Chapter 66 Is His Highness now in love?

Chen Liangyu immediately burst into laughter, mimicking, "Serving in bed. Where did you learn such frivolous language?"

Xie Wenjun lay on her back, saying, "No matter how frivolous you are, if you meet someone who doesn't understand romance, there's no charm to speak of. Come here."

Chen Liangyu approached as instructed and stood outside the green gauze curtain. "What is it?"

Xie Wenjun sat up halfway, propping her chin on her hand, and said, "You haven't answered yet. Did you miss me?"

The air inside the room seemed to thin out.

Chen Liangyu's every breath was like pulling a broken, rusty bellows, dry and incredibly heavy.

After much thought, Chen Liangyu decided to ignore her advances.

"Your Highness will be staying here tonight. I will go to the study."

Xie Wenjun jumped off the bed barefoot, walked quickly to the door before Chen Liangyu, blocked her from leaving, and slammed the door shut, keeping Chen Liangyu inside.

He pressed closer and closer to her.

Chen Liangyu avoided her pace and backed away. The bedroom was small, and if she took a few more steps back, she would bump into the low sandalwood table by the window.

She stopped and looked at Xie Wenjun in silence.

The lichen from yesterday's bed hadn't been removed yet, and the floor didn't feel cold underfoot. Xie Wenjun seemed determined to dwell on such a trivial matter.

Chen Liangyu said, "Your Highness's peace talks with Dongyin didn't go well today? Are you making fun of me?"

Xie Wenjun suddenly grabbed Chen Liangyu by the neck, forcing her to tilt her head back to breathe and retreat.

Her neat, rounded fingernails dug into Chen Liangyu's neck, a gesture that seemed both tender and controlling. With a shove, Xie Wenjun pushed Chen Liangyu onto the low table, her back pressed against the wall beneath the window, her chin raised.

Chen Liangyu was forced to look up and meet Xie Wenjun's gaze.

Xie Wenjun said, "I insist that you say it!"

The room remained silent for a long time. Chen Liangyu tried to remove the hand that was gripping her neck, but for some reason, she put her arm down again as soon as she raised it, resting it on the low table.

A faint breeze hissed and whistled through the narrow crack in the slightly ajar window.

Chen Liangyu made a soft nasal sound, "Mmm."

Xie Wenjun: "Nothing else?"

Chen Liangyu: "Hmm."

Since she obediently complied, Xie Wenjun wanted to press her for a few more questions.

Seeing Chen Liangyu's face growing increasingly ashen and her eyes becoming more and more like she wanted to devour someone, Xie Wenjun suddenly felt that if she held her hand on her neck for just one more moment, Chen Liangyu might kick her out of Liangyuan even if she was punished for treason.

Xie Wenjun thought it best to stop while she was ahead, but her hand, whether intentionally or unintentionally, moved to her chin and gently hooked it.

She smiled and asked, "Are you angry?"

As the tight constriction around his throat eased, Chen Liangyu took a few quick breaths, the cool air reaching his chest.

Chen Liangyu said in a deep voice, "Don't do that again. It's not good."

Xie Wenjun said, "Boring. I knew you weren't good at teasing me."

Chen Liangyu said, "Your Highness is now in charge of affairs in the court, and should be careful with your words and actions in front of others. You should not do such things again except in front of me."

She went around to the other side of the screen, where there was a round table and two chairs, separated from the bed. On the round table were a teapot and cups. She didn't touch the teapot or turn over the cups. She sat with her back to Xie Wenjun, casting a long shadow on the screen.

Xie Wenjun walked up behind her and suddenly said, "It's alright."

Chen Liangyu and Xie Wenjun were separated by a carved pear wood screen. The screen was decorated with a large expanse of withered sea buckthorn, with eagles circling high in the sky. A dark shadow was vaguely visible beneath the eagle's claws.

Chen Liangyu was completely tense.

The eagle's claws on the screen, illuminated by the lamplight, resembled the claws of a devil, pinning her down and rendering her immobile.

Xie Wenjun said, "The people in the court are arguing fiercely again today. They've been arguing for two hours about whether I should move the palace or establish my own residence. They've been calling out the officials and the sages."

Chen Liangyu asked, "What is Your Highness's own opinion?"

Xie Wenjun said, "Establish a residence. There are several old residences in Yongdu to choose from. Have the Ministry of Works repair them, and then you can move in."

Repairing the old residence also takes a lot of time. There are repairs and patching, and the wooden doors and windows, wall tiles, and other materials need to be replaced. Bridges and roads need to be rebuilt and fresh water brought into the residence. Stone and wood carvings and other auspicious items also need to be repaired by craftsmen. It will take a while before the residence can be moved.

Chen Liangyu hadn't considered this point. When Xie Wenjun immediately wanted to establish a residence, he said, "I have a few days of free time. If there is anything lacking in your residence, I will go and procure it."

