Chapter 9 Inviting Princess Qingjia, so delicate and pitiful...

Before dinner, the butler came to Huaifeng Pavilion to report on the progress to the prince: "We have already diverted water to the pond in our mansion, transplanted the lotus, and ordered koi, which will be delivered in a few days. Soon the entire pond will be repaired."

It was Yu Qing who ordered the renovation of the garden and pond. The Yu Mansion was very spacious, but there were only a few people in it, so many places were not decorated.

Although the Marquis's wife was quite elegant, her mind had been on Yu Heng's health in recent years. She would only decorate their residence when she had time, and the rest of the large area was taken care of by the servants.

Such a large mansion would cost a lot of money to maintain, and Yu Qing was not in Beijing, so he had never done any special renovations.

After deciding to marry the princess, Yu Qing realized that other people's mansions were all unique and exquisite, while his own was too simple. So he asked his housekeeper to hire a group of craftsmen to renovate it.

The gardens and waterside pavilions were rebuilt, and the previously abandoned pool was dredged and water was diverted.

After Qingjia moved into Wenhuayuan, he always stayed inside and rarely went out, perhaps because other places in the mansion were also unremarkable.

Yu Qing thought of asking the princess to visit more often so that she could decorate it according to her preferences in the future.

"I don't know if it will suit her taste." Yu Qing said.

Qiying listened from the side, and after the housekeeper left, she said to Yu Qing, "It's only been three days since we got married, and you're already so devoted to the princess?"

Yu Qing felt okay. She said, "Well, after all, I am the husband."

Qiying: "Before, you were worried that you wouldn't have peace and quiet after marrying the princess, and you wouldn't be able to eat well."

Yu Qing said: "...That means we didn't know each other before."

Qiying said seriously, "Prince, it's best not to get too close to the princess."

An arranged marriage is not a match made in heaven, but a forced one.

The two of them had no feelings for each other. Yu Qing would feel more relaxed if they could maintain a casual yet appropriate relationship.

Before, they were worried that the princess was difficult to get along with and would make things difficult for Yu Qing, but the princess's personality dispelled such concerns.

Now, Qiying realized that if Yu Qing did too much and made the princess fall in love with him, it would be very troublesome, as it meant that Yu Qing would have to face the princess's closeness.

Once the limit is exceeded, it will be a risk for Yu Qing.

Yu Qing understood what she meant.

"I'll pay attention," Yu Qing said, "but we can't be too negligent with her. She's a princess, a highness."

Qiying was helpless. Yu Qing kept talking about the princess every other day, which had nothing to do with the word "neglect". If someone didn't know, they would think they were a real couple.

"Besides, she is very pitiful. Her relatives are not around, and her parents don't care about her. As her husband, I can't just ignore her."

Qiying shook her head and said, "You are always like this, feeling pity for everyone you see."

Due to his upbringing and status, Yu Qing is accustomed to protecting the local people and his soldiers.

Especially after the old marquis fell seriously ill, Yu Qing grew up almost immediately, shouldering many responsibilities. Everyone around her became the object of her protection.

Yu Qing couldn't deny this. Princess Qingjia was such a delicate and pitiful girl that anyone who saw her would be moved.

If I can help her and make her smile, I will feel good.

In fact, it's more than just pity for her.

She remembered how Qingjia wiped away her mother's tears in Chunhui Palace today, how she showed concern by leaning out of the bed curtains on their wedding night, how she said in the carriage, "Fighting for the country, how can it be vulgar?", and how she shared her favorite snacks with her half.

The princess is a considerate and kind girl, and Yu Qing and her are not hostile to each other.

She always felt that she and Qingjia had something in common. Even if they didn't become husband and wife, they could still be friends.

*

In the few days after the Homecoming Banquet, Xie Jing stayed in his own yard and rarely went out.

Firstly, he was too lazy to move, and secondly, he would rather be an insignificant ghost in the Marquis's mansion.

But unfortunately, as a princess, she cannot be ignored in any way. Not only does she have to accept greetings from her husband, but she also occasionally receives condolences from the marquis and his wife.

That evening, Yu Qing also arrived at Wenhuayuan on time.

The two have not had any deeper contact so far, but Yu Qing always comes here to have dinner with him.

This is not simply a matter of adding one more table. Dining together as a couple on a daily basis is actually a symbol of emotional harmony.

In wealthy families, love is as cold as water. Many couples sleep in the same bed but have different dreams. They may not be together for ten days or half a month. Sometimes, several concubines would victoriously invite the master to have dinner every night, because after dinner, they would usually stay overnight in their room.

The fact that the son-in-law came here to have dinner together was a token of his affection and respect. Since he came to Xie Jing's house, Xie Jing certainly couldn't refuse him by closing the door.

Yu Qing stayed in Wenhuayuan for about half an hour every night. There was always a living person in front of him. Even if Xie Jing didn't want to care, it would inevitably deepen his impression.

He survived in the deep palace by relying on his ability to read people's expressions. Without the emperor's favor, he had to make do on his own.

Whether they are masters or servants, a gesture or a word can often reveal information that is not on the surface.

This caused Xie Jing to unconsciously observe Yu Qing.

