Fog
As dawn broke, Yan Shu was once again enveloped in that misty dream.
This time, it wasn't just a blurry shadow. She could see it more clearly now; the one who had fallen was a woman dressed in palace attire. And standing not far away was a man, tall and straight, backlit, his face still blurry, but that outline... inexplicably familiar.
Just as the woman fell to the ground, Yan Shu suddenly felt as if a sharp blade had pierced through her chest, causing her to suffocate in pain.
"Ah!" she gasped, suddenly sitting up on the couch. Cold sweat poured from her forehead, her heart pounded wildly, and she instinctively pressed her hand against her chest, which was still throbbing with pain.
The tent was empty, and the spot beside me was already cold. It was broad daylight outside the window; Ling Yuan must have already gone to court.
She sat there, wrapped in a brocade quilt, the familiar figure of the man in her dream intertwined with the lingering pain in her heart, leaving her inexplicably uneasy. But lately, for some reason, she had been unusually sleepy and her spirits were somewhat low.
"Your Highness, are you awake?" Chun Tao's voice rang out from outside the door.
"Come in."
Chun Tao pushed open the door and entered, her expression somewhat strange. She lowered her voice and said, "Your Highness, the Prime Minister... the Prime Minister has arrived and is waiting in the front hall."
Yan Shu was startled, her heart skipping a beat. Father? At this hour, he should be in court. Moreover, since the incident with the nanny, the two sides had practically broken off relations. Why would he suddenly come to her door?
An ominous premonition gripped her. She immediately threw off the covers and got out of bed: "Change your clothes."
Quickly getting dressed, Yan Shu strode towards the front hall. As soon as she reached the door, she adjusted her breathing, adopting a perfectly measured expression of surprise, and stepped across the threshold.
"Father?" Her voice was soft, slightly hoarse from just waking up, and she quickened her pace to greet him. "Why have you come at this hour? Is there something going on at court?"
Cui Chong immediately stood up from his chair. Before she could even curtsy, he grabbed her hands and looked her up and down, his face full of regret and heartache, his eyes even slightly reddening: "Shu'er! My Shu'er... Father... Father has failed you!"
He gripped her hand so tightly that it hurt. She looked bewildered and confused: "Father... what do you mean? Please don't say that, you're making your daughter feel terrible."
"It was my foolishness! I was deceived by those heartless, lowly servants!" Cui Chong pounded his chest and stamped his feet, his acting incredibly realistic. "Only later did I find out that the old woman's husband used to be a long-term laborer in our household. He was beaten and kicked out of the manor by the steward for stealing, and died a few days later. This wicked woman held a grudge because of this and lurked for many years! She lied to me, saying it was some kind of secret palace recipe for fertility enhancement. I only wanted you to be well and to gain a foothold in the Prince's manor as soon as possible, so I... so I believed her! Who knew she harbored such evil intentions! She wanted to use me to harm my Shu'er! To take revenge on me!"
Tears streamed down his face, his emotions so genuine that if Yan Shu hadn't known the full story, she would almost have believed his lies.
She sneered inwardly, but her face was filled with shock and lingering fear, which quickly turned into a look of grievance. She gently withdrew her hand and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief: "So...so that's how it is? I was wondering why my stomach hurt so much after drinking that medicine...So, so someone deliberately tried to harm me! Father, I...I'm so scared..." Her voice choked, and her shoulders trembled slightly. She perfectly portrayed a daughter who had suffered so much injustice and suddenly learned the truth, who only relied on her father and harbored no resentment towards him.
Seeing her like this, Cui Chong quickly comforted her, "Good child, don't be afraid, don't be afraid! It's all my fault for misjudging people and causing you to suffer like this. Fortunately, that poisonous prince has been dealt with, otherwise I wouldn't have known, and it even caused a misunderstanding between us. I promise that no one will ever dare to harm you again!"
He helped Yan Shu sit down, his tone becoming heavy and "earnest": "After this incident, I have also come to understand. As a subject, one should be loyal to one's duties and assist the monarch. It is truly inappropriate to presume to discuss the succession or interfere in the affairs of the imperial family."
He looked at Yan Shu, his eyes filled with "love" and the clarity that came after "sudden realization": "I know about the letter your sister... the Empress wrote to you. You don't need to take those words to heart, just pretend you never read them. In the future... if there is any trouble, I will definitely explain to the Prince that everything was done by your sister and me, and has nothing to do with you! You will always be my most beloved Shu'er."
Yan Shu's mind was filled with alarm bells; what a clever tactic of feigning retreat to advance.
