Chapter 117: Warm Fragrance Soft Jade in His Arms!

  The intense war in the northern border was like throwing a stone into the calm lake, causing the entire capital city to be boiling in thick smoke. People at that time liked to discuss politics, and when such a big event occurred, every street, alley, teahouse, and tavern was discussing the news of the King of Jin putting on his armor again to launch a northern expedition. Another war was approaching, the Northern Di were still causing trouble, and the southern border was still unstable, a major battle that would require blood and lives as its price had excited people's nerves.

  The next day was fine and sunny.

  The spring breeze disregards human affairs, yet sunshine still spills over the imperial city.

  Smelling the smell of gunpowder in the air, Xia Qiuzi took a horse-drawn carriage to Kun Ning Palace.

  The vermilion walls and emerald green glazed tiles of the palace were as usual. On the path, she saw from afar a sedan chair passing by the entrance of Kun Ning Palace, leaving in the opposite direction. The palace maids and eunuchs on both sides of the path hurriedly knelt down with their heads bowed, while the woman in the sedan chair had her silk clothes fluttering down, shining with dignity in the sunlight.

  Empress Gong?

  Another near-miss with her, Xia Chuyi's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

  As soon as she entered the hospital, Nurse Sun smiled and welcomed her with a smile.

  "Your Ladyship, Princess Jingyi has arrived."

  These days, Empress Zhang's mental state has improved significantly compared to before. However, as she grew older and contracted this illness, despite being the empress with access to the best medical care, her body was deteriorating day by day, with persistent coughing, hemoptysis, and chest pain. Nevertheless, after hearing Xia Chuyi's words, she no longer lay in bed waiting for death like before. As long as she could get up and move around, she would personally tend to her flowers and plants in the garden.

  "Has Jingyi arrived?"

  As people get older, their temper also subsides. Without wearing a phoenix coronet, Empress Zhang was dressed in a simple cassock and skirt, holding a flower fork, squatting under the peony flowers to loosen the soil. She loved raising flowers and plants as much as serving her ancestors, being extremely diligent and conscientious.

  "Why is your daughter dressed so plainly today?"

  Empress Zhang did not lift her head, and upon hearing this, she coughed out a few mouthfuls of phlegm, forcing a smile with great difficulty. Her complexion was warm and gentle as she said, "Isn't the north at war? The palace is advocating for the six palaces to reduce their food, clothing, and expenses, so naturally I must set an example myself."

  "Justice for our daughter."

  "I'm just an old bone now, can't eat much, whatever I wear is the same, I don't care, but it's a pity for those young concubines in the palace, they're like flowers in their youth, yet they have to suffer with me."

  She lowered her head, loosened the soil, and looked calm. However, Xia Zhi heard it and subconsciously thought of Gong Fei who had left from here earlier. Although it was just a glimpse from afar, she saw very clearly that Gong Fei was wearing red and green today, which was indeed luxurious, seemingly not giving face to Empress Dowager's "frugality campaign".

  "Jing Yi, come quickly and take a look at Ben Gong's Wei Zi..."

  Xia Zhi Qi was an uncultured person, who didn't understand poetry or music, and even less about embroidery. He wasn't even good at growing flowers or plants. However, looking at the peony that Empress Zhang had cultivated to be "plump and luscious", he also knew it was a good thing. Squatting down, she looked at this peony under the glittering glazed tiles, its branches and buds stretching out elegantly and charmingly, and couldn't help but sincerely admire it.

  "Oh, it's really lovely, with so many flower buds. When they bloom, it'll be breathtakingly beautiful."

  The Empress smiled and said, "This palace has just counted them, a total of thirty-six flower bones. Looking at it this way, the weather is so good that it's probably going to open in less than half a month." After saying this, she paused for a moment, then smiled and sighed, "Every year the flowers bloom early, every year looking forward to spring, but I don't know if I can see them blooming next year after seeing them this spring."

  Xia Chuqi gazed at her profile with a gloomy expression and smiled slightly.

  "Don't be discouraged, Your Majesty. You are a model for the world, and your virtues shine brightly. The good fortune that lies ahead is still great. Even if it takes another year, or even if flowers bloom again in a hundred years, you will still see them."

  "Just look at this sweet little mouth!"

