
The sky was covered in winter fog. Thick snow still adorns the entire path and branches of trees. Wild peaches bloom beautifully with glowing dew accompanying the human journey.
At this moment, the sound of horse-footed footprints rhyming casually resounded in the corner of the forest behind the imperial hill.
On top of the lightly spurred horse saddle, the girl's figure sat firmly with a force that exuded a strong charm. On the other hand, a gallant horse went hand in hand carrying the figure of arrogance of a ruler.
The two men spurred their horses together in a relaxed manner and calmly enjoyed the freedom from the bone-chilling cold air.
"What is Qiaofeng like?" A mutter escaped without consciously issuing a question that might just be taboo.
Xia Qian Che was fixated for a while turning his face aside to look at the person who was throwing such a question at him. But, what he saw was the figure of Xiu Qixuan who was looking straight ahead.
The girl asked as if not to be answered, she just wanted to ascertain the contents of her mind.
The girl who was on the saddle of the horse had a beautiful but strong charm. She was different from most women in that it was so sturdy to penetrate.
His night-dark hair fluttered like sparkling black pearls. His brilliant eyes always radiated a powerful sharpness to survive. I don't know why he seemed to be drowning in solitude.
He was different from the figure of Qiaofeng that Xia Qian Che knew. Although they have similarities in many ways one of them is trapped by loneliness.
However, the Qiaofeng he knew always tried to escape the loneliness. On the contrary, Xiu Qixuan was not. This girl enjoys the solitude of her life as if she doesn't care about anything in the world.
"Feng'er—, when he first saw her he would look like a fragile naive girl and could be killed in one swing of the sword." Xia Qian Che's heavy voice flowed with his eyes glaring far away.
Xiu Qixuan turned a face. "I think so too." He said with a deep smile. "However, who would have thought that he would be so strong when it came to protecting his loved ones, right?" Further.
Xia Qian Che was stunned by those words. He looked away and said flatly, "Yes, that should be it. But, zhen didn't want him to be strong for it."
The curvature of a smile that was in an instant receding from the pretty face of Xiu Qixuan, he put on a cold face to say. "Qiaofeng doesn't want that." His voice was low. "Protection—, he doesn't want that, Your Majesty."
Xiu Qixuan was able to find out the sirat behind Xia Qian Che's earlier remark. Sentences that hum the feelings of guilt and the beat of suppositions.
As if to say, he did not want Qiaofeng to become strong in a way to protect their two children. Because with that Qiaofeng does not need to be a savior shield or sacrifice themselves.
Xia Qian Che flinched.
"Because it's his choice. Can't Your Majesty just remember your happiness? Carve it in your heart to tell the Prince and the Princess later." Xiu Qixuan continued with a wave of suppression.
'Help...' Xia Qian Che sighed and blinked to say, "You're right. But, if—." Stalled it.
"Stop! There can be no words but in all things that have happened. You understand?!" Xiu Qixuan's voice was so loud it guided the breeze of the winter wind to float around them. The horse he was riding stopped stepping when his harness was pulled.
Xiu Qixuan only knew that it was not the way of being loved like this that Qiaofeng wanted to get. During this time Xia Qian Che had always been fixated on the suffering and guilt that had been well-established.
For some things this man sometimes forgets the love that should be poured out on his two children. Though with both children that longing and love for Qiaofeng can be channeled. But why did he not do it and instead struggled with unnecessary feelings.
Xia Qian Che was shocked. His eyes were wide open to blink. The horse he was riding also stopped. He looked at Xiu Qixuan deeply. "You just snapped at zhen?" A question that does not fit the context slowly escapes as he tries to decipher his surprise.
"Yes. Legally you are my brother-in-law. So, as an elder of the family must straighten it out." Xiu Qixuan's reply sounded so proud of his unbearable arrogance.
Silent.
Seeing Xia Qian Che just speechlessly sculpting made Xiu Qixuan scratch her itchy face. It seems he has crossed the line. "Ah, I mean—." Stalled it.
'Puftttss... Haha..' The sound of a man's crisp laughter was heard. Xia Qian Che laughed so amusedly. On the back of his laughter he said, "You're really—, dare ya."
Xiu Qixuan frowned with a flustered face. "Well, didn't expect you to laugh so loosely." Plain mumbling.
'Hem..' Xia Qian Che cleared his throat. "Calling an Emperor as a sister-in-law was directly in front of his face. It was a very brave act. Even nobles and imperial ministers would think first to say it." Her speech.
