Difficult to coax
The dam incident was finally over, and Xie Mingde's family massacre case was handed over to the Ministry of Justice. Winter had arrived, and the capital city seemed to be frozen in the cold. Even the undercurrents of power struggles temporarily subsided, and on the surface, a semblance of calm was maintained.
With the year-end approaching, the royal winter's most exciting event—the winter hunt—is also on the agenda.
Yan Shu's eyes lit up the moment she heard the words "winter hunt." History books clearly stated that the Winter Di people hunted wild beasts in the snow and ice, using tracks in the snow to find their prey—a grand spectacle that served both as entertainment and military training. Her inner history researcher was immediately aroused; she desperately wanted to witness it firsthand!
But as soon as she voiced her idea, Ling Yuan didn't even lift his eyelids and shut her down: "No way."
He frowned, recalling the imperial physician's repeated instructions that her body had been weakened before, with insufficient qi and blood, and that the first three months were the most critical, requiring her to rest quietly. Although the pregnancy was now stable and the first three months had passed, the winter hunt was in a hunting park in the suburbs, where the weather was freezing and the journey would be bumpy. He dared not take that risk.
"Why?" Yan Shu pouted, a rare occurrence for her, her face clearly showing that she was unhappy.
“You’re pregnant,” Ling Yuan said, her reasoning leaving no room for negotiation. “The hunting grounds are not like home; they’re cold and chaotic. What if you get hurt?”
"Can't I just stay on the viewing platform and watch? I promise I won't run around." She was still not giving up.
"No way." Ling Yuan wouldn't budge an inch on this matter.
Yan Shu was truly enraged now.
For the rest of the day, a low-pressure atmosphere permeated Lingxiao Pavilion.
When Ling Yuan returned from court, he made a special detour to that old shop in the south of the city to buy the plums she had recently been enjoying. He unwrapped the oil paper package and handed it to her, but Yan Shu didn't even lift her eyelids. She just grunted an "Mmm" through her nose, her hands continuing to sew, refusing to look at him.
Ling Yuan placed the plum on the table next to her and made conversation: "Today, during the Ministry of War meeting, several old generals argued heatedly about next year's spring exercises."
"Oh." Yan Shu still didn't respond, and picked up the small scissors to trim the thread ends.
"That brat Xuan Gui keeps telling me how good Miss Yu from the Yu family is at horseback riding and archery. I wish she could come to Dongdi with me."
"Hmm." She put down her needlework, picked up a glass of warm water and took a sip, her gaze drifting to the bare branches of the trees outside the window.
Looking at the back of her head, which clearly showed her emotions, Ling Yuan felt a little helpless, yet also had an indescribable feeling. She rarely acted like this; most of the time, she was too sensible, so sensible that it made his heart ache. Now, this side of her seemed to bring a touch of liveliness to her.
But he dared not risk her and the child.
During dinner, Yan Shu just kept eating the rice in her bowl. She obediently ate all the dishes that Ling Yuan put on her plate, but she didn't say a word. After finishing her meal, she put down her bowl and said that she was tired and wanted to go to sleep early.
Ling Yuan watched her retreating figure, shook his head, and smiled helplessly.
The next day, he calculated the exact time when the imperial physician would come to check on his health and returned to his residence.
After carefully examining Yan Shu's pulse and inquiring in detail about her recent diet and daily life, the imperial physician said to Ling Yuan, "Your Highness, the Princess's pulse is currently quite stable, and the pregnancy has stabilized, which is a good thing. However..." He paused, lowering his voice, "The Princess's constitution is ultimately weak, and she should not be treated like an ordinary pregnant woman. In winter, taking a few slow walks indoors or in the courtyard on a sunny day can indeed help with blood circulation, but going out, especially to places like the hunting grounds where the wind and cold are severe and accidents are easy to happen, should be avoided if possible. If... if you really must go, you must be extremely careful, keeping warm, avoiding slippery surfaces, avoiding crowds, and avoiding strenuous activity; none of these can be neglected."
Ling Yuan listened in silence, his expression grave. He waved for the imperial physician to leave and write a prescription, then stood there motionless for a long while.
Yan Shu moved out from the inner room and stared at him longingly without saying a word, but the longing in her eyes was unmistakable.
Ling Yuan looked at her slightly protruding belly, recalling her sullen appearance yesterday, and then at the imperial physician's words, "Avoid it if possible," and his heart was in turmoil. Finally, he sighed, reached out his hand to her, and asked with a tone full of resignation, "Do you really want to go?"
Yan Shu's eyes lit up instantly. She quickly came over, grabbed his outstretched hand, and nodded repeatedly: "I want to go! I promise, I'll sit obediently and won't wander off. I'll dress warmly and keep my hand warmer with me at all times!"
Seeing her like this, Lingyuan's heart softened. He carefully embraced her, brushing the stray hairs from her cheek with his fingertips, and said, "Remember your promise. If anything goes wrong, come back immediately."
