Jǐng Mù simply stood there with his arms folded, watching Shū Chángyù go buy him a candied hawthorn stick.
This feeling was extremely strange.
Watching his back, Jǐng Mù felt as if his heart was filled with a warm and sweet sensation. The happiness was so intense that he almost could not breathe.
Just then, a little girl carrying a bundle of apricot blossoms entered his line of sight.
He raised his hand and waved her over.
“How much are these flowers?” he asked.
“Replying to this young master, twenty copper coins.”
The little girl ran over, her voice crisp and clear.
Jǐng Mù casually pulled out a piece of silver from his waist, took the entire bundle of flowers, and said:
“Alright, go home.”
“Young master, I don’t have enough change for you…”
Seeing Shū Chángyù walking over with the candied hawthorn stick, Jǐng Mù hurriedly waved his hand and sent the little girl away.
“No need for change. Hurry and go.”
As he spoke, he held the wine jar in one hand and carried the flowers in the other, walking toward Shū Chángyù.
“Grand Tutor.”
He smiled and stuffed the flowers into his arms.
Shū Chángyù had just handed over the candied hawthorn stick when he suddenly found himself holding a bundle of delicate apricot blossoms.
He froze.
Then the fresh fragrance from the branches drifted into his nose.
“Why did you buy this?”
Shū Chángyù frowned.
“That little girl grabbed onto me and insisted on selling them to me.”
Jǐng Mù said.
“I saw she looked pitiful and had no other choice, so I could only buy them.”
At this point, he lowered his voice and smiled.
“She said I should give them to the person I love.”
“So I did.”
Shū Chángyù did not know why his face suddenly felt hot.
Perhaps it was because this Jǐng Mù was simply too shameless.
Originally, a man holding flowers already looked somewhat feminine and delicate.
After hearing him say something about a “person he loved,” Shū Chángyù immediately wanted to lose his temper.
He frowned coldly and prepared to stuff the flowers back into his hands.
But Jǐng Mù was holding the candied hawthorn stick in one hand and the wine jar in the other.
Both his hands were occupied.
No matter what, he could not take them.
“If you don’t take them, I’ll throw them away!”
Shū Chángyù said angrily.
Jǐng Mù immediately coaxed him.
“Don’t. Grand Tutor, just help me hold them for a while. I’ll take them back after I finish eating.”
Shū Chángyù had no choice.
With a dark expression, he carried that bundle of delicate, beautiful apricot blossoms through the night market of Chángníng Street.
In his previous life, he had either grown up in the northern lands following General Shū, or stayed at home while ill and studying.
After entering court, he was busy every day.
Even when he had free time, he was either managing political affairs and social relations, or hosting banquets with scholars to compose poetry.
He had never seen such lively scenes among ordinary people.
As night fell, the roadside stalls began steaming with white mist from cooking food, drifting hazily into the darkness.
People came and went along the streets.
The lights on both sides shone brightly.
Some shops hung colorful lanterns at their entrances.
Several dozen steps ahead, a crowd had gathered around street performers.
The sound of gongs and drums mixed with laughter and conversation.
The distant cries of vendors and voices of passersby intertwined.
Everything before his eyes and ears was full of life.
It was truly a scene of peaceful prosperity.
Shū Chángyù quietly looked around.
For a moment, he even forgot that he was carrying a large bundle of fresh and beautiful apricot blossoms.
The lantern light reflected in his dark, clear eyes, making them shine brilliantly.
At that moment, several children ran past him and almost bumped into him.
Before Shū Chángyù could react, someone beside him reached out and pulled him into their arms, protecting him.
Shū Chángyù looked up.
It was Jǐng Mù.
He froze.
Then, as if electrocuted, he immediately pulled away from Jǐng Mù’s arm and pushed him back.
Afterward, he shoved the apricot blossoms back into his hands.
“You’ve finished eating. Hold them yourself now.”
“I haven’t finished yet.”
Jǐng Mù said.
Then he held out the bright red candied hawthorn stick he had deliberately saved for him.
“Grand Tutor, try it. It’s sweet and sour. You’ll definitely like it.”
Shū Chángyù pursed his lips and dodged several times but could not avoid it.
He had no choice but to eat the candied hawthorn.
Indeed, a sweet and sour flavor immediately spread across his tongue.
His mouth instantly filled with saliva.
Shū Chángyù slowly chewed and swallowed.
Then he persistently stuffed the apricot blossoms back toward Jǐng Mù.
“Hold them yourself!”
Jǐng Mù seemed not to hear him.
He raised his head and looked ahead.
“Grand Tutor, those street performers ahead are breathing fire!”
Shū Chángyù instinctively looked over.
He saw a large man standing on a tall chair with a torch in his hand.
The man swallowed some liquid and blew toward the flame.
A stream of fire several feet long erupted.
The surrounding crowd burst into cheers.
Shū Chángyù also stared in amazement.
Looking at his stunned expression, Jǐng Mù felt as if he was seeing a curious child.
At this moment, Shū Chángyù’s simple and innocent appearance melted his heart.
He knew Shū Chángyù had always been disciplined and restrained since childhood.
He also did not like sneaking out to play.
Naturally, he had never seen these ordinary street performances.
Jǐng Mù tugged at his sleeve and smiled.
“Grand Tutor, that performance looks interesting. Would you like to go take a closer look?”
Shū Chángyù was looking over there.
The surroundings were noisy, so he did not hear clearly.
He only made a confused sound.
“Hm?”
Before he could react, Jǐng Mù half embraced and half pulled him into the crowd.
Shū Chángyù had originally found it interesting and wanted to see closer.