"Yes, how else? That's reality." Xiu Qixuan replied lightly putting on an indifferent shoulder.
"But, Your Majesty. My previous words were real." He continued to shift the topic back to seriously staring at Xia Qian Che.
Xia Qian Che was speechless. Their eyes were clinging to each other to look straight.
"So, Your Majesty. Don't dwell on unnecessary things. At least appreciate the form of sacrifice, remember him not only with love but also appreciate and respect his decision." His voice flowed quietly giving a reminder.
"Because Qiaofeng never once regretted the choice he had made. And because Qiaofeng didn't want this kind of way to be loved." The words were like a streetlight that guided Xia Qian Che's long-lost footsteps of guilt.
Silent.
Seeing the northern ruler was only speechless by looking at him deeply. The atmosphere around them also slowly felt heavy making Xiu Qixuan react to end the conversation. Besides, the air here is getting colder.
"Yes, I'm sure you understand. Let's end this." Xiu Qixuan said shaking her hand lightly smiling. Then he pulled the reins to drive his horse back, leaving Xia Qian Che behind.
The sound of the horse's footprints followed from behind, Xia Qian Che re-aligned his horse.
No one started the conversation for a while. Before finally a low-heavy voice sounded, "You strange girl."
Xiu Qixuan turned her face and chuckled lightly, "Aiyaa, is this a form of praise or insinuation? But thank you, Your Majesty." he said amusedly.
The thin smile that tried to hide was attached to Xia Qian Che's handsome face.
"You have a lot in common." Said Xia Qian Che with eyes that looked far away.
"Yes, but you can tell us apart, right?" Reply Xiu Qixuan casually.
"Of course." Xia Qian Che replied without blinking.
"How do I tell the difference?" Asked Xiu Qixuan by raising the corner of his sharply arched brows. He's really curious.
"Wearing the heart maybe?" Xia Qian Che replied with a wink of humor.
"Aiyaa, I don't know why I feel nauseous now." Reply Xiu Qixuan chuckled amusedly.
Xia Qian Che chuckled along. It was as if the stone weighing down his heart was slowly lifted.
"Feng'er has a lily flower bud-shaped birthmark behind his right ear. And, you don't have that." Xia Qian Che calmly explained.
"really?" Xiu Qixuan asked with spontaneous enthusiasm. He found new information.
"Yes. And also somehow out of some things you guys don't feel the same." Said Xia Qian Che staring deeply at her.
"You're not like he always needs protection. When your skinny hand swung the sword bravely. When your brilliant eyes contain a trace of sharpness. And when your eyes are solid without a doubt to keep fighting back. That feels foreign." His low-heavy voice contained an undescribed faint mist.
Xiu Qixuan was silent for a moment. His face was flat without any look. He sighed and averted his eyes. "Yes, maybe it's like that." Sceptic answered.
"Yes, like you don't need anyone else. You know, enjoying that solitude feels weird." Xia Qian Che said suddenly.
Xiu Qixuan flinched. He felt his heart slam into him by the impact of invisible waves. The right word on target.
'Bigger...' The horse's voice sounded neighing as Xiu Qixuan whirled to spur it strongly.
"I borrowed a horse to return to the Qi House. And will wait patiently for the show tomorrow, Your Majesty." Xiu Qixuan's voice rang out loudly as her horse slowly ran away leaving Xia Qian Che behind.
He did not want to return to the inner palace. As the rumors about him grew more widely circulated it would be uncomfortable for him as many eyes were also watching ears.
The show in question is a plan promised by Xia Qian Che, which is when later at the year-end banquet there will be an opportunity to make an alibi for the old case to reopen.
"You owe it to zhen. Make sure you pay for this!" Xia Qian Che shouted out loudly.
Xiu Qixuan pulled the reins of her horse to pause for a moment. They were already several meters away, but, still able to see each other's shadows.
The pretty face turned its head and said cheerfully, "All the important information you already know. That means you owe me too, right?" His voice was flowing loudly but also calm at the same time.
The information he was referring to was some files related to corrupt ministers as well as details of the chronology of Qiaofeng's death.
Over there, Xia Qian Che chuckled loudly. "That's cute. Utilizing, heh?"
Xiu Qixuan laughed to say, "Of course, I always make use of whatever I want." He rolled his eyes before again spurting his horse out of the hill behind the imperial palace.
Xia Qian Che looked at the skinny back that was slowly getting away from it sharply and deeply. A long sigh rang out as the girl disappeared behind the thickets of the forest.
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