Chapter 18 Her cheek gently pressed against his shoulder.
After realizing this, Chi Ying felt calmer.
She should know her place.
The so-called substitute marriage is nothing more than an exchange of equal value. Everything is for the sake of curing her mother's illness. There is no turning back now. She needs to continue to invest time, survive in danger, and deal with things carefully, instead of letting his every move affect her emotions and forgetting the path she came from.
Even when she opens her doors to welcome guests, she has to deal with all sorts of people, some difficult and some domineering, let alone a prince with a notorious reputation.
Thinking of this, Chi Ying replied frankly, "Your Highness is too kind."
Her fingers were still in his palm when she subtly pulled them away under the pretense of tidying up a handkerchief, then hurriedly turned back to make the bed.
The dampness on her knuckles dissipated, along with the lingering tingling sensation, slowly fading away. Yan Xue's gray eyes darkened, and an unbearable restlessness rose in her heart.
He curled his palms, inexplicably wanting to hold that soft, boneless touch in his hands and keep it there for a little longer.
Chi Ying was completely unaware of this. She quietly lay back down on the bed. Although she had figured it out, it was still a bit difficult for her to calmly and readily engage in sexual relations with him.
She glanced at him discreetly and changed the subject: "How is Your Highness's investigation into Mother's poisoning going?"
Yan Xuecui waited for the warmth from her fingertips to dissipate before speaking, her voice slightly hoarse: "There are some clues."
He didn't want to say more, and Chi Ying wouldn't pry. After a moment's thought, she said, "Aunt Fangchun also mentioned to me today the matter of going to the palace to express gratitude..." She paused and asked, "When does Your Highness plan to go to the palace? Is it after the truth is found out?"
A hint of interest appeared on Yan Xue's lips: "Hmm, you want to enter the palace as soon as possible?"
Chi Ying quickly shook her head, "I was just asking. If Your Highness has any arrangements, I'd like to prepare in advance so as not to...lose my manners in front of my father."
Yan Xuecui pondered for a moment, "In late March, the palace will hold a banquet for all the beauties, and all the royal family members will be there. Your Highness, you may come with me and take this opportunity to meet my brothers and sisters. Is that alright?"
Chi Ying was stunned, not expecting him to choose the day of the palace banquet.
The best time to enter the palace to pay her respects is to only pay respects to the Emperor and Empress and then go straight home. In this way, she will not have to worry about seeing too many people and giving herself away. But if there are princes and princesses present... As far as she knows, Chi Yingyue has met Princess Huizhen and many noble ladies. If she were to run into them, how would she be able to handle it?
Yan Xue noticed that her breathing had clearly skipped a beat, and since she didn't respond immediately, she asked, "What's wrong?"
Chi Ying's fingers clenched involuntarily. "No, I was just thinking, wouldn't a banquet for all the beauties be very lively?"
Yan Xuecui smiled and said, "It's very lively."
He suddenly remembered something and asked, "The Princess Consort doesn't like crowds? I've heard that before her marriage, she was a regular at various banquets and gatherings in the capital, and a VIP at several major jewelry and silk shops on Chengxian Street. But now that she's been married for over a month, and it's the Shangsi Festival, why haven't we ever seen her go out to enjoy the flowers, go for a stroll, or go for a walk in the streets?"
Chi Ying hesitated for a moment, then probed again...
She reluctantly offered a reason: "My mother warned me that the royal family rules are strict, unlike the freedom I had in my boudoir before. She told me to abide by the rules and etiquette after I got married, not to act as I pleased, and not to show my face in public so easily."
Yan Xuecui: "Madam Yin has put a lot of thought into this, but I don't have so many rules here. Wherever the Princess wishes to go or whom she wishes to see, she doesn't need to be reserved. Just go out of the manor."
He was surprisingly easy to talk to.
Chi Ying wavered for a moment and then said, "Then, may I go back to the manor to visit my mother tomorrow?"
After saying that, she added, "When Xiangqin returned home last time, she said that my mother... had a headache, and I wanted to go back to see her."
She needs to see her mother's condition improve before deciding whether to continue acting in this play. She also needs to talk to Madam Yin in person, and it would be best to switch back with Chi Yingyue before the banquet.
Yan Xuecui raised an eyebrow slightly when she heard her mention the Yin family.
I remember the guards reported earlier that Madam Yin was very dissatisfied with her and even scolded the maid who accompanied her in her dowry. But I never heard that Madam Yin also had headaches.
However, he readily agreed and added, "Have Cheng Huai bring a few guards with him, just in case anything goes wrong."
Chi Ying's expression tightened, and she hurriedly refused, "No, no need. I have Xiangqin and Baoshan with me, there's no need for such a fuss..."
Yan Xuecui said gently, "Have you forgotten the lesson from the night you returned to your parents' home? Your two maids who came with you as part of your dowry are too weak to even kill a chicken. How could they protect you?"
