Chapter 208: Chapter 207 ConcealmentHe Ying complied with her wish and asked with a smile, "Have you thought of a good name?"


    Sang Yan then thought for a moment, "Its fur is like snow, and it has a robust build, surely it runs as fast as lightning. How about we call it Xueben?"


    No sooner had the words left her mouth than the white horse exhaled onto her hand and snorted a few times, as if it really liked the name.


    "Not bad."


    He Ying also felt it was imposing.


    Xueben was nibbling on Sang Yan’s sleeve, as if it found it amusing.


    Sang Yan found this entertaining and couldn’t help but stroke its fur, pressing her forehead against the horse’s head too.


    This was a privilege usually reserved for He Ying.


    He Ying wouldn’t allow it, quickly pulling her away and blocking her action, before changing the subject, "Since you like it, allow me to tame it first, and then I will teach you how to ride."


    Sang Yan nodded with a smile, "Alright."


    He Ying then took the horse reins and went to the training ground.


    Xueben indeed was a spirited horse.


    It was close to Sang Yan, but not to He Ying. Once they reached the training ground, a considerable struggle ensued.


    Just getting on the horse took He Ying some time.


    Once he mounted, the horse dashed wildly, attempting to throw him off.


    "Xueben! Behave yourself!"


    He Ying tightened the horse reins, controlling its speed.


    As Sang Yan had said, it ran as fast as lightning and its stamina was immense; it ran for an hour without showing any sign of fatigue.


    This exhausted He Ying quite a bit.


    He had been recovering from an injury and was almost weakened from too much rest.


    After another hour of taming, he finally got it to obey a little.


    When he dismounted, he was drenched in sweat, and his clothes were wet at the back.


    Seeing him so weary, Sang Yan couldn’t bear to see him work so hard. She took a handkerchief dipped in water and began to wipe his sweat for him, saying, "Tired, aren’t you? Let’s not bother with horse riding today. You should rest more."


    He Ying nodded.


    He wasn’t overly tired; it was just his perspiration that bothered him, a flare-up of his cleanliness obsession made him desire a bath.


    "Join me for a bath."


    "No."


    Sang Yan was now afraid to bathe with him, "I still hurt."


    He Ying paused for a moment, then said softly, "I’ll just look, won’t do anything."


    Sang Yan didn’t believe him for a second.


    She huffed with annoyance, "You’ve already lost all credibility with me."


    He Ying: "..."


    He touched his nose, his handsome face looking innocent as he said dryly, "It’s not quite to that extent."


    Ignoring him, Sang Yan accompanied him to the door of the bathhouse, then she quickly left.


    She found a shady spot under the flower trees at the entrance of the courtyard, holding a new map of Quanzhou, looking for places where she could take He Ying out to relax.


    Since she was sitting in a lounge chair, the flower bushes partially obscured her.


    Two maids who were walking down the corridor were so engrossed in their excitement, discussing in hushed tones while holding colorful silks, that they did not notice Sang Yan:


    "Chinese Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and my Cloud Pattern Silk is sure to catch a lot of attention."


    "Pooh pooh pooh, aren’t you ashamed?"


    "What’s there to be embarrassed about? It’s only on Chinese Valentine’s Day that we get to go out and see things. We must seize the opportunity."


    ...


    Chinese Valentine’s Day?


    Sang Yan’s eyes lit up from behind the flower bushes: Wasn’t Chinese Valentine’s Day the same as the Qi Xi Festival?


    She had been passing the days in a daze; she hadn’t realized Chinese Valentine’s Day was almost upon them!


    The two maids still hadn’t noticed Sang Yan, clutching their thin silks with eyes full of anticipation.


    "I wonder what my future husband will be like!"


    "Do you think we, who were sold into servitude as maids, can really hope for good husbands?"


    "All I know is that on one Chinese Valentine’s Day, Sister Biqiao by Mr. Gao’s side met her ideal man. He personally approached Mr. Gao to ask for her hand, and Mr. Gao consented, even providing Sister Biqiao with a generous dowry."


