Li Gan was furious, he pointed at me, I immediately ran in front of him and with an embarrassed face apologized to him, at the same time pretending that because I was confused I dropped the sleeve of the robe on the ground, then accidentally stepped on it, actually I was trying to remove the letter 'li' which was embroidered with silver thread.
Huo Qubing suddenly got angry, "What are you guys playing with? Is it okay for you guys to tug and tear each other here?" Now that Li Gan realized why I had purposely torn the sleeve of his robe, his gaze shifted to Li Yan's face, then he knelt before the emperor, "Servant is guilty!" I quickly knelt down too.
Li Yan was about to help us, but Liu Che laughed and shook his head, then said to the princess, "A Zi, do you remember my mischief when I was little?" The princess smiled and said, "Who hasn't been naughty or fought when they were little? Seeing the two of them I remember when I was a girl."
Smiling, Liu Che shifted his gaze from Huo Qubing's face to my face and Li Gan's, "Everyone get up! Li Gan, your clothes are torn, go home first." Li Gan kowtowed, picked up a piece of sleeve from the ground, then quickly turned around and walked away.
With a smile, Princess Pingyang said to Liu Che, "Your Majesty defended Qubing too much and quickly expelled Li Gan, reducing our enjoyment." With a smile, Liu Che looked at Huo Qubing's cold face. "If I don't expel Li Gan, do we have to wait for them to fight? At that time, punishing them is wrong, not punishing them is also wrong, where will this emperor Zhen's face be put?" Princess Pingyang smiled and nodded, "Actually, with his temperament, Huo Qubing will definitely do it."
A problem that could turn into a disaster was finally resolved, I was a bit tired and wanted to excuse myself, but couldn't find a good reason, looking down I sat without saying anything. Li Yan's face looked a little sluggish, looking at his face, Liu Che felt worried, he asked someone to call a doctor and take Li Yan back to the palace, after that, we could disperse.
Huo Qubing walked by my side, but didn't say a word to me at all. I wanted to talk to Li Yan, I felt a worry that was hard to explain, my face was like a wooden plank.
After we both left the park, without saying anything I saluted him, was about to leave, but while holding back his anger, he said, "I will take you home." I shook my head, "No need. I still want to go somewhere else."
"Come up!" Huo Qubing jumped onto the horse carriage. He looked at me with a cold face, not allowing me to argue at all. I helplessly smiled, then jumped into the horse carriage, "Don't be angry with me, I want to go to General Li's house."
He stared at me for a moment, then ordered the carriage driver to go to General Li's residence. I looked at him and felt his feelings, my heart ached, I softly explained, "I don't know Li Gan very well, since you took me to the Yulin army base, this is the first time I have met him, today is the second time we have met."
Huo Qubing's face looked a little relieved, but his tone was still cold, "You've only met twice, why is it like that?" I said, "There's a reason for this problem. To me, Li Gan is just like a small sunflower seed, if my eyes are blurry I can't find him."
The corners of Huo Qubing's lips lifted, "Then what am I to you?" I hesitated for a moment, then said with a chuckle, "You're like a big pumpkin, aren't you satisfied?" But he didn't laugh and immediately asked, "What about Meng Jiu?" The smile on my face froze, I turned away, parted the carriage curtains and looked out, trying to ignore the burning eyes that burned the back of my head.
When I arrived at General Li's residence, I was still thinking about how I could get Li Gan to meet me, but Huo Qubing had already entered with his jumawa, the guards seemed to be used to him and only saluted him.
I quickly chased after him, “I'm the one who wants to meet Li Gan, why are you coming along?” Huo Qubing said, "Now it looks like you're the one following me, not me following you. If you don't want to follow me, we'll just go our separate ways. You can go to the gate and ask the servant to let you out."
I glared at him, but said nothing more and followed him quietly. Huo Qubing asked a servant, it turned out that Li Gan was practicing archery in the field. He had already memorized the ins and outs of General Li's house and didn't need a guide, after turning and turning around, we arrived at the field.
Li Gan was wearing tight clothes, was shooting archery in the middle of the field, the power of each arrow released was shocking, and directly penetrated the target. In a low voice I said, "Good arrow skills, all hit the target, you really deserve to be the family of the flying general." As soon as he saw me, Li Gan's pupils constricted, he suddenly aimed his arrow at me.
