Chapter 54

The night was deep, and the palace road was long, with dim light from stone lamps. The surroundings were quiet, with even the birdsong sparse.

Only the croaking of frogs from the river outside the palace could be heard. Ahead, there was only one palace lamp, casting a glow on the vermilion palace walls.

In the daytime, it might not have seemed like much, but at this moment, it was particularly comforting.

Sang Yao didn’t want to trouble Xie Yun all the time, but she was really scared.

If it weren’t for today’s experience, she wouldn’t have felt this way. Now, dragging her sore body and still feeling a bit of headache, the fear of being chased by the little eunuch still lingered around her.

She didn’t even dare to sleep alone at night. It took a lot of courage for her to ask Xie Yun for help.

Sang Yao knew that someone as high-ranking and influential as him, who could easily make others speculate about his thoughts with just a slight frown, was unlikely to personally escort an ordinary girl back.

But she was really scared. If he refused, she would just have to beg him. It wasn’t the first time she had embarrassed herself in front of Xie Yun.

Xie Yun didn’t answer her immediately.

To be honest, escorting someone back to their room was too unfamiliar for him.

The last time he had done something like this was three years ago, when he had escorted his five-year-old nephew home.

This was really not in line with his usual style.

But she really seemed scared.

Thinking that Xie Yun might refuse, Sang Yao reached out and gently shook his sleeve, looking at him with watery eyes, pleading.

She skillfully spoke, “Please.”

Xie Yun had heard her say this many times. He looked at her beautiful face and finally said, “Is begging the only way you know how to ask for something?”

Sang Yao paused.

In the past, asking Xie Yun for something had been as simple as using those four words.

Why was he suddenly raising the bar?

After thinking for a moment, she remembered that the person she had begged the most in her life was her older sister.

When she was with her sister, she would cling to her and not let go. But now, she couldn’t just cling to Xie Yun, could she?

Although she couldn’t use her hands, she could still use her mouth. After some thought, she decided to use her flattery strategy:

“Xie Yun, you’re such a good person, so kind. You surely wouldn’t refuse me, right?”

Jing Lian stood by, his face expressionless, thinking that none of these words could influence his master.

And from what he knew of his master, if he didn’t want to do something, he would refuse from the start and might even make a sarcastic remark.

His silence most of the time meant agreement.

And it was just escorting someone back to their room, so why not take advantage and agree?

Shameless.

Xie Yun remained silent.

Since Sang Yao had lost all face in front of Xie Yun, she continued, “Please, please, if we walk a little faster, it’ll only delay you for a quarter of an hour.”

At this point, Xie Yun seemed to soften a bit. He leaned slightly and reluctantly said, “Let’s go.”

Sang Yao was overjoyed. She let go of his hand, thinking that Xie Yun was truly warm-hearted despite his cold exterior.

On ordinary days, because of his status and his naturally cold face, everyone feared him.

He seemed indifferent on the surface, but he must have been quite troubled inside.

“If you’re in a hurry, we can walk a bit faster.”

Xie Yun replied, “Thank you for your concern, but I probably won’t be late.” He had been with her all night.

In the spacious corridor, the two of them talked back and forth, while Jing Lian followed behind.

Never had she felt so superfluous as she did at that moment.

As a qualified attendant, he must always understand his master’s intentions.

After a while, he dared to take the initiative and said, “Young Master, I suddenly remembered that Elder Xie asked me to go over there earlier.”

Xie Yun glanced at him from head to toe, and Jing Lian stiffened his body, not daring to breathe.

After a while, Xie Yun gestured for him to leave.

After Jing Lian left, there were only the two of them left on the road.

When Jing Lian was still there, Sang Yao felt everything was normal. But now that he was gone, she suddenly felt strange.

Xie Yun was always reticent. If she didn’t speak, he wouldn’t take the initiative to speak to her.

After walking for about half an hour, Sang Yao finally saw her small room glowing with warmth ahead, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

When they reached the door, Sang Yao turned to look back at the way they had come. She said to Xie Yun, “Xie Yun, you shouldn’t be afraid to go back by yourself, right?”

She was just talking nonsense.

Xie Yun said expressionlessly, “If I’m afraid, will you send me back?” That was not going to happen.

Sang Yao’s face stiffened.

She turned and said, “Then I’ll go in first!”

She pushed open the door and walked in.

The candle inside the room was still burning. A man with a straight posture stood outside the door, with the corridor behind him full of flickering shadows, and the warm light from inside the room falling on him.

Sang Yao’s hand was still on the door frame. She smiled and waved to Xie Yun, saying, “Xie Yun, goodbye.”

After parting ways with Xie Yun, Sang Yao leaned against the door frame alone.

The oil lamp was still burning, and the food on the table had been removed.

Tonight’s experience was too bizarre. She felt she needed to take a break.

After about half an hour, someone knocked on the door from outside.

Sang Yao quickly turned around, feeling a bit scared. She asked softly, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, the maid.”

It was the sweet voice of the palace maid who took care of her daily life and bathing in the Northern Palace. She continued, “I’ve been assigned to the side room on your west side. If you need anything, just call me.”

