and elusive.
The atmosphere seemed harmonious with the clinking of glasses during the banquet, but in fact there were undercurrents.
The eldest prince Liu Jue was released from house arrest and also attended the event, but his face was gloomy. He sat there drinking one glass after another, and his eyes occasionally swept sinisterly over Liu Chang and Cui Xiao.
Liu Chang was still a little timid. He sat close to Cui Xiao, eating in small bites and not talking much.
The aristocratic banquet was long and hypocritical, and all the social formalities made Cui Xiao feel a little suffocated.
Taking advantage of the moment when a prince from the royal family stood up to toast and the atmosphere at the banquet became a little chaotic, Cui Xiao whispered something to Liu Chang and quietly slipped out of the noisy Yingbo Pavilion.
The early spring night breeze brought coolness and moisture, blowing away the smell of wine and cosmetics in the hall, and refreshing people.
Cui Xiao walked towards the imperial garden not far away, hoping to find a quiet place to get some fresh air.
The garden was full of lush flowers and trees, the moonlight was cool, and only the chirping of insects could be heard. It was much more comfortable than the brightly lit hall.
He strolled along the winding corridor and unknowingly came to a small pavilion by the water.
The pavilion is surrounded by water on three sides, and the moonlight shines on the calm surface of the pool, creating shimmering silver light.
Right next to the pavilion, by the railing close to the water, stood a figure.
The man had his back to him, was slender, and was wearing a moon-white outfit... seemed to be men's casual clothes?
Her long black hair was tied up with a simple jade hairpin, revealing her graceful neck.
The moonlight is like water, gently outlining the silhouette of the man, from the straight nose to the slightly pursed, beautifully shaped lips.
Then there is the smooth lines of the jaw... Just this profile is breathtakingly beautiful, like a banished immortal under the moon, so pure and cold that it is not tainted by the mundane world.
Cui Xiao's footsteps suddenly stopped.
He had never seen anyone so... who made his heart beat out of control in an instant.
It is a purely visual, breathtaking aesthetic impact. It has nothing to do with gender, only the preference of the Creator.
He felt his breathing become lighter, for fear of disturbing the elf under the moon. For a moment he was at a loss and did not dare to move forward.
At this moment, the "beauty" seemed to be attracted by several koi swimming in the pond. She leaned forward slightly, as if wanting to see more clearly.
He was already standing very close to the water, and the slippery moss under his feet was hardly noticeable in the moonlight.
Cui Xiao's heart instantly rose to his throat, and all his hesitation and surprise were washed away by an instinctive worry.
Without having time to think, he rushed forward, and at the critical moment when the other person's body center of gravity was unstable and about to slip into the water, he stretched out his long arm, suddenly grabbed the waist, and pulled it back with force!
The touch is soft and flexible with the unique thinness of a young person, and the slightly cool body temperature can be felt through the thin fabric.
An extremely clear and cool fragrance, like plum blossoms blooming in the first snow, entered Cui Xiao's nose.
"Hmm?" A low cry of obvious surprise was heard.
Cui Xiao held the person tightly in his arms, and he himself staggered a bit before he could stand steadily.
He had just recovered from the shock and looked down at the person in his arms, wanting to confirm whether the other person was okay.
The distance is so close.
The moonlight poured down on that face without reservation.
Cui Xiao finally saw clearly.
It was a face so beautiful that it could outshine the stars, and its features were as delicate as if they were carefully carved from the finest white jade.
However, the eyes that were slightly widened at this moment and looked at him with surprise were not the charming eyes of a woman.
Instead, it is clear and deep, like a cold pond or an ancient well, containing a calmness far beyond the appearance and... a barely perceptible sharpness.
More importantly, Cui Xiao's gaze swept across the other person's flat chest, and then fell on the clearly protruding Adam's apple...
Cui Xiao felt as if something exploded in his head! His cheeks instantly became hot, as if they were on fire!
He suddenly let go of his hand as if he had been electrocuted, and took two steps back. The movement was so big that he almost tripped himself!
“You…you…”
He pointed at the other person, his tongue seemed to be tied, his handsome face flushed red, and he spoke incoherently.
"S-sorry! I-I thought...girl...no, not...you..."
He wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it right away! Oh my God! What had he done?!
He actually mistook the Second Prince Liu Cong for a girl, and... even hugged her?!
As for how Cui Xiao knew his identity, the jade pendant on his waist was only for the prince...
Liu Cong was also somewhat stunned by this sudden change.
He was indeed so absorbed in watching the fish that he didn't pay attention to his feet, and he never expected someone to suddenly rush out and hug him.
At this moment, looking at the young man in front of him who was blushing, at a loss, and wishing he could disappear on the spot, it was Cui Xiao, the son of Weiyuan Marquis, who was praised by his father during the day and whom he had also paid attention to.
Looking at Cui Xiao's embarrassed look, the surprise in Liu Cong's eyes gradually faded away, replaced by an extremely strange look.
His beautiful eyebrows were slightly raised, and the corners of his lips seemed to be raised in a very faint, almost imperceptible arc, with a hint of playfulness and scrutiny.
He didn't say anything, but just looked at Cui Xiao quietly. His deep eyes in the moonlight seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.
Cui Xiao's scalp tingled under his gaze, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat. It was all over! He'd colliding with the prince! And in such an... such an embarrassing way!
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil and embarrassment in his heart:
"Your Highness, I, Cui Xiao! Just now...just now, in a moment of desperation, I offended Your Highness. Please punish me!"
He lowered his head even lower and felt his face burning so badly that even the tips of his ears were red.
This is truly...humiliating! How will I survive in the palace from now on?
The night breeze blows, bringing the coolness of the pool water and the fresh scent of grass and trees.
In the pavilion, one person's cheeks were burning; another person was standing alone under the moon, with a cold expression and deep, unclear eyes.
In the silence, there were only the chirping of insects and Cui Xiao's heartbeat like a drum.
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