Chapter 87 Keeping a Mistress in a Golden House "You actually dared to secretly draw my picture..."
The sun shone brightly, a gentle breeze blew, and the clear blue sky was cloudless. A swallow landed on an old tree branch, tilting its head and chirping "Good morning." The streets and alleys echoed with a lively commotion, and a few greetings could be faintly heard.
Xue Rongyue opened her eyes groggily.
The house was quiet inside and out, without a sound. She stared blankly for a while until the rope tied to her wrist was gently swayed by the breeze, and then she realized that Bai Hemian was nowhere to be found. Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly sat up from the bed.
Before she could even put on her shoes and socks, Xue Rongyue's expression changed drastically. She strode out of the inner room, her raised sleeves knocking over the candlesticks on the table, but she didn't bother to turn back and pick them up.
As she stepped out of the inner room, she saw a bowl of steaming chicken soup on the table, and her hurried steps came to an abrupt halt.
After staring at the pot of chicken soup for a long time, Xue Rongyue's tense and stiff body slowly relaxed. She rubbed her temples, walked forward, and picked up the note left by Bai Heming—
"I'm going to work. There's some stewed chicken soup on the table; it's definitely not salty this time. I won't be back until noon, so don't bother asking me to stay for lunch."
Slowly letting out a sigh of relief, Xue Rongyue went to the kitchen and brought back a small bowl. Bai Hemian said there was no need to keep her any food, so she sat down and drank the whole pot of chicken soup, along with the half of the stewed chicken that was tender and fragrant.
When Jingnu knocked on the door, Xue Rongyue was cleaning up the leftover chicken bones. Seeing this, Jingnu quickly stepped forward to help clean up. Her gaze fell on Xue Rongyue's slightly red and swollen almond eyes. She hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice, "...Madam, is Lord Bai really... really my deceased husband?"
Perhaps the original author thought they had fixed the loophole concerning the death of the elder brother, because the face that was not recognized at first meeting suddenly became familiar.
Although her brother had been "dead" for many years and his appearance had become increasingly blurred, his eyes and brows, which resembled hers, could not be faked.
Xue Rongyue said decisively, "It's him."
Even though she had expected it, Jingnu couldn't help but stare in disbelief: "I never thought that my lord was actually still alive and had become a guard in the Imperial Guard."
Although she didn't understand why Xue Langjun was so close yet didn't go home, it didn't stop Jingnu from being overjoyed: "In the future, in Chang'an, my lady will finally have a blood relative to rely on."
Xue Rongyue chuckled: "Brother is currently only a Yan Guard."
Jingnu suggested, "We can ask Princess Yu'an to promote the young master's official rank."
Xue Rongyue paused in her work and asked, "If His Highness asks why I helped Lord Bai seek an official position, what should I say?"
"Of course I'm telling the truth..."
Upon noticing Xue Rongyue's expression, Jingnu abruptly stopped speaking, realizing something: "Does Madam not intend to make public the fact that her husband is still alive?"
Xue Rongyue lowered her eyes and nodded slightly.
The Xue family is about to face its own calamity. Since she has been betrothed to Qin Jin by His Majesty, she should be able to avoid being implicated once the truth comes out. However, once her brother acknowledges his identity as a member of the Xue family, it is difficult to guarantee that he will not be implicated in the future.
There's no reason to let my brother jump back into the burning fire at this critical juncture. Let the name Xue Huaijin be buried completely along with the coffin he was buried in.
Although Jingnu did not understand her meaning, she never questioned Xue Rongyue's decisions. Upon hearing this, she replied with an "okay" and said nothing more.
After sweeping the courtyard inside and out, Jingnu glanced at the sky and whispered, "Madam, we should go. Didn't we agree to go see Zhiquan with Prince Qin today?"
Xue Rongyue then remembered this matter, left a note for her brother, and reluctantly got into the carriage.
