21 Do you like me?
"Feelings can be cultivated."
The moon hangs high in the sky, casting slanting shadows of branches across the courtyard.
Shen Suqin, without makeup or hairpins, strolled leisurely into Xiao Pingchuan's courtyard, carrying a wine jar.
Xiao Pingchuan woke up almost as soon as she entered the courtyard.
He opened the window and saw the woman looking at him with surprise. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming.
The scene was breathtaking. The moonlight, like water, bathed the elegant woman in the courtyard in a thin, shimmering glow, making her look like a deer that had wandered into the human world.
Shen Suqin was also somewhat stunned, because she hadn't expected Xiao Pingchuan to be shirtless, revealing those smooth, toned muscles...
"General, have a drink with me." She came to her senses first, picked up the wine in her hand and shook it.
Xiao Pingchuan snapped out of his daze and belatedly realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. He slammed the window shut, then quickly opened it again, explaining, "I'll get dressed. Wait a minute."
Shen Suqin nodded with a smile.
Soon, Xiao Pingchuan, dressed neatly, pushed open the door and came out. Shen Suqin had always known that he was tall and strong, but she had never had such a clear understanding of him as she did tonight.
She lowered her head and rubbed her nose shyly.
"Shall we go to the flower hall for a drink?" Xiao Pingchuan asked for opinions.
Shen Suqin shook her head, "This is Qiu Lu Bai, how can it be eaten casually?"
"Where to?"
Shen Suqin looked around and then at the moonlight overhead, and said, "Let's go up to the roof to drink."
Xiao Pingchuan chuckled, thinking she was quite a quirky person. "Alright, let's drink on the rooftop."
“Where’s your ladder? You need to set one up,” Shen Suqin said.
"No need, I'll carry you up, okay?"
"You can carry me upstairs, do you know kung fu?"
Shen Suqin was very surprised; she thought such a thing was just a legend.
"No, it's just that I'm a bit lighter and more agile than others," Xiao Pingchuan explained.
Shen Suqin really wanted to try, so she immediately opened her arms and said, "Go ahead and hug me, but please don't drop me. If you hurt me, I'll really cry."
"You won't fall."
"That's good."
After speaking, he put one arm around Shen Suqin's waist, lightly touched the ground with his toes, leaped up, used the low wall for leverage, and then jumped directly onto the roof ridge.
The whole process was smooth and effortless, very natural.
Shen Suqin watched the whole thing in disbelief, and was so excited she almost jumped up. She grabbed his shoulder and laughed, "General, what skill you have!"
Xiao Pingchuan laughed along, gently supporting her waist to prevent her from falling, "Stand firm."
"Okay, okay."
The weather was hot in late autumn, and the two of them were wearing very thin clothes. Their scalding body heat radiated from each other, and for a moment they both felt as if they were being burned.
At this moment, a silver disc hangs high in the dark night sky, with thin clouds floating by. Looking out, the rooftops of half the capital stretch far into the distance, and dim lanterns light up the main street. Their faint light forms a thin line in the night, as if stitching the entire capital together.
Shen Suqin stepped out of his arms and then sat down on the ground.
"Wait a moment." Xiao Pingchuan took off his outer garment and spread it on the roof. "Sit here, it's clean."
Shen Suqin lowered her eyes. Xiao Pingchuan's clothes weren't new, but this one in front of her was probably his best. The material and workmanship were both quite good.
Shen Suqin couldn't bear to sit on it, so she bent down and rolled it up.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Pingchuan asked. "It's clean, it was just washed."
Shen Suqin smiled and shook her head, hugging the clothes to her chest and saying, "These are nice clothes, I'm afraid you'll ruin them by sitting on them."
Xiao Pingchuan paused.
He discovered that what moved him most about Shen Suqin was not her appearance, talent, or money, but her ability to always put herself in others' shoes and treat everyone equally, just like she did with Lao Cai and Chai Shun.
