Chapter 1 It all started a month ago…
It was early summer, and the evenings were already quite hot.
Even with a window lattice open, the night breeze couldn't dispel the oppressive heat of the room.
In this kind of weather, the air seems to become thick and sticky, forcing people to feel an indescribable dryness and heat.
The bronze incense burner with auspicious beast design on the table slowly emitted incense smoke, and the gauze curtains hung down, revealing the indistinct silhouette of a woman on the bed.
The summer night was hot and dry. She wore only a light and sheer gauze dress that partially exposed her chest, covering her fair and delicate skin. She had been pampered since childhood, and her skin was as smooth and white as milk, without a single flaw.
Beneath the semi-transparent gauze skirt, one could glimpse her slender yet shapely figure, with an extremely thin waist that could be grasped in one hand.
Perhaps it was the unbearable heat, for the thin quilt covering her body had been kicked aside, revealing a section of her calves beneath her gauze skirt. They were straight, slender, and dazzlingly white, with delicate and dainty toes, but the insteps were slightly tense, as if she were in great discomfort.
Her brows were furrowed, her eyes were closed, her eyelids were flushed, her thick eyelashes trembled slightly, and her face was also flushed with an abnormal redness.
A thin layer of sweat glistened on her fair forehead, her hair was damp with fragrant smoke, and her long black hair was spread out on the bed. Her red lips were slightly parted, occasionally letting out a few soft moans, indescribably melodious and soothing.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, she abruptly opened her eyes, but her gaze was hazy and moist, and she seemed to still be somewhat dazed.
Yet it allows one to truly see her facial features.
The girl was only fourteen or fifteen years old. Although her face still had some immaturity, she had already developed a stunning beauty.
Her eyebrows were graceful and delicate, her nose was exquisite and her lips were red. Beneath her thick eyelashes, her eyes, black and white, shimmered with a captivating light.
Her eyelids were half-closed, her gaze seemingly half-closed, yet a captivating allure shone through her eyes as they shifted, revealing a natural charm.
Her cheeks were full and still had a childlike innocence, which added to her charming and innocent look.
Her face was alluring yet retained an innocent charm, but her body was already fully mature.
Beneath her slender, jade-like neck lay a fullness beyond her years, her snow-white breasts half-exposed, trembling gently with her breath, vibrant and alluring.
Her gaze gradually focused, landing on the inside of the bed, where a young man had appeared at some point.
He leaned against the headboard, bent one leg, and casually rested his wrist on his knee.
The frosty moonlight streamed into the room through the window, gently falling on him and casting a hazy glow on his features, making him appear even more unreal.
Under the moonlight, she finally saw the man's face clearly.
A face sculpted with exquisite detail, features eyebrows and eyes almost like a painting, a high and straight nose, a smooth and tight jawline, and bone structure so superior as to be nearly perfect.
His handsomeness was so extreme that it even exuded a bewitching charm.
He glanced at me casually, a faint smile playing on his lips, yet exuding a charming and carefree air.
Sweat trickled down her temples, leaving an ambiguous trail, and she felt her consciousness growing increasingly unclear.
The man's shirt was open, revealing a large expanse of firm muscle, but looking further down, he was fully clothed and nothing could be seen.
She frowned slightly, and in her dazed state, she felt a little disappointed.
She was soaked in sweat and felt sticky, while he remained clean, relaxed, and at ease.
She suddenly felt resentful.
How could she be the only one in such a sorry state?
Moreover, his temperament was aloof and cold... The pure moonlight flowed tenderly across his face, making him appear even more like a snow-covered pine tree shrouded in icy mist, captivating all who looked at him.
In her hazy state, she thought that he must be very cool... which would be perfect for cooling her down...
She struggled to sit up and slowly approached him.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, a playful smile playing on his lips, flippant and indifferent. He neither reached out to her nor pushed her away, but simply watched her with interest as her trembling fingertips slowly climbed up to him.
The moment she touched him, she let out a comfortable sigh; just as she had expected, his body was cool to the touch.
The heat and dryness within her body subsided for a moment, but somehow, it was like drinking poison to quench thirst. In just a breath, a frantic backlash ensued—a thought kept clamoring in her mind: she craved more.
Trembling, she clung to his shoulders and neck, her soft, boneless hand about to slip inside his collar, when her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
"Look carefully, who am I?"
He turned his head and looked at her indifferently, his voice cold: "I am not the Crown Prince."
Her beautiful eyes were misty, her gaze gradually focusing, her rosy lips parted and closed, and she stammered, "I...I know..."
He smiled, satisfied, and released his hand. The moonlight lingered on his brows and eyes, giving him a pure and radiant beauty.
