Chapter 59: Spring Breeze His hands gently touched the petals, his expression unexpectedly...
"You mean the Ninth Prince?" Yu Qing confirmed with Prince Rui again.
"Well," Prince Rui said calmly, "I asked my father, and he's about time to join the government. I'd appreciate your continued care for him, Your Highness."
Xie Jing...comes to Xuanlin Guard?
Yu Qing was a little confused.
Can he patrol or fight?
Can he remember the map of the capital now?
She had assumed she'd only have a few aristocratic family members around her, but she hadn't expected to have to deal with the prince as well. The six ministries were already busy, weren't they busy enough?
·
The day that King Jing came to Beichensi was not chosen very well.
Although it was not a day off, it happened to be her wedding day. She had wanted to take leave to go to the imperial mausoleum, but she was unable to do so.
It was the time when all flowers were in full bloom, and she had wanted to bring a few bunches of seasonal flowers to the coffin.
So, she was a little reluctant when she came to the government office in the morning.
When the guards brought King Jing in, Yu Qing's mind inexplicably changed the moment he saw him.
Xie Jing wasn't wearing the crimson-purple court robes that signaled his nobility, but rather a white brocade robe. His complexion was already fair, and upon entering the room, he seemed to glow, illuminating the entire place.
"Thank you for your hard work," he said politely to the guard, then turned to Yu Qing, "Commander, is this my seat?"
This is the main hall of Beichen Division. Originally, only Yu Qing was here. A new desk was set up for Xie Jing yesterday.
Yu Qing thought, what a mistake. He should have arranged for him to move to another room, or put his desk and chair farther away.
Unfortunately, it’s too late now. Everyone has come in and it’s difficult to move them.
At this distance and position, Yu Qing could see him as soon as she looked up, and even if she didn't look, he was in her peripheral vision.
It's really dazzling.
There are countless playboys in Beijing, and many of them like to dress up. They all look well-dressed, but some of them go too far and look greasy and flashy.
But Xie Jing is different. His whole body is not messy at all, but he is exquisite in every way.
Half of her black hair was tied up in a translucent jade crown, and the rest of her long hair fell to her waist. It looked casual, but in fact every strand was distinct and not at all frizzy. The sleeves of her robe were wide, the waist was neatly tied, and the collar and cuffs were embroidered with golden lotus patterns. There was a faint fragrance, which I wondered if it was the special incense used in the palace. Even if it was very light, it was still very elegant and noble.
It takes talent to dress yourself up.
Yu Qing had to admit that this was basically the best-dressed man she had ever seen.
This made her feel a little complicated - such a big vase, she really wanted to stay away from it, and she really didn't know how to handle it with care.
"Well," Yu Qing said, "Your Highness, please sit there."
Xie Jing smiled and said, "Okay."
·
Every day when she arrived here, Yu Qing would usually listen to her direct subordinates and personal guards report some important matters first. They were all official business, and she did not avoid Xie Jing. Xie Jing seemed to be listening carefully and kept looking at her.
After everyone else left, Yu Qing took a sip of tea and asked Xie Jing, "Is there anything you don't understand?"
Xie Jing said, "It's okay. You'll understand after listening more."
Yu Qingqi asked, "Why is Your Highness here in Beichensi?"
"Oh, it was arranged by my second brother. He said that the Xuanlin Guard was just being built and would definitely have a great future. I think that's right," Xie Jing said with a clear face. "And the prince and I happen to be very familiar with each other. So I came."
“…”
Yu Qing thought that he was so naive. She had a lot of things to do right now, and the handover of the Golden Feather Guard was a lot of mess. Even if there were benefits, they would not come so quickly.
Moreover, no matter how great the situation was, it was essentially just an imperial guard, and had no access to other political processes, so it was of limited help to Xie Jing.
Prince Rui was a very scheming man, and Xie Jing must have been fooled by him.
He thought that Prince Rui had arranged some good job for him, but he didn't think about it. He treated Prince Rui as his second brother, but did others treat him as their younger brother? He was so popular with the emperor now, maybe Prince Rui had already regarded him as a thorn in his side.