In that instant I knew that Li Gan wasn't scaring me, his eyes were scary cold, the hatred in his eyes was extraordinary, he really wanted to kill me. My body became stiff, I wanted to move but didn't dare to move, I wanted to speak but didn't dare make a sound, worried that the wrong word would make him angry. If that arrow were to fly at me, with the flying general's family's famous arrow knowledge under the heavens, my chance of dodging it would be very small. Huo Qubing quickly stepped forward and stood in front of me, his attitude was cold, he and Li Gan faced each other without saying anything.
Li Gan's hands trembled, he suddenly shifted his bow's aim to the target board, "Whoosh!", the arrow penetrated the center of the red circle, the body of the arrow completely penetrated the target board, on the surface of the target board only white feathers remained. vibrating softly.
I exhaled the breath that had been stuck in my chest, my body went limp. My position is low, for the sons of these officials I am like an ant that they can crush without much thought. I always scheme, but forget that my life can easily be destroyed by an arrow, what use is my strategy in front of them?
Today, it's a good thing that Huo Qubing came along, otherwise, if not......just now, when I was between death and life, I wasn't afraid and only then was I afraid. Did Li Yan really not expect Li Gan's reaction? Is he giving me a warning? Or did he always want me dead? Is there a secret in this world that can be more closely guarded than the secret of the dead?
The more I thought about it, the more my heart sank, Huo Qubing turned around and loved me, for the first time I held his hand. My hands were still shaking, he held my hands tightly with both hands. Because every day of riding a horse and practicing silat, his palms were full of calluses, rough to the touch, full of strength that made me feel safe, slowly my heart calmed down and my hands no longer trembled.
Li Gan walked to my side, then as if nothing had happened, cheered Huo Qubing,
He looked at me again as usual, then shook his head and smiled, "Let's see if next time you still have the courage to look for Third Young Master Li." I wanted to smile but couldn't smile, I stammered and said, "Why don't you dare? But. But I ask you to accompany me."
Li Gan walked to my side, then as if nothing had happened, cheered towards Huo Qubing, “Apologies for my rudeness, but you suddenly got in front of my arrow, making me bathe in cold sweat.”
Huo Qubing said coldly, "San ge, since we could crawl we have lived together in the Yulin army base, when I was very small, Li Dage taught me archery, our relationship has always been good, I don't want after this because of a misunderstanding we become enemies "So today I am telling you seriously, that if in the future you dare to act like that to him again, my archery skills will not be less than yours."
I looked at Huo Qubing in surprise, various feelings swirling in my heart, it turned out that he was going all out to defend me. Li Gan was also surprised, but after that he seemed to understand and looked at me in surprise, then smiled bitterly and said, "Today I couldn't control myself, after this it won't happen again. I hope Miss Jin can understand."
The corners of my lips lifted. Understand that? Next time I'll put a knife to your neck, see if you can tolerate it? But I could only say blandly, "I came to talk to you." Now Huo Qubing stepped away.
While looking at Li Gan I said, "Mrs. Li is from my entertainment house, everything I did was to protect her, I think, after today's incident, you should trust me. I know you like her, but does she know what's in your heart?"
Li Gan was silent for a moment, then shook his head, "She doesn't know, she is already the emperor's concubine, in her eyes I am no different from other officials, I don't want her to know, my feelings are just my personal feelings."
It was true as I thought, Li Yan just acted like he didn't know anything and blamed everything on me. While thinking, I said, "I swear I won't tell Mrs. Li." Li Gan snorted sarcastically, "You used to hide things that he should know, I really trust your character. I clearly met him before the emperor, but I lost one step to you, one step too late means missing out for life, do you understand?" " In his sad tone was anger.
I shuddered at the tone of her voice, “After I tricked you, how did you know that Mrs. Li was the woman you were looking for?”
Li Gan's eyes showed sadness, joy and surprise, "One day when I entered the palace, I happened to see him wearing a similar handkerchief, although the color was not the same, but the embroidery of the letter 'li' which resembled tendrils was exactly the same. At that moment I felt like I had been struck by lightning, I was stunned and couldn't say anything, at that moment I realized that I was very stupid. In this world except her, is there any other woman surnamed Li who is so charming? In my eyes she was really like an angel in the middle of the water, when she joked smartly with the emperor, I already fell in love with her, only that time……only that time I didn't dare to be honest with myself, until I saw that handkerchief, I just realized what I had missed, and all this happened because of you, why did you deliberately lie to me? Heaven has allowed me to see the letter 'li', but why is it so late? Jin Fangzhu, do you think I should hate you or not?”
