Chapter 28: Tender Encounters + Lu Qingchen's Appearance...
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Lu Qingchen ==
Upon arriving at the private residence, Eunuch Zhou felt as if he had entered a paradise. He was focused and didn't look around much before following Qingyi to the horse farm in the back mountains.
From afar, they could see Princess Consort Cheng riding a pure white horse, her figure graceful and dashing. Princess Consort Cheng was always known for her gentle and refined appearance, so seeing her like this surprised Eunuch Zhou. However, what surprised Eunuch Zhou the most was that their high and mighty Prince Cheng was actually leading Princess Consort Cheng's horse. Prince Cheng was of noble status, yet he had never served anyone before.
Among the royal family, His Highness Prince Cheng and His Highness Princess Cheng have the most harmonious relationship, which can be described as "a perfect couple, deeply in love".
Concealing his inner turmoil, Eunuch Zhou stepped forward with a smile, "This servant greets Your Highness Prince Cheng and Your Highness the Princess."
Su Wanyue dismounted from the horse with a smile and greeted Eunuch Zhou.
Eunuch Zhou was extremely polite to the imperial concubines in the palace, and even more so to Su Wanyue and her husband. He said with a smile, "This old servant is here on His Majesty's orders to invite Your Highness and the Princess back to the Prince Cheng's residence. His Majesty said that the Empress was indeed overthinking the matter of Princess Zhaoning temporarily staying at the Prince Cheng's residence. The Empress has already brought Princess Zhaoning back to the palace, and she is currently in the East Palace."
Therefore, His Majesty already knew that his cold was feigned...
Su Wanyue subconsciously looked up at the man. Xiao Yu's eyebrows were like ink paintings, and one hand was still on the woman's waist. His voice was clear and cold, "This king and the princess will return to the capital tomorrow."
We'll have to wait until tomorrow...
However, since His Majesty doesn't interfere with His Highness the Prince, how could a servant like him possibly meddle in His Highness's affairs? Eunuch Zhou hurriedly said, "Then this old servant will return to the palace to report to His Majesty."
The matter of Princess Zhaoning has come to an end, and the Empress's plan has completely failed.
With a smile on her face, Qin'er approached Eunuch Zhou with a polite demeanor, saying, "Eunuch Zhou, this way please."
Once Eunuch Zhou was out of sight, Su Wanyue pursed her lips and stroked the mane of the white horse in front of her. This white horse Su Wanyue rode was exceptionally docile; when the woman touched it, it would even nestle against her palm. Xiao Yu looked down at her and said unhurriedly, "What does Your Highness wish to ask?"
The two exchanged a glance, and Su Wanyue was the first to look away, asking, "Why doesn't Your Highness return today?"
"Doesn't the princess like it here?" Xiao Yu asked casually as he stroked the white horse's whiskers with his long, slender, fair fingers.
The joy in her eyes couldn't be hidden from others.
Su Wanyue really liked this place, but she also understood the current situation in the court. They couldn't stay here forever. For the past few days, the woman had been on tenterhooks, wondering if the Emperor would be furious if he found out that this person was faking illness. Fortunately, the Imperial Concubine resolved the situation.
However, since the other party said it was all for her sake, Su Wanyue hesitated for a moment, then gave him a graceful curtsy, saying, "This concubine thanks Your Highness."
After returning to the palace, Eunuch Zhou went straight to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and told the Emperor that Prince Cheng and Princess Cheng would be returning to the capital the next day. Upon hearing this, the Emperor reprimanded Prince Cheng.
But Eunuch Zhou understood that His Majesty was not displeased.
***
Late at night, the candlelight was as bright as day. The magnificent painted boat drifted slowly on the stream. The boat was divided into three cabins: front, middle and rear[1]. At this moment, the middle cabin, which was furnished like a boudoir, had only the couple. Su Wanyue was trapped on the soft couch by him. Her clothes were disheveled and her hairpins were askew. The sweet and fragrant atmosphere surrounded them.
Perhaps because she was outside, Su Wanyue was completely unable to relax. Her whole body was stiff, and her breathing was very erratic, so much so that her cheeks and the corners of her eyes were red, as if she had been severely bullied.
The man, dressed in fine clothes and impeccably groomed, gently stroked the woman's flushed cheek with his cool fingers and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
As he asked the question, he slowly and deliberately untied the woman's light green tasseled ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Su Wanyue wanted to bite his arm hard; he was really becoming more and more out of line.
