Jing Yan was wearing casual clothes today, the fabric of which was soft and light. Yue Jiang's arms were slender and boneless, clinging to his waist, the feeling of them tightly wrapped around him like a water snake.
His breathing slowed down unconsciously, and when he came to his senses and tried to breathe normally and evenly, he found it to be somewhat rapid and labored, and his breathing became a little heavier.
The fragrance emanating from Yue Jiang seemed to have become much more pronounced; the lingering and alluring scent easily captivated the will, just like Yue Jiang, who was restless in his arms.
Jing Yan raised his hand and pressed down on Yue Jiang's fidgeting head, his gentle, low voice filled with helplessness.
"Jiang'er, I have said that I love beauty, but I have never said that I have no evil thoughts about beauty. It is dangerous for you to cling to me like this."
Yue Jiang couldn't pretend not to understand what he was saying. Just as she was about to leave Jing Yan's embrace, her eyes flickered with a light, filled with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
"On the day I was given medicine in the Eastern Palace, was I in danger or was Your Highness in danger?"
If Jing Yan has even a shred of affection for her, it means that he is an upright and virtuous man who refuses to touch her before marriage, which shows that he is restraining himself.
If Jingyan didn't have her in his heart, even if she tried every means to seduce him, a normal man might not be able to control his instincts and do something contrary to his wishes. But Jingyan was able to control himself.
This shows that he has no self in his heart, and his desires cannot control him.
Yue Jiang's question came as a surprise to Jing Yan, but the feeling of unease vanished in an instant.
For no other reason than that Jingyan rarely returned to the East Palace. Every plant and tree there served only to make his life comfortable, and he did not feel any different from other places.
On the contrary, the military camp's training grounds, soldiers, bugles, and flags left a deep and lasting impression on him.
But ever since Yue Jiang went to the East Palace once, the scene after taking the medicine always appeared in his eyes after he occasionally returned: the windowsill where Yue Jiang was waiting, her husband whispering to her, and the bed where she rested briefly.
Jing Yan could see Yue Jiang's figure in these things that were once inconspicuous.
He wondered how he could be in danger; it was clearly Yue Jiang.
With the wedding date fast approaching and a sacrificial ceremony scheduled for a few days later, Yue Jiang had no chance to visit the Eastern Palace again.
But when she goes again, she will stay with him in the East Palace for a long time, and they will have more contact with each other there.
Jing Yan thought that Yue Jiang's "dangerous" days were yet to come.
He patted Yue Jiang's back lightly and smiled vaguely, "You'll know when Jiang'er goes again."
Yue Jiang: "..."
I don't understand. Is it a hint that she should go again soon?
Jing Yan's answer was unclear, and Yue Jiang was stunned when Jing Yan pushed her out of his arms.
"Rest well, I'll come pick you up on the day of the festival," he said, smoothing out the wrinkles on his clothes that Yue Jiang had squeezed before heading out.
In Yue Jiang's eyes, it seemed as if the two of them had done something wrong.
***
On the day Yue Jiang left the palace to make offerings, the orphan caused such a big commotion that even Cheng Suyun had to be carried into the palace.
Empress Ye brought Yue Jiang to her side and inquired in detail about the commotion.
So Yuejiang recounted the orphan's demands that day, as well as the grievances suffered by the farmer.
After hearing this, Empress Ye sighed helplessly.
“Jiang’er, I think I understand what you mean. You want to say that while orphans are pitiful, farmers have also had a hard time these past years. They are all the same.”
Yue Jiang did not refute: "At least Jiang'er can't see any difference."
Empress Ye smiled and said, "I also feel that there is no difference. The royal family will repay what it owes, but it should not implicate the common people. It is a pity that the Cheng family has raised the appetite of those orphans."
"However, the matter of the orphan is not urgent for now. You should go to Yongshou Palace first."
Yue Jiang asked in surprise, "Does Your Majesty mean for me to back down?"
