Chapter 19 "I'm just tired of it."

Xie Zhuo felt a lump in her throat; she wouldn't even admit this.

"Are these rumors just baseless gossip?" he asked.

“It’s not entirely fabricated—” Xue Mingyao’s voice was arrogant, “but the focus is wrong. There was indeed a handsome young man in Xichuan who became my concubine, but that was of his own free will, not something I forced. General, don’t you see? With my status and appearance as a princess, there’s no need for me to abduct him. I didn’t even have to beckon him; the young man obediently came with me.”

Xie Zhuo coughed violently.

Xue Mingyao squinted at him, "General, you don't believe me?"

"I believe you." Xie Zhuo's mood improved slightly. "And then, did that young man stop accompanying the princess?"

Xue Mingyao gritted her teeth, "Of course I'm tired of it."

"Has the princess taken in any other lovers since then?"

"General Xie," Xue Mingyao said coldly, "don't you think it's very impolite of you to inquire about these things without reason?"

"Yes, there is a little. But I have been disrespectful to the princess far too many times, so one more time won't make a difference."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a brownish-yellow blob came flying towards him. Xie Zhuo raised his hand and grabbed it; it turned out that Xue Mingyao had thrown the deer in a fit of anger.

The roe deer was quite heavy, and Xue Mingyao used all her strength, her chest heaving as she wore her tightly bound husky clothes.

Xie Zhuo glanced at it twice, then lowered his head to secure the roe deer to the horse. "It seems that the princess not only doesn't mind, but is also so happy that she gave me the game she worked so hard to hunt."

Xue Mingyao was not about to be subdued by him. She said disdainfully, "The fun of hunting lies in the moment of catching the prey. There's not much to eat in roe deer meat. I'd rather throw it away than not. If General Xie likes it, then take it."

"Thank you, Princess." Xie Zhuo accepted the compliment readily, then returned to the previous topic, "Is the Princess determined to make Chen Hanlin her personal guest?"

“That’s right.” Xue Mingyao smiled faintly. “How does the general intend to obstruct me?”

Xie Zhuo forced out a sound from his throat, "Chen Hanlin is a gentleman of virtue, he won't do as you wish."

"Then you underestimate my abilities. This princess has always been successful in everything she does."

Xue Mingyao glared at him, her voice clear and resonant, each word delivered with force. Unfortunately, her words had limited impact; Xie Zhuo didn't show any obvious anger, only staring calmly at her with his dark eyes, "You like to force people, and unfortunately, I am too. Princess, just you wait."

Having said that, he pulled on the reins, spurred his horse, and rode away.

Xue Mingyao was left standing there, completely bewildered.

She didn't understand a word Xie Zhuo said.

What makes you think she likes to force people to do things?

What are you making her wait for?

A rider silently approached from behind. Zhao Ying spurred her horse and brought it to a stop beside the crimson horse. She glanced in the direction Xie Zhuo had left. "Was that General Xie?"

Xue Mingyao muttered, "Strange General."

Zhao Ying smiled, looking at her empty horseback, "You've been out all afternoon and haven't fought anything?"

“I shot a roe deer, but lost it,” Xue Mingyao replied casually.

She didn't want to talk about it anymore, and rode her horse back to the back mountain with Zhao Ying. During the ride, she thought of Xiao Yi and asked the prince consort what his reaction was when he saw her.

"There was no special reaction, everything was normal," Zhao Ying said casually.

"Really?" Xue Mingyao didn't believe it. "You were dressed so conservatively before, and he didn't even feel surprised when you changed into underwear. Is he even a man?"

Zhao Ying's expression changed, and Xue Mingyao seized the opportunity to press her for answers, finally getting the truth out of her: the two of them always extinguished the candles before consummating their marriage at night.

How could one see the cool, refreshing clothes and enchanting scenery in the darkness?

Xue Mingyao laughed so hard she almost fell over. "Darkness! How did you even come up with that idea? Have you never lit a lamp before?"

"On our wedding night, we lit dragon and phoenix candles, but it was so dim and we couldn't see clearly. Since then, we've always undressed after turning off the lights, and it's hard to say we should change it."

"Why don't you come during the day? Then you'll be able to see it!" Xue Mingyao suggested.

Zhao Ying sighed and shook her head, "The Chen family has rules against licentious behavior in broad daylight. And the prince consort is such a proper person, how can I possibly do it?"

Chen Liangzheng's upright and honest face was indeed hard to associate with lust, but it was fine for a couple to be so respectful in their daily life, but it would be too boring to be so polite to each other in bed.

