Chapter 54 [54] "I don't mind."...
【54】/First release
Yun Ran originally thought that she had a good foundation, and that this time she was sick, just like before, and would be well the next day after taking medicine.
I don’t know if it was because the river water was too cold that day, or because I had a cough after falling into the water in the Xingchen Soup two days ago. Although the high fever subsided after two days, the cough has not gone away.
She was quite depressed about this and even had a fortune-teller consulted.
The hexagram shows that two waters overlap, and Kan water is dangerous.
Yun Ran stared at the hexagram and felt a headache.
"Your Highness, long live—"
Hearing the noise outside, Yun Ran immediately reached out and wiped away the hexagram.
As soon as Sima Jing entered, he saw the little princess in a thin pink jacket kneeling beside the couch, picking up copper coins in a panic.
He glanced at it and asked, "Are you fortune-telling?"
Yun Ran smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm just calculating for fun."
Sima Jing: "What does the hexagram indicate?"
Yun Ran pursed his lips and didn't answer. He only muttered, "Maybe I didn't choose the right time for today's divination. I'll choose an auspicious day next time."
When Sima Jing heard her say this, he also guessed that the divination was not good.
"Man can conquer nature, so there's no need to believe in this too much."
"I know."
Yun Ran put the copper coins into his purse: "But sometimes, when God gives us instructions, we still have to believe in them."
Sima Jing sat down beside the couch and asked her indifferently: "For example?"
Yun Ran spread his hands and sighed helplessly, "For example, I'd better stay away from water and not go to the hot springs any more."
Seeing her exaggerated expression, Sima Jing raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Your cough hasn't healed yet, so you can't go."
"But soaking in a hot spring is really comfortable, and you finally agreed to go with me, but I can't go..."
Yun Ran felt quite regretful. Suddenly, he thought of something and looked at Sima Jing eagerly: "How about you go down to the pool and soak in it, Your Highness? I'll watch you soak by your side?"
Sima Jing's heart skipped a beat.
After a moment, he raised his hand and touched Yun Ran's forehead.
Yun Ran: “……?”
Sima Jing: "See if your brain is burned out."
Just now he was speaking without restraint and saying all kinds of vicious words.
"My brain is fine!"
Yun Ran pushed his hand away angrily: "I'm afraid you'll regret it and not go again."
Sima Jing knew she meant well and stopped teasing her: "I will go tonight."
After a pause, he added, "I'll go by myself. You stay in Feiluan Palace to recuperate. Don't run around."
Although Yun Ran felt a little regretful, it was because she was sick. Fortunately, Sima Jing was willing to go, so she let him enjoy it for her.
That night, when Sima Jing came back from the hot spring, she asked him with anticipation how he felt about the bath.
Sima Jing: "Not bad."
Yun Ran exclaimed, "Is that all right?"
Sima Jing: "Or not?"
Yun Ran thought for a moment and then asked, "Did you ask Sister Hanlu to give you a massage? Was it very comfortable?"
Sima Jing: "Who is Hanlu?"
Yun Ran: "It was the palace maid who served you the Star Soup. Didn't anyone ask you if you wanted a massage after you finished soaking?"
Sima Jing: "...I don't like having people waiting on me."
Not to mention being touched up close.
Seeing that he had missed out on such a comfortable massage, Yun Ran sighed in regret: "You're missing out by not getting a massage after taking a hot spring bath! You don't know how good Sister Hanlu's massage skills are. She always massages me until I fall asleep, and when I wake up, my muscles and bones are relaxed, and I feel refreshed!"
Seeing her praising the palace maid's massage skills and not thinking there was anything wrong with letting another woman touch his body, Sima Jing's eyes slowly sank.
"Eh? Your Highness, where are you going?"
The man beside the couch suddenly stood up, and Yun Ran was stunned.
"None of your business."
Seeing the tall figure walking away quickly and soon disappearing in the bedroom, Yun Ran sat on the bed in confusion.
Why are you angry again for no reason?
Did she just say something wrong?
Shouldn't there be?
She thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. It seemed that the medicine she took at night took effect. She yawned and lay down in the quilt with her pillow in her arms.
Although he wanted to wait for Sima Jing to come back and ask him clearly, his sleep quality was too good and he fell into a deep sleep as soon as he touched the pillow.
