Prime Minister.

Chapter 299, Section 298: [A Rendezvous After Dusk]

The mountain breeze swirled on the platform behind Guanyin Temple, dispelling the summer heat and seemingly softening some invisible barriers.

As noon approached, Guanyin Temple had prepared a vegetarian meal. The abbot of the temple came to personally invite her, and Jiang Li gladly accepted.

Perhaps because she had exhausted herself climbing the mountain, or perhaps because she rarely felt so relaxed, Jiang Li ate half a bowl more rice than usual, which made Su Erniang, who was serving her, beam with joy.

However, what surprised the two even more was Xue Huai's appetite.

He ate very politely, without putting on airs in front of Jiang Li. Before he knew it, he had finished three bowls of rice. This made Jiang Li slow down her pace, and in the end, she ate almost one grain of rice at a time, because once she put down her chopsticks, Xue Huai would probably be too embarrassed to continue eating.

After Xue Huai finished his fourth bowl of rice, Jiang Li put down her chopsticks, rinsed her mouth and washed her hands, then looked at Xue Huai and smiled, "Have you studied martial arts?"

Xue Huai naturally understood where the question came from. He glanced at the exquisite but small white porcelain rice bowl and smiled, "Your Highness, I have never practiced martial arts. I only learned a set of health-preserving boxing techniques from Jiang Sheng, which I practice twice every morning. However, I have a rather large appetite, so please forgive me."

"Being able to eat is a blessing, why would I make fun of that?"

Jiang Li brushed it off, her eyes crinkling as she asked, "What are your plans for this afternoon?"

Xue Huai suggested, "Your Highness, the sun is still blazing. Why don't we find a quiet place to rest for a while and wait for the heat to subside before heading down the mountain?"

Jiang Li was indeed feeling a bit tired, so she nodded and said, "You can arrange it."

Xue Huai was prepared and led Jiang Li and her group to a small courtyard built by a spring on the east side of the Zen temple.

This is not a famous scenic spot, but a tea house called Tingquan Xiaozhu, specially set up for literati to enjoy tea and scenery.

The small house is located next to a lush bamboo forest, with several exquisite bamboo and wood structures nestled among the green bamboo, creating a quiet and elegant environment.

The interior of the pavilion is simply and rusticly decorated, with bamboo curtains half-rolled up, allowing a gentle breeze to pass through and instantly dispel the restlessness of midsummer.

The maids served chilled fruits and delicate Yangzhou pastries before quietly retreating to the outer room. Su Erniang also tactfully stood guard on the outer corridor, leaving only Xue Huai and Jiang Li sitting opposite each other on the bamboo couch by the window.

Looking out at the lush bamboo forest, Jiang Li sincerely praised, "This place is wonderful."

"As long as His Highness likes it."

Xue Huai picked up the purple clay teapot that had been prepared on the table. It contained the pre-Qingming Longjing tea that he had brought specially. He then said, "Your Highness mentioned earlier that you wanted to try my cooking. Fortunately, we have teaware here. Although I do not have the ingredients for plum and mint tea, I am willing to make a fool of myself and give it a try. Please taste it, Your Highness."

Jiang Li withdrew her gaze and looked at Xue Huai thoughtfully.

Her request just now was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and she didn't want to prove anything through this matter. However, Xue Huai seemed to have some burden because of it, so he wanted to finish this matter as soon as possible, as if it were a problem he had to solve, or... to complete a task.

Jiang Li watched as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his smooth forearms, and skillfully and attentively warmed the teapot, added tea leaves, and poured water, each step carrying a rhythmic quality like flowing clouds and water.

The misty air blurred his handsome face, but it also revealed a calm and gentle temperament, which was completely different from his usual decisive and ruthless image in the officialdom.

For Jiang Li, this was a complex and contradictory feeling.

On the one hand, she felt that Xue Huai looked more and more pleasing to the eye at this moment, but on the other hand, she disliked Xue Huai's always businesslike attitude.

Admittedly, she knew that this was the correct way for the two of them to get along, but after experiencing all sorts of twists and turns, especially after seeing Xue Huai's poem "Butterfly Loves Flowers" written for Shen Qingluan, she no longer wanted to pretend to be nonchalant. That's why she said "wrong" to Su Erniang.

Where did we go wrong?

Naturally, she shouldn't have looked down on Xue Huai from a superior position, shouldn't have taken the distinction between superior and inferior to the extreme, and shouldn't have maintained her noble princess status from beginning to end.

Under Jiang Li's complex gaze, Xue Huai gently pushed a cup of fragrant tea in front of her: "Your Highness, please enjoy."

Jiang Li looked down and saw that the tea in the cup was clear and bright, like a pool of jade.

She picked up the cup and took a small sip. Her tongue felt slightly astringent at first, but then a sweet and lingering aftertaste followed. The warm tea slid down her throat, soothing her body and calming her worries. She smiled and said, "The taste is elegant and the brewing time is just right. Your tea-brewing skills are truly remarkable."

Xue Huai smiled slightly, poured himself a cup, and said humbly, "My skills are but trifles, hardly worthy of serious consideration. As an official in Yangzhou, I had to engage in social interactions, and over time I learned only the basics. I cannot compare to Your Highness's extensive knowledge and experience."

"Social?"

Jiang Li gently stroked the cup with her slender, delicate fingers, and asked with a half-smile, "Like today's social gathering?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Jiang Li felt something was amiss; it seemed she was questioning Xue Huai's unintentional remark.

She felt a little annoyed. She had originally wanted to make their interaction more natural, so she insisted on climbing the mountain herself instead of riding in a sedan chair. She was bound to be a little embarrassed during the process, but she believed that this would gradually soften Xue Huai's sense of distance.

But she inadvertently reverted to her usual posture.