Although the last incident caused a great disturbance, Empress Ye should understand that what she did was true.
Farmers work hard to pay taxes and keep the national granary running. They can't bear to part with even a little bit of millet they grow. Compared to the hearts of a small number of orphans, the hearts of farmers across the country are far more important.
"That's right, but it's not about making you back down," Empress Ye said, picking up a medical record from beside her and handing it to Yue Jiang, seemingly at a loss for words.
"The day Suyun was persuading the orphan, didn't she accidentally fall into the chaos and get badly injured? I should take you to see her."
After Cheng Suyun was injured, Empress Dowager Cheng went to great lengths to find a royal physician for her.
Everyone in the palace knew that she was hurt because of the orphan, and rumors also spread that Yue Jiang had pushed her into the chaos, making Yue Jiang not only the instigator of all the trouble, but also a wicked person.
If you don't take the initiative to check, how can you show that you have a clear conscience?
Yongshou Hall.
Cheng Suyun tried to harm Yue Jiang that day, but Yue Jiang pushed her into the crowd instead. She not only suffered physical pain, but also suffered a psychological trauma of fear and trembling.
She remembers waking up amidst a pile of injured orphans, her body reeking of stench, her throat thick with phlegm.
Upon returning to the palace, he insisted on taking baths despite his bruises all over his body. Later, the pain from his injuries kept him awake all night, but after taking medicine for a few days, he finally began to recover.
Cheng Suyun's haggard appearance was hard to hide, and there were still obvious marks of bruises on her face. Her skin could not be seen to be smooth and fair for a short time.
She sobbed, "Grandmother, I was pushed in by Yue Jiang. Is my face ruined? You must do justice for me."
"I asked you to clean up the mess, not to deal with Yue Jiang. You were too short-sighted and got yourself taught a lesson. What's there to cry about?"
Empress Dowager Cheng already knew about what happened that day; it was Cheng Suyun who wanted to take advantage of the chaos to disfigure Yuejiang's face.
Unexpectedly, Yue Jiang struck first, pushing Cheng Suyun inside and causing her to suffer this ordeal.
Seeing her grandniece like this pained her, but upon reflection, she realized it wasn't a bad thing and tried her best to comfort her.
"What's the big deal? This is your merit in stopping the chaos, and the orphans remember it. You've become like this, while Yue Jiang is unharmed. It's clear who put in the effort."
Cheng Suyun protested, "So all the injuries I suffered were for nothing, and I have no recourse?"
Empress Dowager Cheng said with exasperation, "What are you going to do? Argue that Yue Jiang pushed you? You'll only give her a reputation for being a jealous woman. The Yue Kingdom's envoy has just arrived. If you rashly target Yue Jiang, won't that damage relations between the two countries?"
"Not making decisions is the best way to make decisions. Let the confusing rumors slowly ferment. Your injuries have been the subject of much discussion among the palace staff these past few days, and they have long harbored resentment towards Qiluan Palace."
Cheng Suyun sobbed, “What’s the use of complaining? I’m injured like this, and His Highness doesn’t even bother to come and see me. I haven’t even seen a single thing from the Eastern Palace.”
“Jingyi comes often, but she never mentions a single word of concern from His Highness.”
Although Cheng Suyun hadn't spent much time with His Highness before, she could tell that His Highness looked at her the same way he looked at everyone else.
With Yue Jiang by his side, His Highness's perspective changed completely; he could no longer see anyone else.
Cheng Suyun was very concerned about the pride in front of her, and was unwilling to take a long-term view. The Empress Dowager Cheng simply couldn't understand her, and was also angry.
Suddenly, a palace maid came in and reported: "The Empress Dowager, the Princess, and the Empress have arrived with Princess Yuejiang and the imperial physician."
Despite her anger, Empress Dowager Cheng still warned, "Look, you're only thinking about making decisions, while others have already come to prove their innocence. Lie down properly and don't say anything more later."
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