Chapter 159: Red Dust Fragrance Within Reach

That small incense room was very narrow and piled with half of the incense and candles. Jia Cong and Qin Keqing squeezed in, and just as he gently covered the door.

He heard footsteps in the Buddha hall, estimating that five or six people had entered.

Jia Cong heard Prince Ning's voice: "Why isn't the Attendant Gentleman here?"

He also heard Qin Ye's voice: "Your Highness, look, the ink is not yet dry. It seems the Attendant Gentleman happened to walk away."

In the incense room, Qin Keqing heard her father's words and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She was scared just now and didn't feel it, but now that she had come to her senses, she couldn't help but blush with shame.

That incense room was originally a corner separated from the Buddha hall and was very narrow. The two of them had squeezed in just now, and now they were squeezed together face to face.

Qin Keqing was a few years older than Jia Cong. She was in her prime, graceful and delicate like a flower. Being so close, she was so shy that her whole body went soft, and she almost screamed unconsciously.

Fortunately, Jia Cong was quick-witted. He raised his hand to cover her cherry lips and whispered in her ear: "Don't make a sound. If you alarm those outside, it will be hard to clear things up."

These words were useful. Keqing realized, remained silent, her pretty face burning red like fire. Her body was pressed tightly against Jia Cong, trembling slightly, and she couldn't help but twist a few times.

She also saw the transcribed characters, ancient, simple, elegant, and beautiful, even revealing a hint of Zen. It was because Jia Cong had transcribed too many scriptures recently and had been reciting them unconsciously, so the brushwork was naturally permeated.

Hearing this, the hearts of Jia Cong and Qin Keqing rose to their throats.

Qin Keqing's whole body was burning, her body was almost soft into a ball, and she couldn't stand anymore. Jia Cong naturally hugged her slender waist.

If these people noticed, it would be a huge scandal, and it would create enmity with the Ningguo Jia family. That Third-Class Weilie General of Ningguo was not a person to be trifled with.

Prince Ning and other officials walked to the desk where Jia Cong transcribed scriptures and saw the scriptures Jia Cong had just transcribed. The ink was not yet dry, so he must have just walked away.

An old man's voice: "Zhining, I have told you many times that this incense room is full of flammable materials. You must close it when not in use. Why did you forget again?"

Qin Ye wished he could go find that wicked daughter now, but Prince Ning and his colleagues were all present, so he had to endure it to avoid being seen.

Jia Cong only felt the plump softness pressed against his chest, clearly feeling the soft and exquisite body of the other party. The two faces leaned back so they wouldn't touch.

That Jia Cong had the name of a talented scholar but was so reckless, seducing a girl from a good family.

It turned out that she had a secret affair with this Jia Cong and was having a secret tryst in this Buddha hall. Had she forgotten that she was already promised to Ningguo? How could she do such an absurd thing?

Qin Keqing almost screamed and bit him on the shoulder. Jia Cong felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and his hand hugging her slender waist couldn't help but loosen.

But he saw Qin Keqing's eyes dripping with tears, full of shyness and thin anger.

He was usually combed and dressed by Wu'er and Qingwen, and they were often intimate, but he had never been as close and ambiguous as he was now. Feeling that slender waist, hugging her in his arms was so soul-stirring that his hands tightened.

Beside the prayer mat was a pale blue silk handkerchief with a full moon embroidered on it, and under the moon was a laurel tree. A "Qing" character was also embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief.

Everyone commented and praised Jia Cong's newly transcribed scriptures, but they didn't notice Qin Ye standing in front of the prayer mat in front of the Buddha, his face gradually becoming ugly.

Before long, he heard footsteps walking to the door of the incense room.

Jia Cong and Qin Keqing were squeezed together, forced to be close, rubbing against each other, and even their breathing was a bit rapid. It was absurd and indescribable.

This soul-stirring and bone-eroding experience inevitably made their hearts wander.

His heart was filled with anger. No wonder this girl had been coming so diligently recently, and there was a hint of joy between her brows every time she left.

In the small incense room, the narrow space was filled with the scent of incense and candles, as well as the sweet fragrance of the young girl's body.

Qin Ye recognized at a glance that this was his daughter's item. Taking advantage of everyone's inattention, he picked it up and stuffed it into his sleeve.