Xiao Yu lowered his head and kissed her lips, his fingertips caressing her skin inch by inch, arousing the woman's desire.
As they merged into one, Su Wanyue frowned and slightly arched her back, almost instinctively biting the man's shoulder. Xiao Yu soothed her by stroking her back and said with a faint smile, "I'm listening to what the Princess Consort wants to say."
Su Wanyue's breathing was unsteady, and her voice was intermittent. Xiao Yu cooperated by pinching her waist and softening his movements, but it was too gentle, causing the woman to feel a tingling sensation even in her bones. Su Wanyue's almond-shaped eyes were glazed over, and now not only the corners of her eyes were red, but also her neck and the base of her ears. She glared at Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu's eyes deepened, and he asked with a smile, "Your Highness, you want this one minute and that the next, and I really don't know how to handle it. Perhaps Your Highness could teach me how to do it?"
This person did it on purpose...
Su Wanyue pinched his waist hard with her fair palm, and Xiao Yu laughed. He wrapped his large hand around her fair hand and kissed her eyebrows and eyes with cool and gentle touch. The woman's eyelashes trembled gently like butterflies.
Xiao Yu's eyes grew even deeper, like the endless night. As his kiss deepened, Su Wanyue had no mind to think about anything else. The painted boat moved with the stream, and the atmosphere inside gradually became tender and affectionate, as if it were floating along with the stream.
Just like the moon shyly hiding behind the clouds.
The next day, the carriage bearing the "Prince Cheng's Mansion" insignia discreetly headed towards the capital. As soon as Su Wanyue returned to Zixia Palace, Chunzhi and the others immediately rushed up to her, saying, "Your Highness, you've finally returned."
The Emperor did not let outsiders know that Xiao Yu and Su Wanyue went to the private residence, but the people in the Prince Cheng's residence certainly knew where their master had gone, and understood that their master had gone to the private residence because of Princess Zhaoning. In their opinion, their master and the princess were the true masters of the Prince Cheng's residence, so if anyone should leave, it should be Princess Zhaoning.
Fortunately, Princess Zhaoning has already returned to the East Palace, otherwise they wouldn't know when they would be able to see the Princess again.
Chunzhi peeled an orange for Su Wanyue with great care and said, "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress has already brought Princess Zhaoning back to the palace."
During the three days that Princess Zhaoning stayed at Prince Cheng's residence, she never came to see the Princess Consort during the day, but deliberately chose to come to see her in the early morning and evening, almost wearing her thoughts on her face.
Su Wanyue knew about this yesterday, and she nodded slightly.
Less than half a day after Su Wanyue returned to the Prince Cheng's residence, the Imperial Concubine in the palace issued an imperial edict summoning Su Wanyue to the palace.
Su Wanyue changed into a light green floor-length gown and entered the palace with Qin'er. Consort Qin had sent Zhang Mama to wait at the palace gate early in the morning. As soon as Su Wanyue arrived, Zhang Mama greeted her with a smile and led Su Wanyue to Chengqian Palace.
Today, the incense burner in Chengqian Palace is burning sandalwood, with a rich and delicate fragrance. Consort Qin is lazily resting her forehead on her hand, looking listless.
It wasn't until Su Wanyue entered that Consort Qin's eyes lit up, and she beckoned Su Wanyue over.
"Greetings to my mother."
"Weiyang has arrived." Consort Qin immediately put on a friendly smile and spoke in an exceptionally gentle voice. A servant brought tea to Su Wanyue, and Consort Qin said, "This is Jade Dew Tea, a tribute from Jiangnan. Weiyang, please have a taste."
"This matter was my fault. On the very first day that Zhao Ning moved into Prince Cheng's residence, Yu'er came to the palace to see me, saying that he had no intention of taking a concubine. I immediately went to Kunning Palace to find the Empress, but unfortunately the Empress had been unwell for several days, so there were some things I could not say," Consort Qin said with a gentle smile.
“This matter has nothing to do with my mother; it was my and His Highness’s willfulness that led to this,” Su Wanyue immediately stated, speaking softly.
Consort Qin smiled, showing no sign of blaming him. "Since his youth, Yu'er has been well-behaved and composed. It's rare to see him act impulsively like this; it's quite a sight."
