Chapter Four, The Graceful Young Gentleman

If one looks around, not far away there is a bamboo grove. Thus, her lively eyes sparkled with joy: "Do you think there might be some hermit living inside?"

His expression seemed to mock, and the meaning in his eyes was clearly "Do you enjoy burrowing into my embrace so much?"

"How do you know this?" Ruo Wei stared blankly at Xu Bin and said, "You are quite strange, unlike the typical offspring of officials. You resemble a wandering hero, sometimes appearing as a delicate scholar, yet also like a recluse possessing extraordinary martial skills. Clearly, your martial prowess is unparalleled, so why do you participate in the imperial examination and become a successful candidate in the literary category? Who exactly are you?"

Then we must thank Princess Baoqing. When the Emperor Taizu passed away, Princess Baoqing was only three years old. The Emperor had a particular fondness for this daughter, and thus could not bear the thought of her being without a mother to care for her after his death, which is why he spared Zhang Meiren from death. Xu Bin seemed to know the affairs of the palace like the back of his hand, being well-informed about them.

Although the speed of descent is rapid, it lands as lightly as willow catkins, without a scratch.

Heavens, is it still hot? Are you a human or a ghost?" Ruo Wei stood there in a daze

Are you not knowledgeable in medicine? I just held a pot of wine in my mouth, which has already eliminated the poison, and moreover, this saliva itself can heal wounds. There are no mortars or medicine jars in this room; do you expect me to return to the city to fetch medicine?

He lifted his robe sleeve, sat cross-legged on the couch, picked up the teapot, slightly tilted it, and poured a cup of fragrant tea, handing it to Ruowei

She is the consort of the late emperor? Which late emperor? The Jianwen Emperor? Ruowei was completely stunned

This time, he did not use his lightness skill to ascend by borrowing strength, but instead held her tightly as they plummeted downwards. The speed of the descent caused Ruo Wei to break out in a cold sweat and be greatly alarmed. Instinctively, she reached out to tightly wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her head against his chest, and closed her eyes once more

"Raising a glass, I gaze disdainfully at the blue sky, as bright as a jade tree standing before the wind." If I were to gaze at him with a hint of infatuation, I could not help but recite such a line of praise.

What? If Ruo Wei's mind cannot keep up with his speed: "I. Naturally, I have to go up the mountain to return to Sanyuan Temple. At this moment, Ziyan and Xiangting are probably crying to death!"

Think again? If Wei furrowed her brows slightly, she would carefully savor the meaning behind his words. Suddenly, she realized, yes, this time she had fallen from the mountain top into the ravine, and everyone must think she was dead. If that were the case, perhaps she could return home and live freely from then on. But then she thought again, fearing that returning home might expose her whereabouts and implicate her family, so perhaps she could wander the world from then on

Is it still necessary to create another Xu Bin out of thin air now?

Yet he seemed to be angry, saying resentfully: "Once out of the palace, you become a wild girl, only capable of reciting lewd verses and suggestive phrases"

The fair complexion exudes a hint of wickedness, while the slender figure cannot conceal an air of fierceness

She was instantly stunned, murmuring to herself: "Could it be that he fell to his death? Has he entered heaven?"

Sitting quietly on the couch, she lowered her head and nervously rubbed the corner of her garment, feeling somewhat embarrassed. She was afraid of hurting his kind intentions and also worried about misunderstanding him and making a fool of herself. After contemplating for a while, she finally murmured: "Young Master Xu, I have been rescued by you twice and have no way to repay you. Now that the sky is getting dark, I must return to the temple. I will remember everything that happened today in my heart and will never forget it!" Ruo Wei's face was resolute, and her words were firm.

Hmph, don't tell me you've been following me all along!" Ruo Wei glared at him, contemplating that his timely appearance seemed to be the only reason for it.

If Wei stood up, pushed open the door, and ran outside, she only wanted to run back up the mountain in one breath, to the small Sanyuan Temple, and never come out again. Wasn't her own troubles already enough?

If Wei shrugged nonchalantly, clapped his hands, and turned to look into the valley, it seemed there was no way out: "How did you end up here?"

I have never looked so closely at another man besides Zhanji. He has a pair of exceptionally beautiful eyebrows, slightly raised at the corners, captivating and enchanting, with eyes like autumn waves. ... Though he may appear angry at times, he also seems to smile; when he smiles, he appears to be angry, gazing with a playful yet affectionate look ...! ... Such a person has completely bewitched me!

Equally knowledgeable in medicine and equally immersed in the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, he understands elegance and is aware of the nuances of warmth and cold. His resolute nature is tempered with tenderness, and as someone who excels in both literature and martial arts, he may very well be the ideal partner for himself

Just a glance back revealed Xu Bin, who was face to face and closely embraced with her, looking at her with a smile that was not quite a smile, causing her to feel immediately embarrassed. Xu Bin released his hands, but Ruo Wei's hands still clung tightly around his neck. His eyes sparkled with laughter, as if teasing: "What? Are you still reluctant to let go?"

If Wei slightly opened his eyes and looked around, he would find that they were in a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing water on one side, with a bamboo hut not far away.

"Why are you following me?" Ruo Wei glared at him, "Oh, I see, it was Zhan Ji who asked you to follow and protect me, right?"

His face was as cold as ice: "Have you thought it through? Whether you repay me or not is of no consequence. However, if you return this way, this opportunity will never come again in this lifetime"

"What?" Ruo Wei exclaimed in surprise, "How is that possible? The Empress of the Great Ancestor, over forty of them, were not all buried alive with him?"

