Chapter 59 Stealing Food Your Highness just said that you and I are family...
Jingzhou boasts well-developed waterways, connecting the Yangtze River to the south, the Zhuohe River to the north, the vast sea to the east, and the Grand Canal to the west, making it a highly accessible city.
As dusk approached, the ferry crossing was bustling with activity, with boats stretching for miles and banners obscuring the sky.
There were merchant ships unloading cargo, ferries carrying passengers, and over a hundred fishing boats returning fully loaded. But the most eye-catching was the multi-story ship, fifty feet high and two hundred feet long, like a small mountain, moored at the ferry dock.
The ship has four decks, with carved railings and jade-like details, making it exquisitely beautiful. The railings and windows are decorated with beautiful jade, which shines brightly in the afterglow. From a distance, it looks like a magnificent palace on the river.
Around 5 PM, suddenly more than a hundred soldiers arrived at the ferry. The chief officer ordered the boatmen and barge workers who were busy unloading cargo to stop what they were doing. The ferry that was about to depart sped away from the dock, and the boats that were about to dock turned their sails and changed direction. In just a quarter of an hour, the bustling ferry became empty and deserted.
This commotion was quite significant, attracting merchants in the riverside restaurant to look out the windows, their curiosity growing as they gazed at who this extraordinary person was who had graced Jingzhou City with their presence.
"Tsk, the soldiers are clearing the area, leaving no one alive. Judging from their serious preparations, it seems a member of the royal family has arrived."
"I heard that not long ago, Prince Chun received an imperial edict appointing him to go to the capital to preside over the spring imperial examination. Judging from the scale of that Qilin-shaped ship, if it weren't for the prince's status, how could an ordinary official dare to have such a grand display?"
"Is this true? During the five years that the Prince was sent to Jingzhou, didn't he stay at home and refuse all visitors, even returning all official invitations, focusing solely on calligraphy and ignoring all external affairs?"
"It's almost certainly true! Think about it, Prince Chun was a renowned scholar in the capital back then. In terms of prestige and knowledge, there really isn't a second person in the entire Great Qi who could be the chief examiner for this imperial examination!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, clearly showing their strong support for this statement.
Unlike other members of the imperial family, Prince Chun never put on airs during his years in Jingzhou. He was a kind and charitable man. Whenever a county within a hundred miles was flooded, he would open his private treasury to provide porridge, purchase medicine, and resettle the victims, all without taking a penny.
In just five years, Prince Chun received seven or eight umbrellas for the people.
A scholar sitting in the corner suddenly spoke up: "Will Princess Nianyi return to the capital with the Prince?"
As soon as the name "Princess Nianyi" was mentioned, the men in the restaurant couldn't help but show their longing and looked towards the Qilin-shaped ship.
Princess Nianyi is the younger sister of Prince Chun. She is exceptionally beautiful, with a graceful temperament and talent that rivals that of a fairy. Five years ago, when she came to Jingzhou with Prince Chun, the local people exclaimed that she was a celestial being descended to earth.
Unfortunately, Princess Nianyi was unlucky. She married the son of the governor of Jingzhou less than three years before her husband died in an accident, leaving her a widow at a young age.
Even so, the powerful and wealthy in Jingzhou were all hoping that the three-year mourning period would end quickly so they could come to propose marriage.
Everyone waited expectantly, and just as the sun was about to set, two carriages finally drove into the ferry crossing one after the other.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a graceful woman wearing a white veil hat stepped down from the carriage. Although they were far apart, the woman's slender figure resembled a lady in an ancient painting. Her lotus-like steps and every gesture exuded elegance and nobility.
"It really is Princess Nianyi!"
"Princess Nianyi!!!"
Some people couldn't contain their excitement and shouted out, but Princess Nianyi had no intention of lingering at the ferry and quickly boarded the ship under the protection of a group of guards.
Only after that beautiful figure disappeared did the merchants reluctantly turn their gaze away.
"Hmph, the mourning period isn't even halfway over, and she's already in such a hurry to return to the capital with Prince Chun. Such disregard for propriety—is she still thinking about some old flame in the capital..."
The speaker was a well-dressed woman, clearly from an official family. She glanced sideways at the infatuated looks on the young men's faces, angrily put down her fan, and spat fiercely out the window: "You vixen, it's good that you're gone. Going to the capital to seduce men is better than staying in Jingzhou!"
The mountain-shaped ship slowly sailed away from the ferry, as the sun set and the crimson sunset in the sky was dazzling.
