bayedsolid Chapter 7 It's okay, I'm hot.
Chapter 7 It's okay, I'm hot.
"Your Highness... that's a human life..." Shen Li said, her expression conflicted.
“Sister Shen, don’t be afraid.” Li Heng helped her sit down and said, “You are well aware of the ways of the Dali Temple. If Gu Chang’an investigates further, it will not only endanger me, but also accuse many loyal and virtuous people of forming cliques and embezzling.”
Shen Li could tell how panicked he was just by watching him pace back and forth in front of her.
"Can you bear to see those learned men lose their families and be ruined?" Li Heng continued, "Only you can save them, and Gu Chang'an will only listen to you."
Shen Li looked at his righteous and awe-inspiring appearance with disdain in her heart, but on the surface she still agreed: "Then I'll go back and give it a try."
"Sister Shen, you truly understand me best. What would I do without you?" Li Heng said with a joyful expression.
Seeing his obvious changes in mood, Shen Li thought to herself that she was too young and naive to have seen through such a simple trick.
“Since Liu Ling is His Highness’s disciple, His Highness should not move around too much at this time. Only if you can keep His Majesty calm will he be less likely to suspect you,” she said.
Li Heng nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, sister. I won't do anything. I'll just wait for your news."
"Your Highness, I will certainly not fail your trust." Shen Li bowed respectfully.
Hearing her refer to herself like that, Li Heng felt a pang in his heart, but he didn't have time to say anything more and left in a hurry after saying goodbye.
As Shen Li watched Li Heng walk away, the scene in her mind that appeared in her previous life was when she knelt outside the palace and begged him to spare Gu Chang'an.
The snow was heavy that night. He stood on the steps looking down at her, his voice colder than the snow itself.
"Now that the knife is in my hand, how can you possibly survive?"
The images in her memory gradually overlapped with the figure in front of her, weaving together to create a clear path forward.
Li Heng, do you know who holds that knife that can take a life right now?
Shen's mother, Xiao Bailing, returned to the mansion in the afternoon. Upon learning of her daughter's return, she immediately instructed the kitchen to prepare dinner, while she herself pulled Shen Li and Shen Yue aside to talk in her room.
Shen Li is calm and doesn't talk much, but her mother, who comes from a military family, is a straightforward person. Shen Yue takes after her mother, and when the three of them are together, Shen Li always listens to them.
This time was no different from the past, but Shen Li's state of mind was completely different. As she listened to her mother and sister talking, peeling sweet tangerines sent to the capital from Gannan Road, she felt that the peaceful and beautiful life had become a tangible scene.
"Li'er, when you see your father later, you must give him a good talking to. He caught a cold and instead of resting at home for a couple of days, he's busy with government affairs and lecturing the Crown Prince all day long. Does this old body of his even need to go on?"
Shen's mother took the oranges that Shen Li handed her and said while eating, "He still listens to you the most. What you say will definitely work."
"Okay." Shen Li gave the other half of the orange to Shen Yue.
Shen Zizai, who was then Minister of Rites, was in his early forties. He had a dignified posture, clear features, and a fine beard that added to his charm. He was a famous handsome man in the dynasty, but he was even more famous for his upright character.
At the dinner table, he became anxious after hearing what Shen's mother said: "Liu Ling has been arrested, and the Eastern Palace is in a state of panic, with everyone feeling insecure. How can I abandon the Crown Prince and stop court at this time? Don't try to persuade me anymore... cough cough..."
"Shen Zizai, try yelling at me again!" Shen's mother glared at her. "How can you be so ungrateful?"
Shen Zizai's momentum weakened by three points, and his voice also lowered: "I know that my wife cares about me, but I absolutely cannot rest now. It's just a cold, how could it be worth taking my life?"
When Shen's mother saw that he was being stubborn, she looked at Shen Li, and Shen Yue did the same.
"Father, what can you do for the Crown Prince if you attend court now?" Shen Li asked slowly.
"The investigation is still ongoing, and there's not much we can do, but we must stand together through thick and thin."
“Your efforts to help each other are probably not as effective as Gu Chang’an’s single rope.” Shen Li put some food in his bowl, looked up at him, and said, “Father, don’t worry, I’ll take care of this.”
"Are you sure?" Shen Zizai looked at his daughter with heartache. He hadn't agreed to the marriage in the first place. Although supporting a wise ruler was not wrong, he still couldn't bear to see his daughter marry someone like Gu Chang'an.
“If our daughter makes a mistake, chaos will surely ensue within ten days. If you don’t recover your health now, it will be difficult to weather the storm together then.”
Shen Zizai began to think it over, and after three breaths, he agreed to stay home to recuperate.
Both Shen's mother and Shen Yue looked at Shen Li with admiration.
They still have to be scholars.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
In the inner courtyard of the Gu residence, Gu Chang'an stood alone under the corridor, listening to the sounds from inside the mansion, waiting for her to return.
Lanterns had been lit in the courtyard, and the bright light stretched his shadow long, but it seemed to reach him at all. His aura was cold, as if he were not the same person he was in the morning.
This morning, after hearing what Ah Li said, he was overjoyed and didn't know what to do. She called him her husband and said she wanted to live a good life with him.
Ah Li never lied to him.
However, this morning, his subordinates reported that Li Heng went to the Shen family after court and met with his Ah Li.
Li Heng left the Shen family with a smile. After returning to the Eastern Palace, he secluded himself and refused to meet with any officials. His composure at this moment was a stark contrast to his panic of the previous two days.
Ah Li must have agreed to help him.
The late autumn night was truly chilly; his hands were so cold he could barely feel them, but he didn't know what else he could do but wait there.
He wanted to go and pick her up, but what if she wanted to stay overnight or come back later? He didn't want to spoil her fun, and he was even more afraid of upsetting her.
He didn't know what emotion he was feeling at that moment. Perhaps he should be angry, but what right did he have to be angry?
Li Heng was born into the royal family; he was the crown prince and the heir to the throne.
And I... am just a ruthless official who will stop at nothing...
I was never good enough for her, so why did I have so many inappropriate thoughts because of just a few words from her?
Fine, I'll just stay by her side... That's enough, isn't it?
As soon as Shen Li entered the inner courtyard, she saw Gu Chang'an standing under the corridor. His plain clothes made his figure look particularly thin. He had suffered severe torture in the imperial prison in his early years and was afraid of the cold. Yet he just stood there in the wind, which was really heartbreaking to see.
"You're back." Seeing her return, Gu Chang'an's eyes and brows showed a relaxed and restrained smile.
Shen Li quickened her pace and stepped forward, her tone tinged with reproach as she spoke with urgency: "Why are you standing outside in the middle of the night? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold dressed like that?"
Faced with her concerned gaze, Gu Chang'an felt a bittersweet mix of emotions, and a smile crept onto his face.
Seeing the chill emanating from him, Shen Li knew he had been waiting outside for a long time, so she went down and took his hand, whose knuckles were red.
Upon seeing this, Gu Chang'an immediately withdrew his hand, and worried that she might misunderstand, he explained, "It's cold."
But before he could finish speaking, Shen Li grabbed his hands. Before he could react, he felt her stand on tiptoe and whisper in his ear, "It's okay, I'm hot."