  Empress Zhang chuckled and changed the subject, "Jing Yi, do you like peonies?"

  "After some thought, Xia Zhiqiu smiled and replied, 'I like them, anything that can be used as medicine, I like.'"

  "Oh, peonies can also be used as medicine?"

  "Indeed, all herbs can be used as medicine, let alone peony?!" She said with a smile, twitching the corner of her mouth. "The root of the peony can be made into 'Danpi', which is an extremely valuable Chinese medicine. It can clear blood and stop pain, activate blood circulation and remove stasis, regulate menstruation and lower blood pressure, resist bacteria and inflammation, and long-term use can nourish blood and liver, benefit the body and prolong life, delay aging, and make people's complexion rosy..."

  "Enough, enough..." Empress Zhang laughed and interrupted her, "You child, you're about to make it sound like an elixir of immortality, a priceless treasure."

  "Hehe, it's a treasure indeed. In fact, all herbs are treasures, but Chinese medicine emphasizes the importance of processing and preparation methods. The same medicinal material, processed differently by different people, will have vastly different effects. Most doctors only know one aspect, not the other, which not only wastes medicinal materials but also fails to bring out their full potential."

  "Oh?" Empress Zhang's tone was filled with great interest, "No wonder the medicinal herbs I use, you've been taking them from the Imperial Pharmacy to refine yourself. You're a thoughtful child, having you around has made my body feel much more at ease..."

  "It's only right. But from now on, Your Highness must be more careful and not let others take advantage of you again."

  Her words were very clever, intended to remind Empress Zhang not to easily forgive the person who "poisoned" her. Since Empress Zhang cleverly "handled" Xia Wenqiu, she had been waiting for her next move.

  However, Xia Tingde, who was beaten with a military stick, lost his military power but still acted as the Duke of Wei. His sons also held important positions. What made Xia Chuyi even more resentful was that Xia Tingde, who had been beaten, cleverly avoided the war due to his physical condition and escaped the danger of the Northern Expedition, which was simply intolerable. Only then did she deliberately remind him in a roundabout way.

  After hearing her words, Empress Zhang's hand holding the flower hoe paused slightly, still not looking up at her, and coughed softly a few times. Only after Xia Chuyi helped her massage her back for a while did she continue to loosen the soil, also conveniently changing the subject.

  "Jing Yi, this peony has been with me for many years. It has an old origin. When His Majesty was in Luoyang expanding the military and recruiting local heroes, he fought a war that lasted three whole months... When he returned, he brought back this peony for me. He said it's the most noble one among all the peonies in Luoyang, and only it is worthy of me..."

  On the seventh day of summer, she glanced sideways and saw her weathered face. Wrinkles, age spots, loose skin, drooping eyelids, she was now an old woman. But listening to her calm narrative, in her mind, she thought back to that year, that month, when young Emperor Hongtai held out a peony to the equally young her, and said "peony is the national color", the radiance that once shone on her face.

  At that time, their feelings must have been very good. However, when he became the emperor and had countless concubines, did he ever recall the love intention of giving peonies at the beginning?

  "The old nineteen is like his father."

  She was thinking about life and love, Empress Zhang said another sentence.

  Xia Chuqi was slightly stunned.

  When speaking with the Empress Dowager, she always kept her wits about her, fearing that a single misstep would lead to being manipulated by her. Mentioning Peony and then Zhao Zhu, she didn't understand the Empress's intention, so she just softly said "oh" and casually responded with a few words. In her heart: It's still better if he doesn't turn out like his father; if he does, cold-blooded and stubborn as he is, with three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two consorts, would she even want to live?

  Wait!

  Peony is the national color, peony equals empress?

  She asked if she liked it and mentioned that Zhao Jun was like his father the Emperor.

  Was she implying that men are emperors and actually have no benefits for women?

  She thought to herself, and then heard Empress Zhang say: "Lao Jiu was a sensible and obedient child from a young age, and he's also very clever. I raised him myself, so I understand his character the most. Jing Yi, you're a blessed child... *cough*... don't blame him. The country comes before the family. His father is that kind of person, and he's also that kind of person."

