Chapter 281: Chapter 281
Afterwards, when the battle was nearing its end, he met the Sanqing Taoist.
He was worried about Shen Hua’s frailty, yet the Sanqing Taoist brought up Cui Yun before him.
Had it been before, he would never have entrusted Shen Hua to a stranger. But upon the Sanqing Taoist’s mention of Cui Yun, he agreed without a second word.
With Ni Kang by Cui Yun’s side, not to mention his character, Shen Zhi also found him trustworthy.
This lifetime, again treading the same path as the previous one.
Ji Teng sat alone in desolation.
"A disregarded hostage, doomed to be abandoned wherever he goes."
He didn’t remain silent as before, but instead patted Ji Teng’s shoulder a thousand times. He gestured Ji Teng to look at those cheering soldiers, still splattered with blood on their armor.
"Abandoned? At least in the eyes of these men, they have waited for this moment for a long time."
He smiled, saluting the least conspicuous Ji Teng: "Xie Xun here awaits the Third Prince’s return."
After he returned to Shengjing, he did receive the order to suppress bandits. He also went to find Cui Yun. Successfully, he entrusted Shen Hua to him.
Some things changed, others did not. It proved the saying that man shapes his own destiny.
Therefore, how could he not cherish Yangyang.
In the twists and turns, he almost couldn’t distinguish whether he was Xie Xun or Shen Zhi.
But he was clear that he came back this life specially for Shen Hua.
How could Xie Xun bear to speak of these painful matters and make the girl cry once more.
Perhaps because her brother was there, the moonlight seemed especially gentle. Shen Hua clearly paid attention to Xie Xun’s words, as she watched him with pursed lips.
Xie Xun also watched her, his gaze gentle and handsome.
"Many times I thought of fetching you myself, but things always go against one’s wishes. Perhaps due to overly frequent thoughts, you often appear in my dreams."
"Dreaming of our Yangyang sitting on a little stool, waiting eagerly outside the gate of Shen Residence."
Then, with the gradual approach of horses’ hooves, Shen Hua excitedly stood up as he grasped the reins and dismounted, approaching the little girl.
He could speak a single sentence.
——Your brother has brought back the horse that Yangyang wanted.
"But the dream is always shattered, and I can’t find Yangyang."
Shen Hua’s fingertips turned pale. She felt something was amiss, but couldn’t articulate what.
"Later, I asked Marquis Cui to fetch you, never expecting that you would become so affectionate with him. I was one step too late; you grew distant towards me as if you’ve never seen a step shake before, always intending to resolve any entanglements thoroughly without any lingering ties."
Shen Hua silently lowered her head.
Listening to him, it sounded as if it was her fault.
"It’s not entirely my fault."
"Couldn’t your brother directly deliver the step shake right before my eyes?"
Xie Xun, feeling helpless, said: "There’s a Shadow Guard with deep martial arts skills constantly by your side. If I approached like tonight and you cried fiercely, he would’ve likely sensed something was amiss."
Keeping this matter ambiguous was best, with as few people knowing as possible.
Marquis Yangling Mansion has supported the Emperor but has never taken sides. Xie Xun does not know whether Cui Yun would ultimately choose the Crown Prince or the Fourth Prince.
Either of these choices, Duke Fu’s Mansion would not take.
Because of Shen Hua, Xie Xun did not wish to part ways with Cui Yun. He also intended to pull him under the banner of Third Prince Ji Teng.
"Now, Marquis Cui treats you with great care, he seems to genuinely regard you as his cousin."
To this point, Shen Hua agreed.
She tenderly nodded her head.
"His treatment of me is indeed beyond reproach, and I am not an ungrateful girl. In the future, I will certainly show filial respect to him."
During festive seasons to come, she would definitely send gifts.
"That’s settled then."
"You must never forget the due proprieties."
Shen Hua hummed a response, then slowly asked, "You had Cui Yun take care of me, initially because of the bandit suppression. After you returned to Shengjing, why didn’t you take me with you?"
Xie Xun stamped his foot in frustration, and the horse too came to a halt. It bowed its head to graze on the mountain grass, casually flicking its tail from time to time.
"If I had proposed to take you with me, would you have stayed in the Marquis Yangling Mansion?"
She responded with resolute brevity.
"But Yangyang, you need to keep staying there until you’re completely well."
Although Xie Xun didn’t say anything else, the girl seemed to have guessed something.
The journey continued the next day.
Cui Rong clearly noticed that Shen Hua was in an exceptionally good mood today, her eyes smiling as she spoke in a joyful tone.
Especially when Cui Yun, frowning, asked Cui Rong why she could make a mistake with such simple lines of poetry, Shen Hua actually spoke up for her.
—— If you make a mistake, then correct it. Why are you being so harsh?
—— She makes a mistake once, you correct it once; she makes a mistake twice, you correct it twice. If she didn’t make any mistakes, would she still need your teaching?
Cui Rong was moved to tears.
Cui Yun listened silently at the time, then her expression faintly shifted towards Shen Hua.
—— If you have free time, why not help her with the recitation?
Shen Hua readily agreed.
But before long, the girl’s usually calm tone couldn’t help but escalate.
—— You forgot the next line again?
—— Don’t look at me with that kind of eyes; I won’t go easy on you.
—— Hearing you recite it over and over again, even I’ve memorized it!
She yielded the stage: "If you’ve memorized it, then you do it?"
Such a long and tongue-twisting poem, she didn’t believe Shen Hua could do it!
"I think, after all, strict teachers produce outstanding students."
It took a full two days to travel to the hunting ground. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝔫𝔢𝔱
The encampment was set up at Dongpu Mountain. This place is the Royal Hunting Garden.
By the time Shen Hua and the others arrived, tents and pavilions had already been set up. Weary from the journey by boat and carriage, Emperor He and the Empress Dowager had already been unable to hold on and went to rest in the tents early.
Among those who came here besides Empress Zou, there were three concubines, including the most favored Princess Consort Jing. They had all entered the tents as well.
She tried hard to find the figure of Xie Xun among the crowd, but in the next moment, she saw Yan Mi, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time.
She was dressed very thinly, and compared to the last time, her chin had become much sharper.
She followed the Governor’s wife with modesty, her behavior meticulous and standard, exuding the demeanor of a noble lady and standing out from the other girls who were accompanied by their mamas.
The Governor’s wife was conversing with Duchess Wei.
Behind Duchess Wei was Wei Xiheng wearing a mask.
The Governor’s wife asked, "The Eldest Young Master’s face... Hasn’t it recovered from the bee sting last time? It has been quite a while since then."
Duchess Wei hastened to say: "It’s a pollen allergy."
She didn’t mention that since Wei Xiheng got stung by a poisonous bee, he hadn’t recovered. Swollen and red in places, oozing pus.
Hideously disfigured.
How could he show his face?
After finally curing an unspeakable illness, why did her son have to suffer again?
The Wei Family was under a cloud of despair, everyone was anxious about him.
But Duke Wei Mansion was severely rebuked by Emperor He. The days for Duke Mansion turned grim too. They’ve nearly seen all the doctors in Shengjing, and they didn’t dare to ask for the Imperial Physician from the Imperial Palace, for fear of annoying Emperor He.
Wei Xiheng’s name was on the list for the spring hunt, how could he not come?
Duchess Wei said to Wei Xiheng: "You couldn’t appear at the engagement last time, which was unfair to Lady Yan. Aren’t you going to step forward and apologize?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Xiheng quickly bowed to Yan Mi.
Yan Mi also bowed in return.