Chapter 30 The Crown Princess is Missing
Xiao Mingzhang is back.
They also brought back what Yunzhu had been most looking forward to.
But Yunzhu just stared at him, forgetting even to get up.
Xiao Mingzhang didn't care.
Yan Qian and Lou Kongcheng spent a long time in his study today, and their conversation kept him distracted all day.
After they left, he sat alone in his study for a long, long time before he remembered that today was Yunzhu's birthday.
So he made a special trip outside the city to pick fresh flowers and herbs for her, and wove them into a flower crown to take home.
He thought that returning home and facing Yunzhu would allow him to temporarily forget the hardships of the day, but Xiao Mingzhang overestimated himself. The moment he returned home and stepped back into the Prince's Mansion, he was met not with relaxation, but with increasingly severe torture.
He couldn't face Yunzhu, nor could he face himself for saying those things during the day.
His clothes, damp with evening dust from outside Yunzhou City, acted like shackles, hindering his steps.
"Happy birthday, Yunzhu." Xiao Mingzhang walked into the house and personally put the flower crown on Yunzhu's head.
"I'm late," he bowed and explained sincerely to Yunzhu.
"..."
Yunzhu remained silent, so Xiao Mingzhang knelt down and took his wife's hands in his own.
"Are you angry?" He smirked and asked Yunzhu, "I heard you went to a restaurant with Ming'an and Yu Jingsi today? How was your birthday celebration?"
"..."
How could I not be happy to be with my friends?
Even if Yunzhu were to answer, it would only be in her mind. Facing Xiao Mingzhang, she remained silent and withdrew her hands from his grasp.
Xiao Mingzhang finally began to regain his senses and noticed the indifference and aloofness on Yunzhu's face.
"What happened today?" he asked with concern.
"It's nothing."
Yunzhu finally spoke. But it would have been better if she hadn't.
Xiao Mingzhang was very perceptive. After a little thought, he guessed that she was upset that he had returned late today and hadn't congratulated her on her birthday in time.
“Yunzhu, I’m sorry…” Xiao Mingzhang said again, “but the yamen was just too busy today…”
Busy? Busy with what? Busy figuring out how to kill her so he can marry someone else?
It would have been better if Xiao Mingzhang hadn't mentioned the government office; the moment he did, Yunzhu suddenly stood up abruptly and turned her back to him. She tried to tilt her head back, not wanting her tears to fall in front of Xiao Mingzhang.
Xiao Mingzhang, when you were discussing things with those strategists, did you ever think of me even a little bit? Xiao Mingzhang, so in the entire Prince's mansion, you really don't care about me at all, is that it? You really don't have even the slightest bit of heartache for me...
Although she could hold back her tears, Yunzhu couldn't help but tremble whenever she thought of what she had heard in the yamen.
Her shoulders trembled violently, and upon seeing this, Ayan rushed forward to support her princess.
She glared at Xiao Mingzhang and said, "The princess is not in a good mood today, so why don't you go to the study to rest, Your Highness?"
The study? In all his life, when had Xiao Mingzhang ever been forced to sleep in the study?
He said to Ayan, "In that case, you go out first, and I will take care of the Crown Princess."
Ayan naturally wouldn't let it go. She protected Yunzhu and wanted to say more, but Yunzhu's call of "Ayan" made her stop all her movements.
Yunzhu finally turned around and said to Xiao Mingzhang, "I'm sorry, I'm not in a good mood today..."
Xiao Mingzhang naturally noticed it.
But today is Yunzhu's birthday, and he can't understand why Yunzhu is in a bad mood. Is it just because he came back too late? Or is there some other reason?
"Did your mother cause you trouble?" Xiao Mingzhang asked with concern.
Yunzhu shook her head.
"Did some other people in the city upset you?" Xiao Mingzhang asked again.
Yunzhu shook her head again.
Xiao Mingzhang could only ask again, "Is that Ming'an?"
Yunzhu shook her head, and Xiao Mingzhang could no longer guess what was going on.
He stepped forward and took Yunzhu's hand again. Seeing that she was still wearing the flower crown he had given her, Xiao Mingzhang reached out and straightened the crown, saying, "Then, no matter what, let's get some rest tonight, okay? Whatever it is, we can talk about it after we finish eating and wake up tomorrow."
Yunzhu had the same idea.
It was impossible for her to say anything to Xiao Mingzhang now, and she had no mood for it anyway. She might as well get a good night's sleep first.
But... should she continue sleeping with Xiao Mingzhang?
For the first time, Yunzhu felt confused about this matter.
Would Xiao Mingzhang... kill her in his sleep? Would Xiao Mingzhang... be eager to kill her?
"you……"
Yunzhu was filled with fear, but she knew that if she, like Ayan, suggested that Xiao Mingzhang go to the study, Xiao Mingzhang would definitely have many doubts.
What if he doesn't want to kill her tonight, but she says those things and exposes herself?
"You..." She pondered for a long, long time before finally asking Xiao Mingzhang, "Have you had dinner today?"
Fortunately, it wasn't asking him to go to the study.
Xiao Mingzhang breathed a huge sigh of relief.
He didn't know why, but seeing Yunzhu hesitate, he felt that she was thinking about how to get him to the study. If that was the case, then Xiao Mingzhang would thoroughly investigate what had happened to Yunzhu today.
Thankfully, it wasn't.
He then said softly to Yunzhu, "Not yet. I went out of the city this evening to pick flowers for the birthday celebrant and got covered in mud."
He deliberately showed Yunzhu the mud on his body, and Yunzhu glanced down at it and said indifferently, "Then you go and clean yourself up."
