The Legend of Zhen Huan: Year after year, we share the spring breeze

Chapter 477 Old Friend

Sun Heyin sent Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang out of the gate of Yanx Palace and watched their figures gradually walk away until they disappeared around the corner of the palace wall.

She turned around and prepared to return to the hall, but at this moment, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.

The man was wearing a bright yellow guard uniform and had a long sword on his waist. He was standing next to the gate of the Yanx Palace. When he noticed her looking at him, he tilted his head slightly.

Their eyes met.

At this moment, Sun Heyin's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, her blood rushed up, her ears buzzed, and the whole world became quiet.

Bai Zhi followed her gaze and her expression suddenly changed. She quickly averted her gaze and quickly stepped in front of Sun Heyin, saying in a low voice, "My lady, please go back to the palace first. I will make the arrangements."

Sun Heyin nodded, forcing herself to calm down, then turned and walked quickly into the hall. Although her steps were steady, her heart was already in turmoil, her thoughts were in a mess.

As the night deepens, the bright moon hangs high in the sky, casting a cool glow.

Sun Heyin was wearing a dark cloak and a wide hat that covered most of her face, leaving only a white chin and the corners of her tightly pursed lips exposed.

She lowered her head and walked quickly behind Bai Zhi, passing through the winding corridors of the Yanx Palace and heading towards a remote corner deep inside the palace walls.

Baizhi walked in front, looking back from time to time, and only felt relieved when she confirmed that no one was following her.

Finally, they came to a corner hidden by high walls and tree shadows.

There, a man dressed as a eunuch was waiting quietly with his back to them.

Bai Zhi stopped and whispered to Sun Heyin, "My lady, I'm waiting for you in front. If there's any movement, you can call me at any time."

Sun Heyin nodded, and Bai Zhi looked around vigilantly before quickly leaving and hiding in the shadows not far away.

Hearing the footsteps, the man slowly turned around and called out softly, "Ayin."

The man was tall and handsome, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Although he was dressed in eunuch's clothes, his every move still revealed a masculine toughness. It was obvious that he was not a real eunuch.

This man's name is Lu Mao, and he is Sun Heyin's childhood cousin.

He was a military scholar and was responsible for patrolling and investigating the periphery of the Forbidden City. A few days ago, Yongzheng dispatched a group of imperial guards to follow Prince Guo, and he was sent to guard Xihua Gate.

Hearing this familiar voice, Sun Heyin felt a pang of pain in her heart. She subconsciously clenched the edge of her cloak, but her voice was cold and restrained: "Aren't you a guard at Xihua Gate? Why are you here in Yanxi Palace? Do you know where this place is?"

Seeing her anger, Lu Mao hurriedly explained, "Today, our captain of the guards said that the Empress was under house arrest in the Yanxi Palace and needed a team of guards to watch over her. So I spent some money to transfer them over."

Sun Heyin's expression didn't soften as she continued to look at him coldly, "Do you know how dangerous this is? If we were discovered, both you and I would be doomed!"

Lu Mao stepped forward and said, "Don't worry, the captain of the guards only thinks I'm trying to curry favor with the Empress in the palace to advance my career, and he doesn't know our relationship."

Hearing this, Sun Heyin said helplessly, "Why did you have to wade into this mess? The palace is in dire straits, it's not a place for you. You worked so hard to take the military exam, I thought you wanted to go to the battlefield!"

Ever since she went to Beijing for the imperial selection, Lü Mao had participated in the military examination. At the time, Sun Heyin thought he was pursuing his dream of becoming a true military commander and serving his country. She remembered him once saying, "A man should have ambitions and should achieve great things in his life."

However, during Yongzheng's visit to the Old Summer Palace, she accidentally learned that Lü Mao had been selected to enter the Forbidden City and became a blue-feathered guard. She understood that all he did was to be closer to her.

"I'm just worried about you. I won't cause you any trouble."

"You're just causing me more trouble now!"

Lu Mao was stunned, his straight back hunched slightly, and his voice was filled with endless loneliness: "I just want to be closer to you."

Sun Heyin subconsciously glanced around, the anger on her face no longer concealed. "Why are you so close to me? To let you see my ruthless and unscrupulous side? Or to let you be implicated if something happens to me?"

Lu Mao shook his head, his eyes gentle and firm. "Ayin, don't say that. I know your difficulties and your helplessness. No matter what you do, I understand."

Seeing his determined expression, Sun Heyin knew that it was useless to persuade him any further, so she could only sigh softly, take a step forward, and carefully look at the person in front of her in the cold moonlight.

His features were still as familiar as in her memory, as if he was still the boy who accompanied her in picking flowers and swinging on the swing.

But if you look closely, you can see that there are already a few fine lines at the corners of his eyes, and there is a bit of vicissitudes between his brows. The hardships of the past few years have not only made him a cold and cruel person, but also changed his originally peaceful life.

A complex emotion surged in her heart, a mixture of nostalgia and helplessness, heartache and guilt.

Her voice was so soft that it was almost blown away by the night wind: "Brother Mao, what happened in the past is in the past, just forget it. Start a family and live your own life. I am already the emperor's concubine, and between us... we are destined not to be together."

Lu Mao's eyes dimmed slightly, and he lowered his head. After a moment of silence, he slowly raised his head and said, "I know. I dare not ask for anything, nor do I dare to disturb your life. But I just want to stay with you. Even if it's just to watch you from afar, I am willing to do so."

His voice was low and hoarse, suppressing countless unspoken emotions. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his heart, with a heartbreaking persistence.

Sun Heyin felt a pang of sadness in her heart when she heard this. She avoided his gaze and fell on the hazy palace wall in the distance.

The night breeze blew by, bringing a faint floral fragrance, and a few petals gently fell and landed in her hair.

Lu Mao raised his hand, trying to brush away the petals.

Sun Heyin took a step back, avoiding his movements, and said in a voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "Why are you doing this?"

Lu Mao's eyes were still on her: "Ayin, you don't have to persuade me. I know what I am doing."

The two stood facing each other, the moonlight quietly sprinkled on the ground, casting two lonely shadows.

After an unknown amount of time, Sun Heyin raised her head and broke the silence. "You must be careful. This is Yanxi Palace. If anything goes wrong, not only will we be in danger, but Concubine Wen will also be implicated."

This meant that he agreed to stay here. Lu Mao's expression relaxed a little: "I understand. I will be careful."

After saying that, Sun Heyin turned and left.

Lu Mao stood there, watching her figure gradually walk away until she disappeared into the night.

(I have been stuck at 8.9 points for a long time. Please help me get to 9 points. If I can reach 9 points, I will stay up and add two more chapters. Thank you!)