Inside the cabin, Chu Yueyuan removed her white veiled hat, pushed open the window, and felt the damp river breeze rushing towards her. She watched as the prosperous ferry crossing in the distance gradually shrank.
It takes two months to travel from Jingzhou to the capital by official road, but only a dozen days by waterway.
She had never longed to return to the capital, to that strictly guarded imperial city, where the golden cage, though restricting her freedom, also protected her from the sharp claws of eagles.
This trip out of the palace marked the beginning of their relationship, a breakthrough in their romance. They crossed a line, almost reaching the point of consummation.
Chu Yueyuan admitted that she held a sliver of hope. Perhaps when she returned to the palace, with countless eyes watching, the Regent would temporarily restrain himself, and at the very least, the incident of climbing onto the Phoenix Bed in the middle of the night would never happen again.
Jin Tong pushed open the door and entered the cabin. She took the sandalwood box from her arm and deftly took out a plate of eight-treasure rice and placed it on the rosewood long table.
"I see everyone in the cabin is so busy they'd practically grow three heads and six arms. I'm worried that dinner won't be served on time. Your Highness, please have some pastries first to fill your stomach. This eight-treasure rice is a famous local snack in Jingzhou. I specially went to the Chen family shop in the city, which has been open for a hundred years, to buy it before I boarded the ship. Your Highness, look, it's still steaming hot!"
Chu Yueyuan looked away and saw that the snow-white glutinous rice was decorated with red dates, lotus seeds, longan, honey cherries, sugar osmanthus and other candied fruits, which looked very delicious.
Her eyes lit up, temporarily casting aside her worries, and she said with a smile, "With you by my side, my belly will never be empty."
Jin Tong puffed out her chest, looking proud: "Of course, this servant is the very thing Your Highness craves."
She poured a cup of warm tea and handed it to him, her tone tinged with excitement: "It's quite a coincidence. Just now, when I came out of the Chen family's shop, I heard people all over the street talking about some princess. I listened carefully and found out that Prince Chun and Princess Nianyi are actually riding this same ship back to the capital with us."
Chu Yueyuan lifted the teacup and took a small sip. She thought back to when she first boarded the ship, she vaguely heard someone calling out "Princess Nianyi" loudly from the ferry terminal. It seemed that they had mistaken her for Princess Nianyi.
The year Prince Chun left the capital, Chu Yueyuan was not yet of marriageable age and had never left the mansion to socialize with outsiders, so she had never met Prince Chun and Princess Nianyi.
However, Chu Wanxi was three years older than her. At that time, Chu Wanxi often accompanied Madam Du to banquets held by high-ranking officials and nobles, and would inevitably show off in front of her after returning.
Chu Yueyuan tried hard to recall, and she did manage to remember a few things.
Prince Chun and Princess Nianyi were the children of the Grand Princess. When Emperor Wu was in power, he greatly valued this intelligent and capable nephew, not only appointing him as the Grand Secretary but also ordering him to assist the Crown Prince and manage the affairs of the Six Ministries.
However, after Emperor Wu passed away and Emperor Shang ascended the throne, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Emperor Shang had long been dissatisfied with being restrained by Prince Chun, and he found an excuse to transfer him out of the Secretariat.
At that time, many officials in the court spoke out in defense of Prince Chun, but Prince Chun, for the sake of the greater good, requested to be transferred away from the capital and establish a library in Jingzhou, where he gathered scholars and writers from all over the country to compile books.
She remembered that Chu Wanxi had mentioned that although Prince Chun was more than ten years older than Pei Muwei, he was the one with the deepest personal relationship with him among all the royal relatives. Perhaps it was because of this relationship that Emperor Shang disliked Prince Chun as well.
Now that Pei Muwei is in power, Prince Chun no longer needs to stay in Jingzhou writing seal script; it is time for him to return to the capital and realize his ambitions.
Jin Tong ate her eight-treasure rice, her mouth never stopping, and asked curiously:
"I heard that Prince Chun is almost forty years old, so Princess Nianyi should also be quite old. But why do all the young men in Jingzhou City act like roosters that have just learned to crow and have seen the rising sun, crowing at the top of their lungs as soon as they hear her name!"
Chu Yueyuan put down her jade teacup and slowly wiped her lips with a silk handkerchief: "You guessed wrong. The Grand Princess was nearly forty when she gave birth to Princess Nianyi, and Prince Chun is her eldest son, so the two siblings are a full fifteen years apart... Hmm... If we calculate by the traditional Chinese age reckoning, the Princess is not yet twenty-six this year, and is in the prime of her life..."
Chu Yueyuan was no less curious about Princess Nianyi than Jin Tong was.
