CH 89

He clearly had just gently and cautiously kissed him, but Ni Lie still felt him tremble as if he was suffocating.

Ni Lie felt pity in his heart, and only wished that he could not crumple in his arms.

The wind was howling outside, but behind the platform was a quiet small world, after a long time, the sticky lips parted.

Li Yuanmin closed his eyes tightly, his cheeks were flushed, and even the tips of his ears were red.

Ni Lie endured it hard, gasped roughly, and hugged him tightly in his arms.

“ Everything in the capital is arranged. I will definitely not let you have an accident, so don’t worry and go.”

Li Yuanmin still didn’t open his eyes, only nodded.

Seeing his appearance, Ni Lie, with a smile on the corners of his lips, couldn’t help but lean closer to him, “Idiot, what are you doing with your eyes closed, you’re shy?”

Li Yuanmin pursed his lips and said nothing, Ni Lie smiled.

“Quickly recuperate,” he whispered in his ear, “When I see you next time, let me cure your shy problem on the bed.” 

He immediately licked his earlobe, held it and gently pressed it between his teeth.

Li Yuanmin shrank slightly, only hugged his waist, and buried his head in his chest.

Ni Lie patted him lightly on the back, there was no time for his heart to be full.

***

It was time to leave.

The team of the Guang’an Prince Mansion was on the road, Ni Lie rode and stopped in place from a distance to watch, but saw a figure riding away from the direction of the convoy.

He frowned slightly, and quickly recognized Ni Ying had come.

After a moment’s effort, Ni Ying led the horse to stop in front of him, her face was red, it wasn’t known if it was from the wind blowing or what, she glanced at Ni Lie, pursed her lips, and took out a pair of knee pads from her arms.

“Yinzhou has a cold climate, this is for you. ”

Ni Ying shoved it into his arms, as if in a hurry, and turned around and left.

Ni Lie hurriedly stopped her, coughed lightly, and walked over to her, seeing her neat and straight posture, his heart was comforted. He wanted to touch her hair, but in the end he didn’t raise his hand, and only said softly: “Be careful in the capital.”

Ni Ying nodded.

The two brothers and sisters were relatively speechless. Ni Ying bit her lip and raised her head, “I will protect His Highness well in your stead.” 

Ni Lie was stunned, and immediately a smile appeared at the corner of his lips, he looked down at her and said softly, “Okay.” 

Ni Ying hadn’t seen him smile like this for a long time. At this moment, seeing that fleeting smile, her heart was sour, for fear that she couldn’t help crying at the moment, she turned over on her horse and waved at him, “Brother, I’m leaving.”

Ni Lie gave a hum as an acknowledgment.

Ni Ying walked a few steps forward, glanced back, and immediately seemed to turn her head, called out, and kicked the stirrup heavily. The horse galloped, created a puff of smoke behind her, and ran towards the group in front.

Ni Lie stood in place for a long time, not knowing what he was thinking until the shadow of the group disappeared at the end of his vision, then did he turn on his horse and return to the camp.

In the distance, the fierce wind suddenly rose, rolling up the yellow sand in one place, and the convoy trudged through it, quite desolate.

Li Yuanmin sat in the rickety carriage. He leaned his head against the window for a long time, then let out a long breath, lowered his head, his hands weakly covered his face, it was clear that a tear dropped from his chin.

A complex mix of self-loathing and guilt overwhelmed him.

Because he had incomparably cleared the idea of giving up – he even wanted to break the jar and cling to the man, immerse himself in the gentle illusion that the man gave him, pretending that his A Lie was still there, then he wouldn’t strive for anything else besides to live like this for the rest of his life.

It turned out that he still had the shadow of that puppet in his bones, so weak that he was even willing to give up his A Lie.

But how can he be willing, how can he be willing!

In this world, only he can remember the eighteen-year-old A Lie, and if even he gives up looking for him, then his beloved A Lie will disappear from this world forever.

Li Yuanmin was heartbroken, took out the piece of tiger head jade pendant from his bosom, then put it to his lips, he bit his lips, and closed his eyes.

“A Lie….wait for me….”

