Chapter 99: Just be restrained and see you
Before the hour of Mao the next day, Lu Tingwan left Yansheng Hall and bumped into Cheng Xianzhi who was coming out of the study to attend court.
Lu Tingwan looked up, and the scene shrouded in cold fog last night seemed to be reappearing. Even when he got close, he could feel the coldness emanating from his body.
Lu Tingwan couldn't help but shudder. Cheng Xianzhi's voice was clear. In Lu Tingwan's opinion, he didn't mind what happened last night.
"Return to the palace?"
Lu Tingwan turned his head and made a puzzled expression. Why did this person act as if nothing had happened?
Should she bring it up or not?
"Let's go together. I'll take you there."
Cheng Xianzhi ignored her little thoughts and walked forward first. The two of them sat in the carriage. His face was frighteningly cold and the atmosphere in the carriage was extremely depressing.
"What do you want to ask?" Cheng Xianzhi stared at her. Lu Tingwan pursed her lips and thought in the cold fog, but said nothing.
She wanted to know what happened to him last night, but then she thought, what good would it be if she asked him? He didn't look okay now.
After soaking in ice water overnight, Cheng Xianzhi's voice had a slightly nasal tone.
"No, nothing," Lu Tingwan met his gaze, "We're almost there."
Lu Tingwan was about to pick up her bag and prepare to dismount when Cheng Xianzhi casually moved the bag beside her to himself. Lu Tingwan's raised hand froze in mid-air, not knowing what he meant.
The carriage stopped and all the officials lined up in front of the palace gate. Lu Tingwan jumped off the carriage, put some distance between them, and turned around to wait for Cheng Xianzhi.
The thing is still in his hand.
"Can you give it back to me?" Lu Tingwan stretched out her hand, as if to ask him for something precious.
Cheng Xianzhi's eyes were still scrutinizing. Lu Tingwan wondered if he still remembered what happened last night and was trying to gauge her attitude.
"Everyone has their own private affairs. I don't know what happened to you last night," Lu Tingwan said breathlessly, "but I promise I will never tell anyone. You can rest assured."
Cheng Xianzhi curled his lips slightly, his eyes fixed on one place. Lu Tingwan's red lips were moving, and there was a faint fragrance on her body.
Suddenly, he raised his hand as if possessed by a demon, and his fingertips brushed the corner of her lips. The touch of coldness and the warmth of her lips made Lu Tingwan shudder and take two steps back.
"You, what are you doing?" She was wary of this person.
"Your lip balm," Cheng Xianzhi rubbed the red mark with two fingers, "It's too red. Let me wipe it off for you."
Lu Tingwan was stunned for a moment. It was the finest lip balm given by the empress dowager. The vermilion color contrasted with her fair skin, yet he actually said it was too red.
When Lu Tingwan saw her carefully applied makeup being wiped off by him, she felt unhappy in her heart, but the expression of the person opposite her had become a little gentle, which made her feel difficult to get angry.
"You, you," Lu Tingwan's breath was stuck in her chest. She didn't know what to feel. She wanted to be angry, but found that she had nowhere to vent. She could only swallow it and glanced at him, "If you don't understand, don't touch it..."
The thing in Cheng Xianzhi's hand was snatched away, and Lu Tingwan turned and walked into the palace gate. The lingering fragrance in her black hair seemed to still be there.
He breathed in the aftertaste of the morning air, feeling its unique flavor, drowning the pain of last night in this fragrance.
As the figure walked away, the palace bell rang at the hour of Mao and all officials entered the hall.
After Cheng Xianzhi's court session, he brought some snacks from Weiyang Tower to Yingyue Pavilion. Gongsun Xue looked at the plate of snacks on the table, but did not see Cheng Xianzhi. She was still frightened by what happened last night. Since this matter did not work out, she would definitely look for the next opportunity.
In the study, Cheng Xianzhi rested his hands on his temples and thought, "I always thought she was a law-abiding person, but now it seems I was wrong."
