Chapter Twenty-Six
"Mother, I, we, of course, isn't this our wedding?" Jialuo felt inexplicably embarrassed, as if her parents had caught her in a relationship, and asked with her ears turning red.
"That's good, that's good." Consort Fucha patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. The next second, she became a little worried. Could it be that her daughter didn't know what consummating the marriage meant?
That's impossible; I've already given the picture book to Jialuo.
"Then why do you still say it's not possible?" Consort Fucha was concerned about this, and her gaze then fell on Jialuo's belly. If the Crown Prince was not capable, they would still have to consummate their marriage...
hiss……
The somewhat eccentric Fujin grabbed Jialuo's hand and whispered, "Jialuo, is the one you consummated your marriage with definitely His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Startled, Jialuo exclaimed, "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"Alright, alright, Mother is talking nonsense. It's not that I started overthinking things because you said no." Fucha Fujin knew she had misunderstood Jialuo's expression as soon as she saw it, and patted Jialuo's hand in annoyance.
Honestly, it made her think something terrible was going to happen.
They continued to question Jialuo about this matter, but Jialuo, shy and embarrassed, gave hesitant and evasive answers.
To Fucha Fujin, it meant: they could consummate the marriage, but it wasn't quite right.
oh……
I understand.
"Jialuo, the most important thing for you now is to take good care of your body and give birth to the eldest grandson as soon as possible, you know? If you're pregnant, your mother will be much more at ease."
Consort Fucha worried that Jialuo's personality wouldn't be favored by the Crown Prince, and that she wouldn't be favored for long. She needed to at least give birth to a son first in order to secure her position.
This is related to her upbringing, and it also reflects how Jialuo's personality was taken into consideration when choosing a more suitable path for her.
"Oh." Jialuo, who didn't quite understand, nodded, and the yin-nourishing and yang-tonifying medicinal herbs were handed to her.
They stayed at the Fucha residence for lunch. Before leaving, Fucha's wife solemnly instructed them again that this was to nourish the body, and if the Crown Prince was not feeling well, they should prepare some tonics for him to drink.
Of course, the medicinal herbs she prepared were not for the Crown Prince, nor would she dare to prepare such things for him. However, as for tonics, the kitchen would certainly have them.
Dietary supplements.
His Highness the Crown Prince was unaware of what Fucha Fujin had whispered to his Crown Princess. He chatted with several younger members of the Fucha family, and they all seemed to get along quite well.
The new generation is all very good, unlike Hesheli, who, apart from Songgotu, had several subordinates...
On the carriage ride back, the Crown Prince looked at Jia Luo with great kindness, remembering that she hadn't been able to go out shopping often before. "Would you like to go shopping?"
"No, it's getting late, we should head back soon." I'm so tired, I don't want to go sightseeing anymore. We've already been to most of the same places last time. I'm so sleepy, I want to go to bed.
Next time, next time.
The Crown Prince wore a gentle smile, light and faint. He heard the Crown Princess use two words: "Go back." This meant that she already regarded Yuqing Palace as her home.
"Return to Yuqing Palace," he instructed the coachman.
The coachman, who had been given the order, looked bewildered. "Aren't we going back to the palace?"
However, it was clear that His Highness the Crown Prince did not intend to listen to his answer. After giving his instructions, he lowered the curtain and continued talking to the Crown Princess.
Unfortunately, the Crown Princess seemed too sleepy to pay attention to him, which made the Crown Prince suspect that Consort Fucha had asked her to do something, otherwise why would she be so tired?
I went to bed very early last night.
However, they overlooked the fact that they had also gotten up exceptionally early this morning, and only felt that the carriage was so quiet that it made them feel somewhat lonely.
After the Crown Prince's wedding, the Ministry of Rites held the Crown Prince's wedding and then began to prepare for the Fourth Prince's wedding.
Unlike the Crown Prince's wedding, the Fourth Prince Yinzhen's wedding was overseen by the Imperial Noble Consort. It was only after the Emperor visited the Imperial Noble Consort and received her inquiries, reminders, and hints that he remembered to ask the Ministry of Rites to urge them to hurry up.
"Since the Emperor doesn't care about our Fourth Prince's wedding, you all need to hurry up with the Ministry of Rites. Even if it can't match the scale of the Crown Prince's wedding, it can't lose the style of our royal family."
Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia held a handkerchief in her hand, her voice gentle yet tinged with illness. As she spoke, she couldn't help but cough a few times; her health was deteriorating.
"Your Majesty, we are handling the Fourth Prince's affairs very well! Please rest assured, don't get upset, and take care of your health." The nanny stepped forward worriedly, as the Empress had been working very hard lately for the Fourth Prince's wedding.
"How can I not be angry? The Ministry of Rites sees that I am about to die, and Consort De doesn't care about our Fourth Prince. They don't care about his wedding at all."
The Imperial Noble Consort was also worried that she would not live to see Zhen'er's wedding. Her body grew weaker and weaker, and her face became paler and paler. She couldn't help but think of Lady Li, the wife of Emperor Wu of Han.
Lady Li was ill and looked terrible. She would rather anger Emperor Wu of Han than let him see her haggard and ugly face. Just like now, she didn't want her cousin to see her ugly appearance.
"By the way, how is Princess Guarjia doing?" The Imperial Noble Consort mentioned Princess Guarjia. She remembered that she was quite good, but she was too dignified, and sometimes she always gave people a sense of vicissitude.
"Your Highness, rest assured, this old servant has heard from the instructor that everything is going well. She manages the household affairs very well, and she is now in charge of the household affairs of the Guarjia residence." This is also a test and training that the Guarjia residence has given to Princess Guarjia, and the instructor is quite satisfied.
The Imperial Noble Consort nodded. She was at ease with Princess Guarjia because her cousin had chosen her and she was a candidate for Crown Princess whom he had been training for a long time. There shouldn't be any major problems.
"You must not neglect the Fourth Prince, cough cough, do you understand?" The Imperial Noble Consort reiterated that regardless of whether Yinzhen was her biological son or registered under her name, he was still her son, the son of the Tongjia clan.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. It's getting windy. You should go back and rest. This old servant has had some medicine prepared..." Seeing the Empress coughing, he quickly led the Imperial Noble Consort back to the palace to prevent her from catching a cold, as she couldn't withstand the strain.
At the Guarjia residence.
Princess Guarjia, the future fourth princess consort coveted by the Imperial Noble Consort, was pruning flower branches with a confident nonchalance on her face, exuding an air of self-assurance and superiority.
"Lihua, has the doctor been sent to my father's side?" Guarjia Gege was most concerned about her father and mother's health. No matter what, they had to get through August, and she couldn't let her wedding day be delayed.
When the Crown Prince was deposed for the second time and imprisoned in Xian'an Palace, the servants below him were all people who would serve him according to his status. Knowing that there was no hope of being reinstated, and given the Emperor's indifference and disgust towards the Crown Prince, she lived a very bitter life.
The Emperor once praised her, saying she was the best Crown Princess and the future Mother of the Nation.
Since the crown prince cannot ascend to that position, why not choose a man who can?
"Don't worry, Princess, the doctor has already sent the medicine to the master." Pear Blossom was quite moved for the master. The princess was such a good person, and so filial; she would surely have a better future.
The Fourth Prince is truly blessed.
"Okay, that's good. Mother, please be careful too." Princess Guarjia reminded her again, making sure nothing else happens before the wedding. She didn't want another four years to pass before she could marry into the Fourth Prince's household.
"Yes, Princess." Pear Blossom replied with her head bowed. The Prince Consort and the Master were very pleased that the Princess was so concerned about their health, even though losing the position of Crown Princess had caused them great pain.
However, the Fourth Prince is quite good; he's much better than Dong E and Wanyan, two of the four women who were selected together back then.
However, the Dong'e clan remained deeply rooted and flourishing. When one of them lost her position as Crown Princess, another took her place and became the consort of a prince.
Princess Guarjia seemed to know what the future held. When she heard her mother mutter a few words, she sneered inwardly, thinking, "Not only is she the Fujin (Prince Consort), she also has a Ninth Fujin."
However, none of them were among those who participated in the struggle for the throne, and none of them were to be liked by Princess Guarjia.
"Bring over the medicinal food." Princess Guarjia, who was dedicated to recuperating, was determined to give birth to a legitimate son for the Fourth Prince as soon as she entered the Prince's residence. She attached great importance to this and did so every day without fail.
Not only must he be the legitimate son, but he must be the eldest legitimate son!
Why was the eldest prince, Yinqi, able to fight the crown prince for so many years? It was because so many princes died in the past, and only the eldest prince survived.