Actually, before Chu Wanxi, the title of the most beautiful woman in the capital originally belonged to Princess Nianyi.
Back then, whenever the princess appeared in public, her floral adornment between her eyebrows, the pearl hairpins at her temples, and her dress would become the trendsetter for all the noble ladies in the capital.
Chu Yueyuan remembered clearly that every time Chu Wanxi returned from a banquet, she would immediately send someone out to buy silk. If it was only a short while later, similar styles in the silk shops would be snapped up.
It wasn't until five years ago, when Princess Nianyi left the capital with her brother, that the title of the most beautiful woman fell to Chu Wanxi.
Chu Yueyuan's mind was wandering when suddenly a report came from outside the door:
"Your Majesty, the Regent and Prince Chun have come to pay their respects."
She was slightly taken aback, only then realizing that she was no longer an outsider who watched the spectacle five years ago, but a person directly involved in the controversy.
The vast river reflects the setting sun, shimmering like a golden ribbon studded with magnificent jewels, connecting heaven and earth.
Xie Yu stood by the window, waving a peach blossom folding fan and gazing at the river view, sighing deeply: "Life is like a dream, let us offer a cup to the moon over the river. I recall when I passed through this place by boat years ago, and saw the turbidity of the great river, just like the chaotic and corrupt court of the Great Qi Dynasty, where treacherous officials sat among us, and I couldn't help but feel depressed. Now, looking at the turbid waves rolling again, I only feel the beauty of the mountains and rivers, and the magnificent momentum."
He turned around and looked at the man beside him, his eyes revealing admiration.
The young man had black hair and wore a jade crown. He was dressed in a dark blue brocade robe with cloud patterns, and his slender waist was bound by two embroidered belts. His cold and handsome face was made to look incomparably noble by the glow of the sunset.
Xie Yu smiled and then praised, "A dragon that has gained the clouds and rain is no longer confined to a pond. I knew that the Northern Court couldn't hold you back. In just nine short years, you've returned. If I had known this, I should have learned from your toughness and held out in the capital for a few more years..."
At this point, his brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of regret crept into his voice: "Then Nianyi wouldn't have become a widow at such a young age... Alas... It's my fault as her elder brother for being so useless..."
After the death of the eldest princess, the imperial favor inherited by the princess's residence was cut off. In addition, Emperor Shang, instigated by treacherous officials, believed that Prince Chun had treasonous intentions. Fortunately, he received advance warning and, in order to protect his family, requested to be transferred out of the capital.
Pei Muwei said in a deep voice, "If you hadn't been on good terms with me back then, you wouldn't have suffered this undeserved disaster. I owe you and your brother a debt."
The more aggressively Xie Yu developed in Beiting, the more uneasy Emperor Shang felt in the capital. He was always worried that Xie Yu would collude with Prince Chun in secret. Even though Xie Yu had fled to Jingzhou, the open and covert attacks from the capital had never stopped over the years.
"This matter has nothing to do with you. It was clearly that muddle-headed, incompetent, and foolish ruler who listened to slander and failed to distinguish right from wrong. I was too stubborn back then; otherwise, how could I have harmed Nianyi..."
With the Emperor Shang dead, Prince Chun now curses without restraint.
Pei Muwei raised her hand and patted his shoulder: "After returning to the capital, I will petition the Empress Dowager to confer the title of Lady on Nianyi. Once you have established yourself in the court, I will find a good husband for her."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yu's spirits lifted: "No rush, no rush. Nianyi still has a year of mourning left. This time, I'll definitely choose a suitable match for her..."
Changing the subject, Xie Yu looked at Pei Muwei and smiled, "You're not getting any younger, haven't you had a woman you liked all these years?"
The woman you fancy?
Pei Muwei's brows twitched slightly, and the image of a woman's charming face suddenly appeared in his mind, with a faint glimmer in his dark eyes.
Xie Yu noticed the sign of the iron tree blooming, and he was surprised. Just as he was about to ask more, the carved doors in front of him opened to the sides, and a maid stepped out and bowed.
"The Empress Dowager requests that the Regent and Prince Chun be granted an audience."
The ship has three decks, and Chu Yueyuan's room is located on the top deck, with a good view and plenty of light.
Xie Yu entered the room, clasped his hands in front of his chest, and bowed in greeting.
"Your subject, Xie Yu, pays respects to the Empress Dowager."
A woman's soft voice rang out: "We are all family. Prince Chun, there is no need to be so formal. Someone, please bring seats to Prince Chun and the Regent."
Xie Yu looked up and was immediately struck by a bright light.
