Chapter 96 Reflecting on Her Mistakes Following his instructions, Jiang Zhuoying gradually slowed down...

Following his instructions, Jiang Zhuoying gradually calmed down. Just as they were about to meet, the man suddenly spun around and stood up...

Jiang Zhuoying felt a blur before her eyes, and then she was tightly gripped by the waist and dropped onto the grass to the side.

As soon as the arm around her waist loosened, her legs went weak and she plummeted downwards.

"My legs... my legs are weak..."

Before she could finish speaking, her waist tightened again as someone grabbed her legs and lifted her up.

Instead of the usual horizontal lift she was used to, the man simply grabbed her thighs and made her sit directly on his forearm.

Jiang Zhuoying hugged his neck, clearly still recovering from the shock. Her heart was pounding and her whole body was trembling and weak.

The comforting palm of Qi Fan was on her shoulder and back, and the familiar sweet scent of sandalwood lingered around her nose.

"Waaaah... Why did you take so long to get here?"

She was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat and couldn't help but cry out.

"Um."

With just a single word in response, Jiang Zhuoying felt much more at ease. She buried her face in the other person's shoulder, crying until the fabric on his shoulder was soaked.

Chu Yixin only arrived belatedly at this moment. She glanced at the two horses huddled together, licking each other affectionately, and couldn't help but speak up.

"Oh dear, this... could it be that we know each other?"

As soon as he spoke, Jiang Zhuoying froze for a moment and raised her head from her shoulder.

Such a posture... her cheeks flushed red, and she stammered, feeling both lingering fear from the earlier fright and some embarrassment.

"Don't hug me like that."

The arm that had been holding her lower back immediately loosened its grip, and Jiang Zhuoying panicked for a moment, wrapping her legs around him even tighter.

"No... let's leave it like this."

After all, Eunuch Chu was one of their own, so it didn't matter if he saw it.

Jiang Zhuoying held onto Qi Fan tightly, refusing to let go.

It was unclear how much time had passed, but as the light began to dim and dusk was approaching, a slightly hoarse voice finally rang in her ears: "How much longer does the Crown Princess intend to stay here?"

Jiang Zhuoying then lifted her head from his shoulder and realized that it was almost completely dark. Her gaze shifted and she saw that the two horses were still close together, looking very intimate.

She no longer felt her legs were weak, and swung them casually: "Put me down."

After her feet touched the ground, she turned her head to examine the two horses for a moment, then turned back to ask Qi Fan, "Do they know each other?"

After saying that, she swallowed hard.

Why has this guy changed his tune again?

He was perfectly fine just a moment ago, speaking softly to her, but suddenly he turned stern and his face became cold and gloomy.

Nobody provoked him.

...

It was completely dark when Jiang Zhuoying followed Qi Fan back to the tent.

The man remained silent throughout the journey.

Jiang Zhuoying keenly sensed the change in his attitude. Although she was dissatisfied with the man's sudden change of attitude, she did not lash out.

That's how it is outside, but once inside the tent, it's a different story.

Jiang Zhuoying sat down in front of the dressing table and was instructing two maids to help her with her washing and grooming.

"Everyone, step back." The man's tone was calm, yet brooked no argument.

Xiangyue and Xiangxing glanced at her, received her tacit approval, and hurriedly left the tent.

Jiang Zhuoying could see Qi Fan approaching her in the reflection of the bronze mirror. She pouted and took the initiative to break the ice.

"Your Highness, did you have a fruitful day?"

"Does the Crown Princess know her mistake?"

Jiang Zhuoying was stunned, thinking she had misheard.

She slightly propped up her eyelids: "Me? What did I do wrong?"

Qi Fan frowned: "Then I don't know."

Then Jiang Zhuoying saw him point to the corner inside, his voice without the slightest softening: "As the Crown Princess, you disregarded your safety and only cared about playing around, almost causing a serious mistake, which is considered a breach of etiquette."

He paused for a moment: "Go and face the wall for an hour."

The girl's eyes widened suddenly, her undisguised gaze filled with disbelief.

"I……"

Jiang Zhuoying suddenly stood up, her lips trembling, and she managed to utter the word "I," but then she didn't know what else to say.

