43 Chapter 43◇
◎Shall we do it again?◎
Feng Ran asked, "Shouldn't the first and second things be the same thing? Why are you singled out the Crown Prince's return to the capital?"
Feng Ran sat on the footstool, her legs not touching the ground, swaying back and forth, the entire footstool making a creaking sound that was extremely jarring.
Duan Jingchuan wasn't annoyed and smiled, "Other stories will naturally unfold when His Highness the Crown Prince returns to the capital. New news will emerge in a couple of days."
Feng Ran shook her head as if she understood, then suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I know, you're talking about the unspeakable affair between His Highness the Crown Prince and Wu Fengqing!"
Duan Jingchuan nodded in agreement.
Feng Ran was about to raise a second question, "Normally, princes are attended by many servants. How could a five-year-old child be allowed to fall into the water? This sounds like a conspiracy."
Duan Jingchuan didn't explain the matter in detail, because he didn't know the specifics either. After all, not just anyone's spies could enter the inner palace, and he had no reason to plant spies in the palace.
Feng Ran didn't delve into it further, and clicked her tongue, "Husband, I've heard many stories about the changing of the imperial power. You said that the Fifth Prince is only five years old, how could he possibly block His Highness the Crown Prince's path?"
This is so easy to guess.
The current emperor has few children; only three princes are still alive: the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fifth Prince.
His Highness the Crown Prince and the Second Prince are adult princes, and the Second Prince lives a secluded life with a very low profile. Although the Fifth Prince is only five years old, it is said that he was born with auspicious signs and is also intelligent and clever. There are rumors that the Fifth Prince is very likely to be the one to ascend the throne.
Feng Ran suddenly changed the subject, "Husband, I suddenly have a brilliant idea. Do you think this is a trap set by the Second Prince?"
Duan Jingchuan asked with interest, "Why would you think that?"
At this, Feng Ran became quite interested. Taking advantage of her strength, she dragged a stool over and sat down in front of Duan Jingchuan, leaning her face close and saying, "Think about it, isn't the Fifth Prince like a cicada that keeps chirping incessantly in spring? Naturally, he incurred the wrath of the crowd. The mantis wants to eat the cicada, and that's how the Crown Prince was lured away. It's a pity that the mantis isn't necessarily at the top of the food chain, so adding the Second Prince, the oriole, isn't too much to ask, is it?"
The saying "the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind" isn't an exaggeration, but your analogy is a bit too much.
Duan Jingchuan coldly watched her restless little hands trying to climb onto him. He suddenly realized that his wife was quite adept at playing dumb.
Duan Jingchuan suddenly had some mischievous thoughts. He grabbed Feng Ran's little hand that was messing around on his sleeve and pulled hard, causing Feng Ran to spin around and sit directly in Duan Jingchuan's lap.
Feng Ran was still in a daze, wondering why she had changed her seat.
"Didn't you want to have a little sucking, Madam?" Duan Jingchuan's voice was a little hoarse, and the hand around Feng Ran's waist was not strong. As long as Feng Ran struggled slightly, she could easily break free.
Feng Ran subconsciously felt that the position was not right, but she really didn't want to break free. So she simply used the momentum to lie directly in Duan Jingchuan's arms and quietly nursed.
Seeing this, Duan Jingchuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and slowly tightened his arms. However, the area behind his ears, which no one could see, turned bright red and continued to spread.
The position was far too intimate; Feng Ran nestled small in Duan Jingchuan's arms, her soft body impossible to ignore.
Duan Jingchuan suddenly felt like he was asking for trouble, but he was also reluctant to let go like that.
Feeling the growing heat on Duan Jingchuan's neck, Feng Ran had a sudden inspiration. She buried her face in Duan Jingchuan's neck and laughed, "Husband, you took the initiative to hug me, so you can't give up halfway."
The itch on his neck spread throughout his body, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Duan Jingchuan curled his fingers, his face flushing red and reddening again, his eyes darting around uncertainly. Finally, he sighed, giving up, and whispered in a very helpless and melancholy voice, "Madam, do you even understand?"
Feng Ran straightened up and met Duan Jingchuan's gaze. Her high nose bridge almost brushed against his nose. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, and her eyes were full of playfulness. Duan Jingchuan's face was flushed, but his eyes were full of tenderness. However, there was an abyss hidden in that tenderness, as if it could suck people in.
Feng Ran's gaze was long and indifferent. She moved her nose forward an inch until it touched the other person's nose. If Duan Jingchuan turned his head slightly, their lips would touch.
Feng Ran's action left Duan Jingchuan in a state of turmoil. The sky outside the window was gradually darkening, and the reddish sunlight shone through the window, illuminating Feng Ran's face like a radiant peach blossom. Their breaths mingled, so close that he was almost losing control.
Feng Ran waited for a long time but Duan Jingchuan made no further move. At this moment, all she could see was a misty look in Duan Jingchuan's eyes, obscure and unfathomable, like an endless darkness, profound yet captivating.
She blinked, her long eyelashes brushing against Duan Jingchuan's eyelashes, and Duan Jingchuan lowered his eyes slightly.
A few breaths passed, and he couldn't bear Feng Ran's straightforward and frank gaze any longer. He couldn't quite figure out if Feng Ran's actions meant what he thought, so he hesitated to make a move.
Feng Ran blinked mischievously, her eyelashes constantly darting around the other person's eyelids, and his heartbeat followed the blinks.