"Well," Yu Qing didn't say anything, "as long as Your Highness thinks... it's good."
She originally thought that Xie Jing's presence would be somewhat of a hindrance to her, but in fact, Xie Jing was more obedient than she thought.
Although he became a prince and was very popular outside and everyone treated him with respect, his temper did not change much.
She had dealt with many royal relatives, and in comparison, Xie Jing was very easy-going.
At least in Beichensi, he was neither bossy nor overbearing, and was quite quiet most of the time, which made it difficult for Yu Qing to find fault with him - in fact, the biggest trouble lay with him.
She has always been able to keep calm. Whether she is practicing martial arts or managing affairs, when she is concentrating, she can basically ignore others and is unlikely to be affected.
His presence was almost invasive, making Yu Qing aware of his presence at every moment.
Xuanlin Guard is just as its name suggests. The guards are all dressed in black clothes or black light armor. They are neat and solemn. The atmosphere in the center of the government office is solemn and majestic.
Yu Qing was generally serious in serious situations, and naturally, the others followed their boss's example, all with stern expressions.
Only Xie Jing exuded a gentle aura, leaning leisurely at the desk, his every move different from others.
This feeling was so strange and made her feel uncomfortable. Yu Qing even felt that Xie Jing was somewhat reducing her effectiveness.
Occasionally, she felt that Xie Jing was staring at her. She didn't know if it was because he was too idle, or if he was curious about her. His gaze that drifted here and there was like a claw that would pop up from time to time to tease her, which made her unbearable.
"Your Highness," Yu Qing said, "I'll give you something to do."
Xie Jing said, "Oh, okay."
Yu Qing came to his desk and gave him some simple instructions. During this time, he accidentally glanced at the words Xie Jing had written on the paper before - the words were quite beautiful and had a delicate texture.
Now that he could finally settle down, Yu Qing also tried his best not to look away.
This harmonious atmosphere lasted for about two or three quarters of an hour. Xie Jing then asked, "Commander-in-Chief, may I speak to you?"
Yu Qing's pen accidentally left an ink spot on the paper.
"..." Yu Qing, "What did you say?"
Xie Jing said, "I've been busy all the time. It's so monotonous. Don't you feel bored?"
Yu Qing said, "This is the Imperial Guards Headquarters, not your Highness's home. You can chat as much as you want when you return home."
"...Okay." Xie Jing said in a low voice.
He lowered his head to look at the documents on the desk again and lowered his eyes.
Yu Qing thought for a moment and added, "Also, Your Highness, please don't call me Commander. Just call me by my name as before."
Xie Jing blinked: "Why?"
Yu Qing frowned and said, "I'm not used to being called that. It's too exaggerated."
"I see. I've never been involved in politics before, so I don't quite understand it this first time," Xie Jing said sincerely, "I thought everyone here called it a position."
Yu Qing: “…”
Yu Qing: "Others can call me whatever they want, Your Highness, just forget it."
Xie Jing nodded and said, "Well, I'm the only one who's special, right? I'll remember that."
Yu Qing: “…” I always feel that it’s a bit strange to say this, but I don’t know how to refute it.
Xie Jing said, "Actually, I don't have anyone to chat with in the mansion. I feel very lonely."
Yu Qing thought to himself, you are a prince, so why can't you find someone wherever you want?
"They were all assigned to me. I don't know them, let alone where they served before," Xie Jing said. "What if someone wants to murder me?"
When Xie Jing came just now, the palace guards he brought with him wanted to enter the house as well. Xie Jing ordered them to stay outside, saying that it was very safe for them to be with the prince and there was no need to watch over them all the time.
At that time, Yu Qing thought that if someone really had evil intentions, Xie Jingxin would be so alone that he would not have had time to call for help even if his neck was cut.
Instead, he became more cautious in the mansion.
Yu Qing: "You can't guard against thieves for a thousand days. Your Highness, please be at ease."