Xiao Mingzhang paused again.
This was not the answer he wanted.
He cupped Yunzhu's cheeks, observing her silently, as if trying to discern something from her face.
Unfortunately, Xiao Mingzhang has been busy with the affairs of the government office these past few days, and his concern for Yunzhu is quite limited. Moreover, whenever he makes eye contact with Yunzhu, he can't help but recall the conversation between Yan Qian and Lou Kongcheng in the study of the government office at noon today.
This time, Xiao Mingzhang finally gave in and could no longer bear to look at her.
He could only get up and say to Yunzhu, "Then I'll go wash up first. After you've finished eating, go and rest."
Yunzhu nodded, and Xiao Mingzhang gently patted her head before leaving.
—
This was the most awkward night Yunzhu and Xiao Mingzhang spent together after consummating their marriage.
Yunzhu went to bed before Xiao Mingzhang returned from washing up, leaving him most of the space so that he could sleep soundly without touching her.
When Xiao Mingzhang returned from washing up, he originally intended to hold Yunzhu and fall asleep, but upon seeing her figure on the bed with her back to him, he had no choice but to abandon that idea for the time being.
That just so happens, he also has many things to think about tonight.
He lay on the half of the bed that Yunzhu had reserved for him, thinking about Yunzhu's mood that day, and also about Yan Qian's suggestions...
Actually, he was mainly thinking about Yan Qian's suggestion. He could ask Xiao Ming'an, Yu Jingsi, or the guards who were with Yunzhu tomorrow morning about Yunzhu's feelings. But no one could give him an answer to what Yan Qian had said. Everyone was waiting for his response...
Xiao Mingzhang, are you really going to abandon your wife for the sake of the so-called world? Can you face your conscience? Can you face Yunzhu, who trusted you so much? Today is her birthday…
Outside the curtain, the red candles flickered. Xiao Mingzhang couldn't help but turn his head to look at Yunzhu again, but he could only see her slender back.
The pure white nightgown covered everything, and her jet-black hair still shimmered in the dim candlelight.
He couldn't see Yunzhu's face; all he saw was black and white.
Suddenly, an absurd idea flashed through Xiao Mingzhang's mind: Could Yunzhu's strange attitude towards him today be because she went to the yamen and overheard their conversation?
No, it won't.
Xiao Mingzhang quickly thought that if that were the case, given Yunzhu's personality, she should have a huge fight with him. She regarded him as her only support in the Huan Prince's mansion. Xiao Mingzhang could see that Yunzhu liked him and had feelings for him. If that were the case, she should have argued with him, not remained silent... But what if...
That night, in the southeast corner of the Prince's mansion, the candlelight gradually went out, but neither of the two people on the bed actually fell asleep.
Yunzhu dared not sleep, and Xiao Mingzhang could not sleep.
The two people sharing the same bed spent the whole night in this state of mutual estrangement.
Xiao Mingzhang's question was answered early the next morning. Xiao Ming'an told him that Yunzhu had received news of her maternal grandfather's serious illness the day before, which was why she was so depressed.
As Xiao Mingzhang breathed a sigh of relief, he instructed Xiao Ming'an that she should spend more time with Yunzhu in the next few days, as he was too busy with official duties to spare the time.
Xiao Ming'an patted his chest and assured everyone that he would not mess things up.
Although Xiao Mingzhang was not entirely at ease with her, he had no other choice but to leave it at that for the time being.
If Xiao Mingzhang could have foreseen what would happen next, he thinks he would never have entrusted Yunzhu to his younger sister's care...
That was the third day after Yunzhu's birthday.
After the porridge distribution ended that day, Yunzhu suddenly asked Xiao Ming'an, "Shall we go for a walk at Fangjue Temple today?"
"Fangjue Temple?" Xiao Ming'an wondered, why did he suddenly want to go to Fangjue Temple?
Yunzhu then said, "I've been so busy these past few days that I haven't had a chance to go out and relax. I'd like to visit Fangjue Temple and, while I'm at it, pray for my maternal grandfather's safety."
Xiao Ming'an immediately had no more doubts. She looked at the dark circles under Yunzhu's eyes and knew that she must have been worried about this matter and hadn't slept well for several days.
If going to Fangjue Temple would put her at ease, then she would naturally have no objections.
She accompanied Yunzhu on this trip.
"Thank you, Ming'an," Yunzhu said with a smile after they set off.
"There's no need to thank me."
Xiao Ming'an felt guilty. He had once used Yunzhu to accompany him to Fangjue Temple in order to meet someone. This time, Yunzhu was doing it for his maternal grandfather. Compared to Yunzhu, Xiao Ming'an was not exactly honorable.
She accompanied Yunzhu up the mountain in high spirits, and together they paid homage to the Mahavira Hall, then to Guanyin Bodhisattva, then to Samantabhadra and Manjushri. They paid homage to all the Bodhisattvas, as long as they could protect people's safety.
Finally, in front of the koi pond, Yunzhu said, "There are still the Two Immortals of Harmony over there. Why don't you wait for me here, and I'll go take a look?"
Xiao Ming'an assumed that Yunzhu also wanted to take the opportunity to ask for her relationship with Xiao Mingzhang, so he nodded hastily.
Little did she know that this would be the last time she saw Yunzhu in the next three years.
Half an hour later, a guard from the Prince Huan's mansion approached Xiao Ming'an and said, "Princess, the Crown Princess has gone missing on the mountain!"
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Author's Note: The next chapter will be an extra chapter, but I'm not sure if I can finish writing it tonight. If I can't, it will be updated tomorrow morning. Anyway, it will definitely be an extra chapter! [Let me see!]
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