The mysterious and vast sea of stars was boundless. Lying on the empty grassland, he had the illusion that the stars in the sky were shining only for him. Xiangqi had a blade of grass in her mouth, her eyes wandering in the starry sky. The princess was asleep, and the others were still celebrating. She was bored and could only find an empty space to count the stars.
There was a rustling sound in the distance. She sat up alertly and stared at the source of the sound cautiously. Unknown wild beasts could appear in the wild to hunt for food at any time, so she always hid a short sword with her.
A person slowly walked out of the darkness. His figure was tall, and with a flash of inspiration, Xiangqi blurted out,"It's Gouli Lake!"
It really was him! The corners of his mouth were always curled up in a smile.
After recognizing that it was him, Xiangqi lay back down on the ground with relief. She had no intention of hitting on him.
Ju Lihu sat down beside her, his eyes shining like stars in the darkness as he looked at her without hiding anything.
His eyes were as deep as the sea. He rested his chin on one hand and stared at her calmly. It seemed that he did not intend to move away for a short period of time.
Xiangqi felt a little uncomfortable being stared at. She was worried that if she continued to look at each other like this, she would inexplicably drown in those two black pools. She cleared her throat, sat up, and asked him bluntly,""Do you have to look at people like that?”
Upon hearing her question, Gouli Hu retracted his gaze and lay lazily on the ground. He also mimicked her and had a blade of grass in his mouth.
"Don't you like me looking at you like this?”
This time, it was Xiangqi who was staring at him. She shrugged." Not really. It's actually good that you're like this!
At least it's better than those Xiongnu soldiers who keep a straight face all day, but I…"
"Say it!"
Sigh! She was troubled over whether she should say this feeling out loud. Every time she met his gaze, her heart would inexplicably beat faster. In serious cases, it would even cause a burst of heat. She suspected that the soldiers of Gouli Lake had also experienced such emotions. Perhaps it was because she was a girl that she had such a special feeling!
"Why didn't you say anything?"
Xiangqi thought about it again and again, but she still remained silent. If she didn't express herself properly, she would be laughed at by Gouli Lake. Perhaps she had to keep a distance from him so that she wouldn't have inexplicable emotions.
A gust of cold wind blew, and she couldn't help but shiver. The furry leather jacket made her feel restrained. She was not used to this Xiongnu costume, but at this moment, she had no choice but to submit to the cold wind that was like a steel knife and tighten her leather jacket.
"Are you cold?" Ju Lihu sat up astutely and asked with concern.
She wanted to say that she wouldn't, but she really felt cold.
She remembered that before she was to marry the princess, some of her sisters in the harem who were usually on good terms with her came to say goodbye to her with sympathy. Everyone felt that delicate girls like them would probably not be able to survive the winter in the Hu Land. It was like planting flowers in a greenhouse in the snow, and they would soon wither and die.
I'm not such a fragile girl!
I'm not a flower, I'm a weed, born from the ground! That was her answer.
"Drink some wine to warm up!" He took out a jug of wine from his pocket." The cold wind at night is very piercing.”
She looked at the wine pot, her horrified eyes as if she had seen a venomous snake or a ferocious beast.
Seeing her doubt, Goulihu sat up and opened the lid of the pot with a pop, and a fragrance wafted out." This is the best osmanthus wine. You can drink it without worry."”
As a result, she looked at him strangely. She was not suspicious of the wine in the jug, but was suspicious of how a magnanimous man from Gouli Lake could drink such a sissy thing.
"Do you usually…like to drink osmanthus wine?”
"No, it was specially prepared for you.”He answered quite naturally.
"Prepare for me? Why?" She was puzzled.
" Because…" He wanted to say something but stopped. He stared at her.
Her chest tightened. Here it comes again! It was this deadly gaze again. She was so scared that she quickly took the wine pot and pretended to drink. She really felt that facing his gaze was a difficult thing.
"You didn't eat much tonight. There's some cheese pastry here. Eat it so you don't get hungry.”