He found that Yu Qingduan's appearance, that of a young man from an aristocratic family, was quite intimidating, but in reality, he did not have the demeanor of a member of the imperial family of the capital. He was not particular about formalities, and spoke and acted decisively, occasionally being unconcerned with trivial matters.

In addition, Yu Qing eats very quickly.

I don't know if it's a habit I developed while fighting in the military camp, but at first glance I seem calm and quiet, but in fact, the food is gone in no time.

This made Xie Jing a little upset for a while. He had to chew his food slowly and carefully before he could eat it. He also had to pay attention to the order and the amount of each dish, otherwise his sick body would really feel uncomfortable.

If you haven’t eaten enough, then of course you’re still hungry.

He clearly didn't say that Qing ate a lot, but he ended up saying that Qing ate much slower, and in the end he was the only one left to eat. If this had happened in the past when they were dining in the Queen's Palace, he would have been criticized by the nanny for his poor manners without even having to wait the next day.

Although no one in the Marquis' Mansion dared to discipline the princess openly, Xie Jing still felt that something was wrong.

After enduring a meal or two, he had originally planned to ask Qiu Lian and the others to remind Yu Qing next time they ate. However, unexpectedly, Yu Qing seemed to have noticed it herself. Later, this person seemed to deliberately keep a similar pace to his own, so that Xie Jing would not be embarrassed again.

This unexpected thoughtfulness surprised Xie Jing a little.

As time went by, Xie Jing gradually began to feel anxious.

They had never slept together. Every time he waited for Yu Qing to mention it, he was fully prepared.

They were intimate, and they were together day and night for several days. They were not completely without communication. According to common sense, the husband should have some interest in his wife, such as adding some intimate words when talking, or trying to have some skin contact.

However, Yu Qing had never shown such thoughts. The longer Xie Jing waited, the more puzzled he became.

First of all, I want to emphasize that Xie Jing absolutely did not want this man to like her too much, nor did she want to have any closer intimate contact.

This situation was exactly what he wanted, but his reason kept knocking him down.

Xie Jing had always been aware of his own appearance. Concubine Rong was a stunning beauty in her youth, and Princess Qingjia was no less stunning. Yu Qing, however, seemed unmoved.

Is it that he has a pure heart, or is it that Xie Jing's female appearance is not good enough?

He had no idea what Yu Qing was thinking, he just had a subtle doubt about his own charm.

With this doubt in mind, the newlyweds Xie Jing and Yu Qing once again finished their dinner with respect to each other.

Yu Qing not only eats a lot, but also seems to be not very picky about food. Xie Jing has no idea of ​​his eating preferences. In fact, most of the food in Wenhuayuan is based on his taste. Yu Qing seems to eat whatever is given to him.

He was considering whether to ask the other person, but finally decided not to.

After finishing the meal and drinking tea and rinsing his mouth, Yu Qing spoke first.

"Your Highness, I have something to tell you..."

Although Yu Qing only said half of his words, Xie Jing understood instantly and thought it was almost time.

After getting married, they hadn't really been married, so any man would be anxious. Yu Qing was no exception.

Xie Jing raised his eyes and looked at Yu Qing, waiting for him to speak, already thinking of an excuse to shirk responsibility.

However, the topic Yu Qing brought up was not what he expected.

"The Marquis's Mansion hasn't been properly maintained in the past few years, and its scenery isn't as good as the palace. The wedding was so tight, so many things weren't finished by the time of the wedding. In recent days, the flower ponds and waterside pavilions in the mansion have been almost finished. If Your Highness is bored on weekdays, you can come out and stroll around and enjoy them. Otherwise, staying in Wenhua Garden all day would be boring."

Xie Jing was stunned and said, "The flower pond in the mansion..."

Since coming to the Marquis' Mansion, he hasn't really gone out much. Although he has a map of the Marquis' Mansion, it is only for emergency use.

As for being bored? He had spent most of his first half of his life in the palace seeing only the four corners of the world. Once the palace gates were closed, he was left alone with a few trusted palace maids, and he had lived like this all the same.

Yu Qing said, "Well, it's not completely finished yet, but the lotus that was moved into the pond earlier has already bloomed. Does Your Highness like lotus flowers?"

"Well," Xie Jing said, "... emerging from the mud without being stained, he is a gentleman among flowers."

Yu Qing asked, "If Your Highness is interested, I'd like to take you for a walk in the lotus pond after breakfast tomorrow. What do you think? We can also go to the garden and ask the housekeeper to plant your favorite flowers."

Looking at the other person's serious expression, Xie Jing's throat moved and he finally nodded.

"Then I will take my leave today. Your Highness, have a good rest."

As usual, Yu Qing said goodbye tactfully.

After the Prince Consort left, Xie Jing always felt that something was wrong. He was neither happy nor sad, and he couldn't explain it. He looked at his two maids for a long while, and finally said, "This man is really weird."

Qiu Lian said, "I've heard a lot about Prince Yu before. It's said that he's always been very popular among the ladies in the capital. Every time he returns to the capital from the northwest, many people line the streets to greet him. This marriage has caused quite a stir in the capital."

Xie Jing asked critically, "Really? He's not that tall, and his appearance is just so-so. So, this is the kind of man people outside the palace like?"