Her peach blossom eyes turned red at a visible speed, and her heart felt both heavy and throbbing.

I feel wronged, but I can't refute it.

Their eyes met, and she met those deep, narrow, dark eyes. She bit her lip sharply and exclaimed, "I'm going!"

After saying that, she hurried to the corner of the tent.

The man stood there, and seeing that she didn't even turn her head to look at him once, his expression became even colder.

...

Jiang Zhuoying lowered her eyes. From this angle, she couldn't see anything but a blanket of white wool. With her eyes down, she could only see her toes and the hem of her skirt.

She was initially angry, but after standing there for a while, her anger gradually dissipated, replaced by Qi Fan's words.

She admitted that what the other party said made sense; she was now the Crown Princess and represented the face of the Eastern Palace.

If word gets out that she almost fell off her horse, it might become the laughing stock of those ladies and young women.

Actually, after Pei Yun's persuasion, she had no intention of riding a horse again.

Later, she met Ling Guiren and couldn't control her restless heart.

Qi Fan's current position as crown prince was hard-won, so he must value it highly.

She had previously stated that she would fulfill her role as the Crown Princess well.

He must be disappointed in her...

She didn't know how much time had passed, but Jiang Zhuoying's legs were standing straight, stiff and numb, almost without feeling, but she didn't sneak off to rest.

"Miss? I'm keeping an eye on things for you. Why don't you rest for a while?"

Xiangyue whispered tentatively in her ear, and together with Xiangxing, moved a drum stool behind her.

Qi Fan was no longer in the tent, and it was unclear whether the two maids had been summoned by him or had entered on their own.

"What time is it?"

“It’s almost 9 PM,” Xiangxing replied immediately.

"Fine, one hour it is." She didn't budge, and the two maids didn't dare to persuade her any further.

...

A moment later, Chu Yixin's anxious voice suddenly came from outside the tent: "Your Majesty? Is Your Majesty inside?"

Jiang Zhuoying glanced at Xiangxing: "Go and take a look."

Xiangxing went and quickly returned with a message: "Miss, His Majesty has suddenly fainted. You must go and see him right away!"

"What?!" Jiang Zhuoying exclaimed in shock.

...

Before long, she was kneeling inside the emperor's tent.

Qi Fan was serving the emperor medicine at the bedside. Inside the tent, a large group of young concubines from the harem were kneeling, including Consort Ling.

Jiang Zhuoying glanced in the direction of Consort Ling and saw that she had her eyes lowered and was very polite.

"Princess Consort, please stay. The rest of you may leave."

The powerful voice made people hold their breath involuntarily; the emperor had spoken, and those inside the tent naturally obeyed.

The tent, which was almost full of people, quickly became empty, and Jiang Zhuoying remained kneeling in place without moving.

"Come forward."

Jiang Zhuoying lowered her head: "Your subject obeys the decree."

She lifted her skirt and stepped forward, slowly kneeling beside Qi Fan.

"The Crown Prince needs to have his own offspring as soon as possible."

The unexpected remark left Jiang Zhuoying somewhat dizzy.

However, she still bowed her back, adopting a posture of listening to instruction.

"Yan'er's child has already been born. Although you, the Crown Princess, are a new bride, it may be difficult for you to fulfill your long-cherished wish quickly on your own."

Jiang Zhuoying's heart suddenly plummeted, and a suffocating wave of suffocation washed over her in an instant.

"Father, the Crown Princess and I are well aware of the matter of having an heir."

A deep male voice suddenly answered this question, and then he spoke slowly for a long time, but Jiang Zhuoying didn't hear a word of it.

The sentence I had just heard kept repeating in my mind.

"It's unlikely that she can achieve her long-cherished wish on her own."

...

"A-Zhuo?"

Jiang Zhuoying suddenly looked up, her expression blank, her gaze slowly returning to focus from its dazed state.

The man's eyes flickered slightly, and he frowned slightly as he looked at him: "A-Zhuo has not been feeling well these past two days. Since I am here to serve you, you should go back and rest first."

"It is my duty to serve you, Father." Her voice was as usual, and her demeanor was respectful.

"It's alright, cough cough cough, the Crown Prince is right, you may step down now."

...

