Chapter 17 Sweet
Qiluan Palace.
"Master, His Highness has returned. Someone below has reported that His Highness is on his way to Qiluan Palace."
Meixiang stood aside and reported to Lingyue softly.
When Ling Yue heard this, her delicate body trembled slightly and a sad expression appeared on her face.
"Mei Xiang, I don't know how to face His Highness anymore."
As she spoke, her eyes were filled with tears. After returning to the East Palace this morning, her tears had been flowing like beads from a broken string.
Whenever she thought of how Jun Zechen and Su Jingyao were being intimate last night, her heart ached as if it were being cut by a knife.
Meixiang saw this and hurried forward to comfort him, saying, "Master, you must be strong and never conflict with His Highness again. If you continue to argue with His Highness, won't that push His Highness further and further towards Concubine Su?"
Ling Yue bit her lip and frowned slightly.
"Mei Xiang, you are right. Aze still loves me. He must have come to explain to me what happened last night. I can't be angry with him anymore."
Ling Yue gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said with all her might.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived——"
The eunuch outside the palace saw the prince from afar and immediately shouted loudly.
Jun Zechen walked into the hall with slightly heavy steps. At this moment, his heart was full of confusion and he didn't know how to face Ling Yue.
But some things must be resolved and made clear.
Ling Yue looked up and saw Jun Zechen walking towards her slowly. She took a deep breath, stood up and walked forward.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you." Her voice trembled slightly and her posture seemed a little weak.
Jun Zechen looked at Ling Yue in front of him, and a strange feeling surged in his heart.
In fact, he had long ago exempted Ling Yue from private greetings and allowed her to call him by more intimate names in private. He was a little uncomfortable with her politeness today.
But he didn't say much. Jun Zechen now understood that some things should not be promised lightly.
"Get up." His voice was as calm as water, without any emotion in it.
Ling Yue stood up and looked at him aggrievedly with red eyes. Jun Zechen sighed in his heart and gently held her in his arms.
Because of his gentle gesture, Ling Yue could no longer hold back her tears, which burst out like a flood.
"Woo woo, Aze, I thought you didn't like me anymore."
Her voice was filled with deep grievance and resentment, and her shoulders kept shaking.
Jun Zechen didn't say anything, but slowly stretched out his big hand and gently stroked her soft hair. His movements were extremely gentle, as if he was soothing a wounded beast.
There was tenderness and compassion in his eyes, but also some complicated emotions; his dark pupils were as deep as a dark pool, making them hard to fathom.
Ling Yue cried for a long time, until her tears gradually stopped, Jun Zechen finally spoke.
"Last night, the concubine accidentally drank the scented tea from Mofenglou that was spiked with ingredients, so I went with her..."
Having said this, his voice paused slightly, and an imperceptible complex expression flashed across his brows.
What Jun Zechen didn't say was that the more important reason was that he himself couldn't control himself. In the ambiguous atmosphere last night, he couldn't resist Su Jingyao's temptation and even enjoyed it.
After hearing his explanation, Ling Yue felt a little relieved.
As long as Jun Zechen didn't deliberately violate their agreement, she could accept it.
However, she knew clearly in her heart that Jun Zechen had been attracted to Su Jingyao!
"Aze, as long as you have me in your heart, I don't care how many women you have. You will be the emperor of the country in the future, and the ministers will not allow their emperors to have few heirs."
There was a hint of helplessness and compromise in Ling Yue's voice, and her eyes were full of determination and persistence.
"I... I don't know why I haven't had any children yet, but I would love any child of Aze's. I just hope that I can grow old with Aze and live and die together."
Her words revealed deep sorrow and hope.
When Jun Zechen heard Ling Yue's words of enduring in silence, he suddenly felt a surge of guilt in his heart.
He originally thought that he understood her well enough, but he never imagined that she would become so submissive for him.
He felt sorry for Ling Yue, who had become more and more mature after being in the harem, but he could do nothing but hug her tightly and comfort her.
Only at this moment did Jun Zechen realize his selfishness.
He couldn't make a choice between Ling Yue and Su Jingyao. He was greedy for Ling Yue's affection, but couldn't resist Su Jingyao's temptation.
"Okay, Yue'er will always be my wife."
Jun Zechen's voice was deep and magnetic, as if it carried a kind of magic that rekindled a glimmer of hope in Ling Yue's broken heart.
When Ling Yue got his response, a bright smile suddenly appeared on her face. She raised her face and embedded herself tightly in the man's arms, greedily absorbing the warmth and sense of security from him.
Xiyan Palace.
After Su Jingyao came back, she leisurely stepped into the bathtub filled with flower petals, and the warm water soothed her fatigue.
