0p0 Chapter 164 Too Brave
Chapter 164 Too Brave
At this moment, Song Shiyu said with a smile, "Today I am fortunate to have made friends with you all, which is a great joy in my life. Let us put aside all the troubles and just enjoy our conversation. I have heard that Tingyu Tower has recently hired a qin player whose qin skills are exquisite. I will definitely ask him to play a piece for us later to add some charm to our elegant gathering."
Everyone nodded in agreement, praising the suggestion as brilliant.
A moment later, the musician walked in gracefully and sat down comfortably in a corner.
With a light touch of her delicate hand, she plucked the strings, and the melodious and graceful sound of the zither flowed like a clear spring, instantly filling the entire private room.
Some people closed their eyes and listened quietly, immersing themselves in the world of music; others whispered and talked, sharing their innermost feelings, creating a relaxed and leisurely atmosphere.
Song Shiyu couldn't help but sigh softly, "This music is like celestial music, something that should only exist in heavenly palaces. I never thought that I could hear it in the mortal world today. It is truly a blessing from heaven, and it is intoxicating."
Xu Ruyan stood up, and when everyone saw him like this, they knew that he was about to do something again. They all held their breath and waited to see how he would show off his affection.
He took Yuan Yin's hand, winked at her, and said gently, "Let's not just sit here. Why don't we move to the window and enjoy the dazzling night view of the capital together? It will surely be a unique experience."
Yuan Yin noticed his wink gesture, which, though seemingly a secretive act, was actually quite obvious and had already been seen by everyone. His intentions were also crystal clear.
This was because he frequently glanced to his right, where Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao were.
The situation between Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao today was quite strange. Although they came together, the atmosphere between them was very cold.
There was no intimate physical contact, no eye contact to express feelings, and they even sat at the furthest distance from each other, as if deliberately keeping their distance.
Yuan Yin knew the two men's temperaments well and was also aware of their past. Therefore, she thought it best to lend them a hand and readily agreed to Xu Ruyan's request. The two walked hand in hand to the window.
Seeing that the relatives of the parties involved had already taken action, the rest of the group thought that they should not stand idly by.
Immediately afterwards, Qi Yanyun leaned slightly closer to Song Shiyu, who was sitting beside him, and asked in a low voice, "Miss Song, do you always enjoy storybooks?"
Song Shiyu looked slightly surprised and replied softly, "How did Young Master Qi know this?"
Qi Yanyun then calmly took out a brand-new storybook from his sleeve, on which were written the three words "Broken Mountain Sword" and handed it to Song Shiyu with both hands.
Upon seeing this, Song Shiyu was even more astonished, her eyes wide open, her words filled with barely concealed joy: "How does Young Master Qi possess such a unique piece? And how is it preserved so perfectly?"
Qi Yanyun smiled slightly, with a hint of doting, and said, "I obtained it by chance. Seeing that it was precious, and thinking that Miss Song might like it, I specially kept it."
Song Shiyu took the storybook, gently stroking the words on the cover, her heart filled with joy.
She looked up at Qi Yanyun, her gaze filled with a different kind of emotion. "Young Master Qi, I am truly grateful for your kindness."
At this moment, Xu Ruyan was speaking softly to Yuan Yin by the window, but her eyes kept glancing at Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao. "What's going on with those two? They weren't like this before."
Yuan Yin shook her head slightly, "I'm not quite sure either, but judging from this situation, there must be some unresolved issues."
Xu Ruyan frowned. "No, I have to think of a way to let them have a proper talk."
On the other side, Chen Xiao sat there seemingly calmly, but his mind was in turmoil.
She stole a glance at Xu Ruyu and saw that he looked indifferent, which made her even more annoyed.
Xu Ruyu was actually trying to remain calm. His hands clenched slightly as he recalled his past with Chen Xiao, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Qi Yanyun and Song Shiyu continued their quiet conversation. "If Miss Song likes it, I have some other rare books that I can send over for you to read another day."