  There are many clever people in this world, and Xia Qiuzi also thought she was clever enough. However, many times the older ginger is still spicy, and Empress Zhang was able to "be virtuous" until old age in the peaceful palace after Da Yan's death. She felt that it wasn't just cleverness that could describe her. So before understanding her true intentions, she didn't dare respond casually. She could only blush and nod in agreement, saying that being able to gain the favor of King Jin was indeed her good fortune, and also understood the responsibilities he should bear as the Prince of Da Yan, going on an expedition against the Northern Di was a matter of course.

  In her flattering tone, Empress Zhang coughed incessantly, but the flower rake in her hand did not stop.

  "This life, the thing that makes me feel most guilty towards Lao Jiu Shi is that I personally broke off his engagement with Ah Mu Er. People often say, 'It's better to demolish ten temples than to destroy a family relationship.' Now, my illness...I'm afraid it's retribution."

  She had barely finished speaking when Old Lady Sun nervously added a sentence.

  "Your Ladyship, don't take to heart what Consort Gong said..."

  At the beginning of summer, on the seventh day, she was secretly frightened. She didn't know what Empress Zhang would say next. But since she had gone to such great lengths and mentioned Dongfang Amu, it couldn't be a good thing for her.

  To intercept her words, Xia Chuyi smiled and stretched out his hand, grasping the flower hoe in her hand.

  "Mother, you take a rest, I'll come and loosen the soil for you?"

  Empress Zhang slightly stunned, without lifting her head, paused for a moment before releasing the flower fork.

  "Come and try it, the soil should be loosened a bit thinner, don't hurt its roots. If the roots are hurt, the flower will die. Look at this Weizi, like me, also old, the old roots have grown out of the ground. Ah, even the flower roots are not complete, let alone people. But again, it's still the root, originally I wanted to remove them for a good look. But thinking about it, pulling one hair and moving the whole body..."

  Empress Zhang introduced her "Flower Planting Classic", talking incessantly, seemingly without a focus. Xia Qiqi gently patted the soil, savoring the meaning behind her words, as if suddenly enlightened.

  Is she talking about the Xia Tingde family or the Dongfang family? Even if they stick out of the ground and look ugly, they can't be easily moved, must be carefully planned? Or is she reminding herself that Zhao Zhu should not act rashly, otherwise he will become the root that sticks out of the ground and will eventually be eliminated?

  "Jing Yi——"

  Suddenly, she heard Empress Zhang's astonished cry and began coughing violently.

  "What's wrong with your hand?"

  Xia Chuqi awkwardly withdrew her hand, stared at it, and was also stunned. "Ah, Your Majesty didn't mention it, I hadn't even noticed, how did my hand... end up with so many small red bumps?"

  She hastily put down the flower fork and raised her head, facing Empress Zhang in terror.

  "Jing Yi's face..." Empress Zhang took a step back, shocked again.

  "Face? Is there something on my face too?"

  At the beginning of summer, Guo couldn't bear the dirt on his hands, and he quickly wiped his face with his hands, looking at them in horror and panic.

  "Could it be... acne?"

  Smallpox is another term for "heavenly flowers" in modern times.

  On the seventh day of summer, when she came out of Kun Ning Palace, although she had not been diagnosed, Empress Zhang was very afraid and specially ordered her not to go out for two days. She must be carefully examined and understood that having acne is a big deal and cannot be fooled around with.

  The summer seventh month has passed, but in my heart I am still wildly laughing.

  She thought that the medicinal bath she took last night was not in vain, this allergic physiological reaction, was originally what she wanted to do for Empress Zhang to see. If she didn't get smallpox, how could she "isolate" herself and avoid seeing people? And how could she secretly leave the capital and go with Zhao Zhuo to "cross Chen Cang in secret"?

  Having received the order from Empress Zhang, she put on a veil to cover her face when she got into the carriage in front of Kunning Palace. As the carriage wheels rolled, her heart was racing with excitement. Soon she would be able to leave this detestable Ying Tian Mansion. The battlefield might be frightening, but with Zhao Jun by her side, everything would be all right.

  The carriage passed through the middle right gate, just about to leave the palace, but suddenly stopped with a "hmm" sound, interrupting her daydream. Furrowing her brow, she looked at Qing Lian and asked in a low voice.

  "What's going on outside?"

  "The Princess, the wife of the Emperor's second grandson, requests an audience."