Sang Yao breathed a sigh of relief and felt a little more at ease.

She had been somewhat afraid to live in this remote place by herself, but now with a young palace maid to accompany her, her tense nerves relaxed a bit.

She quickly called for water and took a simple bath in the warm room.

When she emerged from the bath, she noticed that her thigh seemed to be red. She stopped and looked down.

The redness was a bit embarrassing. It was on the side of her thigh, just before her hip, a horizontal red mark that looked like it was pinched.

There seemed to be another one on her waist.

It wasn’t very serious, but Sang Yao’s skin was quite fair, so it appeared more prominent.

She couldn’t remember how it happened, and it seemed like a new mark. But she hadn’t been injured tonight. At most, she had fallen when the little eunuch was chasing her, but Xie Yun had caught her.

At that time, it seemed like he had held her waist. Could it have happened then?

Sang Yao dried herself off and stood barefoot on the ground.

She casually put on some clothes and half-laid on the couch.

With her legs bent, she looked at the sudden appearance of the red mark, lost in thought.

The one on her waist could be explained, but what about the one on her leg?

In her indescribable dream, there was a movement that could explain this red mark.

She seemed to have been sitting on Xie Yun’s leg at one point, and his hand had landed on her thigh.

But that was just a dream.

Sang Yao’s head buzzed. After a while, she suddenly came up with an uncertain guess. Could it be… the dream was real?

As soon as this thought arose, Sang Yao couldn’t help but feel her cheeks heating up.

She then thought of Xie Yun’s expressionless face and felt that it was too much.

It was as if she was sullying him with just a thought.

In comparison, she was more willing to believe that whether it was her lips or this red mark, it was all just a coincidence.

She had slept for so long; who knew what had happened in between.

However, things still felt a bit strange. Sang Yao touched the mark on her body and still found it puzzling.

Should she ask him about it tomorrow? But if it wasn’t what she thought, wouldn’t it be embarrassing? Xie Yun might think she was being overly sentimental.

As Sang Yao thought about this, it was already late at night. She thought she wouldn’t be sleepy after having slept for a while, but as soon as she lay down on the couch, drowsiness came over her.

Before falling asleep, she was still half-heartedly pondering how to approach Xie Yun without feeling awkward.

The group did not stay long at the Northern Palace. At the time of the Horse Hour the next day, everyone started moving.

Before Sang Yao got on the carriage, a little eunuch hurried over. He whispered, “Miss Sang, this is what Master Xie asked me to give you.”

Sang Yao took it. It was two small porcelain vials shimmering with light. Inside should be the ointment he mentioned yesterday.

Sang Yao looked around but didn’t see Xie Yun.

The road back was almost the same as the one they had taken, but it was obviously much faster on the way back.

If nothing unexpected happened, they would arrive at the Imperial City around the evening.

So this time, they did not stay at the Qiyan Temple. They rested in a spacious open space. The accompanying eunuch distributed food to everyone, but as the last one in the retinue, Sang Yao naturally didn’t get as much food as the royal and ministerial officials.

So midway, Sang Yin came over to her and secretly handed her a few minced meat cakes that he had snatched from another official.

Sang Yao took the cakes, feeling a bit embarrassed. She whispered, “Dad, don’t do this next time. I’ve grown up.”

And this sneaky action was too obvious; it would be better to give them openly.

Sang Yin’s face stiffened, and he said, “What, you can’t eat meat cakes when you grow up?”

Sang Yao whispered, “The little eunuch just gave me a bunch of osmanthus cakes, and I can’t finish them.”

“If you can’t finish them, give them to others. Those osmanthus cakes are too dry; don’t eat them!” Sang Yao actually thought they were fine. She sighed and said no more.

But suddenly, Sang Yin shouted next to her, “Hey! Little Yang!”

… Little Yang?

Following Sang Yin’s gaze, Sang Yao saw Yang Wenchuan standing by the tree.

No way. Sang Yao wanted to escape. How could her dad call him anything!

How dare he call out to Yang Wenchuan like that, and so loudly, as if he was afraid he wouldn’t hear.

Sang Yin looked very happy. He waved and said, “Nephew, come here. I have something to tell you.”

Yang Wenchuan walked over and bowed to Sang Yin, saying, “Master Sang.”

Sang Yin nodded in satisfaction and asked, “Nephew, how have you been recently?”

Yang Wenchuan replied calmly, “Thank you for your concern, Master Sang. Everything has been fine recently.”

Sang Yin nodded, then suddenly slapped his forehead, saying, “Oh, I suddenly remembered that I have something else to do.”

He patted Sang Yao’s shoulder and said, “Yao Yao, you talk to Young Master Yang.”

Such a clumsy act.

Even Sang Yao could see it.

The embarrassment reached its peak at this moment.

But she couldn’t just spoil the situation. Sang Yao forced a smile and reluctantly replied softly.

After Sang Yin left, Sang Yao looked at Yang Wenchuan, feeling a bit awkward. She said, “Brother Yang.”

“My dad… please don’t mind him.”

Yang Wenchuan shook his head. His gaze swept over the young girl’s still somewhat unusual red lips, then said, “It’s okay, Yao Yao.”