The young eunuch sat in the high seat, her black hair styled in a bun, adorned with a sapphire blue and kingfisher hairpin. She wore a moon-white silk satin dress, the smooth fabric outlining her graceful waist, and a sapphire blue long skirt with water ripple patterns. The afterglow from the window cast a soft light on her, making her look like the surface of a rippling river.
Having watched his younger sister grow up, Xie Yu developed a more discerning eye than most people, and rarely felt amazed by a woman's appearance.
The young empress dowager before him truly amazed him.
Compared to the impeccably courteous Prince Chun, the treacherous minister beside him seemed rather perfunctory. The man's deep, dark eyes fell upon her without restraint, and he merely nodded slightly as a gesture of respect.
Chu Yueyuan smiled, her crimson lips gleaming, ignoring the man's intense gaze, and served him two cups of tea.
She had originally thought that Prince Chun, being nearly forty, would be a middle-aged man with a slightly overweight build and graying temples.
Unexpectedly, Prince Chun was well-preserved, with a robust physique and a youthful appearance. Although there were fine lines at the corners of his eyes, his pupils were still bright and black. He had a kind and amiable smile and an elegant demeanor.
After sipping his tea, Xie Yu cupped his hands and said, "My sister is also on the ship. She should have accompanied me to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, but she caught a cold and was afraid of infecting Your Highness with her illness, so she did not come. Please forgive her, Your Highness."
Chu Yueyuan smiled slightly: "Princess Nianyi is ill and should rest properly. I have a physician named Huang by my side, whose medical skills are superb, but... the prescription he prescribes is a bit bitter. He can take the princess's pulse later. The journey by water is bumpy, and it would be too uncomfortable for her to remain ill..."
"Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness. I am deeply grateful."
Xie Yu was a talkative man, and coincidentally, his son was the same age as Xiao Yun, a mischievous age that cats and dogs disliked, but he and Chu Yueyuan got along well.
The childless regent sat upright, holding a teacup with his long fingers, gazing calmly at the scenery outside the window. He sipped his tea slowly and did not show any displeasure at the Empress Dowager's preferential treatment.
Xie Yu laughed and said, "My son is so unruly that it's like torture for him. He's been hit with bamboo sticks many times, but he still hasn't memorized many characters. I had no choice but to take advantage of the opportunity of seal script to compile a book of the Thousand Character Classic with pictures. I draw a picture for every four characters to make it easier for him to remember."
"That's an excellent idea!"
Chu Yueyuan recalled that when she left the capital, Xiao Yun was studying the "Hundred Family Surnames" and the "Three Character Classic". She calculated that he should be learning the "Thousand Character Classic" soon, so she asked Prince Chun if he could give her a copy of the "Thousand Character Classic" with illustrations.
Xie Yu immediately put down his teacup: "It is my honor to receive the Empress Dowager's appreciation. I will go and fetch it for Your Highness right away."
Seeing the Regent and Prince Chun rise to take their leave, Chu Yueyuan breathed a slight sigh of relief and told Jin Tong to go with Prince Chun to retrieve the book.
After everyone left, the room returned to silence. Chu Yueyuan was finally able to shed her dignified demeanor. She lazily stretched her arms and strolled to the dressing table behind the peony embroidered screen, removing the pearl hairpins from her temples one by one.
Prince Chun gave her ample face, knowing full well that she was merely a puppet empress dowager, yet still came to pay his respects after boarding the ship, showing both courtesy and respect. When this matter was reported back to the capital, even the most nitpicky officials could find no fault with it.
It's a pity that Princess Nianyi didn't show up due to illness. Chu Yueyuan was really curious about what the most beautiful woman in the capital looked like back then.
Just as she removed the pearl pendant from her left ear, she caught a glimpse of a figure flashing past behind the peony screen through the diamond-shaped mirror. She assumed it was Jin Tong returning with the book and didn't think much of it.
It wasn't until she was enveloped by that familiar sandalwood scent that she suddenly realized that she didn't have time to remove the pearl pendant from her other ear before she jumped up.
Turning her head, she met the man's clear and deep phoenix eyes.
"Pei Qing, you... why are you back again?"
Chu Yueyuan was truly taken aback by the Regent's sudden return. Her dark eyes widened slightly, and she took a step back in surprise until her lower back hit the dressing table. Only then did she realize that this was her bedroom, and she immediately reprimanded him with a stern face:
"How dare you! My room is not a place you can just walk into as you please..."