She stared at him, as if bewitched, wrapped her arms around his neck, and slowly kissed him. Just as she was about to touch his lips, she suddenly snapped out of her daze, abruptly releasing him and shaking her head in a daze, saying, "No, no..."
The man caught up with her, took her hand in his, lowered his head to kiss her fingertips, and said in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong, hmm?"
She immediately withdrew her hand, stammering, "I...I don't like you...I like the Crown Prince..."
The man's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he gave an ambiguous "Oh?"
"But your body seems to prefer me."
He scoffed and leaned close to her ear: "Since you think you like the Crown Prince, then let your Crown Prince brother help you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the man vanished in front of us as a wisp of smoke.
She hurriedly reached out, but couldn't grasp anything: "Xiao Wenqi!"
She suddenly opened her eyes and woke up from her dream. After regaining her senses, she slowly sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard and panting.
I raised my hand to wipe my forehead and temples, and found that I was already drenched in sweat.
She had that dream again...
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded, the curtains were lifted, and a worried and concerned little face peeked in: "Princess, are you having a nightmare again?"
Yan Jiarou nodded: "Yingxue, I'd like to drink some water, something cold."
"Yes, Princess."
A moment later, Yingxue returned and hooked up the bed curtains. She sat on the edge of the bed and carefully handed over a water cup: "Princess."
Yan Jiarou took the tea and, as if she were extremely thirsty, tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.
After drinking the cold tea, the dryness and heat in my body gradually subsided.
Yingxue took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Yan Jiarou covered her burning face with her hands and said dejectedly, "Yingxue, I dreamed about him again..."
Yingxue paused, then tentatively asked, "Are you referring to the Third Prince?"
The Third Prince, Xiao Che, courtesy name Wenqi, is the third son of the current emperor.
His Majesty has three sons: the eldest prince Xiao Jue, the second prince Xiao Yan, and the third prince Xiao Che.
The eldest prince and the second prince were born of the same mother, Empress Xiaoxian. Empress Xiaoxian came from the Cui clan of Qinghe, a noble family with the support of the entire Yuelong aristocratic clan. As a result, the eldest prince, Xiao Jue, was named crown prince at a young age.
Although the third prince, Xiao Che, was Emperor Yuan of Wei's most beloved youngest son, he withdrew from the competition for the crown prince position from the very beginning because his birth mother, Consort Jiang, was not from a noble family and her identity was shrouded in mystery.
Consort Jiang, Jiang Chenyu, lived up to her name, possessing a beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky. She was also a member of the Lanling clan, which was said to be extremely beautiful regardless of gender, with the ability to bewitch and captivate, and to be the most skilled at bewitching people.
Therefore, the Lanling clan is often called a clan that brings disaster to the country. If such a beautiful woman were to enter the harem of another dynasty, wouldn't she make the emperor lose his mind?
Jiang Chenyu's appearance is strikingly similar to that of the legendary princess of the former Qi Kingdom—the remaining members of the Lanling clan, most of whom are from the former royal family.
This led to the rumor that Consort Jiang was a remnant of the previous dynasty.
Such an unidentified person naturally could not enter the harem, and her son would naturally have no chance of ascending the throne.
The reason she was able to enter the palace was simply because Emperor Wei Yuan insisted on his own way and made many compromises with powerful families in the previous dynasty, including marrying Empress Cui, which led to Jiang Chenyu being successfully made a Noble Consort.
Xiao Che perfectly inherited his birth mother's appearance, possessing extremely handsome features that were enough to make many noble ladies from aristocratic families fall head over heels for him.
However, Yan Jiarou did not like him.
To be honest, as a princess in name only, she should have called him "Third Imperial Brother," but since they had never gotten along, she usually addressed him by his given name.
When did she start to dislike him?
It seems that when she was seven years old, she accidentally fell into the water and was rescued by the Crown Prince, who was then the eldest prince. At that time, the Crown Prince was only twelve years old, just a child, but he did not hesitate to jump into the icy lake in the dead of winter to save her. The lake was not shallow and almost cost him his life, but he never let go of her hand from beginning to end.
She was in a daze when she grabbed the hem of his clothes and pulled a jade pendant from his waist. She could vaguely tell from his clothes that he was a prince, but she could never see his face clearly.
From that moment on, she fell in love with him. Children don't understand anything. After listening to the palace servants read a few storybooks, in which women often repay kindness with their bodies, she secretly vowed that she would marry him when she grew up.
When she woke up, she couldn't wait to see her savior. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw the eldest prince, who was guarding her by the lake.
It turned out he was the one who saved her...
