Chapter 144: The Figure in His Eyes

Lying on the bed, she couldn't help but feel a moment of daze. Was this really a part of Ji Wuqing?

So, this was what his chin looked like...

She silently turned her head and saw that it was already dawn outside the window. The light had slipped into the bedchamber, illuminating the room brightly. However, she had no interest in the decor of the room. She turned her head back silently, fixing her gaze on the King, who was fast asleep.

It wasn't that she hadn't imagined what he looked like, but being able to see his features so clearly made her heartbeat skip a rhythm of its own.

She fluttered her eyes, staring blankly at his chin.

This feeling was truly wondrous. He was fast asleep, lying right beside her, and she could finally open her eyes to watch him in secret. She could now fully experience those giddy, youthful feelings of a girl in love.

Her eyes darted around, filled with unstoppable mirth. She turned over gently, curling her body and resting her head against his waist. Suddenly, her gaze caught their hands intertwined together.

Her eyes flickered, and she raised their clasped hands to look at them.

His sturdy, warm palm was wrapped tightly around her small hand. On his wrist, there was a long, scar-like mark. It looked like a worm—a somewhat sinister-looking worm.

She reached out to touch the raised, worm-like scar, her heart stirring slightly; she felt there was something strange about it.

Suddenly, Ji Wuqing shifted. His large hand pulled at hers, and then he pressed her entire body into his embrace.

Xue Xue was startled and quickly closed her eyes.

"Is there a little worm in my arms? Wriggling about on the bed first thing in the morning," came the King’s playful voice from above. He seemed to have just woken up, his tone laced with laziness and a hint of a smirk.

"Haven't you heard the saying, 'A powerful dragon cannot suppress a local worm'?" Xue Xue replied faintly, keeping her eyes closed.

"Is that so?" the King hummed mischievously.

He then deliberately pressed down on her back, lowering his center of gravity to envelop her small frame within his scent.

"..." That wasn't the kind of "suppression" she had meant.

"Xue'er, tell me, can this husband of yours suppress you, the 'local worm'?" He leaned his lips close to her ear, whispering, his body intentionally pressing down even further, clinging tightly to her spine.

Both were dressed only in thin undergarments, and this intimate contact was almost too much to bear. Ji Wuqing felt that he might be bringing trouble upon himself.

"Ji Wuqing!" Xue Xue was so flustered and indignant that she suddenly turned her head, glaring at him with annoyance.

She saw the smile on Ji Wuqing's lips slowly freeze, and she realized what had happened.

Facing each other, silence fell between them.

Xue Xue stared at him blankly, her former indignation wiped away. Reflected in her gaze was an extraordinarily handsome face: a high-bridged nose, eyebrows like thick ink, and deep, dark eyes filled with surprise and wonder.

She finally blinked and lowered her eyes in a daze.

So this was what he looked like; it wasn't much different from what she had imagined...

It was just much more real—so real it felt like a dream.

"You..." He lowered his head to seek her gaze, a hint of pursuit in his eyes.

Unfortunately, Xue Xue buried herself in the pillow, not granting him even a glimpse.

Ji Wuqing was neither annoyed, flustered, nor impatient. He rested his head on the pillow, right beside hers.

Xue Xue could feel his breathing become a bit hurried, which in turn made her own heartbeat drum uncontrollably. She couldn't help but tilt her head, only to find Ji Wuqing watching her with eyes wide open, waiting like a hunter.

She looked at him. "Move away, you're heavy." He was still pressing on her back.

She gazed at him, her clear eyes like rippling water, transparent enough to reach into one's soul.

Then, Ji Wuqing's face slowly magnified in her vision until a shadow fell over her, and her sight became blurred.

It was his lips gently brushing against her eyelids, warm and tender...

"Xue'er, you are too disobedient. When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Don't you know now?" Xue Xue said calmly. "Besides, you never asked."

In truth, she hadn't decided when to tell him; what happened just now was an accident. Otherwise, she wouldn't have revealed her secret so quickly.

"Sophistry." The King continued to hold the soft treasure in his arms, his gaze lingering on her eyes, truly unable to tear himself away.

Being scrutinized like this made Xue Xue feel somewhat uncomfortable. Indeed, having been a blind woman for so long, she had forgotten what it was like to regain her sight. It was truly a bit overwhelming; she almost felt that being a blind woman wasn't so bad—at least she could "ignore what she didn't see."

But—

"So Ziqing looks like this. It's just as I imagined."

The two rose after lying on the bed for a while. Just after breakfast, Yu Bufan came to report on last night's events to Ji Wuqing.