If Chen Liangqing also inherited his brother's lack of romantic understanding—

That's exactly the same as Xie Qinglang's, Xue Mingyao thought.

......

The night was dark, the stars and moon were dim, and a faint night mist shrouded the verdant mountains.

Two tapping sounds came from the lattice door of the palace where the Chen family lived on the back mountain, belonging to Chen Liangqing.

After receiving permission from her master, Chen Zhelan quietly pushed open the door and entered, afraid of disturbing her brother who was reading.

Chen Liangqing looked up and said gently, "What brings you here, little sister?"

Chen Zhelan clutched her handkerchief tightly and said softly, "It's nothing important, I just wanted to chat with you for a bit. You should finish reading this book first, it's still early, I can wait."

Chen Liangqing agreed and picked up his book again. Chen Zhelan went to sit down at the tea table and sipped a cup of tea.

The tea's bitter aroma permeated the quiet, sandalwood-scented room, calming some of Chen Zhelan's turbulent emotions.

Chen Liangqing's room, like himself, was always filled with a calming atmosphere that soothed the mind and brought peace of mind.

From the time Chen Zhelan could remember, Chen Liangqing was already a self-disciplined and respectful young gentleman, unperturbed by honor or disgrace. He was kind and gentle, and his words were like a refreshing breeze, soothing to the heart.

The eldest brother was similar, but while he had a stern side when facing his younger siblings, he was friendly and warm with his friends. The second brother was different. He always had a sense of detachment and was indifferent to people and things. Many literary figures and scholars associated with him claimed to be his friends, but in reality, no one could get close to him.

Even his blood relatives, with whom he shares a deep bond, are separated from him by an unfathomable layer.

My second brother is also known for his strict self-discipline and leniency towards others.

When the servants of other masters in the mansion made mistakes and came to Chen Liangqing for help, he would usually plead for them and forgive their transgressions. As for himself, he had been strictly abiding by etiquette and studying diligently for more than 20 years without ever overstepping the bounds.

The Chen family rules were extremely strict. Most of the Chen family children had to kneel in the ancestral hall several times. Chen Liangqing was only punished once, and that was a miscarriage of justice.

At that time, my second brother was fourteen years old. He was already well-mannered and had a good sense of propriety. His classmates at the academy teased him by putting several obscene novels in his book box. The next day, his mother, Madam Liang, discovered the books and punished him by making him kneel in front of the ancestral tablets for a day to reflect on his actions.

The second brother didn't argue and obediently knelt down.

Later, when the truth came to light, the Duke and Duchess of England learned the whole story from the academy's teacher and realized they had wronged their second son. When asked why he didn't defend himself, Chen Liangqing replied that he hadn't checked the book box properly and should bear the responsibility.

This matter was often talked about by the elders of the Chen family, who used it many times to teach their children to reflect on themselves and their virtuous conduct.

Chen Zhelan felt ashamed of what she was about to say to her second brother because of his character, but she couldn't help it and had to speak her mind.

After an incense stick had burned, Chen Liangqing closed the scroll, and Chen Zhelan couldn't wait to move her seat over. "Brother, do you know that ever since you agreed to paint for Princess Yongning in the palace, there have been a lot of rumors circulating outside?"

"What's being spread?" Chen Liangqing asked calmly.

"They say the princess has become attached to my brother and wants to—" Chen Zhelan, being a sheltered young lady, couldn't be too explicit, so she blushed and shyly uttered a word, "to have an affair with you."

Chen Liangqing's face remained expressionless.

Chen Zhelan pouted and said, "Say that my brother is too kind, giving the princess so much face, lest the princess actually gets her way..."

No one was talking about it, but Chen Zhelan was worried. Her second brother rarely refused others, and if the princess took advantage of him, it would be infuriating.

Rumor has it that Princess Yongning is extremely cunning, a bewitching enchantress who once captivated the First Prince and the Third Prince, and whose charm remains undiminished. On the day of the Yan Archery Field, many soldiers blushed at her gaze, and Chen Zhelan's heart pounded even more when she saw Princess Yongning's radiant beauty in full makeup.

Chen Liangqing said, "If you are upright, you don't need to care about other people's gossip."

“But I don’t want my brother to get involved with such a person,” Chen Zhelan said urgently. “Princess Yongning is a widow. I heard that she has had affairs with many men. She lost her husband in Xichuan less than a year ago, and she kept a scholar as her lover in her mansion. How can such a woman be worthy of being near my brother? How can she be worthy of my brother painting for her!”

