Chapter 40 Emperor Wusu's Absurd Actions
Soon they arrived at the door of Princess Huachang's room. The maid standing outside the door came down from the corridor to greet her when she arrived.
"Miss Ji, the Princess is still asleep. Please wait in the side hall for a while."
As expected of the eldest princess, she can sleep as long as she wants in her own residence, unlike me, who has to get up early in the morning and now has to wait for the noble lady to wake up.
Ji Qingwu sat in the side hall, looking around at the room's furnishings.
There was a long altar filled with all kinds of incense, candles and perfumes, so the room was filled with pleasant floral and fruity fragrances.
On the rosewood stand sat a bronze mirror with a rhombus design, and on either side hung double-sided embroidered silk ribbons. On the table was a Ru kiln vase, filled with a bag of plum blossoms carved from crystal.
She was secretly amazed; it was truly elegant yet exuded a noble air.
The maid said, "Miss Ji, the Princess has woken up and will be coming to the side hall in a little while."
Ji Qingwu sat up straight, keeping an eye on the movement at the door.
After a short while, two maids in yellow palace dresses opened the door, and a woman dressed in moon-shine silk brocade, with a feather gauze robe over her hair and her hair styled in a flying bun, slowly walked in.
The second surprise Ji Qingwu received upon entering the Princess's residence was Princess Huachang.
The eldest princess was a beauty; she had anticipated that.
After all, she and Emperor Wusu were siblings born of the same mother.
Unexpectedly, she was an ethereal being, a cold beauty with an otherworldly aura.
Princess Huachang, trailing her long skirt, sat down in the main seat, looking somewhat tired.
Her gaze seemed to be filled with icy coldness, and she parted her lips slightly as she asked, "You are the fifth young lady of the Ji family?"
Ji Qingwu nodded obediently.
She had previously thought Emperor Wusu's eyes were chillingly cold, but she found that compared to Princess Huachang, they were nothing.
The eldest princess didn't even crack a smile. If they hadn't been strangers and had no prior conflict, she would have thought she had done something to anger the eldest princess.
"This humble woman has come to take the pulse of the Princess."
The princess slightly turned her head, signaling the other maids to leave, leaving only one personal maid behind.
"Did the Emperor send you?" The voice was like a refreshing spring, clear and cool.
Ji Qingwu dared not answer further: "Yes."
The princess's eyebrows relaxed slightly, and she stretched out her jade-like arm. A maid brought a crystal gauze as thin as a cicada's wing and covered her wrist.
The maid said in a low voice, "Miss Ji, please."
Ji Qingwu sat down, not daring to look directly at the princess, and gently placed her hand on her.
It's hot.
Princess Huachang exuded a chilling, ethereal aura from head to toe; she had imagined her entire being would be as cold and jade-like as jade.
The eldest princess is also a human being.
With this realization, Ji Qingwu couldn't help but smile slightly, the dimple at the corner of her mouth as sweet as a pear.
Princess Huachang's gaze swept across her face.
A few days ago, Li Yuzong, who was close to the emperor, came to see her personally. He said that the emperor had arranged for a divine physician to take her pulse. She wanted to refuse, thinking that whether she was pregnant or not was up to fate and there was no need for human intervention.
But Eunuch Li said that this woman was rather special.
The implication was that the princess's wishes were being disregarded; it wasn't that she wanted to see a doctor, but rather that she had to comply because the woman wanted to come.
This was the first time Emperor Wusu had acted so absurdly since ascending the throne.
Princess Huachang couldn't help but look at her again and again, wanting to see just how special she was that could make the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department beside Emperor Wusu use the word "special".
Ji Qingwu was intently taking the pulse, her eyes slightly lowered, her lips naturally red, and she was good-looking, but that was all.
After a long while, Ji Qingwu frowned and withdrew his hand.
Seeing that her expression was not right, the maid asked, "Is there something wrong with the princess's health?"
