To protect her, he had to prevent others from seeing her appearance, to avoid bringing her unnecessary danger.
But now,
there was no need to think so much anymore.
Because the gold powder had been used up, she could no longer come here after today.
This also meant that he no longer needed to worry about involving her in those unnecessary troubles.
In that case, he might as well let her have a good look at this capital,
at this place she could no longer come to in the future.
It was also his hometown.
At this moment, under the seemingly nonexistent gazes of others, under the brilliant sunlight falling from the eaves on both sides, he suddenly took her hand.
“Wei Yun?” Xie Tao was a bit stunned when he took her hand.
She looked at his profile, a bit unable to recover.
“I’ll take you to tour the lake.” Wei Yun didn’t look at her but tightened his grip on her hand. As they walked, his eyes always looked straight ahead, his voice still clear and cold.
Unlike that night during the Lantern Festival.
Xie Tao wanted to pull on his sleeve but he dodged it.
At that moment, Wei Yun unexpectedly took her hand. In front of so many eyes of different expressions, he seemed as calm as before, without any intention of hiding.
In the bustling crowd, under the scorching sun, Xie Tao’s gaze never left his side face while he held her hand.
She couldn’t help but smile, eyes curving up secretly.
In the midsummer of Yingdu, the lake’s surface shimmered.
Below the small building by the water, occasionally, women sat by the railing, talking and laughing behind their hands.
The riverside’s greenery was denser, adding a crystalline blue under the sunlight. A breeze brought a gentle rustling sound, accompanied by the occasional chirping of birds.
This place was the liveliest when Yingdu was lively and the quietest when serene.
Xie Tao sat on the boat, munching on snacks, her eyes busy looking out the window.
In the middle of the water was a stone arch bridge connecting both banks of the river.
People moved back and forth on the bridge, with occasional boats moving in the clear water below.
Such beautiful scenery could not be found in modern cities made of steel and concrete like Nan City, nor in overly commercialized tourist areas.
At that moment, Wei Yun suddenly handed her a cup of tea, “After eating so many sweets, you don’t find it too rich?”
Xie Tao took the teacup, took a sip, and smiled at him again.
Until the boat swayed slightly, and Xie Tao almost fell, unsteady.
Wei Yun quickly caught her in his arms with fast reflexes.
Outside, Wei Jing’s voice was heard, “Sir, it’s Prince Xin.”
Hearing this name, Wei Yun frowned slightly, his expression turning cold.
He wanted to spend a good day with her, but there were always these tactless people coming to spoil the mood.
“Wait for me.”
Finally, he patted Xie Tao’s head, then pushed the door and went out.
Upon reaching Prince Xin’s boat, Wei Yun entered and saw Prince Xin Zhao Zhengrong sitting there, and beside him was the heavily made-up woman he had seen at the lantern festival before.
“Lord Wei seems to be in high spirits today,” Zhao Zhengrong said after drinking a cup of wine handed to him by a beauty, and after inviting Wei Yun to sit down.
“You were parading through the streets holding the hand of the young miss from your house, and it didn’t take long for the news to spread everywhere.”
His tone seemed somewhat teasing.
“Prince Xin wanted to see me just to talk about these matters?” Wei Yun sat there and responded indifferently.
“Do I have to talk about court matters every time I see Lord Wei?” Prince Xin raised an eyebrow.
As he spoke, he took another sip of wine, glancing at the woman beside him with a deliberate look, and said to Wei Yun, “What do you think of this beauty? If you find her acceptable, I could give her to you?”
Upon hearing these words, the woman softly called out with a touch of melancholy, “My lord…”
Yet, when she lowered her eyes, she couldn’t help but stealthily glance at Wei Yun.
Such beauty was truly rare in this world.
No wonder so many ladies of noble families were captivated by this Imperial Advisor.
If, if she could be with this Imperial Advisor… it surely wouldn’t be much different from being with this lord.
But Wei Yun never once looked at her, merely saying, “This humble servant is not fortunate enough to enjoy such blessings.”
“Lord Wei is already twenty-three, yet he has not a single concubine by his side,” Prince Xin said, bringing a piece of pastry to his mouth and taking a bite, as if asking casually.
“You refuse even when I offer you a beauty?”
Wei Yun had no desire to entangle further, simply stating, “I would not take what His Highness cherishes. If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave.”
“Such refusal, Lord Wei, could it be that you have feelings for your cousin?”
When Wei Yun turned around, he heard Prince Xin’s voice behind him.
He paused, the light in his usually distant peach blossom eyes flickering, and finally, he said softly, “What concern is it of Your Highness?”
Prince Xin then laughed lightly.
“Wei Yun, she had better not be the one you hold dear,”
“Otherwise, you’d better be careful.”
It was like a vague warning.
But Wei Yun understood the threat in those words.
In today’s court, it seemed to be dominated by Prince Xin’s words, but whether it was Prince Xin, the Yu family, or even the currently sick Grand Tutor Xu Dian, they all knew that Wei Yun was the most unstable factor in this struggle.
Instead of killing him, finding his weakness was a better strategy.
Only then could Prince Xin completely control the situation.
“She is my wife-to-be.”
Wei Yun smirked silently, a cold laugh, “I’m telling Your Highness so directly, what can you do about it?”
Prince Xin did not expect Wei Yun to be so forthright.
He momentarily held his wine glass, undecided whether to drink or not, and when he turned back to meet Wei Yun’s gaze, he actually began to doubt.
If Miss Biao truly was the one he cherished, why would he admit it so straightforwardly to him?
But Wei Yun didn’t care whether he doubted or believed at the moment. Since the moment he took off Xie Tao’s veil, he had stopped caring about all the deceit and schemes here.