It was not until midnight that she felt a dull, numb sensation in her chest and was woken up again by the biting.
"Your Highness, stop making trouble..."
Yun Ran was very sleepy. His eyes were still closed, but his hands were habitually holding his head in front of him. He yawned continuously: "It's late, let's go to bed."
The person in his arms was silent for a moment, then quickly continued.
He used more force than before, as if he was deliberately taking revenge.
Yun Ran couldn't sleep anymore. He covered his chest and frowned, "It hurts."
After a while, a deep and hoarse voice came from his body: "Do you still feel pain?"
Yun Ran was puzzled by this question: "Of course I know, otherwise I would do this to you and see if it hurts you."
“…”
The man said nothing, just continued to kiss her.
This time he was gentler, and the kiss went on and on, moving further down.
When the belt around his waist was ripped open, Yun Ran subconsciously put his legs together: "Your Highness?"
It was pitch black between the bed curtains, and nothing could be seen. All that could be heard was each other's rapid and disordered breathing.
When that rough and hot palm touched the delicate skin at the base of her heel, Yun Ran's body trembled like a butterfly's wings, and she tried to stop him with her hands: "No, no."
"Why not?"
Sima Jing leaned over her shoulder, biting her earlobe with his side turned, a thick dark color in the depths of his black eyes: "This is what husband and wife should do."
Yun Ran had already been exhausted from being kissed by him, and now when she heard his words, her head was buzzing.
She naturally knew that this was inevitable, but why did he suddenly come up with this plan in the middle of the night?
"Otherwise, let's do it another day..."
"Why?"
"It was... so sudden, I wasn't even prepared."
Yun Ran twisted her waist slightly, trying to avoid the caressing hand. Her face was red as blood in the darkness. "Besides, my cough hasn't healed yet. What if I get sick and give you something?"
Sima Jing: "If you are not sick, then it is okay?"
Yun Ran thought about it and nodded: "Okay."
As he said, this is what couples should do.
Besides, if it was with him, she would not resist.
But today was not a good day. She was only halfway through her sweet dream and all she wanted to do was sleep.
Just as she yawned again, the hand on her leg withdrew, and the man's hoarse voice, emotionless, rang in her ears: "Yun Ran, do you know what doing this means?"
Yun Ran's head was so sleepy that it felt like a ball of paste. When she heard his question, she said dazedly, "Does it mean... being husband and wife? Harmonizing yin and yang? Reproducing?"
How could someone stay up late at night and ask these questions?
She raised her arms and wrapped them around the man's waist, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "Your Highness, go to sleep first. We can talk about it tomorrow. Or maybe we can do this after you wake up and have enough rest."
There was silence inside the tent.
It was so quiet that Yun Ran thought he had agreed. The man on her let go of her and lay down quietly beside her.
Yun Ran didn't think much about it. She turned sideways and rubbed against his arms out of habit. She found a suitable angle and fell asleep again.
Even though the tent was dark and he couldn't see the person in his arms, Sima Jing could feel her dependence and closeness from the embrace.
But it’s not enough.
He wants more than that.
Her care, dependence and closeness.
Her lips, her embrace, her body.
In her eyes, she could give any man the role of her "husband". Even if that man was not him, she would still be so dependent and obediently nestled in that man's arms, letting him kiss and caress her and do whatever he wanted...
When I thought of this, my heart felt like it was being entangled by countless cold vipers, which opened their sharp fangs, bit deeply, and injected deadly venom.
The arms around the person in his arms couldn't help but tighten, his face buried in her neck, his teeth rubbing against the soft flesh.
Damn, he has no fangs.
**
In the blink of an eye, it was the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the day when the emperor returned to the palace.
Just as Yun Ran was about to board the carriage after packing her bags, the Queen's maid Qiongzhi came over and said, "Princess, our Queen wishes to see you."
Ever since Yun Ran fell into the water, Sima Jing had been guarding her in Feiluan Palace all day long. Except for Zheng, everyone else was turned away.
This also includes Queen Dowager Zhao and Queen Zheng.
Now that the Queen had invited him, Yun Ran subconsciously looked at the man on the side.
Sima Jing's face was gloomy and his brows were slightly furrowed.
