Chapter 18

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The procession slowly moved forward. Yonghe, who was walking beside her suddenly gave low laugh. Mei Li looked at him in confusion, Yonghe used his chin and motioned for her to look forward. Mei Li followed his eyes and not far away a horse was grazing with its head down. Standing beside it is the little man Qiu Quan who is also wearing a small soft armor with a Plain Yellow Banner symbol that made him looked like a mini Eight Banners soldier doll. He is cute and funny as he looks at the passing carriages with a sad face.

“Mei Li jiejie!” He also saw Mei Li and was about to run over, but he caught a glimpse of Jingxuan and Suying who were accompanying him at the back. With a sullen face, he stood in his place feeling very aggrieved. He was even afraid to look at Jingxuan.

Jingxuan snorted coldly, having long glimpsed his unlucky look, “What’s wrog?” He gave Qiu Quan a derisive glare and nonchalantly stretched his tone.

“I… can’t keep up with gege.” Qiu Quan muttered in frustration, not daring to look up at Jingxuan.

“I told you to stay at home to play, but you still came to make trouble!” Jingxuan rebuked, not caring that Qiu Quan was only a nine-year-old doll.

Qiu Quan was already about to cry. Jing Xuan glared, “Come on! I despise your virtue! How can you be of help to the emperor then? Shame! Where is your servant?”

He scolded Qiu Quan in a low voice, so the child I… I can’t find her!”

Jingxuan could not stand him and snorted, “You are not good enough! You follow Suying in the carriage! Don’t let me see you again along the way!”

Qiu Quan pouted and peeked at Suying, who was smiling behind Jinguan. He said in a very small but firm voice, “I want to stay with Mei Li jiejie!” After saying that, he left his horse, bowed his body and scampered into Mei Li’s carriage like a monkey.

Mei Li smiled, but was glared at by Jingxuan.

“Yonghe, you take his horse to the people in front of you, and arrange a separate carriage for him.” He told him coldly, and Yonghe nodded with a smile, got on his horse, and took Qiu Quan’s horse away.

“If I find you mischievous again, you will be escorted back directly!” Jingxuan reprimanded through the carriage. Suying came up and pulled his sleeve and laughed. Why is he being so serious with the child? He looked so childish, too.

Mei Li helped Qiu Quan take off his soft armor, and the child shakes off the heavy burden. He felt so comfortable that almost cried. Mei Li touched his head with pity and reproached him lightly. “Why come and suffer? If you really wanted to go to Chengde, you can ask your father to bring you with him.”

Qiu Quan wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and grimaced defiantly, “Jingxuan gege was seven years old when he followed the late emperor on his hunting trips, and I am already nine! I also want to be as prestigious as Jingxuan gege!”

Mei Li stroked his neat braid. So… He wanted to be like him…

The child was not accustomed to riding horses and was exhausted easily. Mei Li picked up a fan and fanned him gently. She remembered the surprise and affection he and his sister Qiu Yuan had shown her when they saw her in the meadows. It is as if only this brother and sister were the ones genuinely happy to meet her.

“Where is Qiu Quan?!” Before the indifferent voice finished those words, the carriage curtain had been ripped apart rudely.

Mei Li instinctively made a “hush” gesture, not wanting Qiu Quan to be awakened.

In an instant, she saw herself reflected into Jingxuan’s eyes.

She looked away quickly and she was secretly annoyed. She was already relieved that she had able to look at him openly in the past few days, but how could her heart be pounding because of this sudden glance! She raised her eyebrows mockingly, perhaps he was just too good looking in his soft armor.

Jingxuan glanced at the fan in her hand and hummed, “You think he is deserving of such favor?”

“Let him sleep, he is tired.” She said flatly.

Jingxuan frowned and slapped the frame of the carriage. The vehicle that had been running slowly came to a complete stop. “Oh. He’s tired! Am I not tired?!” he said angrily.

Mei Li’s eyes widened in surprise and she couldn’t help but stare at him; she had never heard him speak in such tone.

“What kind of rubbish are you talking about? I’m going to take him with me. I will be his wet nurse!” He complained coldly. Mei Li looked at his hateful face and wanted to laugh. The Emperor entrusted the young men in the clan in his hands saying that he is someone who promotes discipline to these young masters and Beile that causes people headache. And it seems that… this is the first time he ever complained of something.