My body feels a bit cold. At that time I didn't tell him the truth and didn't expect that today he would be so angry. If such a beautiful woman were to meet Li Gan, the handsome and talented son of a prominent family, and be infatuated with him, whether she would choose to enter the dangerous palace or not. But Li Yan is by no means an ordinary woman who is just looking for a good husband, she will not choose Li Gan. However, this problem circled back, and it turned out to be back to the fate that had been outlined. I no longer dared to look at her face, while looking down I said, "Because things are like this, everything cannot be returned to the way it was, but I beg you not to harm Mrs. Li, did you know that the letter 'li' on your sleeve today can invite major disaster? The letter 'li' is very unique, people who have seen it will never forget it. I don't know whether the emperor has seen it or not, but no matter whether he has seen it or not, you must not put the clueless Lady Li in such a dangerous situation.”
Li Gan's voice was grave, “I won't harm him. Today I was careless and wore the wrong clothes, I will burn all the clothes and other objects embroidered with the letter 'Li', from now on that letter will only be engraved in my heart."
I quickly saluted him, then immediately ran towards Huo Qubing. Huo Qubing asked, “Both of your faces are both unsightly, how exactly did you offend Li Gan?” I held back a smile, "Slight misunderstanding, now it's explained." Huo Qubing looked at me without saying anything, in his jet black eyes light and shadow mixed together, I don't know what he was thinking.
***
Li Yan smoothly gave birth to a son, Han Wudi gave him the name Bo, besides that he gave many gifts to Princess Pingyang, as well as Li Yannian and Li Guangli, the brothers. Considering that the position of crown prince was still vacant, the ambitious people in the palace couldn't help but start guessing whether the eldest son Empress Wei had given birth to, Liu Ju, would enter the Eastern Palace, or the much-loved Liu Bo.
There are those who think that because the Wei family's power in the big palace, Liu Ju has a better chance, but there are those who think otherwise, the Wei family relies on Empress Wei who obtained the emperor's love so that it can slowly become as big as it is today, but in the future come, wouldn't the Li family also do the same? Moreover, the temperament of the eldest son, Liu Ju, was very different from the emperor. Although the emperor still liked him at the moment, after he grew up, perhaps the emperor would not like him.
Undercurrents stirred wildly in the palace, but the Wei family remained silent, everything went on as usual, even General Wei Qing even entered the palace to personally reward Li Yan and congratulate Liu Bo on his birth. Li Cai, Li Gan and members of other prominent families in the palace didn't say anything and just scrambled to congratulate Liu Bo on his birth.
In the midst of this busy atmosphere, when Liu Bo was not even a month old, Han Wudi gathered his ministers and announced that Liu Ju's eldest son had been appointed crown prince. The incident happened suddenly, but it made sense. After all, war with the Xiongnu could break out at any time, if Liu Ju was not appointed as crown prince, how could Liu Che ensure that Wei Qing, Gongsun He and Huo Qubing would be completely loyal to him?
The announcement of the crown prince's appointment had just been announced, but Li Yan, who had recently given birth and was recuperating, suddenly became seriously ill. After being unconscious for three days and three nights, he only regained consciousness with the help of the palace physician.
Out of desperation, Liu Che was willing to do anything, helplessly he ordered me to enter the palace to whisper Li Yan's name in his ear. When there was someone, I just whispered, "Niangniang", to her, but when there was no one, I said, "Li Yan, are you willing to part with the son you just gave birth to? You still have a chance, you can't waste it like that just?"
When Li Yan woke up, Liu Che's face looked very happy, very different from his previous face which was full of worry, he did not hide his anxiety at all. I thought that this man, this man who controlled all under heaven, really loved Li Yan and was afraid of losing her. When he looked at Liu Che, Li Yan smiled while crying, it didn't hurt, he didn't avoid us at all, he kissed Liu Che's hand gently and slipped into his arms, reluctant to part, with a mumble he said, "I'm so afraid of not being able to meet you Again". Instantly, Liu Che's body was shaken, he looked at Li Yan stunned, his eyes were full of affection, pity and regret. Suddenly my body trembled, I looked at Li Yan, are you... are you really sick? Or did you deliberately make yourself sick?