Su Wanyue lowered her eyes, seemingly a little embarrassed.
Consort Qin lifted the tea lid, took a sip of tea, and slowly said, "You should know that the Empress and I have always been at odds."
Su Wanyue nodded. One was the Empress, and the other was a favored concubine. They would be at odds in any dynasty, let alone now that Su Wanyue had a thorough understanding of the overall situation in the court.
Seeing her nod, Consort Qin smiled even more. "The reason why the Empress dislikes me is because of the Crown Prince. For the Empress, nothing is more important than the Crown Prince securing his position as heir apparent. The Empress would do anything to ensure that the Crown Prince can secure his position as heir apparent."
Su Wanyue understood the implied meaning in the Consort's words: she was being advised to be wary of the Empress. In fact, she had always been wary of the Crown Prince. The woman said softly, "Weiyang understands."
Consort Qin smiled with satisfaction. That's how straightforward it is to talk to a smart person. Consort Qin was genuinely satisfied with the woman in front of her.
"His Majesty has already spoken to the Empress about Zhaoning's matter. Zhaoning's marriage should be settled soon. The General of the State's Mansion already has a Crown Princess. There is absolutely no reason for both of our daughters to marry princes." Consort Qin said slowly, "As for the rest, I will definitely side with Weiyang."
Su Wanyue smiled gently and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Mother."
After sitting in Chengqian Palace for more than an hour, Consort Qin asked Zhang Mama to escort Su Wanyue out of the palace.
After seeing the person off and returning, Zhang Mama said, "The Princess Consort is truly a gentle, generous, and sensible person."
Such a woman is indeed capable of assisting His Highness well.
Consort Qin did not hold back in praising the woman, covering her lips with a handkerchief, "Compared to Weiyang, Yu'er is not as sensible as her."
==Second Update==
Study, Prince Nanqiong's residence.
Dressed in a white robe and exuding an air of otherworldly elegance, the Crown Prince held a book in his hand, turning a page every now and then. The only sound in the quiet study was the rustling of his pages. A eunuch smiled and asked, "Your Highness has been reading all afternoon; would you like to take a break?"
Qin Jue gave a faint "hmm," his pale fingers stroking the teacup in front of him. Seeing the eunuch hesitate, Qin Jue spoke directly: "Speak your mind."
"Your Highness is truly a man of foresight," the eunuch said with a bow and a fawning smile. "Your Highness, the princess came by this afternoon."
Qin Jue continued to look down at the book in her hands, and whether she heard him or not, she did not say anything.
Unsure of Qin Jue's attitude, the eunuch still forced himself to speak: "The princess said that her elopement that day was just a momentary impulse. She did not expect that His Majesty and the Empress would let Princess Zilu marry into the family. The princess also said that she and Princess Zilu were originally sisters, and she had no intention of harming Princess Zilu. Now that the die is cast, if Your Majesty is angry with her because of this, would you be showing favoritism?"
Qin Jue's lips curled into a mocking smile. She really didn't know where she had gone wrong. As a princess of a country, she acted impulsively, enjoying unparalleled glory without caring about the country or the people. Because of her momentary willfulness, her cousin was forced to marry into the Northern Li kingdom. She didn't worry about what would happen if her sister didn't live well after marrying into the Northern Li kingdom, nor did she consider what would happen if this "switcheroo" could not be kept secret one day. She only felt that she had been wronged by the world, simply because she did not do it on purpose.
She also thought that Prince Cheng of Beili was an outstanding person, and that Wanwan would definitely not suffer if she married him. But she didn't think about it. Wanwan and Lu Qingchen were in love.
Qin Jue wasn't biased towards her cousin and disregarded her younger sister. It was just that her younger sister's actions were so disappointing that she never considered where she had gone wrong. If this wasn't her fault, was it the fault of her cousin who was forced to marry into Bei Li in her place?
After the eunuch finished speaking, the study remained silent for a long time. Just as the eunuch was sweating profusely and unable to withstand the pressure, Qin Jue finally spoke calmly: "Tell her to think it through before she comes to see me."
The eunuch hurriedly withdrew, but a moment later another eunuch entered. "Your Highness, the Second Young Master Lu requests an audience."
Qin Jue's eyes flashed, and his voice was clear and gentle, "Please invite Young Master Lu in."
