Why Does Mr. Xie Favor Me? Chapter 26
byChapter 26 Strange fame
Xie Pushe, don’t ignore me QAQ
April in Guzang City is supposed to be the time when poplar flowers flutter against the curtains and the warm breeze is intoxicating.But this year’s spring seems to have been frozen to the bones by the northern wind and snow, and it has been reluctant to warm up.
At three o’clock in the morning, there was already a huge crowd inside and outside the North City Gate.
The common people were wrapped in winter clothes that had not been put away, standing on tiptoes and stretching their necks to look at the end of the official road.The windows on the second floor of the tea house and restaurant were all crowded with people, including merchants, students, and more ordinary locals.
“Coming!” Someone shouted.
On the very distant horizon, a cloud of dust and smoke first rose.Gradually, the sound of horse hooves rolled across the earth like muffled thunder, causing the copper bells on the eaves of the tower to jingle.
Xiao Jue was riding on a jet-black war horse, which was half a head taller than all the surrounding horses.He was not wearing full armor, only a blue cloth shirt, and a half-worn black cloak. The hem of the cloak was cut with a few cuts by a sharp blade, and when it rolled in the wind, the dark red lining inside was revealed.
His face has become much thinner, there is a new scar from the cheekbone to the chin, and black stubble has appeared on the chin.
In the teahouse next to the road, an old scholar suddenly got wet eyes and murmured: “It’s not easy.”
Xiao Jue’s eyes swept over the cheering crowds on the long street and the clanging flags on the city tower.Finally, they settled on the front of the queue of officials wearing purple clothes and red clothes inside the city gate.
Xie Heng stood there.
In the cold morning breeze of spring, he only wore a dark purple cloud-pattern court dress, without a fur cloak, and a jade belt around his waist, with his hands clasped in a very decent manner.
The morning light shone from his side and behind, casting a faint shadow on his excessively thin face.He stood upright, like a green pine after snow, and even the curvature of the hanging corners of his robe was intact.
But Xiao Jue noticed that his Adam’s apple slid slightly, and his face became tense.
When the horse reached the steps, Xiao Jue reined it in and stopped.
The black horse man stood up, hissed loudly, and stepped hard on the bluestone with his front hooves, causing tiny splashes of water to appear.Xiao Jue turned over and dismounted. When he landed, his left shoulder was slightly sluggish for a moment. The injury finally left traces.
He strode forward, walked three steps in front of Xie Heng, knelt down on one knee, and raised his fists above his head: “The last general Xiao Jue was ordered to march north. He conquered three towns today, defeated more than ten thousand enemies, and seized grain, grass and weapons. Fortunately, he did not disgrace his order and returned to the court to restore the order!”
Xie Heng lowered his eyes and looked at him.From this angle, he could see the rough edges on the elbows of his shirt and the tight lines of his shoulders and back when he knelt.
Xie Heng slowly raised his hand, but instead of helping him, he gave a weak support, “Thank you for your hard work, general. Your Majesty has hosted a banquet in the Taiji Hall to wash away the dust of the general. Please get up.”
Every word is in line with etiquette, every pause is just right.But it was too formal and just right, but it gave off a profound sense of alienation.
Xiao Jue suddenly raised his head.
The moment their eyes met, time seemed to stand still for a moment. In those indifferent eyes, Xiao Jue searched for the tenderness under the candlelight in the study in the past, and the attachment that he hesitated to express on the night before parting, even if it was loosened in the slightest.
But he found nothing.Xie Heng’s eyes were calm and calm, and even his own reflection in his pupils seemed distant and blurry.
Xiao Jue stood up on his own, and their armors collided with each other, making a dull sound.He opened his mouth to say something, but Xie Heng turned around and said to the officials behind him: “Welcome the general into the palace.”
The hem of the purple court dress brushed against the wet bluestone without stopping for a moment.
It was night, there was a night banquet in Tai Chi Hall, the lights were as bright as day.
Xiao Jue was sitting at the head of the general’s seat, and the royal wine in the gilt wine bar in front of him was already cold.He didn’t quite fit into the situation.Not even used to the looks coming from all directions.
Those gazes seemed to form an invisible web.There is admiration, envy, and flattery, but it is more about exploration and consideration.
His eyes always drifted to the opposite side involuntarily.
