TBR CH150

Chapter 150: Plum Blossoms Like Snow – Gentle in the Snow, Elegant by the Water, Owing Nothing to Spring’s Craft…

Ji Ying was too embarrassed to look into the other’s eyes, his fingers pushing the box forward, when at a certain moment, he paused slightly. He couldn’t exert any more force forward, and a faint “click” sound erupted between them, as if they were performing the exact same action.

His pupils trembled in unison, finally, slowly, cautiously lifting.

He first saw Chu Huaicun’s pupils, and then realized that the distance between them had unknowingly narrowed so much again. Chu Huaicun had already leaned forward, dressed in plum-blossom white, only his pupils as sharp as a blade, yet faintly sweet like melting snow water.

In an unguarded moment, Ji Ying was conquered decisively.

His hand was pressed down by Chu Huaicun, the other’s hand resting on his shoulder, forcing him to lift his head, not allowing even a glance to evade. Chancellor Chu guided his hand to the other box.

—Wait, where did the other box come from?

“Yuan Ya,” Chu Huaicun’s voice was low, even a little teasing, but his movements were forceful. “What shall we do? You’ve even said such words first, when I’ve clearly been preparing for a long time too. How about, this time, let me say ‘I like you’?”

“But…”

Ji Ying unconsciously began to speak, while feeling his heart tremble. Chu Huaicun knew best; he himself simply couldn’t handle such a situation. He hesitated for a moment, “I truly worry that I wasn’t serious enough with you before. I even said those silly things, actually I wasn’t that… that… I didn’t mean I…”

He couldn’t even think of a suitable adjective for a moment and simply pursed his lips.

“Which words weren’t from Lord Ji’s true heart?”

Chu Huaicun chuckled in his ear. Changing the address back at this moment only made it more embarrassing. “When you said you liked me, loved me, or when you wanted to sleep with me, when you wanted to kiss me? Did Lord Ji ask to be restrained by me, or actively want to be filled with all sorts of messy things?”

“Don’t say anymore,” Ji Ying was so flustered that even the tips of his ears were burning. “It was I who was shameless, talking nonsense with you about these things. If you don’t like it, I won’t… in the future…”

“I really like it.”

“Don’t…” Ji Ying was stunned. “What?”

“I like your honesty with me, but I also like your nonsense; I like you feeling ashamed in front of me, and I also like you unreservedly showing your desire and possessiveness,”

As the words fell, a kiss was imprinted on the back of his hand, spreading upwards little by little. “I love your soul, still bright even hidden beneath scars and disguises, and I also love the darker parts in your eyes when you stand in the shadows, because they all come from your true heart. Yuan Ya, I have thought carefully, the most important thing is to love you yourself, as long as it is you. Are you willing to accept my pursuit?”

The initiative had cleverly been snatched away by him.

Ji Ying belatedly reacted, but Chu Huaicun had already placed the last burning kiss on his neck. The continuous kisses stopped there for now; Chancellor Chu appeared very graceful, releasing his prey from his hand, but alas, his nervous, trembling eyelashes still betrayed some of his emotions.

He once again gestured for Ji Ying to open the box in front of him.

“The gift can’t be too obvious, otherwise His Majesty will grow suspicious,” Chu Huaicun explained. “But I want to see you use something I give you. Actually, my craftsmanship isn’t that great, it’s just that this thing is…”

The lid of the box was finally lifted, revealing a hair簪 (hairpin) reflected in Ji Ying’s eyes.

“…This was the birthday gift I wanted to give you over a decade ago,”

Now it was Chu Huaicun’s voice that grew softer and softer. “Actually, I couldn’t make hairpins at all back then. The idea of carving one with a sword was pretty terrible too. If I had given it to you then, it would have been very inappropriate. But I’ve kept it all this time. Now it at least looks presentable.”

The hairpin’s material was red sandalwood, carved to resemble a plum branch.

Chu Huaicun had whittled it year after year, eventually learning to carve lifelike figures with his sword. The plum blossom hairpin carved with a sword had a touch more sharpness and edge. However, it was ultimately no match for a master craftsman. This was also good; if Ji Ying wore it, he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone growing suspicious.

“It’s plum blossoms,” Ji Ying murmured.

“Because of a line of poetry that our teacher taught back then,”

Chu Huaicun’s gaze gently met Ji Ying’s eyes. “‘Gentle in the snow, elegant by the water, owing nothing to spring’s craft,’ I felt it was especially like you. I never thought it would take so long to tell you this.”

Ji Ying blinked, as if to curve his lips, but tears suddenly fell. It was just a single tear; he casually wiped it away, then lifted his face and softly said to Chu Huaicun:

“I really like it.”

After saying this, he stared at Chu Huaicun, unmoving. They didn’t have much time left, but Chancellor Chu didn’t rush him, simply letting his gaze linger for several inches at a time before asking in a low voice, “Then, are you willing to allow me to pursue you?”

“Chu Huaicun,”

Ji Ying asked, “I don’t understand, why aren’t you kissing me?”