Jia Cong never expected that Abbot Xuming and the little monk who changed the incense would accompany Prince Ning into Ci'an Hall.

It must be because Prince Ning was a royal noble with a high status. Since he entered the temple to visit, Xuming, as the abbot, had to accompany him.

At this moment, he heard someone walk to the door, as if to push it open.

Qin Keqing closed her eyes in fear. She really couldn't imagine what was about to happen. Her hands, which had been hanging down, subconsciously hugged Jia Cong.

Then she heard a click, and she didn't know if it was Abbot Xuming or the little monk Zhining who had bolted the door from the outside.

Jia Cong and Qin Keqing breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly thought it was wrong. The door was bolted from the outside, so how would they get out later!

Jia Cong whispered in her ear: "Don't be afraid. When there is no one later, we will just knock it open."

Qin Keqing saw Jia Cong whispering almost in her ear, and his breath made her even more confused. The posture of the two had now become hugging each other.

This extremely narrow room seemed to be an isolated world. All things withered and disappeared, and those scruples and obstacles melted away. Only they remained in the world.

No matter how absurd things were in the outside world, in this isolated small incense room, bewitched by the inexplicable heartbeat in their hearts, everything became logical.

Qin Keqing seemed to give up some struggle, slowly leaning her head on Jia Cong's shoulder, and her hands hugging him tightened slightly.

The voices in the Buddha hall were sometimes near and sometimes far, and she couldn't hear the content clearly, just like the faint chanting of the Buddha.

The footsteps outside also went further and further away, just like low drumbeats hitting the heart, trembling in the air, making people drunk.

Only the warmth and fragrance remained in the narrow incense room.

Finally, the Buddha hall outside was silent, and a pin drop could be heard.

The two in the incense room were still hugging each other tightly, as if they wanted to extract every bit of warmth from each other's bodies, and it seemed that the entire cold world had moved away from them.

"Cong... Brother Cong, I only call you this here. Once I leave here, I am still that Qin Keqing, and you are still that Attendant Gentleman Cong who transcribes scriptures."

"No matter what happens to me in the future, I just hope you don't forget today and think of me often. That will be enough for me."

Keqing raised her head from his shoulder and saw the young man's bright eyes, deep as autumn pools. The deep and gentle gaze seemed to be able to fix people's souls.

Since Jia Cong was born into this world, he had always considered himself calm, but at this moment, his heart was agitated and hard to control.

He kissed her fragrant and beautiful lips.

Whose young man is so romantic on the road, the concubine intends to marry him for a lifetime...

I don't know how long it had been, when a low-pitched voice sounded outside. The voice in front was still crying: "Young Lady, where are you..."

Another voice muttered: "Where did the Cong Sanye go?"

Jia Cong and Keqing woke up suddenly. Listening to the two voices, it was exactly Qingwen and Ruizhu.

"Qingwen, I am here. Come and open the door."

Qingwen usually transcribed scriptures with Jia Cong in Ci'an Hall and was familiar with the layout inside. As soon as she heard Jia Cong's voice, she followed the sound and soon found the inconspicuous incense room behind the Buddha statue.

She hurriedly pulled out the bolt, and was shocked by the scene before her. Her Cong Sanye was actually hugging the Qin family girl. This was too shameful. Qingwen's pretty face was flushed red.

Ruizhu also blushed, but unlike Qingwen who stared straight, she turned her head and dared not look more.

"Miss, the Master has been looking for you all this while; he seems very angry."

Keqing turned slightly pale upon hearing this, and Jia Cong instinctively gripped her hand.

Qingwen's large eyes darted around; seeing the small gestures between Jia Cong and Miss Qin, she felt a bit put off. Though she did not like her Cong Sanye's recklessness, she knew she had to preserve some face for him in front of others.

Thus, she pulled the dazed Ruizhu toward the door: "Cong Sanye, we will wait for you outside."

Jia Cong and Keqing stood facing each other in the Buddha hall for a long time, but Keqing did not know what to say; the scene in the incense workshop just now had been too shameful.

Finally, she gave Jia Cong a faint smile, tear tracks still un-wiped on her face: "I am leaving..."

Jia Cong nodded with a smile and watched her walk out of the Buddha hall, feeling that her graceful figure looked somewhat desolate.

(End of chapter)