Chapter 53 The Visitor.
At night, Daiyu couldn't sleep soundly again. Chu Heng's heartbeat and breathing were right next to her ear. She listened carefully, but she couldn't stop the wild thoughts from running through her mind.
Things are good now, but what about the future?
A pair of warm, large hands stroked her arm—a touch that Daiyu had gradually grown accustomed to. In her ear, Chu Heng whispered, "Can't you sleep?"
“No…” Daiyu said subconsciously, but before she could finish, her lips and tongue were sealed by moist lips. She could no longer speak and passively tilted her head back, letting Chu Heng take what he wanted.
When they stopped, Daiyu was completely exhausted and could only lean against Chu Heng's chest, panting heavily. Chu Heng gently stroked her back.
After a long pause, still catching her breath, Daiyu whispered, feeling the heat radiating from her body, "Yongkang is coming tomorrow..."
"Hmm." Chu Heng paused, then continued to reassure Daiyu as if nothing had happened. "What's making you so uneasy? Can you tell me?"
Daiyu could no longer say no, nor did she want to continue to deceive him, so she had no choice but to tell the truth: "I don't want to say."
Chu Heng thought to himself with a bittersweet smile, "Although I haven't gained her complete trust, at least she never thought of deceiving me."
However, Chu Heng's biggest worry right now is Daiyu. Whether he tells her or not, the question is how to make her happy again.
They were clearly doing well in the mansion before this, but after going to the palace, Daiyu became melancholy. The palace was indeed not a good place!
"Alright, then I won't say anything." Chu Heng lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. "How about... we go out and play, go to the streets, or go to Longhua Temple, or even leave the capital? Where do you want to go?"
Yongkang, having been cooped up in the palace for too long, longed to get some fresh air. Daiyu, having grown up in a secluded mansion, rarely went out and must have longed for the outside world. Going out would surely make her happy, or at least allow her to relax.
Daiyu thought for a moment after hearing his words and said, "Let's not go to Longhua Temple. Going for a stroll in the streets is fine. Shall we go out with Yongkang tomorrow?"
Forget about leaving the capital for now; if Chu Heng wants to leave, he must first petition the Emperor.
Chu Heng said, "If you go out with her, you'll still have to take care of her. Let's go out alone another day. Don't mention it to her tomorrow, or it'll be too late if things get out of hand."
Daiyu couldn't help but chuckle softly and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll listen to you."
Chu Heng finally breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her smile. He looked down at Daiyu's slightly upturned lips and said with a smile, "Let me massage you. I used to have trouble sleeping at night, and the imperial physician said this method works."
Like herself, Chu Heng had suffered from chronic illnesses for many years. Perhaps Master Pingyi really had supernatural powers, Daiyu thought unexpectedly. Since the arranged marriage, not only had Chu Heng's health recovered, but she herself was no longer plagued by illnesses, big or small.
What kind of fruit will this accidental marriage ultimately bear?
Warm hands gently massaged Daiyu's forehead to her temples. She listened to the rhythmic heartbeat in her ears, and slowly, with this question lingering in her heart, Daiyu drifted into a sweet dream.
...
The next morning, Daiyu woke up earlier than Chu Heng, which was unusual for her. She stood by the pillow for a while, slowly realizing that this was the first time she had ever seen Chu Heng asleep.
...It doesn't seem so.
Daiyu recalled carefully that it was probably on the way to Longhua Temple last year that she and Chu Heng rode in the same carriage. On the way, Chu Heng was either in a daze or sleeping. At that time, she thought that Prince Duan was really boring, and it would be even more awkward to be with him.
Now, Daiyu has gotten used to sharing a bed with him and knows that he is not so boring. However... being boring is not bad either; even being boring has its own kind of fun.
As she pondered, Daiyu's face was filled with a tender and affectionate smile without her even realizing it.
“Looking at me like that…” Before anyone knew it, Chu Heng opened his eyes and was staring intently at Daiyu.
Daiyu blushed involuntarily. She tried to back away, but Chu Heng grabbed her waist: "Why are you peeking at me?"
Daiyu became increasingly embarrassed and accused, "How could I be the one peeking? You were the one who woke up first and pretended to be asleep!"
Chu Heng said innocently, "I woke up because you were looking at me like that."
She was clearly just looking at him; did her gaze have any weight? Daiyu felt that Chu Heng was simply making excuses.
Daiyu stirred: "Get up if you're awake. Yongkang is coming today, I..."
"Sigh." Chu Heng sighed sadly, "You only have Yongkang in your heart and eyes, and you no longer have me as your proper husband. I am so heartbroken."
Daiyu: "..."
Daiyu couldn't hold back her laughter and laughed so hard that she trembled in Chu Heng's arms: "You...childish!"
Chu Heng felt he was asking for trouble. He affectionately stroked Daiyu's cheek, stepped back slightly, and said in a hoarse voice, "Get up first, or I'll want to do something less childish."
As soon as Daiyu stopped laughing, fearing that Yongkang would trap her in the bedroom, she quickly pulled the quilt tightly around herself and said with wide eyes, "Then...then you get up first."
Chu Heng looked down at her for a while, then raised his hand and gently touched her rosy lips before slowly getting up.
Daiyu lay on the bed blushing and her heart pounding for a long time before she asked Chu Heng to call the maids in to serve her.
After they finished their breakfast, someone came in to announce: "Your Highness, Your Highness, Princess Yongkang is almost here."