  Xia Qī heard that Xiǎo Qiū wanted to see her, and she was slightly surprised. It had been a long time since she last saw this woman, and she hadn't gone looking for trouble with her, yet the other party had come knocking on her door uninvited. Since they insisted on colliding head-on, then it wasn't her fault.

  As soon as the car curtain was opened, Xia Wenqiu walked over with a gentle pace and bowed.

  "I have seen the county lord's daughter."

  "Xia Chu Qi gazed at her calmly, 'Does Concubine Ce have business with the county princess?'"

  Xia asked Qiu to look up, gazing at the veil covering her face, slightly stunned for a moment before smiling faintly, and making another deep bow. "I have come today to express my gratitude to the Princess."

  The weasel makes New Year's greetings to the chicken; what good intentions does it have?

  Xia Qi's heart hummed a tune, calmly looking at her without saying a word. Xia asked Qiu didn't wait for her to ask, and with a shy smile, said in a low voice: "If it weren't for Concubine Ce treating me and speaking up for me in front of the Emperor... those words, how would the Emperor have moved back to Ze Qiuan Institute to live?"

  So it was?

  What she meant was that her body had recovered, and Zhao Mianze had slept with her again, so why come to thank her? Go! Whether it was to show off in front of her or truly express gratitude, only a ghost would know.

  Xia Zhi didn't have any interest in understanding her thoughts, but found Empress Zhang's attitude very strange.

  Under her previous "instigation", she was suspicious of Xia Tingde, but now she has put down her guard. Not long ago, she was still stepping on Xia Qiu, and now she is holding her up, what's the reason? It is said that the fate of women in the palace is generally related to the situation of the previous dynasty. In this case, it can only be explained that the old emperor or Empress Zhang wants to use Xia Tingde.

  "Congratulations then, milady," she said with a hint of mockery.

  "Thank you, County Lord!" Xia Wenqiu was still a bit shy, with the demeanor of a young girl, it could be seen that she had a great time with Zhao Mianze on their wedding night. "I was too foolish in the past few days, I didn't know about Mianze's good intentions towards me, and I even misunderstood him, making you laugh at me. Now I finally understand, Mianze has me in his heart, and only me, he can't accommodate anyone else."

  She raised an eyebrow, Xia Chuyi sneered, "It seems that the lady on the side doesn't understand things clearly? Life is not lived for others to see, what happens in your own home has nothing to do with anyone else. A woman who likes to show off when she's pleased will never amount to anything, does this still need to be taught by the young mistress?"

  "I... just wanted to thank the young mistress. My heart was filled with joy and I spoke a few more words. Please don't mind, young mistress?"

  Damn it! Zhao Mianze slept with her, and she came to thank Xia Chuqi. What's the intention? Isn't it just because she knows Xia Chu is Xia Chu, on one hand showing off, on the other warning, and also pretending to be arrogant? Xia Chuqi was too lazy to give her a good face, smiled and tilted her head, with a hint of mockery in her eyes.

  "Is the lady on the side done thanking and can we leave?"

  "Me..." Xia asked Qiu hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, "still want to ask Ce Furen for a prescription."

  "What prescription?"

  "Prescription for fetal retention."

  "Wait until you're pregnant before talking. His Highness slept in your room last night, who knows if he'll come again tonight? The chances of getting pregnant at once are very low." Xia Chuyi smiled quietly and blinked her eyes, speaking with sincerity, "Besides, the prescription for the young lady is not that easy to obtain, you should understand, Concubine?"

  "How much silver is in the county?"

  Xia Chuqi raised his right hand and spread out five fingers.

  "Fifty taels?"

  "No, five hundred taels... " She added with a smile, "Gold."

  Xia Wen's face changed, and he smiled awkwardly, "Isn't this the county lord speaking with a lion's mouth?"

  "Love is worthless! It turns out that the son of Concubine is not even worth 500 taels of gold. Forget it! The county master's body is uncomfortable, hurry back to treat him, trouble Concubine to let us pass!"

  Xia Wenqi let out a concerned "ah" and turned around to look at Xia Qiuzi.

  "Is something wrong with you, Princess?"

  She giggled and Xia Qiuzi slowly lifted her hand to gently lift the veil that fell on her face, poking out her head, placing the small red pimple on her face in front of Xia Wenqiu, and then playfully squeezed her eyes, saying one word at a time.