When the servants led him inside, Qin Jin was lying on the veranda. His dark robe, embroidered with gold and depicting tigers, made his pale skin appear even cleaner. He was leaning back with his head resting on one hand, his sharply defined features handsome and clear. He was lazily tossing a small ball up in the air.
The dog lay listlessly to one side, panting with its tongue lolling out. Perhaps because of the summer heat, it couldn't eat, as its once-plump body had thinned out a bit and it didn't look as intimidating as it had last appeared.
"Zhi Quan!" Xue Rongyue stood on tiptoe and waved.
The previously lazy black dog suddenly raised its head, its eyes sparkling. Upon spotting Xue Rongyue, it immediately charged forward on all fours.
Xue Rongyue was nearly knocked to the ground again, but fortunately Jingnu caught her in time. Zhiquan kept climbing on her, scratching excitedly with its paws. After Qin Jin called out to it, it circled around Xue Rongyue again.
"Your Highness is really quite leisurely. The weather is so nice today, yet you're lying here lazing around," Xue Rongyue said to the people not far away, while rubbing Zhiquan's head.
"It's precisely because the weather is nice that I'm lying here lazing around in the sun," Qin Jin replied casually without looking up. After a pause, he mimicked Xue Rongyue's tone and snorted, "You're three-quarters of an hour late again today."
Xue Rongyue didn't take the bait: "When did the young master return to Chang'an?"
After all, the two had already been betrothed, which attracted a lot of attention. In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Qin Jin did not go into the city with her after sending her to the city gate, but waited outside the city gate for another day or two.
Zhiquan ran to Qin Jin's side, snatched the small ball from Qin Jin's hand, and happily wagged its tail as it ran towards Xue Rongyue with the ball in its mouth. It rolled the ball at Xue Rongyue's feet, indicating that she should play with it.
Before Qin Jin could reply, Xue Rongyue grabbed him without warning: "You're on Zhiquan's team, and I'm on Jingnu's team. Let's see who gets the most balls in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
Before Qin Jin could refuse, Xue Rongyue had already used reverse psychology: "Knowing that dogs are agile and fast, this arrangement is not considered bullying the young master. Surely the young master is not afraid?"
Qin Jin glanced at her sideways, snorted coldly, and pointed at the obediently waiting Zhiquan, saying, "Who doesn't know that it's on your side and is a real undercover agent?"
"Is it only on my side?" Xue Rongyue didn't deny it. Instead, she smiled and stepped forward, deliberately asking Qin Jin, "What about the young master? Doesn't the young master side with me?"
"So..." Qin Jin rubbed his temples, looking troubled, "Is there even a need to fight?"
Xue Rongyue laughed.
He said he'd wait a stick of incense, but actually spent most of the hour playing with the dog. In the end, as expected, both he and the dog were utterly defeated, and Xue Rongyue and Jingnu won.
The servants prepared the meal. Although Xue Rongyue drank a small bowl of chicken soup when she got up, she was hungry after making such a fuss for so long. Accompanied by Jingnu, she went to the empty pavilion to change her clothes.
When he came out, Qin Jin had already changed his clothes and was waiting under the eaves.
Jingnu tactfully stepped back, maintaining a slight distance to allow the two to speak. As they walked along the corridor, Xue Rongyue deliberately stopped at a certain point.
Turning her head to look at the room that was still tightly sealed, she glanced at Qin Jin and deliberately said, "Your Highness, you came to wait outside the pavilion because you were worried that I would approach this secret room again?"
Qin Jin paused, then sighed helplessly, "Still holding a grudge?"
Xue Rongyue responded with a cold snort: "The young master is hiding so well, could it be that he's keeping a mistress in a golden house?"
With a slight upward slant of his sharply defined eyebrows, Qin Jin turned to look at Xue Rongyue, a look of surprise on his face: "You knew all this?"
Xue Rongyue's brow twitched, and her eyes widened instantly.