Xie Heng was sitting at the top of the civil service staff, leaning sideways and whispering to Xu Shuhuai.Xu Shuhuai was wearing a rare crimson official uniform today and wore a hairpin and jade wat, but he still sat casually, playing with a sapphire wine cup in his hand, with an unpredictable smile on his lips.
Xiao Jue looked at Xie Heng’s posture holding the chopsticks, the corners of his lips that raised when he lowered his eyes to listen to Xu Shuhuai’s words, and the tense curve of his jaw when he occasionally raised his eyes to look at the throne.
It’s so familiar, so familiar that you can tell whether he is relaxed or alert with just a tiny movement.
But now Xie Heng’s whole body showed a kind of vigilance that he couldn’t understand.
Not to outsiders, but to him.
When Sizhu took a break, the emperor raised the wine baron.
“Xiao Qing.” The emperor’s voice was gentle and mellow. “This Northern Expedition has destroyed three towns in the Northern Dynasty. It has enhanced the prestige of our country and strengthened the morale of our army. I am very pleased. I respect you for this title.”
The whole hall was silent, only the rustle of clothing material could be heard.All eyes were focused on Xiao Jue.
Xiao Jue stood up and left the table, walked to the palace and knelt down: “Your Majesty, the power of heaven protects you, your soldiers serve their lives, and I dare not take credit.”
“Hey, there’s no need to be too modest.” The emperor smiled and waved his hands, but his eyes glanced at Xie Heng as if he was absent, “Speaking of which, Xiao Qing’s success today is also due to Xie Qing’s strong recommendation that day.”
He turned to look at Xie Heng, and his tone became gentler, “Xie Qing, you have recommended such a good general to me, and you are a wise man. With a tiger like Xiao Qing giving you wings, I can really rest easy in my heart.”
The moment the words fell, Xiao Jue froze.
Sit back and relax.
Those four words hovered in the silent hall, bumped into the gilded pillars, and penetrated into everyone’s ears.Wang Yuzong’s hands stopped in mid-air and he lowered his eyes to stare at the subtle ripples on the surface of the wine.
Concubine Zheng sat beside the emperor, her delicate white fingers gently caressing her belly, which was not yet showing her pregnancy, and the corners of her lips curved in a very light arc.
Xie Heng’s knuckles holding the wine cup suddenly tightened. He stood up slowly, walked three steps to Xiao Jue’s side, bowed and saluted, his movements were smooth and smooth, and every detail was impeccable.
“Your Majesty is so flattering.” His voice was so calm that there was nothing unusual about it. “General Xiao is your Majesty’s minister, and it is your duty to serve the country. When I recommended him, I was just doing my duty as a minister. How dare I say anything about adding more wings to him?”
He paused, and when he raised his head, he looked past Xiao Jue and looked directly at the emperor on the throne.The candlelight danced in his eyes, reflecting a bottomless chill: “Besides, General Xiao has now made outstanding achievements and is powerful in the northern border. He is no longer a general who needs support from me in the past. I would like to ask your majesty that General Xiao should directly take orders from heaven for all matters related to the Northern Expedition. I should retreat to the rear and concentrate on food and grass mobilization and political affairs, and no longer interfere with specific military aircraft.”
Every word was clearly engraved in Xiao Jue’s heart.
Xiao Jue suddenly turned his head to look at him, his eyes full of disbelief: “Thank you Pushe, I…”
“General Xiao.” Xie Heng finally looked at him without giving him any extra look, “This is a state matter, and the state’s top priority should be taken.”
The emperor put his hands on his hands and smiled: “I am very pleased to thank you for your loyalty to the country. From now on, the military affairs in the northern border will be fully handled by Xiao Qing. In addition, Xiao Jue has made great achievements in battle and was promoted to general of Peiping. He opened the government to the third division.”
Xiao Jue knelt on the ground, the cold gold bricks chilling his knees.He opened his mouth, and the words of Shane rolled out of his throat mechanically, but he didn’t know what he said.
When the banquet broke up, it was almost midnight.
The palace lanterns flickered in the night wind, making the shadows of the officials leaving the palace grow longer and shorter, twisting and deforming.Whispers whispered in twos and threes.
“Did you see it? Xie Pushe is about to retreat bravely…”
“Retreat? I’m afraid I have to retreat. Xiao Jue’s great achievements now shock the Lord, and getting involved with him again is a recipe for death.”
