Drunk Bamboo

After dinner, Xie Yuzhu walked slowly back to Changfeng Courtyard as usual.

On weekdays, Hua Qinfeng was always by her side, talking to her, so she didn't feel the road was long.

Today, I have been walking for a while, why haven’t I reached Changfeng Courtyard yet?

Suddenly I felt the road was so long.

Finally returning to Changfeng Courtyard, the yard was empty. Yun Ling was preparing snacks for Xiao Bingxin. Now she was alone.

She walked to the newly built pavilion in the yard and sat down. This was built by Hua Qinfeng.

When he first said he wanted to build a pavilion in the yard so people could enjoy the flowers on rainy days, I thought it was just a joke, but I didn't expect that he would take it to heart.

During the half month that she was injured, Hua Qinfeng built this pavilion.

The pavilion not only provides shade and shelter from rain, but is also equipped with stone tables and stone benches for drinking tea and eating snacks.

There are lanterns hanging on the four corners of the pavilion, and they are lit up even at night.

Was what I said to Hua Qinfeng this morning too much?

So that's why he was really angry?

She sat in the pavilion for a while, and only went into the house when Yunling came back.

"Princess, your injury has just healed. You should wash up early and rest early today." Yun Ling was making the bed.

Xie Yuzhu closed the Poisonous Grass Sutra because he couldn't read it anyway.

"Alright. I have to go to the palace to attend a banquet in a few days, so I need to rest well these few days. Meeting those royal relatives and nobles, asking about their health, polite greetings, and complicated etiquette, it's a bit of a headache just thinking about it."

Yunling helped her to the ear room to wash up.

"Sister Baiguo and I have both been in the palace for many years. We know the palace rules and have met the families of officials, both big and small. We may be able to help the princess."

As he spoke, Yun Ling looked at her expression and said with a smile, "Besides, the prince is by your side, so the princess doesn't need to worry too much."

"Prince? He probably doesn't know as many people as you and Bai Guo." Xie Yuzhu smiled faintly.

Yun Ling didn't respond to her words.

After washing up, Yun Ling helped her onto the bed and said considerately:

"It's still early. If you can't sleep, you can read some books when the prince is free. I'll get some medical books for you and put them by your bed."

Xie Yuzhu did not object, thinking that Yunling always deliberately mentioned Hua Qinfeng in front of her.

She is a thoughtful person and must have noticed something.

Xie Yuzhu did not expose it.

"Just leave two lamps by the bed, and turn off the rest for me."

Hua Qinfeng didn’t go back to Changfeng Courtyard last time because he was angry, and he probably won’t come back to sleep this time either.

Once she got into bed, she didn't want to get out of bed to turn off the lights.

In the past, Hua Qinfeng could turn off all the lights in the house with a wave of his hand, but she didn't have that ability.

Yun Ling: "Okay. Princess, please rest early."

The room suddenly became quiet.

Xie Yuzhu really couldn't sleep, so she picked up the book beside the bed and started flipping through it page by page.

I don’t know how long it was before the door of the room was opened and a chill came over me.

Xie Yuzhu raised his head and looked towards the door in surprise.

"My Lord, you are back?"

Hua Qinfeng was like a statue of Yama, standing in the darkness, facing the cold wind, with his bottomless eyes wide open, looking straight at her.

Panting and not saying a word.

"It's so cold... Could you please close the door, sir?"

Xie Yuzhu pulled up the quilt, leaving only her head exposed.

Hua Qinfeng came to his senses and immediately closed the door.

He took a few steps forward, but didn't dare get too close, for fear that his cold air would chill Xie Yuzhu.

Concerned and anxious, he said, "Chaoyang said you were not feeling well. Where do you feel unwell?"

"I'm not feeling unwell. I just didn't have much appetite for dinner and didn't eat much. He may have misunderstood." Xie Yuzhu pretended to be calm and read the book.

"You... why do you have no appetite? Is it because of me..." Thinking of what I did to her in the morning, I suddenly felt guilty and didn't dare to face her.