Han Zhou stood in front of the table, holding a sword in his arms.
"Even a cornered dog will leap over the wall. Furthermore, Gongsun Xue has deep feelings for you. Since you've used her identity, you should have considered the consequences."
How could Cheng Xianzhi not know this? He just didn't control his feelings for Lu Tingwan, and he didn't know that in Gongsun Xue's eyes, this feeling had become the source of her hatred.
"She dared to use foul drugs on me today and force me to submit. She will kill me for other reasons in the future. It's not that I took advantage of her identity as the daughter of the Minister of the Central Secretariat. In the calculations here, the Gongsun family, the Li family, and me are just choosing each other. Since Gongsun Xue doesn't follow the rules, you can't blame me." Cheng Xianzhi's eyes were filled with unseen hatred, hating Gongsun Xue's despicable methods.
Han Zhou frowned and sighed.
"Jiang Qingsheng has feelings for Gongsun Xue." His deep eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a dim light that blended with the coldness. It was finally coming to this point. "Jiang Qingsheng has been going to Weiyang Tower frequently these days. You know what I'm going to do."
Han Zhou was silent for a moment. If this matter was to be done, there would be endless troubles afterwards. Gongsun Xue really touched his sore spot this time. Otherwise, based on their past relationship, even if Cheng Xianzhi didn't love her, he would still give her a good place to go. But Gongsun Xue was unkind, so don't blame him for being unjust.
"Han Zhou will definitely live up to his mission."
After that, Cheng Xianzhi no longer asked about the affairs of Yingyue Pavilion. He just instructed Cang Shu to send things in his name every now and then to appease her.
But how could those objects and food satisfy the love and care that Gongsun Xue wanted from him?
Gongsun Xue was feeling bored staying in the mansion. Recently, there were rumors about some new dishes in Weiyang Tower. Gongsun Xue, who seldom left the mansion, went to Weiyang Tower for several days in a row. She might have gone there for the new dishes on the first day, but that was not the case in the following days.
Weiyang Tower invited a troupe of actors, and the repertoire they sang really pleased Gongsun Xue, so she went there a few more times.
On the third day, he met Jiang Qingsheng on the steps of the building, who came with his friends to have a drink. Jiang Qingsheng was not surprised to see Gongsun Xue.
Based on her previous encounters with Jiang Qingsheng, it seemed that this man had some ulterior motives towards her, especially his gaze, which was aggressive, making Gongsun Xue wary.
And this time, she was obviously overthinking it.
Jiang Qingsheng just glanced at her, without any inappropriate behavior in his words and actions. After just bowing and looking at each other, Jiang Qingsheng went upstairs to chat and laugh with his friends, which made Gongsun Xue feel disappointed.
Could it be that she had misunderstood earlier? She had been feeling restless these days, and Cheng Xianzhi had seldom returned to the mansion. Rumors circulated within the mansion that Cheng Xianzhi had been even less common since Lu Tingwan entered the palace, and that the few days he had spent longer there were because Lu Tingwan had returned from her rest period.
Cheng Xianzhi would also ask the palace maids to pass on messages in the palace and make several appointments with Lu Tingwan. Lu Tingwan was busy serving Queen Mother Jiang and helping to take care of the trivial matters of Jinhua Palace. She had little free time, but she still took time out to meet him in the front hall.
Cheng Xianzhi would not disturb her unless there was something important, so Lu Tingwan rushed over. However, when she leaned against the wall to catch her breath, the man said casually, "It's nothing, just looking at you."
Just look at you!
Lu Tingwan had too many things in her mind, and she could completely ignore the tenderness in his eyes when he said this in a gentle voice.
Perhaps she had never had any other thoughts about Cheng Xianzhi. At least, in her perception of him, Gongsun Xue was irreplaceable. Therefore, from the very beginning, when she married him in for her elder sister, she had never developed any feelings for Cheng Xianzhi beyond the romance between a man and a woman.