    "Is that so? Then Sister Biqiao is very lucky indeed."


    "I eagerly await having a loving and harmonious relationship like the Emperor and Empress."


    At the height of their excitement, one maid even placed the silk over her chest, looking up to the sky with a face full of longing.


    "Cough, cough—"


    Sang Yan deliberately coughed softly twice.


    The two maids were startled, and as they followed the sound to look over, they saw the person watching them with a smile. Their expressions changed drastically the next moment as they knelt and kowtowed.


    "We deserve to die!"


    "Empress, please forgive us!"


    It’s over!


    They didn’t know how much of their conversation the Empress had heard. Speaking behind the backs of the Emperor and Empress was a grave taboo!


    Resting her chin on her hand, Sang Yan looked at the trembling young maids on the ground and thought: Was she really that scary? Startling them to this degree? Could it be that after spending so much time with He Ying, she had acquired some of the king’s authority?


    "Get up. I have something to ask you."


    Sang Yan slightly raised her hand, signaling for them to stand.


    The two maids looked at each other and shakily stood up: "Lady, please ask."


    Sang Yan then asked, "I heard you talking about Chinese Valentine’s Day just now, and something about silk... What’s the connection between these?"


    The maid held a bundle of very light, thin silk.


    Its quality was nothing extraordinary, yet the patterns it bore were intricate, cloud-shaped, and under sunlight, even held a pearly sheen.


    Seeing that Sang Yan was inquiring about these and didn’t seem to have any intention of pursuing their fault, they both breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then, gathering their courage, they walked over with the Cloud Pattern Silk and described the customs of Chinese Valentine’s Day in Quanzhou, one by one.


    *


    After bathing, He Ying went to the study to handle governmental affairs.


    It was already midnight by the time he returned to his room.


    Yet the candlelight in the room was still burning.


    Ah Yan hadn’t slept yet?


    Was she waiting for his return?


    He Ying frowned, unhappy that Sang Yan was staying up late.


    There was no need to wait for him.


    Staying up was bad for her health.


    "I greet the Emperor—"


    The guard at the entrance saluted.


    The sound startled the person inside.


    So, when He Ying pushed the door and entered, he saw Sang Yan frantically trying to hide something in the cabinet. Sёarch* The N??elFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Xinyuan, you’re back."


    Sang Yan placed her hands behind her back, pressing the cabinet door tightly shut.


    There was a look of startled panic in her eyes, and yet she stiffened her back, attempting to look like she was completely composed.


    Standing a good distance away, He Ying looked at the flustered beauty, a smile that was not quite a smile on his face: "Ah Yan, what are you hiding?"


    "I’m not hiding anything."


    Sang Yan shook her head several times.


    Then, as if afraid that He Ying would come over to look, she quickly ran up to him and pulled him toward the bed.


    "I’m tired, it’s time to rest."


    She yawned, pretending to be very sleepy, but as her hand touched her cheek, the wound from a needle prick made her wince in pain.


    Damn it!


    Now she understood why ancient women tended to be so gentle and mild!


    After an entire set of needlework, even the most irritable temperament could be smoothed out.


    He Ying had been watching her every small expression and felt that she was hiding something.


    And that cabinet?


    What exactly was hidden inside?


    He suppressed his curiosity for the time being and did not push the issue, instead, he lay down beside her.


    Once on the bed, to avoid He Ying’s questioning, Sang Yan closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.


    It was already very late, and before she knew it, she actually dozed off.


    He Ying didn’t feel the slightest bit sleepy.


    He had just noticed the slight furrow in her brow and not asking about it immediately didn’t mean he wasn’t concerned.


    Now, as her breathing became steady, he gently took her hand, and at a glance, he saw the pricked marks on the white tips of her fingers.


    She hadn’t been sleeping; she had been doing needlework?


    Why do needlework?


    She never had any interest in those things.


    He Ying was suspicious in his heart, silently lifting the blanket and walking over to the cabinet.