Chapter 13. Feelings.
Less than five days after their first meeting, and having met only twice, Daiyu and Chuheng were practically complete strangers.
However, they were bound by an inviolable marriage contract, with the date already set, and an empress dowager was always watching them closely. Therefore, they were destined to be inseparable.
The Empress Dowager's sudden action was both bewildering and infuriating, but it also reminded Chu Heng that if they were to put on a show of harmony and affection, the next time something like this happened, they absolutely could not just be stiff; they also needed to show some kind of shyness.
Of course, the closeness they should show cannot be limited to being in the same place, and the distance between them cannot always be the distance that strangers should maintain.
Daiyu took two steps back and stammered, "No...no need for this, Your Highness...this is against etiquette."
Chu Heng blinked and looked down at the back of his hand. It was just that Miss Lin touched his wrist through his sleeve. Was it really that much of a fuss?
Chu Heng is not a gentleman, but since he is not yet married, he will still observe the necessary etiquette.
It begins with emotion, but ends with propriety... Although there was no affection between him and Miss Lin, this meaning is correct.
As for after marriage...
Chu Heng couldn't help but look up at Daiyu's fair and jade-like face, and suddenly felt his hands, palms, and even his face and neck burning hot.
That was too offensive, he quickly looked away.
Daiyu also noticed Chu Heng's hand at this moment. Looking at the fingers that had suddenly turned white and pink, she realized Duan Wang's meaning a beat later.
Daiyu: "..."
Daiyu was almost embarrassed to the point of wanting to disappear, but at the same time she felt both amused and exasperated.
It was Daiyu who misunderstood, and she felt embarrassed. What was Duan Wang doing?
Was he feeling embarrassed for Daiyu?
Daiyu thought to herself, "That man is really good."
Unable to stand face-to-face with Daiyu any longer, Chu Heng coughed lightly and said, "Let's... go back first."
“…Hmm.” Daiyu lowered her head and responded. Seeing that Chu Heng’s hand was still not withdrawn, she hesitated for a moment before finally placing her hand on Chu Heng’s wrist.
Chu Heng had thought that Daiyu would not agree to this way of getting closer, but he was just lost in his own thoughts and forgot to pull his hand back. Unexpectedly, he still achieved his goal in the end.
Initially, Chu Heng did this simply to show others that Prince Duan and his fiancée got along very well.
Now, because of that earlier thought, Chu Heng's actions seem to have taken a turn for the worse.
—At least in Chu Heng's mind, it had taken on an unusual meaning.
The Empress Dowager had clearly placed their hands together, skin to skin, yet Chu Heng only felt torment and had no way of feeling the owner of the other hand.
Even through her sleeve, Chu Heng could feel Daiyu's presence.
Upon arriving at Chu Heng's courtyard, Daiyu withdrew her hand, saying, "Your Highness, please go first."
Chu Heng moved his wrist and said softly, "Mm."
Zhao Qing and the others respectfully bowed to Daiyu before following their master inside. They fetched hot water, and Zhao Qing helped Chu Heng wash his hands and face.
Chu Heng stroked the handkerchief, thinking to himself, "Getting along with Miss Lin is... alright, it won't be too much of a torment every day from now on."
Daiyu entered the room and sat down, then took a hand from Chu Heng's wrist. She had no choice but to slowly get used to it.
Fortunately, she formed an alliance with Prince Duan, which made things easier for her in the future.
"Zijuan, pour a cup of tea." Daiyu instructed, but then noticed Zijuan looking at her with a strange and questioning gaze.
Daiyu asked, "What's wrong?"
Zijuan poured tea and said with a smile, "I'm just wondering, what kind of agreement did you and Prince Duan make?"
When Daiyu and Prince Duan made their promise, there were only the two of them in the carriage. The coachman and Zhao Qing outside could hear it, but no one else knew.
Hearing her conversation with Prince Duan today, those around her must be wondering, but Daiyu didn't intend to explain. She simply smiled and said, "It's not a bad thing."
It wasn't that Daiyu didn't trust Zijuan, but knowing that she had allied with Prince Duan to deal with the Empress Dowager would probably frighten her greatly.
Moreover, since the matter was accomplished in secrecy, the fewer people who knew about it, the better.
Daiyu took a sip of tea and said, "It's not that I'm hiding it from you, but no one else on Prince Duan's side knows about it either."
Zijuan said with some concern, "Prince Duan is of noble status, so you must be very careful, Miss."
Daiyu handed her the teacup and smiled reassuringly, "I know what I'm doing."
From the moment she first entered the palace to express her gratitude to the Empress Dowager, Daiyu began preparing to face all of this.
This is just the first step.
...
At lunchtime, a lady-in-waiting came to convey the Empress Dowager's instructions, telling them to stay in their own quarters to eat. Daiyu was happy to be alone and quietly ate a vegetarian meal by herself.
The Jia family had a habit of taking a midday rest in the summer. Although Daiyu didn't sleep much, after so many years in the Jia family, she inevitably developed the habit of lying on a cool couch in the afternoon.
It was cool on the mountain, and Daiyu stopped Zijuan, who was fanning her, saying, "You should rest for a while too. You have to go out this afternoon and accompany the Empress Dowager to recite scriptures tonight."
The monks at Longhua Temple have morning and evening prayers, and the Empress Dowager also chants sutras during these two time periods. Of course, she doesn't mingle with the monks in the main hall, but has her own separate Buddhist hall.
Zijuan laughed and said, "I had heard about such summer resorts before, and I was always thinking about how to escape the heat. Now that I'm here, I realize that it's so cool on the mountain, much more refreshing than using ice at home."