Song Shiyu's cheeks flushed slightly. "Then thank you very much, Young Master Qi. However, this has caused you to spend so much money."
Qi Yanyun quickly waved his hand, "It's no trouble at all to make Miss Song smile."
Inside the private room, the melodious sound of a piano seemed to be telling endless stories of love and longing.
Seeing the subtle atmosphere between Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao, Xu Ruyan came up with a plan.
He deliberately raised his voice and said, "The night view of the capital is beautiful, but it can't compare to even a fraction of the thoughts in some people's hearts. Some people are so close, yet they seem so far away. It's truly a pity."
After saying that, he gave Chen Xiao and Xu Ruyu a meaningful look.
Chen Xiao was slightly taken aback; how could she not understand the implied meaning in Xu Ruyan's words?
But she's never been one to give up so easily.
She took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and walked towards Xu Ruyu.
When Xu Ruyu saw Chen Xiao walking towards her, her heart started beating faster.
"Let's go for a walk," Chen Xiao said, his voice a little hoarse and his eyes calm.
Xu Ruyu paused for a moment, then finally nodded.
The two walked out of the private room and into the quiet corridor.
The moonlight shone on them, casting long shadows.
Chen Xiao was by no means an indecisive person. She was straightforward and frank, breaking the anxious silence with a direct question: "These past few days, I have been thinking about it repeatedly in my heart. How did things between us come to this? What caused you to change like this? Before I went to Xunyang, we got along well and were very close."
Xu Ruyu tilted her head slightly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes: "You are the monarch, and I am the subject. I am merely trying to be more magnanimous and try my best to conceal my inner feelings. I know that Your Majesty cannot have only one concubine, nor can you remain without an empress. Your Majesty, I hope you can understand my good intentions."
Although Chen Xiao had anticipated his response, she still couldn't help but feel disappointed when she heard it with her own ears.
She gazed into the distance with a deep look in her eyes and whispered, "You don't trust me."
After saying this, she sighed softly, then turned to look at Xu Ruyu. "Although I have lost my memories of the past, at this moment, I can clearly see who my heart truly belongs to. Since I have resolutely chosen to face this feeling openly, I will definitely remain steadfast and faithful to him until the end."
How could Xu Ruyu not understand Chen Xiao's thoughts?
He had also considered disregarding all external factors and forcing himself to stay with Chen Xiao like an ordinary couple in the world.
However, whenever he asked himself honestly, he knew that he really could not do it.
Before the Night Dynasty, it was known as the Rong Dynasty, an era in which every emperor had hundreds of concubines.
Although the Ye Dynasty has a short history and many rules and regulations have changed since its founding, the system of emperors and their concubines has never changed.
Although the founding emperor Chu Qiaoling only had one empress who died young, it is rumored that he had countless female favorites outside the palace, the most well-known of whom was General Li Qian.
The second emperor, Chu Yanxi, had countless beauties in his harem, making him a figure who closely connected the court and the harem.
Therefore, Xu Ruyu was unwilling to make things difficult for Chen Xiao with such problems.
Thinking of this, Xu Ruyu saw Chen Xiao's earnest and sincere appearance and sighed slightly, truthfully pouring out all her thoughts and concerns to Chen Xiao.
Finally, he added, "It's all my fault. My faith wasn't strong enough. I easily abandoned my trust in you just because of my father's words. I failed to understand this clearly."
Upon hearing his words, Chen Xiao intended to take the opportunity to inquire about Chu Yanxi's affairs in the harem, but upon hearing the last sentence, he couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Prime Minister?"
"What did the Prime Minister say to you?"
She thought to herself, "Good heavens, it turns out that Xu Qian was secretly and deliberately 'ruining' her first, hazy romance!"
Seeing that Chen Xiao's expression was slightly strange, Xu Ruyu dared not hide anything and told Chen Xiao everything about the conversation between Xu Qian and him.
