Ping Zhao Lu

Chapter 159 Your Highness, please think about it!

After Xu Zhouye woke up from his nightmare, he couldn't fall asleep again.

At this moment, he was curled up tightly in Chu Yunxiao's arms.

Chu Yunxiao patted Xu Zhouye's shoulders gently and patiently, trying to coax him to sleep.

"It's so late, you should close your eyes and rest." Xu Zhouye raised his head slightly, met Chu Yunxiao's eyes full of tenderness and sweetness, and persuaded him softly in a gentle voice.

Chu Yunxiao raised his lips: "Wait until my Ah Jin falls asleep, then I can sleep later."

Hearing this, Xu Zhouye couldn't help but feel helpless, but he still closed his eyes obediently: "Okay, I'll go to sleep first, you should go to sleep quickly too."

Chu Yunxiao responded softly, his hands still comforting Xu Zhouye, and he murmured, "Okay, let's sleep together." After that, he slowly closed his eyes.

After a long time, Xu Zhouye keenly felt that the breathing of the person next to him became long and steady, and he thought that he must have fallen into a deep sleep.

So he slowly opened his eyes and stared quietly at Chu Yunxiao's peaceful sleeping face.

As he watched, Xu Zhouye's eyes were involuntarily attracted by Chu Yunxiao's slightly pursed lips.

As if possessed by some mysterious force, he slowly leaned his face closer and placed a gentle kiss on Chu Yunxiao's lips. This kiss was as brief and beautiful as a dragonfly touching the water.

But this alone seemed unable to satisfy the emotions surging deep in his heart. Xu Zhouye couldn't help but lightly bite Chu Yunxiao's lower lip, and then quickly withdrew as if he had been electrocuted.

After doing all this, Xu Zhouye felt his cheeks instantly burning hot, and his heart began to beat violently and uncontrollably, as if it was about to jump out of his throat.

He buried his head deep in the soft quilt in panic, as if he was a guilty thief.

And at this moment, the corners of Chu Yunxiao's mouth rose slightly, and his hands holding Xu Zhouye's waist and back tightened.

*

"咚咚-"

"Boom boom boom——"

At the end of the first hour when everything was completely silent, a sudden and forceful knock on the door of the Dongping Marquis Mansion broke the silence.

The boy on duty at night was leaning against the doorpost and drowsy. He was startled by the sudden knock on the door and couldn't help yawning.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he reluctantly walked towards the door, mumbling and complaining, "Who has the guts to disturb my Lord's sweet dreams in the middle of the night?"

When they reached the door, the servant calmed himself down and asked loudly through the heavy door, "Who's outside? What's going on so late?"

A slightly anxious voice came from outside the door: "I am in a desperate situation. I come to bother you so late at night. I hope you will be lenient. However, because every door and window in this area is closed, no matter how hard I knock, there is no response. I have no choice but to dare to disturb you, my lord. I beg you to find me a place to stay, even if it is just a simple woodshed."

The servant couldn't help but smile bitterly when he heard this, and thought to himself: How could this person be so bold as to come to the Marquis's mansion to stay overnight?

"Hey, young man, are you still listening?" Seeing that there was no movement inside for a long time, the person outside the door became more and more anxious and shouted a few more times.

The servant came back to his senses as if awakened from a dream, and hurriedly responded: "Brother, it's not that I don't want to help, but our mansion has never had the precedent of taking in strangers overnight, so please find another place to rest." After that, he made a gesture to turn around and leave.

However, at this moment, the person outside the door suddenly raised his voice and shouted, "Wait a minute! Can you please help me pass on the message and tell me that my surname is Zhuang. Your Lordship will definitely come out to meet me after hearing it!"

The servant's steps, already in progress, suddenly stopped, a thought flashing through his mind: it seems that the cousin's best friend is also surnamed Zhuang...

Thinking of this, he did not dare to delay any longer and hurriedly said, "Okay, please wait a moment and let me go in to report to the Marquis." Then he hurried to the inner courtyard.

Not long after, the servant followed the Duke of Dongping and hurried to the gate.

Then the servant moved very quickly and pushed the heavy door open in just a few moves.

Just as the door slowly opened, Marquis Dongping was slightly startled.

There were two figures standing at the door, both wearing black hoods, almost completely covered from head to toe.

Judging from their slightly staggering steps and the occasional bloodstains on the corners of their clothes, it was obvious that both of them had suffered considerable trauma.