"Mmm! Definitely!" Yan Shu nodded vigorously, and overjoyed, she tiptoed and quickly kissed him on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck, her voice soft and sweet, "Your Highness is the best! I love you the most!"
"Uncle! Please do me a favor, I want to..." Xuan Gui's voice preceded his arrival as he rushed in excitedly, but he stopped mid-sentence.
Their cold-faced imperial uncle was being hugged by Yan Shu, who had a smile on her face.
Following closely behind Xuan Gui, Qing Feng peeked in, saw the scene inside, and instinctively exclaimed "Wow!"
The scene suddenly became awkwardly quiet.
Ling Yuan and Yan Shu, however, only paused for a moment before regaining their composure. Ling Yuan didn't even loosen his grip on Yan Shu, merely adjusting his position slightly to make her more comfortable, and calmly turned his gaze to his nephew at the door: "What is it?"
Yan Shu blushed slightly, but didn't flinch. She leaned against Ling Yuan openly and looked at Xuan Gui with curiosity.
Xuan Gui snapped out of his daze, awkwardly touching his nose, and said, "Um... Uncle, I was thinking... isn't the winter hunt coming soon? I'd like to... I'd like to invite Miss Yu to go with me."
Miss Yu, the daughter of Vice Minister Yu of the Ministry of War, is the one who discussed the golden silk armor with Xuan Gui and even invited him to admire the plum blossoms, making him so nervous that he couldn't eat.
The Winter Di is a major royal event, and Lord Yu, as the Vice Minister of War, will certainly be there. However, his female relatives are generally not allowed to be brought along unless there is a special reason.
Yan Shu and Ling Yuan exchanged a glance, both understanding perfectly. This kid was truly in love and wanted to take the opportunity to get to know him better before seeking help from his royal uncle.
Ling Yuan said, "Ordinary officials' wives and their families are not allowed to participate in the royal winter hunt. Moreover, the list of wives and their families was decided long ago. You can't just add them as you please."
Xuan Gui's face immediately fell: "Uncle, I know this is against the rules, but... but I have no other choice..." He looked at Yan Shu for help, "Aunt..."
Yan Shu smiled slightly, said nothing, and only glanced at Ling Yuan.
Lingyuan caught her gaze and said to Xuangui, "If you want to take her, it's not entirely impossible."
Xuan Gui's eyes lit up: "Does Imperial Uncle have a solution?"
"Minister Yu is in charge of the Ministry of War's armory and is most knowledgeable about weapons. You can suggest to your father that a 'weapons inspection' be added to the winter hunt, with the Ministry of War demonstrating newly made bows and crossbows or winter gear. Minister Yu is the perfect candidate. Then, you can ask for permission for his family to accompany him, citing the need for them to take care of him, or that his daughter is also skilled in this area. That would be a perfectly reasonable request." Ling Yuan's tone was calm, as if he were discussing ordinary official business. "The reason must be plausible. As for how to get your father's approval, that's your business."
Xuan Gui's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh. "That's right! How come I didn't think of that! Uncle is amazing! I'll go write the memorial right now!" He turned to run, but then stopped, remembering something. He turned back and grinned at Ling Yuan and Yan Shu. "Thank you, Uncle! Uh... I won't bother you any longer!"
After saying that, he grabbed Qingfeng, who was still craning his neck to look, and ran off in a flash, closing the door behind him with a quick shrug.
The study fell silent again.
Yan Shu couldn't help but chuckle, looking up at Ling Yuan: "Your Highness is quite adept at using this 'using public office for private gain' tactic."
Ling Yuan looked down at her and said, "If you hadn't been looking at me like that, I wouldn't have bothered with this kid's business."
Yan Shu smiled and leaned back into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist: "Then shall I thank Your Highness on behalf of Xuan Gui? And thank myself as well?"
Ling Yuan hugged her tighter and rubbed his chin against the top of her head: "Naughty."
The winter hunt was settled. In the following days, Yan Shu was noticeably happier, busy preparing warm clothes, a hand warmer, and other necessities for the trip, even though Ling Yuan had already had the steward make all the necessary preparations.
On the day of departure, before dawn, the carriage from Prince Duan's residence was already waiting at the gate. The carriage was lined with thick fox fur rugs, and each of the four corners had a heater fixed in, making it very warm.
Ling Yuan personally helped Yan Shu into the carriage, and carefully checked her cloak and the hand warmer in her arms. After confirming that there was nothing wrong, he sat down next to her.
The carriage slowly drove out of the city gate, heading towards the hunting grounds on the outskirts of the capital. Yan Shu leaned on Ling Yuan's shoulder, looking out at the white world through the crack in the carriage window, breathing in the crisp air, a faint smile always on her lips.
She was finally going to witness the grand winter hunt described in history books.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
