sbdcsierra Chapter 1223 Feelings
Chapter 1223 Feelings
Princess Wenshu's tense nerves surprisingly relaxed a little at this gentle and calm conversation.
She gazed at the red plum blossom through the veil and whispered, "'The plum blossom is three points less white than the snow, but the snow is one point less fragrant than the plum blossom.' 1 The poem quoted by Editor Bai is excellent. But... in this bitter cold, I wonder how long the plum blossom can survive?"
Princess Wenshu's words unconsciously carried a hint of sympathy that only women in the deep palace could have.
Bai Mufeng paused slightly, keenly catching the fleeting sadness deep in her words.
His eyes swept over the thin figure and pale profile of the eldest princess in front of him, and he understood a little.
The incident involving the commoner Nangong Manxia must have had a huge impact on this cautious sister.
He did not point it out, but just followed Princess Wenshu's words. His voice was still gentle, but it had a soothing power: "Your Highness, please look."
Bai Mufeng raised his finger and pointed at the plum branch: "The ice and snow pressing down on the branches may seem to break them, but in fact they sharpen their bones and stimulate their fragrance. It is precisely because of this extreme cold that their proud and unyielding beauty against frost and snow is even more apparent."
"Although winter is fierce, it will eventually end. When spring returns and the snow and ice melt, this plum tree will only gain more vigor and vitality."
"Surviving the cold winter is an opportunity for rebirth!"
What he said was not only referring to Mei, but also seemed to have a hidden meaning.
Bai Mufeng did not offer any direct comfort, but like a warm stream, he quietly flowed through Princess Wenshu's heart, which was frozen by fear and sadness.
Princess Wenshu stared blankly at his warm and smiling eyes, then looked at Hongmei who looked more and more energetic in the snow, and her lips moved slightly under the veil.
An indescribable warmth, mixed with bitterness, quietly welled up in my heart.
In this freezing cold capital, at this moment when everyone is in danger, these words, this person... actually made her feel a long-lost touch of human warmth.
The cold wind still blows, blowing off a few drops of snow from the branches.
In the corridor, the young scholar who won the imperial examination stood tall and graceful with a warm smile.
In front of the plum blossoms, the frail eldest princess stood silently, her veil and hat moving slightly.
The light of snow reflects on the red plum blossoms, and also reflects the brief and strange tranquility in the plum garden outside Beijing at this moment.
The road back was covered with thick snow, which made a crackling sound when I stepped on it.
The cold wind was still biting, and it felt like a knife cutting on the face, but Princess Wenshu felt her face was slightly hot, and the heat seemed to be able to see through the gauze veil.
She subconsciously raised her hand and gently touched her cheek through the gauze curtain of the veil, and her fingertips felt a slight warmth.
Just now under the plum tree, the warm and smiling eyes of the young man in blue, and the words "surviving the cold winter is an opportunity for rebirth" were like seeds carrying warmth.
At this moment, the seed seemed to be breaking through the ice, bringing with it a strange, slightly throbbing warmth...
"Your Highness."
Bi Hen, the maid who supported Princess Wen Shu, had a barely perceptible smile in her voice as she cautiously observed her expression, "Speaking of which...it seems to me that Your Highness and that Editor Bai do have some connection."
Princess Wenshu paused slightly, her face became even hotter under the veil, and even her ears were slightly red.
She didn't respond, but subconsciously tightened her fingertips around the soft hem of her cloak.
Seeing that she didn't scold him, Bi Hen grew bolder and said with a hint of reminiscence: "Your Highness, do you still remember? The last time we were returning home, the horse pulling the carriage suddenly got startled halfway and the carriage almost hit the people..."
"Everyone around was terrified. If Bai Tanhualang hadn't happened to be passing by and rushed over, regardless of the danger, to firmly pull the reins of the frightened horse... the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
Princess Wenshu's heart skipped a beat, and the terrifying moment that had been deliberately suppressed deep in her memory suddenly became clear.
When she was returning to the Princess's Mansion that day, her carriage was driving through the downtown area. For some reason, the horses pulling the carriage suddenly became frightened and raised their hooves, and the coachman could hardly control the reins.
Just as the carriage tilted violently, with everyone shouting and in a state of panic, a figure in a green robe swiftly approached the carriage. With one hand, he firmly grasped the shaft, and with the other, he used some ingenious force to calm the violent horse in an instant.
Just as she recovered from her shock, she lifted the car curtain and only had time to see that the young man had sweat on his forehead, but he was still calm, with a reassuring and warm smile between his brows.
Later, she followed etiquette and ordered people to prepare generous gifts and send them to Bai's house to express her gratitude.
He accepted the gift, but did not take the opportunity to curry favor with the other party. Instead, he simply sent a polite and respectful thank-you note.
The man who saved her life in the critical moment was also the scholar who used warm words to wipe away the coldness in her heart under the plum tree today.
An indescribable emotion instantly surged in Princess Wenshu's heart...
Seeing Princess Wenshu holding the tassel with her fingertips for a long time without moving, she looked a little dazed, and a faint blush seemed to appear on her cheeks. She couldn't help but ask softly, "Your Highness?"
Princess Wenshu suddenly came back to her senses, her fingertips loosened, and the tassel slipped quietly off.
She turned her face to the side in a concealing manner, her eyes fixed on the snow flying past outside the window.
Bihen had been with Princess Wenshu for many years and was a very attentive person. Seeing her daughter's rare behavior, she immediately understood.
She pursed her lips and smiled, moving closer, her voice somewhat playful: "Come to think of it, the last time the horse got startled, it was so critical, and it just so happened that Lord Bai was on duty passing by."
"He is truly your highness's lucky star!"
Princess Wenshu's eyes flashed again, those smiling eyes of Bai Mufeng, which seemed to be filled with starlight. And the lines of his arms tensed as he held the carriage steadily.
The panic and shock of that day had long since faded, leaving behind only a strange, secure peace of mind, and a faint, refreshing scent from him, like a blend of books and pine ink.
Princess Wenshu finally spoke, her gaze still fixed on the window. The dusk cast a soft shadow on her fair face. "It was just a coincidence."
She subconsciously clenched the hem of the moon-white cloud-patterned satin skirt that was spread across her knees, and with a slight pressure from her fingertips, she kneaded the smooth material into tiny wrinkles, as if this could suppress the inappropriate waves in her heart.
Princess Wenshu was silent for a moment. Just when Bihen thought she would say nothing more, she added in a barely audible voice, "He... is indeed a good man."
As soon as she finished speaking, Princess Wenshu turned her head away completely, leaving Bihen with only her slightly flushed earlobe.
Bi Hen lowered his eyes knowingly and said no more, but a smile could not help but appear at the corner of his lips.
……
As dusk fell, the eaves of the palace took on a solemn outline against the gray sky.
In the inner hall of Zhongcui Palace, the silver charcoal basin in the warm room dispelled the cold, leaving only warm fragrance floating in the air.
Shen Zhinian leaned against a soft couch covered with a thick brocade mattress, twirling a crystal jade chess piece between his fingertips, his eyes fixed on the black and white chessboard.
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Note: 1 Quoted from "Snow Plum" by Lu Meipo of the Song Dynasty.