Ge Long'an gave a light cough and glanced at Sima Yongheng sitting beside him. Wei Shuxuan immediately understood his meaning. Then, Ge Long'an said, "I'm just worried about you, so I thought I'd go with you!"
Wei Shuxuan thought that Ge Long'an probably wanted to go to the border with them to investigate the case of General Wei Tu's family being massacred. Since Sima Yongheng was there, he couldn't directly state his purpose.
However, as soon as Ge Long'an finished speaking, Ge Zian said worriedly, "Father, you can't. You're not going with us. I know and understand your reason for wanting to go, but you're getting old. I can't ignore your safety, nor can I neglect Shuxuan's and His Majesty's safety!"
"Humph! Your father is still in his prime. Don't worry so much!" Ge Long'an's irascible temper flared up instantly.
"No matter what, I won't allow you to go with us. Going to Kele Town is so dangerous. What if I can't protect you in time?"
"No need. I can protect myself. You just take care of yourself! No more words. I've made up my mind! Let's have dinner!"
Wei Shuxuan and Sima Yongheng watched as Ge Long'an and Ge Zian, with serious faces, picked up the same dish. They couldn't help finding it a bit funny. It was obvious that these two were father and son. Although Ge Zian didn't look or act like Ge Long'an at all, their tempers were exactly the same.
Right after dinner, Xin Zizhao arrived at General Long'an's Mansion in a carriage. Knowing that Wei Shuxuan had left the palace and come to the general's mansion, he came specifically to pick her up and also wanted to take a look at the young man named Sima Yongheng.
Sima Yongheng was in the main hall enjoying some fruits after dinner when suddenly he heard someone shout loudly, "Young Master Xin is here!"
Hearing this, Wei Shuxuan, who had been struggling with a red pomegranate, quickly put down the half - peeled pomegranate in her hand and threw herself into the arms of the handsome man in white robes. "Xin Zizhao, you're here!"
"Yes, I'm here to pick you up."
Xin Zizhao stroked Wei Shuxuan's head. A gentle smile appeared on his cold and handsome face. He looked up and met Sima Yongheng's eyes. Both of them were slightly stunned and saw surprise in each other's eyes. However, neither of them reacted. Their eyes just briefly met and then quickly shifted away.
"How do you know I'm here again?" Wei Shuxuan picked up the unfinished pomegranate again, planning to finish peeling it. Seeing how unevenly she had peeled the pomegranate, Xin Zizhao reached out and took it from her hand and started peeling it himself.
"I just asked Steward Li, and I knew where you were. Moreover, you told Steward Li not to prepare dinner for you. I knew you must be having dinner here at General Long'an's mansion. I came to pick you up when I thought the time was right."
Xin Zizhao peeled the pomegranate very quickly. In just a few strokes, he had peeled a whole pomegranate. The red, gem - like seeds were all piled in front of Wei Shuxuan. Only then did Wei Shuxuan start eating contentedly. While eating, she praised him, "Xin Zizhao, how are you so good at this?"
"It's just that I couldn't help it when I saw how ugly you peeled it."
Sima Yongheng watched the interaction between Xin Zizhao and Wei Shuxuan. Although there were no overly sweet and intimate actions, their every move and words revealed their love for each other, like a gentle stream, warm and comfortable.
"By the way, Xin Zizhao, this is Sima Yongheng. Don't you think he looks a lot like you?" Wei Shuxuan introduced Sima Yongheng to Xin Zizhao.
"Yes, he looks about five or six parts like me."
Xin Zizhao admitted honestly. When he first saw Sima Yongheng, he also thought the young man looked very much like him. However, this young man didn't know who his father was, right? Could it be that he was an illegitimate son of his father, the emperor, who had been living outside?
He wanted to ask Emperor Jinzheng, but unfortunately, Emperor Jinzheng had left the palace to travel around the world. He had no idea where Emperor Jinzheng was or when he would come back.
"Hello, I'm Sima Yongheng."
Under Wei Shuxuan's encouraging look, Sima Yongheng took the initiative to greet Xin Zizhao. Xin Zizhao nodded slightly at him. "Hello, I'm Xin Zizhao. I think you probably already know who I am, so I won't introduce myself anymore."
"I know who you are, so you don't need to tell me specifically."
"I didn't intend to tell you specifically."
Xin Zizhao's words were always so annoying. He even emphasized the word "specifically". Then, there was a spark in his eyes as he looked at Sima Yongheng.
"Is this the first time His Majesty and Yongheng have met?" Ge Zian looked at the two of them in confusion as sparks seemed to fly from their eyes.
"Yes."
"Then why do they seem to dislike each other?"
"How would I know?" Wei Shuxuan shrugged. How could she possibly know what was on their minds?
"Okay, it's time for us to go back. Xin Zizhao, it's time for us to go back."
Hearing Wei Shuxuan urging him to go back, Xin Zizhao finally withdrew his gaze. When he turned to look at Wei Shuxuan, his expression changed again. "Okay, let's go back now."
"Godfather, Zian, Xin Zizhao and I will go back first. I'll come and see you when I'm free. Yongheng, you should also study hard, okay?"
"Got it, Sister Shuxuan!" Facing Wei Shuxuan's question, Sima Yongheng's serious face immediately brightened up.
Ge Zian and Ge Long'an sitting beside them instantly understood why Xin Zizhao and Sima Yongheng were at odds with each other on their first meeting.
On the way back to the palace, Xin Zizhao asked Wei Shuxuan seriously, "Are you very familiar with that young man?"
"Not really. I've saved him twice, and he's just very grateful to me. What's wrong with you? You look so serious!" Wei Shuxuan looked at Xin Zizhao with a bit of worry.
"Promise me not to get so close to that Sima Yongheng."
Xin Zizhao pulled Wei Shuxuan into his arms. Wei Shuxuan found it a bit funny. "What are you talking about? Yongheng is just a kid. He's only fifteen years old!"
"Fifteen is not young. He can even be a father!" Xin Zizhao said discontentedly.
The smart Wei Shuxuan immediately understood what Xin Zizhao meant. She gave a sly smile. "You're not jealous of Yongheng, are you?"
Xin Zizhao remained silent.