The banquet was filled with prominent figures who, upon receiving the news, did not lose their composure. However, pairs of eyes filled with suspicion lingered on each other. This awkward state continued for a long time until Chu Huaicun reappeared in their sight.

“My apologies for alarming you all. The matter has been resolved.”

Chu Huaicun’s voice was calm, carrying a coldness that made one wonder just how bad his mood was. It was difficult for Chu Huaicun to maintain the air of an immortal at such a time; his snow-white robes carried a faint scent of incense, and the jade pendant carved from mutton-fat jade chimed softly.

Even Prince Duan, who was close to him, instinctively recoiled two steps, his gaze shifting to the Chancellor’s sword at his waist.

What a cold sword, as if it had just feasted on fresh blood.

In the silence, only Ji Ying’s slightly mocking chuckle was heard. “Chancellor Chu has returned from a trip to the imperial prison. I wonder if Young Master Qin is alright. All these guests have been waiting so long and are very concerned.”

For a moment, the silence itself seemed like a colossal sound, suffocating those present. Only Ji Ying dared to provoke Chancellor Chu, knowing full well that he was in a foul mood due to the sudden kidnapping incident. Prince Duan quickly reacted, knowing that he was always the prime suspect in Chu Huaicun’s eyes, and at this very moment, intended to speak with righteous indignation.

Chu Huaicun looked down at Ji Ying for two seconds, finally seeing the other’s pupils clearly.

He suddenly chuckled softly:

“Thanks to Lord Ji’s auspicious words, Young Master Qin was merely startled. You will all see him in a moment.”

The matter was indeed resolved very quickly.

The prisoner holding Qin Sangzhi broke through the imperial prison gate, held a knife to his neck, forced him into the Chancellor’s carriage, and then threatened everyone not to follow, only allowing the coachman to take a secluded path to a shaded area in the city’s outskirts. Due to Chancellor Chu’s high regard for Qin Sangzhi, those present had no choice but to comply.

However, the carriage hadn’t gone far before it was intercepted by a sword.

“You are that Chu Huaicun?”

The prisoner, who had just been overjoyed at his escape, frowned and tried the same trick again. “The person you want is in my hands. Now, let me and him go. An hour later, I guarantee he’ll be alive and in your hands—do you trust the speed of your sword, or the speed of my knife at his throat?”

This was originally a very effective threat.

Chancellor Chu calmly said, “Mr. Fang should have told you to hand over the hostage when you saw me. What, are you going back on your word?”

Not going back on his word in this situation would be foolish.

The prisoner had long been suspicious of everything he had seen. Neither Mr. Fang nor Qin Sangzhi were anything more than expedient means for him to escape his confinement. At this moment, having come this far, he naturally couldn’t bear to release this key that had aided his escape. If he could further utilize Qin Sangzhi to demand some escape conveniences from Chancellor Chu, that would be even better.

However, the struggling Qin Sangzhi in his arms suddenly went limp, as if there was no longer any suspense.

He couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine and chewed on the name Chu Huaicun again. These high-ranking officials, who prided themselves on their lofty positions, should all be mere showpieces, let alone possess any martial arts prowess. He was once known as the “Desperate Quick Blade”; at this moment, he still held the advantage, no matter what, he shouldn’t…

A sword flash suddenly stung his eyes.

Sharp as snow, soft as pond water.

He instinctively reached out to block the attack, but the sword light wasn’t aimed at his vulnerable flesh, but at the blade of the knife still held against Qin Sangzhi’s neck. The blade abruptly slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. The hostage bent forward, breathing heavily, stumbling forward.

Chancellor Chu cast a cold gaze, his fingers tracing the sword inch by inch:

“I originally thought he was a clever man…”

He said softly, “You’ve been in the jianghu for so many years, and you must have encountered a few swordsmen. Don’t you know that once the sword is unsheathed, it’s too late to regret it?”

Qin Sangzhi stumbled and fell into his arms, feeling at once as if the man before him was a deity descended from the nine heavens. The accumulated grievances of several days overwhelmed him, and he cried so hard he lost all sense of direction. He had been so tense just now that the system, at his request, had prepared the logout procedure, merely coaxing him to wait for his target.

The moment Chu Huaicun appeared, the mechanical voice in his mind coldly congratulated him: “Host, you are safe.”

The most prosperous villain in this world indeed possessed such power.

It was the prisoner’s turn to be filled with regret. His long, almost tangled beard trembled, and he gritted his teeth: “It was my offense just now; I never expected such a hero in the imperial court. But ‘Jade-Faced Bodhisattva’ has already promised me that after the matter is done, he will guarantee my successful escape. Even for his sake, Chancellor Chu should abide by the rules.”

…It was rare to see someone still deceived by Mr. Fang’s past image.

Regardless of how adaptable this goat-bearded old man was, simply put: “Do you truly think that just because you recognized him, he has no impression of you at all?”

Chu Huaicun’s voice was devoid of emotion, continuing in a judgmental tone: “If my intelligence is correct, you should be Zhang Wu, the ‘Desperate Quick Blade’ from over ten years ago, considered an elder in the jianghu. It’s a pity you went astray; they say repaying grievances and seeking revenge are righteous, yet you repeatedly massacred entire families over minor offenses like being unintentionally offended while drinking.”