Yun Ran felt helpless. She didn't know what was wrong with this man recently. It seemed that ever since she rejected him that night, he became moody, cold and distant again.
She thought he was unhappy about being rejected, so she took the initiative to lie on him the next night, but he pushed her away.
She asked him what was wrong, but he just looked at her silently.
Yun Ran was left with no other options——
She had said before that she hated guessing the most, but Sima Jing was always so awkward.
"Your Highness, please get in the car first. I'll go sit with my cousin and come back later."
Yun Ran waved at him and followed Qiongzhi.
Looking at her back without any reluctance, Sima Jing felt more and more depressed.
Chang Chun, who was standing by, saw this and spoke carefully: "Your Highness, it's cold outside. Please get in the car and sit down. Don't catch a cold."
Sima Jing remained silent until the cherry-pink figure completely disappeared from his sight. Only then did he look at Chang Chun: "How can I make her only have eyes for me?"
Chang Chun was shocked: "Your Highness, are you asking me?"
Sima Jing: "Or not?"
Chang Chun said embarrassedly: "I am a rootless eunuch, and I don't know much about the relationship between men and women..."
Before he could even utter a "but", he saw his master nod, "That's what you said."
Chang Chun: “?”
Sima Jing said, "Please invite Yun Si here."
Half a cup of tea later, in the carriage of the Marquis of Changxin's mansion, Yun Shang's eyes widened: "Me again?"
Chang Chun forced a smile and said, "Yes, Fourth Master, please come this way."
Yunshang: “…”
***
Yun Ran didn't know that Sima Jing had invited her fourth brother over again. She only knew that today's queen cousin was very strange.
Not only did she look strange, but the words she said were also contrary to her personality.
It's like a puppet being manipulated, with incongruity everywhere.
When she heard Empress Zheng say, "Don't be so impulsive in the future. If you have any problems, just tell your servants to handle them," she couldn't help but retort, "What if the people around me can't swim? Even if they can, don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you. I'm afraid of death, but don't they fear death too?"
This was the first time that Yun Ran refuted the words of his cousin, the Queen, since they met.
Queen Zheng also choked.
After a long while, he spoke with difficulty: "Ran Ran, things are different now. You are the first-rank princess of this dynasty."
Yun Ran heard the softness in the Queen's tone and softened her tone as well, "Princess, can't you save me? Everyone is equal in front of all living things. Besides, my Taoist teachings are about valuing life and saving people without limit. If you want me to abandon my heart for the Tao and disregard life and death, then all the sutras I've read for the past ten years would have been in vain."
Empress Zheng choked again. After a while, she said, "But you are no longer a Taoist priest."
Yun Ran: “…”
She didn't understand, being a Taoist priest and a princess were two identities that could not be held at the same time.
"Cousin, if you were at the river that day, you would swim and see that child fall into the water, would you save him?" Yun Ran asked.
Queen Zheng met her cousin's clear black eyes, remained silent for a long time, and then lowered her eyes: "No."
She said, "Not everyone has your courage."
Yun Ran said, "If... I mean if, if the child who fell into the water was the eldest prince, would you hope someone would jump in and save him?"
Queen Zheng: "...That's natural."
After that, both of them fell silent and didn't speak anymore.
Yun Ran looked at the Queen's silent face, pursed her lips, then reached out and hooked her hand around hers, saying in a very low voice, "Cousin, I know you have good intentions. Those words at the beginning were not what you really wanted to say, right?"
Queen Zheng's heart trembled, and she looked in astonishment at the bright face in front of her that was so close to her.
Yun Ran said, "I'm not stupid. If you're not possessed by evil spirits, then someone is asking you to say this."
"I guess... the Queen Mother?"
"Looking at your expression, I guessed right."
Yun Ran forced a dry laugh. "I knew it. Your tone today is so similar to that of Nanny Lan Gui. So it really was the Empress Dowager's order."
Empress Zheng held her hand in her arms, frowned, and whispered, "Ranran, don't talk nonsense."
Yun Ran lowered her eyelashes slightly.
Seeing that she was really silent, Empress Zheng thought she was too harsh. She hesitated for a moment and softened her tone: "I'm not scolding you..."
"I know, cousin."
Yun Ran raised his head and smiled at her: "I know that's not what you meant, and I was just thinking about something else."
