I stayed with Yuchi Cheng for a while longer before returning to my Twin Palace.
As soon as I entered the palace, I saw my elder brother waiting for me.
I happily held up the lantern and asked him, "Brother, isn't it beautiful?"
My elder brother scoffed at the lantern. Folding his arms, he said, "Are you so easily won over by a mere lantern?"
I said, "Brother, you really have some misunderstandings about Brother Cheng. He actually means no harm."
My elder brother said, "I just don't understand. How did you completely change after going to the Northern Cold Region? You weren't like this towards him before."
"Before? Well, those were all misunderstandings. Actually, Brother Cheng didn't want to give me a caterpillar. He wanted to give me a firefly butterfly. He just failed," I explained on Yuchi Cheng's behalf.
My elder brother frowned. "But why did he give you something? Why didn't I get anything?"
I quickly said, "You do! Yuchi Cheng brought a thousand - mile horse this time and said he wanted to give it to you. He just hasn't had the chance yet."
"Really?" My elder brother looked at me doubtfully, not believing it at all. "But why did he give me a gift?"
I couldn't help but recall the scene before we set off, when Yuchi Cheng was carefully preparing gifts for everyone. At that time, I asked him why he was preparing gifts, because Uncle and Aunt had already given gifts to everyone when they came to Dayong before. Yuchi Cheng just said, "This is different." I thought that he was too tired yesterday to give out the gifts. After he finished checking the leather materials today, he should give out the gifts he had prepared one by one.
I said, "Naturally, it's because you like good horses, so he prepared this specially for you. I know you've been coveting Father Emperor's Jingyun horse for a long time. But Jingyun is old now. Maybe this thousand - mile horse can run even faster than Jingyun!"
Seeing my smug look, my elder brother couldn't help but suspect, "Xihe, are you hiding something from me?"
I immediately let out a dry laugh. "Brother, what could I possibly hide from you?" I thought that I'd better wait until I came of age to tell my elder brother about my relationship with Yuchi Cheng. This matter still had to be asked of Father Emperor and Mother. It couldn't be settled so quickly.
My elder brother snorted and glanced at me. "I knew there was something wrong. Do you think you can hide things from me?"
Seeing this, I immediately said, "Oh, my dear elder brother, please. Don't pursue this matter anymore. Think about how kind Aunt and Uncle are to us. Why do we have so many prejudices against Brother Cheng? Moreover, Brother Cheng is giving you a thousand - mile horse. He must be apologizing to you for what happened before. You're magnanimous. Can't you just let it go?"
As I spoke, I pushed my elder brother towards the left palace. It wasn't until he was pushed into his own room that he helplessly said, "Alright, alright. If you don't want to say, I won't ask."
Only then did I heave a sigh of relief. Then, using the excuse that I wanted to rest, I ran back to my right palace.
In the afternoon, after Yuchi Cheng finished checking the leather materials and completed the hand - over with the Dayong Imperial Household Department, he indeed started giving out the gifts he had prepared. Father Emperor, Mother, Xiyao, and Zizhen were all included. Since Xiyao and Zizhen lived in the same palace as Mother, when he gave the gift to Mother, he also gave the gifts for Xiyao and Zizhen. Although he came to the Twin Palace last, the gift he prepared for my elder brother was the most special and the only living thing among all the gifts.
When he came, I was afraid that my elder brother would suspect something, so I didn't dare to come out. I only dared to ask Shuifu to keep an eye on my elder brother's reaction and report it to me. Shuifu said that my elder brother pretended not to care and accepted the gift, but he was extremely happy afterwards. Not long after Yuchi Cheng left, he led the horse to the horse - ranch for a stroll.
Hearing this, I heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that fortunately Yuchi Cheng was smart enough to give my elder brother a gift. However, Yuchi Cheng, who had left after giving out the gifts, came back. He gently tapped on my window lattice. When I opened the window, I saw him standing outside my window, looking elegant and smiling, just like a lover coming for a tryst.
I couldn't help but scold him, "Why don't you use the proper door and instead climb through the window?"
Yuchi Cheng said, "Well, if the people in your elder brother's palace see me, won't they tell him?"
I then said, "You sent him away with the horse just for this, right?"
He counter - asked, "Yes. So, won't you invite me in?"
I said, "You! You can just stand outside in the cold wind. I won't let you in."
Then he took out a delicate box from behind him and handed it to me. "This is for you."
"What is it?" I took it and opened it. It turned out to be a delicate, hollow spherical hand - warmer made of red copper.
Yuchi Cheng said, "There's no reason for everyone else to have gifts and you not to. I found the best craftsman to make this hand - warmer. No matter how strong the charcoal fire inside is, the outer wall won't get hot. It'll come in handy when it gets cold later."
I examined this delicate hollow ball and happily accepted it. "Thank you, Brother Cheng. I like it very much."
Yuchi Cheng said, "I'm glad you like it."
In the following days, Yuchi Cheng was busy purchasing supplies that they would transport back to the Northern Cold Region when they returned. He really came to Dayong on official business this time. The soldiers from the Northern Cold Region who came to deliver the leather materials could rest after a few days in Dayong, but he was busy running around. He didn't have the time to accompany me in the palace like before.
During these days, only at night would he secretly come to my window and tell me what he had done during the day. I was afraid that he was too tired, so I didn't dare to keep him talking.
One night, Yuchi Cheng didn't show up. I waited for him for half the night before I was sure he wasn't coming. So I washed up and was about to go to bed. Just as I was about to blow out the lamp, he tapped on my window.
At that time, I was wearing a loose robe and my long hair was disheveled, so I didn't open the window. I asked, "Why are you so late?"
Yuchi Cheng said outside, "Xihe, open the window. I have something very important to tell you."
Helpless, I opened the window a crack and said, "But I'm not properly dressed."
Yuchi Cheng said, "I don't mind."
Although what I was wearing wasn't revealing, I minded.
So I said, "Wait for me a moment."
I had no choice but to change my clothes and simply tie up my hair before opening the window. Then he said, "Come out. I'll take you to enjoy the moonlight."
I was stunned. Then, for the first time, I was pulled out through the window.
Yuchi Cheng didn't take me far. Instead, he put his arm around me and climbed onto the roof of the Huiyang Palace.
Sitting on the roof to enjoy the moonlight at night was something only Yuchi Cheng could come up with. I sat on the roof nervously with him and asked, "Why did you call me out so late?"
Yuchi Cheng said seriously, "I just went to see Uncle and told him about us. He didn't agree."