So when Jǐng Mù pulled him over, he did not resist.
He followed him into the crowd.
The people inside were constantly pushing and moving.
It was uncomfortable.
But Shū Chángyù was always protected beneath Jǐng Mù’s arm.
Although the surroundings were crowded, no one bumped into him.
For no reason, Shū Chángyù’s chest became hot again.
A strange warmth swelled inside him.
The crowd erupted into another wave of excitement.
He looked up.
The performer had breathed out another flame, shooting straight into the sky.
In the instant illuminated by the firelight, he saw Jǐng Mù’s profile.
The young man truly possessed an exceptionally handsome appearance.
Especially those eyes and brows.
They seemed emotionless yet full of emotion.
Whenever he occasionally looked toward Shū Chángyù, the flickering fire reflected in his eyes.
The heat seemed to burn straight into someone’s heart.
Shū Chángyù was momentarily lost in thought.
Then he saw Jǐng Mù move his lips and say something.
But they were too close to the performers.
The sounds of gongs and drums drowned everything out.
He could not hear clearly.
“What?”
Shū Chángyù asked.
Jǐng Mù shook his head and pulled him to look toward the performers.
Shū Chángyù raised his head.
The large man had already jumped down from the chair.
He took a sword from a pile of objects nearby and pulled it from its sheath.
For a moment, cold light flashed.
With the slightest movement, it reflected the surrounding candlelight, shining brilliantly.
The crowd erupted into cheers again.
The strong man holding the sword walked around the audience, displaying the straight and sharp blade for everyone to see.
“He’s going to swallow the sword!”
Jǐng Mù lowered his head and shouted beside Shū Chángyù’s ear.
His warm breath brushed against Shū Chángyù’s ear.
The sensation made his ears itch slightly.
At that moment, Jǐng Mù suddenly felt something tighten around his waist.
Looking down, he saw that his jade pendant had somehow been pulled away and stolen.
Before he could react, he saw Jǐng Mù’s arm wrap around Shū Chángyù’s waist.
With force, he pulled him toward himself.
Shū Chángyù was about to get angry.
But then a flash of silver entered his vision.
The sword!
It was the performer.
While showing the sword to the crowd, he had suddenly changed direction.
The blade was stabbing straight toward him!
This performer was actually an extremely skilled martial artist.
In the blink of an eye, the sword was already approaching.
Shū Chángyù had no time to react.
The surrounding people had not even had time to scream.
The white blade had already reached him.
But at that moment—
The sword stopped three inches before Shū Chángyù’s throat.
Then he saw Jǐng Mù.
One hand held him tightly.
The other hand was gripping the sword blade directly in front of him.
Blood immediately flowed down.
Shū Chángyù’s pupils contracted.
Jǐng Mù did not even seem to feel pain.
His fingers tightened.
With force, he snapped the sword apart in his hand.
Then, with that blood-covered hand, he pulled out his embroidered spring saber.
The blade descended.
The attacker was killed instantly.
Blood splashed three feet into the air.
The surrounding crowd erupted into screams.
Everyone scattered in panic.
The street performers seemed to have received a signal.
One after another, they revealed weapons and attacked the two of them.
Jǐng Mù held Shū Chángyù tightly in one arm.
In the other hand, he held his saber.
Blood dripped down from the handle.
Even so, none of those people could get within several feet of them.
Two attackers who had not even managed to strike were already cut down by his blade.
At this moment, everything before Shū Chángyù’s eyes was red.
The only thing he could feel was the solid, warm body pressed tightly against him.
His fingers turned pale as he gripped the fabric at Jǐng Mù’s waist.
And the apricot blossoms—
At some point, they had fallen onto the ground.
They landed in the muddy pool of blood.
At that moment, soldiers from the Chángníng yamen arrived.
They surrounded the area completely.
Seeing this, one remaining performer rushed toward Jǐng Mù like a moth flying into flame.
Jǐng Mù pierced him through.
The final two tried to escape.
But they were captured.
Then their eyes rolled back.
They bit down on the poison hidden in their teeth.
Both died instantly.
Only then did Jǐng Mù stop.
He gently threw his saber onto the ground.
After releasing Shū Chángyù, he asked:
“Grand Tutor, are you injured?”
Shū Chángyù was still tightly gripping the outer robe around Jǐng Mù’s waist.
The neat official robe had been pulled loose from his belt.
Shū Chángyù looked up.
His face expressionless.
His complexion pale.
He stared at him.
Jǐng Mù laughed helplessly.
“Grand Tutor…”
Shū Chángyù coldly grabbed his injured hand.
When Jǐng Mù blocked the sword earlier, he had used all his strength.
The blade had sunk deeply into his palm.
The wound was deep enough to reveal bone.
Blood poured out continuously.
Afterward, he had used that same hand to kill people.
Now his fingers could barely straighten.
His palm was a bloody mess.
The torn flesh revealed white bone underneath.
It looked horrifying.
“…Brat.”
Jǐng Mù heard the ice in Shū Chángyù’s voice.
But the hands holding his were cold at the fingertips and trembling so badly they could barely support him.
“Grand Tutor?”
Seeing him like this, Jǐng Mù forgot about his own pain and hurriedly asked.
The next moment, he saw Shū Chángyù raise his head.
His face was as cold as frost.
His lips were tightly pressed together.
His clear eyes were red around the edges.
Under the candlelight of the night, they shimmered with tears.
“Brat!”
He gritted his teeth.
His voice trembled as he cursed again.
As his voice fell—
Two tears escaped his eyes.
They slid down his face and stopped at his chin.