Guanshan Muyu

Chapter 2

Six months ago.

Xia Xun rode in a carriage for twenty days before they arrived in the capital.

Qi Yan’s guards traveled at double speed, not daring to delay for a moment.

When he entered Qi Yan’s residence, the servant guided him to the main house and retired.

He waited all afternoon without seeing anyone.

It was getting dark and he couldn’t fight his tiredness anymore, so he lay on the table and fell asleep.

In the dim light, he heard footsteps coming from outside, opened his eyes and sat up.

The visitor moved very lightly. He hesitated outside the door for a moment and then pushed the door in.

——It was Qi Yan.

He walked around the pillar, the candlelight working its way up from his feet, gradually illuminating his legs, waist and shoulders.

Finally, his handsome face emerged from the darkness and appeared in the soft candlelight.

Even seven years later, he still had picturesque eyebrows, his looks unforgettable to anyone who had seen him.

Xia Xun’s gaze moved to his waist; he was wearing a splendid gold-woven belt, his clothes much more gorgeous than before.

He carried a food box in his hands.

“Have you been waiting for a long time? Sorry, there have been too many things recently. I heard that you arrived and wanted to rush back, but I really couldn’t get rid of…”

His tone was familiar; he was talking like before, as if nothing had happened between them.

Xia Xun hid his hands in his sleeves, clenched his fists and forced himself not to move.

Qi Yan put the food box on the table.

“Are you hungry? This is acacia leaf cold cakes. I remember you used to like them very much.”

Xia Xun ignored it, slowly stood up and gave him a respectful salute.

He had not been in the capital for a long time and he didn’t know the rituals of the nobles in the capital now, but his movements were not rusty.

He thought his salute must have been wrong because Qi Yan’s face immediately turned unsightly.

Xia Xun smiled at himself, lowered his hands and said:

“My eldest brother is married and has a daughter who is less than one year old.”

As soon as Xia Xun spoke, Qi Yan was more than a little surprised.

For many years he had lived in Douzhou, in exile in the south of the country, where the climate was hot and humid and the water was rough.

Xia Xun was born in the capital, acclimatised to its soil and water, and suffered a serious illness as soon as he arrived there.

After he recovered from his illness, his throat was damaged and his voice became so hoarse that even he found it difficult to hear.

Qi Yan’s words sounded sour: “You — how could you…?”

Xia Xun did not answer and continued：

“For the sake of his little daughter, I would like to beg Lord Zhongshu — please don’t make things difficult for him. If you still have any unresolved grievances, I can bear them for him.”

Qi Yan’s expression froze, all the excitement and disbelief of reuniting with Xia Xun receding in an instant.

His eyes were dazed and he stood still, unable to speak for a long time.