The maid did not dare to delay for a second and quickly got up to leave. The door was also closed, and the bright light dimmed slightly, with fine dust floating in the air.
Shen Yue sat up, revealing a long and beautiful neck, her skin as fair as snow, bearing marks of various purples and blues.
Her eyes, reflected in the warm light, showed a calm and serene expression. "Fu An, I am fine," she said.
Fu An lowered his head, remaining silent, his tightly pursed lips exuding a sense of suppressed obsession.
At times, Fu An was truly stubborn; otherwise, he would not have stayed by Shen Yue's side until death, without regret. His entire life was for Shen Yue.
Her throat felt a little itchy, and Shen Yue coughed softly. Fu An's heart grew anxious. He walked over and placed his hand on Shen Yue's thin shoulder, patting it rhythmically.
He lowered his eyelids, his fair face a little paler, his voice hoarse, "Who was it?"
In truth, he already had an idea. What kind of person was His Highness?
Could anyone dirty touch them?
Without His Highness's permission and tacit approval, who would dare to touch?
Who would have the life to touch?
And who else could make His Highness soften and suffer such grievances?
Fu An felt a burning heat in his chest, spreading throughout his body. There was anger, helplessness, and… heartache.
When he saw Shen Yue's delicate, snow-white face, all his emotions transformed into a profound bitterness. Fu An's lips moved, "Your Highness, does it hurt?"
Shen Yue seemed to smile. Her dark, moist eyes were clear, her eyebrows and eyes delicate and faint.
At times, Shen Yue carried an air of being unworldly, as if she had never experienced the ugliness of the world.
Of course, this was only on the surface; Shen Yue herself, from the root, had already begun to rot and fester.
"It hurts." Shen Yue held Fu An's stiff hand. The other's hand was warmer, his palm covered in sticky sweat. She pulled open Fu An's tightly clenched fingers. "Fu An, but I don't regret it."
"Your Highness," Fu An heard his own voice, hoarse and dry, "This servant's heart aches."
Shen Yue simply smiled, saying nothing.
Only Fu An truly cared for her.
Only Fu An truly felt heartache for her.
Fu An.
Happiness and well-being.
—
Shen Yue rested for a few days before returning to Chang'an City. Due to her health, Shen Yue specifically requested permission from the Emperor to rest for a few days and did not attend the morning court.
The Golden Hall.
Officials, both high and low, had already gathered in the court, engaging in pleasantries.
The Crown Prince had just achieved a great victory and was in high spirits. He was already exceptionally handsome, and at this moment, his eyes were filled with triumphant smugness. His chin was slightly raised, radiating brilliance.
The Crown Prince was initially speaking with the prince beside him. His peripheral vision caught Cheng Qian Gong looking around absentmindedly, and he couldn't help but tease him, "Are you looking for someone? Why are you constantly glancing left and right? Are there people in this court you don't recognize? Or have you forgotten everyone after your trip to Xuzhou?"
"Just looking around casually," Cheng Qian Gong replied, dressed in a deep green official robe, standing tall and straight like a proud bamboo, polished and refined.
The Crown Prince didn't pay it much mind. The Emperor hadn't arrived yet, so he idly touched the jade pendant at his waist.
Cheng Qian Gong pursed his lips and casually asked, "Why don't I see the Fourth Prince?"
Upon mentioning the Fourth Prince, the Crown Prince's eyes brightened considerably. He became energetic again, displaying a smug demeanor. "What else could it be? He must be too ashamed to come because he's not as good as me."
The Crown Prince increasingly felt this was the case, and the smile on his face deepened. He knew that Shen Yue was very prone to crying when she was young, often shedding tears. Thus, he couldn't help but speculate with malicious words.
"Old Fourth is such a sore loser. Isn't he still hiding in his palace crying?"
Just thinking about it made the Crown Prince incredibly excited.
Cheng Qian Gong furrowed his brows, feeling a sense of annoyance and inexplicably agitated. He pursed his lips tightly and fell silent.
The Minister of Personnel, standing nearby, overheard their conversation. He understood the situation and explained, "Perhaps Your Highness the Crown Prince is not aware, but there are rumors that the Fourth Prince was injured in Xuzhou and is currently recovering. He will not be attending court for these few days."
Cheng Qian Gong's eyelashes trembled for a moment. He nervously rubbed his fingers in his deeply set hands.
The Crown Prince was half-believing. Shen Yue did indeed return to Chang'an City a few days later than them, but he hadn't heard any whispers of Shen Yue being injured. He didn't know if she was truly injured or just putting on an act.
—
Without needing to attend the morning court, Shen Yue slept until noon every day.
Warm golden light spilled into every corner of the sleeping chambers. Outside the window, the ginkgo trees shimmered with golden yellow, swaying gently in the breeze, with specks of sunlight glinting on their leaves.
The incense was rich and pleasant, with a calming effect.
Shen Yue had slept for a long time and felt refreshed. She sat on the soft couch, holding a book, quietly reading.
A cool breeze blew in from outside the window, feeling very refreshing.
A commotion erupted from outside. The tightly shut door was pushed open with a bang. Before a figure appeared, the voice was heard.
"Fourth Brother! Fourth Brother!"
A tall figure barreled in. His steps were lively, and he ran straight to Shen Yue's side. Having not seen each other for almost two or three months, Shen Yao Jin's accumulated longing surged forth upon seeing Shen Yue. He resisted, but couldn't help himself, rushing into Shen Yue's embrace, his arms tightening around her waist, acting like a child and cajoling.
"Fourth Brother, Yao Jin missed you so much. After you left, everyone bullied me!"
This little fool was actually smarter than usual. Previously, after being bullied, he would forget about it immediately and wouldn't even report it. Now he came to Shen Yue to cry.
But unfortunately, Shen Yue was cold-hearted, devoid of any pity. She only felt a slight pain from being squeezed around the waist, and she disliked such intimate contact. Her brows furrowed, and her full, vibrant lips curved into a cold line.
"Let go."
Shen Yao Jin was reluctant. He held a fondness for Shen Yue, feeling that this Fourth Brother was different from everyone else. Although Fourth Brother also bullied him, sometimes he would help him drive away bad people, and Fourth Brother was soft all over and smelled particularly good, making him very comfortable to hold.
Although Shen Yao Jin's mind wasn't very sharp, he knew that if he angered Shen Yue, he might be kicked out. Thus, he reluctantly let go, a hint of disappointment appearing on his face, but he still stood obediently.
Shen Yue brushed off nonexistent dust from her clothes, her expression displeased. She was in a bad mood and had no desire to attend to this傻子 (fool) before her.
She raised her eyes coldly. Her features were as vibrant as blooming crabapples, with a hint of ferocity. Without politeness, she said, "Get out."
Shen Yao Jin pretended not to understand and even dared to sit next to Shen Yue. The soft couch was wide enough to comfortably accommodate two people.