After a closer look, he discovered that one of them was his nephew's best friend, Zhuang Yan. He was tall, but now he looked a little hunched due to his injuries.

Marquis Dongping quickly glanced at the guard beside him, turned his head slightly and gave him a wink.

The guards understood what he meant and immediately stepped forward, carefully helping Zhuang Yan and another injured person into the mansion.

After everyone entered, the heavy door made another dull sound and closed tightly again.

As soon as Zhuang Yan stepped through the threshold, he knelt on both knees without hesitation, bowed to the Marquis of Dongping, and said in a trembling voice, "My Lord, you are Xiaojin's uncle. In this south, you are the only one Zhuang Yan can trust!"

Upon seeing this, the Marquis of Dongping hurriedly helped the man up. "You are Xiaojin's most trusted friend. Both of you grew up under my watch. If you have anything to say, please stand up first."

After saying this, he turned around and ordered the guards beside him: "Clean up two rooms and ask the palace doctor to see them."

The guard bowed and accepted the order, "Yes."

*

"Your Highness, are you asleep?"

Shi'an stood outside the screen, his voice low, afraid to disturb the person on the bed. His hands were tightly clutching the corners of his clothes, and he looked a little nervous and uneasy.

As soon as he finished speaking, the heavy curtains began to sway slightly. In the dim candlelight, Chu Heyuan could be seen slowly sitting up from the bed.

"Not yet. It's so late. What's the matter?" Chu Heyuan's voice was a little sleepy.

Hearing the reply, Shi'an took a deep breath, mustered up the courage, took a few steps forward, and stopped not far from the bed.

He looked troubled, his lips moving, but he seemed hesitant, unsure how to speak. Finally, he said hesitantly, "There's news from the capital that..." He paused again, looked up at Chu Heyuan, and then continued, "Your Majesty...is critically ill."

"What did you say!" Chu Heyuan's face suddenly changed when he heard that. He jumped out of bed and walked quickly to Shi'an without even putting on his shoes. He stared at him with wide eyes in disbelief, "How is this possible!"

Shi An sighed helplessly and said softly, "It's true, Your Highness. According to the news, the Queen is currently attending to His Majesty."

Chu Heyuan's heart instantly sank to the bottom, and his body shook involuntarily twice. He muttered to himself, "How could this happen... How could this happen!" For a moment, all kinds of thoughts flooded into his mind, making him feel extremely panicked.

"No, I have to go back to Beijing immediately!" Chu Heyuan suddenly came to his senses and shouted. Before he finished speaking, he turned back to the bed and began to put on his shoes and socks quickly and neatly.

Shi An, who was standing by, saw this and hurried forward to stop him, saying, "Your Highness, please think twice! You are currently in Lianzhou, shouldering a heavy responsibility. If you return to the capital without His Majesty's summons, you will be severely punished!"

Chu Heyuan no longer cared about so many things. While tying his shoelaces, he said without turning his head: "My father is seriously ill and in critical condition. As the crown prince, I should accompany him by his side and serve him medicine. Even if I am punished for this, I am willing to do it!" After that, he stood up, straightened his robe, and walked towards the door.

Shi'an quickly knelt on his knees, "Your Highness, if you still trust me, then please stay here and wait for further news!"

Chu Heyuan's body trembled violently upon hearing this, and he stopped involuntarily. He frowned, staring at Shi'an with a sharp gaze, and asked, "What do you mean, are you saying..."

Shi'an didn't dare hesitate for a moment and quickly interrupted before Chu Heyuan could ask again, "Your Highness, I'm doing this out of concern for your safety. His Majesty is critically ill, the capital is in turmoil, and the various forces are intertwined. If you rashly and impulsively return to the capital at this time, wouldn't that play into the hands of those with ulterior motives? The journey to the capital is long and fraught with danger. There's no guarantee that no one will take advantage of the opportunity to plot against Your Highness. I know full well that His Majesty and the Queen have always placed high hopes on Your Highness, and they certainly don't want to see you act so rashly!"

Having said that, Shi'an raised his head, looking at Chu Heyuan with a firm and earnest gaze, and continued to persuade: "Moreover, the overall situation of Zhaojing is of vital importance and must not be easily controlled by those with ulterior motives. Only if you stabilize the situation here first and return to Zhaojing to preside over the overall situation for His Majesty when the time is right can we ensure that everything goes smoothly and avoid any unexpected changes. I hope Your Highness can listen to my sincere words!"