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs will handle the affairs of the mansion, but,” Xie Wenjun walked from behind the screen to Chen Liangyu and sat down in another chair next to her, “we are still missing a person to manage the household affairs.”

Chen Liangyu seemed not to have expected her to bring this up, and it took him quite a while to understand the hidden meaning behind the phrase "managing the household affairs".

The smile on her lips turned bitter; she couldn't tell how forced her smile was. Even so, she followed Xie Wenjun's words and said, "Now that you've established your own residence, it's time to properly select a consort."

Xie Wenjun looked over, and Chen Liangyu subtly looked away the moment their eyes met.

Xie Wenjun said, "How about you come and take charge of things at my residence?"

“Okay,” Chen Liangyu said.

She agreed without hesitation, which exceeded Xie Wenjun's expectations. Xie Wenjun was fully prepared for Chen Liangyu to analyze the "military defense and war situation in the north" and then earnestly offer some words of "putting the people of the world first" to shirk responsibility. But she only said "okay".

Chen Liangyu asked, "Your Highness, why are you suddenly bringing this up? Is it because you have someone you love?"

"Yes. I fell in love at first sight."

He was extremely serious, and there wasn't a trace of a joke in his voice.

Xie Wenjun added, "But she had no intention of doing so."

Chen Liangyu said, "Your Highness has won his heart, yet he has no interest in you?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Chen Liangyu noticed that Xie Wenjun was not joking; his dejection was impossible to hide. She teased, "Whether he meant it or not, just tie him up and keep him confined in the mansion."

Xie Wenjun's tightly pursed lips trembled slightly. She coughed and chuckled, saying, "I really hope that, as you say, she can be kept in the manor and raised here."

Chen Liangyu suddenly stood up: "I'm going out for a walk."

Before Xie Wenjun could react, she threw on her cloak and opened the door as if fleeing, saying, "Your Highness, please don't trouble yourself too much."

The month after Xie Yuan ascended the throne, he ordered the curfew in Yongdu to be lifted. With agriculture not thriving, the court intended to relax restrictions on commerce and trade, and the boundaries between the wards and the markets were gradually broken down. Chen Liangyu found a singing and drinking tavern that was still open in the wards.

The waiter wiped his hands on the greasy braided apron tied around his waist, draped a rag over his shoulder, and said, "Sir, our shop is about to close."

Chen Liangyu said, "I only buy wine."

The waiter said, "Please sit down and wait a moment." Soon he brought over a jar of wine and two small dishes. "Sir, you've come late. We only have the strongest liquor left. We'll serve you two small dishes of snacks and a pot of tea."

As he spoke, he placed boiled edamame and peanuts on the table. The dish did not look fresh and seemed to have been sitting for a long time.

Chen Liangyu didn't touch his chopsticks, but instead gulped down several cups of liquor.

This wine is spicy and potent. Taking a big gulp is like lighting a fire under a pile of dry firewood, and the flames burst forth from the throat into the stomach.

She picked up a cup of tea to calm the burning heat in her heart and lungs, sat quietly for a while, took out her purse and threw a few copper coins on the ancient wooden octagonal table. The copper coins clanged against the wine vessels and spun around on the table a few times.

Before the waiter could shoo her away again, she walked out of the tavern unsteadily, her steps faltering.

A dim, yellow lantern shone from the veranda of the Liangyuan bedroom, appearing somewhat dark under the overcast sky that obscured the moon; the single lamp illuminated only a small area. A figure stood alone beneath the lantern, seemingly stubbornly waiting for someone.

Chen Liangyu, reeking of alcohol, walked over.

"Your Highness..."

She raised her hand, her thumb gliding across Xie Wenjun's right cheek, wiping away a speck of dirt from her face.

Xie Wenjun put down the lantern, struggled to help her into the room, placed her on the couch, and turned to go to the round table behind the screen to pour her some water.

Chen Liangyu grabbed a piece of her sleeve: "Don't go."

She couldn't sleep soundly at night, waking up several times a night, and it seemed that she could only sleep peacefully when she was next to Xie Wenjun.

Xie Wenjun pinched Chen Liangyu's face. Seeing that she didn't flinch and didn't have the murderous look in her eyes as before, he took advantage of the situation and lifted her chin again.

There was no resistance.

"What will you do if I don't leave?"

Chen Liangyu thought about it carefully and then shook his head sincerely.

Xie Wenjun braced her arms on either side of Chen Liangyu's body, in an extremely strange posture.

The wine she drank today was not enough to render Chen Liangyu unconscious. Reason told her she should avoid Xie Wenjun's touch, and pain and restraint filled her eyes beneath her eyelashes.

There seemed to be tears in her eyes.

Yet she allowed Xie Wenjun to get closer and closer.

I'm going all in! It's not like we've never kissed before.

