Obviously, he was still full of apprehension before, but suddenly after calmed down, Xu Chang An could not understand, what he had just heard was not his illusion.
“I… Chen thanks Wang Ye's favor in behalf of Dongxue. After all, Chen and Dongxue are master and servant, Wang Ye will be good to her." Standing up trembling, Xu Chang An gently made an act of retiring to Xiao Qing Yan, and then went out with Chunyu.
When she left the room with her young master, Chunyu was shocked and began to feel unfair for her young master.
“How can Dongxue do this? How can it fuel the fire like this? And, young master… No! Wang Fei, you are the Wang Fei, even if Wang Ye is going to have Dongxue tonight, he should take her to the side room. You are the Wang Fei, how can you make room for them? Besides, you just gave her the room, did she dare to sleep? Not worried to have her life shorten by over-indulgent!”   “Why, you this girl, why are you in this big temper? Just like what Dongxue said, everyone has their own aspiration. We can manage ourselves, but is it possible for us to manage others? What are going to do, thinking too much, as long as Dongxue is fine? Anyhow, I could not sleep, sleeping anywhere is all the same. Let’s go to the partial room.”
“Don’t put up with it, young master. I know you are sad.” Said that, and Chunyu cried again. She was really grieving, it's worse than her being beaten grieved! Dongxue… They were sisters who grew up together. They said that they had to repay by servicing their young master well, but how could she…
“Sobs sobs…” Without Xiao Qing Yan presence, Chunyu could not help but cry out directly, and the more she cried, the more it seemed that she could not stop.
“Enough, don’t cry. Maybe Dongxue has her own plan? Either one or the other secret trouble or whatnot, you grew up together, you should be the one most understanding of her temperament. Don't think too bad of her, otherwise the one who feel bad would be you." Although shocked, but after calming down, Xu Chang An had felt something wrong with this matter, he also understood a little of Dongxue's nature, but did not know what she had in mind, how could she be willing to…
“Forget it, forget it. The present now is much better than the worst result expected of that day, isn’t that so? Why thinking too much, let's have an early rest.” On that day in Zhuangzi, Xu Chang An thought that he could only die with resentment in this life. Now his mother’s resentment had been repaid and his anger had disappeared. All these attributed to his marriage to Xiao Qing Yan. In this way, he should be satisfied.
But Dongxue… What is this girl thinking?
After letting Chunyu return to her room to rest, Xu Chang An also prepared to sleep. Fortunately that day he had put a bed in this partial room for convenience, otherwise today if he wants to sleep in… Sleep in the outer wing room of the bedroom, he did not know how to get there.
“Cough, cough, cough… Cough-cough…” Tonight was fifteen, the full moon night, he didn’t know how many such moonlit nights he would have. He….
"Right, perhaps Xiao Qing Yan won’t want to see me recently. Should I talk to him to set me free to let me go out?” Suddenly, he thought of his hometown far away in Feng Province. Xu Chang An thought that if he could find his maternal grandparent's home and be recognized by the maternal grandfather, let them pick up his mother’s bones to buried at home, he would have no worries in the future.
Originally, he felt depressed in his mind, but when he thought that something had not been done yet, Xu Chang An had another hope in his heart. He did not want to disturb Chunyu-the girl must be suffering now. If he bothered her again, she would not get to sleep tonight.
He got up and went to the kitchen for a warm drink. At the entrance to the main courtyard, Xu Chang An looked at the closed door and was at a loss. He didn’t know whether he should go in or not. He was unable to stabilize his heart, after the short calm, his heart was actually more anxious. When Dongxue entered Xu Family's house, she was still a little girl of six or seven years old. He had been with his servants for so many years, he knew better than anyone about Dongxue. She would not be the kind of maidservant who wanted to climb the master’s bed. “Cough, cough…” When he was worried, he coughed up aloud so he hurried to cover his mouth. Xu Chang An still went towards the kitchen.
“Wang Ye.” Dongxue didn’t know what Wang Ye meant, since young master and Chunyu left, he didn’t say a word. He went inside to bathe himself and didn’t let anyone in to wait on him. Finally Xiao Qing Yan came out, Dongxue could only be thick-skinned moving forward, such as tonight's opportunity, she did not know whether there would be any, so she must seize it.