So she followed him around all day, calling him in a childish voice, "Brother Jue..." She bit her finger, clearly too young to understand anything, yet she said with absolute certainty, "I want to marry you someday."
—She only held the title of princess because Emperor Wei Yuan had met her father, Yan Hongfang, during an incognito trip. The two hit it off immediately and became friends.
Later, in an accident, Yan Hongfang perished in a fire while trying to save Consort Jiang, who was traveling with Emperor Wei Yuan. His wife also died soon after, leaving behind a little girl, Yan Jiarou, who was less than three years old and only knew how to cry.
Emperor Wei Yuan pitied her background and was grateful for her father's kindness, so he took her into the palace to raise her and made her Princess Qinghe. This matter was known throughout the court. Although she was a princess, she only enjoyed the title and treatment of a princess, but she was not included in the imperial genealogy. In the end, she had no relation to the princes.
Emperor Wei Yuan treated her very well and once teased her, saying, "Jia Rou has been childhood sweethearts with my three princes. They all seem to like you very much. In the future, Jia Rou can marry whichever of my three sons she likes, is that alright?"
Later, when Xiao Jue was made crown prince, she changed her address to "Crown Prince Brother". However, she never changed her words, "I will marry you in the future".
It seems that ever since she fell into the water and followed the Crown Prince around all day, constantly saying that she wanted to marry him, Xiao Che started to dislike her.
As they grew older, their relationship not only failed to improve but became increasingly tense. Yan Jiarou hated Xiao Che; she felt he was constantly targeting her!
I remember once, Princess Yongning, the most beloved daughter of Emperor Wei Yuan, envied her brothers. Every day, she was taught by great scholars in Yongyan Palace. She begged Emperor Wei Yuan that she also wanted to study and broaden her horizons. Why did her brothers have it, but she didn't?
Emperor Wei Yuan then ordered several princesses to attend the meeting. Although she was only a princess in name, she went along as well. She was happy to see Xiao Jue more often, since the princesses were just attending the meeting and didn't need to do any homework.
However, there was one teacher who, whether he listened to Princess Yongning's words about hoping that Mr. Xiao would treat everyone equally or he was just particularly strict, caught Yan Jiarou peeking at Xiao Jue in class and scolded her for being distracted and not paying attention. He punished her by making her copy the book ten times. And to make matters worse, the book she was punished to copy had to be given to Xiao Che!
He would turn a blind eye to other princesses being lazy and copying fewer pages, but when it came to her, he was particularly meticulous: "Princess Qinghe, it seems you copied three pages less."
Jia Rou cursed him inwardly several times, but on the surface she had to force a smile and coaxed him sweetly, "Brother Che..."
She never called him that normally, and only when she needed something from him would she act so coquettishly.
Xiao Che looked up, seemingly surprised, a smile playing on his lips, appearing to be in a good mood: "Well done," he smiled slightly, his index finger slightly curled, tapping lightly on the table: "However, not a single one can be missing."
"you!"
"Gazing at me won't help. Who taught you to peek at the Crown Prince during class?" He said righteously, "Royal sister, class is for you to understand things and broaden your horizons, not for you to flirt with the Crown Prince—how can you learn a lesson if you don't copy less?"
He raised an eyebrow and slightly curled the corner of his lips: "Don't want to copy books? Then don't look at the Crown Prince in class anymore, hmm?"
Yan Jiarou glared at him, then suddenly said in a low voice, "Then I won't look at the Crown Prince, I'll look at you instead, okay?"
She only meant to say something in anger, but to her surprise, Xiao Che was taken aback, then nodded, smiling playfully and unrestrainedly: "Alright."
He stood up, stepped over the table, and whispered in her ear with a chuckle, "If you look at me, my dear sister, and the teacher punishes you, I'll copy it for you..."
His breath brushed against the small patch of skin beside her ear, sending a tingling, itchy sensation through her. Yan Jiarou's heart skipped a beat for no reason. When she came to her senses, she pinched him in a fit of embarrassment and anger: "Xiao Wenqi, you're teasing me!"
On another occasion, Princess Yongning helped a young lady from a noble family give a sachet to Xiao Che. He was very bothered by such things, but he seemed to have gotten used to it. He simply said that he would not accept such things and that was the end of it.
When it was her turn, she had lost a bet and had to deliver something to Xiao Che. She thought Xiao Che would at most refuse it, but to her surprise, he threw a tantrum: "What does Princess Qinghe take me for? Sending me things from just anyone? I'll just ask you, if she asked you to give this to the Crown Prince, would you do it too?"
Yan Jiarou was completely confused at the time, not understanding why Xiao Che was angry. How could Yongning do the same thing but she couldn't? Sure enough, she was no match for his own sister, and he was targeting her!