Baoqing. This name alone reveals the Emperor's high expectations for his eldest son, and his repeated indulgence of him.
Unable to produce a legitimate eldest son? Impossible. As long as those women get pregnant but can't give birth, wouldn't that solve everything?
“Yes, Princess.” Pear Blossom and Twin Blossom, unaware of their princess’s thoughts, also raised their hands in agreement with her decision to recuperate.
Women who can gain a foothold in the household fall into two categories: those who rely on the husband's favor and those who rely on the power of their maternal family. Their future also depends on their offspring.
Lady Gioro, wife of the Guarjia Prince Consort, also came to show concern for her daughter, who was to be married off in August. She had some private matters to discuss with her daughter.
Marrying into the royal family means you can't act as recklessly as you do at home. Also, you need to be taught how to get along with men.
Princess Guarjia remained indifferent to what her mother said. Didn't she already know? Really, her mother should worry more about her health.
Jue Luo didn't understand what her daughter meant by asking her to worry about her health; she only thought it was because her child was filial and caring.
"By the way, Mother, didn't Father say he was going back to the capital to report on his duties? It's a long and arduous journey, so we'll have to take it slowly. Shouldn't we send more people to meet him?" Guarjia remembered that Father had an accident on his way back to the capital and then passed away.
We must not repeat the same mistake. The doctor we sent was not to supervise Ama's daily life, but only to write to him occasionally to inquire about his well-being and to put our minds at ease knowing that he was alright.
"You don't need to worry about that. Your father will definitely be able to make it to your wedding." Jue Luo Shi thought Qing Shuang missed her father, so she patted her hand to comfort her.
"Mother, why aren't you worried about Father at all?" Princess Guarjia sighed helplessly, because in her previous life, no one in the Guarjia family believed that anything unexpected could happen on the way back to the capital.
But who knew...
Never mind, Mother doesn't care. I should at least tell my brothers and send someone to meet them.
"Mother, have lunch with me." His concern for his mother stemmed not only from her concern for his own successful wedding, but also from a deep sense of reluctance to part with her.
She is no longer the little princess who needed to snuggle in her mother's arms and act spoiled. She needs to venture out and fight for her own future...
"Good, good, good." The unsuspecting Lady Guarjia, thinking that her daughter missed her, nodded with a smile.
When she first learned that her child had been betrothed to the Fourth Prince, she was indeed somewhat dissatisfied and resentful, but as time went by, she suddenly came to terms with it.
His Highness the Crown Prince is currently very favored, but who knows what the future holds?
No matter how wise or how much an emperor dotes on his crown prince, like Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang, their crown princes were still deposed in their later years. Who can guarantee that her child will have no chance after marrying the fourth prince?
Moreover, the family's honor should not be the burden of one woman; her son should also be successful.
***
Emperor Kangxi wasn't always focused on the affairs of Yuqing Palace. No matter how controlling he was, he had many things to handle; the entire Qing Dynasty needed him.
However, he heard something utterly outrageous: the Crown Princess had kicked the Crown Prince out of his room?!
"Outrageous!!" Emperor Kangxi slammed his hand on the table in a fit of rage, feeling that the Crown Princess was being utterly presumptuous. Who had authorized her to treat Bao Cheng like this?
Bao Cheng, as the crown prince, was actually manipulated by a woman.
Just as Emperor Kangxi was enraged, Liang Jiugong entered, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Rong requests an audience."
Consort Rong?
What is she doing here?
Just as he was about to say he wouldn't see her, he thought of the old man again. The fourth prince's wedding date had been set, and Dong Eshi had also been chosen during the monthly selection. He then restrained his furious emotions.
"Let her in." Kangxi's expression returned to its former composure, and his face was quite gentle when he saw Consort Rong coming over.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Consort Rong had no choice; the Emperor had been busy with state affairs lately and rarely visited the inner palace, except when the Imperial Noble Consort invited him.
I can't very well steal the spotlight from the Imperial Noble Consort, can I? Putting aside whether the Imperial Noble Consort would hold a grudge, whether the Emperor would even come over is another matter entirely.
If the mountain won't come to me, then I'll come to the mountain.
"Why has Consort Rong come today?" When Emperor Kangxi asked this question, he forgot how long it had been since he last visited Zhongcui Palace. It was the last time Consort Rong came to inquire about the prince's marriage.
Hmm, it's been a long, long time.