I had just returned home, I was tired and wanted to lie down straight away, but didn't realize it, Li Gan was waiting for me in the house, helplessly, Hong Gu who accompanied him said, "Young Master Li has been waiting for you all day." I nodded, then motioned with my eyes for him to leave.
After seeing him come out, Li Gan immediately asked, “Is he awake? Is he okay? He……..” Li Gan's voice was a little shaky, his speech was halting. I immediately said, "I'm awake, don't worry, the royal doctor said, he just needs to take care of himself and in about two months his body will recover."
The worry that filled Li Gan's face gradually disappeared, but his face still looked sad. Li Yan's life is hanging in the balance, but he can only sit here and anxiously wait for news about her.
The sky became dark, the room slowly became dark, but he continued to sit quietly, not moving or making a sound, I was forced to accompany him. After a very long time, in the middle of the darkness someone was heard muttering, his voice very low, but very firm, "If this is what he wants, I am willing to help him with all my might to make his wish come true, as long as he doesn't fall ill again."
I leaned against the cushion, silent. Li Yan, if your illness is just a coincidence, Heaven seems to have mercy on you, no wonder, your illness makes a man with a heart of steel feel regret, and makes another man swear allegiance to you. Li Gan is the only son of General Li Guang, his position in the Li family is very important, his decisions will definitely influence the political direction of the entire family.
But if this is not just a coincidence, then the strategy you implemented really surprised me, someone who has just become a mother, can actually risk her life. Someone who was so careless, even towards himself? In my heart began to emerge feeling jealous.
When Li Yan and I were still lost in our own thoughts, suddenly the door of the room was pushed open, Li Gan and I were shocked, then immediately got up. With a sour face, Huo Qubing looked at us, unmarried men and women in the same room was bad enough, and we didn't even light any lanterns at all, sitting facing each other in the dark, it was really hard to explain.
Li Gan looked at Huo Qubing's face, in the midst of the darkness a smile appeared, he smiled at me while shaking his head, after turning to salute Huo Qubing, without saying anything he immediately stepped out.
Huo Qubing tried to control himself, then asked, “When did you two become so familiar? You've been so tired in the palace for so long, you don't even want to rest?"
I haven't slept for two days and two nights, I'm very tired, just now because of Li Gan I was trying to stay awake, but now without caring about anything, my body collapsed backwards, I carelessly pulled a blanket and covered myself with it, "I'm so tired , let me sleep first, later if you want to hit or punish me, whatever."
Huo Qubing was stunned for a moment, then a smile gradually appeared on his face, he stepped to the side of the bench and sat down. When I was half awake, I heard him whisper in my ear, “You have so much confidence in me, but I don't believe in myself, what if I can't control myself, maybe…..maybe I will…..make fun of you…” His breath who seemed to be there and not brushing my face, his lips seemed to be pressed against my cheek, but I was so exhausted that I sank into a dark dreamland, completely unable to think.
When I woke up, it was already midday, I closed my eyes and went back to sleep, but my mind suddenly drifted to the whisper that seemed to have existed and not been there yesterday, with surprise I suddenly sat on the bench. I looked down, but my clothes were still intact, only my shoes had been taken off and placed in front of the bench.
I sat stunned, the side of the bench was empty, was I actually dreaming or not?
Yuanyang Teng did not disappoint me, the spikes were full of gold and silver, the leaves were abundant, their splendor surprised the gardeners, they didn't understand how I looked after them. Actually it's very easy, every day I beg them, plants understand human feelings, maybe they know my feelings and are waiting for the man's arrival, and hope that my hopes come true.
Jiu Ye pushed his wheelchair, I walked slowly by his side, accompanying him. Even though I was walking slowly, my heart was racing as if it was going to jump out.
“Yu Jiejie!” Xiao Feng who was following behind him shouted loudly, “Ah!”, I said, I looked up at him, “Noisy! I don't really have ears!"
“Then why don't you answer Jiu Ye's question?” asked Xiao Feng.
My heart sank, I didn't dare argue with Xiao Feng anymore, I looked at Jiu Ye in embarrassment, "I didn't hear that just now, what are you asking me?"
Amused Jiu Ye asked, “What are you thinking? I ask, when did you and Tianchao and the others become so familiar? You alone invited me, but the three of them supported you, as if I didn't walk in your garden I would invite everyone's anger."
