Chapter 77. Leisure.
“I remember five or six years ago, it was also winter. I fell ill, and His Majesty said that soaking in hot springs could help with health, so he bestowed this place upon me.” Chu Heng recalled the past. “Although it was given to me, as you know, I’ve always been lazy and never come here.”
Daiyu smiled and said, "Although you have never been here before, you have seen the things here. The few lilies in the vase in our room the other day were a gift from the estate here."
Chu Heng smiled and said, "Didn't you want to see the greenhouse? When we get there, should we soak in the pool first, or go see the greenhouse first?"
Daiyu rubbed her shoulders: "I'm a little tired after this long carriage ride. Let me soak in the water and rest my bones."
Chu Heng smiled and massaged her shoulders: "Okay, tell them to prepare some herbs to relax muscles and improve blood circulation."
As they were talking, the carriage had already entered the manor. They got off at the inner gate, took a sedan chair to the main house, where several stewards were already waiting to pay their respects to their master.
Zhao Qing bowed and said, "All stewards and servants, please pay your respects to the Prince and Princess."
Chu Heng looked at Daiyu, and she said, "I'm not in the mood today, tell them to come again tomorrow."
Zhao Qing accepted the order and withdrew. The maids and nannies went inside to tidy up, while others went to check on the spring water. Chu Heng and Daiyu went to the inner room to change their clothes.
After everything was settled, Chu Heng and Daiyu walked through the corridor and entered the room with hot spring water.
There was no warm, lustrous jade used here; the pool walls felt cool to the touch, but the hot spring water was hot, so the coolness was just right.
Daiyu squatted barefoot by the pool, rolled up her sleeves, and slowly splashed the spring water in the pool with her hands.
Chu Heng watched as the maids put down the snacks and fruits, and then instructed them to tell the kitchen to cook a bowl of bird's nest porridge and a bowl of steamed sweet cheese.
Upon hearing this, Daiyu raised her voice and said, "You are not allowed to eat sweets!"
Chu Heng smiled and pleaded, "I haven't had this in so many days, can't I even have a bite? Besides, there wasn't much sugar in it to begin with."
Daiyu thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded: "Alright, you can only try it."
Chu Heng waved for the maids to leave, then slowly walked to Daiyu's side, squatted down, took Daiyu's wet hand, and gently wiped it: "Didn't you say you were going to soak in the pool? Why aren't you going in?"
Daiyu had already taken off her outer coat, wearing only a light undergarment. Upon hearing this, she couldn't help but blush: "And you?"
"Your Highness, you're soaking in the hot spring, and you're making me stand outside as punishment? Isn't that a bit too cruel?" Chu Heng frowned slightly, looking quite aggrieved.
Daiyu moved her hand that he was holding: "Who told you to go outside? There's more than one pond here."
Chu Heng tilted his head: "Oh, so the princess dislikes me and refuses to share the same pool with me. But we bathed together the night before last, and we used the same pool water then."
“How could we do it together…” Daiyu subconsciously wanted to refute, but then she realized that she did wash herself the first time, but the second time, she was already drowsy, so Chu Heng carried her there.
Daiyu, enraged and embarrassed, punched him: "I'm not going to do that nonsense anymore!"
"I was wrong, I was wrong!" Chu Heng hurriedly said, and stood up to stop Daiyu. "I won't bother you anymore. You should soak in the water properly. I promise I won't bother you anymore."
Daiyu rubbed her handkerchief and asked, "And what about you?"
Chu Heng slowly took her hand in his: "Please, Your Highness, grant me a small piece of land, would you care?"
Daiyu chuckled: "Then you have to be good."
Chu Heng didn't really want to behave, but Daiyu already looked tired, so he really couldn't bother her anymore.
However, they will be staying here for half a month, so there is no need to rush.
Chu Heng first helped Daiyu into the water before he went in himself, and he was very well-behaved, never taking the initiative to flirt with Daiyu again.
While eating bird's nest porridge, Daiyu's thoughts wandered for a moment, and she felt somewhat unaccustomed to it.
Chu Heng held up the steamed sugar cheese, took only one bite, and then fed it to Daiyu: "Wasn't I very obedient?"
Daiyu coughed lightly. She had been led astray by Chu Heng and was now lost in her wild thoughts!
"What's wrong?" Chu Heng asked. "Is it too sweet?"
Daiyu blushed and shook her head: "It's not very sweet. Tell the kitchen to make it this way from now on, so you can eat more."
Chu Heng smiled: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness." He took another bite, swallowed it, and said, "I think it's quite sweet."
"Is that so..." Daiyu's words were cut short by a kiss.
After a while, Daiyu leaned against Chu Heng's chest, panting, and he asked with relish, "Isn't it sweet?"
Daiyu didn't want to pay attention to him, thinking to herself, "Just as I thought, he wouldn't be Chu Heng if he didn't resort to violence."
...
The next day, after a late breakfast, Chu Heng and Daiyu met with the stewards and servants of the estate, and then went to the flower room to see the flowers they were cultivating.
Daiyu planned, "Take some with us when we go back. After all, we've come all this way. The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress don't lack anything, but we can't be impolite. Oh, and bring two more pots for Yongkang too."
Chu Heng nodded, then added, "Don't bring narcissus; the Empress Dowager doesn't like it."
Daiyu asked curiously, "Is there some reason?"
Chu Heng smiled and said, "I suppose so. It is said that the late emperor's first empress loved this flower, and the empress dowager preferred peonies."