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince's wedding is already set for August. Our Yinzhi is even older than the Fourth Prince, and his wedding with Lady Dong'e is not yet scheduled." Consort Rong, as a woman who was once favored in the harem, could not say that she fully understood the Emperor's expression, but she could read the expressions of others.
For example, Liang Jiugong's expression wasn't good when he first arrived; his cautious demeanor clearly indicated that the Emperor was in a bad mood.
But she's already here, she can't just leave like this. If she doesn't pay attention to her husband's marriage, how can she rely on the Emperor to remember? There won't be any news for the year after next.
Consort Rong's words reminded Emperor Kangxi that he had been busy worrying about Bao Cheng's affairs lately. "Hmm, I'll have the Imperial Observatory calculate an auspicious day."
"Yes, then I'll have to trouble Your Majesty." Consort Rong had heard that when the Imperial Noble Consort mentioned the Fourth Prince's wedding to the Emperor, he immediately gave her several dates to choose from, and when it came to her turn…
Ah, I had no idea until I came; it turns out the Emperor had really forgotten!
"If Your Majesty has no other instructions, I will take my leave." She had now given up on vying for the Emperor's favor, otherwise she would really be angered by him. It would be good if the marriage was settled.
She's reached the age where she can enjoy being a grandchild; the beauties of the harem change every year, and so it was once...
With her eyes slightly lowered, she realized that the favor she had enjoyed was now a thing of the past. Her children had all died one after another, and she had only managed to save Yinzhi with great difficulty. Now, all she wanted was for Yinzhi to be well, and that was enough.
"Hmm, you may leave." Kangxi was in no mood to chat with Consort Rong at the moment, still annoyed by the matter at Yuqing Palace.
After Consort Rong left, Liang Jiugong came to report, "Your Majesty, news has come from Yuqing Palace that the Crown Princess..."
"What's wrong with the Crown Princess again? Huh? Has she been disrespectful again?" Kangxi wondered if Bao Cheng had lost his mind since he wasn't angry.
His anger, which had been somewhat contained by Consort Rong's arrival, flared up again after Liang Jiugong's report! He rebuked her loudly.
"The Crown Princess served the Crown Prince a nourishing soup today..." Liang Jiugong was silent for a few seconds when he received this news.
The Emperor was furious and ordered his men to keep an eye on Yuqing Palace. Then this happened... Some time ago, the Emperor had consulted the imperial physicians several times about whether His Highness the Crown Prince was fit to have sex.
Finally, His Highness the Crown Prince consummated his marriage, but who knew that now...
Moreover, this behavior only occurred after she returned to her parents' home. With Liang Jiugong's intelligence and the Emperor's wisdom, they could have guessed it. How could she have embarrassed herself in front of her ministers?
"What?" Kangxi took a deep breath, trying to process the news, and was so angry that he had a headache.
"Be careful about the news from Yuqing Palace. Don't let it spread outside in the future." Kangxi issued the order with a cold face, determined to clean it up.
I hadn't noticed this before, thinking that as the crown prince, he should learn to recognize the people around him and make good use of their talents, so I never cared about the people in Yuqing Palace.
Now……
This concerns the dignity of the royal family and must be stopped!
"Yes, Your Majesty." Liang Jiugong pursed his lips. He knew so many secrets... Sigh...
After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Consort Rong summoned her son for a brief audience.
Yinzhi had just finished school and was about to order his meal when he heard his mother summon him. Hungry, he went from the prince's quarters to Zhongcui Palace.
"Did Mother say what she wanted me to do?" Yin Zhi still had to do his homework. A prince is not as simple as others think. He gets up before dawn, finishes school at five o'clock, and has to do extra homework in the evening.
"My lord, the Empress didn't say anything, but I heard that she went to the Qianqing Palace today." As a eunuch serving the master, I still have sources of information; at the very least, I can't just ask and not know.
The position of the chief eunuch who serves as the personal attendant to a prince is highly coveted.
"Oh? You went to see Father Emperor?" Prince Yinzhi thought for a moment. Maybe he talked about something with him? He's been studying quite diligently lately.
Moreover, even if I didn't study my lessons diligently, it should be my mother who complained to my father, the Emperor. Why did it turn out the other way around?
I can't figure it out.
Upon arriving at Zhongcui Palace, Yinzhi first greeted his mother, and then immediately shouted rather rudely, "Mother, your son is hungry."
