Rebirth of the Duke's Daughter and the Little Imperial Uncle

Chapter 117 Attending Court

Right here and now, the two walked side by side, strolling leisurely along this winding, picturesque path. Their steps were as light as dancing fairies, each step so careful, as if afraid that even the slightest increase in the weight of their footsteps would disturb this tranquil and beautiful world.

All around was utterly silent, save for the occasional clear, melodious birdsong, like celestial music played by nature, echoing softly in the vast air. Apart from that, only the barely audible sounds of their footsteps and steady breathing intertwined, like a gentle, soothing, and lingering melody.

The brilliant sunlight pierced through the layers of dense, lush foliage, scattering patches of vibrant, iridescent golden light. These patches of light, like a group of innocent, lively, and playful sprites, danced and leaped joyfully upon their bodies. Sometimes they gently rested on their shoulders, like dazzling jewels; other times they shone on their faces, making their already beautiful features even more dreamlike, captivating the viewer and leaving them utterly mesmerized. This scene made the moment exceptionally warm and beautiful, as if the whole world had frozen, and time had stopped flowing, just to forever freeze this eternal instant.

However, as the saying goes, "the weather is unpredictable," and in this beautiful, dreamlike moment, an unexpected and sudden accident struck without warning! He Mingning was immersed in the wonderful atmosphere, and for a moment, he became careless, completely unaware of the tiny, slightly protruding stone beneath his feet. And this seemingly insignificant stone became the trigger for this accident.

The instant He Mingning's toes inadvertently touched the stone, she felt a powerful force surge from the soles of her feet. Her body felt as if it had been shoved by an invisible hand, instantly throwing her off balance. Her once light steps became unsteady, and she involuntarily leaned forward. At that moment, time seemed to freeze; everything around her slowed down, and He Mingning's heart was filled with terror and helplessness.

Just as he was about to fall to the ground in an extremely disheveled manner, it was undoubtedly a critical moment of life and death! In that split second, fortunately, Fan Junyu, who was standing to the side, reacted quickly. His eyes flashed, and his originally calm face instantly became serious. Without the slightest hesitation, he decisively stretched out his strong and powerful arms, which seemed to be forged from steel and were indestructible.

His movements were so swift, like a dazzling bolt of lightning flashing across the night sky, so fast that they were almost impossible to catch with the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, Fan Junyu, like a whirlwind, pulled He Mingning tightly into his warm, generous, and seemingly all-encompassing embrace.

In that split second, the entire world seemed to be under a spell, suddenly freezing completely. Time itself appeared to be frozen in that moment by an invisible hand, no longer flowing. Everything around became unusually quiet and peaceful, without a single extra sound disturbing this rare tranquility.

Even the rustling sound of the breeze that usually seems so ordinary and insignificant as it gently brushes against the peach tree branches and leaves sounds so clear and melodious now, like heavenly music. Every tremor of a leaf, every subtle rustling sound, can be clearly heard, bringing a sense of peace and joy.

At this moment, the two of them nestled close together, so close that they could clearly feel each other's hot, burning breath, like a gentle spring breeze, softly caressing their cheeks. Along with that warm, slightly damp air, an indescribable, ambiguous atmosphere gradually filled the air.

At the same time, their hearts, pounding like war drums, played a captivating symphony in this tranquil and romantic peach blossom grove. The powerful heartbeats rose and fell, intertwining and echoing, as if two hearts were pouring out their deepest emotions and desires.

The two stood there silently, as if time itself had frozen. They were like two exquisite sculptures, meticulously crafted by the world's finest artisans, exuding a breathtaking beauty.

A gentle breeze stirred their hair, yet they remained motionless. Their gazes met, four eyes filled with deep affection, like two bright beams of light, piercing the boundaries of time and space, fixed intently on each other. In that instant, the world seemed to shrink to just the two of them, everything around them becoming blurred.

They were so close, so close that it felt as if a slight lowering of the head would bring their soft, warm lips together. This feeling of being so close yet so far was like a taut string, ready to be plucked at any moment, unleashing a breathtaking storm of love.

Fan Junyu stood quietly in place, his gaze like two burning flames, staring deeply at the woman who had captivated his heart—He Mingning.

Her beautiful and charming face was like a fine painting. Her delicate skin radiated a charming glow, and the corners of her slightly upturned mouth carried a faint smile. Beneath her arched eyebrows, a pair of bright, star-like eyes sparkled with a gentle light. All of this was reflected in Fan Junyu's eyes like a poem or a painting.

As time ticked by, Fan Junyu's gaze gradually changed. The once fervent look grew stronger and deeper, as if it could pierce through He Mingning's body and peer into the deepest, most mysterious corner of her heart. Perhaps hidden there were all her joys and sorrows, her untold emotional journey, and her countless unspoken dreams and desires.

Finally, as if drawn by an invisible and powerful magic, Fan Junyu lowered his head involuntarily, extremely slowly and gently. His movements were as light as a feather drifting down from the sky, and even the surrounding air seemed not to ripple at all because of his actions, as if afraid that the slightest carelessness would disturb the beautiful and peaceful atmosphere at this moment.