She was the consort of the late emperor, and in terms of seniority, she is the mother of the current emperor. How do you think the emperor will deal with her?" Xu Bin said leisurely

If Wei slowly sat on the couch, picked up the cup of hot tea on the table and sipped it slowly, after just one sip, she placed it back on the table, stood up and said: "No, if I leave like this, I will surely implicate Xiangting and Ziyan, and if my body cannot be found, I fear that even Master Yuhua and Granny Gui in the San Yuan Temple will be implicated because of me"

In the eyes of some, he is a human; while in the eyes of others, he is a ghost. A faint smile floated calmly at the corners of his lips, and his mysterious eyes, a blend of black and purple, narrowed slightly with this smile, making it even harder for people to look away, leaving them staring at him in a daze

You... you are justified!" If the words are subtle, there is nothing to say in response

Xu Bin! If Ruo Wei momentarily called out his name in a fit of emotion, she quickly corrected herself: "Young Master Xu, you know very well that my heart already belongs to someone else, I..."

If Wei turned her face away, covering her face and weeping

"So what?" He smiled faintly, "What does it matter to me that your heart belongs to someone else? All I need to know is my own heart, and that is enough!"

A thousand ancient cypress trees, ten thousand segments of bamboo, exotic flowers adorning the landscape, and fragrant jade grasses growing.

He did not respond, merely raising his head and walking towards the bamboo grove. Upon reaching the entrance, he gently pushed the door with his hand, and it opened. The interior was exquisitely arranged and astonishingly refined. The apricot-yellow carpet, short couch with warm bedding, brocade stools, chess, calligraphy, painting, as well as tea sets and wine pots, all were present, though the space was small, it was complete in every aspect

With tearful eyes, I unexpectedly collided into someone's embrace

Alright

He placed his hands behind his neck and slightly exerted force to pry apart her delicate hands. Just as he was about to shake them off, he suddenly noticed the bloodstains on her hands, and his expression darkened slightly, as if in reproach: "A futile effort, why struggle? How can you play the lute and compose music after injuring your hands?"

You ... ... can think about it again! He picked up the wine jug on the table without holding a cup, and simply drank directly from the spout.

You? If so, then Ruowei is completely foolish

As expected, yet somewhat surprising, he paused slightly, stood up, brushed his sleeves, and said, "I will escort you up the mountain"

Young Master Xu!" Ruo Wei called out from behind him

His expression immediately changed slightly, and he let out a soft grunt, no longer speaking

No! Xu Bin's figure was illuminated by the sunlight, shimmering with a dazzling brilliance, and her expression appeared somewhat unusual.

If I can't help but break into laughter: "Where can I find a healer like you, who brings me what you have chewed?"

If that is the case

If Wei Daidai stared blankly and blurted out: "Could it be that this hermit is you?"

This bamboo grove has bright windows on both sides, with the bamboo curtains lifted high, filling the air with a fragrant breeze, refreshingly exquisite

As soon as these words were spoken, the two felt somewhat awkward, falling into a mutual silence. He stood up and walked outside, saying: "Wait for me here. This room has everything, but it lacks medicine for treating wounds. I will go gather some herbs to help you apply them, so as to avoid leaving scars in the future"

Indeed, you guessed it! It is exactly so. Since you left the palace yesterday until this very moment today, I have been secretly following you! He showed no signs of concealment, as if he were engaged in something entirely aboveboard.

He held her hand and walked to the edge of the pond, rinsing the bloodstains from his hands with the clear water. He then tore a piece of silk from the hem of his robe and carefully wrapped it around her.

Aren't you always considering yourself to be intelligent and talented, what do you say? He stood with his arms crossed, a somewhat mocking expression on his face

But how could I possibly forget Zhanji now, how could it be...

Yet he seemed oblivious, his figure like a cloud, swaying like a gentle breeze, as if in a daze he fell onto the couch, resting his chin on his hand, pondering in his heart: Indeed, if I had not entered the palace, had not encountered Zhanji, beyond the palace walls, I could have had a different life

He exerted a slight force with his hand, turned her shoulder, and pulled her back to the bamboo grove. He pressed her down onto the couch, took her hand and placed it on the table, unwrapped the cloth strip he had just used to bind it, and then took the tender leaves of the two plants he had in his arms, chewed them in his mouth, and gently spat them into the palm of her hand, before wrapping them up with the cloth again

Why? If she gazes at him, her long eyelashes fluttering, it is extremely adorable

She lowered her head, pondered for a while, and finally nodded gently

Xu Bin reined in the smile on his face and looked into her eyes: "Who I am is not important; you just need to remember that for the rest of your life, I will always protect you, and that is enough"

Xu Bin sighed and shook his head: "Could it be that he was just scared silly? I already said it was the Empress Dowager. Naturally, she is the founding sovereign of the Ming Dynasty, the consort of Emperor Taizu, and also the youngest daughter of Emperor Taizu, the Sixteenth Princess, the mother of Princess Baoqing, and the most favored Zhang beauty in Emperor Taizu's later years"

The delicate fingers, with three or two places where the elegant nails are broken from the base, are oozing drops of blood from the fingertips, while the palms appear to have been scratched by something, revealing two noticeable wounds.

In an instant, his demeanor changed, reverting to the elegance and gentleness of the past: "Sometimes when I feel weary, I come here to read, seeking a moment of tranquility and solitude, free from disturbances. What about you? Do you plan to return to your hometown of Zouping? Or are you considering another path?"

At the critical moment, I suddenly felt a tightness around my waist, as if being drawn by a force and crashing into someone's embrace. Our eyes met; hers were filled with fear and surprise, while his still held a mix of anger and a semblance of a smile, cold as a distant star.