Chapter 18 — Retired on the same day, I turned around and married the Regent

He looked straight into my eyes. Every word, every word. Extremely clear.

"Everything that belongs to this king, honor and disgrace, life and death, will be shared with her."

Not a transaction. Not a promise. It's a declaration. Outside the window, the bright summer sunlight shone through the window, covering his body with a warm yellow glow. I saw my own silhouette clearly reflected in his deep eyes. The small flower always grows silently in the heart. Under the sun and sweet rain. In a moment. On an autumn afternoon, gentle warm sunlight covers the courtyard of Tinh Ngo Uyen. I sat on a bamboo chair under the eaves, a medical book on my knee, a small table next to a plate of freshly peeled cassia sugar chestnuts and a bowl of bird's nest cooked in cow's milk, still warm. Chu ma ma sat on a small stool next to her, acting as a maid and telling stories big and small in the royal palace.

“...The medicine warehouse has just imported a batch of top-quality Cordyceps sinensis and hyacinth. The Duke specially ordered someone to bring it over, telling the Princess to nourish her body...”

“...A few days ago, Trang Tu brought some tangerines and honey. They were very sweet. The old slave kept a basket just for you...”

“...Listening to the young man in the front yard, Giang Nam sent another Van Dan Tan, which filled the whole room outside the Vuong family's study…”

We hear about winning and losing. But my mind soon flew elsewhere. My eyes fell on the blooming cinnamon tree in the corner of the yard. Small bunches of golden yellow flowers crowded together. Intense fragrance. So sweet that it makes people feel drunk. Ta Vo Cuu... It seems like he hasn't been to Tinh Ngo Uyen for many days. Since the epidemic in Jiangnan was extinguished, the Emperor assigned him the responsibility of regulating the government and inspecting outstanding evils. He was so busy that his feet couldn't touch the ground. There were late nights when I returned to the Royal Palace and only hastily stayed at Vo Cuu Cu. All in all, it's been seven or eight days since the two of them actually met properly. Inside... I feel a bit empty again. That thought just appeared. We were also surprised. Since when... I started to miss him again? Just when I was still thinking. Outside the hospital gate. Suddenly there was a series of quiet footsteps. Familiar. My heart somehow missed a beat. Looking up, I saw Ta Vo Cuu wearing a dark blue civilian clothes, clasping his hands behind his back, slowly walking in. The autumn sunlight fell on his body, softening his usual cold features. Even the oppressive aura on his body had subsided quite a bit, but on the contrary, he appeared even more elegant and leisurely.

“King.”

I put down the book, stood up and bowed. Mama Chu quickly packed her things and quietly retreated. He replied, his eyes glancing at the book on my knee and the breakfast plate on the small table next to me.

“What are you watching?”

“Just flip it over and take a look.”

We close the book.

“Is your Royal Highness free today?”

"Everything has been temporarily completed for a while, and it can be considered as stealing half a day of leisure in life."

He walked over and sat down on the bamboo chair opposite. He naturally picked up a sugar chestnut that I had peeled and put it in his mouth.

“Mmm, sweet.”

I look at his natural movements. Feeling empty inside just now. The moment was filled. The corners of the lips also suddenly curled up.

"Tangerine honey brought from Giang Nam, do you want to taste it?"

I pointed to the golden tangerines in the fruit plate placed on the small table next to me. He nodded. I picked up one fruit, used a little force with my fingertips, and carefully peeled off the tangerine peel. The cool, slightly sweet and sour scent of tangerine peel immediately spreads everywhere. Tangerine pulp is plump and full of juice. We separate a tangerine segment. Going to give it to him. I saw him leaning slightly forward. Open your mouth slightly. The movements come naturally... As if practiced hundreds or thousands of times. My fingers stiffened in mid-air. My ears started to burn again. This person... Looking at his face that was close at hand, with a natural look as it should be and... a very difficult to detect trace of expectation, my fingertips trembled slightly, and in the end I gently put that tangerine segment into his mouth. Her fingertips accidentally brushed against his warm lips. A numbness like an electric current instantly ran throughout the whole body. He chewed slowly. His deep eyes always rest on my face. Bring a... Enjoy happily. He swallowed the tangerine and made the same comment as before when he ate the sugar chestnut. But his eyes became even deeper. I quickly lowered my head, pretending to concentrate on peeling the remaining tangerine, only to feel my cheeks so hot that they could fry eggs.

“Tinh Dan.”

He suddenly called me.