  "It seems like smallpox...... Lady, are you afraid?"

  The carriage left the sunlight behind, and also left Xia Wu's terrified face behind. Xia Zuqi looked back at the high palace wall, thinking of these despicable things, and couldn't help but feel that Zhao Shi's choice was correct. In such a prosperous yet suffocating palace, even if one possesses the world, their heart cannot be free.

  Being an emperor is not as good as it seems.

  ……

  ……

  If one day you feel time is tight, it proves your life has a goal.

  When the time came, Xia Qi was counting down with her fingers. In preparation for going north, she had made thorough preparations, including using Er Gui's connections to get a letter of introduction from the logistics department of the Northern Expedition Army, as well as meeting with Zhao Runa and entrusting her to take good care of Ah-Dai, and making arrangements for other things that might happen after she left.

  It was already the evening of March 27th.

  It was a night with a bright moon and sparse stars. Sitting in front of the window of Jingyi Garden, Xia Chuyi couldn't help but miss Zhao Zhen. But he didn't come, nor did any news arrive. She could imagine his busyness, with the big battle imminent, deploying troops and arranging everything. She didn't want to affect him, yet she couldn't resist her longing, so she asked Xiao Ma to send a letter on her behalf, which was written in a very mushy tone.

  "Xiang Ge, I'm being completely honest with you, don't be disloyal and ungrateful!"

  He must have been very busy, until an hour later, the night wind was wet, and the little horse "flapped" its noble wings, flying in from the window and landing on her desk lit with candles. Xia Chuyi's heart was delighted, taking off the message tube from its foot, looking at the yellow paper with ink fragrance, suddenly feeling reluctant to read it.

  She closed her eyes and put the rolled-up paper on the tip of her nose, taking a deep sniff.

  Her sense of smell had always been good, not only could she easily distinguish Chinese medicine, but also the subtle scents that ordinary people couldn't smell. This paper has ink fragrance, and his unique refreshing scent, very familiar. Familiar like the kiss he left on her forehead when he was about to leave, the all-night hug, hard muscles, and the trembling they had when close to each other in the dark.

  The room was very quiet, and it wasn't until after a while that she unfolded the letter.

  "Wait for me."

  Very simple three words, no punctuation.

  Her eyes rippled with a hint of tears, drifting back and forth.

  "Ah, Zhao Nineteen, you damn bastard!"

  She muttered a low curse, then tidied up the letter paper, but after thinking about it, she couldn't bear to part with it. She took it out again and read it once more, imagining his haste as he wrote those three words, and perhaps the fleeting softness that might have crossed his dark eyes. Her heart also softened into a mess.

  "Princess..."

  Qing Lan pushed open the door and came in, handing her a letter.

  "Where did it come from?"

  "The gatehouse sent it over."

  On the seventh day of summer vacation, she opened the seal and was stunned. It turned out to be an appointment with Dongfang Qingxuan?

  She hadn't seen him for a long time, and she had wanted to ask him about the sachet on those early days, but at this critical moment, how could she see him? Even if he had something big going on, it couldn't stop her from heading north. "Hmph," she snorted, turning away with a lazy expression and carelessly tossing aside the letter.

  "I'm too lazy to bother with him."

  "Is it Da Doutou?" Qing Lian asked her quietly after a moment of silence.

  "It's indeed strange if he doesn't get into trouble. Everyone is busy, but he has nothing to do, in my opinion, he should be sent to the battlefield as a military prostitute to comfort the soldiers of the Northern Expedition, that would also be making use of waste and benefiting one side."

  She spoke with ease, but left Qing Lan staring wide-eyed and unable to utter a word for a long time.

  In this case, it's likely that no other girl would dare say anything except for Jingyi County's main lady.

  She hesitated for a moment, "Miss, is this really okay?"

  "What's wrong with just not seeing the blue-green of the east?"

  "No." Qing Lan looked outside the house and walked a few steps closer with her head down, "The servant is saying... those things you want to do."

  Looking at her tense appearance, Xia Chuqi curved his lips and smiled at her.