"Your Majesty, do you remember Gongshen Ling'er and that Yue Chengxi from last night? When Ling Yin led the men to pursue them last night, they didn't find any trace of Zuoqiu Liye. On the contrary, that Young Master Gongshen proved to be full of hidden depths; he actually managed to escape with Yue Chengxi and the people from the Dark Pavilion."

"Have you forgotten? The Dance Kingdom is most skilled in heterodox arts and techniques. Even Gongshen Ling'er possesses the expertise of poisons and gu. It’s just that she didn't participate in the war between the two nations," Ji Wuqing said, not surprised by their successful escape.

However, the lack of traces of Zuoqiu Liye troubled him.

"This official almost forgot; the Dance Kingdom must have kept a few tricks up their sleeves. This victory in the great war had actually made me a bit complacent," Yu Bufan said, his expression turning serious. As long as Zuoqiu Liye was not defeated, it was not a true victory.

"We have already succeeded halfway. The majority of the Dance Kingdom's military forces are concentrated along the Tan River. After Crown Prince Danying and Ling Yin cooperated with us from within and without, more than half of the Dance Kingdom's forces were scattered. Therefore, the fall of the Dance Kingdom is within reach."

Xue Xue sat to the side, listening to the two discuss state affairs, sipping tea with a calm expression.

However, when they mentioned Ling Yin, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern.

So, was it Ling Yin and Crown Prince Danying who conspired to ambush Zuoqiu Liye?

Danying was one thing—tempted by hidden political interests, it was no surprise he would stab Zuoqiu Liye in the back. But what about Ling Yin?

Could it be that this was his way of repaying her for sparing him that one time?

For some reason, whenever she thought of Ling Yin recently, she felt agitated and uneasy. It was as if something was blocked in her heart, impossible to dispel.

After thinking for a moment, she stood up and left instructions with Yuzhi to tell Qinghe to inform Ji Wuqing before she departed.

"What is wrong with you, Your Highness? You have been restless lately. Perhaps we should ask Young Master Luohua to take a look?" Yuzhi, who was by her side, could naturally sense the change in her mistress's mood and tried to find ways to ease her worries.

"It is nothing," she shook her head, feeling a sense of unease in her heart.

It seemed as if something was manipulating her thoughts, which was a very bad sign.

"I thought I heard someone calling my name; so it is the Queen." Not far away, a person walked slowly toward her. It was none other than Luohua, whom Yuzhi had just mentioned.

"Why is the Young Master here?"

"It is quiet and elegant here; I am just strolling to clear my mind." Luohua immediately invited Xue Xue to the Pear Blossom Pavilion where he had been staying. The pavilion was octagonal, and the table was laid with delicious snacks and fragrant tea.

"I have always considered Young Master Luohua to be a refined and scholarly man, someone who offers guidance to others. I didn't realize your own heart could be restless as well." Xue Xue sat down, and the agitation in her heart seemed to ease.

"I dare not accept the Queen's praise. It is just that when I have idle time, I often find myself pondering things." Luohua poured tea for her personally, his lotus-like temperament naturally likable—kind and warm.

Xue Xue picked up the tea; the scent was faint and had a calming effect.

The Pear Blossom Pavilion was near a small lake on the estate, and a breeze blew gently from not far away, carrying the fresh scent of the water.

The wind blew against the white silk blindfolding her eyes, the long ribbons dancing wildly in the air, composing an indescribable melody.

"Is the Queen's eyesight getting any better?" he had once told her that whether one's eyes were good or bad depended on the person, not the eyes themselves.

"It is the same as always," Xue Xue said, appearing calm and composed.

"Could it be that the King is reluctant to let you show your eyes to the world?" His words carried an obvious playfulness.

Hearing this, Xue Xue took a sip of tea, called it good tea, and then said, "Why mention the King for no reason? I would like to ask you, Young Master, where did you send Yue Ying?"

"Your Highness refers to Little Ying? Speaking of which, you left the Flower Rain Pavilion without a word that day, and she disappeared along with you. How would I know..."

"Do you really not know, Young Master?" Xue Xue interrupted him, her plain face revealing a hint of coldness.

"It seems you have already guessed my identity." Suddenly, Luohua laughed. "Indeed, you are a clever woman. No wonder King Ji is 'so smitten that he would ruin his life for you'."

"..." He had brought up Ji Wuqing again so abruptly. She paused, "Regent, please do not change the subject. Has the Prince never considered that if I could see through your identity, Yue Ying might have as well?"

Thinking of what that little girl had once said, she feared she had known all along that Luohua was Cheng Feng, but had simply chosen to pretend otherwise.

"I know. Everyone knows but refuses to point it out—it is indeed quite interesting. Besides, I cannot betray Yue Ying's painstaking efforts..." When mentioning Yue Ying, his expression changed noticeably, his voice imbued with a tenderness unlike anything before.