Maybe it's because spring is coming, and it's getting dark later and later.
Gu Qi hugged her knees and sat on the couch, watching the blue clouds in the sky getting darker little by little. The sun went down before the moon could be seen.
Li Mao's figure always flashes in my mind. The more I want to forget, the clearer it becomes.
"It's not me, it's not me!"
"Pei Qihuan? Wake up!"
"ah!"
Waking up from the nightmare, he saw Han Zizheng sitting beside the couch, his hand still on his shoulder, with concern in his eyes.
"You can easily catch a cold if you sleep like this."
After Han Zizheng finished speaking, he pulled a quilt from the side and covered Gu Qi.
"Why are you sweating so much?"
He reached out and took out the sweat towel and gently wiped it on Gu Qi's forehead.
The moment she saw Han Zizheng, Gu Qi's psychological defense suddenly collapsed. She sat up and hugged him and started crying: "Master, I'm so scared!"
He paused, then patted Gu Qi's back with his hand: "What's wrong with you?"
Ignoring the tears and runny nose, I hugged the person in front of me and began to complain: "I'm here alone and can't see you. I'm so scared. Why did you come here!"
"Sorry, I stayed in the cemetery for a while and delayed my return." A soft voice came to his ears, which made Gu Qixin feel a lot more at ease.
"You've never...you've never..."
Wait!
Coming back from the cemetery?
Gu Qi stopped crying and looked around with wide eyes. This was not the general's mansion, but a small courtyard.
The one I am holding...
Gu Qi took a breath and asked softly: "You came back from the cemetery?"
"Um."
A sudden awakening! This is Yuan Zhe!
Gu Qi slowly put down the arm holding him and slowly opened the distance between the two people.
Until he saw the person in front of him clearly, he was so shocked that he rolled off the bed and knelt on the ground: "I'm sorry! Your Highness, please forgive me!"
"Get up." Yuan Zhe reached out and helped Gu Qi up.
Gu Qi stood there, not daring to look up at him.
Yuan Zhe chuckled and said, "Why do you call me 'Master'?"
Owner? Did you shout like this?
"I, I...I didn't call you Lord...Master!"
"No?" Yuan Zhe pretended to think and said with a smile: "That's all, maybe I heard it wrong."
Fortunately, he didn't ask, otherwise I really don't know how to explain it.
Yuan Zhe stood up and stretched out his hand to help Gu Qi sit down on the couch: "Go to rest early. You are weak. Try not to participate in ritual activities in the future."
"I...I'm not..."
Yuan Zhe saw that Gu Qi was mumbling something and couldn't hear clearly, so he had to come over and ask, "What's it not?"
Gu Qi raised her head. Yuan Zhe's face was only a palm away from hers. There were thin stubbles on the top and bottom of his thin lips. The bridge of his nose was straight and the tip of his nose was slightly red. There was some redness and swelling around the eyes, and the eyes looked tired, but they were as soft as a pool of spring water.
Perhaps because he was stared at unnaturally by Gu Qi, Yuan Zhe was a little startled, his Adam's apple moved, and his cheeks began to turn red.
"Pei Qihuan,"
His voice started to sound hoarse when he spoke.
Gu Qi continued to look at him, but he turned his head away, straightened up and said, "Go to sleep."
next day
After washing up, he went back to the room to change his clothes, when Yuan Zhe got up.
Seeing Gu Qi's cloak and felt hat placed on the couch, Yuan Zhe asked, "Want to go out?"
"Well," Gu Qi smiled, pointed to the food box on the table and said, "The rice is still hot. Your Highness, please wash up and eat some."
Yuan Zhe walked to the table, raised his hand to open the food box and looked at it, then turned to look at Gu Qi: "Where are you going?"
Gu Qi smoothed her hair, put her felt hat on her head and said, "Go out for a walk."
"Is the injury on your foot healed?"
Gu Qi lifted the injured foot and waved it under Yuan Zhe's nose: "I took the medicine I got from the Imperial Hospital last time and applied it on it. Now it's much better."
"Um."
Gu Qiqian bowed and said, "Is there anything you want, Your Highness?"
"No."
There was no smile on Yuan Zhe's face, and Gu Qi didn't dare to stay too long for fear of offending this man. He had no choice but to put on a smile and say: "That minister is out, Your Highness can have a good rest."
Just as he walked to the door, Yuan Zhe's voice came from behind:
"I'm thirty this year, so remember to come back early. Well, I mean, the king said it's early for the palace gate to come."
It seems that this man is not so difficult to approach.
Gu Qi turned around and said back to Yuan Zhe: "Don't worry, Your Highness."
Chang Bin poked his head outside the small courtyard, saw Gu Qi coming out, and waved vigorously to Gu Qi.
He jogged all the way towards Chang Bin.
Chang Bin raised his arm and put it on Gu Qi's shoulders: "I thought you couldn't get out."
"If we didn't make an appointment yesterday, how could I break my promise?" Gu Qi looked at Chang Bin, who was wearing a green robe with a white gauze shirt outside. Then he looked at the big cloak on his body and said, "Why are you dressed like this?" Less? Isn’t it cold?”
"The moonlight last night could illuminate a stone's throw, and the stars were shining brightly. I thought it would be a good day today. What's more, it's early spring, how can it be so cold?"
Gu Qi tugged on the cloak and said, "But I still feel cold."
Chang Bin pulled Gu Qi into his arms and said, "Your body is too weak, you need to take good care of it."
Passing by the Hanlin Academy, I saw three or two people walking together, talking and laughing towards the palace gate. Gu Qi pointed to the book basket behind them and asked, "Why are they carrying the book basket?"