Chen Liangyu gritted her teeth, pressed her lips tightly together, and took the initiative to lean in and gently touch her lips.

Xie Wenjun whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "That's not enough."

That's not right!

She and His Highness shouldn't be like this.

Chen Liangyu frowned slightly and turned her face away.

But soon, his face was turned back to face.

Chen Liangyu was pushed down onto the couch by a force that wasn't strong. As she fell, her arm climbed up Xie Wenjun's slender waist and then tightened around her. Her other hand went through Xie Wenjun's cascading black hair and held it down, while the smell of alcohol wafted freely between her lips and teeth.

Then a soft touch lingered on my lips, and my body temperature gradually rose.

As their lips met, Chen Liangyu couldn't help but wonder what Xie Wenjun's beloved looked like.

Before the question could even be uttered, I had already fallen into their trap.

With a swift movement, Chen Liangyu flipped Xie Wenjun down, pinning her beneath him. He grabbed a soft pillow from the bedside table and placed it behind Xie Wenjun's head, causing her to tilt her head back slightly. One hand gripped the back of Xie Wenjun's neck, and a wave of hot breath swept over her, engulfing and pressing against her lips.

Soon, she was no longer satisfied with this superficial invasion. Like a conqueror prying open a city, she eagerly probed deeper. Her burning breaths grew heavier and heavier in that small space, and for a moment, it seemed as if certain gaps in her life were being stitched up and mended.

Whether it was because Xie Wenjun intentionally indulged or even guided her, Chen Liangyu became more and more deeply immersed in this intimate embrace and kiss. Several times she tried to pull away, but was always pulled back.

What truly awakened her was a muffled groan escaping from Xie Wenjun's throat.

Chen Liangyu's gaze lingered for a while before focusing, and she was shocked to see what was before her. The person beneath her had their clothes torn to shreds, revealing half of their fair skin and several pale pink hickeys. Her fingers were hooked around Xie Wenjun's corset, which had already loosened halfway from the strain.

She herself wasn't much better off. Her clothes were half-open, which was quite improper.

Chen Liangyu rolled over and hurriedly straightened her clothes, "I'm sorry... Your Highness..."

She didn't dare look at Xie Wenjun, but there was no response from behind for a long time.

Turning her head, Xie Wenjun's clothes were half-open, her collarbone slightly protruding and embedded in the fabric that Chen Liangyu had messed up. Her fair skin was like a piece of white jade, bathed in moonlight.

The red mark, like a peach petal in mid-March, was faintly visible under Xie Wenjun's neck; it was the mark of her recklessness.

Chen Liangyu quickly turned her gaze away, her back to Xie Wenjun, and reached out to pull the front of Xie Wenjun's clothes together and close them.

"I'm going to the study."

In her panic, Chen Liangyu stumbled and bumped her hip against a screen, then against a round table, knocking over a set of cups and saucers with a loud clanging sound.

Xie Wenjun lazily got up and watched her stumble around in a daze. He thought to himself that if he really let her out of this door, she would die before she even reached the study.

"Aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation if you go out looking like that?"

Chen Liangyu stammered, "I...it's okay, it's all okay!"

Even if it ruins my reputation, I can't stay with Xie Wenjun any longer. Something bad will happen! Something bad is bound to happen!

She felt disgusted by the thoughts that had sprouted in her mind about Xie Wenjun.

She could convince herself that a kiss was just a way to find some comfort in each other's company, but just now she clearly wanted to do something else.

"Ah Li, come here."

A few strands of hair fell over her shoulders, and Xie Wenjun rested one hand lightly on the edge of the couch.

Chen Liangyu thought she should break out of the door immediately, but her body involuntarily moved toward Xie Wenjun, swaying and staggering, and each step required a great deal of effort to balance her body.

It couldn't stay steady and tilted again.

Xie Wenjun went to help her, but the moment he touched her, Chen Liangyu flinched away like a startled bird.

Xie Wenjun was both amused and exasperated. "The way you're acting, it's like I'm about to bully you?"

Chen Liangyu seemed to have heard a joke, "You're bullying me?"

Xie Wenjun reached out his hand to her, and Chen Liangyu still tried to dodge in panic, but the bedroom was completely exposed except for a screen, so she had nowhere to hide.

Chen Liangyu said, "Your Highness, please don't tease me..."

Xie Wenjun said, "Alright. I originally wanted to discuss the matter of Dongyin with you, but it seems we can only postpone it until tomorrow."

The moment her head hit the pillow, a wave of intoxication washed over her, followed by a wave of drowsiness. Chen Liangyu slept restlessly, her mind hazy, as if someone had pulled her into a soft embrace, and she could almost smell their fragrance.

Chen Liangyu instinctively moved closer, sniffed, found it pleasant, and took two deep breaths before finally falling asleep.

Before falling asleep, she said, "Your Highness, don't be angry."

Author's note: Thank you for reading this far!