Chapter 85: Indulge and seduce her.

After the memorial was delivered to the palace, Prince Jin stood up and left. He paused as he passed by Cong Ying and asked, "What are you standing there for? Are you staying at the Han Mansion for the New Year?"

Congying followed, intending to say goodbye as soon as she left the palace, but she saw the Prince of Jin quietly waiting for her, holding his carriage with the felt curtains hanging tight. Congying had no choice but to dismiss her own driver and board the Prince of Jin's carriage.

Prince Jin handed her a box, which turned out to be the valuable gifts she gave to Han Sui, Li Chaomo and the Red Rhinoceros and Golden Fox Armpit Pen, but the silver notes inside had changed from one thousand taels to three thousand taels.

He said, "Han Sui is not worthy of such a good thing. He is sensible."

Cong Ying closed the box and returned it to the Prince of Jin. "Since it was given to Your Highness by Han Zhongcheng, Your Highness should keep it."

"So reserved?" King Jin smiled. "Why are you so far away from me? Are you afraid I might repay your kindness and do something to you?"

Cong Ying whispered, "I think His Highness is polite and upright, not that kind of person."

Prince Jin wanted to say "That's not necessarily true", but then he remembered the joke he had just made about wanting her to be the queen, which had frightened her so much that she still hadn't recovered. So he resisted the urge to tease her anymore, sneered, and leaned against the wall to take a nap.

The carriage passed through Buchunqu, passed by the Imperial College, and stopped in front of the Taiyi Girls' School.

Cong Ying asked in surprise, "Why did Your Highness bring me here?"

The King of Jin coughed a few times and said slowly, "I'm here to sell you."

From Ying: "..."

Xue Luwei was waiting at the screen wall with Jiang Conghe and Wei Yiner. When they heard the carriage had arrived, the two children rushed out first to greet it. Ah He threw herself into Congying's arms and almost knocked Congying to the ground. Prince Jin managed to support her from behind and glanced at Ah He with a hint of blame.

Ah He felt that this situation was familiar and stuck out his tongue: "My brother-in-law told me not to dance like this, I was so happy that I accidentally forgot."

Prince Jin raised his eyebrows slightly: "Brother-in-law? Who taught you to call him that?"

Ah He thought he didn't know him: "It's Xie——"

Cong Ying covered her mouth with her hand, and her face turned slightly red. Fortunately, Xue Luwei stepped forward and relieved her embarrassment.

Xue Luwei said, "Her Royal Highness the Princess has instructed us to prepare for a distinguished visit today. Please come in, my two distinguished guests."

Cong Ying looked at King Jin in surprise, and King Jin explained, "I saw that you were in a bad mood these past few days, so I brought you here to relax."

Several children clung to Ying and walked inside. Xue Luwei introduced the scenery in front of them to them: the Lingxing Gate engraved with the female school training, the Shanmo Pool for students to wash their inkstones, and a row of two-story buildings behind the Shanmo Pool. They were made of blue bricks and gray tiles, simple and elegant, with the gentle sound of reading carried by the wind.

Ah He said, "I come here every morning to recite my lessons, but today the teacher gave me a day off."

Wei Yiner smiled and pointed to the railing at the corner of the small building: "That's where Ah He stands every day as punishment."

Ah He blushed and covered Wei Yiner's mouth, saying in defense, "Not every day!"

Xue Lu smiled and defended her, saying, "Ah He is the best in riding, archery, and sumo wrestling. The generals who come to teach her all praise her for her talent and her willingness to work hard. The princess said that she can study the classics and poetry at will, but Ah He wants to go to the same academy as Yin Er. The teacher is notoriously strict and will not let Ah He off even a little. He won't let her go until she has memorized the lessons."

Cong Ying couldn't help but patted Ah He's head and said, "Our Ah He has worked so hard. Look, he has grown taller again."

Xue Luwei invited her: "Come on, let's go take a closer look."

As the two of them walked toward the school building, Prince Jin raised his hand to signal Ah He and Yin Er to stop and not disturb them. Perhaps unwilling to interrupt the girls' studies, Zong Ying did not enter the building, but instead strolled leisurely along the corridor outside the window. A peaceful smile, barely perceptible to her, appeared only in her dimples.

Suddenly, she paused, tilted her head to listen carefully to what was being read in the room, and was a little unsure: "This is..."

"The article that Luoxishanren previously wrote for Qinglun."

Xue Luwei explained, "The princess is planning to hold another Qing Tan at the end of the year. In addition to the Imperial College, she's also inviting students from the Aristocratic Academy to participate, so she's asking everyone to prepare in advance. Ah Ying, it would be great if you could come and join us."

Ying's heart moved slightly, but she didn't say anything.

After visiting several schools, Xue Luwei invited them to the courtyard for tea.

This small courtyard, located behind the school building, separated from it by a bamboo grove, was both convenient and quiet. The building was neatly maintained, with rockery, water, and lush flowers and plants. At first glance, it resembled the layout of Jisu Garden. Cong Ying loved it here, feeling very comfortable in the gentle breeze. She asked Xue Luwei, "Is this where you rested at Taiyi?"