When Chaoyang came to Anhe Restaurant to find him and told him that Xie Yuzhu was unwell, he was worried and scared.

He ran back and saw that the candlelight in Changfeng Courtyard was dim. He rushed in and saw her reading a book under the lamp safely and soundly.

For a moment his heart was at peace.

Xie Yuzhu: "It's not because of the prince. I ate two more snacks in the afternoon. The prince doesn't have to take everything on himself."

Only after the coldness in his body dissipated did Hua Qinfeng dare to slowly approach the bed.

"Why are there only two lights in the room? You don't usually go to bed so early."

"I'm a little tired and want to rest early."

Hua Qinfeng thought this was Xie Yuzhu's rejection.

"Well... I won't disturb your rest." He planned to sleep in the guest room.

Before he turned around, Xie Yuzhu called him: "Your Majesty, have you drunk?"

He lowered his head and sniffed his body: "I drank a little. Is it because the strong smell of alcohol is bothering you?"

Xie Yuzhu just said, "Wash up before going to bed."

Hua Qinfeng was stunned for a moment, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise: "...Okay."

When he returned to the main room from the side room, Xie Yuzhu was no longer reading, but lying on the bed with her back to him.

"Xie Yuzhu...I..." He got on the bed gently, but didn't know how to start.

Xie Yuzhu turned around and said, "If you want to apologize, Your Majesty, please don't say it. I was inconsiderate this morning and didn't think from Your Majesty's perspective. Your Majesty is a person who shows everything on his face. Whether he likes or hates someone, it's all on his face."

"I thought the prince didn't understand what love was, so I made a guess. Then the following thoughts came naturally, and everything was my imagination. The prince is a man of temperament. He couldn't understand it for a while, and he said impulsive words and did impulsive things. Don't blame the prince."

"It was the prince's words that reminded me."

Hua Qinfeng: "What?"

"Because I know that the prince is tolerant and forbearing towards me and will not hurt me, so I dare to speak to the prince so boldly and tell him everything I think in my heart. I am so bold because I rely on the prince's kindness to me."

"But a person's tolerance has its limits. Right, Your Majesty?"

Xie Yuzhu stared at Hua Qinfeng with calm eyes.

Hua Qinfeng lowered his eyes slightly: "Are you afraid?"

"To be honest, I'm scared." At that moment, looking at his shuddering eyes, she was afraid. She had offended someone she shouldn't have offended.

Hua Qinfeng's heart trembled.

He remembered clearly that she was trembling all over and had a look of fear on her face.

He still frightened her.

The voice was very low: "Since you are afraid, don't say such things again in the future."

Xie Yuzhu retracted her gaze: "Since I know that the prince has no intention of taking a concubine, I will not mention it again in the future."

Hua Qinfeng lay down with his back to her and didn't speak for a long time.

Suddenly, Xie Yuzhu asked, "Your Majesty, can I ask you a private question?"

The voice was still gentle: "You ask."

"My Lord, do you like men differently from other men?"

"What do you mean?"

"Generally, men like beautiful women, like to take concubines, like..." Xie Yuzhu paused, "women."

Hua Qinfeng was stunned for a moment.

He stood up suddenly, his eyes full of anger: "Thank you Yuzhu! I don't like Longyang!"

Xie Yuzhu shook her shoulders: "But the prince doesn't seem to like women very much."

He turned over, pressed his elbows on Xie Yuzhu's sides, and floated over her, facing her: "Xie Yuzhu..."

There was an endless fire of desire burning in his eyes.

Xie Yuzhu had an indifferent expression and stared at him with a pair of innocent eyes.

Instantly, I saw the red spot on her chin, which was particularly glaring against her snow-white skin.

Hua Qinfeng closed his angry eyes and lay back down.

"You'll find out later."

Hua Qinfeng: Don’t make me angry, Xie Yuzhu.

You can't afford the consequences of angering me.