Chapter 160
Chapter 160: Autumn Falls on the Emerald Screen, a Serendipitous
Feeling (Part One)
At the end of May, Si Cang Qing had handled all the important matters and given all the necessary instructions.
He planned to first go to Nanjun, stay at Qiuluo Manor for a few days, and then head directly to Hongdu to bring
Cheng Tian Yang back.
In the Imperial Study, Liu Yi silently listened to the decree, without arguing with Si Cang Qing, and then withdrew.
Somewhat surprised, Feng Lan glanced at the departing figure and said softly, "Master, we still need to tell
Father..."
"Qing'er," upon hearing Si Cang Qing's farewell, Si Cangjue frowned, "You are the Emperor of Canghuan, and
you have only recently returned to court, yet you have left the palace privately... Such behavior may invite
criticism."
"It's alright," Si Cang Qing replied casually. Although he was not in court, imperial power was entirely in his
hands, and he had capable assistants he could trust. There was no need to worry.
Sighing helplessly, Si Cangjue Tian said, "It's not that I'm worried about the court officials, it's just..." After a
moment's hesitation, he finally spoke the words that had been weighing on his mind, "Qing'er, don't you think
you're spoiling your concubines too much? A Noble Consort, second only to the Empress, should be
well-mannered, virtuous, and graceful. But look how much you pamper them..."
"Father," Si Cang Qing said coldly, "They are not women!"
"That's not what I meant," Si Cangjue Tian quickly explained, "I just feel that some of their behavior is
inappropriate and unbecoming of a Noble Consort."
What he didn't elaborate on was that Qi Shuangran hadn't returned to the palace for days, spending her time in
brothels, and Cheng Tian Yang had even slapped the Emperor. Si Cangjue Tian rubbed his temples in exasperation;
these children were all incredibly troublesome... He didn't truly dislike them, he simply felt that, as emperor,
Si Cang Qing’s leniency toward them was a serious breach of imperial dignity.
Moreover, how could Si Cang Qing govern the country with peace of mind when they were causing such trouble?
Si Cang Qing gazed intently at his father, fully understanding his meaning. He softened his tone and said,
“Father, please focus solely on your recovery. This son will not let personal matters interfere with official duties,
thereby jeopardizing the nation. As for indulgence… they are first and foremost my wives, and only secondarily
imperial consorts. No matter what they choose to do, I will not interfere.”
“You…”
Si Cang Qing replied calmly, “I am no bird caged in a cage; I shall spread my wings and fly. Father, I must take
my leave now. I shall return to court within two months.” Without waiting for a response, he rose and strode away.
“This child!” Si Cang Jue Tian sighed helplessly, “He’s so willful…”
“Hehe,” Liu Ziwen, who had been reading a book on the other side, hadn’t missed the conversation between
the father and son. He walked over and comforted them, “Jue Tian, Qing’er has been handling state affairs very
well, so you don’t need to worry about him. As for him and those children, their children and grandchildren have
their own blessings.”
Hearing this, Si Cang Jue Tian shook his head with a laugh, “These children are all more troublesome than the
last. Qing’er really has a lot of energy!”
“In the end, the encounters between people are all a wonderful and inexplicable fate,” Liu Ziwen said with a
smile, “What matters is that they themselves are happy.”
“What you say is very true, Senior Brother.” Si Cang Jue Tian also smiled in relief, “Qing’er, this child, though
you might say he’s cold and ruthless, is surprisingly insightful.”
Liu Ziwen nodded slightly. Who could argue with that? Often, apparent indifference stems from deep affection.
“Speaking of which, Senior Brother, Liu Yi is not young anymore, and his marriage is still unsettled…”
Liu Ziwen sighed softly, “Yes, it’s a pity…” He didn’t finish, only saying, “I’ll try to persuade him when I have
time; it’s time for him to settle down!”
After bidding farewell to Si Cangjue Tian, Si Cang Qing made some simple preparations and then traveled south
incognito, accompanied only by his shadow guards and Qi Shuangran. He quickened his pace and arrived in
Nanjun Prefecture in about half a month.
“Qingqing, I’m going back to Piaomiao Palace.” Qi Shuangran suddenly bit Si Cang Qing’s lip until he tasted
blood in his mouth before releasing his teeth, his tone fierce, “You better behave yourself and don’t go flirting
with other women, or I’ll castrate you!”
With that, before Si Cang Qing could say anything, he flew away.
Gazing in the direction the white-clad man had disappeared, Si Cang Qing gently wiped his bitten lip. A moment
later, he pulled on the reins again, turned his horse around, and galloped straight towards Luyang City!
“Master Qiu, this one, Xia, takes his leave!”
As the setting sun sank lower, Si Cang Qing stood with his hands behind his back, quietly gazing at the dazzling
sky. The evening glow blazed like fire, illuminating the majesty of nature. Only when footsteps behind him grew
closer did he slowly turn around.
“Qiu…”
The man, who had been holding his head slightly bowed, suddenly heard an exceptionally familiar voice and
couldn’t help but pause. Qiu Ping Tian abruptly looked up, only to see the figure standing against the light ahead,
wearing a brimmed hat that obscured his features for a moment.
The person who had been slightly bowing his head suddenly heard an unusually familiar voice and was startled.
Qiu Ping Tian abruptly looked up, only to see the person standing in front of him against the light, wearing a hat
with a brim, making it difficult to see his face.
Qiu Ping Tian stopped and smiled gently, "QingDi."