Xie Jing said, "Ah...Speaking of which, Prince, you haven't been to my house yet. How about coming to visit me when you have time in the future?"
Yu Qing didn't really want to give up her rest time, but it was not easy to offend the prince in person, so she said perfunctorily, "Okay, I'll wait until I'm free."
"I didn't learn the game of pitching pots that you taught me last time," Xie Jing said. "Would you mind teaching me again?"
Yu Qing stated, "I don't know when I'll be free yet, let's talk about it later."
She remembered that Xiu Mu couldn't go to Xie Jing's place, and she still had to go to the imperial mausoleum to send flowers to Qing Jia.
The clerk didn't turn the page for a long time, and another drop of ink fell from the tip of the pen.
She suddenly realized that she had been chatting with Xie Jing for quite some time without realizing it. What had happened? She had been so distracted. She pursed her lips and fell silent.
·
Xie Jing said that he couldn't trust the people in his palace, but in fact, Yu Qing saw that the people in his palace cared about him very much.
Near noon, they specially sent over a few boxes of freshly baked snacks, fearing that the prince would not enjoy the food here.
The Xuanlin Guards on duty at the government office were strictly disciplined, and no one would ask for food from home. But he was the prince after all, so Yu Qing turned a blind eye and didn't want to bother with him.
But Xie Jing didn't realize there was anything wrong and even gave her a box of milk cake.
Yu Qing: “…”
The entire Beichensi covers a vast area and has a neat layout. The martial arts field can accommodate thousands of imperial guards and has several halls and pavilions.
There were scheduled drills in the afternoon. Usually after lunch, Yu Qing would rest for half an hour, take a walk outside, and then go watch the guards practice martial arts later in the day.
She stepped out of the door and walked around the corridor, and saw Xie Jing not far away.
The halls on this side can be used to entertain guests. They are more elegantly decorated than the main hall, without those imposing plaques and lacquered doors. They are connected to the garden at the back, with flowers placed on both sides of the road.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Xie Jing asked.
Upon hearing this, the guard beside him put away the kettle, saluted him with a straight face, and then replied: "Return to Your Highness and water the plants."
Xie Jing asked, "But I see it's still wet inside, isn't it?"
The guard was confused: "That was watered yesterday."
Xie Jing frowned and shook his head.
"No," Xie Jing said, "If you water this kind of flower too frequently, it will wither in a few days."
The guard was stunned. The government office didn't have as many servants as the mansion, and the guards on duty were just taking care of the flowers. How could they understand the habits of the flowers?
"...Yes, Your Highness."
Xie Jing asked, "What kind of water is this?"
Guard: "...Clean water, pour it directly into the pot."
Xie Jing said, "Use jars to store some rainwater and use it for watering in the future."
Yu Qing accidentally heard his conversation with the guard and thought, he also knows how to grow flowers.
Speaking of which, she was completely incapable of tending to plants. The bonsai trees in Huaifeng Pavilion were all maintained by Qiying. In this respect, she was exactly like Madam Lu. She remembered that Qingjia had previously sent a few pots of flowers to Madam Lu's residence. Her mother had tended them for a few days until a bunch of buds fell off, and she heard that they were eventually rescued by the housekeeper.
In the Marquis' Mansion, the flowers in Wenhua Garden are the best blooming.
After Qingjia passed away, there was no more.
She walked around outside and then went to the training ground. Xie Jing didn't know how to fight, so she didn't ask him to come along. She could let the generals and lieutenants organize the daily training. She could just take a general look at the situation and didn't need to keep an eye on it.
Later she returned to her board room and paused as she was about to enter.
There was a pot of lush flowers in front of Xie Jing's desk, and no one knew where it came from.
He was pruning flowers with a pair of silver shears, looking very serious and not noticing her outside the door. His hands gently touched the petals, his movements careful, and his expression surprisingly calm and gentle.
It seemed as if a familiar spring breeze was blowing through her heart.
Yu Qing was stunned.
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