Daiyu suddenly remembered something her mother had mentioned when she was young: she had visited her family's summer resort with her parents and brothers when she was young, but she had never heard of such a resort since she came to the Jia family.
The Jia family was no longer what it used to be, but it still stubbornly maintained the airs of a Duke's mansion. The men outside only cared about showing off and indulging in debauchery.
Daiyu couldn't help but sigh. The Jia family had lost more than just this one estate.
"Miss..." A young maidservant hurried in and replied through the curtain, "Princess Yongkang has arrived at the door."
Daiyu was startled and, without thinking of anything else, quickly helped Zijuan to her feet, straightened her clothes, and went out to greet them.
Dealing with Princess Yongkang was unavoidable, and Daiyu was mentally prepared, so although it was sudden, she didn't panic.
"Greetings, Princess." Daiyu stepped forward and curtsied.
Yongkang returned the greeting and said with a smile, "You are my sister-in-law, so it is my turn to greet you."
"I am not yet married, so I dare not accept the princess's gift." Daiyu smiled gently.
Yongkang tilted his head and looked at Daiyu for a while, then smiled and said, "Miss Lin, you're so kind. Can I play with you?"
Daiyu smiled and said, "I am overjoyed by the princess's favor. Why don't we go inside and sit down?"
Yongkang was even happier: "Okay, Miss Lin... um, I'll call you Sister Lin."
"I will obey the princess's orders." Daiyu led the way with a kind smile on her face.
After sitting down inside, Daiyu instructed someone to pour tea, and then asked Yongkang, "What kind of tea does the princess usually drink? I'm afraid I may not have it here, so I'm afraid the princess will have to make do."
"No problem, I'm fine with anything." Yongkang stared at Daiyu curiously, "Sister Lin, what kind of tea do you usually drink?"
“I don’t care much about tea,” Daiyu said with a smile. “To be honest, Princess, I’ve never been in good health, and the doctor advised me to drink less tea.”
Yongkang's eyes widened slightly: "You too... Oh, then you're just like my fifth brother, he was also forbidden from drinking tea by the imperial physician."
When they first met at Renshou Palace, Shuangyun, who was serving the Empress Dowager, mentioned that Prince Duan did not drink tea. I never imagined that this was the reason.
When Daiyu was young, her father earnestly instructed her that she must wait a while after meals before drinking tea, so as not to harm her spleen and stomach. However, when she came to the Jia family, she had no choice but to follow their rules and had to abandon her father's instructions.
Zijuan brought over the tea, and Daiyu, putting aside her melancholy, took it and offered it to Yongkang.
Suddenly she said, "Then you two really are a match made in heaven. I thought Mother and my brother were just talking nonsense."
Daiyu: "..."
After these few meetings, Daiyu discovered that Princess Yongkang was truly... a straightforward and witty person.
Daiyu smiled slightly: "Princess, please have some tea."
Yongkang took the teacup, took a sip, and said, "This is this year's tribute tea."
"It was a gift from the Empress Dowager a few days ago." Daiyu took a sip of tea, put the cup back on the table, and smiled at Yongkang. "Although I have met the princess a few times, we have rarely spoken. May I ask how old the princess is?"
Yongkang raised his chin and laughed, "I'm thirteen years old. Don't underestimate me because of my young age; I have two younger sisters!"
The late emperor had many children, the youngest of whom is only seven years old this year, and the late emperor passed away three years ago.
Grandmother Jia had told Daiyu about the affairs of the imperial family and relatives, but...
Looking into Yongkang's bright eyes, Daiyu realized that she wasn't lying to the child; she was just teasing him.
Daiyu smiled and said, "I am fifteen years old, as the princess should know."
"I know, I know. Mother has been talking about you for a long time in the palace. I know a lot about you." Yongkang nodded, then said, "But, Sister Lin, do you not know about what's happening in the palace?"
Daiyu lowered her eyes and smiled: "I am ashamed. I have lived in the inner quarters for a long time and have little experience. I hope the princess will forgive me."
Upon hearing this, Yongkang sighed: "I'm going to be a laughing stock for you too. Apart from what happens in the palace, I know nothing about what happens outside."
Daiyu pondered for a moment and said, "When I was young, I once traveled by boat from Yangzhou to Beijing. Although it was the dead of winter, I still got to see some local customs and traditions. If the princess doesn't mind, I'd like to tell her about them."
"Okay, okay!" Yongkang laughed happily. "Well... I can only tell you about things in the palace in exchange. It's very boring, but don't mind."
Daiyu smiled and asked, "Then... should the princess speak first, or should I speak first?"
Yongkang hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll go first!"
An hour later, Chu Heng sent someone to invite Daiyu. During this time, Daiyu learned more about the royal family from Yongkang than what Grandmother Jia had told her.
The emperor preferred the second prince to the eldest prince, who was born of the empress, but Grandmother Jia was unaware of the truth.
As for the fact that the Empress Dowager was not the late emperor's first wife, but was succeeded after the death of the late empress, Yongkang did not mention it.
Upon hearing that Chu Heng had sent someone to invite her, Yongkang suddenly leaned closer to Daiyu and said, "Sister Lin, we have been having a very pleasant conversation. Are we friends now?"
Daiyu nodded and smiled, "Of course."
Yongkang then laughed and said, "That's good! Sister Lin, since you're on my side, you'll have to help me if I ever suffer a loss at Fifth Brother's hands!"
Daiyu chuckled; so this was where she had been waiting for her!
“Okay, I will definitely help the princess,” Daiyu said with a smile.
A note from the author:
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