“Scholar…” Chen Liangqing mused.

Chen Zhelan looked at him blankly.

"Ze Lan, don't gossip about others, and don't let such things bother you," Chen Liangqing said gently.

However, after some of the grievances in Chen Zhelan's heart overflowed, the rest rushed out.

“Brother, I didn’t mean to speak ill of Princess Yongning, but I’m just feeling uneasy. General Xie hasn’t responded to me, and I’ve noticed he seems particularly concerned about the princess. Brother, could it be that he’s also bewitched by her…?”

Chen Liangqing pondered for a moment, and the scene of the three of them meeting at the Hanlin Academy flashed before his eyes.

When she spoke, her voice was still clear and gentle, "Ze Lan, if that's really the case, then there's nothing we can do. You might as well consider other eligible men."

"Brother, I don't want to." Chen Zhelan blinked repeatedly, her eyes brimming with tears.

Her affection for Xie Zhuo was not a recent development. Two years ago, when General Xie first came to the capital to attend court, he was invited to Chen Liangzheng's residence. She caught a glimpse of him from afar and fell in love with him immediately. When Xie Zhuo went to the southern frontier to fight, she even went to Yufu Temple on the outskirts of the capital to pray for his safety.

Chen Liangqing handed her a plain handkerchief.

Tears streamed down her face. Chen Zhelan took the handkerchief and sobbed, "Brother, I don't want to give up. The Fifth Princess also has feelings for General Xie. I'll accept it if I can't compare to the princess, but how can I be the Princess Yongning..."

Regardless of the depth of their feelings, Xie Zhuo could never marry the princess. However, Chen Zhelan was still extremely bothered by it; being attracted to the beauty of a fickle woman greatly diminished Xie Zhuo's heroic image.

She wiped away her tears and saw that Chen Liangqing's expression was gentle and showed no sign of annoyance. So she decided to pour out all her unhappiness, crying as she expressed her feelings for Xie Zhuo, and also interspersed a few words of dissatisfaction with Princess Yongning for harassing her brother.

"Brother, thank you for listening to me and for not criticizing me for not following proper etiquette," Chen Zhelan sobbed intermittently. "I know I should confide in my sister-in-law, but she's close to Princess Yongning, and I can't bring myself to say it. I really don't understand how a woman as intelligent and kind as my sister-in-law could befriend the princess..."

Chen Liangqing listened patiently, nodding occasionally.

After Chen Zhelan had finished crying and talking, the night fog thickened even more.

Chen Liangqing summoned the maids and had them help the dazed younger sister back to her room.

The small room fell silent, the flame in the lamp flickering on and off. Chen Liangqing stood there for a while, then walked to the incense table, added a stick of sandalwood, and tossed the handkerchief stained with Chen Zhelan's tears into the brazier.

The red charcoal made a few soft crackling sounds, and in the blink of an eye, the plain handkerchief turned to ash.

In a nearby palace chamber, a single lamp flickered, and the maid on night watch dozed off. Zhao Ying and his wife had long since retired for the night; their bedroom was pitch black, though soft whispers could still be heard through the thick curtains.

"My lord, are you still awake?" Zhao Ying asked softly.

The answer wasn't hard to guess; judging from Chen Liangzheng's breathing rhythm, he was clearly still awake. However, Zhao Ying didn't want to speak rashly, so she asked the unnecessary question.

"Yes, what is it, Princess?" Chen Liangzheng asked.

Zhao Ying took a deep breath and spoke of the matter that had been keeping her up at night, "I'm thinking that we should have a child."

After Zhao Ying chose her husband, Emperor Deyuan wanted to keep her for a few more years, so Zhao Ying was over twenty years old when she married. As a princess, she did not need to worry about having children like other wives. Thinking that she should first cultivate her relationship with her husband, she used a method to avoid pregnancy.

Chen Liangzheng was often away from Beijing on official business. Two years had passed, and their relationship hadn't developed much, so it was no longer appropriate to postpone having children.

The later it gets, the greater the risk, and Zhao Ying also wants a child to keep her company.

“Very well,” Chen Liangzheng agreed. “So that’s why the princess hasn’t gone to sleep yet.”

He was embarrassed to say that he was used to falling asleep to Zhao Ying's soft breathing. When Zhao Ying couldn't sleep, he couldn't sleep either, and he pondered all the possible reasons that might be causing her insomnia with his eyes closed.