Chang Bin looked in the direction and said with a smile: "These are all people who live nearby. It's Chinese New Year and they are going home for reunion."
"That's great." Looking at their retreating figures, my eyes couldn't help but get wet. Over the past many years, I had forgotten what reunion was like.
"Don't be sad, it's me!"
The hands on his shoulders tightened, Gu Qi looked up at Chang Bin and laughed.
In this huge palace, I think I have friends!
After leaving the palace, I looked at the east and west streets and didn't know where to start.
Yan Churong's "Jishantang" is on East Street, but Chang Bin is there, so there may be some inconvenience.
"I see there is a sideshow over there, let's go and see it together." Chang Bin pointed to a corner of West Street and said.
Gu Qi stood on tiptoe and looked around, vaguely seeing a ball of flame spurting out. He nodded: "Okay, let's go to West Street."
The two of them walked along West Street. The deeper they went, the more people there were. There are people selling candied haws in the streets, people dragging their children shopping, there are also three or two women buying New Year goods together, and a few men are making fists loudly in the wine shop, it’s so lively!
After watching a sideshow, I threw a few coins in, turned around and walked out of the crowd, meeting a few acquaintances.
"Brother Pei!" The visitor shouted to Gu Qi. He looked up and saw that it was Zhao Dexun, then he smiled and waved.
"Brother Zhao, I didn't expect to meet you here!"
Two women's voices came from the side: "Mr. Pei."
Gu Qi turned around and saw clearly that the people coming were Liu Xiangning and Li Muhe.
"Miss Liu, Miss Li, you're polite."
Zhao Dexun spread his fingers and pointed at Chang Bin and asked: "Who is this?"
"Oh, I forgot to introduce you," Gu Qi patted Chang Bin on the shoulder and said, "This is Chang Bin, bachelor of the Hanlin Academy."
After introducing each other and greeting each other, Xiaocui, who was beside Liu Xiangning, said, "How is Mr. Pei doing lately?"
Gu Qi smiled and said: "Thank you Miss Xiaocui for your concern. Everything is as usual."
"Is Mr. Pei very busy? Every time I go out to buy, I see Mr. Zhao, but I never see Mr. Pei once."
Liu Xiangning saw this and shouted in a low voice: "Xiao Cui! Don't be rude."
Gu Qi smiled and waved her hand, but before she could speak, Chang Bin beat him to it: "This kid was injured. He has been nursing him so he doesn't come out to move around."
"injured?"
Everyone was startled by Liu Xiangning's voice. When they looked at her, she was already blushing with embarrassment.
Gu Qi took over the conversation and said, "It's okay. I bumped my ankle some time ago. It's not a big deal."
Li Muhe said from the side: "You have to be careful. If you don't pay attention to minor injuries, it can easily leave the root of the disease."
Zhao Dexun chuckled and echoed: "Yes, yes, brother Pei, please pay attention in the future."
"Give me, let me!"
While they were talking and laughing, a fisherman came swaying towards here with a cart with several buckets on it.
Several people were standing in the middle of the road. When they saw the fishing cart approaching, the maids and servants quickly retreated to both sides. Zhao Dexun protected Li Muhe and retreated to the side.
Chang Bin pushed Gu Qi behind him, and Gu Qi hugged Liu Xiangning and stumbled to the edge.
"Sorry, Miss Liu." I was so embarrassed that I didn't know what to do. I turned around and looked at Chang Bin. He had already stood opposite, looking like he was watching the show.
Looking at Liu Xiangning again, her face turned even redder.
Zhao Dexun stared at the direction of the fishermen and said: "It seems that they are delivering goods to 'Shangxiju'. Anyway, it is almost noon, so why not go and have a bowl of fish soup together to relieve our fatigue."
Before anyone else could respond, they heard Chang Bin say from not far away: "Okay!"
Gu Qi glared at Chang Bin and asked Liu Xiangning apologetically, "What do you think of Miss Liu?"
Xiaocui next to her jumped over and said, "Of course! Our lady likes to eat fish the most!"
Gu Qi looked at Zhao Dexun and said, "Then go."
Reaching out and bending down to make a "please" gesture, Xiaocui helped Liu Xiangning walk forward.
When Liu Xiangning and the others were a few steps away, Chang Bin walked up to them with bumpy steps.
"How long have you known each other?"
Gu Qizheng was angry because he pushed her, but he acted like nothing happened.
"Which one are you talking about?"
Chang Bin nudged Gu Qi with his elbow and said with a smile, "Of course it's Miss Liu!"
After Gu Qi stood still, she kicked Chang Bin hard: "I haven't settled the score with you just now, but now you have this expression on your face. It's clear that you don't have good intentions!"
Chang Bin was kicked, but still smiling, looking Gu Qi up and down: "Okay, you, Pei Qihuan, actually secretly met a young lady from a wealthy family."
Gu Qi rolled his eyes, raised his feet and walked forward while replying: "Miss Liu is the daughter of Liu Jigang, Lord Liu's family. When His Highness King Zhe and I came to the county, we stayed at Liu Mansion, and we got to know each other that way."
Chang Bin put away his cynicism and said seriously: "How come you returned to the capital with His Highness King Zhe? You have known each other for a long time?"
"It's a long story."
"You are in Zezhou, and His Highness King Zhe is far away in Qingzhou. Did you meet him on the way to Junzhou?"
Gu Qi waved his hand and said: "The waterway is not easy to travel, so we took a detour to Qingzhou. Later, we met His Highness Prince Zhe by chance in Qingzhou, so we went on the same road."
Chang Bin suddenly stopped and grabbed Gu Qi with one hand: "You guys?"
Gu Qi looked at Chang Bin and couldn't help being surprised.
When did the topic shift from Liu Xiangning to herself?