Just as Fan Junyu's head slowly approached He Mingning, the latter's heart suddenly raced, like a wild horse galloping across the grassland. She could clearly hear her heart pounding violently, the "thump-thump-thump" sound like a stirring war drum, constantly beating in her chest, playing a beautiful melody of love.

Just as their lips were about to touch, those luscious red lips were as tempting as ripe cherries, irresistible. However, just as their lips were about to meet, Fan Junyu suddenly woke up!

With a "whoosh," he sprang up from the bed like a spring, his heart pounding like a rapidly beating war drum, each thud causing his chest to tremble slightly. Fine beads of sweat had unknowingly appeared on his forehead, as if a thin veil had been lightly draped over it.

He looked around blankly, then realized with a start that it was already bright outside, and golden sunlight streamed through the window and onto the bed. In a flash, he realized that everything he had just experienced was nothing more than a dream. But... why had he fallen into such a bizarre and absurd dream? Was it because of yesterday's unexpected intimacy?

Thinking back to yesterday's scene, Fan Junyu couldn't help but feel secretly annoyed. He had actually harbored such improper thoughts and impulses towards her, whom he had just met; it was far too frivolous and lacking in self-control! Such behavior was utterly ungentlemanly and would surely be ridiculed if word got out.

He shook his head violently, as if trying to shake off the chaotic thoughts from his mind. At the same time, he kept muttering to himself, "Stop thinking nonsense, I need to get up and wash quickly, and prepare for court. There are many important matters waiting for me today." After saying this, Fan Junyu hurriedly got out of bed and finished washing up as quickly as possible. Then, he quickly ate a simple breakfast, carefully tidied his clothes and appearance, and finally strode confidently towards the direction of the court.

Not long after, as the first light of dawn appeared in the east, a thin mist still hung over the streets. Fan Junyu, dressed in magnificent official robes, hurried towards the palace to attend the daily morning court session.

Just then, a clear and loud shout came from behind: "Cousin!" The voice was as melodious as a nightingale's song. Fan Junyu paused slightly upon hearing the voice, then quickly turned around to look. Not far away, Qin Zejun, also dressed in official robes and looking dashing, was waving vigorously at him with a broad smile.

Seeing that Fan Junyu had noticed him, Qin Zejun's smile deepened. He immediately took long strides and ran towards Fan Junyu like a whirlwind. As he ran, he shouted, "Good morning, cousin!" His cheerful tone was like the first rays of morning sunlight falling on the earth, making everyone who heard it feel happy.

Seeing this, Fan Junyu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a gentle smile. He then stopped his hurried steps, stood quietly in place, and waited with a smile for his cousin Qin Zejun to catch up with him.

Qin Zejun moved with incredible speed, arriving beside Fan Junyu in the blink of an eye. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then walked alongside Fan Junyu. Fan Junyu turned her head, her gaze falling on Qin Zejun's vibrant face. A hint of doubt flashed in her eyes as she softly asked, "Did I leave too late today? How did I end up meeting you here?"

Qin Zejun was taken aback at first, then grinned, revealing a set of clean, white teeth. He shook his head and quickly explained, "No, no, cousin, I just got up early today. I was hoping to run into you on the road and travel together." As he spoke, he gently patted Fan Junyu's shoulder, appearing very affectionate.

Upon hearing this, Fan Junyu raised his long eyebrows slightly, his gaze fixed on the person in front of him, and continued to ask, "But usually you only show up slowly like a snail a quarter of an hour before the morning court begins, why are you acting so out of character today?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Zejun's face instantly broke into a憨态可掬 smile. He chuckled and scratched the back of his head with his right hand, explaining with a hint of shyness and embarrassment, "Oh, cousin, it's just because I've been thinking about going to the palace with you." As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly raised his left hand and gently nudged Fan Junyu's broad and sturdy shoulder with his elbow.

Seeing this, Fan Junyu's face showed a look of suspicion, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, staring straight at Qin Zejun, and he slowly asked, "Oh? Why do you suddenly want to travel with me? Is there something urgent and important that you need to tell me?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Zejun quickly waved his hand in denial and eagerly replied, "Cousin, please don't make wild guesses! Actually, you see, it's been a long time since we brothers have been able to sit down and have a proper chat and catch up! Well, it just so happens that today is a rare opportunity, so I thought I could travel with you and chat about everyday things!" As he spoke, his already rather round face was filled with a fawning and ingratiating smile, like a blooming sunflower, making people unable to help but smile.

Fan Junyu's deep, bright eyes were fixed on Qin Zejun's face, as if trying to see through his seemingly calm exterior to discern his true thoughts. After gazing at him silently for a while, the corners of Fan Junyu's mouth slowly turned up, forming a faint, ambiguous smile. Then, a meaningful sentence floated from his mouth: "Hmph, stop pretending. Don't think I don't know what you're secretly plotting. Tell me, you just want to find out what happened between me and the princess yesterday, don't you?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Zejun's body jolted, and he froze on the spot. His eyes widened as he stared at Fan Junyu in disbelief, clearly not expecting his thoughts to be so easily seen through. However, Qin Zejun quickly recovered, scratching the back of his head with a simple yet slightly shy smile, and hurriedly replied, "Hehehe, as expected, nothing can be hidden from you, cousin! You're truly a prophet; you even guessed this."