There are countless examples like this. Although Yan Jiarou is arrogant, she doesn't hold grudges. In the entire palace, the only person she can hate so much is Xiao Che. He is her number one mortal enemy!
But now... she's actually having dreams about her mortal enemy... and more than once...
Yan Jiarou didn't understand what was wrong with her: "Yingxue... am I sick?"
Sick? Yingxue frowned, but this situation didn't seem like illness: "Princess, please don't overthink it. Perhaps it's just that it's hot these days, and people are bound to feel restless. And since you are young and beautiful, it's understandable that you might have feelings of love."
"You...you mean I'm lovesick?" Yan Jiarou's thick eyelashes trembled slightly as she bit her lip and said, "But...why isn't the Crown Prince the object of my affection?"
"This... perhaps it's because the Third Prince... he's more likely to arouse romantic thoughts than the Crown Prince..." Yingxue bit her tongue, wondering what she was saying!
She quickly changed her tune, saying, "Consort Jiang is a beauty of unparalleled grace, and the Third Prince resembles his mother, making him even more handsome than the Crown Prince. Everyone appreciates beauty, and there are many women who admire him, so Princess, you need not take offense..."
Yan Jiarou felt like she was going crazy: "But I don't like him! I've always liked the Crown Prince since I was little!" As she spoke, she turned around and pulled out a jade pendant from under her pillow: "Look, he even saved my life. This is what he left behind when he saved me."
Ever since she dreamt of Xiao Che… she placed this jade pendant under her pillow to remind herself that the person she loved had always been the Crown Prince, and also to hope that she would stop dreaming of Xiao Che. But not only did it not work, the dreams became increasingly unbearable…
She stroked the patterns on the jade pendant in frustration, unable to understand why this was happening.
This jade pendant was forged from mutton fat jade, and was pure white and flawless. There seemed to be a character engraved on the bottom, but it was not the character Wei. She was young at the time, and asked the nanny who took care of her, but the nanny did not recognize it either. She prided herself on being literate and was not an ordinary nanny. Wanting to save face in front of the little princess, she said, "This may not be a character. It looks more like some kind of uncommon pattern."
Yan Jiarou agreed wholeheartedly and didn't think any further.
She put the jade pendant back and sighed heavily.
Having those kinds of dreams with Xiao Che was not only difficult to talk about, but it also made her feel like she had betrayed the Crown Prince. She and the Crown Prince were clearly in love, and he had said he would marry her. She made vows of eternal love to him, but behind his back, she was having such dreams with Xiao Che... She had never dreamed of the Crown Prince before.
This gave her a strong sense of guilt.
She was extremely distressed and really didn't know what to do.
Yingxue sighed as well, "Yes, Princess, you clearly love His Highness the Crown Prince..."
He could only comfort her, saying, "It's alright, dreams are just illusions and can't be taken as fact... Besides, you said yourself that in the end, nothing happened between you and the Third Prince in your dreams, did it?"
Yes, she breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, nothing had happened.
Even in her dream, she hadn't truly betrayed Xiao Jue. Besides, it was just a dream; how could anyone control their dreams? It wasn't her fault; the blame lay with the Lanling clan, who were adept at bewitching people…
Even so, her heart was still far from at peace, because with the increasing frequency of such dreams, the scale of the dreams seemed to be getting larger and larger, and she herself in the dreams was far less clear-headed than in reality.
Xiao Che didn't actually do anything; he just glanced at her, and she was already delirious.
He seemed to disdain trying to seduce her.
But what if one day he were willing to do it...?
No... If this continues, she's afraid she'll really betray Xiao Jue in her dreams.
No, even in her dreams, she would never allow such a thing to happen.
There will definitely be a way.
She asked Yingxue to prepare a bucket of warm water for her, slightly cooler, because every time she had such a dream, she would be covered in sticky sweat and couldn't fall asleep without taking a bath.
While showering, my fingers touched a mark on the outside of my calf. Because it was not very noticeable, I usually just ignored it. But this time, for some reason, as if by some strange impulse, my fingertips lingered on it for a long time.
This mark was caused by a wild fox bite she was accidentally taken while hunting with Emperor Wei Yuan last time. Strangely, a month has passed and the wound has not completely healed. Because so much time has passed, she had almost forgotten about it.
But now that I think about it carefully, it was after we returned from that hunting trip to Lishan that she started acting strangely.
For some reason, my body is always restless and uneasy, like the springtime awakening of all things, with wild animals gradually entering their mating season...
It was after being bitten by that wild fox that she began to have those absurd dreams...
It all started with that trip to Mount Li a month ago.
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