Zhao Ying blushed slightly, hesitated for a moment, then turned to face him. "Although it's late at night, we don't need to get up early tomorrow, so why don't we..."

Over the course of two years, the couple developed a tacit understanding that they could understand each other's hints about having sex without needing to say anything.

Chen Liangzheng then turned around, put his hand on her shoulder, and started rustling.

Chen Liang was rustling very quietly. Both of them were still sober, and soon they heard another rustling sound mixed in with the rustling sound.

Upon closer listening, it sounded like a window panel being opened, followed by a barely audible groan.

The two of them felt a chill run down their spines, and alarm bells rang in their minds.

Just moments before, as the couple were talking late at night, dozens of masked men in black, armed with knives, leaped out of a valley on the fog-shrouded Beiming Mountain. Like hawks in the dark, they vanished in all directions in an instant, stepping on the dew on the grass.

A man dressed in black nimbly arrived at the east side of the back mountain, pried open a tightly closed window, and climbed in.

He stepped into the room, covered the mouth of the night watchwoman, and knocked her down with a swift chop. Gently lifting the curtain of the bedroom, he saw only a dark and deathly silence. He sneered, raised his knife, and took a large step, but suddenly felt a chill on his abdomen.

Before he could react, the longsword pierced his clothes and went straight through his abdomen, splattering blood everywhere.

The long sword clattered to the ground.

Chen Liangzheng drew his sword, and the assassin collapsed with a thud, already breathless.

Behind him, Zhao Ying let out a long sigh of relief and slowly lowered the vase she had been holding high. Chen Liang turned around and took her hand, saying, "Don't be afraid."

Both of their palms were sweaty.

"Where did this assassin come from?" Zhao Ying's voice trembled.

With a serious expression, Chen Liangzheng held a sword in one hand and gripped Zhao Ying tightly in the other as he stepped over the corpse on the ground and walked out of the room.

The two woke the unconscious night watch maid and went to inform the other servants, as well as Chen Liangqing and Chen Zhelan. Everyone, still half-asleep, gathered around; thankfully, no one else had been attacked.

The servant dragged out the assassin's body. Chen Zhelan gasped and covered her mouth, hiding behind Zhao Ying. Zhao Ying gently comforted her, only then realizing that Chen Liang, who was instructing the servant, was still holding her hand tightly. She quickly turned around and tried to pull away, but couldn't. She could only pat him, and the two awkwardly let go.

By now, it was already quite noisy outside.

Voices and footsteps approached in quick succession, and the light of the fire flickered in the darkness.

Chen Liangzheng sensed something was wrong and was about to send someone out to check when eight soldiers came over with torches and asked if anyone had been attacked.

The Chen family then realized that they were not the only ones who had encountered assassins; other places in Beiming Mountain had also been attacked.

The commander of the Imperial Guard, the Iron Eagle Guard, also arrived. After handing over the assassin's body to him, the Chen family inquired about the casualties.

The general's expression was grave. "His Majesty is in good health. There weren't many assassins on the main mountain; they were all defeated by our soldiers, and no one was injured. It seems the assassins are mainly concentrated on the back mountain. On my way here, I learned that several women were stabbed by the assassins... The situation at the Xue residence, which the princess inquired about, is still unknown. However, our soldiers are currently searching for the assassins with all their might, and we have deployed personnel to protect the area. Princess, please do not worry."

After saying this, the man went out and continued his patrol.

Zhao Ying breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing that everyone on the main mountain was safe, but without confirmation of Xue Mingyao's safety, her heart remained heavy. She wanted to send someone to inquire in person, but was stopped by the soldiers guarding the gate. "The remaining enemies outside have not been eliminated. You must not go out. Please wait patiently, Princess."

Zhao Ying had no choice but to give up.

The Chen family decided not to go to bed and gathered in the main room to wait for the situation to calm down.

The servants swept and cleaned several times, but a faint smell of blood still lingered in the room. The sudden turn of events left everyone unsettled, and even the usually composed Chen Liangqing had a worried look on his face.

As Chen Zhelan held the warm tea, a thought suddenly crossed her mind: it would be good if Princess Yongning had met with misfortune in this disaster.

She was startled by the thought.

At the same time, the Iron Eagle Guards sent to the west side of the back mountain arrived at the last room where the Xue family lived and happened to run into the tall young man talking with Xue Mingyu.

"General Xie?" The soldiers recognized him by the mask on his face.

