Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Forty-five,
Start of Summer

That night when Xiao Zuo was dreaming, he dreamt that he returned to the capital of Nan Liang, Qing Ling again. The clear waters and leafy trees were part of the enviable scenery in Qing Ling’s summers. After parting the lingering and jade-green willow shades, one would see the edge of the river stopped with a bunch of gold and jade-embedded boats, sunny winds would blow by the long bright rivers, making the burning incense in the boat spread all around, directly drawing the travellers on the river go numb and melt.

He sat at the most luxurious boat with Mother, all around them were standing lotus leaves, the servants brought up fragrant glutinous rice and lotus starch, he leaned on the bench spread with cushions, and listened to Mother speak to him about the stories of this Qing Ling Lake in this intoxicating summer.

Xiao Zuo then woke up from this good dream, the crickets outside were still calling out without a sign of fatigue, with a span of pitch-black all around, only barely able to see the lanterns hung at the eaves of the corridor flickering around. He Xuan’s body temperature was very hot, and at this time, his arm was stuck to Xiao Zuo’s neck, like he was holding a burning stove. Xiao Zuo turned to the side, the mountains of ice at the corners of the room were still doing their best to diffuse cool air, his brain was all hazy, staring at the bed curtains with blurry outlines in the darkness while thinking to something.

The Qing Ling at this time, probably should be similarly in summer, and similarly—— loaded with wind(?).

“What is it?” When He Xuan woke up on the next day, he constantly felt Xiao Zuo was a bit depressed. He was lowering his head tying the waist band for him, revealing a fair white neck. Xiao Zuo did not answer him, and buried his head into his chest like a seldom act of frailty. He Xuan froze- he typically liked obedient, clever and non-problematic companions, and never had the mood to go face whatever tricks on jealousy or fighting with beauty there would be.

Companions, as long as they could serve people well and was obedient was enough, in these twenty or so years, He Xuan really never experienced what kind of feeling it was when a person by the pillow acted spoiled, and for the time being, he slightly helplessly stiffened his body- if this reaction was seen by Xu Yu Hang, it would definitely make him laugh for an entire year. To think that Jin’s crown prince would vacantly stand for so long like this, and like he realized it, he clumsily lifted his hand, and barely circled it around Xiao Zuo’s waist, and lightly patted his back, even his way of comforting was as out of practice as an idiot who went to the toilet for the first time.

Xiao Zuo seemed like he was a bit guilty, and very soon straightened his body, then acted as though there was nothing and looked around, “When are we setting out today?”

He Xuan did not point it out either, he lowered his head and saw the span of wrinkles on his chest brought up by Xiao Zuo, and very slightly curled his lips, “We should go soon, let us go to the front reception to wait.”

“Alright.”

❀

“Xiao’xiao…… Sir, sit here!” Just as Xiao Zuo and He Xuan went out the door, Fu Zhan Chuan let slip a Xiao’xiao, but thankfully, even if he was improper, his mind was still considered normal, within He Xuan’s quiet[1] and cold gaze, he went with the flow and changed his wording, and happily moved to Xiao Zuo’s side.

Just when Xiao Zuo was about to accept, his wrist was grabbed by a strong power, He Xuan expressionlessly gazed at Fu Zhan Chuan, then grabbed Xiao Zuo’s left hand without moving a single inch, but as though he was afraid of hurting Xiao Zuo, he slightly loosened up, “He will be sitting with me.”

“Why?! I want to sit with Xiao Zuo!”

“No.”

The look of the two being at odds with each other was very immature, and seemed just like some small peddlers of a town who, to grab the best store, would grab at each other on the spot and pull their hair and curse out loud in the next second. Xiao Zuo blankly looked at the imposing He Xuan, then looked at the teeth-baring Fu Zhan Chuan, Fu Zhan Chuan even had the heart to take the time to give him a wink, making He Xuan’s hand grab a bit stronger again.

It really is like how the saying goes, when the castle gates go on fire, it would affect the fish in the pool.

The fish in the pool, Xiao Zuo, silently sighed, the hand He Xuan pulled him with loosened up, and in the next moment, he felt his own palm get lightly kneaded by someone. At this time, He Xuan’s voice strangely carried some grievance, “Are you not sitting with me?”

