Chapter 59: Either Passionate or Cool
Wei Xichen returned to his tent, devoid of the joy of taking a wife and concubines. The place was as quiet as a stagnant pool, especially silent under the shimmering autumn sun.
The emperor was suspicious, and his subjects and officials' families were not allowed to bring any entourage into the hunting grounds without exception, including the crown prince. All those who accompanied him were officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and there were no palace guards by his side.
Everyone's fate was in the hands of his father, the emperor. Crushing Jiang Yinyue was as easy as crushing an ant.
What about that assassination attempt back then?
Despite the tireless investigation by the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice, no clues were found. Could it be related to the Emperor?
The thought of this possibility sent a chill down Wei Xichen's spine as he clenched his interlocked fingers.
**
The Grand Secretary's Office.
After coughing up blood, the terminally ill Chief Minister Dong lay on his side on the couch, panting heavily, his face pale and bloodless.
The Grand Secretary's wife, Madam Tan, patted her husband's back to soothe him, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I can't hold on much longer, my wife. Please remember, there are two most suitable candidates for the position of Grand Secretary: the Second Grand Secretary and the Minister of Personnel. If the Minister of Personnel's daughter can marry into the Crown Prince's palace, my wife must do everything in her power to ensure that the Minister of Personnel succeeds as Grand Secretary."
Where is Jiang Song?
"Jiang Song is a doting father to his daughter, and the rift between him and the Crown Prince is irreparable."
"What about the Third Prince..."
"Without Tao Qian's support, the Third Prince's power has been greatly diminished, and the one who is most indignant is Consort Guo. This woman is good at sowing discord, so Madam must keep a close eye on the Empress and not act rashly and ruin Chen'er's path to the throne."
Chief Minister Dong coughed incessantly and vomited blood repeatedly.
Lady Tan wanted to summon the imperial physician, but was stopped by Chief Minister Dong, who said, "It's no use, it's no use."
**
On the fifth day of the hunt, Jiang Yinyue carried a gray rabbit into the tent, with a small wildflower tied to its ear.
Wei Qin, who was packing his bags to return home, picked up the rabbit, put it in the straw burrow, and pulled his wife to the basin to wash her hands. "Dinner is ready."
As soon as he finished speaking, a guard brought over dinner.
"Thank you for your trouble."
Wei Qin took dishes from the tray one by one and served them to Jiang Yinyue, watching her eat with relish.
"Why aren't you eating?" Jiang Yinyue scooped a bowl of nourishing mutton soup and handed it to Wei Qin.
"Hmm." Wei Qin lowered his head and drank the soup, looking somewhat absent-minded.
Late at night, Jiang Yinyue quickly wiped herself down and squatted down next to the gray rabbit, about to reach out to touch it, when Wei Qin grabbed her around the waist and carried her back to bed.
"It's time to sleep. We have to get up early and travel tomorrow."
Jiang Yinyue, who had been raised to be grumpy in the morning by Wei Qin, immediately tucked herself in and buried her face in the pillow.
Wei Qin raised his hand to smooth the stray hairs that were falling across her forehead, leaned down and kissed her forehead, and as the woman's eyelashes trembled slightly, he kissed the tip of her nose.
A few light pecks, a dragonfly skimming the water.
However, since the woman did not refuse, the scholar Wei, who had been warned by his aunt in the letter, could not resist and pressed the woman, who dared not open her eyes, down beneath him.
"Hmm?"
Wei Qin kissed her passionately, his hands tracing the woman's exquisite curves.
"We still have to travel tomorrow morning..."
"Just for a little while."
Jiang Yinyue was dazed when her teeth were pried open.
The gray rabbit in the burrow had jumped to the edge of the bed at some point, making Jiang Yinyue feel uncomfortable.
"rabbit."
Wei Qin stroked the rabbit gently, with tenderness.
Jiang Yinyue blushed involuntarily, her face turning red. She tried to kick her legs, but Wei Qin pressed them down with his knee.
The kiss moved from her delicate lips to her jade-like neck, not missing a single soft spot.
As Wei Qin continued kissing her, he hooked his arm around the woman's waist, pulled her onto his lap, and kissed her slender back.