"Yes, I heard there are many assassins in the back mountain, so I came to help." Xie Zhuo explained briefly, then turned to Xue Mingyu and continued, "Madam Xue, think carefully, where might your elder sister have gone?"

Xue Mingyu's hair was disheveled, and her mind was a complete mess.

She was fast asleep when her maid woke her up, saying something terrible had happened—assassins had come from the mountain. Xue Mingyu turned pale with fright. What was even more terrifying was that Xue Mingyao's bed next door was empty.

My older sister has disappeared!

Xue Mingyu's first thought was that assassins had infiltrated the house and silently abducted her elder sister. At the time, chaos reigned outside, and the sounds of clashing weapons could be heard in the distance, so the servants dared not go out to search. Xue Mingyu was completely distraught and tears streamed down her face. Fortunately, not long after, General Xie arrived like a divine intervention.

Xue Mingyu hurriedly told him about her sister being kidnapped by assassins.

General Xie searched Xue Mingyao's bedroom and deduced from the marks on the doors and windows that no assassins had broken in. The two also discovered that Lüzhi was missing, and a set of clothes for going out was missing from Xue Mingyao's wardrobe.

General Xie said that Princess Yongning must have gone out last night with her maid and had not returned.

It sounded better than being kidnapped by assassins, but the Beiming Mountains stretched endlessly, with numerous places to go on the main and back mountains where the emperor and his officials were stationed, and assassins were also lurking there. Xue Mingyu was flustered and thought hard for a long time. Her face flushed, she avoided the soldiers and whispered to Xie Zhuo, "Sister might have gone to the Chen family. Let's go find... find Princess Yi'an to chat."

Sister is known for her boldness, so it's not impossible that she would have a secret rendezvous with Chen Hanlin at night.

It's unlikely that Chen Hanlin would agree...

She was filled with unease, when she heard Xie Zhuo's stiff voice, "No, the maid said that she was only missing clothes, not jewelry, and she didn't dress up carefully before going out."

Xue Mingyu immediately realized that Xie Zhuo had guessed she was referring to Chen Liangqing, and felt even more embarrassed. Even so, she still asked a soldier to go to the Chen family to find out what was going on.

Xie Zhuo paced back and forth in the room. "Madam Xue, recall what your elder sister has said these past few days, such as where in the mountains she wants to go and have fun."

Xue Mingyao was bold and playful, and had even started night hunting in Xichuan before, so Xie Zhuo could only think in that direction.

Xue Mingyu racked her brains, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She pointed southwest, "There's a hot spring not far over there. My sister went there once and really liked it. She even said she wanted to go again. Yes, it's a hot spring. My sister's clothes were simple when she went out, and they weren't foreign clothes. If she went to the hot spring, it makes sense..."

The more she spoke, the more reasonable she became, and she hurriedly said to the generals, "You all stop standing here protecting them and hurry up and go to the hot spring I mentioned to look for it!"

"Wait, there's no need for them to go," Xie Zhuo said urgently. "I'll go find them myself."

Xue Mingyu was surprised that General Xie would go to look for her personally. She thanked him repeatedly, but when she looked up, the general had already disappeared.

Xie Zhuo flew all the way to the hot spring, barely touching the ground with his feet.

The hot spring is not open-air, but hidden inside a low, rustic, and elegant room. At this moment, it is pitch black, completely obscured by the dense forest.

Xie Zhuo tiptoed inside. The assassin had made quite a commotion; Xue Mingyao must have heard it too. If she really came to soak in the hot springs late at night and hadn't returned, she was probably hiding in the hot spring room, waiting to make sure it was safe outside before coming out. Since she was hiding, she would naturally turn off the lights to avoid attracting attention.

Unable to find a lamp, he had to rely on the dim light of a tinderbox to quickly search the outer and inner stone-lined hot spring pools, but found nothing amiss, and no one answered his calls.

Xie Zhuo was unwilling to give up and prepared to search again. Suddenly, his nose twitched, and he smelled a trace of blood.

He crouched down to examine it and finally found a trail of half-dried blood on the ground.

Xie Zhuoxin was almost in her throat. She forced herself to calm down and silently followed the bloodstains to a secluded, narrow room next to the hot spring. The door was tightly closed, and she could not hear a sound.

Bloodstains seeped from the crack in the door, and it was wet and sticky to the touch.

In an instant, Xie Zhuo thought of countless terrifying possibilities, and his fingers trembled as he touched the door.

He yanked the door shut.

A note from the author:

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This chapter is quite long, and it will be available for purchase next Monday!