When Song Yinghuai returned to the palace hall, Caiyu had been waiting inside for a long time.
It was freezing cold in the middle of winter, but Caiyu had stoked the stove so well that the hall was filled with roaring flames and billowing heat waves everywhere.
Caiyu stepped forward to greet him. Seeing that he was wearing a Buddhist robe with his hair loose and half - wet, she knew that he had just been to the Quiet Spring again. Half - scolding and half - angry, she said:
"Your Highness, why didn't you call this maid to attend you when you went to the pool?"
She casually picked up a clean cotton handkerchief that had been hanging on the rack. Standing behind him, she carefully wrung out his wet hair while scolding him in a low voice:
"In the middle of winter, even though Your Highness has a good constitution, walking out of the hot pool and catching the cold wind like this. What if you develop a headache in the future?"
Song Yinghuai let out a soft laugh. Suddenly, he turned his face and looked at her sideways:
"Would you feel heartache if I have a headache?"
Caiyu was stunned for a moment. Looking into his cold eyes, her heart skipped a beat, and she didn't know how to answer.
Why would Song Yinghuai ask such a question?
Why would he ask if she would feel heartache?
Seeing Caiyu's stunned expression, a shadow passed over Song Yinghuai's eyes.
Sure enough, she was an ungrateful girl, impossible to tame.
After a moment of stunnedness, Caiyu immediately smiled and said, "Look at what Your Highness is asking. This maid belongs to Your Highness. My body has been exhausted by Your Highness. Now this maid's heart and eyes are full of Your Highness. If you have a headache or a fever, this maid would be heartbroken!"
These words were no different from those of a brothel girl flattering her patron.
A cold smile curled up on Song Yinghuai's lips.
Sure enough, she was a Yangzhou thin horse, able to spout affectionate words at will.
Caiyu met his icy eyes, which seemed different from a few days ago and even different from this morning. Her heart skipped a beat.
She didn't know what had happened to make Song Yinghuai even colder than when they first met.
Just as she was feeling uneasy, she suddenly felt a lock of her hair being held and played with by Song Yinghuai.
His fingertips gently rubbed Caiyu's long hair, feeling its silk - like smoothness. He said casually:
"I've had you transferred to the Lotus Sound Pavilion for so long, but it's only today that I've noticed how beautiful your hair is."
"Truly, it's like red snow suddenly appearing on the pool's reflection, and black clouds half - rolling in the mirror of the sky."
Caiyu felt a tingling sensation on her scalp.
Song Yinghuai had been practicing Buddhism for almost seven years. Although her presence had disrupted his spiritual cultivation and made him sometimes overwhelmed by desire, it was ultimately just a physical reaction.
So every time, Song Yinghuai would be domineering and straightforward in asking for kisses or satisfying his desires with his hands.
He had never been like this today, suddenly caressing her hair like a lover cherishing his woman.
It seemed like a sign of passion, but also like an unfathomable abyss of darkness.
Caiyu didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, but she was naturally alert and was still a bit on guard against Song Yinghuai's sudden change.
"This maid's hair has always been this beautiful. It's just that Your Highness hasn't paid attention to this maid on weekdays."
Caiyu smiled coquettishly. She put down the cotton handkerchief, and one of her delicate hands began to slide down along Song Yinghuai's exposed chest.
She bit her red lips lightly and thought: At worst, she would use her hands to help him relieve his desire again, divert his attention, and relax his vigilance.
Anyway, that was her plan for today.
If she wanted to find out the whereabouts of the Dong family's booklet, she might have a chance to get a hint from Song Yinghuai when he was most satisfied.
A big hand grabbed her soft hand that was sliding down.
Caiyu stopped and looked up at Song Yinghuai.
Song Yinghuai held her hand tightly and stared at her without blinking.
After a long while, he suddenly let go of her hand. He took out a booklet from his wide - sleeved pocket, smiled gently, and said, "I discussed the matter of the Dong family with several generals today. I forgot to put this booklet back and ended up carrying it with me. Please help me put it in the lacquer enamel bookcase on the third shelf."
Caiyu took it over. Her eyes fell on the words of the booklet, and her pupils shrank slightly.
Wasn't this...
The Dong family's booklet that Nanny Yu had been searching for for seven days without success?