"Oh! Alright." She responded instinctively and gulped down the cheese pastry, which was a kind of food made from fermented cheese that had solidified. The sour taste in her mouth made her cover her mouth and frown, but she tried her best to lower her head. It was okay. Everything was fine, just don't let her meet his eyes again.
"You seem very nervous?"
"Where?"
"Then raise your head!"
Her heart skipped a beat. In order to prove that she was not nervous, she raised her head. Sure enough, he stared at her with burning eyes.
Finished, finished! Not only was she so nervous that her heart was about to jump out of her chest, but her face was also uncontrollably flushed.
The corners of his mouth twitched slightly and he smiled gently." You look very charming when you're blushing.”
What was going on? Even his smile could affect her emotions.
She held the wine pot in a panic. This was the only barrier between them. Her almond-shaped eyes were watery, and her thoughts were so complicated that she did not know what to do.
"Xiangqi." He called out softly," Have you thought about the future?”
"In the future? What future?"
"You followed the princess to the north and will have to stay in the Hu land for the rest of your life. Have you ever thought about your future?”
" Staying here for the rest of my life…" His words made her feel homesick. She still had her closest parents and siblings in the south! " I wonder if Father and Mother have received my letter…" As she muttered, tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks.
"Xiangqi."
"Ah!" She hurriedly wiped away her tears in embarrassment and said reproachfully,"Why did you suddenly ask that? I can't help but think of my family…"
"Is that so? I'm really sorry."
His sincere apology made Xiangqi suddenly stunned. She said bluntly,
"I didn't expect you to say such words. I thought that as Prince Xian of the Left, you should be someone who thought highly of yourself and was cold and heartless to everything!”She looked at him again. His face was a little tanned after being exposed to the sun, but his unyielding outline had an inexplicable sense of intimacy. "Actually, you're really a good person.”She said emotionally," If only our princess married you…"
Hearing her say this, Gou Lihu's expression changed and he suddenly became angry." It's fine as long as you think I'm good. Why are you lamenting that the princess didn't marry me? Can't you be the one marrying me?”
"Ah!" She blinked and blinked again. Looking at the extremely serious Gouli Lake, she burst out laughing and pointed at herself. She exaggerated and dragged her tone."How could I…I'm just a maid. You, Prince Xian of the Left, can have a whim, but I can't.”As he spoke, he stood up and gulped down the contents of the teapot.
Ju Lihu also stood up and snatched the wine jug. Then, he gulped down the wine from where she had been sitting. After drinking it, he stuffed it back to her.
Xiangqi held the wine pot that she had lost and recovered, swallowed the remaining juice in her mouth, and looked at the spout of the pot that they had drunk together. She felt that it was a little inappropriate, but then she thought about it. The atmosphere outside the Great Wall was bold and unrestrained. She would live here in the future. If she did not put down some reservations, it would seem too bashful.
Ju Lihu wiped away the remaining wine from the corner of his mouth and stared at her." Who said I was being impulsive? Can't you marry me?"”
Xiangqi's heart beat faster. Facing his question, she didn't know whether she should answer or not. This sounded like a proposal! But he was just asking casually! Of course, he, Prince Xian of the Left, could marry whoever he wanted. It was a blessing from the heavens for a maidservant to become the Princess Consort of the Left Xian! But why did he ask her such a question? She…she started to let her imagination run wild again.
"Xiangqi, answer me!" He asked in a slightly forceful manner.
In a dilemma, she had no choice but to grab the wine pot and stuff it into her mouth. She used her actions to show that she had no time to answer for the time being. Finally, there was no more wine left in the pot.
She turned the bottle upside down and looked confused." Eh? No…How could it be so fast…I…haven't drunk enough…"
Looking at the way she spoke, Ju Lihu knew that she was drunk. Osmanthus wine was also wine. Of course, she would be drunk after drinking the entire bottle in one go.
Holding her head that was in a daze, Xiangqi felt dizzy as if she was about to fly up. She looked at the messy spinning things in front of her in confusion." I, I should go back…But, why does this road…keep turning? How do I get there?"
Ju Lihu held her shoulders and continued to ask,"Xiangqi, don't get drunk. You haven't answered me yet!”
"Answer…answer what?”