  "Don't worry, I have my own plan. After I leave, you can pretend to be me, cover your face and stay in the house every day, eating and drinking well, waiting for my triumphant return. Also, that big-mouthed Mei Zi, you need to be careful around her, but she's not too clever about small things or big things either. If she finds out, just scare her a bit. Don't worry, I won't implicate you."

  "Miss, I'm not afraid of being implicated, but worried!" Qing Lan thought for a moment, her tone somewhat heavy. "Master told me to take good care of you, and now you've gone and done something so absurd. If something happens, how can I explain it to Master?"

  "I'll naturally hand it over to him." Xia Chuqi blinked, "Hey, you're my lover, not his. You must keep it a secret for me, got it?"

  "Servant... still feels uneasy in her heart."

  "There's nothing to worry about, go to sleep. From tomorrow on, you'll be the Princess of Jingyi. As for Empress Zhang, just do as I said, and I've put the follow-up prescriptions in the drawer. Based on her feedback on her condition, give her different prescriptions accordingly."

  The stormy weather was urging him to stay, but in the end he still left. As he was about to leave, she looked back three times, clearly worried. Xia Chuiqi waved his hand at her and let out a long sigh, locked the door, gazed at the flickering candlelight inside the house, and was just about to get up and pack when he suddenly heard the window creak open with a "creak".

  This familiar sound was once what she had been longing for.

  Because the window creaked, it was usually Zhao Zhu who came. She had gotten used to waiting like this and forgot to lock the window tightly. But at this moment, she knew that Zhao Zhu would never appear in Jingyi Garden. She didn't move or call out, her gaze calmly fixed on the window edge, where the layered curtains were pushed open, and a person slowly walked out, with an extremely beautiful smile hanging from his lips.

  "Does the princess ever think of the consequences of ruining my reputation like this?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan was still wearing a red changshan, exquisitely carved and polished, with a radiant complexion like that of spring. He looked so good that one couldn't help but let their imagination run wild. But upon closer inspection, he seemed to have lost some weight and had a hint of illness on his face. However, a beauty is still a beauty, and with just one raised eyebrow or smile, they could captivate anyone.

  "The Eastern Grand Commander broke into the county lord's daughter's boudoir at night, do you think about the consequences?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan narrowed his eyes and looked over, but instead of answering, he asked, "What's wrong with your face?"

  Her heart skipped a beat as Xia Chuqi thought of this guy, and she smiled slightly, taking two steps forward to approach him.

  "What's wrong with my face? Lord Dongfang, why don't you take a closer look?"

  "Miss Qi?!"

  The low and solemn voice of Dongfang Qingxuan was something Xia Chuyi had never heard before.

  Her eyes on Dongfang Qingxuan rarely changed color, and she rarely gathered a smile. Since he had been made to want to vomit blood by her and Zhao Zun countless times, he could still laugh it off with a good temper. But this time, he stared at her face, his eyes filled with shock and darkness.

  "How did it end up like this? Who did it?"

  On the seventh day of summer, she raised her arms and lifted her chin, looking at him with a hint of a smile.

  "Hey, isn't it strange? Don't tell me you're concerned about me?"

  The Eastern Blue Mystic fell silent.

  After a while, his gentle and warm voice floated into her ears.

  "Can't it?"

  Xia Chuqi pursed the corner of her lips, staring at him with a serious expression, "No. The young lady doesn't need such clumsy concern." Seeing his face darken, not looking too good, she thought for a moment and felt that this wasn't the right time to offend him. She changed the subject and asked a question she had been thinking about for a long time.

  "Marshal, there's something I've been wanting to ask you. The sachet that was found on me, did you give it to Zhao Mianze?"

  “N...” Dongfang Qingxuan looked at her face as if she hadn't come back to herself, subconsciously spat out a word, and then smiled again. "It was indeed this seat that gave it to him, but I didn't expect Seventh Miss to be so skilled, not only did you get the Emperor's uncle caught in your pomegranate skirt, even the Emperor's nephew couldn't escape, sparing you one move. So this seat has been thinking, what exactly is it about you that attracted them?”

  Hehe, Xia Qi's voice was clear and bright as she playfully winked at him.

  "That great commander can take a closer look, I'm known as the Little Zhuge, and in Jianghu, they call me 'Meitetsu Bongwei'. That's how different I am. However, you should be careful not to fall under my spell, I won't accept you, huh, I dislike men who are more beautiful than women."