Just as he was about to tell Yinzhi about his marriage to Dong'e, he heard his son say he was hungry, so he quickly told the maid beside him to bring him food.
Consort Rong looked at her son with heartache, "Why haven't you eaten yet, so late? It's not good for your health to go hungry."
Then he glared at the servant who was attending to Yinzhi, "Why didn't you take good care of the prince?"
"Mother, it's not their fault. I was summoned to Zhongcui Palace by you as soon as I finished school." The prince forgot the art of speaking when he spoke for his servant.
Upon hearing this, Consort Rong immediately turned her displeased gaze from the servants to her son, saying, "If we don't blame them, are we to blame your mother? And you, if you know you're hungry, can't you eat by yourself?"
Yinzhi realized he had misspoke after being scolded, and quickly tried to appease Consort Rong, "Mother, I was just in a hurry to see you, how could I eat first?"
Consort Rong's mood improved slightly, and she got down to business, saying, "The fourth prince's wedding is scheduled for August. You're even older than him, and the Emperor has already forgotten about your wedding."
Speaking of this, Consort Rong was somewhat indignant. She was, after all, a woman who had given birth to five sons and one daughter for the Emperor. Although the other four sons did not survive, the Emperor was still too heartless.
Yinzhi was quite far older than the eldest son, and since the Crown Prince lived in Yuqing Palace and had different teachers, the closest brother to him was the fourth son.
Why did the Emperor arrange the marriage for the Fourth Prince with Princess Guarjia before the new year? It was because the Imperial Noble Consort's health was failing, and he wanted to finalize the marriage as soon as possible.
Who knew that Mother Wuku had passed away? During the year of mourning, thankfully the Imperial Noble Consort did not die, but now she is sickly and I heard she is about to pass away again.
"Mother, Father is only showing favoritism to the Imperial Noble Consort, who is still a member of the Tong family." Whether in the court or the harem, Father's favoritism is reserved for the Tong family.
Even he, who had never served in the court, knew this.
Consort Rong pouted. Mentioning the Imperial Noble Consort reminded her of the days when she vied for the Emperor's favor. "Hmph, a woman who doesn't even have a son, and she's about to die now."
So what if she raised the Fourth Prince? He still wasn't included in the imperial register. He was just raising a son for Consort De.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. Whether your father sets it at the end of this year or next year, it's possible. You're about to get married, you can't be so boisterous." Recalling his behavior of saying he was hungry as soon as he entered Zhongcui Palace reminded her of the days when Yinzhi had just returned to the palace.
Tiger-headed and chubby-faced...
"Mother, I didn't." Yin Zhi denied it. Even his tutor in the Imperial Study had said he was refined and gentle...
"Yes, yes, you should give your mother a grandson soon." Consort Rong didn't care about being the eldest son of the legitimate wife, since Yin Zhi was not the eldest son of the legitimate wife.
Regardless of which woman gave birth to the child, it was all Yinzhi's child, and all his grandchildren.
"Mother, don't you want to hold your eldest grandson?" Yin Zhi smiled elegantly at his mother. Consort Hui was still urging her eldest son to give birth to a legitimate grandson so that he could compete with the Crown Prince.
"Your mother doesn't have such lofty ambitions; she just wants to enjoy her grandchildren." Consort Rong shook her head. How could she not know what Consort Hui was thinking?
He was only thinking about his eldest son, who also had Nalan Mingzhu behind him, and wanted to compete with the crown prince. In the past, the Manchu Qing Dynasty did not have the concept of a legitimate son or a crown prince. Even when the emperor ascended the throne, he was elected by the banner chiefs of the Eight Banners and the important officials of the imperial clan.
She didn't have such grand ambitions. Her Ma Jia clan was not outstanding to begin with. Last time, she heard that a young master from a collateral branch had a physical altercation with a shopkeeper at the Crown Princess's shop, and even forced that collateral branch member to apologize to the Crown Princess.
Consort Rong heard about these things from the nanny, but she never thought of standing up for him, nor did she hold a grudge against the Crown Princess for it.
Although there was a tiny bit of dissatisfaction, the Crown Prince was greatly favored by the Emperor, and the Crown Princess came from the Fucha family. Now, the Uya family was also at its zenith, far more powerful than their Majia family.
At most, they would mention it when no one was around, saying that the Crown Princess showed no respect to the Ma Jia clan whatsoever.
