Spring Courtyard Forbidden Pet

Li Xuan insisted on sending Ye Zhen back home. Because of Meng Qianru's words, the atmosphere in the carriage was not as harmonious as before.

Li Xuan coughed a few more times, and at the worst, veins on his temples bulged. Ye Zhen was anxious, "I should have left the princess's medicine. Why is Second Master making things difficult for me?"

Li Xu'an leaned back against the soft pillow and gently closed his eyes, but his hands tightly grasped Ye Zhen, "Are you willing to give me to her?"

Ye Zhen thought of the way Meng Qianru looked at him, and felt jealous, "The princess is deeply in love with the second master. It sounds like you were childhood sweethearts when you were young."

When she asked this question, her heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

It was actually impossible to see his emotions clearly in the dim carriage, but Ye Zhen kept staring at Li Xuan. She really wanted to hear him tell her about their past in person, but she was afraid to hear regret and resentment in his tone.

Li Xuan'an didn't even frown, he just covered his lips and coughed lightly, then turned his face to the side, "I was too young at the time, I really don't remember it."

Ye Zhen felt as powerless as if he was bumping into cotton.

Li Xuan added, "She looked down on Dingyuan Marquis' Mansion at the beginning, but now she has a loyal and brave family of Meng on her back. How can I be worthy of her?"

There was sarcasm in his words.

Ye Zhen lowered her head, "So Second Master was hurt by love when he entered the Dao Sect?"

Li Xuan opened his eyes and saw her bright smile with a hint of playfulness, and felt relieved, "It's not because of this."

The smile on Ye Zhen's lips widened a little, and there was a rare shrewdness flashing between her eyebrows, as if she had made up her mind to laugh at him, "It doesn't matter if Second Master admits it, it's all in the past anyway, I don't care."

She said this cleverly, and her emotion didn't show any trace of cliché.

But Li Xuan'an's chest still felt heavy as if a stone was pressing on it. He wanted to tease her, but found it difficult to force a smile. "It's really not because of her."

"I don't even remember what she looked like when she was a child."

"If I have to say it..." He pondered for a moment and said very seriously, "It looks like a peacock."

"It was only after the men of the Meng family died on the battlefield that she became more restrained overnight, and she looks as steady and dignified as she does now."

"She actually cares a lot, and she always weighs the benefits of everything she does. She knows that her father and brother's merits will be forgotten sooner or later, so she relies on the queen and establishes a reputation as a virtuous person among the people. In this way, His Majesty will always keep her in mind for the sake of the Meng family army and the people."

Li Xuan'an's tone was full of disdain, so Ye Zhen didn't want to hold on to it.

He said naturally, "I heard Taoist Master Yu Chenzi mention that the Second Master was assassinated many years ago, which is why he got sick."

She only mentioned it once, without asking for the reason or inquiring about anything under the pretext of concern. It seemed more like she was simply curious about Li Xuan's opportunity to become a Taoist.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Zhen felt that Li Xuan'an's thumb, which was stroking the back of her hand, stopped moving.

Time seemed to have stopped at this moment, and his cold breath was mixed with a heavy and lifeless sadness.

Ye Zhen's heart tightened, knowing that she had touched his sore spot, and she couldn't bear it. "What I mean is, if it is the root of the disease, you should take good care of it. Second Master is always fine, it's okay, don't take it seriously."

Li Xuan was naturally aware of her slightly reproachful tone and subtle psychological changes, and a warm smile appeared in his eyes.

"Eight years ago, on the first day of October, the emperor left the palace to offer sacrifices to the heavens, and the people all headed to the Temple of Heaven to join in the fun. My father originally wanted to take us with him, but I felt bored and my knees hurt from kneeling all day, so I sneaked out when there were many people around."

When Li Xuan talked about the past, he used "I" instead of "I", and he said "we" instead of "I". Ye Zhen's breathing was slightly condensed.