"Answer me." He cleared his throat and tried his best to use the most emotional tone to say,"Are you willing…to follow me?"
Xiangqi looked at him seriously as if she was thinking hard. Just as Gouli Hu was full of anticipation, she suddenly complained,
"I say, you're really strange! Why do you keep asking me this question? It's hard for me to answer! If you want to know if a maidservant wants to be with you, Prince Xian of the Left, it's very simple. You can just ask a bunch of maidservants. Why must you ask me…If I say I want to be with you, I might not really marry you. I said I didn't want to, but I was afraid you'd be angry…"
Ju Lihu felt hurt when he heard that." Don't…Don't you have any feelings for me?”
"Feelings?" " Do you want to hear my real feelings?" she asked, trying hard to digest the word.”
He nodded.
Seeing him nod, Xiangqi suddenly grabbed his collar and stared at him at an unprecedented close distance. She said shamelessly,"Then I'll tell you how I really feel. I don't like you looking at me.”
"Why?" he asked in disappointment.
" Because…every time you stare at me, I…" She pointed at her chest." My heart beats inexplicably and my body warms up. What's worse is that I blush because of this. I really don't like this…"
He thought that she really didn't like him! Ju Lihu heaved a sigh of relief and was secretly delighted. So she was at a loss because of this feeling! That meant…he lifted Xiangqi's face and let her come closer to him. He explained to her with deep affection,""You know what? This means that you care about me."
Really?"This answer made her even more confused."Why should I care about you?”
"Because I like it."
"That's not true!" She mumbled," I suspect that you naturally like to look at people like this. I also suspect that my senses are too sensitive. I still suspect…" Her forehead slowly pressed against Gouli Hu's chest, and she finally couldn't help but fall asleep.
"Xiangqi?"
The sound of even breathing could be heard. She had actually fallen asleep while standing! Ju Lihu shook his head in anger and amusement. He stroked her little head lovingly and stretched out his arms to surround her. This was a good start, but how much of tonight's events would she remember tomorrow?
With a hint of drunkenness, Timan slowly moved closer to the bed made of premium fur. Liu Jing's beautiful body was slightly curled up, and her hands were folded beside her sleeping face. Her quiet face was like a plum blossom blooming in winter, mysterious, cold, and elegant. There was still a little blush on her cheeks, and her white neck was exposed. After bathing, her body was filled with a refreshing fragrance. Timan couldn't help but lean closer to her ear and take a deep breath greedily, letting her breath fill his body.
Being disturbed by this, Liu Jing's eyebrows furrowed slightly and squirmed uneasily before falling asleep again.
Timan propped her chin on her hands and leaned on the edge of the bed. She looked at her flawless face in fascination. She had yearned for her in her dreams for a few times, and now she finally got what she wanted. He caressed her soft hair and kissed her gently with his lips full of desire…The sudden coldness woke her up and she subconsciously pushed away the unfamiliar touch. She instinctively shrank to the side and looked at him with fear in her eyes.
Timan's heart tightened as he questioned coldly,""Am I really that scary?"
Liu Jing lowered his eyes and did not answer. He just turned his head to the side, which ignited the anger in his chest.
"Look at me! I order you to look at me!"
His deep voice was like a fierce lion before an attack. Although her heart trembled, her natural pride forced herself to look straight at him.
" You…" Timon lifted her chin rudely." Your beautiful face has a way of making people lose control of their emotions."”
His wild, beast-like breath brushed across her face, and the lust in his eyes made her tremble slightly. She felt uneasy and confused about what was about to happen. Naturally, she closed her eyes.
However, there was no expected action. Waiting and guessing became torture. After a long stalemate, he finally heard a slight sigh and let go.
She stroked her aching cheeks and looked at him in confusion.
"Take off your clothes." he ordered calmly.
She was stunned.
"I said take off your clothes." He raised his voice again.
Liu Jing bit her lower lip lightly. Even though she was embarrassed, she did not want to submit to his authority. She raised her head slightly and gently took off her gown until only a layer of gauze was left on her body. Her exquisite curves were revealed in front of him. She avoided his burning eyes and raised her arms to protect her chest.
