"Your Highness, the Crown Prince has sent word that he has to attend a meeting in the Cabinet today and may be late. He asks you to have your meal first and not wait for him."
Yunshan paused in her reading, but continued reading after hearing this.
"Miss, the Crown Prince truly dotes on you."
Spruce's dowry maid, Caidie, looked on with envy.
Since their marriage, Yan Ze has doted on Yun Shan, resting in Jin Hua Palace every day and having dinner with her no matter how late it is.
Sometimes, when the two were in high spirits, they would call for water multiple times a night, their married life extremely affectionate. Whenever she saw the way Yan Ze looked at Yun Shan, it was as if his eyes were so tender they could drip water, making this unmarried young girl blush with embarrassment and dare not look at him for long.
However, Yunshan frowned involuntarily upon hearing this.
...
As night falls, the stars hang high in the night sky, and the moon, as if blushing, hides behind the clouds, too shy to peek out.
"Miss, why don't you have your meal first? The food has been reheated several times already. We don't know when the Crown Prince will be back. He'll be heartbroken to see you going hungry."
"No need, let's wait a little longer."
Seeing this, Cai Die couldn't persuade her any further. Feeling anxious, she could only stand aside.
Not long after, a soft footstep sound came from the air, and Yunshan then looked away from the green plants not far away and slowly got up.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Yan Ze shooed away the maids standing nearby before stepping forward to help Yun Shan up.
"Shan'er hasn't eaten yet? Why are you being so disobedient? It breaks my heart."
Yunshan smiled warmly, led him to the dining table, and gently served him food, just like any well-educated and reasonable wife.
Half-full, Yan Ze casually mentioned something as if in idle chatter:
"Today in the imperial court, I was suddenly impeached by Vice Minister Wen."
Yunshan paused in her chopsticks, her eyes drooping, lost in thought.
Vice Minister Wen...
If Uncle Wen is a Minister, then Vice Minister Wen must be Wen Zhaobai…
She should have realized long ago that someone like Wen Zhaobai, who was deeply in love with her, would definitely make things difficult for Yan Ze in court after what happened to him.
But he was ultimately just a subject; how could he possibly contend with the crown prince, who held such a high position?
"Shan'er...don't you care about the outcome?"
What was the result?
“Of course your husband won.”
Seeing that Yunshan hadn't spoken for a while, Yanze picked her up and sat her on his lap, pressing his forehead against her chin.
"Is Shan'er unhappy? Is she resenting me?"
“All the affection between Brother Wen and me has been severed. You don’t need to use these words to provoke me.”
Yunshan pushed his head away and said calmly.
Having spent a long time with Yan Ze, she naturally knew his temperament. He was the one who snatched her away in the first place, and now he was bringing up old grievances to hold a grudge against her…
"Shan'er, you know I'm jealous. I'm jealous of your past with him, so jealous I'm going crazy."
"Brother? You can't call him that anymore. If you have to call someone, you can only call me brother."
The man became increasingly frivolous, his warm breath brushing against Yunshan's ear, causing her to blush involuntarily.
The night was past midnight. Yunshan opened her eyes and looked at the man sleeping beside her, her eyes filled with doubt.
She knew that the eunuch who came to the mansion to deliver the imperial decree that day was not telling the truth. In fact, it was not the Empress Dowager who wanted to bestow her upon him. From beginning to end, it was Yan Ze who wanted to marry her, and he was the one who went to beg for the imperial decree.
She had never met Yan Ze, nor did she know why he insisted on marrying her, even going so far as to try to steal her away from the wedding.
Everyone in the Crown Prince's residence felt that he doted on them deeply, but whenever they looked into his eyes, they always felt that this man was reminiscing about someone else through them.
The favors and affection she received were only because of another person...
Yunshan's conjectures were confirmed when she heard Yanze mutter the name "Jiu'er" in his sleep.
...
"Your Majesty, we have arrived at Jiang's Cloth Shop."
As soon as Yunshan was helped off the carriage by Caidie, the innkeeper came out to greet her.
"Your Highness, if you want any fabric, you can simply send someone to give the order. There is no need for you to condescend to come here."
The shopkeeper and Yunshan were old acquaintances. When Yunshan was a young lady, she would always come to her cloth shop to choose fabrics herself. Unexpectedly, she still hadn't changed this habit even after becoming the Crown Princess.
"Your Highness, what kind of fabric are you looking to choose? We have just woven and dyed several kinds, and the patterns and colors are all top-notch. Would you like to take a look?"
Spruce's hand slowly swept across the unexpected scene before finally stopping.
"Are there any tattoo designs suitable for men?"
The shopkeeper's lips immediately curled into a smile:
"So that's how it is. They're making clothes for the Crown Prince. The Crown Princess and the Crown Prince's relationship is indeed as loving as the rumors say."
"Please come this way..."
After buying the fabric, the sun was high in the sky. Yunshan went into a nearby teahouse and, familiar with the place, asked the waiter to take her to a private room.
But after Yunshan finished speaking, the servant looked somewhat embarrassed.
"Miss, your private room is currently occupied."
"What's wrong with you? We've been paying for that private room all along, how could you just give it to someone else like that?"
Butterfly was furious, and her little face turned red.
“But you know this person, he’s been here for days…”
Yunshan went upstairs with doubts, only to see Wen Zhaobai's page outside the door.
"Miss Yun."
The pageboy's eyes lit up as if he had seen a savior, and he quickly stepped forward.
"Miss."
Butterfly tugged at Spruce's sleeve, subtly reminding her.
Yunshan is now the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace. If the Crown Prince finds out that she is secretly meeting with a man, what will happen?
Reminded by the butterfly, Yunshan gradually withdrew her steps.
“Miss Yun, since he returned from court that day, my young master has been staying in this teahouse for several days. Every time I go in, all I see are empty wine jars everywhere. Miss, please go and persuade my young master.”
Since she felt guilty towards him, Yunshan still opened the door.
In my memory, Wen Zhaobai was always dressed in white, gentle and refined, with a serene and dignified air.
The smell of alcohol permeating the room, and the person sitting by the window, deeply stung Yunshan.
The man had disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes, and was engrossed in a life of drunken revelry while clutching a wine jar.
Upon hearing the sound, Wen Zhaobai raised his head from the wine jar, saw Yunshan, and murmured "Sister Shan".
He then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Your subject, Zhao Bai, pays respects to the Crown Princess."
"I know you're unhappy, but you don't have to be like this."
Upon hearing this, Wen Zhaobai gave her a deep look, then raised his hand and took another big gulp of wine.
No, you don't know.
You have no idea the heart-wrenching pain I felt when I heard you were going to marry into the Eastern Palace. You have no idea how many nights I woke up from my dreams, looking at the jade tassels you gave me, and felt that profound sense of loss...
I thought you cared about me, but then I saw you take a men's suit from the fabric store...
It turns out that I was just being delusional.
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