After all, in a few more hours, Xie Tao wouldn’t have to appear here anymore.
So, he was unafraid to let anyone know that she was his wife-to-be.
This was the identity he should give her here.
“But, Your Highness, there is one thing I hope you remember—if anyone dares to covet her, I will make them pay a heavy price.”
With that, any semblance of peace was silently torn asunder.
As night fell, Xie Tao talked with Wei Bo and others for a while, and then, after Wei Yun had taken his bath, she walked from the backyard bathhouse to the main courtyard. Only then did the yard quiet down.
The slight coolness of the summer night was not enough to dispel the heat.
Wei Yun and Xie Tao sat in the pavilion in the courtyard, with his back to her, while she wiped his hair with a handkerchief.
“It’s a bit slow this way. You might as well go over there and use a hairdryer,” Xie Tao said as she helped him dry his hair.
“No need.”
Wei Yun, with his back to Xie Tao, listened to her voice, his brows and eyes always soft.
He softly said, “This is very good.”
She would not know that at this moment, Wei Yun actually felt a hint of reluctance to leave this moment.
Reluctant to leave the twinkling stars of the night, the constant chirping of cicadas at this time,
And reluctant to leave the girl standing behind him, her fingertips passing through his long hair, gently wiping his hair.
Before this moment, Wei Yun had never felt that there was anything in this world so eagerly genuine.
As Wei Yun was slightly distracted, the girl behind him suddenly pressed her whole body against his back, lying on him.
Her cheek against his, he clearly heard her laughter.
“There are so many stars.” Xie Tao placed her hand on Wei Yun’s shoulder, and when she looked up, she saw the dense night sky outside the pavilion, behind the eaves.
There was no moon, but there were many stars.
One after another, shining brightly.
Like tiny diamonds, filling the sky in front of her.
“Do you want to get closer?” Wei Yun turned to glance at her, then followed her gaze towards the distant sky.
Xie Tao, upon hearing his words, was initially unresponsive, then she felt her wrist being grabbed, and suddenly she was pulled into his arms.
And the next second, he lifted her horizontally into his embrace.
Xie Tao could only passively wrap her arms around his neck.
At this moment, Wei Yun suddenly displayed his lightness skill, leveraging a jump with the tip of his toe, brushing past the swaying tree shadows, facing the oncoming night breeze, and in an instant, lightly landed with Xie Tao on the roof eave.
Wei Shiyi, who was lying on the opposite rooftop with a piece of dog’s tail grass in his mouth, had been carefully avoiding looking at the courtyard where his master and the young madam were. Who would have thought that when his master fell in love, they would even climb to the rooftop.
Wei Shiyi was startled, fell off the rooftop, and landed heavily on the ground with a painful “ow”.
Wei Jing, who had been standing in the corridor staring at his toes, heard this scream, shook his head, and sighed.
After all, he was just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old child, not calm enough for this kind of situation.
It’s just taking the young madam to the rooftop to watch the stars and fall in love, really, what’s there to be surprised about.
Now, Wei Jing was no longer the easily shocked Wei Jing of the past.
Because he had seen through it, in front of the young madam, there was nothing impossible for their master to do.
Wei Yun furrowed his brows upon hearing Wei Shiyi’s scream.
Before he could react, Wei Shiyi on the ground stood up quickly, hastily saying, “I realize my mistake, my lord. Please, continue, I will leave at once…”
Saying so, he moved towards the moon-shaped gate, supporting his behind.
“…”
Wei Yun felt for the first time that the personal guards he had raised were somewhat unreliable.
Xie Tao could no longer hold back her laughter at Wei Shiyi’s embarrassed state, holding her belly and laughing continuously.
Until Wei Yun looked at her.
Xie Tao stopped laughing, then remembered how he had whisked her to the rooftop in a flash, she exclaimed in admiration, “Wei Yun, you’re so amazing. You know light body techniques?”
She had only seen such martial arts on TV dramas before, this was her first time witnessing it in person.
“Mhm.”
Wei Yun responded, reaching out to tidy the hair by her ears that had been tousled by the wind.
Sitting on the rooftop, it felt as if they were closer to the starry sky, and even the night breeze felt a bit cooler.
Xie Tao looked up at the sky and suddenly said, “I won’t be able to see this anymore…”
Wei Yun was about to say something when he heard Xie Tao continue, “But as long as I can see you, it’s really, really good.”
Saying so, she turned her head to look at him.
Her smile was somewhat silly.
Wei Yun was silent for a moment, then reached out to touch her slightly messy hair, his eyes reflecting the starlight between the heavens, almost making Xie Tao unable to look away.
Then, her wrist was grasped by Wei Yun.
Followed by a cool sensation.
Xie Tao looked down to see Wei Yun carefully sliding a jade bracelet onto her wrist.
“Wow…” Xie Tao touched the cool bracelet, her fingers tracing over the intricately carved patterns.
The touch was cool and moist.
“This is my mother’s bracelet.”
Wei Yun held her hand, his gaze lingering on the bracelet on her wrist.
It was the only item he had brought with him from the Wei family.
“Let it be…”
As Wei Yun looked up at the girl in front of him, his eyes, cool as melted snow, added a bit of the warmth of a hot summer night.
His thin lips curved slightly, “Let it be an engagement gift.”
Such profound connections, encircling the wrist, leaping and bounding.
His fingertips gently caressed the jade bracelet on her wrist, the cool temperature adding a bit of warmth to his eyes.
This night, he ultimately decided to make his promise.
After all, there might no longer be anyone else in the world who could make him feel such joy just by looking at her.
Nor anyone else who could make him feel a bit more reluctant to leave this world.
The world is filthy, and people’s hearts change.
But she alone is an unparalleled existence in his eyes.