She thought that he would attack her like a tiger pouncing on a sheep, but he just stood there quietly, slowly torturing her with his fanatical eyes.
"You, have you seen enough?" She finally managed to make a sound from her dry throat.
Who knew that his gaze would turn sharp, and he would pull out a long whip from his waist and whip it towards the ground like a gust of wind.
Liu Jing looked up in horror and saw the bright silver whip twisting and dancing in the air.
He changed his expression and coldly counted her crimes."You stabbed me with your sword, killed my Left Gudu Marquis, and disobeyed me time and time again. If I don't teach you a lesson, where will my dignity as the ruler of a country go?”With that, he raised his whip and whipped her body.
Although she tried her best to control the strength of the whip, it still tore open her flesh and blood immediately seeped through the gauze. She fell onto the bed, her long hair scattered on her face. There was an obvious painful expression on her face, but she did not make a sound. Timan's heart twitched. He was unable to whip the second time. It took him a lot of effort to stop his body from moving forward.
The burning pain from her back made her unable to raise her head for a long time, but this could not compare to the pain in her heart. This whip had severely injured her self-esteem and pride, and her heart was filled with despair and misery. The dignified princess of the Great Han Dynasty had fallen into such a state. To her, it was a fate worse than death.
She gritted her teeth and tried hard to hold her breath and raise her head. Her desire to die made her words extremely provocative.
"Why did you stop?" She sneered." I deserve more than this, right? Could it be that…the mighty King of the Xiongnu, whose hooves soared into the sky and into the sea, would be soft-hearted when dealing with a woman?”
"Shut up!"
"You said that if I die or you die, the Han Dynasty will suffer. But if I die in your hands today, then I won't go against your words. Do it!" She urged," I'm also looking forward to dying in your hands. Have you forgotten? I once stabbed you with my sword, and I didn't hesitate at all when I did it.”
Recalling the past, his heart ached. Why did he get such a cold response after giving his heart? Liu Jing's words struck his heart like a mockery, instantly setting off a storm.
"Shut up, shut up! I want you to shut up immediately!"
The frenzied whips fell like raindrops, but she did not dodge them. She only hoped to be free.
Timan's feelings for her, under the stimulation of her words, all turned into resentment. Through the whip, it poured out like a flood and a beast. Countless whips hit her body. Only when he realized that her body was no longer twitching instinctively did he suddenly stop.
" Princess..." He threw down his whip in shock and rushed to the bed. He picked up the blood-covered princess in a panic and reached out to her nose. Only when she was breathing weakly did he suddenly realize that he had lost control of himself. His heart suddenly fell into a bottomless abyss. Regret and heartache struck him at the same time. He muttered in a low voice,"Why? Why are you forcing me? Princess, I like you so much…why can't you understand…"
His handsome face was contorted in pain, and his heart was filled with frustration.
Ever since he became the Chanyu, he could get whatever he wanted. He could even easily capture a large man, but why couldn't he conquer this woman in front of him?
Why was she always so proud?
He was the king chosen by the heavens! Other people wanted to be happy, but she didn't look at him from the beginning to the end. Didn't she understand? As long as she was willing to smile at him, he would give her all his love!
He pressed her body against his chest, but all he got was a cold response. Even though she was unconscious, her tightly pursed lips still showed her stubbornness, as if this was the result she was looking forward to. Was she that eager to leave him? No! There was nothing he could not control.
"You're not allowed to die! "You're the person I really like. You have to live, even if you don't like me…" He raised his voice and shouted,"You're the one I really like."Men! Hurry up and get me an apothecary!"
The soldiers outside the tent received the order and quickly called the accompanying apothecary over.
Apothecary checked her pulse and repeatedly checked her injuries. His saggy eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter. After a while, he knelt on the ground and reported in fear, Chanyu, this injury is too heavy, I'm afraid…"
"Cut the crap!" He roared and almost jumped up. The fear in his heart increased. He pointed at the Medicine Master who was kneeling on the ground and trembling." No matter what method you use, you have to cure her. If she's unlucky..." He clenched his fists and tried hard to get rid of the ominous thought." If she can't be cured, I'll sacrifice your head to her!"”