Chi Ying's initial excitement gradually subsided, leaving her feeling lost once again.
With the guards of the Prince's mansion accompanying her, they will surely keep a close eye on her every move. She can put on a show of maternal love and filial piety in front of Madam Yin, but how can she see her mother? How can she secretly switch places and escape unscathed right under the guards' noses?
Yan Xuecui listened silently to the sounds beside her pillow.
When she first heard the good news of returning home, the young girl could hardly hide her joy, and even her breathing became lighter. But when she heard that he would arrange for guards to accompany her, she inadvertently let out a few sighs.
She seemed very distressed.
Is he distressed because he has no way to see King Xuan?
Or was he still struggling because he hadn't taken action against him and couldn't explain himself to King Xuan?
These two are really interesting.
Yan Xuecui hesitated for a moment, then decided to give her another chance, considering that she had discovered her mother's poisoning.
Chi Ying was still pondering how to avoid the guards and reach Chunliu Garden the next day when she suddenly heard the person beside her speak: "I'm a little thirsty. Would you please pour me a cup of tea, Your Highness?"
He rarely had a need, and Chi Ying naturally responded to it without hesitation.
He got down from the foot of the bed and saw a pot of tea still warm on the table. Without disturbing Aunt Fangchun, he poured a cup of tea and went straight to the bedside to give it to her. "Your Highness, please have some."
Yan Xue sat up and took the teacup. He noticed that her breathing showed no panic or hesitation, but rather a certain calmness, which made him even more curious.
The table was separated from the bed by a screen, and he was blind. If she wanted to do something, she could easily brew another cup of tea, or slip something into the screen when he was off guard.
He gave her a chance, how could she not cherish it?
Seeing him rubbing the cup without drinking immediately, Chi Ying assumed he disliked her tea and said helplessly, "This is lotus seed and lily tea, which has a calming and soothing effect, and is excellent to drink before bed... However, if Your Highness would like to drink pre-Qingming Longjing tea, I can also do so..."
“No need to trouble yourself,” Yan Xuecui finally picked up the teacup, took a sip, and found it not particularly delicious, but with a slightly bitter aftertaste that made it palatable.
He was somewhat surprised. "Does the Princess usually drink this tea?"
Chi Ying pursed her lips: "Occasionally."
That was all she could say. Chi Yingyue usually drank Pu'er tea, which she didn't really like. She preferred the dandelion and hawthorn tea she drank at the estate.
King Zhao loved pre-Qingming Longjing tea, which was a rare tribute item. She would rather use that tea to make desserts for him and Consort Zhuang than touch it herself.
Her identity was fake, and she already felt guilty. She wasn't a pleasure-seeking person, so she didn't care what kind of tea she drank.
Yan Xue put down her teacup and suddenly asked, "When you return to the manor tomorrow, will Madam Yin scold you? After all, we haven't consummated our marriage yet."
Chi Ying looked bewildered and somewhat embarrassed: "This... Mother wouldn't do that, I will explain it to her myself."
Yan Xuecui said after careful consideration, "I will have Liu Changshun prepare some small gifts for you to take back with you tomorrow morning."
Chi Ying thanked him obediently, only regretting that the Earl of Changyuan and Madam Yin had benefited so much.
The two finally lay down again.
His commotion had brought it to nearly midnight.
My mind was preoccupied with returning home tomorrow; I felt both anticipation and anxiety, and it took me a while to finally drift off to sleep.
But having someone else beside you is always different from usual. Even with a distance between you, the unique scent and warmth of a man always linger around you, making the air inside the tent feel thicker.
Chi Ying turned around to face the wall and curled up, but the heat behind her kept getting stronger and stronger, seeping through her thin nightgown and making her back sweat.
After a long while, confirming that King Zhao had no intention of taking any further action, she slowly calmed her breathing.
Yan Xuecui, however, could not sleep.
The sound of a candle wick crackling rang in my ears, and the person beside me breathed deeply. The scent of orange blossoms mixed with the warmth of the girl's body wafted into my nostrils like a tide.
In darkness, all senses are magnified infinitely.
A surge of restlessness welled up beneath his skin, and as he traced her cheek, the soft, smooth touch stirred wildly in his palm, compelling him to grasp something tightly.
Suddenly, the girl turned over, as if unconsciously approaching the source of warmth in her sleep, and slowly snuggled to his side, her cheek gently resting against his shoulder.
A note from the author:
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Ah Ying is a born succubus, isn't she? [cat emoji]
I'll be slightly reducing the word count these next few days, but I'll still update daily. There will be a massive 10,000-word update once it becomes a paid subscription. Thank you for your understanding and support, my darlings! More red envelopes coming! [red heart][orange heart][yellow heart][green heart][cyan heart][blue heart][purple heart][pink heart]
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