He held the warm jade tightly with both hands, his bones turned white, and large tears fell on it, shining brightly.

***

On the tenth day of February, King Guang’an and his party arrived in the capital in a low-key manner.

Unlike other vessel states kings who entered the capital, King Guang’an and his party had no one to pick them up and hold a welcoming dinner to wash the dust for them. Other vessel state kings neighboring to him had their own imperial mansion in the capital, which was supposed to be regulated by the vessel state king, but it wasn’t known whether it was the negligence of the internal affairs government or the instruction of Emperor Mingde, that in the capital, Li Yuanmin did not have a mansion.

Fortunately, Li Yuanmin had already prepared and sent someone to the capital in advance to charter a medium-sized inn as a temporary place to stay.

That night, he called Uncle Qian to inquire: “In another month, Will I…look like I’m pregnant?”

Uncle Qian said: “Your Highness rest assured, the fetus grows to March, although the belly will be slightly prominent, it is not obvious, not to mention that there are many clothes being worn in this winter, if they don’t pay attention, then no one will notice it.”

Li Yuanmin was relieved, and immediately prepared two folds to deliver to the palace and the prince’s mansion.

He didn’t want to catch up like this, but he had already arrived in the capital. If he didn’t pretend, then he’s afraid someone with intention might have caught on the pigtail and made a fuss out of him.

Although the capital seems to be calm now, it had long been turbulent inside. On the surface, the crown prince Li Yuanqian had already controlled the situation in the capital, but how can the Marquis Zhenbei be willing? The more waves and undercurrents, the more cautious he must be to not make mistakes.

There was no reply for two days, but Li Yuanmin was greatly relieved, if there was no reply in the palace, it meant that Emperor Mingde did not want to see his son at all, this time he decreed, thinking that he was terminally ill, and the Internal Affairs Office adhered to the will of the crown prince and ordered the vessel state kings to routinely enter the capital to avoid the transfer of power and chaos among them.

And Li Yuanqian ignored his plea, because in his eyes, he did not disdain him as the so-called Third Highness, probably because he felt that his call “Imperial Brother” was not qualified, otherwise, how could he acquiesce to Ni Lie’s interference with him.

Li Yuanmin rubbed his brows, sneering in his heart, but he was also relieved.

After staying in the inn for two days, there was a unified will of the internal affairs government. Tomorrow all the vessel state kings who arrived in the capital would enter the palace and go to the Temple of Heaven to participate in the heavenly blessing ceremony presided over by the crown prince.

Ni Ying picked out the most simple vessel state king outfit according to Li Yuanmin’s idea. He specially picked it up, and wore it loosely on his body, showing that his posture was a little inadequate.

Just as he was packing, an eunuch with half raised brows came in. It was the imperial attendant who announced the decree yesterday, he bowed slightly, but his expression was quite unimpressed: “The third highness is properly packed, this heaven-summoning ceremony will begin, but don’t be late, else I will be punished.”

Li Yuanmin smiled and said, “I’m already done. So I will leave now so as to not let the eunuch suffer the injustice.” 

He stepped forward slowly, took out a bag of silver from his sleeve, and handed it to the attendant with a smile, “I have to trouble the eunuch for this hard working journey.” 

The imperial attendant secretly weighed the weight, and was satisfied in his heart, there was a little smile on his face, and his words were much more polite: “Then I will wait for you downstairs.” 

“ Okay.” Li Yuanmin personally sent him out the door.

Ni Ying had already dressed up as a personal guard, she looked at Li Yuanmin with a smiling face, her heart was sour and unbearable.

Closing the door, Li Yuanmin.turned around, he had long known Ni Ying, even if she looked so casual, he knew what she was thinking, and only smiled quite easily: “It’s not a big deal, I just have to pretend.”

Ni Ying silently draped him in a big drape, Li Yuanmin patted her hand and said solemnly: “A Ying, you must remember that we can’t afford to offend anyone in this capital land, understand?”

With his situation in the palace, even a small court attendant could trip him up, this truth has been known since as long as he can remember.

Ni Ying gritted her teeth and agreed slowly.

She snorted slightly, holding his hands in her sleeves: “Okay, let’s go.”