frightfiction Chapter 1164: The Queen's body is worth millions, how can it be lost?
Chapter 1164: The Queen's body is worth millions, how can it be lost?
Time flows slowly in the cold.
The last orange spark in the pit jumped unwillingly a few times before finally going out completely, turning into a wisp of green smoke that was quickly swallowed up by the cold darkness.
Without the only source of light and heat, the cold in the cave suddenly intensified.
Although Shen Zhinian was covered with a cloak, the pervasive cold air still kept seeping in.
In her daze, she unconsciously hugged her thin shoulders, her body trembling slightly.
Shen Zhinian curled up, his voice unclear: "Cold..."
This barely audible whisper was very clear in the silent cave.
Gu Jinxiao opened his eyes, adjusted to the darkness in the cave, then slowly turned his head and his gaze fell on the blurry figure.
She was a concubine and he was a subject.
In this situation, any action that goes beyond the rules would be enough to plunge her into an abyss from which there is no escape.
However, Shen Zhinian's mumbling was like a blunt knife, cutting the string of reason in Gu Jinxiao.
She couldn't catch a cold.
In the darkness, Gu Jinxiao took a breath of cold air and slowly took off his outer robe.
"My lady..."
His voice was unusually dry, with a kind of suppressed tension: "...I'm sorry."
Before he finished speaking, the crimson official robe with the remaining body temperature of Gu Jinxiao gently covered Shen Zhinian's curled up body.
The chill of the late autumn forest seeped into the cracks between his bones. Shen Zhinian was trapped in a state of semi-consciousness, his body heavy as if filled with lead, but his consciousness seemed to float on the surface of icy water.
Suddenly, the scent lingering in her nose was not the familiar ambergris, but a crisp smell.
Shen Zhinian was already sleeping uneasily, her long eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.
There was an impenetrable darkness before my eyes, with only a few rays of moonlight leaking in through the gaps in the vines at the cave entrance.
In the faint moonlight, she saw a men's robe covering her tightly.
Shen Zhinian's mind was a little confused, but he knew who the robe belonged to.
It’s Gu Jinxiao’s.
This Minister of Rites, who even argued about the format of writing memorials in the court, was as old-fashioned as an old pedant.
While fleeing, Gu Jinxiao maintained a strict eye contact with the emperor and his subjects, and would never overstep the boundaries.
He actually... took off his robe and put it on her?
The shock brought by this realization made Shen Zhinian completely sober.
In the moonlight, she looked at the figure sitting cross-legged in the darkness with his back to her.
Gu Jinxiao was only wearing a thin dark-colored undershirt, his back straight, like a lonely pine tree on the edge of a cliff, silently enduring the cold.
The coldness in the cave is damp and chilling enough to freeze one's bones.
Even though she was wrapped in a thick cloak, she still felt the cold and her hands and feet were icy. What about Gu Jinxiao who had taken off his outer robe?
"Master Gu."
Shen Zhinian's voice was hoarse from waking up. He raised his hand and lifted up his robe that was filled with unfamiliar body temperature. "That's not necessary."
"I have a cloak. Please put your outer robe back on. Be careful not to get cold."
Gu Jinxiao's figure seemed to tense up even more when he heard Shen Zhinian's voice.
He didn't turn his head, but just tilted his face slightly. His jaw formed a cold and hard line in the faint moonlight.
"Your Majesty's body is worth millions, how can you allow it to be lost? I am a man, with strong bones and muscles, so a little cold will not be a problem."
The coldness in the cave was unbearable even for her wrapped in a cloak. How could this man not be cold?
A complex thought flashed through Shen Zhinian's mind. He took a deep breath, trying to dispel the drowsiness in his head. "You and I are trapped in this forest, and the future is uncertain. Lord Gu, there is no point in being stubborn."
"If you catch a cold and fall ill here, wouldn't it be worse than the lack of medical care and medicine?"
As soon as the words fell, Shen Zhinian raised his arm slightly and handed the outer robe towards Gu Jinxiao, with a firm gesture that could not be refused: "Put it on."
In the darkness, Gu Jinxiao's back was obviously frozen.
He slowly turned his head, and the dim light allowed Shen Zhinian to only see the blurry outline of his profile.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Gu Jinxiao did not argue or refuse.
The ethics and distinction between the ruler and his subjects ingrained in his bones would never allow him to argue with the Empress under such circumstances.
Gu Jinxiao silently reached out his hand and took the robe that still had a faint fragrance.
The remaining warmth of the cloth seemed to carry a scorching temperature, burning his fingertips and causing them to curl up slightly...
Gu Jinxiao silently put his outer robe back on himself. When he raised his eyes to look at Shen Zhinian, a trace of worry that was difficult to conceal flashed in his eyes.
He saw the pale face of Concubine Chen.
Shen Zhinian pulled the collar of his cloak tighter, almost covering half of his face, to drive away the cold.
Gu Jinxiao's Adam's apple rolled, but he said nothing in the end.
He sat up straight again, his back straight as a silent rock.
The cave fell silent for a moment...
Finally, Gu Jinxiao's voice rang out in the darkness, low and steady: "Your Majesty...why did this happen tonight?"
The outcome of this game has been decided.
Gu Jinxiao is not her confidant, but he is her only companion at the moment.
There is no need to hide it anymore.
Shen Zhinian's voice was remarkably clear, revealing the thrilling murder in a few words: "Duke Dingguo's mansion is raising private soldiers, intending to take advantage of the autumn hunt... to murder the king and plot treason."
"They originally intended to poison me to create chaos, draw the attention of the Imperial Guards, and then launch a thundering attack."
"Fortunately, His Majesty was prepared and left the Dragon Armor Army to control the camp. If I am not mistaken, Duke Dingguo should be a prisoner by now."
"It's just that... the sudden appearance of the Xiongnu warriors caught everyone off guard..."
A flash of understanding flashed in Gu Jinxiao's eyes: "...I see."
He spoke slowly, his voice a bit deeper than before: "No wonder His Majesty secretly ordered me to collect evidence of the crimes of Duke Dingguo and his cronies a few months ago."
"A family that has been entrenched for centuries has flourished and its roots are deep. Gathering evidence of their crimes is difficult, and the implications are widespread; it won't be accomplished overnight."
"I...thought Your Majesty intended to take it slow and steady, clipping its wings. I never imagined..."
Gu Jinxiao paused, his tone carrying a hint of hindsight: "How dare they... commit such a heinous and treasonous act that will bring chaos to the country!"
The cave fell silent again, only the wind outside was getting stronger.
I don’t know how long it took, but finally the faint morning light came from outside.
Gu Jinxiao paused at the entrance of the cave, listening attentively to the movement outside.
There were only the chirping of birds in the morning and the rustling of the wind through the treetops.
"...According to what Her Majesty said, His Majesty's men should be finding them soon."
Gu Jinxiao's voice was a little hoarse because he hadn't slept all night.