Ji Qingwu quickly replied, "No, the Princess is in good health. Her pulse is not floating or agitated, but smooth, calm, and gentle."
She pursed her lips awkwardly, feeling as if it would be disrespectful to speak of bedroom matters to the princess, who was like a fairy from the moon palace.
His eyes flickered, like ripples on a pool of spring water, as he looked at the eldest princess.
Even Princess Huachang's heart softened a little at this sight. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her robe sleeves and said, "Just tell me."
"I have heard that Your Highness and the Prince Consort have been married for six years. You should know that a woman's infertility is not entirely her problem; it could also be due to a problem with the man's health."
She phrased it tactfully, and the princess understood.
"Summon the prince consort here," Princess Huachang said coldly.
Soon, the prince consort was invited to a side hall.
"Why is the princess receiving guests in the side hall today?"
Yuchi Lianping had just finished practicing his boxing and came over after putting on an outer robe.
Princess Huachang glared at him sharply, wondering how he could possibly receive guests after making such a scene in the main house last night.
Seeing that he was covered in sweat and wanted to sit next to her, the princess's cold mask broke down, and she raised her jade finger.
"Sit over there."
Yuchi Lianping sat down nonchalantly, picked up a cup of snow tea and drank it, saying, "What kind of tea is this? It's too weak, far inferior to the Da Hong Pao tea in my general's mansion."
Having drunk such precious tea, yet still having to make disparaging remarks, Princess Huachang turned her head away, not wanting to spare even a glance for this boorish man.
Through this back-and-forth conversation, Ji Qingwu realized that the couple was not as respectful to each other as the rumors suggested; rather, it would be more accurate to say that they disliked each other.
With a defiant look in his eyes, Yu Chi Lianping, feeling that drinking like this wasn't enough, picked up the teapot and poured the tea into his mouth from a distance.
A significant amount of tea spilled onto his chin and flowed down his chest.
Even Ji Qingwu was stunned by the way he drank it.
After finishing his tea and quenching his thirst, Yuchi Lianping finally noticed the delicate-looking woman in front of him. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and asked, "Who are you?"
"Your Highness, I have been ordered to come and take the pulse of the Princess."
Yu Chi Lianping asked in surprise, "The princess summoned me here just to take your pulse?"
Princess Huachang had no intention of speaking, but her maid said, "Princess, please ask Miss Ji to take your pulse as well."
"I'm not sick, I don't need to see a doctor."
After saying that, Yuchi Lianping turned and left, taking a few big steps to go out the door.
"return!"
Princess Huachang smashed a precious double-eared jade cup at Yuchi Lianping's feet, finally stopping him in his tracks.
Looking at the shards at his feet, Yu Chi Lianping still had the mind to joke, "Since the princess is so insistent on keeping me here, I'll stay a little longer."
The trick of smashing a cup to keep someone there was actually effective in retaining them.
The way this couple interacted made Ji Qingwu feel a chill run down her spine, and she quickly lowered her head and stepped forward.
"This humble woman will take the Prince Consort's pulse; he will recover soon."
The maid was about to drape a crystal veil over his wrist.
Yu Chi Lianping simply moved away, saying disdainfully, "I'm not a little girl, I'm not afraid of being touched. Besides, touching directly allows for a more thorough diagnosis."
Princess Huachang, having endured it all, finally snapped and roared in fury, "Can't you have any shame? This girl was sent by the Emperor. You're all rough and unkempt, but she's afraid of getting her hands scratched!"
Upon hearing this, Yuchi Lianping finally looked at Ji Qingwu seriously.
He raised his thick eyebrows and said, "Aren't you the girl who shot arrows at the palace banquet that day?"
Ji Qingwu also felt that he looked familiar, perhaps because he had been sitting in the military officers' seat that day.
Yu Chi Lianping leaned back and made a point of looking at her profile.
Then, with certainty, she said, "Yes, it's you."
"The girl the emperor was holding in his arms as he shot an arrow."
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