"A beauty of unparalleled grace and fragrance." Daiyu smiled. "What does Yongkang like?"
Chu Heng simply shook his head: "I don't know." As he spoke, he took Daiyu's hand, "If it's a gift from you, how could she not like it?"
"Why don't you ask me what I like?" Chu Heng tapped Daiyu's shoulder with his free hand.
Daiyu smiled mischievously, but asked in return, "You tell me first, what do I like?"
Chu Heng hesitated for a moment, then coughed lightly and said, "Um... well, it seems you don't have a particular favorite flower."
Daiyu's lips curled down: "Is that so?"
"Let me think, let me think!" Chu Heng said慌张地, "It's all my fault for not paying attention..."
Daiyu turned her head away and smiled softly. Only then did Chu Heng realize that she was teasing him.
"Miss Lin, are you happy to see me so anxious?" Chu Heng snorted in dissatisfaction.
Daiyu smiled and said, "Your Highness, who made things difficult for me first?"
Chu Heng and Daiyu shared the same love for flowers of all colors; neither of them had a particular favorite.
Chu Heng knew he was in the wrong: "I should apologize to you."
Daiyu smiled and said, "There's no need for apologies. I'm not that petty. However, an apology is acceptable."
"Alright." Chu Heng smiled indulgently, "Our petty princess, what kind of apology do you want me to give you?"
"I want to eat mutton hot pot, and it has to be fresh mutton," Daiyu said with a smile. "Can you make that?"
Chu Heng chuckled: "This is a trivial matter. It's not like you're going to eat dragon meat."
Daiyu took his arm and said with a grin, "Don't you dare say what you'll do if I ever really crave dragon liver and phoenix marrow?"
"Sigh." Chu Heng feigned difficulty, "Wife, are you really willing to make things difficult for your husband?"
The two left the flower room chatting and laughing. The mountain was quiet, with no outsiders and no constraints, which made them even more carefree.
That day, Zhao Qing was ordered to return to the Prince's Mansion to retrieve a piece of calligraphy. Upon his return, he reported that good news had spread from the palace: a noble lady had given the Emperor a little princess.
Chu Heng smiled at Daiyu and said, "Then we need to prepare congratulatory gifts."
"This must be His Majesty's sixth princess, right?" Daiyu put down the embroidered sachet she was holding. "Should we go back early?"
"Your Majesty already has four princes and five princesses. With this one more, you'll have a perfect ten." Chu Heng said, taking the sachet and admiring its exquisite design.
Daiyu smiled seriously and said, "Perfect in every way, that's true. I'll remember it and use it to flatter the Empress Dowager when I get back."
Chu Heng raised an eyebrow: "Then what should I say... Hey, wasn't this made for me?"
Daiyu placed the sachet beside her: "It's not ready yet, I'll give it to you when it's done."
"That's too much work. We have plenty of embroiderers in our household. Let them do it." Chu Heng twirled Daiyu's fingers and said with heartache.
Daiyu smiled and said, "I'm just idling around anyway."
Then she instructed, "There are longevity locks in the storeroom. Eunuch Zhao, have someone find them. When the prince and I return to the capital, we'll pick out a suitable one."
Chu Heng asked in surprise, "We have this in our team? Who gave me this?"
Daiyu chuckled and said, "You're asking me? Who should I ask?"
Zhao Qing hurriedly explained, "It was made when the prince first established his residence, as a congratulatory gift for the princes of the imperial family and the princesses when their families welcomed new babies."
Chu Heng nodded and asked, "Father-in-law, is there anything else?"
Zhao Qing said, "Your Highness, there are few things to do in winter, and I haven't heard of any important matters in court."
Daiyu smiled and said, "That's not bad."
As they were talking, Xueyan lifted the curtain and came in, smiling, "Your Highness, Your Highness, it's snowing outside."
"Really?" Daiyu exclaimed happily. "I'll go see if it's raining heavily."
Zijuan laughed from behind, "It's not a big snowfall, but the sky looks gloomy, it could snow heavily in a little while."
Chu Heng grabbed Daiyu's wrist: "No matter how urgent it is, we can't just go out like this. Zijuan, where is the princess's crane cloak? Bring it here."
Inside, a heated incense burner was burning, and they were all wearing only thin jackets; it would be unbearable to go outside like that.
Daiyu laughed and said, "I was just so happy that I forgot about it."
Zijuan and the others came to help the two mistresses put on their clothes. A little maid lifted the thick cotton curtain, and Daiyu stepped across the threshold first.
Snowflakes were slowly falling, and Daiyu smiled broadly: "This is the first snow of the year!"
Chu Heng stopped beside her, looked at her smiling face, and smiled back: "It's already the end of October, the snow is a bit late this year."
Daiyu reached out to catch the falling snow, but Chuheng grabbed her hand and held it in his palm: "It's terribly cold, be careful not to freeze your hands."
"It just snowed, it's not cold yet. I'd like to go for a walk in the snow," Daiyu said with a smile.
Chu Heng squeezed her fingers: "My little darling, please have mercy on me! Today we have stewed venison, and we'll add a dish of roasted mutton. Let's go to the other room to enjoy the snow."
Daiyu muttered, "You're just too cautious..."
Even so, she followed Chu Heng's lead and went into the room with the glass window.
Chu Heng felt wronged: "Who wouldn't even let me have a sweet bite? And you say I'm being too cautious? Your Highness, we're even!"
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