Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Did You Two Sleep Together Last Night?
In this place, Xie Xun felt an unbearable pressure and, without uttering a word, took hold of the girl’s wrist and pulled Shen Hua into the girl’s room.
Then, he closed the door with a heavy thud.
Having done all this, he stood vacantly against the door, his legs weak. His head ached terribly, and it took him a while before he could begin to process everything. He sighed deeply, exhausting all his energy with that gesture.
As an elder brother, he truly deserved to die.
The girl rubbed the sleepy space between her eyebrows. She wanted to speak, but the words stopped at her lips. If Xie Xun found out she was pregnant, one thing after another, he might just go mad.
After pondering for a good while, she finally moved her rosy lips.
"The sky hasn’t fallen yet, brother needn’t take it too much to heart."
She was clear-headed and calm: "No one can stop what I intend to do. My heart is as clear as a mirror, and I’ve made things crystal clear in my early conversation with him. Now that my brother’s status is high enough to match him, you are my support. I don’t know what will happen in the future and can’t predict it. But what’s the big deal about living under the same roof? In the end, whether I agree or not is still up to me."
Xie Xun felt better before she spoke, but upon hearing her words, his heart began to beat erratically again.
So, you just brush off your clothes, and you can turn around and abandon someone?
"How can you be so frivolous?"
His eyelids twitched repeatedly.
"Now tell me the truth, how long have you been involved with him?"
Shen Hua raised her finger and counted seriously.
The girl’s dark, bright eyes seemed to forever contain a myriad of sparkling stars.
Mama once said.
—Yangyang’s eyes are purer and clearer than anything in the world.
Xie Xun turned his gaze away, suddenly finding himself unable to berate her.
"Forget it, stop counting."
Every additional day, his heart ached once more.
The girl looked at Xie Xun innocently. She also fondly touched the sword that had already been sheathed.
"Did brother exert himself because he was infuriated by me?"
Xie Xun paused: "As if you haven’t irritated me enough?"
Soon, he spoke in a low, soothing voice: "There was eavesdropping just now."
There weren’t many people living on this floor. Only the residents of Marquis Yangling Mansion, Duke Fu’s Mansion, and Imperial Censor Mansion.
Imperial Censor Shu is upright, and so is his family. Surely it wouldn’t be him.
As for those nearby, if they heard a disturbance, they wouldn’t likely leave their rooms at such a peculiar time to check. Even if they did, they would consider the feelings of their colleagues and step forward to mediate.
Thinking it over, it most likely would be someone from the Imperial Family.
Upon hearing this, Shen Hua was slightly startled.
"Does he know?"
The ’he’ undoubtedly referred to Cui Yun.
"If he didn’t know, he probably wouldn’t have gone out of his way to provoke me."
And his sword was drawn, one part of him struggled with rage, and another part was laying a trap.
After exchanging reassuring words, the pair managed to unsteady their feet and walk out.
Cui Yun stood therewith calm and composed, his posture as straight as a pine or a crane. His features were cool and distant, like the untouchable Jiao Jianyue. His entire demeanor was extraordinary, marked by nobility and detachment.
The spy had left.
"Cui Yun."
"Even if you’ve been forced into this, such matters will only disadvantage the girl."
"Even if she’s stubborn, do you not have the ability to leave the room? I don’t believe it. It seems she’s like a lamb to the slaughter, falling right into your trap."
Cui Yun smiled faintly: "I will marry her."
Xie Xun stared at him intently.
"I didn’t come here to hear you say these words."
He scoffed: "I’m simply letting you know. If she’s willing to enter the doors of the Cui family, I won’t stop her. But if she changes her mind before the wedding day, even if the Shen Family can’t stand their ground, I’ll still stand by her side. What will the Cui family do then? What will you do and what will become of the mess that’s left? These won’t be within my considerations. So, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint the Marquis’s earnest sentiments."
What he meant was, if she dumps you, you deserve it.
Cui Yun’s expression remained unaffected.
With such an elder brother, it’s no wonder that Shen Hua walks sideways in Fengzhou City.
"Last night, did you... share a bed?" Xie Xun hesitated before asking the difficult question.
Cui Yun tugged at the corner of his mouth, his words uncertain whether true or false.
"Governed by feelings, yet bounded by propriety."
He lifted his eyelids, his voice cold, but tinged with a tiny, almost negligible amount of respect: "Don’t worry, big uncle."
Xie Xun held back and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, the commotion here was quickly relayed to Emperor He’s ears.
The Emperor, donned in his Dragon Robe, was majestic and awe-inspiring.
"Are you saying they went to war over a girl?"
Eunuch Ying kneeled on the ground.
"Xiao Dezhi saw it with his own eyes, there can be no falsehood. Heir Xie even harbored murderous intent, ultimately holding a sword to Marquis Cui’s neck."
Emperor He indifferently set down his teacup.
His troubled heart finally glimpsed a moment of clarity and satisfaction.
In recent times, how could he not know that the Xie Family was too close to the Cui family?
And this was not what he wanted to see.
The Emperor bore an upright and righteous expression. His presence was lofty and detached, sublime as if divine. He laughed heartily, which at other times would seem like an elder’s affection towards his juniors.
"Don’t look at how steady these two usually act, especially Cui Yun, who could remain unflustered even if Mount Tai were crumbling before him, even better than those old courtiers. That’s also why I was willing to promote him. But I forgot, he’s only nineteen, after all, too hot-blooded."
He clearly forgot that back then, he needed Cui Yun to balance the power.
Eunuch Ying hastily flattered: "Marquis Cui’s achievements today are due to the Emperor’s discerning eye."
Emperor He picked up a teacup from the side: "The Cui and Xie families are said to be my left and right arms. How could they let a trivial matter cause a rift? I will have to speak to the two of them later."
Saying this, he was reminded of those frustrating matters.
A thorough investigation into that incident was still without a clue. Just like with Buhuo, not a single lead was found.
The imperial study was getting a backlog of documents and he could not keep delaying because of this matter.
————
The next day, the journey resumed.
The Empress Dowager was not suited for travel, so the Imperial Physician and Princess You Ning stayed behind to take care of her, along with Princess Consort Jing who volunteered. Emperor He also arranged for numerous palace servants and soldiers to accompany them.
The carriage was already waiting outside.
Shen Hua walked cautiously, afraid that by stepping on her skirt and falling, she might stir her pregnancy.
Xie Xun whispered, "Are you—"
Pregnancy was not easy for a woman, so Shen Hua, who Cui Yun had to attend to, said, "I’ll take the carriage from Marquis Yangling Mansion."
Xie Xun watched her leave from a distance, his sleeve tugged on by someone.
Cui Rong lifted her face, "Do not be disheartened, I, the Commandery Princess, grace you with my company on your journey."
Xie Xun painfully closed his eyes.
After boarding the carriage, Shen Hua found the most comfortable position to lie down. To avoid bumps, the carriage was already lined with thick fur cushions.
She pursed her lips and propped herself up, half-sitting against the carriage wall with a soft pillow under her lower back for comfort.
Having done all this, just as Cui Yun lifted the carriage curtain and leaned in.
Before he even sat down, he heard Shen Hua delivering her affected request.
"I want something sour, peel me an orange quickly."
Cui Yun gave her a glance.
Without a doubt, Shen Zuozuo was at it again.
"Sour?"
He sat down, his well-defined hand reaching for the fruit plate: "That could be difficult, couldn’t it?"
The girl frowned: "What’s so difficult about it?"
He smiled lazily, his countenance relaxed: "Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl, it seems our firstborn will be a son."