Xue Luwei shook her head and said, "This courtyard has no owner yet."

Cong Ying was puzzled: "But I see the flowers and trees are neatly arranged, the tables are dust-free, there is no sign of abandonment."

Xue Luwei said, "The Imperial College has a Jijiu (official professor), but our Taiyi Women's School is still lacking a ceremonial assistant. The princess asked me to take charge of Taiyi affairs, but I am only temporarily acting as ceremonial assistant. My knowledge is not enough to convince everyone. This is the residence prepared for the ceremonial assistant when the Taiyi was built, so it does not belong to me."

Cong Ying nodded in understanding, lowered his head and continued drinking tea.

The group had lunch in Taiyi and then toured the place for more than an hour until mid-afternoon.

Although Congying was still not satisfied, she was worried that Prince Jin's health would not be able to bear it, so she offered to leave. Xue Luwei escorted the two of them out of the ceremonial gate and saw Prince Jin get on the carriage first. He then extended a hand to Congying, inviting her to ride with him.

Cong Ying stood by the car and said something, pointing in another direction, but King Jin smiled without saying a word, still holding out his hand and waiting for her.

The two of them were in a stalemate for a while, and finally Congying sighed, lifted her skirt, got into the carriage, and lowered the curtain.

The carriage drove away from Taiyi Girls' School and slowly moved along the street, as if it had no destination.

Cong Ying saw the Prince of Jin leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, his knuckles intermittently pinching the acupuncture point on the bridge of his nose, as if he were suffering from a headache and fatigue. She stared at him for a while, until she saw the smile on his face becoming more and more obvious. Only then did she realize her impoliteness and looked away.

Prince Jin raised his eyelids and asked, "Did you enjoy yourself today?"

Cong Ying said, "I'm very happy to see Ah He."

Prince Jin: "You know that's not what I'm asking. Come closer."

Seeing that she didn't move, King Jin had no choice but to move over and sit over, holding her wrist and leaning against her neck.

His hands were cold, but his forehead was slightly hot. Zong Ying tensed up nervously and heard a soft laugh beside her neck: "Xie San isn't here, why are you so nervous? Don't move... Just let me lean on you for a while."

Cong Ying's heart sank slightly: "Is His Highness ill?"

"Nine out of ten days I'm sick, and the other day I'm drowsy. This is my daily routine, so don't be surprised." The King of Jin said, "I'm sick. I want to hear the truth, not beat around the bush."

Zong Ying pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. She heard the King of Jin ask, "Compared to Congshan Academy, what do you think of Taiyi Women's Academy?"

Cong Ying said, "Very good."

"I think it's great too. It suits you very well. And I think you like that courtyard too. When Xie San leaves Yunjing, you can move in."

Ying didn't respond to this.

Prince Jin slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of pupils as dark as ink. He stared at her and said, "I know you're not unwilling, but what are you worried about? You don't have to worry about the princess. She's been looking forward to your visit for a long time, but with Xie Shi in the way, it's not convenient for her to come in person to invite you."

From Ying's long eyelashes drooped gently: "Where are you taking me, Your Highness?"

The Prince of Jin said, "Go back to the Prince of Jin's Mansion. The Princess has prepared a banquet for you."

Cong Ying said, "But Madam Xie is still waiting for news from me."

Prince Jin was about to say something when suddenly a surge of blood in his chest surged. He snatched the handkerchief from Cong Ying's hand, covered his lips with it and coughed suddenly. This time Cong Ying saw it. The bright red bloodstains spread on the white handkerchief, as if a cluster of blood lotus bloomed to suck his vitality.

"Your Highness!"

She turned pale with fear and searched around for medicine. Prince Jin slowly grabbed her hand and whispered, "It's okay... You won't die. Get me a glass of water."

Cong Ying trembled as she fed the water to King Jin's mouth. He rinsed his mouth, spit it out, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Cong Ying asked him nervously, "Should we send someone to call the imperial physician first so we can return to Prince Jin's Mansion?"

Prince Jin laughed: "Aren't you anxious to go back? Am I more important to you than Madam Xie?"

Cong Ying said, "If this can make Your Highness feel better, I am willing to do what Your Highness wishes."

Prince Jin sighed and said, "Well, let's just do as you wish and send you back to Jisu Garden... Don't keep Madam Xie waiting for too long."

The carriage changed direction and headed towards Ji Su Garden. Prince Jin leaned on her neck without saying a word. Cong Ying let him hold her wrist, feeling his pulse which was slower and sluggish than that of an ordinary person. Her heart was filled with sadness, pity, and unspeakable bitterness.

Just when she thought he had fallen asleep, she heard him ask, "What are your plans after Xie San leaves?"

Cong Ying said, "I want to learn how to do business from Shopkeeper Ji."

A few days ago, Ji Caibing told her that he was planning to expand his business to the northwest, and that was when Ying came up with the idea.