Qin Jin winked at Xue Rongyue, crossed his arms and gently bumped her shoulder, acting like they were best buddies, and said lazily, "Beauties are hard to come by, I had no choice but to say this. Remember to keep it a secret for me."
"Are you crazy?!" Looking at Qin Jin's seemingly genuine expression, Xue Rongyue was dumbfounded. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth, and suddenly felt a strange tightness in her chest.
Her jaw tightened, she turned around, and strode toward the secret room.
Without turning his head, Qin Jin reached out and grabbed her sleeve, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Where are you going?"
Xue Rongyue's expression was indifferent: "Go and see if it's really as the Crown Prince said."
Qin Jin leaned against the railing: "If it really is you, what do you plan to do?"
"So what? What can I do?" Xue Rongyue scoffed, shaking off Qin Jin's hand, and then forcefully poked Qin Jin's hard chest with her fingertip. "If he's a prisoner, and it's true, I will naturally put aside my own family and report him to the authorities to have him arrested."
"Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Inside are only portraits of beauties I've admired for a long time, not living beauties." Qin Jin seemed pleased by the phrase "putting righteousness before family," and upon hearing this, his thin lips curled up slightly. He sighed with feigned regret, "This shouldn't be illegal, right? There's no need for Madam Xue to put righteousness before family."
Xue Rongyue blurted out, "Qin Jin, you're shameless! You actually dared to secretly draw my portrait!"
Qin Jin was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, unable to stand up straight. He said with great amusement, "You found out about this too? It seems that Madam Xue is not only stunningly beautiful, but also incredibly intelligent. She is truly a divine person."
Xue Rongyue glanced at him sideways without saying a word.
Qin Jin couldn't help but laugh: "But next time, could I say that myself, so I don't miss it?"
"This is what the young master doesn't understand," Xue Rongyue said, looking at him with a calm expression.
"Oh?" Qin Jin raised an eyebrow and said, "I'd like to hear the details."
Xue Rongyue snorted, "If you were to say that, it would make me so sick I wouldn't be able to eat today. Wouldn't that be a waste of the young master's good intentions? I'm only saying this for the young master's sake, so I spoke first."
"Is that so?" Qin Jin's smile deepened, and he pretended to suddenly understand, bowing to Xue Rongyue and saying, "Then thank you very much for your thoughtfulness, Madam Xue."
"No problem, no problem."
Xue Rongyue raised her chin, accepted Qin Jinxing's bow, and then stepped forward: "Since Your Highness has admired the beauty for so long, you should find a painter to paint the portrait. Your painting skills are really unbearable, so as not to ruin the beauty's appearance."
Qin Jin, tall and imposing, followed closely behind her, saying, "Don't worry, I used a lot of patience when painting Lady Xue. The portrait I painted is incredibly lifelike and can be described as a masterpiece."
Xue Rongyue curled her lip, her disdainful voice saying, "Stop bragging."
"You don't believe me? I'll take you to see for yourself."
"I won't look. I don't want to find out the prince's lie and then kill me to silence him in his rage."
"Why do you say that, Madam Xue? I can't bear to kill you. At most, I'll clear out that secret room and lock you in there."
"roll!"
"Why do you want me to get out again?"
"......"
The sound, sometimes loud and sometimes soft, drifted faintly in. Jingnu stared blankly at the two people walking away side by side.
Bright sunlight filtered through the layers of lush green leaves, casting dappled rays onto the two figures, their silhouettes perfectly complementing each other. The broad, imposing frame of the man and the soft, graceful body of the young woman complemented each other beautifully. The two walked side by side through the varying shades of sunlight, disappearing into the radiant glow of the sun.
Jingnu suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and jogged after him—
"My wife, wait for me!"
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Author's Note: I sneaked two pieces of frozen durian last night, and today I'm being punished by the god of menstruation. With both heat rash and my period, I feel completely drained, like I'm dying... [melted]
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