Si Cang Qing stepped forward to meet him. Seeing the man's gaunt face, he couldn't help but reach out and stroke
it. "Qiu, I'll accompany you back to Qiuluo Manor..." Turning his head slightly, Qiu Ping Tian glanced at the
western clouds. "Is that so?"
Slightly startled, Si Cang Qing carefully examined the man's cold profile. His pale lips were pressed tightly
together, revealing a hint of untamed spirit. Qiu... is still angry! After a moment's thought, he scooped the man
up with his long arm and pulled him into his arms right there on the street, whispering, "It's getting late, let's go
have dinner first."
Seeing the man's clumsy attempt at comfort, Qiu Ping Tian couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Brother Qing, can't
you say something nicer?"
Seeing the man laugh, Si Cang Qing felt relieved and said calmly, "Let's go!"
He casually straddled the man's lap and asked with a gentle smile, "I heard..."
"You personally led the Imperial Guards, on the pretext of harboring a wanted criminal, to seal off Qiu Ji's
Cuichun Pavilion and imprison everyone involved. Is that true?"
He asked knowingly.
Si Cang Qing stroked the other's waist, nodded slightly, and whispered, "I'm sorry..."
Chuckling, Qiu Ping Tian pressed her upper body against him, softly saying, "There's no need for apologies
between us... However, the accounts for Cuichun Pavilion still need to be settled carefully."
Actually, after learning that Cuichun Pavilion was Qiu Ping Tian's property, Si Cang Qing immediately released
everyone, cleared her name, and reopened Cuichun Pavilion. Now, business there has returned to its former
prosperity.
Si Cang Qing looked down at the man's smiling eyes, remaining silent.
"Although Cuichun Pavilion has reopened, its reputation is inevitably damaged, and the specific losses are hard
to say," Qiu Ping Tian said happily to himself, "These losses will be attributed to you."
"Okay..."
“Here,” Qiu Ping Tian pulled a stack of papers from his robes, covered in black and white paper with a pile of
data, “Your money is all under my control. Your little bit isn’t enough to compensate for the losses at Cuichun
Pavilion, so I’ve given you an IOU… Shall we put your fingerprint on it?”
As he spoke, he pulled out another one, “This is for the expenses I incurred using secret agents during your
three-month disappearance… Hmm, this one is for Qiu Ji’s investment in rebuilding Hongdu…”
The other man meticulously listed each debt, and Si Cang Qing listened silently, letting the man hold his fingers,
pressing his fingerprint on one IOU after another without even looking at the slips.
After all the fingerprints were pressed, Qiu Ping Tian smiled with satisfaction, looked up and kissed the other
man on the lips, “Okay, let’s go to sleep… Tomorrow morning, come with me to buy a gift, then we’ll go back to
the manor.”
Yes, he had been in Luyang the whole time, but hadn’t gone home; he was waiting for Si Cang Qing to come to
him in person.
“Qiu,” Si Cang Qing stopped the man from rising, explaining softly, “Regarding Mo…”
“Brother Qing,” Qiu Ping Tian quickly interrupted, gazing intently into the man’s eyes, “I can ignore his existence,
but… don’t force my approval.”
“…Alright.”
Si Cang Qing tightened his arms, pulling the man into his embrace, kissing his hair intermittently—as long as
they were safe, he wouldn’t force them to do anything they didn’t want to do.
With a soft sigh, Qiu Ping Tian didn’t rush to leave, quietly leaning against the man’s shoulder.
Perhaps anger, perhaps worry, or perhaps jealousy, made him unable to tolerate that person remaining by
Si Cang Qing’s side. But… even if he ran away from the palace in a fit of anger, he knew clearly what he wanted.
However, he did need to calm down, and… wait for Si Cang Qing to catch up. This wasn’t a pretense; he was a
businessman, and whatever he did, he had a certain degree of confidence and calculation in his heart.
However, faced with Si Cang Qing's feelings, his calmness and rationality were severely affected, making it
difficult to maintain a peaceful and steadfast state of mind.
Therefore, while he was angry about Mo Qing Jue, he felt even more fear. When everything was out of his
control, he needed someone to think things through, and he also needed to…test where this person truly placed
him in their heart.
Because, compared to the others, he was the only one whose identity wasn't actively accepted by Si Cang Qing,
but rather obtained through his own calculated steps, even deliberate misleading.
He was always resolute and persistent in what he wanted to do and what he wanted to obtain. But this didn't mean
he was completely devoid of feelings.
In his relationship with Si Cang Qing, he was always the proactive one, while Si Cang Qing's gentle pampering
and indulgence were both heartwarming and comforting, yet also somewhat confusing. He wasn't sure how much
genuine feeling was hidden within this indulgence and affection.
The moment he saw Si Cang Qing today, he was overjoyed. Yet, because of this, a feeling akin to being wronged
arose within her for a fleeting moment, though it was real nonetheless.
"QingDi," Qiu Ping Tian suddenly recalled the words he had used to mislead this person, "I once said I would
pursue you, in a legitimate way... Now, what is your answer?"
This was a subtle test. Si Cang Qing lowered his head, his fingers gently lifting the other's chin, gazing intently
into the other's unusually earnest eyes.
"You are already my wife."
So there was no need for 'pursuit' anymore; he had already, unknowingly, fallen for this person.
"Heh," Qiu Ping Tian chuckled, sighing softly, “QingDi seems to understand many things… You won't blame me?"
The answer was a light kiss.
Wrapping his arms around the other's neck, Qiu Ping Tian slightly pulled away from the other's lips, words
escaping from the brief touch, "Let's bathe together…"
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