When the King of Jin heard her say this, he sneered: "Doing business... You think this can help him and make his life easier in the northwest, right?"

Cong Ying did not deny it.

The King of Jin said, "The lowly merchants are even more disgusting than the petty officials. They don't care about their official rank or reputation; they will do anything to get what they want. You are not Ji Caibing, you don't have her tact and can't swallow the grievances she can."

Ji Caibing had also reminded her of something similar.

"Aying, it's not like you don't have better options. The Taiyi Girls' School has a place waiting for you. Why waste your talent? What kind of drug did Xie San give you?"

He had just calmed down when he suddenly started coughing due to anger and was almost too weak to hold on.

Cong Ying was so frightened that she kept saying, "Your Highness, don't be angry. I just said it casually. I haven't made up my mind yet. Drink some water quickly..."

Prince Jin was so angry that he turned his face away and put down his teacup in embarrassment.

There was a moment of silence between the two. Cong Ying, fearing that he would be upset, gently advised him, "Most of my problems are self-inflicted and not worth Your Highness's anger. Your Highness should take care of yourself. No matter where I go from now on, I sincerely hope that Your Highness will be in good health."

The King of Jin said, "It doesn't matter. You must stay in Yunjing and don't go anywhere. I will take care of you when Xie San is gone. If you want to find him, wait until I die."

"Your Highness..."

"Why, you hope I die now?"

Cong Ying denied it repeatedly: "No, no, I'm just suggesting you have a glass of water."

Only then did the King of Jin take the teacup and drink it all.

The scenery outside the carriage gradually became familiar. There were only two more alleys to go before they reached Jisu Garden. They had been delayed for a long time on the road. The sun was setting, and the sky was getting darker and darker. Zeng Ying lowered the window curtains and turned to look at the Prince of Jin. "Your Highness, I'll take you here."

Cong Ying jumped off the carriage and took a few steps when he heard a noise behind him. It turned out that King Jin also got off.

She quickly turned back: "Your Highness, is there anything else?"

"After thinking about it, I still have to ask you a favor."

Prince Jin walked towards her and took her hand. "There's still some time until August 15th. I won't bother you during this time, but I hope you'll think carefully about what I'm saying to you."

Cong Ying replied softly, "I understand."

She wanted to leave, but Prince Jin had no intention of letting her go. Instead, he moved closer to her and lifted her chin with his fingers.

As the sky gradually darkened, his gaze became endlessly deep. Beneath his weak and calm appearance, there seemed to be some inexplicable desire churning within him.

He lowered his head tentatively, and Cong Ying's whole body tensed up instantly. She wanted to retreat but was locked in his hold again.

"But August 15th is still seventeen days away... I can't say for sure whether Xie San will die first, or I will."

There was a hint of pleading in the Prince of Jin's low voice: "Just for a moment, okay? What if... I don't want to have any regrets."

Every word hit the softest part of Ying's heart precisely.

Her eyelashes trembled suddenly, without saying a word, but the hand that was blocking his arm gradually loosened its grip.

A light touch of coolness was imprinted on the lips. His breath was very light, like the feeling of bamboo leaves under the first light snow of winter, weak in vitality but still warm. It brushed past my face, swaying back and forth, shaking off the ice and snow.

"Hina... I've been waiting for this day for so long."

His words seemed to soothe, like pleading, slowly but unstoppably prying away at her defenses.

With this feeling, Cong Ying slowly closed her eyes.

He said it was just a moment, but with her tacit consent, he pushed further. The light, cool touch on his lips gradually became hotter, the force growing stronger. The cool breath of pine and bamboo was mixed with the faint sweet smell of blood, bringing with it an indescribable tremor, a shiver that hid the deepest desire and lust.

He tied her neck with his palms, pushed her teeth apart with his tongue, and penetrated deeply, seeking it lingeringly.

Like a lonely traveler who finally finds rain after a long drought, like an evil ghost desperately searching for a glimmer of hope.

Cong Ying was startled for a moment and wanted to push him away, but his tears fell on her face and seeped into her tongue, turning into a bewitching force. She felt some vague but trembling emotions and could not help but respond to them. The hand that wanted to push him away slowly wrapped around his neck, tentatively responding to him and comforting him.

Just this once... From what Ying thought in her heart, she was too weak, too vacillating, and too frivolous, but... just this once would be fine.

Yet, their lips lingered, their desire simmering, yet it stirred a desire for more. Cong Ying had the illusion that this wasn't their first kiss; Prince Jin felt an unspoken familiarity with her breath and feel. Feeling a little bewildered, she slowly opened her eyes. Before she could comprehend the feeling, a single glimpse sent a sudden, cold sweat pounding in her.

She screamed and pushed King Jin away, her eyes fixed on the other end of the alley.

It was almost dusk and the moon had not yet appeared. It was the darkest time of the year and from a distance, only a hazy outline could be seen.

Tall and cold, he looked at them for who knows how long.

Cong Ying felt as if her heart was lifted high and then dropped hard, her voice almost trembling: "Sanlang..."