HCB Chapter 486 Return
Chapter 486 Return
When the hooves of the Qingzhui horse crushed the morning mist, Yuan Ruiyuan had been bumping along the official road for seven whole days.
The morning dew soaked the hem of his black cloak and stained the jade plate at his waist, emitting a cold white light.
The veins on the back of Yuan Ruiyuan's hand as he gripped the reins were slightly bulging - this was the mark of seven nights without closing his eyes, and his knuckles were turning blue and white from the force.
"Your Highness, do you want to take a break?" Perrin's voice came from behind the horse, with a hint of cautious worry.
Peilin was holding another horse for the prince at this moment. He saw the prince's Adam's apple moving, and he refused to even give himself time to drink a sip of hot water. "You only took a nap for two minutes last night. You should drink some hot porridge now."
Yuan Ruiyuan raised his eyes to look at the sky - the morning star had not yet disappeared, and the east was glimmering with light. "No need, hurry up and try to get to the imperial city today."
In this game, Lao Wu actually dragged Tianyuan's greatest rival, the Xiluo barbarians, into the water. "This game of chess was played more ruthlessly than I thought." His Royal Highness the Crown Prince murmured softly, with a bitter taste in his throat.
If Fang Hua had not intercepted the secret letter from Kuryong and Lao Wu, this trip back to Beijing would have been fraught with danger.
"Pei Lin." Yuan Ruiyuan suddenly spoke, his voice lighter than the morning mist, "You said... after I return to Beijing, will Lao Wu, desperate, attack Yang Qi?"
My mother has been in the palace for many years. She is the queen and has the support of my uncle. She has enough ways to protect herself.
But now, as the relationship between the maid and herself became clearer, she gradually attracted the attention of the Fifth Brother and Concubine Hua.
If something really happened, those greedy fathers and grandfathers in the Song Mansion would not protect Yang Qi.
Although Yang Qi has been smart since childhood and has the ability to protect himself.
However, Yang Qi's ability is really weak when facing imperial power.
Perrin's hand paused on the reins.
He had been with the prince for so many years and had never seen his highness so worried.
The morning breeze blew up the strands of hair on Yuan Ruiyuan's forehead, revealing the bloodshot in his eyes - those were the traces left by traveling all night, and also his concern for the third young lady of the Duke of Song's Mansion.
"No." Peilin said firmly, "The young lady is protected by the Queen in the palace, and Xinche and Xiaoqing are guarding the mansion. Besides..." He paused and softened his voice, "Your Highness, you are back, aren't you?"
Yuan Ruiyuan pulled the corners of his mouth but couldn't laugh out loud.
When the sound of the night watch wrapped in the night fog drifted into the Mansion of Duke Song, Yuan Ruiyuan was standing outside the wall of the Linhu Courtyard.
He was wrapped in a black cloak with his hat pulled down low, and even his breathing was very light. He made sure that the people sent by Lao Wu to keep an eye on Yang Qi had left, and that Yang Qi's maids and nannies had gone to bed.
A faint scent of herbs wafted from the herb garden in Linhuyuan, just like the scent that the girl had been carrying for many years.
At this moment, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked at the half-lit lantern in the corridor, and his tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed half an inch, like an ice ridge melted by the spring breeze.
There was a screen hanging under the lantern, and a slender figure was reflected behind the screen. Yang Qi was bending over the desk, writing something on rice paper. The jade bracelet on her wrist swayed slightly with her movements, emitting a faint glow under the candlelight.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince reached out and knocked on the screen, his movements as light as a falling leaf.
Yang Qi's pen tip suddenly stopped, and the ink spread out into a small blob on the rice paper.
She looked up alertly, only to see a dark-colored figure standing next to the screen, with half of his chin exposed from under the brim of his hat. It was the person she had been thinking about day and night.
"Your Highness?" Yang Qi's voice trembled, and his fingertips clenched the pen, "You...you are finally back?"
Yuan Ruiyuan stretched out his hand to move the screen, and the night wind made his hair messy. "I received A-Du's letter and rushed to the imperial city. I just entered the imperial city."
Yang Qi stood up suddenly, and her skirt swept the inkstone off the table.
The ink splashed on the rice paper spreads into a clump, which looks very much like the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River.
She didn't bother to clean up, just stared at the night dew in his hair, her voice tense: "Did the Fifth Prince... hurt you?"
"No problem." Yuan Ruiyuan walked to the desk, the moss on the bluestone slabs wet the soles of his boots, "I'm back."
These four words were of great weight and gave Yang Qi great confidence and self-confidence. Yes, His Highness is back.
Seeing the dark circles under the eyes of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the red bloodshot eye sockets, Yang Qi felt distressed and hurried to help him, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince grabbed his wrist.
His Highness's palms were covered with calluses, and the warmth came through the brocade, making her heart tremble. "I... I'll pour you a cup of tea."
"No need." Yuan Ruiyuan pulled her to sit on the chair and sat opposite her. The moonlight fell on his shoulders, stretching his shadow very long. "I have something to tell you."
"But what about Jiangnan?" Yang Qi asked softly, "Did the Fifth Prince... hurt you?"
Yuan Ruiyuan shook his head and reached out to tidy up her hair that was messed up by the night wind. "I'm fine."
After a pause, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said, "It is precisely because I am worried that you are worried that I must tell you in person.
This time, I returned to Beijing secretly to deal with Lao Wu's affairs.
Yang Qi didn't know why, but the courage that he had been holding on to for many days burst out at this moment, and his voice was filled with unstoppable tears: "Your Highness, the Fifth Prince has been in the mansion recently, but he has been making small moves secretly.
In addition, there is Pei'er..."
Yuan Ruiyuan looked at her red eyes and suddenly felt distressed. He stretched out his hand and pulled her into his arms: "Silly girl, let me handle these.
Lao Wu secretly sent people to keep an eye on the Duke of Song's mansion. I can't stay here for long. Seeing that you are alright, I will return to the East Palace."
After a pause, Yuan Ruiyuan added: "I came here tonight just to take a look at you and make sure you are okay."
Yang Qi rested his forehead against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
Although he was reluctant, he knew that what he said made sense - at this moment, there were probably hundreds of things waiting for him to deal with in the East Palace.
Yuan Ruiyuan looked at the strands of hair on her head, reached out to smooth them down for her, and said in a voice as light as a sigh: "Go to bed quickly, you have to get up early tomorrow."
Yang Qi responded but did not move. She looked at his eyes and eyebrows revealed under the brim of his hat, which were incredibly gentle in the moonlight.
"Your Highness." She raised her head, her voice full of laughter, "You must remember that Yang Qi is waiting for you here."
Yuan Ruiyuan straightened the wrinkled hem of her skirt and nodded: "Okay."
When turning around, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked at the lantern under the corridor. The wick swayed gently in the wind, just like the girl's heartbeat at the moment.