CH 57

Drinking Soup (2)

When she stepped out, the cold assailed her from all directions.

The cold wind cleared her thoughts and turned her flushed cheeks pale as snow.

She did not manage to achieve her goal today. In the end, she could not tell Xiao Kezhi what she wanted. Although she felt a little flustered, she calmed down quickly. She remembered Xiao Kezhi's demeanor just now and knew that she did not have to worry.

Although she was the one who arranged for their previous encounters, Xiao Kezhi was now more impatient than she was. He would come up with a way to meet her again. So, she just has to wait patiently.

Furthermore, Xiao Yu would be leaving Chang'an tomorrow. This would give her more opportunities.

With this thought, her mood suddenly relaxed, and she asked about Xiao Yu's condition.

"How was His Highness?"

Cui He whispered what happened after Xiao Yu woke up, "I think His Highness is not so angry after hearing that you went to look for the bracelet he gifted you. However, you should still be more careful for a while, Madam.”

Chu Ning nodded and saw that the door was already open. She quietly took out the bracelet from her sleeve and put it back on her wrist. Then, she put on a gentle smile and said, "Your Highness is awake earlier than usual today."

Xiao Yu had finished dressing and had eaten the congee. He was planning to return to the East Palace. Seeing that she was back, he frowned and said impatiently, "Although Liangzhou wine makes one drunk easily, it is also quick to recover from it. Where's the bracelet? Have you found it?"

Chu Ning waved the jade bracelet gently before his sight and said with a smile, "I found it, and it fell in the bushes by the porch. I thought a wild cat might have taken it away. Fortunately, I found it on time. I can’t bear to lose the things you gave me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu's impatience disappeared slightly.

……

"Ning, you didn’t have to search so hard.” He stood up and squeezed her wind-chilled hands. Then, he shook his head and said, "It's not good for you to search in the cold for so long. I don’t want you to end up with a cold."

Chu Ning nodded obediently and followed him out of the hall. They boarded the litter prepared for them and returned to the East Palace.

...

Meanwhile, in Azure Hall, the eunuchs had prepared hot water for a bath. Seeing that Chu Ning and Xiao Yu had returned, the eunuchs quickly got the bathroom ready.

After helping Xiao Yu to take off his coat, Chu Ning planned to return to her quarters, but Xiao Yu suddenly pulled her into his arms.

"I will be leaving early tomorrow morning..." He rested his head on her shoulder, wanting to take her into the bathroom with him.

Chu Ning was taken aback. She feared that he would discover the bite mark Xiao Kezhi left on her. Thus, she replied quickly, "Your Highness, you drank too much today, so you shouldn’t stay in the bath for too long. It’s bad for your health."

Xiao Yu frowned as his mind still felt a little hazy from the alcohol. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fine, I will only take a while. Wait for me here."

Chu Ning nodded and watched him go into the bathroom. Then, she went to her room quickly and took off her clothes to check her body carefully. Fortunately the teeth marks on her back were about to disappear. There were no other marks, so she was relieved.

She brushed up hurriedly and returned to the Azure Hall when Xiao Yu was coming out of his bath.

……

The servants cleared the bath quickly and left. After some consideration, Chu Ning decided to blow out the candle herself and turned around to lean into Xiao Yu’s embrace. She began to kiss his lips.

"Ning..." He grabbed her tightly and led her onto the large bed, sinking them into the darkness.

...

Meanwhile, in Amrita Hall, Xiao Kezhi sat alone under the lamp, holding the undergarment he tore from Chu Ning. He felt desire surging through his body, clamoring for him to bring her back.

The undergarment kept reminding him of what happened just now. The sight of her naked body kept playing in his mind as if deeply ingrained in his memories. He could not shake the thought away.

He wanted to teach her a lesson today. Although he had achieved his goal, he didn’t expect to be the one to suffer.

He was left hanging repeatedly. It added to the tension in his mind, pushing him to the point of snapping.

Whenever he thought about the likelihood of her making love with his useless nephew at this moment, he felt his frustration and restlessness surge.

"Your Majesty, please have some soup." Liu Kang was fearful of Xiao Kezhi as he served him a bowl of nourishing soup. In the end, Liu Kang added hesitantly, "The Crown Prince will be leaving Chang'an tomorrow..."

He had seen this expression of the Emperor several times, but he still could not get used to it. He was sure that the Emperor was thinking about the Crown Princess.

Just now, he was surprised that the Emperor had not done much in the room. When Liu Kang entered, he noticed that the Emperor remained dressed.

On the other hand, he caught a glimpse of the Crown Princess and saw her tousled appearance. He couldn’t help feeling his face heating up.

One does wonder who has the upper hand between them.

Xiao Kezhi frowned and looked at the steaming soup before him. He held the bowl in silence for a while before finally drinking it.

The bitter taste immediately spread all over his mouth, causing his senses to focus on it at once.

He put down the porcelain bowl and sensed that the soup had suppressed his impatience. However, the moment the bitterness dissipated, his frustration returned again.

It felt as if he had stepped onto the mud without him knowing and was sinking within in. He struggled to get out, but it was in vain.

He let out a long sigh and set his eyes again on the torn undershirt.

"Leave."

Liu Kang acted on it immediately. When he picked up the porcelain bowl and was about to withdraw, Xiao Kezhi shouted again, "Open the doors of Valiant Hall tomorrow."

Liu Kang’s hand shook so much that he almost knocked over the tray in his hand. Valiant Hall was next to the East Palace. Therefore, and the other side of the door was naturally the East Palace.