mtl008 Chapter 941 How Tired Are You?
Chapter 941 How Tired Are You?
"In the next few years, Brother Xiaokang and I might be very busy and won't have as much time to spend with Xier."
In the study, which was filled with water conservancy books, Xu Zize finally selected the volumes he needed to take away from the mountain of books. He stood up and shook Jing Chunxi's hand, his eyes filled with reluctance and apology.
The pile of books seemed to be a microcosm of the heavy burden on his shoulders - half of the room was filled with water conservancy atlases, river survey records, and a large number of water conservancy project budget files, all of which foreshadowed the heavy responsibility he was about to shoulder.
Jing Chunxi looked up at him, her almond-shaped eyes, always smiling, now filled with understanding and support. "Xi'er knows," she whispered, her fingertips gently clasping his warm hand.
How could she not know? As the Crown Prince, and His Majesty's only adult son, the burden on his shoulders was far heavier than most people imagined. Furthermore, the canal, crucial to the nation's livelihood, was about to begin construction. This major project, a national effort, required his personal supervision for His Majesty to rest assured.
If her brother Xiaokang were to indulge in romantic affairs, spending his days with her under the moonlight, he wouldn't be the man with the world in his heart that she loved. She didn't want him to be known as a womanizer for her own selfish reasons, and for herself to be seen as a scourge that tempted the emperor.
"Whatever Brother Xiaokang does, Xi'er will support him." She placed her hand on the back of his hand that gently stroked her hair, her tone as firm as a rock. "If you need help with anything, Brother Xiaokang must speak up. Don't keep everything bottled up."
She knew his personality very well, that he always liked to take on everything alone, and she also knew that he would not easily use her space again.
"No need!" Xu Zize immediately shook his head, his eyes gentle but firm, "Xier just needs to stay at home and wait for her marriage. When the canal is completed one day, it will be the time for you and I to get married." This was his promise to her, and also a spur to himself.
As dusk deepened, the bright moonlight streamed through the window onto the two people embracing each other. Their hands were tightly clasped, as if to imprint each other's warmth into their hearts.
He led her out of the courtyard, along the familiar path to the stream. The fields, still fragrant with the aroma of rice after the autumn harvest, sat side by side on a soft haystack, gazing up at the starry sky. The gurgling stream, the twinkling stars, this moment of tranquility would become a most precious memory in the days to come.
Sure enough, Jing Chunxi didn't see Xu Zize again for almost ten days, and he didn't send her any message from the palace.
During this period, she often stared at his usual seat in the attic, where he still had several volumes of water conservancy atlases he had flipped through. Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, she would think of the promise he had made that day by the stream, feeling both anticipation and a bit of trepidation.
On the afternoon after the palace examination, Jing Chunxi was chatting with his grandmother at the Grand General's Mansion, absentmindedly fiddling with the tea set while waiting for the results. Suddenly, Hongfen hurried in with a message, her tone unusually flustered: "July came in person to tell me that the Crown Prince has arrived at our residence and doesn't seem well."
Those words were like a bucket of cold water, and Jing Chunxi's heart suddenly tightened. She immediately stood up and said goodbye to her grandparents, not even caring about the teacup that had been knocked over. Pu Ge'er and Xiao Yu wanted to follow her back, but she sternly stopped them.
She lifted her skirt and ran out. She jumped off the carriage before it stopped and trotted into Xichungui.
"Where is His Highness?" As soon as she entered the yard, she grabbed a maid and asked anxiously, her voice trembling so much that she didn't even notice it.
The old woman was frightened by her pale face and pointed upwards tremblingly: "She went up to the attic with disheveled hair and dirty face and never came down." After she said that, she realized her words had gone astray and fell to her knees with a thud.
Jing Chunxi didn't care about that anymore. She rushed up the stairs in two steps. The wooden steps made a thumping sound under her hurried footsteps, and the whole building seemed to shake.
But when she ran to the door of the boudoir, it was still quiet inside. She suddenly slowed down her steps for fear of disturbing him.
"Brother Xiaokang," she gently pushed open the half-closed door, her voice as soft as a spring breeze brushing against willow branches. However, there was still no response from inside.
The warm afternoon sun filtered through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the pink and purple bed. The slightly parted curtains allowed her to see clearly what lay within—Xu Zize lay fully clothed on her bed, his boots still on, his feet dangling over the edge. His usually meticulously styled bun was now disheveled, a jade hairpin tucked askew in his hair. He had fallen asleep like that.
His steady snoring showed that he had fallen into a deep sleep, and even the sound of her entering the room did not wake him up.
"How exhausted must this be?" Jing Chunxi sighed distressedly, tiptoeing to the bedside and squatting. She first removed his muddy boots and socks, then laboriously maneuvered his legs onto the bed. Then, she carefully removed the irritating jade hairpin and let his dark hair fall freely on the pillow.
This series of actions caused sweat to seep out of her forehead, but Xu Zize just unconsciously turned sideways, gathered the quilt in his arms and turned inward, and softly called out in his sleep: "Xi'er!"
This dreamy mumbling made Jing Chunxi's heart ache. With a mixture of pity and pain, she tucked the corners of the quilt in for him. She turned and left the room, whispering to Xiao Man and Lan Fen, who had rushed over after hearing the news, "Go ask the kitchen to prepare some hot water. Simmer the black-bone chicken and venison with some nourishing wild ginseng and astragalus on the stove. His Highness will need it later."
After closing the door and returning to the bed, she carefully studied his tired face, unable to resist a soft, scolding murmur, "How many days have you been awake? You don't take care of yourself." Her fingertips gently brushed the dark circles under his eyes, and she tucked his stray hair behind his ear. Finally, she simply lay down beside him, resting her head on his familiar scent, and stared at the curtains embroidered with lotus flowers overhead, lost in thought.
The sunlight cast tiny spots of light on the tent, just like her chaotic mood at the moment. She felt distressed for his hard work and was moved by his trust.
He could have just fallen asleep in the East Palace, but he came here with such a disheveled appearance just to see her.