Queen Zheng: "What's the matter?"
I wonder why His Highness dislikes the Queen Mother.
Even she didn't really want to get close to the Queen Mother.
Yun Ran's pale lips moved twice. He knew that he couldn't talk nonsense in the palace, especially when it came to the Queen Mother. He finally shook his head and said, "Nothing."
Queen Zheng clearly saw the flash of wariness in her little cousin's eyes.
Suddenly, I felt an indescribable feeling in my heart.
But on second thought, this might be a good thing——
I am not a good person.
***
Half a month later, Yun Ran returned to Prince Jing's Mansion and felt a sense of peace and stability he had never felt before.
I was really looking forward to going to the hot spring palace, but when I actually got there, it was just so-so.
No wonder there is a saying that a nest of gold or silver is not as good as your own doghouse.
Yun Ran rolled happily on the bed in Zhanlu Hall. It was already dark outside and it was time for dinner.
She stood up from the bed and asked, "Where's His Highness? Hasn't he come yet?"
Qing Ling hesitated for a moment before bowing and saying, "I asked Eunuch Changchun before, and he said that if Your Highness came to dine, he would send someone to inform you in advance. But now..."
She didn't say anything else, but Yun Ran understood: "He's not coming?"
Qingling's smile was stiff, and she didn't dare to respond.
Although Yun Ran was a little puzzled, before going to the palace, she and Sima Jing slept in separate courtyards. Now that she was back, it made sense for them to return to their previous state.
But he used to come to her place for dinner, teach her piano, and kiss her...
Didn't he do any of these?
Seeing her wife frowning and silent, Qingling assumed she was upset and hurriedly said, "Madam, how about I go to Shenliu Hall and ask for a favor?"
"No."
Yun Ran looked at the dark sky outside the window and said, "He knows my meal times every day. If he wanted to come, he would have come a long time ago. If he hasn't come yet, it means he has no intention of coming. Why would he ask you to come here for nothing?"
Qing Ling said hurriedly: "It's not a wasted trip if I work for the master."
"I know you're loyal, but it's unnecessary."
Yun Ran shrugged, propping himself up on the bed with his hands. "If he doesn't come, then he doesn't come. It's not like I can't eat without him. Go serve the food, I'm hungry."
Seeing that she was open-minded, Qingling breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to serve the meal.
He didn't notice at all that the lady behind him was gradually losing her expression.
**
That night, Yun Ran took a shower, changed his clothes, and went to bed to rest.
Perhaps it was because of the past half month that she had become accustomed to having a warm man hugging her. Suddenly, lying alone on the huge bed, she felt inexplicably empty and cold.
She tossed and turned for a long time, and finally hugged a pillow, silently persuading herself in her heart: "Yunran, Yunran, you are already an adult, you should have learned to sleep by yourself a long time ago."
As I was coaxing him, I actually fell asleep.
At the same time, in the Marquis of Changxin’s mansion, in Silang’s courtyard.
It was a long night, late at night, and Yun Shang was lying on the bed with his head resting on his head. He suddenly thought of the conversation he had had during the day when King Jing called him into the carriage and started with "I have a friend".
King Jing said, "My friend and his wife were married blindly and had no feelings for each other beforehand. As they got along, my friend grew to love his wife. While his wife was gentle and kind, and cared deeply for him, she actively pushed him to other women and allowed them to get close to her. Uncle, tell me, is his wife virtuous and generous, or does she simply not care about me...this friend?"
"I don't mind."
Yun Shang patted his chest and said, "There's no one in this world who isn't jealous, whether male or female. Not to mention my fierce and aggressive third sister-in-law. On her first day, she replaced all the maids in my third brother's courtyard with male servants. It's said she also made three rules with my third brother, one of which was that if he took another woman, she would immediately divorce him and go home, and she wouldn't stay any longer."
"Take my eldest sister-in-law, for example. She was a well-known and well-mannered woman in the aristocratic families of Chang'an, praised by everyone for her understanding of etiquette and manners. But when she was pregnant, the maids she brought with her as a dowry had to serve my eldest brother as per the rules. She didn't say anything on the surface, but she cried behind his back. My eldest brother couldn't bear to see her heartbroken, so he immediately sent all the maids back to the Li family, which finally put my eldest sister-in-law's heart at ease. A few years later, my eldest brother still lives with my eldest sister-in-law, and the couple lives in harmony. My eldest sister-in-law has never been so virtuous as to 'take the initiative' to take a concubine for my eldest brother."
