Ink Burns

Chapter 220 Lamb Soup
The journey from Qingshou Palace to the Southern Mansion took more than an hour, and it was nearly midnight. The alleys and lanes were quiet and deserted, and there were no pedestrians on the narrow streets. The only sounds in the long, secluded places were the watchman of the Great Wei and the long, drawn-out sound of the clapper.

Xue Xiao spurred his horse and took a detour to Tianxianglou in East Twelfth Alley before speeding back to the South Mansion. He dismounted at the side gate, lifted his black robe, and carried the food box steadily and lightly with one hand. He took three steps at a time and walked all the way to the second gate. He passed through the tree-lined alley and saw that there were still lights on the side of the lake above Mirror Lake. The dim yellow light was like strands of thick, warm milk that had accidentally spilled into the water.

Xue Xiao couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

When I got home, there was a light on under the eaves, and someone was waiting inside.

Ten years ago, when he was in Qingyue Temple with a dim lamp and a cold stove, did he ever imagine that he would be like this today?
As he approached the door, Xue Xiao abruptly stopped, gripping the doorframe with one hand. He took three deep breaths, forcing his slightly rapid breathing, which had been a result of his long walk, to calm down. Once his heartbeat returned to normal, Xue Xiao lowered his eyes slightly, lifted the curtain, and saw Shan Yue resting her chin on her hands, her eyes intently focused on the small candlestick. The small flame on the candlestick danced joyfully and happily in the corners of her elegant and aloof brows and eyes, as graceful as a slender golden figure.

Why are you still waiting?

Xue Xiao lowered his head, placed the food box on the table, and opened the lid. Inside were two bowls of mutton soup from Tianxianglou. The mutton was sliced ​​very thinly, without any noodles or vermicelli. The milky white mutton soup was sprinkled with chopped green onions and cilantro.

Xue Xiao pushed one of the bowls in front of Shan Yue, a soft halo seeming to cover his narrow and sharp face: "I just sent the Sage back to the palace and bought it at top speed—thankfully, it hasn't spilled yet."

Shan Yue glanced at the water clock: It's almost midnight.

Now look at the mutton soup with its beautiful, buttery swirls: Is drinking mutton soup at midnight too nourishing?
"Today is the summer solstice." Xue Xiao said gently, "A bowl of mutton soup in summer is better than any prescription from Hua Tuo—that's what my master says every year."

Shan Yue took a sip from the bowl.

Ok.

It's really warm and cozy.

Aside from that, there's no difference in taste.

But Shan Yue reached out and touched the outside of the mother-of-pearl inlaid rosewood food box.

It was warm, still carrying Xue Xiao's distinct body temperature.

On such a hot day, he rode a horse while holding the food box to his chest; the mutton soup was so hot.
Shan Yue blinked, stiffly turned her head, and smiled, "There's no need for such trouble. If you want mutton soup, just ask Aunt Su and Aunt Wang to make it."

"That's different."

Xue Xiao frowned slightly, emphasizing, "That's different. I think the mutton soup at Tianxianglou is the best."

Xue Xiao paused, his tone calm yet focused: "Even if you can't taste the difference, I still want you to drink the best."

Shan Yue raised her eyes.

She was a prisoner on a deserted island, surrounded by towering waves. But she gradually realized that someone was sailing a heavy ship that looked like a giant eagle, cutting through the waves and getting closer and closer to the shore.

Shan Yue's breathing unconsciously became somewhat rapid.

A hundred days ago, she was hoping that Xue Xiao would finally break the ice, and she had enough words to deal with his perfunctory response.

Now, however, she felt somewhat lost.

Once the windowpane is broken, will the dark room finally see the light of day, or will it succumb to self-destructive exposure to the sun?
Xue Xiaoru was unaware of the change in her breathing rate. She sat down and diligently finished her mutton soup.

Shan Yue handed over a plain silk handkerchief.

The lower right corner of the plain silk is embroidered with a continuous mountain range and a bright moon amidst the setting sun.

Xue Xiao took it and looked at her. Shan Yue turned her head away.

Xue Xiao pursed his lips and took it, but didn't use it. He folded it neatly and placed it on the table. He stood up, bent down, and walked straight over Shan Yue to take out a faded coarse linen handkerchief from the drawer under the table.

His high, straight nose brushed against Shan Yue's temples and earlobes, and his warm breath sprayed directly onto Shan Yue's thin skin.

Like a spark hitting a pile of licorice.

Shan Yue's face instantly turned bright red!
She then remembered: This is Xue Xiao's study!

Xue Xiao was a clean freak, and his residence was always spotless. Even after staying up all night for several days at Tianbao Temple, he would change into a long robe with a cool pine and cypress scent when he returned home. Unlike other men who would become slovenly and have a stubble of green on their faces when they were busy, Xue Xiao was never seen like that!
He has always been pure, austere, and self-disciplined.

This is his study! His usual place!
Not to mention a single handkerchief for wiping your face and mouth, there are always ten or twenty handkerchiefs readily available here!
Xue Xiao lowered his eyes, carefully wiped his face clean, and then opened the hidden compartment of the drawer, placing the neatly folded moon-white silk handkerchief inside in front of Shan Yue.

He has done a great service!
What's wrong with taking a handkerchief! She hasn't given him the painting she promised yet! He has to pay ten handkerchiefs for each painting!

What's wrong with taking a handkerchief?
He's about to do something even worse!

Before Shan Yue could speak, Xue Xiao lowered his voice and said, "I've already asked Supervisor Wu about Shui Guang."

Shan Yue instantly forgot about the handkerchief, quickly looked up at Xue Xiao, and waited for him to continue.

“The young girl wasn’t deceived; it really happened. The two eunuchs she met were probably from the Imperial Medical Bureau. For some reason, Shui Guang caught their eye, and they wanted to transfer her to the palace.” Xue Xiao continued, “However, these past two days, His Majesty has been entangled in court affairs, which has aggravated his old ailment. The Imperial Medical Bureau couldn’t spare the time, so they accidentally put the matter aside. Now it seems that things will work out eventually, and putting it off has created a new opportunity.”

Shan Yue tilted her head, listening intently.

The room felt stuffy.

According to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, heavy rain is expected in the Beijing-Hebei region after the summer solstice.

The muggy heat is probably caused by this rain that hasn't even started yet.

It was damp, and the person looked like they were covered in a steamer.

Xue Xiao stood up and opened the window: "I specifically asked Eunuch Wu to take good care of Shui Guang. Since the capital has confirmed that Wei Sibu of Qiushui Ferry is dead, we might as well let Shui Guang slip through her fingers and enter the palace under the name 'He Shui Guang.' I've inquired and found that none of the good girls in this cohort have actually seen their colleagues from Songjiang Prefecture, so I devised a plan to squeeze them out of the palace. No one in the palace has seen Shui Guang's face, so this plan is feasible. Oh, by the way—"

Xue Xiao turned around, his thick eyebrows and eyes, like a landscape painting, instantly brightening the equally thick summer night: "Today I told Eunuch Wu that Shui Guang is my wife's only surviving family member. Did I—say too much?"

When the window is opened, a draft of air flows in.

The person in the steamer was saved.

Breathing is smooth and refreshing.

He entered the palace under the name "He Shuiguang".

Shui Guang has returned to being Shui Guang.

Does this mean that life will gradually return to normal, and she can be He Shanyue again? The eldest daughter of Qiu Erniang in Hetou Village, He Shanyue?
Shan Yue stood there, speechless for a long time, her eyes fixed on Xue Xiao. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum, like hail hitting the eaves, like frogs lining up to jump into the water.

(End of this chapter)