" Yes, yes, yes..." Medicine Master, who was drenched in cold sweat, answered obediently. He quickly crawled back to the bed and carefully applied the injury medicine on the princess.
He slumped on the chair, recalling the princess's determined gaze, and his heart ached again. Would dying be better than living by his side? He didn't believe it! He didn't believe that under her cold exterior, she wouldn't have any passion for him. When he kissed her in the alley of Han Palace that day, he could clearly feel the hidden excitement in her chest! She was definitely not a heartless person, but why was she always so stubborn and cold in front of him? He was the king! The young, courageous, and proud king! The Hu Ji in the tribe prayed for his love, just like how the dry earth longed for rain. Why was it that when he gave his feelings to the woman he truly liked, he was so clumsy that both sides suffered? He didn't understand why he could be so calm and steady when facing a powerful enemy. But when dealing with his own feelings, he couldn't fully grasp them like he could in battle? In the end, he could only let the feelings in his body run around irregularly.
The more he thought about it, the more confused his thoughts became. It was a good wedding night, but the bride was covered in bruises. His heart was not at peace. He shook his head and strode out of the tent, heading straight for the horse. At this moment, he could only ride the horse and gallop. The rapid pleasure of sprinting could relieve the pressure in his heart.
A dark cloud covered the moon, and the weather became colder. It seemed that it was going to snow again. The cold wind was biting cold. Xiangqi woke up trembling. She suddenly raised her head and met Gouli Hu's gaze. She was puzzled and tried to recall what had happened before she passed out from his smiling eyes.
Ju Lihu wrapped his arms around her waist and had no intention of letting go. The smile on his face was unfathomable.
"Let me ask you!" Grabbing the front of his shirt with both hands, he asked with a solemn expression,"You didn't do anything out of line, did you?”
He pulled a long face, feeling unhappy that his character was being questioned.
" Ah…" She lowered her head in embarrassment." You're not that kind of person. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" She let go of her hand and honestly smoothed out the wrinkles that she had just grabbed.
She broke away from Gouli Hu's embrace and looked at the tall and handsome him. She thought of what he had said last night and her identity. Suddenly, she felt sad for no reason.
" Xiangqi…" Gouli Hu's eyes were burning and full of hope. He looked at her as if he was expecting her to say something further.
Facing that kind of gaze, Xiangqi shrank back, and her disappointment became even heavier. In the distance, the sky was turning white and the darkness was fading. Who was he? What was his identity? Darkness and dawn always brushed past each other…Once she thought it through, she became calm when facing him. She cleared her throat and said,"Thank you for the wine. I have to go back and serve the princess.”
Without waiting for his reply, she turned around and ran away, escaping from the sight of Gouli Lake.
" Xiangqi…" Gou Lihu was at a loss. Did she not like him? No, she clearly didn't reject it, but why did she say one thing and mean the other?
On the way back, Xiangqi bumped into Medicine Master, who had a worried expression. Medicine Master said anxiously in his unfamiliar Chinese mixed with Hu language,
"Young lady, quickly go back and look after the princess. I will go to the mountain to pick some herbs!”After saying that, he hurried off without delay.
"Hey!" Xiangqi frowned. She felt that something had happened.
When she returned to the tent, she saw the princess lying on the bed, barely breathing, and almost had no skin left. She almost lost her wits and flew to the side of the bed, crying out as if her heart was cut by a knife,"Princess!
Princess! What's wrong with you? Wake up! Don't scare me…"
Hearing Xiangqi's cry, Liu Jing, who had been unconscious, opened her eyes slowly. Her lips moved, but she could not make a sound.
" Princess…" Xiangqi held her hand and looked at her anxiously.
Finally, she exhaled slowly, deep and resentful. She tried hard to squeeze out some words."After I die, you will return to…Han Land…"
Xiangqi's heart was broken and she broke down and cried." No…Princess, don't talk nonsense…" She held Liu Jing's hand tightly." If you're unlucky…I won't live…"
When Liu Jing heard this, her heart ached and tears fell.