  Dongfang Qingxuan's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, as if she hadn't heard her insult. Her scrutinizing gaze fell on the small red spots that had appeared on her face, and the topic turned back again.

  "What's wrong with your face?"

  Looking at him calmly, Xia Chuqi pouted and pretended to be pitiful and bitter, "Have you heard of the heavenly flower? No, acne. Highly contagious, high mortality rate. Commander, don't blame me for not warning you, don't get close to me..."

  She coaxed him, step by step, closer and closer.

  In her mind, she imagined Xia Wenqi being scared out of his wits, but instead, Dongfang Qingyun smiled and before she could react, he pulled her waist tightly, his red robe fluttering like the wind, and pressed her against the carved window frame, a fierce kiss landing on her lips.

  She would have never thought that something like this would happen, a red glow in front of her eyes, her mind a complete blank, the soft touch on her lips left her stunned for a moment, seeing him with the intention of prying open her lips and entering, she suddenly came to her senses, both hands propped against his chest and pushed hard.

  "You scoundrel, taking advantage of our mistress!"

  Dongfang Qingxuan took a step back under the force, "heng heng" retreating two steps, without getting angry, and seductively licked the corner of his lips, smiling like a flower blooming on a branch.

  "I just want to try it out and see how high its infectivity is?"

  At the beginning of summer, her teeth were grinding and making a loud noise. She spat out a mouthful and wiped her mouth with her sleeve, giving him a disdainful stare.

  "Good luck to the Grand Commander! Nothing's wrong, hurry and roll away, this county is mainly asleep."

  "Going to bed so early, aren't you feeling lonely?"

  "What's it to you?" Xia Chuqi raised an eyebrow, "Scram, Miss is going to the bedroom to burn bricks."

  "Brick kiln?" A ripple flashed across the oriental green jade-like eyes.

  "You're not even making bricks, how can I beat you to death?" Xia Chuyi looked at her sideways, raised an eyebrow, and let out a yawn. "If you don't scram, I'll call someone over?"

  It was as if Dongfang Qingxuan had calculated that she wouldn't be able to call for help, and instead of retreating, he slowly approached her. Under the hazy light of the candles, his slender phoenix eyes seemed to be veiled in a layer of smoke, and the corners of his lips appeared to have a hint of a smile, shining brightly like a fox that had stolen a piece of meat.

  "Miss Qi, has anyone ever told you that you're a complete and utter scammer?"

  "I don't know if you're a scammer or not." Xia Chuqi gave him a stern look, sizing him up and down as she said, "But I can tell you one thing, if you keep being shameless like this, I definitely won't be too kind-hearted anymore."

  Dongfang Qingxuan let out a low "hmm" from his throat, lowered his head, and hot breath sprayed onto her forehead. "I had originally planned to have you meet someone important to you. But since Seventh Miss has gotten acne, we'll wait a bit longer then. I'm not in a hurry, I have plenty of patience."

  "Who did you let me see?"

  When he mentioned this person for the second time, Xia Chuyi was surprised and also took it seriously. However, Dongfang Qingxuan gave a mysterious smile, didn't answer her, but instead slowly tilted his head, his phoenix-like eyes slightly narrowed, and his ambiguous voice brushed against her ear.

  "Miss Qi's taste is not bad, I like it very much. You must not forget to let me do 'small' things for you. Even if you forget, I will not forget and will certainly come to serve you from time to time."

  "Get out of my way, you bastard!"

  On the seventh day of summer, he exerted himself to kick him, but he smiled and leaned over, saluted him, pushed open the window, and disappeared in an instant into the shadow of the banana bamboo forest pavilion.

  "Soft jade warm fragrance in arms, really a good taste of stealing love!"

  Listening to his last words, Xia Chuyi's ears turned bright red, and she was both shocked and suspicious and tense. Dongfang Qingxuan dared to come close to her despite not being afraid of the "heavenly flower", proving that he had seen through her lies. But he didn't seem to want to expose her, which made it even harder for her to guess his thoughts.

  Forget it!

  The arrow is on the string and cannot but be shot.

  She has to set off before dawn breaks.

  Digression

  Thank you all, no more words, just one word - thank you!