Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 82 Private Emotion Gu
Li Zhao was waiting for her in Youhuangju.

When Xue Sui was led into Ronghua Hall by Lai Fu, he was seen leaning lazily on a rosewood carved Maitreya couch, wearing a warm jade-white brocade robe with the corners of the robe hanging naturally like flowing moonlight.

Handsome and extraordinary.

He was just as carefree as ever, with only a hint of a smile on his face, which was so gentle that it seemed a little out of character...

"I've met the prince."

Xue Sui saluted lightly and gracefully.

Li Zhao asked calmly, "Have you brought the seeds?"

Xue Sui took out a royal blue sachet from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Lai Fu glanced at the prince, took the sachet and took out the contents.

Three black and gray seeds were placed in layers of oil paper bags. They were well protected, but they looked shriveled. Lai Fu, who had never farmed before, thought they were too thin and pitiful, and doubted whether they could germinate and survive.

Xue Sui said, "To thank the prince for supplementing the dowry, I gave him an extra seed to increase the chance of germination."

Li Zhao seemed not to care at all.

His eyes fell on Xue Sui's porcelain-white face and he slowly stood up from his chair.

"Go and take a look. Where in my yard is the best place to plant it?"

As he spoke, he walked out. Lai Fu took two steps forward and bowed to remind him, "Your Highness, the medicine that Doctor Zhang prepared for you is ready, but you haven't taken it yet."

Li Zhao has been tired of taking those bitter medicines lately.

When Xue Liu came over today, he felt that it was useless to drink and became impatient.

"I won't drink!"

After saying that, he turned around and walked over the threshold.

Lai Fu looked at Xue Sui helplessly.

The Crown Prince's temper has been very unpredictable recently, especially in front of Miss Xue Liu, he seems to be regressing, like a teenager, becoming more and more arrogant...

Xue Sui's feeling was different from Lai Fu's.

The prince wanted to kill her so much.

That's not youthfulness, that's murderous! -
The courtyard of Youhuangju is very large.

Tonight the moonlight is as silver, pouring down brightly, casting tiny shadows all over the ground.

Xue Sui followed Li Zhao in the yard for a long time without expressing his opinion.

Li Zhao kept walking forward and she followed silently behind him.

After a while, Li Zhao suddenly stopped and turned around.

Xue Sui was lost in thought and almost fell into his arms.

The two people were very close to each other, and there was a faint fragrance that drifted over from the floating air, like a gurgling stream winding through the heart, quietly spreading...

She seldom used incense, but she had seen a lot of it in the Old Mausoleum Swamp.

At this moment, I was so flustered that I couldn't tell what kind of incense Li Zhao was using...

Li Zhao's dark eyes fell on her face unscrupulously, with a strange smile in his eyes.

Xue Sui subconsciously stepped back.

Li Zhao curled his lips, not hiding the wolf-like invading light in his eyes.

"Miss Xue Liu, are you tired?"

The meaning is unclear.

With bad intentions.

Xue Sui replied calmly: "Not tired."

Li Zhao smiled: "Sit down and talk."

There is an octagonal glazed pavilion and stone tables and benches in the garden.

There are many places to rest.

But what Li Zhao pointed out to Xue Sui was not the places where they could drink tea and talk about things, but the high swing frame built with rosewood in the middle of the courtyard.

The two ends of the swing are placed between sturdy crabapple trees. The joints between the horizontal beam and the vertical column are carved with lifelike winding flowers. Every petal is very lively and gorgeous.

The seat was a whole piece of smooth, flat mahogany, covered with a brocade cushion with koi and cloud patterns. The stitching was delicate and the colors were bright, as if two fish were about to jump out of the cushion.

It's beautiful here.

In the quiet courtyard, it is like a painting.

But this was a scene that Xue Sui had never even dreamed of in his 18 years of life.

There was also a swing in the Xue Mansion. When they were young, the sisters would scramble to swing on it with laughter, but Xue Ji warned her to stay away from it.

Because she won't get to enjoy the fun stuff.

If you don't rob, you won't be beaten less.

She had also wondered at that time what it would feel like to sit on a swing, with the sun shining down on it, squinting her eyes, and swinging lazily...

When she grew up, she never thought about those things again.

Even if she had been able to make a hundred swings for herself, she would not have thought twice about it.

But Li Zhao pointed there, with an irresistible smile on his stern face.

"Ms. Xue Liu, please——"

Xue Sui said coldly: "I don't like these kids' fun."

Li Zhao smiled lightly and walked over.