“Come on, let’s drink. You can watch me drink,” Shen Suqin said.
Xiao Pingchuan said, "I'll keep you company. Drinking alone isn't fun."
"General, don't you mind that this is causing delays?"
“It’s different in the capital,” he said, looking at Shen Suqin.
"Haha, okay, then I'll give you a jar."
Shen Suqin brought two jars in total. After tossing one to him, she tilted her head back and gulped down a large mouthful. After finishing, she casually wiped the wine off her chin with her sleeve and sighed comfortably, "It's been a long time since I've had such a refreshing drink."
Xiao Pingchuan hadn't drunk alcohol in a long time and wasn't used to it; one sip and he was overwhelmed by the spiciness.
Shen Suqin laughed at him, "General, you're no good." After saying that, he lay down, spread his limbs, and looked up at the sky that was upside down on the ground.
Xiao Pingchuan smiled but did not refute.
Shen Suqin took out the curved knife she had received that afternoon and examined it closely. "I wanted to tell you this in person," she said, pulling out the knife and nimbly flicking it twice, the silver light shimmering. "I really like it."
Xiao Pingchuan sat down next to her. "If you like it, that's good."
The two sat and lay down, quietly gazing at the night sky. A cool breeze blew, carrying the rich aroma of wine, the earthy scent of blue tiles, and the tranquil night.
"Speaking of which, we're getting married soon, and I haven't asked you yet what you think about this marriage," Shen Suqin asked.
"No, let me speak first, I have something to say..." She hesitated for a moment, "Never mind, you go first."
"What did you say?" Xiao Pingchuan asked.
Shen Suqin rolled over and lay on her side, propping her chin up with her elbow: "Tell me, what are you planning to do after we get married?"
"I'll take you, Lord Shen, and Madam Shen back to the Northern Territory," Xiao Pingchuan said, then suddenly remembered, "Can you go to the Northern Territory? Your restaurant."
Shen Suqin was stunned.
"Shall we go back to the North together?"
“Yes, if you can go,” Xiao Pingchuan said with a smile, “Shouldn’t husband and wife live together?”
When he said this, his voice was joyful, and his eyes were full of sparkling light, almost blinding Shen Suqin.
She lowered her gaze as if to escape, her heart pounding faster and faster with each beat.
how so?
Xiao Pingchuan actually wanted to marry her and settle down, but she didn't want to!
Yes, she hadn't told Xiao Pingchuan her plans yet; she was going to tell him tonight. But now, she was a little hesitant.
"Then, General, are you willing to marry me? I mean, this is an arranged marriage, and we've never met before."
"I couldn't ask for more," Xiao Pingchuan replied.
He was thinking about the kindness she showed when she gave him the purse on the street. Although he didn't know why Shen Suqin liked him, he should take the initiative and not always let the girl take the initiative.
Shen Suqin felt a mix of emotions. After hesitating for a long time, she tentatively asked, "Does the General like me?"
Xiao Pingchuan didn't answer immediately, but said instead, "Feelings can be cultivated."
In fact, Xiao Pingchuan felt that he was already interested, but it would be too hasty to say it now.
Shen Suqin breathed a sigh of relief.
She dared not stay any longer and quickly said, "I just remembered I have some things to finish, I have to go back now."
"Hmm? Do you still have things to do so late?" Xiao Pingchuan asked.
"Yes, I need it. It's urgent, there's a lot of stuff." Shen Suqin stood up, stammering.
The roof ridge was uneven, and Xiao Pingchuan was afraid she would fall, so he quickly reached out to help her, but Shen Suqin reflexively slapped his hand away.
"Smack."
The sound was exceptionally loud in the quiet night sky.
Both of them were stunned for a moment.
"I'll take you back," Xiao Pingchuan said first. "It's not safe at night."
"No, no need, I can walk by myself."
"Shen Suqin!" Xiao Pingchuan rarely showed a hint of force, "Listen to me, it's not safe for a woman like you to walk alone at night."
