The clear blue sky was cloudless for thousands of miles, but suddenly, a colorful cloud flew over.
Sunlight and fire shone in all directions, roasting the endless divine land.
Xu Xian opened her eyes and gazed at the horizon, on a thousand miles of fertile land was a magnificent square city. Leaping over the tall city walls, she could see the streets and markets, the buildings and houses, row upon row, thousands of shops like chess games, the twelve streets like vegetable gardens.
On the chess-like streets, people shuttled back and forth, rubbing shoulders and sweating like rain.
In the shade of the green willows, cicadas chirped, as if they didn't know the heat.
The colorful cloud flew low, quickly passing through crowds of people and buildings.
When the cloud flew over a colorful building, a red hand reached out from the cloud and gently plucked a string of long wind chimes under the eaves. They emitted a series of sweet tinkling sounds, startling the young miss in her boudoir. She moved out of the building and leaned on the railing to look. Where she looked, she could only see the gentle ripples of the wind chimes.
"Strange, why isn't there any wind?"
Before she finished speaking, a cool gust of wind passed through the hall, fluttering her dress. The sound of the wind chimes became more rapid, and there was a faint sound of laughter that was even more pleasant to the ear than the wind chimes.
The wind didn't stop. Instead, it blew stronger and stronger. In an instant, it covered the sky for thousands of miles, and a torrential rain poured down.
The people on the street fled in all directions. Some rushed home to collect their clothes, while others hid under the eaves on both sides of the street, waiting for the storm to pass.
Everyone was a little disheveled, but there was a trace of joy on their faces.
The colorful cloud had passed through countless streets and arrived in front of a tall mansion. A pair of majestic stone lions stood in front of it.
Xu Xian stepped through the gate with Yun Yan. The rain poured down behind them.
The guards hurriedly welcomed them, "Prince Xu, you've returned to the capital!"
Xu Xian smiled and nodded, "Yes, is Mingyu in the mansion?"
He saw the lanterns and banners under the gate. He calculated the days and guessed that Princess Roujia should have married into the Pan Family by now!
"My Young Master is still in the Hanlin Academy. Caught in the rain, the housekeeper was about to send someone to pick him up!"
In the Hanlin Academy, under the small window, in front of a bright and clean table, Pan Yu held a brush with her white hand and dipped it into the purple inkstone. She lifted her sleeve with the other hand and slowly sketched on the rice paper. With just a few strokes, she could vaguely see the figure of a man standing against the wind, his clothes fluttering in the wind.
Although his face had not been painted, one could tell that he was extraordinarily handsome.
At this moment, the rain began to fall rapidly and dark clouds covered the sun. The room became dark and gloomy.
She stopped writing and raised her hand to push open the window. A gust of cold wind mixed with raindrops blew in. She was facing a pond of duckweed. The rain and wind blew, and the duckweed seemed to be broken into pieces.
She took a look and suddenly heard footsteps behind her. She added a few strokes to the paper.
"What a beautiful painting!"
Cheng Cangjian stepped forward. His eyes swept across Pan Yu's face and fell on the painting. He exclaimed in admiration.
When he looked at the painting again, the fluttering clothes had turned into a skirt and a sachet. With her beautiful eyes and red lips, she had indeed turned into a beautiful flower.
Pan Yu drew a few more strokes on the paper. The beauty had been completed, and the previous situation was gone. She smiled at Cheng Cangjian and said, "Then I'll give it to you!"
Cheng Cangjian took the painting and said with a smile, "Thank you very much."
She wore a purple and gold crown inlaid with jade to tie her hair. Her face was like the moon in mid-autumn, and her eyes were like flowers in spring. Her hair was like a knife, and her eyebrows were like ink. She looked like a character in a painting. Moreover, she had been practicing Qi these days, and her temperament had become more and more elegant. It was rare to find such a romantic person in the world. Even Cheng Cangjian felt ashamed.
Pan Yu said, "It's almost time. Let's go back!"
Cheng Cangjian also smiled and agreed. They walked through the winding corridor together, talking and laughing as if they were good friends.
However, Cheng Cangjian always felt a faint sense of alienation from Pan Yu. It was hidden behind every smile and every movement.
Only a person with a sharp mind like Cheng Cangjian could sense it. But when he thought about it carefully, they were both from aristocratic families. How could they have any real friends? Who would not be on guard against each other?
"Maybe this is the normal situation!" He thought. He sighed in his heart and looked at the curtain of rain outside the corridor.
The rain had lessened, but it was still pattering.
In front of the Hanlin Academy, there were many carriages waiting to welcome their masters back.
Pan Yu looked around, but she did not see her own carriage. She felt a little strange. Steward Wu should not be so careless!
Cheng Cangjian said, "Why don't I send you back!"
"No need."
Pan Yu suddenly smiled brightly. She looked at the other end of the long street, and there was an unconcealable surprise in her black and white eyes.
At that moment, her dazzling appearance was like a blooming firework. Cheng Cangjian was stunned. Even though he had known her for a long time, he could not help but feel amazed. That smile was completely different from the one she had when she was facing him.
Following her gaze, a figure came through the curtain of rain with an umbrella. It was Xu Xian with a bright smile on his face. His smile was like a ray of sunshine shining through the dark clouds.
"Brother Xu, you're back. I've heard a lot of rumors about you and Mrs. Xu in the capital these days!" Cheng Cangjian was the first to salute him and said with a smile.