Chu Heng had just rinsed his mouth when he heard this. He glanced at the clock in the room and exclaimed in surprise, "Why is she in such a hurry? Why is she rushing so early?"
Daiyu smiled and said, "It's not easy for her to come out, she must be happy. I'll go ahead and greet her."
Chu Heng quickly grabbed Daiyu's hand: "You are her sister-in-law, so go and greet her. Just wait for her to come over and pay her respects to us."
“Yongkang is the guest, we are the host,” Daiyu disagreed.
Chu Heng had his reasons: "She's still a junior, I'll just have Zhao Qing pick her up."
Daiyu thought that Yongkang must be accompanied by people from the palace, some of whom might be under the Empress Dowager's orders. If she treated him as a guest, it would seem like Yongkang was being distant from his own brother's home.
"Then I'll do as you say," Daiyu replied, then turned and instructed someone to go to the kitchen.
Chu Heng watched Daiyu busy herself. This time, he didn't look down on Yongkang. He didn't know why Daiyu was depressed, but she had things to do and couldn't think about anything else. This might be a way to relieve her depression.
Soon, Zhao Qing led the way, followed by a group of maids who escorted Yongkang in. Yongkang curtsied and said with a beaming smile, "Fifth Sister-in-law, I've arrived!"
"Please sit down, I've had some tea made for you." Daiyu stepped forward and pulled her to sit down beside her. "It was a gift from the Emperor the other day. Your fifth brother and I don't drink tea much, would you like to try some?"
Yongkang affectionately linked arms with Daiyu and said with a smile, "Fifth Sister-in-law treats me so well. I don't want to go back to the palace now that I've arrived."
Upon hearing this, Chu Heng hurriedly said, "You'd better go back quickly. You're sitting down already? What about your manners?"
Yongkang said with disdain, "Fifth Brother, why are you like Mother? You're getting old too. Fifth Sister-in-law, how can you stand him?"
"Stop trying to sow discord here; you're the one who's getting old," Chu Heng said.
Yongkang snorted, "I'm the youngest, you're already in your twenties! Oh! Your birthday is next month, aren't you going to celebrate it this year?"
Chu Heng glared at her, clearly about to curse, but Daiyu suppressed a smile and said, "Your Highness is only just over twenty, still in your prime. Whether or not to celebrate your birthday is not important; it all depends on Your Highness's wishes. Besides, there will definitely be rewards from the palace, and you will have to go to the palace to express your gratitude, which will take up almost the entire day."
“That’s true…” Yongkang agreed and began to recount the events of Chu Heng’s birthday in previous years.
Taking the opportunity, Daiyu gave Chu Heng a wink. He reached across the small kang table, tugged at Daiyu's hand, and then stood up, saying, "I'm going to the study in the front to read."
Yongkang stopped talking and asked in surprise, "Reading a book?"
Chu Heng ignored her and left with Zhao Qing.
Daiyu explained, "His Majesty has assigned the Prince a task, and he's been working hard on it lately."
"Oh." Yongkang tilted his head. "Mother and my elder brother used to say that Fifth Brother was not well and should not be overworked. Now that he is better, he naturally cannot be idle."
“Master Pingyi is indeed miraculous. Fifth Sister-in-law, do you think it would be helpful if I went to ask Master Pingyi for help?” Yongkang pondered seriously.
Daiyu smiled and said, "Master can solve the immediate problem, but if you want to live a good life in the long run, you still have to put in the effort yourself."
Yongkang cracked his knuckles and said, "It seems that Fifth Brother's mission is not a good thing."
Daiyu smiled faintly and said, "Whether it's good or not depends on what he does."
Yongkang seemed to be deep in thought. After a while, she asked, "Fifth Sister-in-law, I've been thinking about a question. If Mother and my brother continue arguing without reaching a resolution, will they take their anger out on me?"
Daiyu slowly wiped the smile from her face, feeling very reluctant: "I think... that is indeed possible."
As long as the emperor and empress dowager don't completely break off relations, they need to find a scapegoat, and Yongkang is clearly the perfect candidate.
If one side wins and gains the right to choose Yongkang's consort, even if the other side loses, the loser may still hold a grudge against Yongkang.
When the emperor and empress dowager used Yongkang as the stake for victory or defeat, Yongkang was already the biggest loser.
"Although we are not in control of our own lives, we still have to rely on ourselves for what the future holds." Daiyu repeated the meaning of her words.
Yongkang was stunned for a long time, then she looked at Daiyu and asked, "Sister Lin, was this what you were thinking when the marriage was suddenly arranged?"
Daiyu sighed softly, "Yes."
At that time, her life was hanging in the balance, hundreds of times more difficult than what happened in Yongkang.
Yongkang lowered her head. She recalled her first meeting with Daiyu. Every time she met Daiyu afterward, she always acted with propriety and appeared perfect. But wasn't this also a dilemma for her?
She married into the royal family all alone, and her life was much harder than Yongkang's. Yet she was still so understanding of Yongkang and willing to listen to his complaints, which were like those of a hermit compared to her.
"I'm sorry," Yongkang said with shame, "Sister Lin, I haven't been able to help you in any way..."
Daiyu chuckled, "You and Chuheng are really siblings, yet you both say the same things." She patted Yongkang's hair, "It's none of your business."
Their misfortunes were all the result of the emperor and empress dowager's sins.
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