"Early before you went to Xunyang, Father had already advised me not to become too immersed in personal feelings. As the Emperor, you are different from ordinary people, and he advised me not to try to bind you with romantic love. Then he vaguely mentioned the Retired Emperor..."
Chen Xiao then realized that Xu Qian had started "meddling" so early on. Moreover, judging from Xu Ruyu's account, could Xu Qian's old-fashioned and conservative views be because he was hurt by Chu Yanxi in the past?
Could it be that Chu Yanxi abandoned him?
Chen Xiao's thoughts began to wander freely, like a wild horse galloping across the sky.
Xu Ruyu, having received no response from Chen Xiao for a long time, could no longer maintain her usual gentle demeanor and reached out to tightly embrace Chen Xiao, who was lost in reverie.
“Xiao Xiao, I used to find it hard to understand the thoughts and feelings of those concubines. Why would they devote their whole being to one person? Why would they feel joy or sorrow, resentment or hatred for that person in a high position, and even be willing to share their loved one with others?”
At this point, Chen Xiao noticed that Xu Ruyu's voice was slightly hoarse, and his own clothes were slightly damp.
At this moment, Xu Ruyu continued, "Only after experiencing this state of mind myself did I understand why they acted this way... I know that perhaps the feelings between you and me have never changed, but I am filled with fear, worried that you will be bound by me, and concerned that those unknown dangers will affect you."
Chen Xiao reached out and hugged Xu Ruyu back, teasingly saying, "Why do you seem to have changed so much? Where did the refined and elegant Ruyu of the past go? How did you become like this now, looking like a pitiful big dog?"
She tried her best to make Xu Ruyu smile.
Although she had never been involved in love before, seeing such a handsome and charming man in her arms, shedding tears, and knowing that they had feelings for each other, she had to admit that her heart softened completely.
Originally focused solely on consolidating the court and developing her career, she now has the potential to achieve success in both her career and love life.
At the same time, she was deeply moved by the huge contrast in Xu Ruyu's personality.
In her mind, when she first met Xu Ruyu, he was a gentle and refined nobleman.
Later, during their time together, he transformed into a calm, resourceful, and wise friend.
But the Xu Ruyu standing before her now gave her the impression of being seemingly indifferent and calm, yet possessing a delicate and insightful heart. He would put himself in her shoes and consider her every need, unlike others who only cared about their own feelings and disregarded their lover's thoughts.
Indeed, Chen Xiao now felt that Xu Ruyu was more and more in line with his own feelings, and he was increasingly fond of this handsome man with a strong contrast.
Since she is destined to stay in this world until she is forty-five, then it is only right to capture her heart as soon as possible so that she can enjoy this sweet love sooner!
After all, "a moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold"!
Thinking of this, Chen Xiao suddenly broke free from Xu Ruyu's embrace, forcefully lifted Xu Ruyu's face, and seeing his eyes slightly reddened, he felt even more "unable to suppress his emotions".
The beauty sheds tears, and I feel pity for her.
Only now did she truly grasp the meaning of that sentence.
She did something that shocked everyone.
Upon seeing this scene, everyone in the upstairs private room stared wide-eyed and stood frozen in place.
After Chen Xiao and Xu Ruyu left, they secretly spied on their every move through the window.
Although their conversation could not be heard, the progress of their relationship could be discerned from their expressions and gestures.
When everyone saw Xu Ruyu embrace Chen Xiao, they all breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems that my brother and sister-in-law have made up!" Xu Ruyan said happily.
Immediately afterwards, they witnessed a scene that left them all stunned and speechless: Chen Xiao reached out and gently lifted Xu Ruyu's face, then swiftly kissed her.
Not the cheek!!!
Everyone came to their senses, and they were all unable to contain their excitement.
Song Shiyu exclaimed softly in amazement, "I never imagined that one day I would be able to witness His Majesty in such a state..."