He bent one leg and casually placed it on the swing seat, sitting sideways, as if he was half lying on the soft brocade cushion in a lazy posture. The swing swayed gently, and his clothes fluttered in the wind under the moonlight, as if he was a fairy dancing in the wind.

Xue Sui stood where he was.

"Doesn't the prince plant flowers?"

"Wait for you to plant it, Miss Xue Liu."

Li Zhao slowly took a white jade wine cup from the vertical wooden table next to the swing.

He tilted his head back, took a sip, and handed it to Xue Sui.

"Want it?"

Xue Sui said: "I don't drink."

She said it calmly and calmly.

The corners of Li Zhao's mouth rose slightly, and some of the wine spilled onto the corner of his robe. He seemed unaware and looked up at Xue Sui.

"The love silk Gu told me that the Sixth Miss likes it very much."

For a moment, Xue Sui felt that Li Zhao was laughing at her for lying.

Perhaps, he knew very well in his heart that the so-called rare flower from the Western Regions, the "Love Silk Flower", was originally just an excuse and a trick of hers. But he had no choice but to fall into her trap, but he was unwilling to do so, so he found some excuses to make her uncomfortable.

Xue Sui looked at the area behind the swing.

There is a dense banana and bamboo forest that blocks the sunlight, making it very dark and damp.

She raised her hand and pointed, "That's a good place."

Li Zhao raised his eyes and looked at Lai Fu and the guards standing in the distance.

"Get the flower hoe."

The flower hoe was prepared long ago.

A guard held it in his hand, a little stiffly.

Lai Fu sensed the coldness in His Highness' words, took it carefully, and respectfully handed it to Xue Sui.

"Miss Xue Liu, please."

Xue Sui said nothing. He took the hoe and walked to the corner. Under the moonlight and the lantern set up by the guards, he bent down to dig up the weeds and began to loosen the soil...

Li Zhao tightened his fingers slightly, stroking the fine-textured sandalwood on the swing handrail, and squinted at Xue Sui.

Xue Sui was very focused.

He carefully dug three small holes in the soft soil and placed three seeds in each hole.

Then I covered it with a layer of straw, picked up some pebbles and small sticks nearby, and surrounded the area where the flowers were planted...

“Is that it?”

I don't know when Li Zhao got off the swing and stood behind her. The moonlight stretched his shadow and fell on her.

Xue Sui hummed, stood up and started to smooth his hair.

When his hand was in mid-air, Li Zhao suddenly grabbed his wrist...

She was slightly startled and looked down at his hand.

The joints are distinct and apply slight force.

There were some thin calluses on the fingertips from training in military affairs and wielding swords.

Li Zhao said, "There is mud on my hands."

Xue Sui didn't say anything.

She doesn't care about the so-called separation between men and women, nor does she care about physical intimacy.

But the light in Li Zhao's eyes tonight was too blazing. His hot palm grasped her like being struck by lightning, making her body stiffen so much that she forgot to retract her hand or pretend to struggle...

Li Zhao pursed his lips, slowly reached out his hand, and tucked a strand of her hair that had fallen on her cheek behind her ear. His movements were very gentle and soft, as if the person in front of him was a rare treasure that he cherished.

"Safety?"

Li Zhao suddenly spoke.

Xue Sui was stunned.

"Xue Ping'an."

Li Zhao called out again.

This time Xue Sui responded, "What did your Highness call me for?"

Li Zhao said: "I have heard you say that your name means good fortune and prosperity, peace and prosperity?"

Xue Sui lowered his eyebrows and said, "Your Highness, I do have this intention."

Li Zhao smiled, but his voice was hoarse by the night wind.

"Did you know that my name has a deep meaning?"

Xue Sui smiled slightly, "Really?"

Li Zhao: "Do you want to know?"

Xue Sui took back his hand: "I don't want to."

Li Zhao's palms were empty, his five fingers were slightly opened, and the cool wind blew through his slender knuckles, making him look a little lonely.

He chuckled softly, then took it back without much concern and slowly put it behind his back.

"The beginning of a new era brings peace to the country."

Xue Sui's heart moved and he looked at Li Zhao in front of him.

As the emperor's only legitimate son, it is understandable that he was given such a name with such a domineering meaning. However, it is regrettable that the prince with such a name is not favored by the emperor, nor is he someone he is willing to entrust the country to.

Since ancient times, the thoughts of emperors have been as vast as the sea and difficult to guess.

But Xue Sui could feel that Li Zhao was not as frivolous as usual at this moment, and every word he said was serious.

She asked with a smile: "Why did your highness say this?"

