[BL] Eternal Spring

第二十五章

A man's figure rounded the corner, his upright bearing eluding an air of righteousness. His steps were light on the flat, stone walkway, the air seeming to part ways around him as he passed. The sword in his hand gleamed quietly in its sheath and his long hair swayed slightly as he walked.

Liu Qingyuan's eyes raised slightly at the oncoming presence. It was his newly discovered shimei, void of her usual entourage. After all, she was a palace concubine. The pair stared at each other for a moment, one in the uniform of an elite guard and the other in the exquisite silks of a concubine. Their gazes were neither hostile nor friendly, merely blank, silently sizing each other up. After a while, Liu Qingyuan slightly inclined his head.

"Greeting to Second concubine," Yan Li bowed back after a moment, playing along with the act. In a secluded corner of the palace, surrounded only by buildings and shrubbery, there really was no need. But in the palace, the walls had ears and the windows had eyes. Not to mention, Yan Li's entourage wasn't far. Who knew if a maid servant would come to check on her mistress and see something she shouldn't?

Yan Li looked at Liu Qingyuan directly, no longer holding up her pretense of a bookish concubine. In Liu Qingyuan's eyes, her calm gaze changed to a blankness, devoid of emotion; a puppet of a person. He looked away, stepping aside to let her pass. They had nothing to talk about.

Liu Qingyuan knew that all his master's disciples, even his indirect disciples, were trained this way. But as he watched her pass him and venture deeper into the garden, he couldn't help but feel that that blank gaze was a little... Did he also look at others like that? With a blankness that was perceived as calm? But the king had laughed and joked with him, and sometimes he'd found himself unconsciously smiling, a strange feeling in his chest. What was this? Was he breaking? Liu Qingyuan glanced back but Yan Li was long gone. A feeling of anxiety gripped his heart. He'd always been his master's best, but right now, the ground under him was beginning to crumble. The foreboding taste of disappointment was heavy on his taste. Liu Qingyuan away, his heart churning with unresolved turmoil.

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That Night

Jiang Zhilan glanced over again at the dazed figure that was his bodyguard. He was still burdened by the sudden arrival of the Gongzhuan diplomat and coupled with the previous notions he had of Liu Qingyuan, he couldn't help but glance over a few times. After all, which king wasn't at least a little paranoid? This great position came with a large responsibility. They were both simply pretending to a pair of blind men, avoiding addressing all the pressing matters. But what Jiang Zhilan found strange was that despite his numerous glances, Liu Qingyuan still remained out of it. Usually, he was so perceptive and every little gaze and action were all caught by him.

Jiang Zhilan threw aside the scroll, approaching Liu Qingyuan who didn't raise his head until the king was standing in front of him. Surprise flashed momentarily across his face before he straightened up and inclined his head slightly. "Your majesty."

The king glanced around the room, watching the way the numerous candles distorted the shadows climbing up the wall. On this chilly night, there was nothing special. But wasn't it the perfect time to break the ice? He was bored anyway...

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Zhilan tried to convince himself. He spoke rather awkwardly, "You...what's bothering you? I promised that you can tell me anything..."

"...It's nothing, your majesty."

"Nothing? You've been out of it for hours! How are..." He came up with a random excuse. "How are you supposed to protect me?"

"Apologies...your majesty." Jiang Zhilan felt a little lost. This back and forth was going nowhere. He missed the days when Liu Qingyuan was a little more carefree and loose with his words. It seemed since their initial meeting, they'd both aged and taken on plenty more burdens.