Her pink nightgown slipped off her shoulders, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin and the marks of her fingers.
Jiang Yinyue turned her head, looked at the person burying their head on her back, and then at the gray rabbit wriggling its mouth by the bedside. She couldn't be more embarrassed.
She held onto Wei Qin's hand, preventing him from crumpling her nightgown any further.
"Go to sleep."
Wei Qin rubbed his nose against Jiang Yinyue's protruding vertebrae from bending over, then pulled her back into the blankets.
In her letter, his aunt reminded him that since they had not yet consummated their marriage, he should wait until all the open and covert schemes were revealed, until he confessed his identity, and until Jiang Yinyue was truly willing to accept the reborn Wei Yihe, rather than the poor scholar Wei Qin, before they could enjoy the romance together.
"Yin Yue is stubborn and has a clear sense of love and hate. If you take advantage of her while deceiving her, she may not compromise just because it's a done deal. She might turn on you and sever all ties with you. The Crown Prince is a case in point."
The letter was received by Wei Qin the day before he was to go hunting with the emperor; it was received quietly, yet it carried a heavy weight.
Looking at his sleeping wife in his arms, Wei Qin couldn't fall asleep.
In another tent, the Grand Tutor and his son were still playing chess.
When does Father plan to confront Jiang Song?
What do you think?
Cui Wei placed a white piece, saying, "What I said last time was to wait until Chief Minister Dong passed away."
"Think about it again."
Under the old man's hoarse and patient guidance, Cui Wei ate a large patch of black ink from the old man, saying, "After the appointment of the Grand Secretary."
Cui Shengzhi placed a black stone with a "snap," defusing the unfavorable trend of the game. "Exactly."
Jiang Song's defeat in the election fueled his resentment, making it the perfect time for a showdown.
To win people's hearts, one must act at the right time and strike while the iron is hot.
As dawn broke, Jiang Yinyue had already mounted her horse with the gray rabbit on her back. From the small bundle on her back, the gray rabbit's furry face and long ears were visible.
Unlike when they arrived, today the prince is accompanying them.
The Third Prince, who was vying for the position, was dismissed by Emperor Shunren with a smile.
Emperor Shunren embraced Wei Xichen, as if there had never been a rift between father and son.
Wei Yangwan walked to the middle of the caravan with a crooked mouth, glanced at Jiang Yinyue sitting quietly on her horse, and said, "Are you stupid? Carrying a rabbit?"
"None of your business!"
"You and Wei Qin had him? You and Wei Qin had him!" The carefree boy burst into laughter, making a commotion as if afraid no one would notice.
When the joke reached the Emperor, Emperor Shunren looked meaningfully at the expressionless Wei Xichen and said, "A gentleman should help others achieve their goals. My son should sincerely wish the couple a long and happy marriage."
It just so happens that next year is the Year of the Rabbit, so Emperor Shunren had a pure gold rabbit brought out and threw it to Wei Xichen, saying, "Go and wish them a son soon."
Everyone present knew about the dramatic love affair in the Eastern Palace back then. The Jiang family's daughter was a guest of honor in the Eastern Palace. Relying on the Crown Prince's favor, she was much more unrestrained and bold than the imperial princess or the county princess, and was not bound by rules.
The pure gold rabbit became a hot potato. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Wei Xichen dismounted and strode towards the middle of the caravan.
Shengxue remained dressed in white as before, and she was still as radiant and upright as ever, but her light brown eyes, once overflowing with stars, were now clouded with the marks of time, empty and dark.
Jiang Song gripped Jiang Taolue's shoulder, letting the Crown Prince walk past them, towards his daughter and son-in-law.
Although I felt it was inappropriate, I could not disobey the imperial decree.
Wei Xichen arrived in front of Jiang Yinyue's mount. As Jiang Yinyue and Wei Qin dismounted, he tossed over a pure gold rabbit, smiled faintly, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "When your family welcomes a new member, I will save a cup of celebratory wine for you."
He didn't even glance at Jiang Yinyue before turning and leaving, his smile perfectly timed, appearing quite respectable to outsiders.
Emperor Shunren lashed his whip at the crown prince's mount, urging it to go and greet its master.