"I have met Your Highness the Crown Prince." The young man was as gentle and refined as ever, with the demeanor of a gentleman, but the weariness in his eyes could not be concealed.
He wore a light blue robe with a widening belt.
Before the Crown Prince went to Hengyang, every time he saw Lu Qingchen, Lu Qingchen always had the same gentle and refined demeanor as now. But at that time, his brows and eyes could not hide his spiritedness. Especially when he saw his little cousin, his eyes were full of endless tenderness and light. Even the Crown Prince thought that Su Wanyue and Lu Qingchen would definitely become husband and wife. But fate played a trick on them.
"Bring a chair for Young Master Lu." A hint of helplessness appeared on Qin Jue's handsome face. In the end, it was still their royal family that had let down the Imperial Uncle's family and the Prime Minister's Mansion.
"What brings you here today, Lu Er?" Because of some subtle matters, the palace eunuch brought Lu Qingchen a chair, served tea, and then withdrew. The Crown Prince had a feeling that Lu Qingchen wanted to see him about something, so he asked in a kind tone.
"His Highness the Crown Prince previously told me that if I ever need anything in the future, no matter how difficult, His Highness would do his utmost to help. I wonder if that still stands?"
Qin Jue's expression darkened slightly, but he did not deny it. He said, "My word is as good as gold, so it naturally stands."
Lu Qingchen's weakness is Su Wanyue. The Crown Prince hardly needs to think to know who Lu Qingchen wants to talk about is related to, and he even has a guess in his mind that Lu Qingchen may want to go to Beili to see Su Wanyue.
Apart from the royal family of Nanqiong, the Nanwang Mansion, and the Lu Prime Minister's Mansion, no one knew that if there hadn't been the substitution incident, Princess Zilu of the Nanwang Mansion would have been engaged to the second son of the Lu Prime Minister's Mansion in April of the fourth year of Dingyuan. It was a day personally chosen by the Lu Prime Minister. If they hadn't been in love, it would have been fine, but they were exactly in love.
Honestly, if he were Lu Qingchen today, he would also feel resentful. Besides feeling resentful, he would also worry about whether his beloved woman was doing well in Beili and whether she was being treated kindly. But he is not Lu Qingchen; he is the Crown Prince of Nanqiong, and he has to consider the bigger picture.
“Zhou Heng sent me a message last time saying that Wanwan is doing well in Nanqiong and no one is bullying her. If you want to go to Beili to see Wanwan at this time, I will not agree.”
According to Zhou Heng's letter, Prince Cheng of Beili is shrewd and has a deep mind. Everything was fine until Lu Qingchen's visit alerted them to something amiss, and Wanwan's identity was exposed. Wanwan is just a member of the royal family; if her identity is revealed, it's uncertain whether they can protect her.
The time was not right, and Qin Jue could not agree to let Lu Qingchen go to Bei Li alone.
"I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince will personally visit Beili at the end of this year?" Lu Qingchen smiled and lowered his head, his smile gentle and warm.
Nanqiong and Beili are of similar strength and do not need to pay tribute every year. However, since Nanqiong and Beili have formed a marriage alliance, Nanqiong will definitely send someone over this year. Prince Xiang originally volunteered to go, but for some reason, the person in the end was changed to His Highness the Crown Prince. Lu Qingchen knew the reason, so he came over.
Qin Jue's eyes, as sharp as distant mountains, looked at Lu Qingchen and understood his purpose. "You want to come with me?"
“You don’t have to go as the second young master of the Lu family.” Lu Qingchen smiled gently. He just wanted to see the woman he loved one again, but he didn’t want to cause her any trouble.
The moment Lu Qingchen learned that His Highness Prince Cheng and Princess Cheng were living in harmony, he felt relieved. He hoped that his beloved woman would live well, whether in Nanqiong or Beili, and would not be bullied.
"Where are you headed, young master?" Lu Qingchen left the Crown Prince's residence about half an hour later. It was late autumn, and the sky outside was misty. In the blink of an eye, a light drizzle began to fall, which felt quite chilly on people. The servant quickly opened a blue paper umbrella and came to greet him.
"Let's go to the Prince of Nan's residence." Lu Qingchen coughed softly as he looked at the endless drizzle.
