Chapter 28 I want to do it myself
After the court session, the Eastern Palace, Changchun Palace.
Upon hearing of the Crown Prince's return, Crown Princess Li dressed up meticulously and waited expectantly. However, what awaited her was not the Crown Prince's warmth, but his icy expression and chilling interrogation.
"During her time away from the palace, the Crown Princess seems to have had a lot of free time?" Xiao Jingzhan sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over Li Shi below, who was trying to remain calm.
The Crown Princess's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please understand. I was only... only concerned about Sister Su's health, and had no other intentions..."
"Concerned?" Xiao Jingzhan sneered. "I think you've forgotten your place! What did I say before I left? No one needs to interfere with the matter of the Glazed Pavilion! And you, you dare to reach into my hands? Do you think that now that I'm gone from the capital, I can't control the Crown Prince anymore? Or do you think that with the Li family behind you, I can't touch you?"
These words were extremely harsh! The Crown Princess's face instantly turned deathly pale, and she knelt down with a thud: "Your Highness, please calm your anger! I dare not! I know I was wrong!"
Xiao Jingzhan looked down at her, his voice devoid of warmth: "Considering this is your first offense and hasn't caused any serious harm, I'll give you a small punishment as a warning. From today onwards, you will be confined to your quarters for three months to reflect on your actions, and you are not allowed to leave Changchun Palace without imperial decree. Palace affairs will be handled by others. If you behave yourself, I will still preserve your dignity and status as the Crown Princess. But if you dare to cause trouble again..."
He paused, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes: "The Eastern Palace, and indeed the entire world, has no shortage of a woman of the Li family to be the Crown Princess."
The Crown Princess's body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, repeatedly saying that she dared not.
Xiao Jingzhan turned and left, leaving the hall in deathly silence.
Granny Sun quickly stepped forward to help the distraught Crown Princess to her feet, and whispered to comfort her, "Your Highness, don't be too sad... His Highness was just angry and said some harsh words. After all... after all, you are still the Crown Princess. As long as you behave yourself, in the future... in the future, you will surely become the Empress!"
The Crown Princess let her support her blankly, her eyes vacant. Empress? That man's heart and eyes were only for that vixen from the Liuli Pavilion; now he'd even given her the power to assist in managing the Eastern Palace!
She, the Crown Princess, was nothing but a figurehead, a puppet that the Emperor and Empress had to exist to maintain the balance of power in the court! The immense humiliation and despair almost overwhelmed her.
Meanwhile, the Liuli Pavilion was filled with warmth and coziness. Su Jingyu was completely unaware of the praise from the previous dynasty and the turmoil in Changchun Palace. She was being held in Xiao Jingzhan's arms, being fed sweet bird's nest porridge spoonful by spoonful.
When His Highness the Crown Prince returned in person to report on his mission, he reverted to his clingy nature, as if trying to make up for the ten days they had been apart.
"Your Highness, I can do it myself..." Su Jingyu said somewhat embarrassed.
"Don't move, open your mouth obediently." Xiao Jingzhan's tone was gentle but not brooking any refusal. He watched her swallow before kissing the corner of her mouth with satisfaction. "I want to do everything that concerns you personally."
After lingering for a moment, he got up and walked to the desk set up by the window in the outer room. He Yong had already prepared the memorials that urgently needed his review and brought them in.
Xiao Jingzhan sat down, but did not ask Su Jingyu to leave. Instead, he patted the large, cushioned chair next to him and said, "Come here, sit here. I want you by my side."
Su Jingyu smiled, obediently walked over, and sat down beside him. Xiao Jingzhan stretched out his long arm and pulled her close, allowing her to lean against him comfortably. Then he picked up his vermilion brush and began to review the memorials. His left hand remained firmly around her waist, occasionally gently caressing her slightly protruding belly, while his right hand moved swiftly, annotating the memorials with steady and powerful strokes.
Su Jingyu didn't disturb him, quietly nestled against him. The crisp, pleasant scent of his body mingled with the faint fragrance of ink, and the steady beating of his heart and the soft scratching of his pen on paper filled her ears, bringing her immense peace and tranquility.
A moment later, she picked up the unfinished little garment on the small table beside her—a pair of red tiger-head shoes being sewn, only the size of a palm, exquisite and adorable. She had recently learned to sew these from the palace embroiderers, and every stitch was filled with anticipation for the child in her womb.
Sunlight bathed the two of them. The man was incomparably handsome, his brows furrowed as he focused intently on matters of state; the woman was gentle and charming, her eyes lowered as she sewed a baby's garment.
The scene was serene and beautiful, like a meticulously painted portrait of a loving couple. Yun Shu and Jin Shu, standing at a distance, watched this scene, exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with contentment.
After reviewing several urgent memorials, Xiao Jingzhan put down his pen and looked down to see Su Jingyu intently embroidering the last eye on a tiger-head shoe, her expression so tender it could melt hearts. A thought struck him, and he leaned over to steal a kiss on her cheek: "My sweet girl, you have such skillful hands."
Su Jingyu gave him a coquettish look, then held up the nearly finished little shoes in front of him: "Your Highness, do they look like them?"
Xiao Jingzhan took the small, adorable tiger-head shoes and held them in his palm, feeling his heart melt. He imagined his future child taking his first steps in these shoes, his eyes overflowing with tenderness: "They look just like them, so beautiful. Our child will definitely love them."
The backyard of Liuli Pavilion is lush with flowers and trees, offering even more coolness than inside. A delicate swing, entwined with verdant vines, stands quietly beneath a crabapple tree.
This was specially commissioned by Xiao Jingzhan after he learned that she liked it. It was designed to make it convenient for her to rest outdoors in the open. The base was wide and stable, and soft cushions were carefully placed around it, in case she might slip or fall.
"Want to swing on the swing?" Xiao Jingzhan led her to the swing.
Su Jingyu's eyes lit up, and she nodded. Her pregnancy had made her too heavy to play this game in a long time.
Xiao Jingzhan helped her carefully settle into the swing, then stood behind her, gently pushing the swing. The swing swayed slowly, bringing a pleasant breeze that stirred Su Jingyu's skirt and hair. She laughed happily, her silvery laughter filling the courtyard.
Xiao Jingzhan dared not push her too high, only letting her sway gently, his gaze fixed on her without leaving her for a moment, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed her and the surrounding flowers and trees in a warm golden hue, making her seem otherworldly.
"Your Highness, just a little bit higher!" Su Jingyu, caught up in the fun, turned around and pleaded softly.
"No, you must be good." Xiao Jingzhan's tone was gentle yet firm, and he controlled the strength in his hands very steadily. He dared not take even the slightest risk for her and the child's safety.
After playing for a while, Xiao Jingzhan helped her down, saying, "That's enough for today. Don't get tired from playing too much." With that, he picked her up and carried her steadily back into the palace.
Lunch was again served at the Liuli Pavilion. Xiao Jingzhan insisted on feeding her himself, as if it were a great pleasure. Su Jingyu couldn't refuse him, so she blushed and accepted this sweet burden.
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