Li Zhao stared at her, and the smile on his lips deepened slightly.

"The Sixth Miss is about to marry, and I have nothing to congratulate her on."

Xue Sui said: "Your Highness has already paid a gift of one hundred taels of gold."

Li Zhao's eyes were filled with domineering aura, "That's not enough."

After a slight pause, he said, "I am selfish after all. You and I are twins, so we should know more about each other's private affairs."

Xue Sui pondered for a while and asked him, "Isn't it enough to start a new era and stabilize the country?"

Li Zhao's face changed slightly, and he slowly loosened his hands behind his back. He bowed slightly to Xue Sui, with a smile visible at the corners of his lips, but the coldness in the corners of his eyes was like autumn frost, unusually cold.

"Sixth Miss thinks I am worthy of her, so I will not let her down."

Xue Sui looked at him quietly.

This was not the Crown Prince Li Zhao she was familiar with.

Over the years, everything has been under her control.

Suddenly, things got out of control, which made her feel empty inside. She was suddenly afraid that she would stay in Youhuangju for too long and lose her original intention.

This isn't something she should do.

"Your Highness, it's late, I should leave now."

Such gentle words somehow touched Li Zhao's sore spot. The prince stared at her fiercely and fiercely, like an enraged beast.

"You know that Prince Duan's Mansion is full of dangers, but you still want to jump into the fire pit. Are you a fool?"

Xue Sui frowned slightly, "Prince Duan is kind and honest, how could he be a fire pit?"

Li Zhao sneered.

"Since you are in love with him, why did you plant the love poison in me?"

"As the prince thought, it was to save my life. Otherwise, I would not dare to stand here tonight and talk to the prince so calmly."

Li Zhao clenched his fingers tightly, as if he was going to strangle her to death at any time. His knuckles turned white due to the force, veins popped out on the back of his hands, and he couldn't stop trembling slightly. In the end, he could only close his eyes tightly, grit his teeth and gasp.

"What a vicious woman. A lunatic!"

Her wedding was approaching, but he couldn't sleep all night.

It feels like being in endless purgatory, suffering but unable to escape.

Every day she became more and more depressed, as if her heart was burning with fire. She was troubled by it every night. Her reason was shaky under the impact of desire, and she was about to go crazy, but she was fine...

Damn love thread Gu!

Damn Xue Liu!
After a long while, Li Zhao finally restrained his expression and set his gaze on the land where the flower seeds had just been sown.

The silver moon hangs high in the sky, and the breeze is cool.

In the quiet courtyard, there seemed to be a hazy mist.

Li Zhao said: "Tomorrow I will have someone make a sign and put it here. Anyone who steps on the flower seeds will be sentenced to death."

The voice is neither slow nor fast, neither cold nor hot.

Lai Fu and several guards beside him shivered for no apparent reason.

"Here."
-
That night, it was Lai Fu who sent Xue Sui and his servant out of Youhuangju.

He was always talkative and would often give Xue Sui some instructions and tell her about the prince's preferences, fearing that she might lose her life by accident.

Lai Fu remained silent today and walked all the way to the door. After Xue Sui bowed and said goodbye, he glanced at Xue Sui and bowed perfunctorily.

"Miss Xue Liu, I congratulate you on your wedding in advance. May you live happily together for the rest of your life."

He said this very impolitely.

The prince would not stop Miss Xue Liu from getting married, but his father-in-law was unhappy with him and he had to harm her on behalf of his master.

Unexpectedly, Xue Sui seemed not to hear the sarcasm in his words. He bowed slightly and returned the greeting properly.

"Thank you, sir. Goodbye."

Lai Fu snorted, "When we meet again, the Sixth Miss will be the wife of Prince Duan."

Xue Sui raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled faintly.

"No matter where he is, Xue Liu is just Xue Liu."

A complex emotion flashed across Lai Fu's eyes, and he looked a little confused.

He couldn't understand.

Once you get married, you're married. How can you be Xue Liu again?
Alas! He sighed and turned his back, seeming to be both emotional and helpless.

"It's windy at night, so please be careful on your way back, Sixth Miss."

Xue Sui bowed to him and said, "Yes."

In the dark night, Li Zhao stood quietly in the courtyard, alone, his clothes fluttering in the breeze, and he stared grimly in the direction where Xue Sui left.

He was also thinking about what Xue Liu had just said.

No matter where he is, Xue Liu is just Xue Liu.

Li Zhao: Author! Where is my flower hoe? Can I use it to dig the wall?

Xue Sui: I can’t dig it out!