After noon, Xiao Gang said he wanted to see Zhao Pei. Zhao Pei hurried to the outside of the palace gate, but saw Hou Jing. He saw Zhao Pei and smiled and said, "I heard that the emperor wants to see the princess. I wonder if I can help you."
Zhao Pei was annoyed that he was nosy. He was just trying to spy on her but still made up all these excuses. Hou Jing followed her into the palace, but the maid called Zhao Pei to the cabinet. Zhao Pei followed the maid blankly, and Hou Jing followed Zhao Pei carelessly.
There was fragrant incense burning in the cabinet, mixed with Xiao Gang's light scent, which penetrated the gauze curtain and surrounded Zhao Pei, making her feel relaxed physically and mentally.
She drew aside the curtain, and Hou Jing still followed behind her.
Xiao Gang was half lying on the couch, wearing simple white casual clothes. His belt was tied casually, and his collar was slightly open. He glanced at Zhao Pei and Hou Jing, and it was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry.
Zhao Pei was a little embarrassed, but she still bowed. Xiao Gang said coldly: "Hou Qing, I am summoning the Princess of Xiangdong, why are you here?"
Hou Jing clasped his fists respectfully and replied, "I want to be able to serve the emperor at any time. So... I followed you here to be ready for your use."
Xiao Gang stood up with a cold smile, and said angrily: "I appreciate the general's kindness, but the general has many things to do, so these things can be left to the servants. How dare I bother the general to serve tea and water?"
Hou Jing looked at Zhao Peiyou and then at Xiao Gang's angry and cold eyes, and retreated angrily. Before leaving, he gave her an ambiguous look: "I am sorry for the offense. Your Majesty and the Princess should have a good talk."
When Zhao Pei saw him leave, she sat down angrily and said, "This Hou Jing is really too arrogant. Third brother, why don't you kill him?"
Xiao Gang smiled and stared at Zhao Pei without saying anything, as if he was thinking about something. Zhao Pei realized that her words and actions were a bit impulsive, and she coughed awkwardly and said apologetically: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was a bit impulsive just now."
Xiao Gang said slowly, "It's Pepe if there's some color on Pepe's face. Those words between the monarch and his subjects are not suitable for Pepe."
Zhao Pei smiled awkwardly: "This is the imperial palace after all, Pei Pei dare not say anything. If Third Brother doesn't want to, Pei Pei can call us brother and sister?"
Xiao Gang sat down opposite her, wearing a golden Kuilong robe. His features were blurred by the smoke of cigarettes, and his voice was soft and sentimental: "I remember that Peipei at that time never cared about these courtesies. She said whatever was on her mind, and her face was brighter than spring. I also remember that Peipei was very brave at that time. When my father entered the temple, no one could do anything about it. As long as Peipei followed my father, my father could do nothing."
Zhao Pei smiled bitterly: "Shameless... ? I was young at that time and didn't know the rules. Fortunately, I didn't anger my father." She was sacrificing herself and dying to accompany the gentleman. Thinking of Xiao Yan, she remembered that before his death, he once entered the temple. She didn't follow him at that time. If she had followed, would the ending be slightly different? Zhao Pei dispersed her thoughts before her eyes became sore.
Then Xiao Gang laughed and said, "Remember that time Pepe always came up with some strange ideas, and Sixth Brother kept promising to make you happy. He also collected all the interesting things between us brothers and showed them to Pepe like treasures." He narrowed his eyes slightly, with a constant smile in his eyes, as if he was immersed in the memories of the past and couldn't extricate himself.
Zhao Pei laughed and said, "So that's how it is. He even said that these were all his leftovers and he gave them to me because he had nowhere else to throw them away. I was wondering where Liu Zhen got all those things. It took me so many years to find out."
Xiao Gang smiled lightly, and became interested. The two of them recalled the past, talking to each other. Those past events, happy, heartwarming, worrying, and angry, were pieced together and connected to the present, but they were completely different from the present.
The deeper they go into the memories, the more sad and tormented they feel. At sunset, they have to recognize what it means that things have changed and time has passed. The people and things in the words are like those in the previous life. Those who have left and cannot be touched always evoke infinite feelings.
They drank the mellow wine and numbed themselves with memories, as if they wanted to get drunk in such illusory happiness and sweetness, and never wake up again.
Zhao Pei told a lot of interesting stories from her childhood, Xiao Gang listened quietly, occasionally interjected, and then the two laughed together. In Zhao Pei's story, she quietly bypassed a person, but Xiao Gang touched the name hidden in her heart in every sentence.
I don't know how long the two chatted. The jade bottle on the table was filled to the brim, and I don't know how much I drank. The sky was getting dark, and the light was gradually dimming.
Xiao Gang wanted to light the lamp, but Zhao Pei grabbed his arm tightly. Zhao Pei, who was drunk, held him tightly and said slowly: "Don't light the lamp, I want to... look into your eyes like this."
Xiao Gang froze, and really sat down without moving.
Zhao Pei felt dizzy, and in a trance, she stared at the pair of eyes as bright as the moonlight, and her heart ached. She leaned against the man, smelled his unique scent, and murmured with a smile: "I like this smell the most. It makes me feel safe and warm... I haven't felt this way for a long time." She giggled, and Xiao Gang thought she was drunk. Seeing that it was getting dark, he wanted to get up and ask someone to send Zhao Pei back. But she clung to Xiao Gang's sleeve and embraced his thin body, frowning and said: "Don't leave, stay with me for a while, just a while. I haven't finished yet... Don't leave me so soon."
Xiao Gang had no choice but to say, "Okay, I won't leave."
Zhao Pei smiled and nodded, leaning on him and talking to herself: "What were we talking about? Yes, my Fang Deng. Do you know why I call him Fang Deng? At that time I said that I would wait for you, and I will always wait for you, until I die. Haha... My Fang Deng is very smart and well-behaved. He has a light and gentle temperament and likes bamboo. But sometimes he likes to bully me with his sister. You don't know how outstanding he is. He is the person I love most... the most. But he died..." Zhao Pei sniffed and tightened her grip a little more: "He died... died at the hands of Xiao Zhao... Haha, Deshi, that's your child. Tell me if it's funny or not, your child actually killed my child. I don't know if I should hate you."
Xiao Gang felt as if a blunt knife was stabbed in the chest, the pain was so severe that he couldn't breathe.
“Yes, I hate you. I have always hated you. I hate you…” Zhao Pei’s voice gradually became smaller, and then she slowly lowered her head and buried it in Xiao Gang’s arms.
He was silent for a long time before he put his arms around Zhao Pei and looked at the tears on her face in the moonlight. She treated him as her elder brother... the person she had always kept in her heart since she was a child. Even now, she still couldn't forget him.
Brother, you are so cruel... If you let go of all this, will you be truly free
Zhao Pei still held Xiao Gang's waist tightly in her sleep. He listened to her sobbing, his heart was full of thoughts, but he couldn't finish a word.
Big brother... should we tell Zhao Pei the so-called truth... (To be continued)