"Oh." Lu Tingwan looked into the distance. Only at this moment, standing on the palace wall, she felt the breeze on her face and the greenery in her eyes, and got a breath of fresh air in the busy palace. Although she didn't understand the meaning, she could steal half a day of leisure here, and her mood also changed differently.
"You were looking for a craftsman in the city before, but did you find him?" Cheng Xianzhi's eyes swept over her head.
Lu Tingwan was stunned and asked, "How did you know?"
Cheng Xianzhi raised his eyebrows slightly, "You are so powerful, it's hard not to know."
Lu Tingwan hid his doubts, and he was right. He had connections everywhere in Kyoto. If he wanted to monitor her every move, it would be easy and without leaving any trace.
"If you want to forge heavy bows and arrows, even if someone has the skills, they won't dare take your deal." Cheng Xianzhi turned his back, the wind blowing from behind him.
"To forge a bow with such destructive power, you need permission from the government. Otherwise, the bow will be contraband and must be surrendered. Do you understand?"
“How do I get permission then?”
Cheng Xianzhi had been waiting for this moment. "As long as I can get the permission from the Ministry of Industry, it will be fine."
Lu Tingwan was not stupid. Since he said so, it would not be difficult for him to get a permit from the Ministry of Industry with his status.
"You can get me the paperwork," she said firmly. "What are your conditions?"
Cheng Xianzhi felt bitter because there were so many exchanges of interests between the two of them that even though he was helping her sincerely, Lu Tingwan's first reaction was that he was making a deal with conditions.
“No conditions required.”
"Why are you helping me?" Lu Tingwan let the wind hit his cheeks.
"Do I really need a reason to help you?" Cheng Xianzhi approached her. Lu Tingwan leaned her back against the city wall and could feel his breath close to her. "Lu Tingwan, in your heart, there's nothing else to talk about between you and me except a deal, is that right?"
Lu Tingwan felt uncomfortable being stared at and wanted to push him away, but her wrist was silently restrained by a big hand behind her back, so she swallowed the thought.
"It's not that I want to think so, but it is the fact, Lord Shangshu."
The word "Sir Shangshu" made clear the identities of the two people. The restraining hands loosened, and Lu Tingwan took advantage of the gap and moved sideways a few steps, keeping a distance that made him feel safe.
Cheng Xianzhi suppressed his emotions and turned around to say, "Some years ago, the Ministry of Works had a craftsman who was good at forging heavy bows and arrows. Although he has retired, he is still in Kyoto."
"Why do you forge bows and arrows if you don't ask me?" Lu Tingwan said.
She first went to the military camp, and later went to the Ministry of Works when Xie Zhao went there. Xie Zhao was good at researching equipment, so she devoted herself to studying it. Even after entering the palace, Cheng Xianzhi had read the records of the Collection Pavilion. Even if she didn't want to mention it, he should have guessed who this bow was for?
In a place where Lu Tingwan couldn't see, Cheng Xianzhi's eyes dimmed slightly, and he murmured silently: "You can do whatever you want."
"What did you say?" Lu Tingwan didn't hear clearly and tilted his ear slightly.
"That's your own business. What does it matter whether you ask or not?" He had promised not to interfere with her behavior, so naturally he would not ask what she wanted to do.
Although there is a way, since Cheng Xianzhi has said it, this matter can be settled.
Although Lu Tingwan was happy, she didn't want to owe him too much, and saw hesitation between her brows.
Cheng Xian said calmly as he descended the stairs: "Just consider it an apology for that night."
"That night?" Lu Tingwan stood there in a daze, his expression blank. "Apology?"
Suddenly, her ears turned red and spread to her neck. Cheng Xianzhi was half naked, with water droplets dripping in front of his chest, so close to her that they were almost touching each other. Mist enveloped their ups and downs of bodies.
Is this what he means?
But the man's figure had already gone far away, and her confused thoughts kept her on the city wall. After staying there for half a minute, Lu Tingwan returned to Jinhua Palace.
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