She wiped away the Princess 'tears." Princess, how could this be?”
"Don't ask…"
Realizing that she might die, Liu Jing had no resentment or hatred in her heart.
When Xiangqi heard this, she was filled with anger. She suddenly stood up and gritted her teeth."How dare he treat you like this? I'll kill him and avenge you.”
After saying that, she turned around and left. Liu Jing raised her weak hand to stop her, but she couldn't catch her breath and fainted again.
Xiangqi went directly to the yurt of the banquet and saw the soldiers drunk and collapsed. She grabbed one of them and asked sternly,"Where is Chanyu?"
Lan Yue, who was suffering from not getting drunk after drinking a thousand cups, saw her coming menacingly and reprimanded her loudly,""You audacious servant, how dare you barge in without permission?”
Seeing that it was Lan Yue, Xiangqi added fuel to the fire. She pulled out the scimitar from the general's waist and glared at him." It must be you who instigated the Chief to severely injure the princess. Good!" I'll kill you first."
Lan Yue stumbled back when she saw this. The broadsword slashed at her swiftly, but she dodged it in a sorry state. As she could not block the sharp blade with her bare hands, it was difficult for her to display her martial arts skills no matter how good she was. Thus, she shouted as she dodged,""Someone come! Assassins! Someone come quickly!"
This shout woke up the drunken soldiers. While everyone was taking their weapons, Goulihu had already rushed in.
"Stop!"
When Xiangqi saw that it was Gou Lihu, she still had no intention of stopping. Gou Lihu had no choice but to jump between the two of them to protect Lan Yue. Xiangqi was furious when she saw this." Get out of the way. I must kill her today!"”
"I won't allow you to mess around! Don't you know that this is a great crime of beheading?”
"Behead?" Xiangqi was stunned, and tears immediately fell. She said with grief and indignation,"The princess is about to die. Why should I care if he kills her or not? Are you going to give in or not? If you don't, I'll kill you too!”
"Princess? How could that be?"
Ju Lihu was puzzled, while Lan Yue's spirits were greatly boosted.
"That's right. If the princess dies, I don't want to live either. But before I die, that woman must be buried with me!”She pointed her knife at Lan Yue, who was hiding behind Gouli Lake, and approached him step by step." Are you leaving or not? If you don't leave, don't blame me for being merciless!”
"Calm down!"
"Cut the crap!"
Xiangqi steeled her heart and could not care less about Gouli Lake's obstruction. She brandished her scimitar, looking as if she wanted to die together with someone. Because Gouli Lake was protecting Lan Yue, she took advantage of the gap to escape from the tent and called for archers.
She nocked an arrow on the bowstring and aimed it at Xiangqi. She shouted in a delicate voice,"You slut! You still don't dare to stop?"
Seeing this, Ju Lihu quickly ordered,"No arrows!"”
"Gou Lihu, you're actually protecting her?”Lan Yue tensed up and became even angrier. The soldiers didn't dare to move when they were under Gouli Lake's orders, but she didn't take orders from him. She said in an aggressive tone,""I must kill her!" He loosened his grip, and the arrow flew towards Xiangqi with a whoosh.
Ju Lihu didn't even think about it and flew to block the arrow for her. With a muffled grunt, Lan Shan's arrow shot into his left arm.
All the generals cried out in alarm, and Lan Yue was even more dumbfounded.
Goulihu's stern gaze swept coldly at the soldiers who were raising their arrows. The arrows that the soldiers had raised up lowered weakly under his gaze. He pulled out the arrow without changing his expression. Blood flowed out. Just in case, his body further covered Xiangqi behind him and firmly ordered,"This is a misunderstanding. All of you, leave!”
The soldiers looked at each other in dismay. Lan Yue was so frightened that her face turned ashen when she saw the arrow hit Gouli Lake. Although she was a member of the Lan Clan, she could not bear the crime of killing Prince Xian of the Left. She immediately took a step back.
Seeing that the storm seemed to have subsided, Ju Lihu grabbed Xiangqi's hand and pulled her out of the tent without any explanation.#
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]