Jiang Zhuoying left the emperor's tent, her expression clearly somewhat dazed.

When Xiangyue and Xiangxing, who were waiting not far away, saw her, they immediately came over.

They each held one of her arms, and Xiangyue rubbed her forearm: "Your Majesty?"

As the group walked toward their tents, they unexpectedly encountered another person on the way, who inexplicably made Jiang Zhuoying feel somewhat at a loss.

Xiao Wei.

He bowed slightly: "Greetings, Your Highness."

Jiang Zhuoying was a little flustered. She simply nodded slightly to him, said "No need for formalities," and left with Xiangyue and Xiangxing.

The latter's gaze followed the direction she left in until her figure completely disappeared.

Back in the tent, the two maids immediately got to work.

Xiangxing deftly helped her change her clothes: "Are you cold, young lady?"

It was winter, and it was a completely dark night; the wind was indeed biting cold on the way back.

Jiang Zhuoying shook her head; her heart was still pounding.

She had long anticipated this day, but she hadn't expected it to come so soon.

Why did she feel so tight in her chest, as if it were stuffed with wet cotton, making it difficult to breathe?

"Miss, come and drink half a bowl of hot sugar water."

Xiangyue handed the warm porcelain bowl to her, her voice soft: "It's so sweet."

The warm sugar water flowed down the tip of my tongue and into my throat. Was it sweet?

Why did she feel that it had no taste, and even felt a bit astringent in her mouth?

Her behavior was so abnormal that Xiangyue and Xiangxing exchanged a glance, both seeing worry in each other's eyes.

...

The night passed just like that.

The next morning, Jiang Zhuoying got up and asked Xiangyue and Xiangxing to help her with her makeup.

Qi Fan did not return home all night, and she worried that something might have come up and she might need to go to the Emperor's tent to attend to him while he was ill.

Although many concubines came with her this time, and it shouldn't have been her turn, she still had to be well prepared.

Xiangyue spoke gently, "Consort Ling sent someone to bring Jiaojiao here. Would you like to go and see her later, Miss?"

"I heard that Jiaojiao and the horse Your Highness rode yesterday are mother and son, no wonder such a misunderstanding occurred..."

Jiang Zhuoying was somewhat disheartened, but she couldn't bear to refuse the two maids who were devoted to her.

After a night of contemplation, she had basically figured it out.

Now it's just a matter of marrying a concubine sooner rather than later. She should be more proactive and try to select some simple-minded people to enter the household.

For the sake of the future, she didn't want to fight all day long at home.

Furthermore, His Majesty is right; she needs to become pregnant soon.

Ideally, Qi Fan's first child should be born from her womb.

She had to establish herself here so that she could have the resources to plan for her father and brother who were about to return to Luoyang.

"Miss?"

Xiangyue called her name again, her eyes filled with worry.

Jiang Zhuoying pursed her lips, turned her head, and gave her instructions.

She sent Xiangyue and Xiangxing to search for eligible noblewomen in Luojing whose fathers held official positions of the third rank or below.

A beautiful appearance and a gentle temperament are preferred.

Why the third rank? Before she could firmly establish herself, she didn't want anyone to use her family background to cause her trouble.

As for her appearance, she didn't care at all; she was extremely confident in her looks.

"As soon as possible," she urged.

...

Qi Fan returned after Jiang Zhuoying had finished her lunch.

Looking at him again, Jiang Zhuoying's heart still tightened a little, but apart from these uncomfortable feelings, she had a more determined goal.

She pinched the web between her thumb and forefinger with her fingertips, then smiled and went to meet him.

"Has Your Highness had lunch? I've had the food kept warm; should it be served now?"

Her beauty was undeniable; a mere smile seemed capable of illuminating the entire dimly lit tent.

The man, who had been indifferent, stopped in his tracks when he saw the smiling little girl running towards him.

When Jiang Zhuoying finished her greeting, his brow twitched.

"I've already used it, no need to bother." He said calmly.

The girl suddenly stopped in her tracks: "Huh? I've already used it."

She frowned slightly, looking somewhat disappointed, but then smiled again: "Crown Prince, you must be exhausted after guarding Father all night. How about Ah Zhu gives Your Highness a shoulder massage?"