Jingxuan was used to her silence so he began to tap the Qui Quan who was sleeping soundly. “Get up! Get up!”

Qiu Quan was woken up, his face full of indignation, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Jingxuan staring at him. He curled his legs, like a rabbit seeing a tiger, he shrank behind Mei Li.

“Go to your own carriage! That’s the one in the back!”

“No… I want to sit in this one with Mei Li jiejie.” Qiu Quan twisted and played rogue behind Mei Li.

Jingxuan ran out of patience. He pushed Mei Li aside and dragged Qiu Quan out with ease. The action is fierce, as if Qiu Quan was not a child. “Isn’t it too crowded here?” He asked in a loud voice, his eyebrows knitted up.

“Mei Li!” Qiu Quan was angry and frightened so he grabbed Mei Li, when Jingxuan came to pull him. This move has implicated Mei Li. When Qiu Quan was thrown our of the car like a sandbag, because he’s holding to Mei Li, he almost dragged her with him.

But Jingxuan’s reflexes were so fast that he was able to grab Mei Li who already turned pale with fright. After placing her back inside, his hands holding her arm did not let go. Instead, he even tightened his grasp. His slender hands have completely wrapped around her arm. It hurt a bit so she struggled for a moment.

He frowned before letting go. She was too thin and too light. Maybe the rumors that the Anning Hall only serve meat every after three days. Those dog slaves should be reprimanded!

Qiu Quan who was thrown into the ground began to cry. Jingxuan who was already upset kicked him on the buttocks.

“You really know how to cry! Then cry again for me!” He threatened fiercely making the boy more scared. Qiu Quan initial thought to cause some ruckus to attract Lao Zuzong’s attention, but he is now choked up.

Qiu Quan’s horrified and patient tears immediately pierced Mei Li’s heart. How many times had she wanted to cry and did not dare to. She had only let the tears nurse into her heart because no one really cared. She hurriedly got out of the carriage, held him in her arms, and patted his back. She knew that when she was wronged, when she was afraid, she only wanted someone to give her a safe and warm embrace. So she can only do what she feels right.

“Just let him be with me.” She turned her back at Jingxuan and yelled angrily.

Jingxuan glared at her slender back and snorted, “You really don’t know what is good and bad!”

She just hugged Qiu Quan and did not glance back; Jingxuan left with a cold and annoyed face.

When they arrived at the place suitable for camping, the sergeants who had arrived first had already completed the set-up since the travel of the female members were extremely slow. Even the underlings who came first had enough time to prepare dinner.

Since Lao Zuzong needed to wash and rest first before everyone could eat their meals, all the Fujin and Princesses all went back to their tents to rest and prepare as well.

Mei Li didn’t feel too tired, so she took Qiu Quan around to play. Taking advantage of Qiu Quan being distracted while digging the grass, she looked around. She hadn’t seen Yonghe all afternoon, presumable he must have been caught up in some chore. As she looked around, she saw him coming out of one of the tents. He saw her too, but didn’t come over to her right away, he just smiled brightly.

Jingxuan who also just came out of the tent, followed his gaze glanced at Mei Li.

He then ordered Yonghe of something to which the latter just nodded. When Jingxuan finished what he was saying, Yonghe finally walked quickly towards Mei Li like he was pardoned. But he did not leave yet, he only looked at the lingering smile of Mei Li’s face.

“Mei Li jiejie! Look what I dug up!” Qiu Quan ran over gleefully towards Mei Li, with something pinched in his two fingers.

Yonghe was also interested to what kind of treasure the kid found but when he saw that Qiu Quan was holding a fat, twisted, dark brown earthworm and was about to put it in Mei Li’s outstretched hand, his chest felt a flutter and he took a step forward to stop him and hit Qiu Quan’s hand, “Take it away! It’s disgusting!”

When the earthworm was thrown to the ground, Mei Li and Qiu Quan looked at him in amazement. He frowned tightly with a look of disgust, but his face turned pale.

“Ha!” Mei Li couldn’t help but laugh. “So you are afraid of earthworms.”

