The Gilded Cage - CH 104

Snowy Scene—You’re seven years younger than me. Aren’t you a little maiden? (1)

“What’s wrong?” Chu Ning asked softly, feeling that he was extra gentle tonight. Originally, she felt a little embarrassed after she said it that day, but now it was all gone. Instead, she felt that she had no worries.

“It’s nothing.” He rubbed her head and patted her back regularly like a child to sleep. “Aren’t you sleepy? Go to sleep.”

She was excited for a while, and when she heard this, she was subconsciously knocked down by her sleepiness, and her eyelids drooped until they were closed. While drowsy, she did not forget to mumble, “I’m not a little maiden…”

There was his chuckle and low voice.

“You’re seven years younger than me. Aren’t you a little maiden?”

But she had fallen into a dream so quickly that she could no longer hear it.

…

After the bad storm, the day finally ushered in a warm sun.

Chu Ning always woke up early, and when the day turned bright, she had already opened her eyes, but she did not expect that Xiao Kezhi woke up earlier than her, and had been watching her for an unknown amount of time.

“Why did Your Majesty wake up and not move?” She was still a little dazed and couldn’t help yawning, and her bright eyes clouded over with a layer of mist.

“You were too tired last night, so you should sleep a little longer.” He said, approaching spontaneously to kiss her eyes.

Chu Ning snorted softly and couldn’t help but turn her face away to avoid him, but he caught an earlobe. The strange touch emanated from her ear, and suddenly a flush was triggered. Starting from the ear, it gradually climbed over the neck and cheeks, and the pink and white were intertwined, which was particularly moving.

“Your Majesty…” She had already been sensitively aware of his change, and hurriedly tried to push him.

He simply turned over and pressed her down, kissing her for a long time before reluctantly letting go.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

Chu Ning blushed and gasped, nodded lightly, was pulled by him and sat up, then picked up the clothes that had been thrown aside and put them on one by one.

Although the weather was cold, the cloak previously covered with snow was dry. She wrapped it around herself tightly, walked to the window, pushed open the lattice, and stuck her head out to look at the weather outside.

The bright sun suddenly came over, and the cold slightly slipped away.

“It’s clear.” She said softly, exhaling white mist, which quickly dissipated in the air, “It’s time to go back.”

Her voice fell, and the room fell silent.

Xiao Kezhi walked behind her slowly and pulled her into his arms, “I have to wait for the people in Tangquan Palace to clear the snow on the path, which may take an hour or two.”

The guards guarding outside had been paying attention to this place for a long time. As soon as the window was opened, they brought in washing water and a warm breakfast.

It was still the same fermented vegetables, panbread, and soup as last night. After washing up, the two sat down to eat harmoniously.

Cui He came over with another hand warmer and put it in Chu Ning’s arms, softly saying, “Zhao Sizhi has already gone up the mountain to explore the way.”

“It’s so early? There’s a lot of snow on the mountain, and the road is slippery. It’s dangerous. How many people did he take?” Chu Ning was worried. Zhao Yanzhou was a weak scholar after all, and it would be difficult to travel in the snow.

“He took two servants with him.”

“Two people?” They were the common servants in charge of chores in the East Palace. They have to walk through the snow, but they are not necessarily good at it.

Xiao Kezhi listened and waved to Jin Jiang outside the door, “Send three people to follow and protect Zhao Sizhi.”

Jin Jiang immediately responded and went down to make arrangements.

The guards around the emperor were all strong sergeants and were naturally very reliable. Chu Ning was relieved and turned to thank him.

He glanced at the color of the snow outside the house and suddenly became interested, reached out to pick her up, and strode towards the outside, “Come, I will take you out to have a look.”

Chu Ning was startled and hurriedly wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to bury her face into his shoulder.

Fortunately, the Daoist priests stayed in their house after being reminded by the guards, and they walked around without any strangers snooping.

Xiao Kezhi took her to the side of his black horse, and after making her sit firmly, he immediately turned over, wrapped her in his arms, and pulled the reins to urge the horse to move forward.

“Where are we going?” Chu Ning looked at the white snow in his eyes and listened to the slight rustling sound of horses’ hooves stepping into the snow. A kind of pleasant interest emerged in his heart, “Does Your Majesty want to take A’Ning to see the snow landscape?”

Xiao Kezhi laughed, patted her shoulder with one hand, shook his head and said, “I’m just taking you somewhere. I’ve seen snow a lot, and I’m tired of it. In Ganzhou, there is more snow than here. The snow banks often go over the knees, and wolves often appear, and if you are not careful, accidents will happen.”

Speaking of wild wolves, Chu Ning thought of the gray wolf that he kept and couldn’t help asking: “Isn’t there a wolf under Your Majesty? I heard that it had some connections with Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Weimo once saved my life.” When he mentioned what happened at the time, there was a bit of emotion in his eyes, but there was no pain or embarrassment.

On the contrary, it was Chu Ning who was surprised. He was a prince of Liang, but what kind of life would he live in the frontier if the court never heard about his near-death experiences?

“Your Majesty, did you have a hard time in Ganzhou?”

“Hard time? Let’s see. The first two years I was there, it was really difficult. After I got used to it, it was all right.” He wrapped her cloak, which had been blown away by the wind, around her tightly, and continued, “It was in the third year of my arrival that Weimo appeared.”