She immediately showed a look of fear and gratitude, and said urgently, "Father, you must not say such a thing! Since I am surnamed Cui, I share the honor and disgrace of the Cui family. We are connected by blood. How can I stand alone? Father, rest assured, as long as I am in the Prince's mansion, I will never forget my roots. It is just that the Prince is resolute and hates others interfering in the affairs of the previous dynasty. I am but a lowly person and dare not speak rashly. I can only... I can only carefully maneuver from the sidelines and hope that Father and the Prince will not really become enemies."
She positioned herself in a difficult position, wanting to protect her family but also fearing her husband. Her words were earnest and her eyes sincere, leaving no room for criticism.
Cui Chong stared at her for a long time, then gave her a few more instructions, such as "Take good care of the prince" and "Take care of yourself," before getting up to take his leave.
After seeing off this "benevolent father," Yan Shu returned to Lingxiao Pavilion, feeling utterly exhausted, yet drowsiness washed over her once more. She intended to wait for Ling Yuan to return, but unable to stay awake any longer, she slumped onto the couch and fell into a deep sleep again.
She slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky, and only woke up groggily when she felt someone gently stroking her cheek.
Opening her eyes, she met Ling Yuan's deep gaze.
"Your Highness... what time is it?" She sat up, rubbing her eyes, her voice still heavy with sleepiness.
"It's almost noon." Ling Yuan sat down beside her, his fingertips brushing against her flushed cheeks. "Are you feeling unwell? Why are you so sleepy?"
Yan Shu shook her head, leaned on his shoulder, and recounted the whole story of her father's visit that morning, along with his "sincere" performance and words, word for word.
Lingyuan listened quietly.
"What do you think?" After listening, he remained silent for a moment before asking.
Yan Shu raised her head, her eyes no longer showing any sleepiness: "Let's retreat as a strategy to temporarily avoid the limelight."
Ling Yuan said, "Indeed, they have been severely suppressed by Prince Chen and I recently, and almost lost the Emperor's favor. The Crown Prince has also recently begun to be humble and eager to learn. Today in court, the Emperor was saying that the Crown Prince has become more and more composed recently."
After listening, Yan Shu analyzed, "This is clearly a strategy of lying low and planning for the future. They have retreated into the shadows, while we have been pushed into the open. From now on, we need to be even more cautious in our actions."
A hint of admiration flashed in Ling Yuan's eyes. His princess had always seen things so clearly.
“Indeed. Prime Minister Cui’s actions are nothing more than an attempt to appease you and lull me into a false sense of security. The Crown Prince has indeed been keeping a low profile and diligently attending to state affairs lately, which has greatly pleased my brother.” His tone was slightly cold. “The more he does this, the more it shows that they have grand ambitions. But Shu’er… they are, after all, your family, and I fear that this will put you in a difficult position.”
Yan Shu understood Ling Yuan's meaning: "Your Highness, you must believe me. Even before I entered the palace, my heart was with Your Highness. And ever since I realized that I was just a pawn, and that Your Highness was also sincere towards me, I have been Your Highness's person."
Ling Yuan replied, "I believe you."
They exchanged a smile, both seeing the same solemnity in each other's eyes. The calm before the storm is often the most agonizing.
The two then discussed the situation in the court for a while. Yan Shu felt a little hungry, so she ordered lunch. During the meal, she seemed to have a good appetite, eating half a bowl more than usual.
Ling Yuan noticed this and her brows relaxed slightly: "It seems that Granny Jiang's herbal tea is indeed effective; your complexion has improved a lot recently."
Yan Shu smiled and nodded, "Yes, my stomachache is much better now." As she spoke, she subconsciously raised her hand to serve Ling Yuan some food. In that instant, a thought flashed into her mind like lightning!
Her hand holding the chopsticks suddenly froze in mid-air.
Her period...it seems...it's been late?
Thinking back carefully, it seems that the last time she came here was before the spring hunt? So much has happened since then: the Qixi Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, General Ji's marriage proposal... including that letter... she had never paid attention to it.
Upon calculation, it turns out it's almost... more than ten days late?!
Her heart skipped a beat, and her hand instinctively went to her still flat stomach. An indescribable, mixed feeling—shock, confusion, and a faint but undeniable flutter—instantly swept over her.
Ling Yuan noticed her unusual behavior and looked up at her, asking, "What's wrong?"
Yan Shu suddenly came to her senses and met his probing gaze. The words that were on the tip of her tongue just wouldn't come out.
What if... what if she's been worrying too much lately and made a mistake?
She forcibly suppressed the turmoil in her heart, lowered her eyelashes, and discreetly placed a piece of bamboo shoot into his bowl, her voice as calm as possible:
"It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered that the herbal tea that Granny Jiang prescribed seems to be almost finished."
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