Pei Muwei stared at the seemingly fierce but actually cowardly Empress Dowager. The beautiful sunset glow made her small face look fair with a hint of pink. There were no fancy hairpins or jewels in her hair, but her bright and sparkling eyes were like the most dazzling jewels, captivating the heart.
He raised his hand and touched the woman's right ear, his long fingers gently twirling it, and a round pearl earring fell into his palm.
"Didn't Your Highness just say that we are family, so there's no need to be so formal?"
Chu Yueyuan: ....
But you can't be so casual as to just come and go as you please in her dorm room!
A tingling sensation ran through her earlobe, and the skin touched by the man's fingertips felt as hot as if it had been scalded by fire. Chu Yueyuan's cheeks flushed red, and she knew in her heart that talking about following the rules with the sycophant in front of her was like appreciating a painting with a blind man—it was all in vain.
She turned her head away, feigning ignorance, and asked, "What brings Minister Pei back after leaving?"
Pei Muwei stroked the smooth bead between his fingers, his gaze falling on the slightly bulging, snow-white earlobe. He remembered that the woman in the tent was most afraid of him kissing that spot; once touched, her soft body would melt into water.
His dark eyes reflected the rosy glow of the sunset, and his thin lips parted slightly: "Back in the palace, Your Highness would always bestow new desserts upon me immediately. Now, however, Your Highness is keeping them all to yourself behind my back..."
Chu Yueyuan was startled, wondering how the Regent knew she had eaten the snacks. Could it be that he had transformed into a spirit and entered her stomach?
"No...no..." she denied verbally, but lowered her eyes guiltily.
Pei Muwei lifted her chin, his gaze tracing every inch of her face with a serious expression, as if examining some kind of evidence. Then he reached out his other hand, his slightly calloused thumb gently stroking her lip.
He chuckled softly: "Still saying no? Your Highness has even changed the lipstick on your lips."
Caught red-handed, Chu Yueyuan's cheeks flushed even redder.
Pei Muwei's eyes darkened.
The young empress dowager's lips were delicate and full, with a slightly upturned cupid's bow. She wore a layer of bright red lipstick, which, when spread out, resembled peony petals in a light rain, exuding an alluring charm amidst its disheveled appearance. Paired with her fair and radiant face, she was simply tempting one to bully her.
Feeling the increasingly intense gaze from the other man, Chu Yueyuan's heart tightened instantly. She decisively pushed his hand away, straightened her back, and said:
"So what if I'm eating alone? It's not like I'm cheating on Pei Qing with another man. Why are you interrogating me like a criminal?"
Little did the man know that these words struck a nerve with the regent. His chin, which had just broken free of its restraints, was grabbed again by the man, this time with even greater force, causing his rosy lips to pucker up.
Pei Muwei narrowed his eyes, a storm brewing in them: "It seems the Empress Dowager's appetite has grown, and she's even considering having affairs behind my back."
Chu Yueyuan's dark eyes widened, but helplessly restrained by the treacherous minister, her red lips were pinched and pouted, so she could only whimper and beg for mercy:
"When did I ever say I was going to steal a man? It's just a plate of eight-treasure rice. Why do you have to accuse me of something so serious, Pei Qing? Take it if you want, just let me go..."
Pei Muwei stared at the woman's scattered lipstick, wanting only to make it even messier. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he suddenly leaned down.
"Since the Empress Dowager has bestowed this gift upon me, it would be disrespectful for me to refuse it."
Before Chu Yueyuan could rebuke him, the man's thin lips covered hers, swallowing her gasp in the process.
As the rosy light streamed through the window, two figures were entwined on the peony-embroidered screen. The waist in the man's arms resembled a peony branch that could barely withstand the rain and dew, as if it would break under any stronger wind or rain.
When Jin Tong returned with the book, she was surprised to find that the eight-treasure rice on the table had disappeared.
"Oh dear, Your Highness... why did you eat all of that at once? Glutinous rice is not easy to digest. Be careful not to have heartburn at night."
After a long while, a woman's listless voice came from behind the screen: "I didn't eat it, it was... it was a greedy cat that took it away."
Jin Tong looked around and asked in surprise, "There are also cats on this boat, Your Highness? What kind of cats are they?"
Chu Yueyuan sat before her dressing mirror, taking a pearl earring from her jade-colored pocket. Thinking of the man's outrageous actions, the flush that had just subsided on her face returned, her chest heaving slightly. She gritted her teeth and said:
"It's a nasty, malicious, and fast-talking raccoon!"
Jin Tong stared at the empty rosewood table with its upturned top, nodding as if she understood: "Hey, it can even carry away plates, this cat is really something else!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com