The Gilded Cage

Pouring Tea (2)

It seemed that he loved the wolf named Weimo very much.
Every one or two days, he would bring it to the back garden himself.
Whenever he went there, he would stay at this pavilion for a while and have a few cups of tea before returning to Amrita Hall.

Chu Ning had deduced the right time to come here today.

“Crown Princess.” Liu Kang, who kept watch near the pavilion, was quietly surprised to see Chu Ning and bowed to her.

Chu Ning nodded in acknowledgement and stopped before the pavilion steps.
She curtsied to Xiao Kezhi, who turned to look at her.

This time, he did not come forward to help her up, but went to sit at the stone table.
He placed a hand on the table, flexing his knuckles and tapped on it before answering with an indifferent “Hm”.
He neither told her to stand up nor let her in.

Chu Ning paused for a moment and stood up slowly.
She got onto the steps boldly and walked to his side.

Liu Kang watched her quietly and felt that it was strange.
However, no one could interfere with the Emperor’s affair, so after a moment of hesitation, he sent a glance to the other eunuchs around him.
They took a few steps back quietly before turning around with their back to the pavilion and looked in another direction.

Only two people were left at the pavilion.
Somehow, both of them were very patient.
Chu Ning stood while Xiao Kezhi was seated.
Neither of them said a word.

Xiao Kezhi held a tea cup with his gaze lowered.
He looked at the clear tea in the cup and took a sip.

Chu Ning’s gaze also landed on the tea cup in his hand.
She waited quietly.
When she saw that the tea was nearly finished, she took a step closer and stopped at half a step distance from him.
She bowed slightly.
Her slender and smooth hand reached out from her sleeves and brushed against his large and thick hand slightly.

The light fragrance from her body, and the gentle warmth of her hand caused Xiao Kezhi’s heart to skip a beat.
He gripped her wrist abruptly, looked up at her, and asked, “What are you doing?”

Chu Ning fell forward from the force of his grip and coincidentally landed against the side of his shoulder.

Two different mourning bands pressed together, and a rustling sound formed from the friction between them.
The pavilion was cold from the autumn chill, but now, it suddenly seemed hot.

She looked into his deep and dark eyes.
Then, she smiled gently and respectfully.
It was a smile for an elder.
Chu Ning brushed her free hand past his neck and placed it on his other shoulder to support herself.

Xiao Kezhi gritted his teeth and a green vein became visible on his temple.
He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her with a wolf-like gaze.

“I was clumsy when I last poured tea for Your Majesty.
As we met by chance today, may I pour another cup of tea for you? I would like to apologize for my previous clumsiness.”

As she was speaking, she pushed slightly and got up from him.
She stood straight and lifted up the tea pot with a warm smile.

Xiao Kezhi did not move but stared at her.
Then, he put his teacup slowly on the table.

Chu Ning poured the warm tea into the cup.
She then held it up with both hands and offered it to Xiao Kezhi respectfully, “Your Majesty, please have some tea.”

After Xiao Kezhi accepted the tea, Chu Ning still behaved respectfully and kept her gaze down so as to not meet his eyes.

It appeared that they have reverted to the normal politeness between an elder and a younger person.

“How is the Crown Prince these days?” Xiao Kezhi took a sip and put the cup back on the table.
He did not touch it again.

“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.
The Crown Prince is now much better after resting a few days.” Chu Ning stood still by the side and answered gently.

“Did the Crown Prince mistreat you?”

His tone was calm and did not betray his thoughts.
However, Chu Ning instantly guessed what he meant.

She did not answer immediately but said, “Do you think that the Crown Prince mistreats me?”

Xiao Kezhi considered for a moment before saying, “I heard that the Crown Prince insisted on marrying you, and this won him the praises of many courtiers.
Furthermore, you are married for two years now, and you remain his only consort.”

Chu Ning listened carefully and couldn’t resist a small laugh.

She heard such words numerous times in the past two years.
Everyone said that she was lucky and thought that she should grovel before Xiao Yu.
She almost believed it to be true.

But no one mentioned the tremendous advantage Xiao Yu gained in marrying her.
It didn’t matter that he was concealing the crimes of people like Hou Tongyi.
The moment someone mentioned that he married the daughter of a disgraced courtier, everyone would still think of him as a kind and loyal Crown Prince.

“Since Your Majesty has heard these rumors, do you agree with them and think that the Crown Prince has done me a tremendous good deed by marrying me? Do you also think that I should be subservient to him in gratitude for the rest of my life?”

“Why not?” Xiao Kezhi raised an eyebrow and asked her.

Chu Ning retracted her smile.
A sense of perseverance appeared in her gentle expression.
“He indeed saved me, but I do not owe him.
Whether he is good to me, only he and I would know.
There is no need for others to guess.”

In actuality, her heart was brimming with the wrongs that she suffered and had nowhere to release.
However, she knew that now was not the right time.

She still did not know what kind of person Xiao Kezhi was.
Everything she knew about him was hearsay.
At this moment, she must not vent out her emotions.
She also could not tell him that Xiao Yu killed her father and lied to her.
She must be cautious and find out his stance before taking any step further.

Xiao Kezhi did not respond to her statement.
He just looked at her with a frown and said slowly, “You are different from your father.”

Chu Ning could not understand what he was implying so she could only guess.

Her father, Chu Qianyu, had always been known for his fairness, integrity, openness, and tenacity.
Even after he was sentenced for a crime, few people would speak against him.
When he said that she was different, she wondered if he meant that she did not inherit her father’s upright and unyielding character.

She paused for a moment.
A trace of tears appeared in her eyes, and her voice sounded sad, “If we are the same, how can I still be alive today?”

In the past, she seemed like a soft-spoken and obedient lady.
In actuality, she was reserved and proud.
If it were not for that tragedy, she would never have understood that on the brink of death, all dignity and pride were nothing but smoke before one’s eyes.

Xiao Kezhi’s eyes gleamed for a moment as he looked at her.
His heart beat faster for a moment.

Chu Ning saw that he did not speak.
She wondered if she should leave.
Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a gray shadow jumping onto the pavilion.
In an instant, a grey wolf appeared near her legs.

A large grey wolf named Weimo looked up at her coldly and slowly revealed its sharp teeth.

She felt a shiver on her scalp.
She quickly took a step back and bumped into a wide and firm chest.

Xiao Kezhi reached out and held her shoulders.
He didn’t push her away.
From afar, it seemed like he was hugging her from behind.

Chu Ning rested the back of her head against his chest and felt his strong heartbeat.
She calmed down gradually.

When Weimo saw Xiao Kezhi, it did not come nearer.
It remained at its spot and looked up at them as if not knowing what to do.

“Your Majesty.
“ Liu Kang was focused on Weimo as it suddenly ran near.
At this moment, he glanced to the side and noticed the two people in the pavilion.
He called out before he could stop himself.

Xiao Kezhi’s expression remained unchanged.
He released his hold on Chu Ning’s shoulders and waved at Weimo, “Let’s go back.”

With that, Xiao Kezhi left.