“You are kneeling here. You must not rise without Wang’s order.” Looking at the yatou who wanted to be close to him, Xiao Qing Yan directly fled away, did not look at her, only pointed to the empty ground beside the person kneeling, and did not hesitate to turn around and walked away.
With Xiao Qing Yan’s departure, the already tight-nerve Dongxue, directly collapse! She bowed her head and knelt down facing the partial room direction. When she knelt down, she raised her head again, her lips were tight, and her stubborn face was flowing with tears.
"Young master, what to do?"
When Xiao Qing Yan came out, he heard a slight cough, but he went out without seeing anyone.
He looked at the partial room at the side, there was no one, after thinking about it, he went to the kitchen. That person actually was in the kitchen, even heating up his own medicine?!
Anyhow he could not sleep, Xu Chang An also did not want to wake up the yatou on duty, not to say heating up medicine, even boiling medicine, he would do it himself, there was no need to disturb people’s dreams.
“Cough, the weather is really cold.”
“If you know that the weather is getting cold, why don’t you know how to get dressed properly?” From just this person kneeling down for no reason, to when he plead for the two yatous, Xiao Qing Yan heart pressured a blaze of fire! Today, when he saw Xu Chang An in the kitchen in the middle of the night, the fire in his heart became even bigger!
“You are Wang Fei, don’t you know how to instruct the yatou about this kind of thing? You don’t want your face, but Wang want it!" There was anger in his heart, Xiao Qing Yan could not get anywhere better with what he said, but after saying it, he regretted it.
Still at the door, he saw that person with an unusually thin back, one hand holding his chin, one hand fanning the cattail fan in his hand, and occasionally looking at the medicine in the pot. Looking at this person’s action just now was exceptionally familiar; he must be used to doing the work of a servant. He looked like a steward rather than a young master, doing this kind of rough work even so familiarly, then did he really suffered a lot?
He did not look for a while, Xiao Qing Yan just looked and did not go out. He went straight in using that person’s words as pretext.
Xu Chang An did not expect Xiao Qing Yan to appear here, for a moment he forgot to give Xiao Qing Yan a salutation, until Xiao Qing Yan walked in and he saw Xiao Qing Yan’s face, he quickly stood up to give the person a salutation.
“Wang Ye… Wang Ye, why are you here?”
“And you? Why are you here?”
Xu Chang An was somewhat dared not go to look at Xiao Qing Yan, only concealed his head, carefully returned: “Just now, Chang An's throat is a bit uncomfortable, thinking of heating up medicine to drink.”
“This trifle thing, don’t you know to let the small yatous do it? Did I send those people to you to make them idle?”
Xu Chang An didn't know why Xiao Qing Yan seemed to be very angry, but Xu Chang An was happy at this time. He calculated the time, Xiao Qing Yan and Dongxue should not have been doing anything. That's great, now he could pass the night, tomorrow he must look for Dongxue to have a good talk, he needed to know what Dongxue was thinking!
“Wang Ye, I can’t sleep anyway. Why bother people with their dreams? If the yatous are woken up by me, they won’t be able to sleep well tonight.”
“Humph! I forgot, you are also an adult man, and naturally you know how to be tender and protective to the fairer sex.” Xiao Qingyan was almost nearing very close, his tone and expression changes, even if not personally saw it, Xu Chang An could feel it a little.
Almost instinctively reached out to take hold of that person, Xiao Qing Yan was really about to turn around and walk away.
“Wang Ye! Wang Ye…” He did not know how to explain, Xu Chang An had said his mind, but after Xiao Qing Yan heard it, obviously he became more angry! “Cough, cough, cough… Cough!” His heart was anxious, Xu Chang An coughed up again, he did not expect with his cough, Xiao Qing Yan finally stopped.
“Wang Ye, did not, was not… I'm really just can’t fall asleep, I just want to find something to do.” He didn’t understand what Xiao Qing Yan was angry about, was he explaining it right? What else to say, but at this time, the stove at the side, made a rustling sound, Xu Chang An opened the hot medicine.
