Cunning General Si Ning
Chapter 230: Cloudnine

Chapter 230: Cloudnine

Lin Fan and some guards also rode their horses in but when they saw the lovers made them quickly turned their heads to look away as their horses came to a halt, Yang Sheng and Ah Dai that just rushed out too running after Si Ning quickly looked away just like the guards and Servants in the courtyard, some had blushes on their faces while Yang Sheng only faked a cough while Ah Dai was smiling brightly.

Everything and everyone all ready melted away as Si Ning sniffed the scent of sandalwood, he had missed the calming scent and if possible he wouldn’t mind staying in Xiu Zhicheng embrace forever. They both released each other and looked deeply into each other’s eyes, Si Ning could see that Xiu Zhicheng was tired and seemed to be lacking rest even though it didn’t show on his face, this made him worried as he watched Xiu Zhicheng moved back and fell on one knee.

A guard in the courtyard that was peeping gasped because the Emperor doesn’t kneel for no man, Lin Fan turned to give him a murderous look which made the guard quickly bow and looked away with a guilty expression.

Xiu Zhicheng raised his head to look at his wife. "Si Ning, I am sorry for putting you on house arrest but you must also know how I felt when I found out about your involvement with the Emperor of Xilie but I know now in my heart you won’t choose any man over me so I want us to forget it all, move to pass it and start all over again." He said and brought out Si Ning’s ring from his pouch, he took Si Ning’s hand and inserted the ring in it then gave the hand with the ring a light kiss before raising his head to look at his wife’s expression. "Si Ning I love you and I need you to stay here in Xiu, promise me you will stay to protect the Palace, protect my sons and protect Xiu."

.

A tear dropped from Si Ning’s eye that he quickly wiped away, he watched the loving gesture of Xiu Zhicheng holding his hand with the matching ring with his hand he wore his matching ring. Si Ning loved him so much and wasn’t ready to leave him but he was going to stay and run the Palace and the Nation.

Si Ning placed his free hand on Xiu Zhicheng’s cheek. "I will, I promise."

Xiu Zhicheng stood up and bent his head so their forehead would be touching as he held Si Ning’s hand. "You will not leave the Palace and I will send you letters and allies to come in contact in case we need aid."

"Yes, I will not leave the palace just make sure you come back to me." Si Ning told him gently, his eyes misty, if Xiu Zhicheng tells him to ride with him, he won’t think twice before agreeing but now he knows he had to protect Xiu in his absence.

Xiu Zhicheng moved back then bent to capture Si Ning’s lips in a brief kiss. "I will come back to you." He said then moved back till their hand separated. He quickly mounted his horse and with a last look at Si Ning he rode out with Lin Fan and the guards.

For the rest of the day, Si Ning was on cloud nine, he kept smiling glad that he and Xiu Zhicheng had dissolved their problems and resolved their issues in the simplest term. He was anxious but did not panic because he trust Xiu Zhicheng to stay alive he kept himself busy checking all the plans that the Minister of Defense brought for him, his promise to Xiu Zhicheng was going to prevent him from meeting Qiu Bai and kill him but the least he could do was to mobilize a small skilled force to their meeting place.

Si Ning planned to hold the court meeting the next day but for the night he had to review the Minister of Defense plan then the Minister of Finance showed up to talk about the matter of the reserved treasury, it was after he left Ling Qi came to beg for the Minister of Education because for the past three days the Minister of Education had been kneeling in front of the Imperial study without eating or sleeping till he collapsed. Si Ning couldn’t be bothered with the Minister of Education so he just nodded to indicate the Minister of Education was forgiven.

"Your Majesty, her Highness is here to see Your Majesty." Yang Sheng reported when he came in.

Her Highness?

The Queen Dowager coming was one thing Si Ning doesn’t want nor appreciate, he had been burying his face in the plans the Minister of Defense brought for him so he didn’t realised it was already dark it should be late in the night. Si Ning gestured for Yang Sheng to allow her in, in order to pay his respects to her, he closed the document he was reading and moved to stand beside his table ready to bow to the Queen Dowager.

The door opened and Si Ning almost rolled his eyes due to his reflex, a mother-in-law drama late in the night was something he wasn’t ready for, he should have been expecting her to come to drop one or two insults on him but that should be after the court meeting, not just the day he was free from house arrest but he found himself facing Xiu Ting.

"Your Majesty."

Si Ning froze for a second as he watched Xiu Ting bow to him, he smiled glad that it wasn’t the Queen Dowager. "Take a seat." He said as he also took his seat. This was a surprise visit that brought him joy, never could he thought that Xiu Ting would visit him one day, so he quickly packed the documents to the side to create room on the table.

Xiu Ting took her seat opposite Si Ning. "Is Your Majesty doing well, I brought some cookies I made, it is still a tryout but I have tried it several times and I can assure you it is not poisonous." She joked.

Si Ning laughed, he was happy to see her and that was when he noticed she was carrying a basket, he couldn’t help but overlap her with Liu Ting, if he hadn’t spent the majority of his life in the modern-day world he would have said the time he spent with Liu Ting was a dream but entering into another timeline wasn’t bad at all and meeting Xiu Ting. "The only poison your cookies will give me is prosperity." He also said a light joke and smiled when he heard Liu Ting chuckle, he took a cookie from the basket Liu Ting placed on the table but Liu Ting quickly stopped him making him raise a brow.

"I will taste it." Liu Ting said after a quick look around to see no one was present to taste the cookie. She took a bite only to see that Si Ning already dipped his hand in the basket, brought out one, and started to eat it, this made Liu Ting’s eyes widen because this shows that Si Ning had a level of trust in her.

Liu Ting finished eating it and swallowed, she turned to look at her right then left suspiciously before bringing out a folded piece of paper from the lapel of her robe and stylishly extending it to Si Ning.

Si Ning was already eating the second piece of cookie when he saw the note, he took it and opened it but the door opened which made Liu Ting grab the note, she was almost faster than lighting just like the flash, one minute Si Ning was holding the note, the next it was gone.

"How is the cookie?" Xiu Ting asked.

"Ver..ry go..good." Si Ning replied with his mouth full then he raised an eyebrow at Yang Sheng that came in.

"I brought freshly squeezed orange juice please have some Your Majesty and Your Highness," Yang Sheng said as he placed a porcelain jug on the table, he set two cups and poured the juice in them then stepped back.

"You can leave." Si Ning waved him off.

Yang Sheng that was still standing made Si Ning quickly grab the cup to drink a little because Yang Sheng won’t leave otherwise, he placed his cup on the table and lifted Xiu Ting’s cup, placing it a bit closer to her which she accepted and took a sip. Yang Sheng finally bowed and left.

Xiu Ting once again looked around. "Are we the only ones in the room?" She whispered.

Si Ning nodded, he wasn’t about to tell Xiu Ting his room had been bridged twice. Once again Xiu Ting extended the note to him, he collected and unwrapped it as he brought it to the candle to read the tiniest handwriting he had ever seen.

’The Prime Minister, the Imperial Tutor, and the Minister of Justice are spies working with Xilie.’

Si Ning’s eyes widened in shock as he read it over and over again, Xiu Ting grabbed the note and threw it in her mouth, she chew it then swallowed.

What?