He looked at Xu Xian from head to toe and felt that he seemed to have changed a little again.
Xu Xian also saluted and exchanged greetings with Cheng Cangjian.
Pan Yu, who had always been talkative, was silent. She stood aside with her hands clasped behind her back, looking at Xu Xian with a smile on her face.
Most of the Hanlin Academy students snorted coldly when they saw Xu Xian. They boarded their carriages and left in a hurry without greeting him.
Xu Xian was not in the mood to care about what others thought. He responded to Cheng Cangjian casually and said to Pan Yu, whom he had not seen for a long time, "Mingyu, let's go back!"
Pan Yu stepped under the umbrella and looked back at Cheng Cangjian, saying, "Cangjian, please help me ask the Grand Secretary for half a day's leave this afternoon. We'll leave now!"
Cheng Cangjian naturally agreed with a smile. Then the two left with one umbrella. Pan Yu was tall, but she looked petite next to Xu Xian.
The two figures, one tall and the other short, looked like a couple from afar. They gradually disappeared in the misty rain.
"Young Master, Young Master!" The coachman called softly, interrupting Cheng Cangjian's thoughts. He boarded the carriage and left.
Pan Yu had put away the joy on her face. She said to Xu Xian politely, "Brother Xu, didn't you say that you would only go back for a short time? Why are you back so late?"
She was even more polite than Cheng Cangjian. No, even in the face of strangers, she would be more amiable.
Xu Xian touched his nose and thought, "When did I become" Brother Xu "again? What a long time ago!"
He seemed to have promised her that he would return to Jing City as soon as possible. But this time, he went to Mount Zhongnan first, stayed in Hangzhou for a long time, and wasted a lot of time on the sea. The time spent was far beyond his original expectation.
When Xu Xian was about to say something, Pan Yu raised her hand and said, "Say no more. You'd better go to the Imperial Palace now!"
"Go to the Imperial Palace?
You don't have to be in such a hurry to send medicine. Is she really angry?
Is she blaming me for not being able to attend your wedding in time? "
"Princess Rou Jia is sick!"
"Sick?"
Xu Xian was slightly surprised. After his treatment, even if Princess Rou Jia's body could not be said to be incorruptible, she would not be as sickly as before. However, her physique was still weaker than ordinary people, so it was not strange for her to be sick.
Xu Xian frowned slightly, "It shouldn't be a serious illness!"
He did not see it as a serious matter. The Princess was a noble. If she was slightly unwell, there would be imperial physicians in the Imperial Palace to treat her, and they would not hesitate to use precious medicinal materials. Who would have thought that she would get sick in such a way?
Pan Yu said, "This happened yesterday. There is only some news from the palace, and I don't know much. But if it is not an emergency, the Empress will definitely not postpone the wedding. You'd better go to the palace and have a look first!"
After listening to Pan Yu's analysis, Xu Xian felt the seriousness of the matter. "Then I will go to the Imperial Palace to take a look!"
Pan Yu took the umbrella from his hands. "Go quickly and come back quickly!"
"En!" Xu Xian responded. He suddenly lowered his head and kissed Pan Yu's face before quickly leaving on a cloud.
Pan Yu placed the umbrella on her shoulder and looked up at the hazy sky. The rain gradually thinned and fell on her face. Only the places he kissed were slightly hot. A faint blush slowly spread on her jade white face. She let out a light breath and lowered her head to look at her face in the puddle. Suddenly, she lifted her foot and crushed it, quickly walking home.
Xu Xian came to the top of the Imperial Palace and hesitated. If he flew directly into the Imperial Palace, it would be difficult to explain to others. So he landed on the cloud and came to the front of the Imperial Palace. He took out his gold medal and flashed it.
In Yongan Palace, the Empress hugged Princess Rou Jia and fed her medicine spoonful by spoonful.
This day, the Empress did not leave the bed for a moment. However, Princess Rou Jia was sometimes unconscious and sometimes awake. Her condition did not improve at all. Instead, her face became paler and paler. She just leaned in her mother's arms with a serene and satisfied expression on her face. It was as if she could leave peacefully like this if she closed her eyes again.
The Empress had always disliked her weakness. However, at this time, when she hugged such a weak Princess Rou Jia, her heart of stone that had been tempered through many hardships, seemed to be broken. She only regretted that she had not treated her better all these years.
A drop of tears fell on her cheek, causing Princess Rou Jia to open her eyes again. Seeing the tears on the Empress's face, she said softly, "I'm sorry!"
The Empress seemed to feel something. Was this farewell after this apology?
She hugged her even more tightly. "The one who should say sorry is mother!"
If I had hugged you earlier, you would not have caught a cold and would not have suffered for so many years.
At this time, there was a sudden clamor outside the Imperial Palace. The Empress turned back in anger and heard a palace maid reporting, "Xu Tanhua is here!"
"Quickly let him in!"
Xu Xian walked in with large strides and smelled a thick medicinal fragrance. He first bowed to the Empress and said, "Xu Xian greets the Empress. Long live the Empress!"
"Don't say anymore. Quickly get up and treat the Princess!"
Xu Xian walked to the front of Princess Rou Jia's bed and lifted the curtains to look inside. He could not help but be shocked.
Princess Rou Jia's face was pale, and she was breathing weakly. It was clear that she was at the brink of death.
He had never expected that she would be so ill!
He no longer cared about etiquette and quickly stepped forward to pinch her slender wrist.