"Besides, once we have a consort, we can have two more children. Mother doesn't need a grandson." Consort Rong only prays for many sons and blessings. Who knows if Lady Dong'e will be able to give birth to a son?
If you can't have a son after several years, are you going to wait any longer?
"Mother, I understand." Yinzhi didn't take his mother's urging to have children to heart at all. He didn't give the concubines in the backyard any contraceptive soup either, and they were allowed to have children as long as they could.
"Hmm." Consort Rong didn't want Yinzhi to be like the eldest prince, always guarding the Grand Consort. If he dared to marry a wife and forget his mother, she would definitely pick up a feather duster and beat him.
Yinzhi had no interest in chatting with his mother. The dishes were being served one after another. He was already hungry after riding horses and shooting arrows all afternoon. The aroma of the food drew his attention away from the meal.
Consort Rong glared at her son's unambitious behavior, but did not stop him. Instead, she ordered her servants to take good care of the prince during his meal.
She also felt sorry for her son, but she had no right to interfere with the Emperor's arrangements. She could only take good care of Yinzhi. She didn't know if the other concubines in the inner courtyard could take good care of her son.
At this moment, in Yuqing Palace, Jialuo, who was furious with Kangxi, was only thinking about drinking the yin-nourishing and kidney-tonifying medicine given to her by her mother, and also giving the Crown Prince a boost.
So that the prince wouldn't think she was hogging the food.
The Crown Prince was unaware of the details; he only knew that today's meal was good. If he had known, he would have simply said to her: "Please eat alone, thank you."
Because he didn't know, he was still quite full. It was mainly because the Crown Princess was so enthusiastic, spooning him bowl after bowl. However, after eating, he felt a bit hot.
Yinreng assumed it was due to the hot weather and even had water prepared for him to take a bath, while Jialuo had her things packed away.
The taste was good, quite different from what she had imagined medicinal cuisine to be. She thought medicinal cuisine would have a medicinal taste, but it turns out that the chefs in the kitchen are so skilled. After eating, she felt a warm feeling all over her body, though she didn't know if it was just her imagination.
After his bath, Yinreng felt something was off. According to usual custom, no matter how hot the weather was, one shouldn't feel warm all over after bathing and changing clothes...
After thinking it over, he looked at the Crown Princess sitting in front of the bronze mirror applying makeup and asked, "Crown Princess, do you feel anything strange about your body?"
Did he eat something wrong? Or is it in the Crown Princess's room? What kind of incense is being burned?
“Your Highness, how can you address me so formally as Crown Princess? You can call me by my name more affectionately. My name is Jialuo.” Jialuo patted the back of her small hand, speaking with righteous indignation.
They always call her "Crown Princess, Crown Princess," where's the warmth in that? She is Jia Luo, and His Highness the Crown Prince needs to remember her.
"Jialuo, answer me." This abnormal temperature made Yinreng wonder if he had been infected. This heat inexplicably spread throughout his body, and he also had a desire to get closer to her.
"No, what could be strange?" Jialuo didn't understand the Crown Prince's meaning at all. She was in good health, but she needed to rest for a while longer. She didn't dare to apply medicine, so she hadn't recovered so quickly.
"Why did you take a bath so quickly?" Yinreng changed the subject, suddenly remembering that when he had the water prepared, the Crown Princess hadn't bathed yet, so how come she had already dried her hair?
Washed so quickly... Is it even clean?
"Your Highness, have you forgotten the time? You've been soaking for almost half an hour." Speaking of this, Jialuo even suspected that His Highness had masturbated in the bathtub in the bathhouse.
Otherwise, why would it take so long?
The Crown Prince frowned. What did he mean by "self-comfort"? Considering the context, it sounded like a bad phrase. Self-comfort in the bathtub? How did he comfort himself? Self-comfort…
His face darkened; was this the image he had in the Crown Princess's mind?
"It's getting late, let's retire for the night." Tonight, His Highness the Crown Prince will let the Crown Princess know that his self-consolation time is definitely not this short!
He stepped forward and tried to pull the Crown Princess along to experience how to comfort him. When he squeezed her wrist, her smooth hands made the Crown Prince even hotter.
The maids, seeing that the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince were about to retire for the night, quickly withdrew, but occasionally they heard a woman's soft, whimpering voice coming from inside, "No, not yet, it hurts..."
Jialuo hasn't recovered quickly enough yet. Only one night has passed since her wedding, but the Crown Prince, who was in high spirits, has already darkened his face. "Didn't you already apply the medicine?"