“N-nonsense!” Yonghe raised his chin stiffly, “How can I be a big man afraid of that?!”

Mei Li looked at him with a smile, his desperate struggling look was so cute.

Qiu Qquan wagged his head, grabbed the earthworm to pass it to Yonghe. He laughed so hard that he was almost breath, “Not afraid? Not afraid?”

“Take it away!” Yonghe frowned and dodged from left to right, still holding the scabbard in both hands, as if he was about to draw the sword for self-defense. For an earthworm.

Mei Li laughed loudly, and her little face emitted a beautiful and naughty brilliance not tainted with sadness and forbearance. Jingxuan’s heart trembled as he saw of the traces of the wayward girl who cried and laughed for him two years ago. This is the Mei Li that he got tired of but was very familiar with. The naughty and simple smile that used to hang on her face, but now it rarely appears, making his heart heavy. The kind of smile that was only for him now blooms for another man. Although such smile is not rare, he had a trace of indescribable jealousy, which is really funny! Because she and her smile, are all things he knows he didn’t want!

He just wanted to go to Lao Zuzong’s tent when he saw Suying who had been freshened and dressed and was slenderly supported by her maid. He couldn’t help but smile at her with pride and approval. This was the kind of woman he liked, beautiful, delicate, and dazzling at all times. Because of his smile, Suying’s eyes shone with delight, leaving the maid behind and she flew towards him like a gentle swallow.

He daintily brushed her pretty and delicate cheeks with the back of his fingers. But he slightly frowned; his fingers were stained with a fine layer of powder. Her eyes looked at him with a big smile, but he suddenly missed the creamy touch when he squeezed another woman’s delicate chin.

His gaze slid away from the enviable face in front of him because of someone’s laughter… Mei Li took the earthworm from Qiu Quan’s hand, tossed it far away, and turned to Yonghe with a playful smile, “There, young master Yonghe, the dreaded worm is gone.” She said to the man in the tone of a coaxing child, and tilted her head mischievously.

Yonghe was about to argue but when he saw her bright smile, he was captivated to it. He looked straight at her and couldn’t say a word; his eyes were full of tenderness.

She was embarrassed by his look. Her face blushed so she had to go look at Qiu Quan.

Suying who was standing next to Jingxuan coughed lightly and pulled Jingxuan’s attention back, “Mei Li jiejie is so courageous, I don’t dare catch earthworms with my bare hands.”

Jingxuan’s sullen face remained silent.

“Let me play a game with you.” Mei Li squatted down and picked up a round, smooth stone at his feet. Qiu Quan responded enthusiastically. Although he didn’t know how to play this game, he still ran around and found several similar stones.

“Pen.” She looks up and smiles at Younghe, who hurriedly fished the charcoal pencil he has with him and and gave it to her. ”We will also stop and camp here on our way back later, right?” She asks seriously.

Yonghe nodded, wondering what she was going to do.

Mei Li wrote her name on the stone. Qiu Quan also asked for a pen and wrote his, “I always find some fun and play with myself like this in Anning Hall. I still like this game very much.” She took the pen again, her smile mixed with some despondency as she write on the third stone, “will come back.”

“In the cold palace, we used to bury wishing stones under the tree. Later when out wishes come true, we dig them up.” Mei Li smiled, a little embarrassed at Yonghe, “It’s boring, isn’t it? But when you’re alone, it’s a comfort to have something to look forward to.”

Yonghe’s eyes narrowed in pain, he did not want her to see it so he immediately also walked around. He then also picked a stone and carefully wrote his name. Taking Mei Li with one hand and Qiu Quan on the other, he dug a small but deep hole under a tree and buried the four stones containing “Yonghe”, “Mei Li”, “Qiu Quan” and “will come back”.

Suying looked at it with interest, “It seems very interesting, Jingxuan, let’s also bury some wishing stones.”

Jingxuan coldly looked at Mei Li and Yonghe and sneered. Snorting coldly he said, “Funny! If it really works, why did she remain in the cold palace?”

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T/N:

These stones play a very very sad piece in this tragedy. Writing this made me really really sad so it took me a few days to finish this particular chapter. I’m so depressed right now lol

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