Granny Ye and Qingke did not expect Jingyan to return, and that he seemed to have sobered up considerably, but was even colder.
The two were forbidden from serving her closely, and both cast worried glances at Yue Jiang inside the room.
"Granny, what's wrong with His Highness? He's acting so differently than usual." Qingke looked at the person who had just pushed open the door and entered the hall, puzzled.
Little did Granny Ye know, she could only comfort Qingke and herself: "Men are different before and after marriage. I hope the Crown Princess can handle it."
Jing Yan had already entered the hall, which was even colder and quieter. Using the candles left for getting up at night and a few long-burning dragon and phoenix candles, he groped his way toward the bed.
Before you could even get to the bedside, the person you thought was asleep suddenly sat up in front of you on your bed.
The moonlight seemed to come alive as the moon began to stir. In an instant, the moonlight poured in through the window, as if coating the surroundings with a silvery glow and illuminating the area.
Jing Yan saw that Yue Jiang had removed her makeup; her black hair was like a waterfall, and her face, without the rouge, was much more beautiful than usual.
A bright red peony nightgown, vibrant and fiery, should have exuded intense heat, but the thin, watery moonlight cast a rare touch of gentleness over its dazzling color.
Just like Yue Jiang's watery, peach-blossom eyes, normally they always exude tenderness and affection, and being stared at by her is dangerously risky.
At this moment, Jing Yan could only see in Yue Jiang's eyes that the person looked dazed and tired, with a slightly hoarse voice of surprise.
"Your Highness, why are you back?"
"This is my bedchamber. Tonight is my wedding night. Jiang'er is my Crown Princess. Where else can I go if I don't come back?"
Jing Yan would take two steps forward after saying a sentence. By the time he finished speaking, he had reached the footsteps. Obstructed by the footsteps, he stopped moving forward and simply stared at Yue Jiang quietly and silently.
As he got closer, he noticed that Yue Jiang's eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks were wet, and her aggrieved expression was obvious.
"Why are you crying again?"
"I thought Your Highness would not return," Yue Jiang said weakly, her head drooping unconsciously to the side.
Jing Yan's voice was tinged with helplessness: "I told you to wait for me, but you made your arrangements long ago. Are you blaming me for not coming back?"
She clearly hadn't intended to wait for him, yet now it all seemed to be his fault. But the tears looked like she'd been crying for a long time and didn't seem fake, leaving Jing Yan somewhat troubled.
If he really doesn't come back tonight, wouldn't all of Yue Jiang's tears have been shed in vain?
She knew perfectly well that he would come back.
Yue Jiang let out a short hum from her nose, not even glancing at Jing Yan: "Your Highness said 'wait a while,' not 'make me wait for an hour.'"
"If I don't extinguish the lamps and candles to go to bed, do you expect the palace servants of the Crown Prince to know?" she said, growing more and more aggrieved. "Do they know that I spent my wedding night alone in my room?"
"Your Highness left without a word or a reason. I couldn't sleep and couldn't help but cry. I cried until I was exhausted."
"Your Highness's return startled me so much that I didn't know what to do, and he even started to question me."
"I am having my wedding today, yet it feels like I have become your enemy. I regret it. I shouldn't have cried for you. I should have cried for myself and asked where I had offended you."
"This kind of life is embarrassing for a concubine."
After Yue Jiang finished speaking, her chest heaved, clearly indicating that she was very angry.
Jing Yan was unusually quiet at this moment.
Yue Jiang didn't know what he was thinking, but she knew she hadn't said anything wrong. She was going to be Jing Yan's Crown Princess, not just a concubine who only needed to be tactful and flattering.
If a couple doesn't have the right to express their true feelings, then Jingyan has no chance to give her respect.
Yue Jiang was on guard against Jing Yan possibly returning, so she dared not fall into a deep sleep. Sure enough, her efforts were not in vain, and he really did return.
The moonlight wasn't as bright as before; perhaps it was being obscured by clouds, and it flickered back and forth between light and shadow.
Suddenly, Jing Yan heard Yue Jiang ask another question.
"Does Your Highness intend to leave, or perhaps, should I leave?"
Jingyan looked over and saw that Yuejiang was clutching the blanket tightly with both hands, as if she was about to throw it off and get up at any moment.
“If I stay, you stay too,” Jing Yan stopped her from thinking and gave her the answer, then bent down to take off his shoes.
"I drank too much earlier and my head was spinning. I went out for a few extra steps before going to the hot spring. I didn't expect to come back so late. I guess drinking really caused me trouble."
After he came up, the two got even closer, and Jing Yan explained things more thoroughly.
Yue Jiang could smell the pleasant scent of bath beans on Jing Yan's body; he had come dressed in his bed clothes.
So I really have been to a hot spring.
However, this doesn't explain his unusual attitude tonight.
"Since you're drunk, Your Highness, why go out for a walk? The night wind will give you a headache. Let me rub it for you."
Yue Jiang knelt up and reached out to touch and knead Jing Yan's forehead. She had barely touched a bit of Jing Yan's skin when he wrapped his arms around her waist, turned her around, and pressed her down beneath him.
"Such a beautiful day and scenery, what a waste to do with it."
Jing Yan didn't let her lie down. Instead, he supported Yue Jiang's waist, making her look into his eyes. His dark eyes held an endless probing look as he asked in a low, husky voice, "Can you do this?"
Yue Jiang knew exactly what he was asking, but she couldn't understand why Jing Yan was always so easily startled. She nodded hesitantly, hinting, "The night before the wedding, the nanny showed me the picture album."
“Then let’s go,” Jing Yan released Yue Jiang’s lower back, slightly distanced himself from her, and spread his arms, waiting for Yue Jiang to take the initiative and get what she wanted.
Yue Jiang didn't expect Jing Yan to let her take the initiative, but she couldn't easily appear to be in control. She awkwardly straightened her back and wrapped her arms around Jing Yan's waist, pressing herself against him.
She kissed him rather clumsily, the kisses traveling from his neck to Jingyan's lips.
Yue Jiang tried her best, restrained and earnest, to pry open his lips and teeth with her tongue, hoping to get him to take her in. At the same time, she was busy untying the belt around Jing Yan's waist.
Soon she was panting heavily, sweat beading on her skin, and the occasional glimpses of moonlight fell on Yue Jiang.
Her nightgown was too loose; with the slightest movement, the outer gauze hanging on her shoulder slipped down to her arm, revealing the fair skin above her collarbone and her rounded shoulders.
Below her was her chest, which rose and fell incessantly with her panting. The more Yue Jiang breathed, the more her chest heaved, as if it were about to burst forth.
Jing Yan caught a faint, sweet fragrance, a scent he had smelled on Yue Jiang before.
It's subtle yet alluring, constantly stirring his senses with a seductive quality.
Unfortunately, the person beneath him was "clumsy," not only failing to remove his clothes but also gradually tightening the belt around his waist, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Jing Yan touched it with his hand, only to find that Yue Jiang had "tightened it more and more" into a knot that was now impossible to untie. He moved his lips away and looked at Yue Jiang, who was already covered in fragrant sweat, puzzled.
"Didn't you already look at the picture book? Why are you still so flustered? You've tied my clothes into a knot."
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