“I am, I am.” Xiao Zuo grabbed the hand wreaking havoc in his palm, and spuriously smiled and spoke with Fu Zhan Chuan still putting on a show, “I have no relationship with Sir Fu, it would be better to not sit together.”

“Hear that? Hurry up and beat it.” Beside him, He Xuan slightly lifted his eyebrows, and the corners of his lips curled up, then pulled Xiao Zuo without turning his back to sit in the carriage, and even lifted up the curtains in a very good mood to look at Fu Zhan Chuan’s face of being dirtied by the lifted dust and dirt.

“That fellow Fu Zhan Chuan is not anything good, you should distance yourself from him.”

He Xuan put down the curtains, and even turned to tell him without forgetting about it.

Xiao Zuo pretended to go along, and nodded his head, “I know, I know.”

He Xuan went silent for a moment, then spoke lowly, “It’d be best if you did.” He leaned on the door panel and hung his eyes down, the crow feathers-like lashes hid the surging black current in his eyes, and when he lifted his eyes again, the tides already completely withdrew, and turned back to the calm deep seas.

On the entire way, Xiao Zuo slightly excitedly looked out to see where they were from time to time, He Xuan lazily half-laid on the small couch to the side, and tilted his head to look at him with slight interest.

About three to four dual-hours, that bit of small grain porridge Xiao Zuo had in the morning completely digested. After being hungry for a long time, he finally felt the wheels of the carriage beneath him slow down, they were probably arriving soon.

“Someone.”

As though noticing that bit of hurried thought of Xiao Zuo’s, He Xuan woke up from the sweet dreams from his afternoon nap, his voice still carrying a bit of lingering drowsiness.

The ones sitting in front was a driver, the other was a small servant boy serving at any time, perhaps the sound of the carriage moving was too noisy, so that small servant did not hear for a brief moment, and did not peek in and enter.

He Xuan irately narrowed his eyes, then extended his legs and kicked the door panel. Xiao Zuo watched as that Persian rug hung on the door panel get printed with two black footprints, and mournfully muttered inside, his Highness the Crown Prince was wealthy indeed, this kind of colour of Persian rug on the market was not cheap.

That servant this time finally answered and came in, and asked with a smile, “Is there anything, your Highness?”

He Xuan lifted up his eyelids, “Where are we now?”

“Your Highness, Yan Xian Lake in just in front. In a moment, the carriage will stop by the doors of Bao Chang Mansion, please rest first, your Highness.”

“Beat it.” That servant boy nodded his head many times and withdrew, and not a moment later, the carriage stopped. In the front, there was a restaurant a few stories high, ornamented with carved beams and painted rafters, all beautiful and imposing. That restaurant’s main doors hung with a gold-cast plaque, written flamboyantly with, “Bao Chang Mansion”. Though the words were written quite plainly, it seeped with a powerful imposing air, completely from its gallant and forceful writing style.

“Those three words were bestowed when Grandfather passed by this area.” He Xuan walked beside Xiao Zuo, and looked at that plaque with him.

“That’s right, don’t you find a feeling of long-experiencing battles with a look at these words?” Fu Zhan Chuan popped out from who-knows-where, and spoke as he approached Xiao Zuo’s side.

He Xuan coldly glanced at him, then pulled Xiao Zuo’s arm and straightly walked ahead.

Because he was very hungry, for this meal, Xiao Zuo could practically be described as winds sweeping up the clouds, but in the end, he was raised in an imperial family- the modest self-controlled self-importance was engraved in his blood since young, he inconspicuously swallowed the final mouthful of sauced chicken, then slowly took up a silk cloth from the side to wipe his mouth. He Xuan on the other hand was lacking in appetite, he only randomly picked some presentable dishes and had a few bites, then put his chopsticks down, and idly propped his chin and watched Xiao Zuo’s cheeks swell up from eating.

“Once [you’re] finishing eating, we’ll leave, some people eat very slowly.” He Xuan lowly said to Xiao Zuo’s ears, He Xuan’s voice was low and deep, shaking his ears with a slight itch, Xiao Zuo subconsciously lifted his hand up and grabbed them, then nodded his head, “Alright.”