The Southern Prince's Mansion, the Eastern Palace, and the Princess's Mansion were all located in the same alley. After exchanging a few words with the steward at the Southern Prince's Mansion, Lu Qingchen made his way to the study with ease. Mei'er, the Southern Prince's personal maid, quickly pushed open the door and said, "This servant greets Second Young Master Lu."
Is Uncle Nan inside?
Mei'er nodded, her expression somewhat ambiguous. "The prince is inside, but he doesn't want to see anyone today. He also asked me to tell the second young master that you are kind enough, but the second young master has his own things to do and doesn't need to come every day."
Lu Qingchen did not respond to this, but simply smiled gently, "Then I will come to see Uncle Nan another day."
"Second Young Master, please take care." Mei'er curtsied, her attitude polite and cautious.
Watching Lu Qingchen's departing figure, Mei'er's eyes were filled with sorrow, and she sighed softly. The Second Young Master Lu and their princess were a rare couple, and they should have created a beautiful story, but now all of that is gone.
I wonder if their princess is doing well in Beili. The prince has been worried about their princess's health and has not been very good. The second young master Lu is no longer as spirited as he used to be. Even though Mei'er knows she shouldn't complain, she still can't help but complain. Why should their princess and the second young master Lu suffer all this?
The slanting raindrops pattered against the crossbeams of the carriage. Listening to the pitter-patter of the rain, Lu Qingchen couldn't help but recall many things from the past.
He first met the girl in the study of the Prince of Nan's mansion. He was only seven years old at the time, and the girl was only three. When he was talking to the Prince of Nan, the little girl, who was not even as tall as a person's thigh, came in holding a painting and presented it to the Prince of Nan like a treasure. Her voice was soft and sweet, "Father, look at the calligraphy I've practiced."
The Prince of the South looked at the calligraphy in her hand with a gentle and refined air, seemingly wanting to praise it but not knowing where to begin. He then handed the calligraphy to Lu Qingchen, saying, "Wanwan's calligraphy... why don't you, Lu Er, give your opinion?"
At that time, Lu Qingchen was a very well-mannered young master. He politely accepted the calligraphy. When he saw the calligraphy, Lu Qingchen was stunned for a moment and suddenly understood why the Prince of Nan had that expression.
Because the calligraphy was scattered and the characters varied in size, it was clear that the writing lacked vigor. Lu Qingchen couldn't even say "acceptable." But facing a little girl who was only three years old, Lu Qingchen certainly wouldn't say anything too harsh. He praised the calligraphy without changing his expression, praising it to the point that he himself almost agreed.
As soon as he finished praising him, the Southern King's expression instantly became indescribable, but the little girl was very happy, calling him "brother" over and over again.
Lu Qingchen had a younger sister, but she was very mischievous. At the time, he was very fond of the soft and obedient little girl in front of him.
Even though the boy was still young, he already had a vague idea of protecting the little girl.
Their next meeting was in the Imperial Study. He was the Crown Prince's study companion, receiving instruction from the Grand Tutor alongside the Crown Prince. The girl, being the only daughter of the Southern Prince's Mansion, was chosen to study with the princes and princesses of the royal family. On the first morning of their studies, Lu Qingchen accompanied the Crown Prince to the Imperial Study. The Crown Prince had important business that day, so they arrived a little late. When they arrived, they saw the small girl with her hair in a little bun standing obediently outside the Imperial Study as punishment.
The Crown Prince walked over with a smile, "Wanwan, you've angered the Grand Tutor."
The little girl first shook her head, then nodded. The Crown Prince asked her what happened and why she wouldn't tell him. After class, the Crown Prince and Lu Qingchen finally figured out what had happened. It turned out that during the break, Princess Weiyang accidentally knocked over the Grand Tutor's famous inkstone. Princess Weiyang hated being talked about, so she made the little girl say that she was the one who did it.
The Crown Prince spoke at length to Princess Weiyang at the time, but in the following years, it seemed that everyone in the Imperial Study except His Highness the Crown Prince had taken the blame for Princess Weiyang, and those days were mostly happy.
Then, on the night of the Lantern Festival that year, Lu Qingchen did not ask her to come out to release lanterns because he was "feeling depressed". He held a jade pendant and thought for a long time before going out. But by sheer coincidence, under the thousands of lanterns, Lu Qingchen saw her.