The caravan turned back in a grand procession. Jiang Yinyue stared at the golden rabbit she had hung on the saddle and secretly glanced at the man riding beside her.
Will you have baby rabbits next year?
Before Wei Qin could turn her head, she averted her gaze, spurred her horse's belly, and Zhu Dian, who was speeding up, almost bumped into the rear of the horse in front of her.
Several hours later, the caravan rested at the foot of a sheltered mountain. Jiang Yinyue jumped off her horse, opened her bundle, and released the gray rabbit to graze.
Jiang Yinyue watched as several powerful ministers led their daughters and granddaughters to the emperor's presence. The noble ladies were shy and hesitant, not daring to look the crown prince in the eye.
"Nian Nian eats fruit."
Jiang Yinyue took the fruit her brother handed her, took a bite, and wrinkled her face at the sourness.
Jiang Tao sat down on the ground with his sister, watching the commotion on the Emperor's side. "Can we remain calm now?"
Jiang Taolue did not want to bring up the past, but during the five years he was absent, his sister's feelings towards the Crown Prince changed from being full of love to being indifferent. What kind of trials and tribulations must she have gone through to become indifferent?
He wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with his sister to understand her growth experience during the five years he was absent.
"I've long since let it go." Jiang Yinyue didn't forget to take the opportunity to praise Wei Qin in front of her brother, "What I need is someone who understands me once, next time, and every time, and Wei Qin has done it."
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
"That's because my brother doesn't understand him."
Jiang Taolue remembered how confident her younger sister was about becoming the Crown Princess on the night before she left the capital. At that time, she never imagined that her childhood sweetheart would be suspicious and plot against her.
"You can't see through a person even after ten years, let alone three or four. It's always good to be cautious."
Jiang Yinyue smiled, "Of course I have to be careful around outsiders, but I don't want to be like that with my closest and dearest family."
Her emotions were either intense or lukewarm.
"You've gotten trapped?"
Seeing Wei Qin walking this way, Jiang Yinyue didn't bother to answer and patted her other side.
Wei Qin, who nodded to Jiang Taolue, sat down next to Jiang Yinyue, bent one leg, and continued weaving a flower wreath.
Jiang Yinyue glanced at it, but didn't ask any more questions, and waited quietly.
When Wei Qin placed the flower wreath on her head, the woman, who had been keeping a straight face, beamed with joy.
Jiang Taolue had his answer: his sister was not only infatuated, but deeply so. A worthless flower wreath was more valuable than the pure gold rabbit gifted by the Crown Prince.
but......
Where's your rabbit?
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yinyue looked around and thought to herself, "Oh no."
The rabbit is gone.
They fled.
Jiang Yinyue made a move to get up and look for him, but Wei Qin grabbed her wrist.
"Cannot be found."
"You've raised them for several days and they still won't tame them?" Jiang Yinyue didn't ask aloud, but the answer was definitely yes. Wild rabbits are not like canaries; they can't be tamed.
Jiang Yinyue felt a little regretful, not for any other reason than Wei Yangwan's teasing remark.
The little rabbit she and Wei Qin "gave birth to".
The convoy continued on its way, and as it reached the city gate, the horses behind Wei Xichen suddenly neighed. He quickly turned around and steadied the horse of an important official who was about to step on a mouse. It was also a twist of fate that he inadvertently saw Jiang Yinyue, who was eating with her cheeks bulging, smiling and raising her head, while Wei Qin wiped the corner of her mouth.
The two sat astride two horses, yet their tenderness remained undiminished.
Wei Xichen twitched the corner of his mouth before turning around, and a man and a horse came galloping rapidly towards him.
They were palace guards who stayed at the Dong residence to await orders.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Grand Secretary... the Grand Secretary is dead!"
The chief minister, who had served as prime minister for thirty years, died of illness, and the pillar of the Dong family collapsed.
The neighing was even louder than the buzzing sound caused by the horse's neighing earlier, almost exploding in his ears. Wei Xichen sat stiffly on his tall horse, tears falling amidst the whispers of his ministers and their families.
The crown prince, who had always enjoyed a smooth and successful life, experienced his first major setback.
Tears, frozen with grief, dripped onto the back of my hand, leaving scalding tear stains.
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Author's note: 50 small red envelopes~
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