Before she could explain, Xue Huai calmly replied, "Today, being able to accompany Your Highness to climb to a high place, enjoy tea, and have a leisurely chat is a rare treat for me, and is naturally different from the usual welcoming and seeing off of guests."

Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat. Was he hinting at something? Or was it just a casual remark?
She lowered her eyes, concealing the turmoil within them, her fingertips unconsciously twirling the delicate embroidery on her cuff, and said softly, "Actually, you've done more than enough these past two years. The road ahead is long and cannot be reached overnight, so there's no need for too much burden, much less for overworking yourself, after all..."

Her words stopped abruptly, as if the following words were too abrupt, causing her to swallow them back before they could be uttered.

The lingering echo, like a light feather, landed heavily on Xue Huai's heart.

A strange silence fell over the room.

The bamboo grove outside the window rustled in the wind, and the babbling of a clear spring could be faintly heard, making the silence inside the room seem even more oppressive.

The aroma of tea filled the air, yet it couldn't dispel the thin mist between the two. Xue Huai gazed at Jiang Li, who seemed hesitant to speak. At this distance, he could clearly see the delicate texture of her skin and even smell the faint fragrance emanating from her.

Having lived two lives, he was no novice in matters of the heart; how could he not see Jiang Li's increasingly obvious feelings?
To be fair, his current feelings towards Jiang Li are based on respect and gratitude. Putting aside the slight contempt he encountered when he first came into this world, Jiang Li has provided tremendous help to him in achieving his current status and success.

At this moment, in this secluded mountain teahouse far from the hustle and bustle of the world, facing Jiang Li, who was no longer as aloof and dignified as ever, and seeing her rare girlish sentiments, Xue Huai's heart naturally stirred with a few ripples. However, these ripples would not make him forget everything.

On the contrary, the feeling was unfamiliar and dangerous, making him instinctively want to back away.

However, considering Jiang Li's temperament and status, Xue Huai finally said calmly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will keep it in mind."

"Ah."

Jiang Li smiled faintly, hiding her disappointment deep in her heart, and said calmly, "I'm tired, so I'll rest here for a while before heading down the mountain."

"Yes."

Xue Huai stood up and bowed, then stepped out from behind the tea stove and beckoned Su Erniang and the maids to come in and serve him.

For the next hour or so, Xue Huai sat quietly on the stone bench under the shade of the tree, gazing at the scenery of the mountains and fields as if in a trance, until Su Erniang came to inform him that Jiang Li was preparing to go down the mountain.

Xue Huai stood up, looked at Jiang Li who seemed to be in much better spirits, and went to greet her with a smile.

The way down the mountain requires more caution than the way up.

Jiang Li declined Su Erniang's suggestion that she ride in a sedan chair down the mountain, and insisted on walking with Xue Huai instead.

She went first, while Xue Huai lagged half a step behind.

At first, Jiang Li walked briskly, but when she reached a bend where the slope suddenly increased, her foot slipped and her body involuntarily staggered backward.

"Be careful, Your Highness!"

Xue Huai reacted extremely quickly, almost instinctively stepping forward and firmly supporting her left elbow with his right hand.

Jiang Li had never had such direct physical contact with a man before. Even in the palace, there were strict etiquette rules regarding distance.

The warmth of Xue Huai's palm seeped through the thin fabric and imprinted on her skin, bringing a strange, tingling sensation.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment; the rustling of the mountain wind through the treetops and the faint chirping of birds in the distance became exceptionally clear.

Seeing that she had regained her footing, Xue Huai released her hand and took a small step back imperceptibly, saying with concern, "The mountain path is slippery, Your Highness, please be careful where you step."

Jiang Li responded softly, without looking at Xue Huai, seemingly studying the stone steps beneath her feet.

Su Erniang quickly stepped forward and asked anxiously, "Has Your Highness sprained your ankle?"

"It doesn't matter."

Jiang Li composed herself and regained some composure. "I was just unsteady on my feet, but thankfully Xue Tongzhi came to my aid in time."

Su Erniang dared not let her go alone any longer, and stubbornly held onto her arm.

However, at that moment, she suddenly saw Jiang Li's slightly upturned lips and the undisguised smile in her eyes.

Su Erniang understood the reason for the little incident just now after a little thought. She felt helpless and had a lingering fear in her heart. What if Xue Huai had not helped Jiang Li in time? It would have been a big deal if she had fallen on the mountain road.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but softly reproach, "Your Highness—"

Jiang Li interrupted her directly: "Second Aunt, there's no need to worry."

Su Erniang swallowed back all her words, which eventually turned into a soft sigh.

The group returned to the foot of the mountain. The sun was already slightly setting, but the heat had not yet dissipated.

Jiang Li glanced at the princess's carriage parked by the roadside, then turned to Xue Huai and said with a smile, "I've heard that there are thirty-six West Lakes in the world, but the Slender West Lake is the most charming. It's a pity that I didn't get to see it last time I was there in a hurry. I wonder if you would be so kind as to accompany me on a night tour of the Slender West Lake?"

Xue Huai replied, "It is my honor."

"Alright, I'll have Second Sister prepare the pleasure boat."

A sly glint flashed in Jiang Li's eyes as she softly said, "I will wait for you by the lake tomorrow night."

Xue Huai lowered his head and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Jiang Li then stepped onto the carriage and had Su Erniang accompany her.

The carriage moved smoothly. Inside the carriage, Jiang Li's eyes were slightly closed, and a smile lingered on her face, as if she was still reliving the scene when she descended the mountain.

Su Erniang could only advise, "Your Highness, things have come to this point, why create unnecessary complications?"

"Unexpected complications?"

Jiang Li shook her head and whispered to herself, "I just hope he can remember these two days."

(End of this chapter)