Duan Jingchuan couldn't bear the slow, agonizing torture any longer, so he leaned back as if trying to escape. Feng Ran, however, was having a great time and pressed her face against Duan Jingchuan's. Duan Jingchuan hurriedly turned his head to the side, and a warm touch pressed against his cheek.
Not minding that she hadn't captured the lips she expected, Feng Ran gently kissed the warm lips against her cheek.
A soft popping sound rang out in the silent room, a sound that completely ignited Duan Jingchuan.
His eyes seemed to blaze with anger, and he pulled Feng Ran away, finally creating a distance of about two fists between them.
Feng Ran looked at Duan Jingchuan with a provocative expression, and even smacked her lips as if she was savoring the memory.
This action effectively extinguished nearly half of Duan Jingchuan's raging fire, leaving him saying rather helplessly, "Are you saying you can't do anything to me because I don't dare to? Or what do you want to do?"
Feng Ran finally realized what was going on. She flipped through the corny flirting tips that had been popping up in her mind, packed them up, and threw them aside. She chuckled awkwardly and said, "You're my husband, can't I just give you a kiss?" But she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Feng Ran was also annoyed that she had been blinded by lust. People provided her with food and clothing, yet she still took advantage of them without knowing how to be appreciative. Even a good child could be driven crazy.
Duan Jingchuan's voice was clear, husky, and pleasant. "Shall we do it again?"
What? Feng Ran didn't understand for a moment, but her sixth sense alarm went off again, as if something terrible would happen if she didn't get away.
Her heart fluttered and her actions followed just as quickly. She pulled away from Duan Jingchuan's embrace, retreated to the doorway, gave a quick hello, and then vanished without a trace.
"Hehe." Seeing Feng Ran run away without looking back, Duan Jingchuan also let out a breath of turbid air, but he couldn't hide the strange movements in his body.
He gently rubbed his temples and murmured, "Perhaps I've been too naive about Madam. Since that's the case..."
The old clothes were collected, and Feng Ran kept this matter in mind. Although she didn't understand the intricacies of aristocratic families, she had already planned how to distribute these clothes.
She took out a map she had prepared beforehand, on which four large circles were drawn, representing the counties most recently affected by the disaster. Most of these counties were located in remote areas, beyond the reach of the government, and these were the four cities she had chosen after consulting with Lord Duan and Duan Jingchuan.
Although His Highness the Crown Prince went to the north to provide disaster relief, he only visited the prefectures. How could a prince of noble birth possibly be able to attend to every disaster-stricken county? There are still many people in various places who are starving and freezing to death on the streets because of the heavy snow in this cold winter.
Feng Ran felt the chill in the air and sighed softly. It seemed that it would snow again in the capital. She wondered if the people in the north could endure it.
Duan Jingchuan raised an eyebrow slightly when he saw the four places Feng Ran circled, and pointed with his long finger, "Madam, I can understand these three places, but why is Ancheng also included in this area?"
These three counties are all remote places, difficult for ordinary vehicles to reach. They are either blocked by towering mountains or live in secluded valleys. Although natural disasters and man-made calamities often occur in these places, many villagers are stubborn and will not easily move away unless absolutely necessary once they have settled down in a place. They will stay in their homeland even if they are poor.
As for Ancheng, Duan Jingchuan had learned about it before. Ancheng is located by the sea. Although it is far from any proper city and the villages are frequently hit by tsunamis and storms, the people there usually don't farm and make a living by fishing, which is why Duan Jingchuan was curious as to why Feng Ran designated Ancheng as a place that needed to be warded off disasters.
Feng Ran stammered, unable to say that after seeing Ancheng, she had a strange urge to go there, which was why she had circled it! She could only make up an excuse, "Husband, I've heard that Ancheng has beautiful scenery, and I want to go and see it. There's really no need to go for disaster relief."
Duan Jingchuan had never heard of Feng Ran wanting to go somewhere on her own initiative. Upon hearing this, his heart skipped a beat. He asked, half-jokingly, "Does Madam know someone in Ancheng, or is there something else going on? Of course, Madam doesn't have to say if she doesn't want to."
Feng Ran wore a bitter expression, subconsciously not wanting to deceive Duan Jingchuan, so she said in a rather joking tone, "Maybe it's just a familiar feeling."
Duan Jingchuan's eyebrows twitched slightly. He didn't press the matter further, but instead tentatively said, "Madam, after the New Year, would it be alright if I went with you?"
Feng Ran beamed with joy, "Really? You really want me to go? No, I meant you can come with me!"
Duan Jingchuan nodded with a smile, "As long as Madam doesn't mind."
Feng Ran fawned over Duan Jingchuan, offering him a cup of tea and saying, "How could I mind? I'm overjoyed that my husband wants to keep me company."
This was her money bag and spiritual sustenance. She used to think about how to sneak out of the Dingbei Marquis's mansion, feeling a little envious. After all, how would she get back? If she couldn't come back, would she need to bring enough money? Unexpectedly, this idea was completely crushed by Duan Jingchuan's generosity before it even sprouted.
Feng Ran hadn't forgotten the important reason she came here. "Husband, can I borrow some people from you to deliver the clothes?"
Duan Jingchuan assumed Feng Ran wanted to borrow the guards from the Marquis of Dingbei's residence, so he naturally agreed, which was only natural. He hadn't expected Feng Ran to say something like...
A note from the author:
Do you think Duan Jingchuan is capable or not?
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