“You,” the other party was clearly horrified, “How do you know?”

“It was Mr. Fang who, seeing injustice, subdued you and personally handed you over to the court,”

Chu Huaicun’s eyes were even colder than the ice and snow on the peak of a snow-capped mountain. “Unfortunately, your relative was a high-ranking official in the court. Your original death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in the imperial prison, which is far from being an injustice. Even if Mr. Fang could forget you, you must have hated him to death, right?”

“You people have always known that old man was just toying with me again,”

The prisoner said bitterly, “He was supposed to compensate me. Who are you, and why are you meddling in this matter?”

“Are you finished?”

Chancellor Chu sighed silently. He had no intention of wasting further words. The sword in his hand once again radiated brilliance inch by inch, an uncontainable killing intent, cold enough to freeze one to the bone, pinning the person before him to the spot.

The sword light was fierce, a mere flash.

“He didn’t lie. You really don’t have to go back to the Imperial Prison.”

Some things don’t need to be clarified to everyone, especially for a decisive and powerful minister.

Therefore, the other party also did not need to know that after this incident occurred that year, the high official in the court was displeased with Mr. Fang for exposing the matter and intended to retaliate. Mr. Fang was consequently forced to tangle with the imperial court for a period, incurring a host of troubles, and even nearly lost his life. Only after this did his temperament slowly change.

Mr. Fang’s entry into the imperial prison—this plan was a thorough scheme from the very beginning. How could he not know who was imprisoned next to him? And how could he not recognize that person from back then?

Everything was within his expectations.

When Chu Huaicun turned around, he felt that Qin Sangzhi’s crying beside him had the potential to be quite a headache. But the young man, upon realizing his gaze, immediately stifled his cries, turning into small, trembling whimpers.

He wobbled to his feet, straightened his clothes, and tried his best to appear as a wronged gentleman, his posture as straight as a green bamboo.

Qin Sangzhi now had only one thought.

He must seize the opportunity to hold onto someone as good to him as Chu Huaicun, never again failing to cherish him as he had before.

At this moment, Chancellor Chu stood by the lotus pond in early summer, the surrounding air faintly imbued with a dry heat.

Beside him, people’s gazes were filled with various thoughts. But ultimately, upon seeing the long-unseen youth emerge from behind him, they all displayed a polite friendliness. Qin Sangzhi had only taken a few steps out, his face, pale from his time in the imperial prison, hadn’t yet regained color from the sun, but was already overwhelmed by the snow-like flurry of flattering words.

“Young Master Qin, please compose another poem!”

“Indeed, without Young Master Qin, the poetry world is like the sky without the sun. Now that Young Master Qin has regained his innocence, isn’t it cause for celebration?”

Even the Seventh Prince timidly stepped forward to offer congratulations.

Qin Sangzhi instinctively cast his gaze towards Chu Huaicun, and seeing people constantly approaching Chancellor Chu to curry favor, a sudden, inexplicable irritation surged within him. He had previously considered Chu Huaicun’s love to be unconditional, and Chancellor Chu had indeed treated him very well. Those deliberate but failed attempts at seduction were not worth mentioning.

But now, having experienced hardship, he began to feel that Chu Huaicun was exceptionally good in every way.

The system was very pleased with his transformation. The host’s foundation was clearly excellent, but unfortunately, his mind had not been focused on the strategy before. Now, he not only held the title of Chu Huaicun’s white moonlight but also genuinely wanted to solidify his relationship with him.

The strategy, which had been derailed for a long time, was finally re-activated.

Fortunately, Chancellor Chu still doted on him immensely. From being rescued by Chu Huaicun from the imperial prison to now, half a day later, his dirty prisoner’s clothes had been replaced with silk and satin, and he had been given the most precious herbs and fragrant ointments. People began to treat him with utmost respect, and he once again became the proud Young Master Qin, quickly adopting the demeanor of a gentleman.

Qin Sangzhi suppressed the annoyance in his heart and called up the poetry textbook provided by the system, intending to find a poem that could subtly express his affection, one that had to be striking enough to make Chu Huaicun admire him even more than before.

He concentrated intently, even ignoring the chatter of those around him.

The Seventh Prince lowered his head in embarrassment. He wanted to speak a few words with Qin Sangzhi, but the other seemed very impatient. He could only walk back little by little under everyone’s gaze, his eyes downcast. In those lifeless eyes, a hint of resentment, unnoticed by others, quietly grew.

All of this was observed by Chu Huaicun.

He calmly analyzed everything he saw, dealing with the crowd that approached him, and at the same time, subtly turned the jade pendant attached to his sash, concealed by his snow-white sleeve.

This jade pendant was no longer the one he had previously worn, though others would likely not notice this detail. After all, their patterns were identical.

The jade pendant was cool and moist, as if it still carried the other person’s body temperature.

In this world, besides him, only one other person could perfectly replicate the design of the jade pendant.