It turned out that the booklet wasn't in the study. Song Yinghuai had taken it with the two generals, Tan and Fang, to handle business!
Caiyu tried her best to suppress her racing heart. She responded and took the booklet to put it in the bookcase, then came back.
Suddenly being interrupted by Song Yinghuai and told to put away the book, the passion she had just built up seemed to have dissipated.
Now standing in front of him, she felt at a loss.
Should she continue or not?
Just as Caiyu mustered up her courage again and reached out her hand, Song Yinghuai said calmly, "I have something to do early tomorrow morning and will leave Yanjing."
The mood Caiyu had just built up was suddenly interrupted by him, and she was strongly attracted.
"How long will Your Highness be away?"
Her heart started to beat wildly again.
If Song Yinghuai was leaving Yanjing, then the booklet...
Caiyu's eyes involuntarily turned to the bookcase on the bookshelf.
Wouldn't it be easy to get?
She didn't know that all her expressions had fallen into Song Yinghuai's eyes.
Song Yinghuai's deep eyes stared intently at her absent - minded cheeks. Under the lamp, his expression was flickering, and his eyes were dark and dangerous.
"The envoy from Shangjing has arrived in Tongzhou. I'm going to Tongzhou to welcome him in person. It will take at least four days, and at most, it may take seven or eight days."
It usually only took two days to ride a fast horse from Tongzhou to Shangjing and back in four days. But the envoy from Shangjing was dissolute and came up with all kinds of tricks. It was inevitable that he would make things difficult for Song Yinghuai, so it was hard to say how many days they would be delayed on the way.
Caiyu didn't expect that the famous God of War in Daye, a noble relative of the royal family, would need to personally welcome a eunuch from the Eastern Depot.
Only then did she realize how great the crisis behind Song Yinghuai was and how much humiliation he had endured.
However, she had no time to care about Song Yinghuai's humiliation and crisis.
Because she hadn't even resolved the crisis and humiliation on herself!
Caiyu lowered her head deeply to hide her strange expression. "Your Highness must be careful on this journey."
Song Yinghuai let out a soft "hmm". Looking at the black hair on top of her head, he couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke it, saying:
"Do you think I should take you with me to Tongzhou?"
Caiyu's heart tightened, and the words of refusal almost blurted out.
However, when she met Song Yinghuai's cold eyes, her heart started to pound. She always felt that something was wrong with this.
Song Yinghuai had never let her participate in any matters in Yan. Especially since the conflict between the Crown Prince of Shangjing and him had become extremely intense, how could he take her to Tongzhou at this time and cause himself more trouble?
Caiyu's mind was spinning. On the surface, she showed a happy expression. "Is Your Highness really going to take this maid with you?"
Sure enough, Song Yinghuai smiled. "Forget it. You've just had a few days of peace. It's not suitable for you to endure the hardships of traveling. Just help me pack my luggage!"
Caiyu let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.
Seeing that Song Yinghuai didn't seem to have any intention of touching her, and since she already knew where the booklet was, she was happy to be at ease. She really carefully helped him pack his luggage.
By the time she finished packing, it was already late at night. Song Yinghuai really returned to his pure and ascetic self. He lay on his side on the edge of the bed, reading the scriptures.
"Your Highness, this maid has finished packing." Caiyu came to stand by the bedside after she was done.
Only then did Song Yinghuai slightly raise his eyes.
She was probably tired from climbing up and down to get the clothes. Her chest was rising and falling unevenly, and the fragrant sweat rolled down her fair cheeks into places that made one's imagination run wild.
Song Yinghuai's eyes darkened. He turned his face away and replied stuffily, "Go down."
Caiyu was completely exhausted. Getting her freedom, she hurriedly washed up and then rolled onto the bed in the side hall. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep.
I don't know how long it had passed. In a half - dream and half - awake state, she seemed to feel someone getting on her bed!
Caiyu was always alert. Especially after encountering a series of dangers these days, she was even more vigilant. She immediately opened her eyes!
Song Yinghuai's tall and slender body suddenly pressed down on her. The familiar sandalwood scent filled her nostrils.
Through the dim light, Caiyu saw that the corners of his eyes were slightly tinged with scarlet.
Before she could make a sound, his heavy body had already domineeringly covered her!