"At the time, there was a man who was one year older than me. He also ran away with me and changed clothes with me to get rid of the guards who were chasing us."

"The streets were crowded with people. We were two kids half a person's height and we ran against the crowd. It was so exciting."

"He was afraid that the crowd would separate us, so he held my hand tightly and ran very far. He only stopped when he was too tired to run anymore. I then realized that his little finger was rubbed raw."

Li Xuan's eyes sparkled brightly, like a candle flame flickering in the dark night sky, giving people warmth and making them cherish each other.

Ye Zhen knew how deep the relationship between him and the little maid was without asking.

She slowly rested her head on Li Xuan'an's shoulder and held his slightly trembling hands with her warm hands.

Ye Zhen didn't ask anything, but Li Xuan had the courage to continue, "It was me who suggested going to the mountain. If he had said something to stop us, or even shown a hesitant expression, it would have been great."

"But he always smiled and nodded, and agreed to everything I said."

"When I tell him to reach for the moon, he'll think seriously about how high the ladder should be."

Li Xuan's Adam's apple trembled slightly and his voice became hoarse.

Ye Zhen was jealous, but also glad that there was someone like that to warm Li Xuan'an's memory.

She buried her face in Li Xu'an's shoulder and said, "I am also willing to pick the moon for you, Master."

Li Xuan'an was slightly stunned, and before he could feel sweet, he realized something.

He remained calm and continued to talk, digging up the bloodiest scene in his heart. It was more painful than he had imagined, but because Ye Zhen was there, he was also braver than he had imagined.

"The assassin must have followed us all the way from the capital and only showed up when we got to the mountain."

"A dozen archers pushed us to the edge of the cliff. I should have been the one protecting him. They were coming for me. But he stood in front of me. When the knife came down, I saw him trembling, but he didn't budge an inch."

"Later, I pushed him away, and the knife stabbed into my back, and blood spurted out, all over him." Li Xuan smiled bitterly, "He even cried."

"I thought I was dead, but dying with him was a blessing I couldn't ask for."

When Ye Zhen heard this, she unconsciously tightened her grip on his hand.

Instead, Li Xuan patted the back of her hand to comfort her, "Then they shot arrows."

"I knew he liked to be clean and definitely didn't want to be stabbed into a dice, so I held him and jumped off the cliff."

Ye Zhen imagined the urgency of the life-and-death situation and the scene of him and the little maidservant being in perfect harmony and sharing life and death, and his heart ached.

"We fell at the entrance of the cave. It was winter. The tall dry grass and branches saved my life. And he..." Li Xuan'an's pupils trembled, and his brows were tightly knitted. He seemed to be back in the cave where no one could help him. The person on him was dying, and his once warm body was slowly, slowly cooling down.

He screamed hysterically, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch his blood stain his clothes red and his smile fade from bright to dim.

Li Xuan still feels miserable when he thinks of that feeling of powerlessness.

The man was covered in blood, but he was still smiling at him. Li Xuan still remembers that smile clearly.

The man held him tightly with his bloody hands, vomited large amounts of dark red blood as soon as he opened his mouth, and said to him incoherently, "Don't be afraid."

"I'm glad it wasn't you who died."

"From now on, you live for me, and live well. You said that you were born with sin and you can't be happy in this life. Then I, I will go to hell with all your curses."

Li Xuan'an was trembling all over, hot tears welled up in his sore eyes, as if that person's voice was still in his ears.

He said to him, "Goodbye, young man, draw your bow to the full, fearless of the years and the wind."

This was the first time Li Xuan spoke out loud. It was so painful that he couldn't breathe or think. But under the extreme pain, there seemed to be a gap that finally allowed him to breathe.

Seeing that he was pinching his arms tightly with both hands, Ye Zhen was shocked and heartbroken, so she opened her arms and hugged him.

She was afraid that she would never be able to replace the little maid's position in Li Xuan'an's heart in her lifetime, but such a brave woman was worthy of her respect.