“But they haven’t always…”
“What is Yiyi? Where does Yiyi come from above the court?”
Xiao Jue walked alone at the end, her black cloak billowing in the wind, revealing the dark red lining inside, which looked like an unhealed wound under the palace lantern.
His steps staggered a bit, and the old injury on his left shoulder ached faintly in the spring cold, and the pain made his eyes dazzle.
Walking outside the palace gate, he saw Xie Heng.
Xie Heng was standing side by side with Xu Shuhuai at the foot of the stone steps, seemingly waiting for the carriage.Xu Shuhuai turned his head and said something. Xie Heng nodded slightly, his side face looking too pale in the dim light.
Xiao Jue stopped and looked at them.
The night wind blew by, bringing with it the familiar scent of Xie Heng. Xiao Jue had closed his eyes and recalled this scent countless times in the cold nights in the north.
He suddenly strode forward and blocked their way.
“Thank you Pushe.” His voice was extremely hoarse, “…can you take a moment to speak?”
Xie Heng raised his eyes and glanced at him, his eyes showing an alienation that could not be seen from thousands of miles away.
At that moment, Xiao Jue almost thought he would refuse, but Xie Heng was silent for a moment and said to Xu Shuhuai: “You get in the car first.”
Xu Shuhuai glanced at Xiao Jue, his eyes complicated and difficult to distinguish. After all, he said nothing and turned around to walk towards the carriage parked not far away.
There were only two of them left outside the palace gate. The night wind blew the palace lanterns swaying, and the light and shadow flickered on their faces, like a silent wrestling.
“Thank you Pushe…” Xiao Jue heard his voice trembling, “Did I do something wrong?”
Xie Heng did not answer immediately. He just lowered his eyes and looked at a green grass bud emerging from the gap in the stone steps. He looked at it for a long time. When Xiao Jue thought he would not answer, he slowly said, “General Xiao did nothing wrong.”
The voice was very soft, as soft as a sigh, “It’s just that times have changed, and you and I should both understand what the duties of a monarch and his ministers are, and what is the right way to advance and retreat.”
“What are the duties of a king and a minister?” Xiao Jue took a step forward and almost grabbed his sleeve, “Then when we were in the mansion before, you told me…”
“General Xiao.” Xie Heng took half a step back, his sleeves slipped from Xiao Jue’s fingertips, and the cold touch of satin disappeared in an instant, “All the previous things were forced by the situation and were expedients. Now that the general has become famous, he should put state affairs first and His Majesty’s trust first. Those last resort expedients in the past should have been forgotten long ago.”
Xiao Jue stared at him blankly, looking at the eyes that once looked at him tenderly, but now they seemed to be separated by thousands of mountains and rivers.
Xiao Jue heard himself laughing, the laughter was dry, “Okay.”
He took a step back, holding his fists as stiffly as a puppet: “From now on, I will strictly abide by my duties, use all my loyalty and wisdom, and live up to His Majesty’s grace. I will not dare to disturb the peace of my servants again.”
After saying that, he turned around and left, but Xie Heng stood there, motionless.
Xu Shuhuai got off the carriage, walked to him, and asked in a low voice: “Why bother?”
Xie Heng did not answer. He looked at Xiao Jue’s back disappearing at the end of the long street, watching the ink color completely blending into the deep night, and then said very softly: “Look at the wind tonight, the catkins are flying everywhere, but can one piece of it decide where it will land?”
Xu Shuhuai followed his gaze and saw that the wet catkins under the palace wall were stuck to the bluestone slab, picked up by the night wind, and then fell down again, without roots or support.
“The emperor’s mind is colder than the wind and snow in the north.” Xie Heng’s voice was so low that it was almost inaudible. “If he wants to live, he must stay away from me. The further away, the better.”
He turned around and got into the car, the hem of his purple court uniform brushing against the shaft of the car, without looking back.
Xu Shuhuai stood there, watching the swaying wind lantern under the eaves of the car gradually fade away, eventually turning into a little light and disappearing around the corner of the long street.
In the dark alley on the other side of the street corner, Xiao Jue leaned against the cold brick wall and slowly slid to the ground.
He reached into his arms and took out the jade pendant.The jade pendant still carries body temperature, shining brightly in the palm of the hand.He rubbed the delicate lines on it with his fingertips.
Every arc and every turn is so familiar that it’s unforgettable.