“I don't know why the three of them helped me? Maybe they are cultivating good intentions, and will later use them to blackmail me."
While we were talking, we had arrived at my garden, I turned to look at Shi Feng, Shi Feng made a funny face at me, then said to Jiu Ye, “Jiu Ye, previously when I came to Brother Yu's place I didn't have time to look around, today I I want to go look elsewhere first, I want to see what the number one entertainment house in Chang'an is really like.”
Jiu Ye smiled and said, “Go!” After making a hand gesture meaning money towards me, Shi Feng sprinted away.
The entire garden was filled with the fragrance of flowers, as soon as he pushed open the door, Jiu Ye asked in a low voice, “Did you grow Jinyin flowers?” I smiled at him tensely, not answering.
Yuanyang Teng has lush leaves and blooms vibrantly. Under the rays of the summer sun, brilliant as gold, white as silver, green as jade stones, their rays shimmered, contrasting with each other, their beauty moved the heart.
Jiu Ye looked at her carefully for a while, "You have put in a lot of effort in taking care of them, to make them bloom so beautifully, of course you have put in a lot of effort."
I stared at the flower on the spoke, the tension I had felt for the past few days slowly disappeared, my mind calmed down, “The Jinyin flower has another name, do you know?”
Jiu Ye was silent for a long while, “Because in winter they are still green, they are also called ‘Winter Hardy’.
I smiled bitterly, while leaning on his wheelchair, I slowly squatted down and looked at him sharply, “What exactly are you avoiding? Why don't you mention another name? Because their flowers are entangled together, like a pair of dancing mandarin ducks, people call them ‘Yuanyang Teng’.”
Jiu Ye smiled and said, "For a moment I forgot their names, only remembering their name as medicine. Today you invited me to come to the garden not just to see the flowers, right? I remember the liu tree by your lake is beautiful, let's go for a walk- walk by the lake."
I grabbed his hand which was about to turn the wheel of the wheelchair, "I really just invited you to see the flowers, I don't care whether you laugh at me or not, today I want to tell you what's in my heart. I deliberately planted this Yuanyang Teng for you, I planted it in season fell two years ago, now two years have passed. Jiu Ye, I......I like you, I want to marry you, in the future I want to see flowers with you, and I'm not the only one who saw them dancing together."
Jiu Ye's hands trembled slightly, his fingers were cold as ice, he looked into my eyes, sadness, pity and even fear mixed together, I couldn't understand it. My hand that held his hand turned cold. Begging I looked at him, "I give you my heart, keep it well......keep it......be well."
Suddenly, Jiu Ye withdrew his hand from my grasp, he avoided my gaze and only looked at Yuanyang Teng in front of him, he spoke haltingly, slowly and with difficulty, as if to say every word he had to use all his strength, "I'm not used to accompanying people other than looking at flowers, I think you will be able to find someone who can accompany you to look at flowers."
"Bruk!", my heart fell and immediately shattered into pieces. My hands were already flailing in the air, I was about to reach for something but my palms were empty, really a strange posture.
He stretched out his hand, about to push the wheelchair, but his hand seemed to be limp, he pushed several times, but the wheelchair didn't move at all.
I grabbed his sleeve and asked, “Why? Have I been unrequited all this time? Do you have no feelings for me at all? far in life not because of his feet, but because of his heart."
Jiu Ye looked away, not wanting to look at me, little by little he pulled out his hand which was in my grasp, his mouth kept saying, "Yu Er, you are so kind, there will definitely be someone willing to accompany you to see the flowers."
I watched as the sleeve of his robe slowly slipped out of my grasp, but made no effort to prevent it. It turns out that there are indeed people who are more difficult to catch than floating clouds.
A very cold voice sounded, "Actually there is someone who is willing to accompany him to see the flowers."
I didn't move, just looked at my own hands. How could he reject me so cruelly? Rejected me and rejected me again. Actually, the greatest sadness is not a broken heart but a feeling of endless despair.
Huo Qubing walked in front of Jiu Ye, “Meng Jiu is Shi Corporation’s master?” His attitude was arrogant but his face was ashen.
Jiu Ye leaned towards her, with a complicated facial expression he glanced at me, with an increasingly pale face he turned towards me and said, "Yu er, your friend has come, I'll go first." He pushed his wheelchair, about to leave.