“My medicine! Tsk…” When before Xiao Qing Yan was about to leave, he did not know where did the heat-insulating handkerchief in his hand went, just after seeing the juice pouring out, Xu Chang An reached for the lid of the medicine pot in a hurry. As a result, he was scalded back. Putting the burned finger into his mouth and biting, Xu Chang An did not care about Xiao Qing Yan beside him, and hurried to find the heat-insulating handkerchief.
He picked up the stove using the handkerchief, Xu Chang An was going to fetch a bowl for the medicine and Xiao Qing Yan came with a bowl.
“Thank you, Wang Ye.” Preparing to drink medicine, Xu Chang An wanted Xiao Qing Yan to go back to his room quickly. How could he stay in this place? But he thought there was Dongxue in the room, he didn’t want Xiao Qing Yan to go back. Not knowing how to open his mouth, he simply closed it, blowing the medicine in the bowl, trying to cool it down quickly, and then drank it.
Xu Chang An quietly waited for the medicine to cool down, but Xiao Qing Yan on one side did not speak, but it did not take much time for a bowl of hot soup to become lukewarm, and now it was early winter, the medicine cooled down faster.
In one gulp he drank the medicine in the bowl, Xu Chang An did not know what to do. Did he want to continue what he had just said? But he really didn’t know what to say.
“Is it serious?”
“Ah?”
“I said, the scalded hand just now, is it seriously hurt?” When he saw Xu Chang An hand burned just now, he felt anxious but also somewhat relieved. He saw that the person who only knew how to anger him was hurt, this feeling…. It was not as pleasant as imagined.
“No, just touching it lightly, there's no pain.”
“Let’s go.”
“Alright.” It’s not too early now. It’s time to go back to the room to rest.
Xu Chang An had been quietly following Xiao Qing Yan’s back. When they arrived at the main courtyard's hall, Xu Chang An stopped his footsteps. Dongxue was still in? Just after he left, did anything happen? What would he say to her tomorrow?
“What are you doing standing there? Is it late night, are your unpleasant illness is not serious enough?”
Xu Chang An just stopped, Xiao Qing Yan walked forward two steps also stopped. Xu Chang An heard Xiao Qing Yan’s words, he hurriedly said to the person: “I'll go back, Wang Ye have an early rest.”
“Where are you going?” Xiao Qing Yan felt that he was going to be angry. What is this person’s head made of? Could he (XCA) think that he went to the kitchen to find him (XCA), just to send him to the bedroom?
“I’ll go back to have a rest ah.” Xiao Qing Yan refused to let him sleep in his wing room. He said that it was the place where the servants lived. Now he had cleaned up a special room for himself, was it a mistake?
“The place you should return is here!” Xiao Qing Yan could not bear it anymore, and directly pulled the person toward his room.
Looking at Xiao Qing Yan’s back head without blinking, Xu Chang An followed the person in a trance. After entering the room, he looked at Dongxue on her knees before he came back to his senses.
“Dongxue? Why did you kneel on the ground? Now it’s so cold, get up!” Immediately, he was about to go to help people, perhaps Xu Chang An forgot that his hand was still in Xiao Qing Yan’s hand, his body just tilted, Xiao Qing Yan vigorously pulled him. He did not touch even the corner of Dongxue clothes, he was almost unstable.
“Wang Ye?”
“You go out first.” Xiao Qing Yan obviously said this to Dongxue on the ground. Xiao Qing Yan let people get up, Xu Chang An was comforted, but then Dongxue's response made him feel sad –Dongxue rose to salute Xiao Qing Yan but did not look at Xu Chang An.
“Do you really like that yatou?” Look at this reluctant to part appearance!
“Wang Ye.” This time Xu Chang An did not evade Xiao Qing Yan’s eyes. After a long sigh of relief, he said slowly and steadily, “I have said this to Wang Ye before. At that time, there was not a bit of deception. Now Chang An can reassure Wang Ye again! Chang An has absolutely no love for Dongxue and Chunyu like a man and women, only the relationship between master and servants. I feel gratitude to them for taking care of me for many years. If Chang An has half of empty words, I'm willing to be struck by lightning!"