That damned imperial physician! I'll confront him tomorrow and demand an explanation. How dare he give me fake medicine? It's completely ineffective.
The Crown Prince's subconscious question made Jia Luo hesitate for half a second, a moment that the Crown Prince, who was always watching her, noticed.
"Deceive me?" Yinreng frowned slightly, thinking that the Crown Princess was unhappy, his handsome face carrying a coldness.
"I'm not lying to you, I'm really in pain." Jia Luo felt wronged. Didn't the Crown Prince know that his actions the night before were really...? She was injured, and he didn't even care. Instead, he suspected her of lying to him. How awful.
The prince was silent for two seconds. If it really hurt, why did he still have that expression after applying medicine? After thinking for a while, he thought of another possibility.
"You didn't use it?" The Crown Prince's face darkened even more at this. He had swallowed his pride to get the medicine from the imperial physician, yet the Crown Princess didn't use it.
Seeing that the Crown Prince was angry, Jialuo sounded somewhat aggrieved, her soft and sweet voice sounding like both a coquettish complaint and a reproach, "It hurts, I dare not touch it."
[Waaaaah, I'm not a strong girl who can handle pain. It already hurts, and it's in such a delicate place, waaaaah...]
[And what's this all about? You even dared to get angry and call me a jerk! Waaah, I loved the wrong person.]
The sobs brought the impulsive prince back to his senses, and the accusation softened his heart. "Where's the ointment?"
"It's...it's in the box by the bed..." She sobbed slightly, her watery eyes round and bright, which bewitched the Crown Prince into releasing her. He got up and went to get the ointment.
How could loving him be wrong? Empress Fucha is so fickle. She likes someone and then likes them. How could she change her mind so quickly? What a fickle woman.
The Crown Prince muttered a few words of dissatisfaction to himself, but eventually got up. Oh well, Lady Fucha was just in pain, which was why she spoke so recklessly out of grievance.
As a man, he was very generous.
Seeing the Crown Prince take out the ointment and squeeze it onto his fingertips, Jialuo, realizing what was happening, subconsciously moved her body back a little.
"No, no need, give it to me." Jialuo remembered the embarrassment of yesterday and quickly refused, saying that she could handle such a small matter.
The Crown Prince didn't listen to her. She said the same thing last night and even pushed him out of the room. As a man, he was magnanimous and didn't bother with her.
And what happened? Tonight, just when things were about to get intimate, Lady Fucha suddenly told him that she hadn't applied the medicine last night. Wasn't that going to infuriate him?
He grabbed Jialuo's wrists directly, not giving her a chance to resist. He had to apply the medicine to her tonight, otherwise would she cause a scene again tomorrow night?
Jialuo fought hard, but the Crown Prince's harsh suppression ultimately prevailed, with the Crown Prince's bravery giving him a slight edge.
Before long, the maids guarding the door heard a command from inside: "Bring water and wash your hands," and fell silent once more.
The maids in the main courtyard, who were brought by the Crown Princess from the Fucha residence, were particularly worried. The custom was that the husband would stay overnight in the main courtyard of the wife for half a month or a month before the wedding...
But now it's been [number] days, and they still haven't called for water. Does this mean the Crown Prince really dislikes his Crown Princess?
Inside the bed curtains, Jialuo lay face down on the pillow, the quilt tightly covering her head, not wanting anyone to see her current embarrassment and shame. Waaah, she dared not see anyone.
The Crown Prince, with his elegant and refined demeanor, still exuded pride and nobility. He seemed to have just completed some major project, a smile playing in his eyes, and appeared to be in a good mood.
However, everyone below was puzzled. Why did His Highness the Crown Prince look like...? Sigh, did the food served tonight not have any medicinal effects?
After they had all left, His Highness the Crown Prince smiled, pulled back the bed curtains, tugged at the quilt, and chuckled helplessly, "They're all gone. Aren't you hot and stuffy being under the covers?"
Seeing that she didn't move, Yinreng laughed again, "They don't even know, what's there to be ashamed of?"
You know what I'm doing?! I'm just embarrassing you! Can't you just leave me alone for a while? Can't I at least have some time to recover my fragile heart?
The scream came from the bottom of my heart, filled with a mixture of shyness and frantic excitement. I'm too ashamed to face anyone!!
(End of this chapter)
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