Okay, fine.
And so, the two walked one after the other on the main street back to the Shen residence.
As night deepened, most of the lanterns were extinguished, with only a few remaining lit.
Xiao Pingchuan walked behind her, his gaze probing as he watched her back, pondering Shen Suqin's reaction tonight.
Neither of them spoke a word on the way back to the entrance of the Shen residence.
"I've arrived, General."
Xiao Pingchuan: "I have already arranged a meeting with His Highness, which should be done in the next day or two."
Shen Suqin replied, flustered and annoyed, "I understand."
Xiao Pingchuan nodded. "Get some rest."
"Um."
Shen Suqin stood still, watching Xiao Pingchuan walk step by step into the depths of the night. His footsteps were steady and powerful, and their presence was quite strong in the night.
The following afternoon, Tuksu received a secret letter from the General's Mansion, instructing him to escort Miss Shen to Yinshan Residence.
Shen Suqin knew that it was that person who had agreed to see her.
These days, going out is not an easy thing for her.
Since the day she admitted that she wrote "Ode to the Eastern Liang Dynasty", she has been receiving invitations from time to time, and she is always stopped and questioned when she goes out.
There were also invitations to various informal discussions and poetry gatherings.
Although she refused them all, there were always one or two enthusiastic ones who would occasionally run to the outside of the Shen residence to wait for her.
To put it bluntly, these fanatics' obsession with Shen Suqin may not be based on her talent, but rather on her status as a representative of scholars from humble backgrounds. After all, she is the only one in the world who dares to speak openly for those from poor families.
The court of Daliang is now entirely controlled by aristocratic families, and officials are mostly recommended from within these families. It is virtually impossible for ordinary people from poor families to enter officialdom. Shen Suqin represents this kind of person, someone who has trampled the aristocratic families of Daliang underfoot entirely through his talent.
Shen Suqin initially concealed the fact that he had written "Dongliang Fu" because he did not want to get involved in these entanglements.
Later, although he cursed the aristocratic families to their faces, it was ultimately just empty talk and didn't really threaten them. But if he sided with the commoners, he would truly become a thorn in the side of the aristocratic families.
After all, in their eyes, scholars from poor families were there to divide their interests, a fact that Shen Suqin understood very well.
She put on a veil and, escorted by Tuksu, discreetly made her way to Yinshan Residence.
In the southeast corner of Yinshan Residence, in the heart of the lake, stands the Shuyu Pavilion, surrounded by water on all sides, making it difficult to be overheard.
She was sitting in the pavilion, and outside the window, the lotus leaves in the lake were half withered, swaying gently in the cool autumn breeze.
After about half a cup of tea's time, the door was pushed open.
A cool breeze swept through the hall, and the newcomer emerged from behind the screen. He was tall and imposing, with refined features and an air of authority. Behind him stood Xiao Pingchuan, sword at his side, his expression menacing.
Shen Suqin stood up and took half a step to greet him, but did not call out to him; she simply curtsied.
The visitor nodded: "Miss Shen, please have a seat."
Shen Suqin nodded and waited for him to sit down before sitting down himself.
During this time, she glanced at Xiao Pingchuan and saw that he was looking at her, so she quickly looked away.
"Jin, please sit down," Shi Ye said.
Xiao Pingchuan responded and sat down to his left.
"I heard from Jin'an that you want to see me."
"yes."
Why?
"To help His Highness."
Shi Ye didn't seem surprised, but asked bluntly, "In what capacity does Miss Shen say this?"
Shen Suqin: "The person in charge of Xingyuan Restaurant."
"oh?"
Shen Suqin remained calm. “Xingyuan has over four hundred branches in Daliang, making a fortune every day. If Your Highness needs it, Xingyuan can do its best to support you.”
"It would be great to have Xingyuan's help, but I may not be able to afford the exchange conditions."
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