A certain thought grew stronger in her mind. After they released the lanterns, Lu Qingchen handed her the jade pendant. The jade pendant was an engagement token. The Southern Prince's Mansion quickly sent a jade pendant back to the Prime Minister's Mansion. The Prime Minister's Mansion understood the implied meaning and immediately had an auspicious day chosen for the formal engagement. It was at the beginning of the second month after Princess Weiyang married into Beili. But who would have thought...
The jade pendant still hangs on Lu Qingchen's waist. Recalling the past, Lu Qingchen closed his eyes heavily.
==Third Watch==
In late autumn, the weather grew cooler, and the withered leaves were desolate.
The Seventh Princess was feeling extremely stifled in the palace, so she came to Prince Cheng's residence to find Su Wanyue. "Sister-in-law, don't you feel that life is getting more and more boring?"
Su Wanyue was flipping through the account books when she heard this. She thought about it seriously for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Is there something troubling you, Princess?"
The Seventh Princess's eyes were filled with sorrow as she sighed, "I don't have any worries, but I just feel that doing nothing every day isn't good."
Su Wanyue smiled and asked gently, "What does the princess wish to do?"
The Seventh Princess thought about it seriously for a moment, but it seemed she didn't want to practice any of the traditional arts. Then, her eyes caught sight of the familiar chrysanthemums. She immediately took Su Wanyue's small hand and asked with a smile, "Sister-in-law, how about we make some chrysanthemum wine?"
"Alright." Su Wanyue instructed the small kitchen to prepare glutinous rice, and then she and the Seventh Princess went to select fresh chrysanthemum petals. After a while, the two of them put the cooked chrysanthemum wine into a blue and white porcelain bottle and then had the servants bury it in the cellar.
The Seventh Princess smiled and took Su Wanyue's hand, saying that she would come to the Prince Cheng's mansion again in a month to taste the chrysanthemum wine.
Time flies, and early winter arrives in the blink of an eye. From the imperial palace to ordinary people, everyone in the capital city is burning charcoal.
Xie Cheng and the others entered the study and took off their outer cloaks. Luo Qi leaned back in his chair with a nonchalant air and said meaningfully, "The bandits in the Qingzhou area have dispersed, and the Seventh Prince should be able to return to the capital by the end of the year."
Mu Ziyi understood the deeper meaning in those words and chuckled, "If the Seventh Prince doesn't return to the capital soon, I'm afraid some people will think that His Highness harbors rebellious intentions."
Luo Qi raised an eyebrow, showing no fear whatsoever. "So what if there's doubt? So what if there isn't? The Seventh Prince has rendered meritorious service to the country. Upon his return to the capital, His Majesty will surely reward him for his contributions. I'm afraid our Crown Prince, who is known for his respect for talent, won't even be able to sleep well."
Among the adult princes of the royal family, the seventh prince's mother had the lowest rank. However, the seventh prince was the most upright and least concerned with personal matters among all the princes, because he only did what he wanted to do. In short, he was a "free spirit."
With a composed and unhurried demeanor, Xie Cheng said, "I think it's actually a good thing that the Seventh Prince is returning to the capital."
Since the Eighth Prince was punished by the Emperor for the salt smuggling incident, the Zheng family of Xingyang has kept a low profile. The Eighth Prince was originally a member of the Crown Prince's faction, but because his maternal family was powerful, the Crown Prince was wary of him. After the Eighth Prince took the blame for the Crown Prince and lost the Emperor's favor, the Crown Prince stopped being wary of him. Then the Eastern Palace tried every means to cause trouble for the Prince Cheng's Mansion. Princess Zhaoning is a good example of this.
Now that the Seventh Prince has returned to the capital, perhaps the Eastern Palace will not keep such a close eye on the Prince Cheng's residence, which may not be a bad thing.
The group chatted amongst themselves, then they noticed that someone hadn't spoken, slowly turning a jade thumb ring. Just as Luo Qi was about to speak, a maid knocked on the door of the study.
Xiao Yu recognized the woman as a maid from the Zixia Palace. "What's wrong?"
Chunzhi bowed her head and explained to Xiao Yu with a smile, "Your Highness, this is chrysanthemum wine brewed by the Princess Consort and the Seventh Princess. The Princess Consort said that chrysanthemum wine is good for the body and asked Your Highness to try it as well."
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow and sat up straight. The others were also somewhat surprised, never expecting that the woman could cook wine.