"Although I'm not married yet, I have three older brothers and three older sisters-in-law. I dare say that if any of them had more people in their courtyards, their lives would be in chaos. How could we have such a peaceful life now? Unless—"
Yun Shang smirked and said, "Unless it's like your friend, Your Highness. His wife doesn't care about him at all, and is even a little annoyed by him. That's why she pushed him to another woman in a hurry."
After he finished speaking, King Jing was silent for a long time.
Yun Shang thought King Jing was feeling sorry for his friend and consoled him, "Don't worry. There are plenty of beautiful women out there. Why be so obsessed with just one? Since his wife doesn't care about him, he should just be tough and act like a man. Take in seven or eight beautiful concubines. As long as they're not too bad, he'll always find one who does."
After that, the car remained silent.
Yunshang didn't realize anything was wrong at the time.
After all, King Jing has always been a man of few words.
But now thinking about it, he suddenly realized a big loophole -
King Jing was a loner by nature, always living with snakes. Where did he get his friends from?!
And that so-called blind marriage, the love that grew over time, the gentle and amiable lady who didn't care at all...
Why is it that the more I think about it, the more she resembles my younger sister who is always happy and has never fallen in love?!
Yun Shang sat up from the bed with a look of horror on his face. Recalling how he had confidently sworn to King Jing, "I don't care," he suddenly wanted to go back in time and beat himself to death.
You're the only one with a mouth!
The next morning, Yun Shang rushed to Prince Jing's Mansion with dark circles under his eyes, while Yun Ran was watching the servants cultivating the land in Zhanlu Hall.
She finally had time to cultivate the land in her backyard.
Knowing that his fourth brother had arrived, Yun Ran was overjoyed: "Go and invite him!"
This was the first guest to come to her house after she married into Prince Jing's mansion.
Before coming here, Yun Shang was quite worried that the palace would be full of snakes and rats and filled with miasma as rumored outside. However, his worry about his sister's lifelong happiness overwhelmed his fear. He gritted his teeth and stepped into Prince Jing's palace.
But he saw red lanterns, purple curtains, colorful and bustling mansion, which was completely different from what he had imagined.
Seeing his sister directing the servants to cultivate the land in the backyard, Yun Shang's face was even more complicated: "What are you doing?"
"The reclamation land."
Yun Ran smiled and offered him tea. "Next spring, I plan to plant some vegetables and fruits, like peaches, plums, pears, loquats, grapes, and pomegranates. That way, we can enjoy both flowers and fruits year-round. Isn't that wonderful?"
Yun Shang: "...Uh, not bad."
Yun Ran: "How come Fourth Brother has time to come here today? If I had known you were coming today, I would have asked someone to buy some good wine in advance."
Yun Shang: "Don't buy any wine yet. I came here today because I have something important to tell you."
Facing Yun Ran's puzzled gaze, Yun Shang truthfully told him what happened in the carriage yesterday.
Yun Ran was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, "No wonder."
Yun Shang's heart tightened. "No wonder? Is the prince grudged against you? Or has he really gone to find another woman?"
Yun Ran: "Not really."
But... His Highness actually thinks that she doesn't care about him?
But she was obviously very good to him, but he was hot and cold and unpredictable.
After thinking for a long time, Yun Ran looked at Yun Shang and said, "Then how can I let him know that I care about him?"
Yun Shang: "...You ask me?"
Yun Ran: "Yeah."
Seeing his sister's serious and expectant eyes, Yun Shang, who was still single but shouldered the responsibility of being an older brother, thought carefully, took a deep breath, and said, "Go and tell him that you like him, really, really like him, so much so that you want to have seven or eight children with him, and want to be with him forever, holding hands with him and growing old together, and never leaving him!"
Yun Ran frowned: "Seven or eight children are too many, let's change it to two."
She clenched her fist and clapped her hands: "Well, it's settled then. I'll talk to him tonight!"
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Author's comment: Yunshang: You two want me, a bachelor, to teach you how to date? [Clown]
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Sorry for the long wait, I will give you a red envelope as compensation in this chapter~
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