“Cough, cough…”
“Still didn't quickly get on the bed and lie down, do you want to turn the wind cold into typhoid?” Xiao Qing Yan's mood was indescribably better, but the coughing in the ears again made Xiao Qing Yan somewhat irritable! Didn’t he eat the imperial physician’s medicine for half a month? It didn’t work anything at all. All were quack!
“Nn.” Xu Chang An quickly went to bed and lied down, he wondered how to open his mouth with Xiao Qing Yan to talk about Dongxue. Seeing Dongxue's appearance just now, it should be something was said wrongly, what words made Xiao Qing Yan punished her? Should he take the opportunity to speak with Xiao Qing Yan, just when it did not happen this night?
After Xu Chang An lied down, Xiao Qing Yan also lied down with him. The words were repeated in his heart several times but the mouth still could not say it. Xu Chang An hesitated, Xiao Qing Yan’s mood seemed to be finally a little better, did he want to stroke his bad luck? Or should he wait till tomorrow when Xiao Qing Yan was in a better mood?
“I did not have any thoughts to your two yatous at all. It's you who thought wrong.” All day, he knew that Xu Chang An was worried about these things. In Xu Chang An's heart, he was a man who wanted to sleep with people as long as it was a woman.
“Ah? What… ” Xu Chang An was thinking about how to open his mouth to Xiao Qing Yan about Dongxue, but Xiao Qing Yan himself did, and what he said was unexpected!
After carefully thinking about it, Xu Chang An looked at the person lying beside him, it seemed… Did he really misunderstand at that time? Xiao Qing Yan didn’t say anything at that time, just looked at the two yatous, his heart had this worry for a long time, and so he was frightened and knelt down to plead!
“Wang Ye, I… that… Thank you!” Xu Chang An did not know what to say, he actually had a lot of words to say to Xiao Qing Yan, but the words came to his lips and only became a word of thanks.
“Nn! One thing you did well.”
“What?” Isn’t he doing stupid things lately? Is there anything wrong?
“Yesterday, you did a good job. You remembered what I said; don’t meet with Nanxi alone.” You can't deal with that woman, whose whole body is poisonous.
“Your Highness, I know.” Although he didn’t know the reason why Xiao Qing Yan did this, perhaps Xu Chang An had come to understand something. Xiao Qing Yan’s thoughts on that Nanxi were not as he imagined! No wonder he always found it strange that things were not what he thought they were at all…. That's good.
“Right, the weather is getting cold. Don't you know that you need to add some clothes? The yatous beside you are all dressed in bright clothes, but you, a master, is dressed in tattered clothes. What does that look like?"
“Not tattered…” Where is tattered? He was Xiao Qing Yan's Wang Fei, but he dared not wear tattered clothes even though he had one hundred courages….
“Are you talking back to Wang?”
“No.” Lying in bed together, only in this small side of the world, Xiao Qing Yan’s words in his ear made Xu Chang An particularly stifling, he just wanted to escape yet he had no place to escape to.
“Ha…”
“Your Highness, what are you laughing at?” Xiao Qing Yan looked at him laughing for no reason at all. Did he really worn tattered clothes? Impossible ah!
“Laughing? I'm probably laughing at my Great Xiao Dynasty's preliminary (1) official. Ah, such a stupid person, how did he get to be a Jie Yuan (2) member?"
“… Your highness, it’s getting late. Let’s have an early rest.” He was laughing at him! But… Xiao Qing Yan laughed, no more serious appearance, it made people want to be closer to him. And… and he looked much better.
Perhaps Xu Chang An couldn’t sleep because his head covered in many things. Even with Xiao Qing Yan's words, he still couldn’t sleep. If he couldn’t figure out the purpose of Dongxue's action today, don't mention today even the coming days they could not sleep.
(1) Preliminary rounds of imperial examinations
(2) Jie Yuan (in the Ming and Qing Dynasties) the scholar who won the first place in provincial imperial examinations