When they tasted the sweetness and refreshing coolness of the chrysanthemum wine, everyone knew that Princess Cheng really knew how to brew wine. Luo Qi and the others also respected Princess Cheng, who came from Nanqiong, from the bottom of their hearts. Not only was she kind-hearted, but she was also intelligent. The key point was that she knew a little about everything, which was something everyone liked.
The Wangshan Pavilion was a picturesque spot. A jar of chrysanthemum wine was placed in front of Su Wanyue and the Seventh Princess. Su Wanyue and the Seventh Princess talked and drank, and both of them drank quite a bit.
The Seventh Princess, in particular, was already swaying unsteadily. She grinned and downed the chrysanthemum wine in her cup in one gulp. "Sister-in-law, I'd like to offer you a toast."
Su Wanyue's cheeks were as red as peach blossoms. She blinked her bright almond-shaped eyes gently, her mind still clear. "The princess is drunk."
The maid following behind the Seventh Princess also thought that the Seventh Princess was drunk and wanted to help her, but the Seventh Princess refused to be helped. She even tried to hug the wine jar and acted like a rogue, saying, "I'm not drunk, I want to drink more."
The maid sighed helplessly. Their princess had clearly drunk too much. Fortunately, the kitchen had prepared a hangover soup in advance. After the maid fed the seventh princess the soup, the princess stopped making a fuss. Su Wanyue rubbed her red and hot eyes and said, "Help the princess to Yunyan Pavilion to rest."
Qin'er noticed that her princess was also drunk, and hurriedly said, "Then this servant will help the princess back to rest."
Su Wanyue felt feverish and dizzy. After finally returning to Zixia Palace, she fell asleep on the sandalwood table. Qin'er touched her forehead and brought over some hangover soup. "Your Highness, the hangover soup is here."
Su Wanyue opened her eyes groggily and retorted seriously, "I'm not drunk, I just have a bit of a headache."
Her voice was a little hoarse, yet also soft, as if she were coquettishly pleading with someone.
Looking into those misty, dreamlike eyes, even Chunzhi found it hard to resist. She tentatively asked, "Would the Princess like to rest for a while?"
Su Wanyue rubbed her aching head, her vision starting to blur. She shook her head, thinking she should take a nap.
Chunzhi and Xiatang helped her to lie down on the chaise lounge, covered her with a gold-embroidered mandarin duck quilt, and quietly withdrew.
When she woke up again, it was completely dark outside, and the room was dim. Su Wanyue felt like she had slept for a long time. She rubbed her eyes and noticed someone watching her. "Who's there?"
Before him stood a handsome man with a striking and stern profile. Xiao Yu spoke in a deep voice, "Awake."
"Your Highness."
The candles were lit, and the room was instantly brightened, but it was already completely dark outside. How long had she been asleep?
"You've slept for three hours. Dinner is ready." Xiao Yu picked her up and explained gently. Su Wanyue was already lucid and didn't want him to carry her, so she struggled a little.
"Your Highness, I can walk by myself."
Xiao Yu strode on without stopping, only reminding her in a deep voice, "Your Highness, we are husband and wife."
Su Wanyue had no choice but to give up her resistance and let him carry her to the dining room.
On the Eastern Palace side, Xiao Ruofei hadn't come to the inner courtyard for almost half a month. Lin Ruohan sent someone to ask what was going on. The maid covered her mouth and cautiously said, "I heard that the Seventh Prince will be returning to the capital soon."
The Seventh Prince...
Speaking of which, Lin Ruohan hadn't seen the Seventh Prince for half a year.
Lin Ruohan's expression was somewhat subtle. "No wonder he hasn't come to the backyard these past few days."
It turned out that there was a new person to be wary of. In the Eastern Palace, the relationship between His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Princess was extremely delicate, so no one dared to interrupt when the Crown Princess said this.
Fortunately, the Crown Princess did not continue talking about the Crown Prince, but only asked, "Where is Zhao Ning?"
"Your Highness, Princess Zhaoning is in her room," the maid replied.
Lin Ruohan continued looking at the portraits, which were all of famous scions of prominent families in the capital. These were the fiancés that Lin Ruohan had chosen for her younger sister.
***
On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, a cold wind howled through the capital, and the first snow of the winter fell.
On the same day, Nanqiong sent a document saying that Prince Qin Jue of Nanqiong would be coming to the capital in the middle of the month.
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