Chapter 136 - Close To Each Other
Han Wenji was conversing with the Crown Prince in the morning before his departure to the Southern Province. "Take care of the Crown Princess. I know you and the Crown Princess will give the best result," Han Wenji confidently said.
"Yes, your majesty. Then we shall leave," Sheng Li stated and bowed his head in front of his father. Han Wenji looked at the Crown Princess. "You always impress me, Crown Princess. The late King of Juyan gave us a gem which this Empire needed," Han Wenji praised Ying Lili who thanked the Emperor for trusting her and giving her such an opportunity.
Both the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess lifted their heads. Weng Wei gave them their blessings too. "Crown Prince, your mother is waiting for you. Return safely with the Crown Princess." Sheng Li could feel how angry the Empress was!
Sheng Li and Ying Lili went to the horse cart when Jian Guozhi stopped Ying Lili. "Crown Princess, this is something you should keep with you," Jian Guozhi stated as he handed a sword to Ying Lili. "It is specially crafted for you," Jian Guozhi further said. Zhilao Mi and Xue Yu-Yan looked at Jian Guozhi who always turned polite around Ying Lili.
"Thank you, Brother," Ying Lili smiled looking at the sword.
"Fifth Brother, have a safe journey. We will be waiting for you both," Jian Guozhi said. Sheng Li hummed and turned to the cart. Ying Lili got into the horse cart first, followed by Sheng Li. The horse cart moved on Wang Hao's command.
Sheng Li looked at Ying Lili who was smiling looking at the sword. "Give me that sword," Sheng Li forwarded his hand. Ying Lili lifted her eyes to meet his gaze and refused.
"Give me. You should not use this sword," Sheng Li asserted and snatched it from Ying Lili. "First Brother still flirts with you openly and you let him do that!" Sheng Li muttered.
"He was not flirting. Why are you jealous of him?" Ying Lili demanded an answer but Sheng Li did not reply to her instead he changed the topic. "After a while, we will get off this cart and use our horses to travel."
He took the ribbons from his pocket and then grasped Ying Lili's right hand. Tying her sleeves of both hands with the ribbons, he said, "Do not cry while traveling and do not irritate me. I will punish you if you do not listen to me."
"What?" Ying Lili exclaimed and pulled her both hands back. "What does he think of himself? Why would I listen to him?" Ying Lili murmured. The horse cart was moving at a high speed on the bumpy route when Ying Lili's head got hit against the side of the wooden horse cart.
"Ahh," Ying Lili passed a low scream. Sheng Li laughed slightly when Ying Lili shot a glare at him.
Sheng Li grabbed Ying Lili's arm and made her sit on his lap which astonished her. "What are you doing? Leave me!" Ying Lili sternly said.
"If you don't want to get more bumps on your head, just stay like this. Also, I have realized that you like to get close to me like this," Sheng Li affirmed as a sly smile appeared on his lips.
"You love to tease me, don't you?"
"Is this teasing? I am only holding my wife so that she will not bump her head again," Sheng Li stated. Soon they were far from the Palace and reached the route from where others were waiting for them.
The Cart stopped so Ying Lili told Sheng Li to let her go when he threw her on the floor of the cart. "Ahh," Ying Lili screamed. "Why did you do that?" Ying Lili said when the door of the cart was opened by Xiao Zhan.
"You told me to leave you so I did that," Sheng Li proclaimed and smiled. He got out of the cart and told Ying Lili to come out quickly. As Ying Lili got down the cart, she saw Hu Jingguo which brought a broad smile to her lips.
"Jingguo," Ying Lili called out his name and went to him. That was the main reason, Sheng Li did not want Hu Jingguo to come with them. "Brother Sheng, I had never imagined that you would agree to this," Lei Wanxi whispered in the ear of Sheng Li while moving his fan in front of his face.
Sheng Li titled his head and told Wanxi not to open his mouth. "Brother Sheng, you are taking me wrong. I did nothing so, don't let your jealousy overpower you. Brother Hu is going with you because he is a medical expert," Lei Wanxi affirmed and gave a tiny smile to the Crown Prince.
"Look Brother Sheng, how Sister Lili is smiling with Brother Hu. I have never once seen her this happy. Ahh, is it because they are very close to each other? I guess so. Oh, they just grabbed each other's hands. They are indeed very… v.e.r.y close," Lei Wanxi stressed his words. He observed Sheng Li's facial expressions and suppressed his smile.
Ying Lili turned to Sheng Li and said, "You did not tell me that Hu Jingguo is coming with us on this journey."
"Was that even important?" Sheng Li queried her and then looked at her hands which were holding Hu Jingguo's hands. He clenched his fist and then looked at Hu Jingguo. "Don't you think you are doing something heinous?" Sheng Li's question confused everyone there, but Hu Jingguo understood what the Crown Prince meant.
He let go of Ying Lili's hands and bowed in front of the Crown Prince to greet him. Lei Wanxi giggled after noticing that but stopped when Sheng Li glared at him.
"Your highness, the horses are ready. We shall not delay. By noon we need to cross the Capital borders," Wang Hao intervened thus, ending the tense atmosphere that had formed there.
"Are you coming too?" Sheng Li asked Wanxi who refused.
"The Palace needs me more. I wish you and the Crown Princess a safe journey." Lei Wanxi closed the fan in his hand and embraced Sheng Li into a warm hug. "I will miss your presence. Return soon and take care of Sister Lili there. I wish to see you two in love when you return to Luoyang," Lei Wanxi whispered in Sheng Li's ear, who smiled and patted his back.
They pulled away from each other. Sheng Li went towards Ying Lili and told her to get on the horse. A white horse was brought there by Xiao Zhan. Sheng Li made Ying Lili wear the veiled hat so that she would not be troubled by the sun's rays. "Let's go," Sheng Li told Ying Lili and gave her a tiny smile.