Chapter 42 Eat Something Sweet, Eat Something A Little Sweet

“Sigh——” Qiu Qiushuang lost count of how many times this was Qiu Shuzhi’s sigh.

Ever since she came back, she had been looking worried, and barely tasted the prepared food.

Qiu Qiushuang held her hand.

Qiu Shuzhi suddenly raised her eyes, meeting a pair of moist, affectionate beautiful eyes.

“What’s making you so unhappy?” Qiu Qiushuang gestured to ask.

Qiu Shuzhi shook her head, without speaking.

She knew that the troublemaking refugees had already been sent to Zhao Prison, and with the Imperial Guard’s torture methods, she feared the worst.

Putting down the jade chopsticks, Qiu Shuzhi said softly: “Cousin, you continue eating, I’m going out to take care of something.” Qiu Qiushuang’s voice was hoarse, his gaze containing a hint of loneliness. Ever since Qiu Shuzhi became an official, the time he spent with her had become less and less.

Even though they were the closest of people, even though they lived under the same roof, Qiu Qiushuang could feel that Qiu Shuzhi was gradually drifting away.

Her heart was filled with rulers and subjects, the country and the common people, while in his heart there was only one Qiu Shuzhi.

As night slowly enveloped, a servant attending nearby came forward: “Young Master, you’ve been sitting idle for an hour, the food has gone completely cold, let this slave go reheat it for you.”

Qiu Qiushuang raised his eyes in a daze, his deep black eyes downcast.

He waved his hand, indicating to clear away all the food and throw it out.

The luxurious courtyard was once again left with him alone and lonely.

Qiu Shuzhi knocked on the gate of the separate courtyard, relying on memory.

Having just arrested a refugee today, Yue Guanyi probably wouldn’t be resting in the palace.

The gate creaked open, leaving a small gap.

A small servant with bright black eyes peeked out from inside, upon seeing Qiu Shuzhi’s appearance was first stunned for a moment, then asked: “Who is it?”

Qiu Shuzhi slightly nodded: “I am Qiu Shuzhi, wishing to pay a visit to His Highness the Crown Prince, please trouble you to announce me.”

“Qiu Shuzhi?” The small servant’s face showed surprise, looking her up and down, then the gate opened wide, and the servant respectfully said: “Please come in.”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled and bent down to ask: “No need to announce?”

The small servant’s face turned red: “Chang’an has instructed that you are an honored guest and don’t need to be announced, please come in quickly.”

Qiu Shuzhi nodded and entered the separate courtyard. Although she had only been here twice, she was particularly familiar with every brick and tile.

“Please wait a moment.” The small servant settled her in the hall.

A pot of secluded orchids bloomed quietly at hand, the branches and leaves of bamboo outside the window cast a mottled shadow on the window paper.

She sat upright in the huanghuali wood chair, her skirt slightly trailing on the ground, the jade pendant tied at her waist swaying gently.

When the small servant hurriedly ran to the back courtyard to report, Yue Guanyi was having dinner. Chang’an stood guard outside the room, seeing the small servant running over in a hurry, he scolded in a low voice: “What kind of manner is this rushing about? Where have all your manners gone?”

The small servant shrank his shoulders in fear, kneeling on the ground, his voice trembling: “This slave knows his mistake.”

Chang’an glared at him, considering his young age, he didn’t order punishment this time.

“Hurry inside, next time you won’t escape a beating!”

The small servant kowtowed twice: “Thank you, sir, thank you for your mercy.” Then he hurriedly entered the room.

The room was filled with delicious food and rare delicacies, fragrant aromas wafting. But Yue Guanyi, dressed all in white, had a pale complexion.

He sat at the table, his cold aura actually suppressed the food’s fragrance, as if he wasn’t eating food, but offerings from devotees.

“Speak, what is it?” Yue Guanyi lightly scooped the porridge in his bowl, his voice faint and cold, like ice shards scooped from a winter river.

The small servant stammered in reply: “Your Highness, there is a guest visiting outside.”

Yue Guanyi half-raised his eyes, his cold gaze emitting a chill that seemed to penetrate to the bone.

Chang’an kicked him: “Useless thing, coming to report such a small matter, which household would come seeking an audience with His Highness at this hour? Truly a blind fool!”

The small servant clutched his nearly broken bone in pain and said: “It’s Official Qiu.”

“……” Chang’an’s heart skipped a beat, what had he just said?

A clear clash of porcelain sounded as it shattered, a white figure staggered out.

Chang’an regretfully slapped himself, with full force half his face instantly turned red.

Qiu Shuzhi hadn’t waited long in the hall when she heard a series of footsteps outside, a white figure flashed past her eyes like a fleeting vision.

Yue Guanyi wore all white, layers of robes surrounding his pale, almost sickly skin, whiter than snow, lighter than clouds, like a cold and solitary immortal.

“I didn’t know you had come, made you wait long.”

As soon as he entered the room, a light chill arose. His black hair, tied up with a white jade hairpin, was a bit messy. Like last time, self-deprecating and guilty, his knees seemed boneless, always wanting to lower himself, to be a head shorter than her, forever looking up at her.

“It’s no trouble, it is I who disturbed Your Highness’s rest.” Qiu Shuzhi grasped his hand through the thin fabric of his sleeve. Even with the clothing as a barrier, she could feel wisps of coolness from his body.

The faint fragrance from her body wafted onto him, making his mind hazy, but even if he was clumsy, he knew Qiu Shuzhi wouldn’t come to find him without reason.

“What brings Official Qiu here this time?”

Qiu Shuzhi nodded, since Yue Guanyi was direct, she wouldn’t beat around the bush either.

“That refugee from today, how does Your Highness plan to deal with her?”

“Refugee?” Yue Guanyi’s expression changed slightly, not expecting an ant-like person to gain Qiu Shuzhi’s attention.

“Naturally, she will be dealt with according to the law. This incident caused quite a stir.” Yue Guanyi told the truth.

Qiu Shuzhi fell silent.

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Yue Guanyi didn’t dare mention the specific torture methods the Imperial Guard would use on that refugee. She had offended the royal family, in Zhao Prison if not dead she would lose half her life, then be thrown weak and dying into the wilderness, left for wild dogs and vultures to consume.

“Does Official Qiu wish to plead for that woman?” Yue Guanyi, with tremendous courage, lightly tugged at the corner of her clothes.

The most ordinary plain clothes, with even old stitching at the hem, but he was delighted and flustered by this little ‘offense’.