Chapter 71: “Token of Affection”

King Xuan suddenly raised his hand, hooked her cloak strap, pulled it forward, and tied a knot.

His fingers were long, and a little cold at night.

When he tied the knot, he accidentally brushed against Xue Qingyin’s chin, and Xue Qingyin couldn’t help but raise her head, her breath becoming lighter.

After tying the knot, King Xuan said calmly, “The King of Wei mentioned it the other day, that he has a token of affection with you.”

Xue Qingyin was puzzled, “He’s making things up, right? Where would he get a token of affection?”

“He said the same thing in front of father. And this time, he said it’s a personal item of yours.”

Xue Qingyin immediately stepped back, staring at King Xuan, she whispered, “Your Highness, are you suspicious of me?”

“No, I just want to be clear. Someone will naturally intercept it later.”

Xue Qingyin then obediently sat back down.

She had thought he was doubting her chastity.

If that were the case, she would immediately pack her bags and leave.

Why even get married? Marry my foot.

Thankfully, King Xuan was reliable.

Xue Qingyin pouted, “I really don’t know what it is. I’ve only met him a few times…”

“If someone in the mansion stole it and gave it to the King of Wei…”

In a flash, Xue Qingyin remembered something.

Her expression suddenly became very strange, and she said, “I did lose a personal item.”

King Xuan unconsciously clenched his fingers, a trace of anger appearing between his brows.

Xue Qingyin said, “I lost a foot towel.”

King Xuan: “…”

Xue Qingyin met his gaze, also speechless.

King Xuan: “…It’s nothing.”

At that moment, he even doubted whether the King of Wei’s brain had been replaced with tofu during his growth, which would lead him to do such absurd and ridiculous things.

Xue Qingyin gently exhaled, still carrying some of the night’s chill.

“Your Highness is leaving now?” she asked.

King Xuan lightly twirled his fingers.

Did she not want him to leave so soon?

But King Xuan had never had the experience of relaxing and chatting with someone.

The carriage was quiet for a while.

Ugh, my legs are numb.

Xue Qingyin wanted to change her sitting position, so she stretched her legs, but she bumped into the carriage wall.

King Xuan quickly leaned forward and pressed down on her knees.

Xue Qingyin hurriedly said, “I just bumped it lightly, it’s nothing.”

But after saying that, she felt something was wrong, and she couldn’t help but lick her lips.

Should she act more pitiful?

“Is your previous injury healed?” King Xuan’s voice sounded in her ear.

Xue Qingyin stopped her thoughts and nodded, praising without reservation, “The medicine Your Highness sent is very effective, it healed early this morning.” She then added confidently, “I’ll ride again next time.”

King Xuan replied with a “Hmm,” his brows and eyes seemingly softened a little.

The carriage fell silent again.

Xue Qingyin thought that elementary school students dating might be more exciting than sitting here like this.

She licked her lips again, thinking about saying something herself, but King Xuan’s voice sounded first.

“How is the Xu family?” King Xuan asked.

Xue Qingyin leaned against the carriage wall and said, “They originally liked my father more, but now they like me more. They are naturally eager to curry favor with me and pamper me. This way, life is much more comfortable. Your Highness, does my complexion look better today?”

King Xuan’s gaze naturally fell upon her face.

His gaze was cold.

Perhaps he was born not knowing how to soften.

As it swept over Xue Qingyin, it didn’t feel like a lover’s gaze, but more like an examination.

Xue Qingyin couldn’t help but feel a fine chill on her body.

But she endured it.

“…Hmm.” King Xuan said in a deep voice. After saying that, he seemed to feel that one word was too thin, so he added another sentence, “It’s better.”

A lantern hung on one corner of the carriage.

The lantern swayed gently, and the candlelight swayed along with it, flowing over Xue Qingyin’s face, illuminating her brows and eyes.

It added a touch of brilliance to her brows, her nose, and her lips.

When she looked up at him, her eyes also seemed to be softened by the candlelight, imbued with boundless affection.

At this time, Xue Qingyin rolled up a corner of the carriage curtain, “Then I’m going?”

Just sitting here wasn’t doing anything.

“Hmm, go back.” King Xuan said.

He really didn’t show any warmth or reluctance.

But Xue Qingyin hadn’t expected any.

She got off the carriage and was about to leave.

“Take this.” King Xuan reached out from the carriage.

Xue Qingyin turned back to look at him, and saw that he was holding a flat box in his hand.

At first glance, it looked familiar.

Xue Qingyin took it and asked, “Your Highness gave it to me?”

King Xuan nodded, “You seemed to like it last time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he retracted his hand, and the carriage curtain fell, blocking the sight of him sitting inside the carriage.

The coachman nodded to Xue Qingyin, then drove away.

Xue Qingyin stood there, opening the box.

Inside lay a pile of golden…

The maid, Nongs Xia, exclaimed in a daze, “What is this?”

Xue Qingyin stared blankly, “It’s leaf cards.”

It was the set of leaf cards she had played with him at the Princess Jinque’s mansion. After playing for a while and losing too much, she refused to play and suggested playing leaf cards instead.

King Xuan actually had someone fetch a set of leaf cards, each one made of gold.

When she saw them, she was shocked and couldn’t help but touch them with her hands.

He actually remembered the fondness that had appeared in her brows and eyes at that time.

Nongxia swallowed, “Miss, how much silver is this worth?”

Xue Qingyin: “I don’t know.”

Did the Princess Jinque just give it away like that?

Xue Qingyin thought about it and couldn’t help but take a gentle breath. Although this King of Xuan was cold-hearted and inevitably seemed dull, he was truly generous when it came to money! He was truly thoughtful when it came to gifts!

Xue Qingyin tightened her cloak, but then she saw the knot King Xuan had tied for her.

“Let’s go, let’s go back to sleep. Mother will be worried if it’s any later.” Xue Qingyin said as she walked ahead.

The maid, Zhishu, suppressed her shock and quickly followed.

The silly maid, Nongxia, was still quietly counting on her fingers. Of course, she couldn’t figure it out in the end.

Back at the Xinyi Pavilion, Madam Xue was still waiting with a lamp, and she immediately asked, “What happened?”

Xue Qingyin smiled, “It’s a small matter, your daughter went out and naturally solved everything.”

Madam Xue rolled her eyes at her in annoyance.

Xue Qingyin raised her hand to untie her cloak. She pulled it once, twice… Hmm? Why couldn’t she untie it?

She glared angrily at the knot.

What kind of knot is this?

It couldn’t be untied.

Madam Xue noticed the commotion and hurried over to help Xue Qingyin untie her cloak, while untieing it, she said, “Why did you tie yourself into a dead knot? …Get the scissors.”

As she spoke, Madam Xue turned her head and her gaze landed on the flat box that Nongxia was holding in her arms.

Madam Xue’s eyes quickly flashed with a hint of doubt.

On the way back, King Xuan suddenly said, “Stop.”

“Your Highness, what’s wrong?” a voice came from outside the carriage.

King Xuan: “…”

He had just remembered that he had gotten used to tying captive knots in the army.

Xue Qingyin wouldn’t be able to untie the knot he had tied.

“Your Highness, are you… going to turn back?” the person outside cautiously asked.

King Xuan asked, “What time is it?”

“It’s almost Hai time.”

“Curfew… go back to the Palace.”

Fortunately, the cloak knot couldn’t be untied, but scissors could always cut it.

Last time, the Empress Dowager sent some scarlet brocade, Yuezhou silk, and fragrant cloud gauze to the Palace, and they were used to make her a new cloak.

King Xuan thought silently in his heart.