She soaked in the hot spring for a long time before she slowly stood up and let Miaoyun and the others gently wipe her skin with a soft towel.
Afterwards, she asked Miaoyun and the others to perform a complete set of body skin care and massage for her. Their techniques were skillful and gentle. Su Jingyao felt that the fatigue from being tortured by that bad man last night had dissipated a lot, and every inch of her skin was enjoying this care.
After everything was done, Su Jingyao lay limply on the beauty couch, like a lazy flower after blooming.
Her hair was slightly wet and scattered casually on the couch, adding a bit of charm to her.
Miaoyun sat on a low stool, holding a round fan gently in her hand, fanning Su Jingyao from time to time.
"Master, after His Highness came back today, he went to Qiluan Palace and never came out again. I heard that all the memorials were brought to Qiluan Palace by An Shun, and then His Highness reviewed them in Qiluan Palace."
Su Jingyao heard this and chuckled.
"It seems that our Crown Princess has finally begun to know how to coax a man."
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, with a barely perceptible hint of teasing.
Su Jingyao didn't even need to think about it, Ling Yue must have been "showing weakness to the enemy". If she was still as reckless as last night, Jun Zechen would have rushed out of the door in anger.
"Then won't the master snatch His Highness away?" Miaoyun asked softly.
"Robbed? Since I entered the East Palace, I have never been robbed. Didn't Your Highness bring it to me?"
There was a hint of laziness and confidence in Su Jingyao's tone. She slowly opened her eyes, and wisdom shone in her bright eyes.
"Miaoyun, you have to remember that even if you snatch something that is out in the open, it won't smell good."
After Su Jingyao finished speaking, she closed her eyes again, enjoying the rare comfort. She looked relaxed and at ease, as if the whole world had nothing to do with her.
Miaoyun nodded, not quite understanding. Although she could not fully comprehend what her master said, she believed in her master from the bottom of her heart.
Just look at the current prince and you will know. Didn't he swear solemnly that he didn't like the master and didn't want to touch the master, but now he is taking the initiative to approach the master, isn't he?
These past few days, Su Jingyao has been living a very comfortable and relaxed life in Xiyan Palace, either reading or writing, or playing the piano or painting. In short, even when she is not trying to please a man, she still has to make herself feel comfortable.
On this day, Su Jingyao was sitting in her study, writing quietly. Her posture was dignified and elegant, and her expression was focused and peaceful.
Miaoxue, the most lively of the four maids, walked in quietly.
She came to the right rear of Su Jingyao and stood there hesitantly, with some hesitation in her eyes.
Miaoxue opened her mouth, wanting to speak but stopping herself, her voice timid: "Master, Miaoyun, Miaoxia and Miaoyue don't dare to ask you..."
Su Jingyao paused for a moment, but she didn't look up. She just asked calmly, "What do you want to ask me? You've been with me for so many years, why are you still so impatient?"
Miaoxue pursed her lips slightly, mustered up her courage and said, "Master, Crown Princess, as long as His Highness comes back to the East Palace in the next few days, I will immediately send someone to invite His Highness to the Qiluan Palace."
"It's fine that His Highness hasn't come to our place these few days, but Miaoyue was harassed when she went to the kitchen of the East Palace to get the ingredients. Is the Crown Princess deliberately making things difficult for us?"
Su Jingyao is very particular about her meals on weekdays, and usually takes them to her own small kitchen in Xiyan Palace to be carefully prepared by Miaoyue.
"Don't talk nonsense, how did the kitchen make things difficult for you?"
Su Jingyao's voice remained calm, and the pen in her hand continued to dance on the paper.
"Yesterday Miaoyue wanted to cook fish for you, but the kitchen said that all the fish were dead. However, there were still many fish in the water tank next to it. After Miaoyue asked, the chief eunuch in the kitchen said that those fish were cooked for the Crown Princess and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Miaoxue became more and more angry as she spoke, with a hint of grievance in her voice.
"Today, the fine salt in our Xiyan Palace's small kitchen ran out, so I went to the main kitchen to ask for some. However, the steward of the main kitchen ignored me the whole time. He only gave me the fine salt after dinner time, and his expression was very unfriendly."
There was a glimmer of darkness in Su Jingyao's eyes, and she frowned slightly.
It seems that the naive Crown Princess finally knows how to fight back, but her methods are still too immature.
Su Jingyao didn't want to waste time on these trivial matters.
As for Ling Yue asking Jun Zechen to go to her Qiluan Palace every day, Su Jingyao just watched it like a show.
Ling Yue still has too high expectations of men. If she blocks Jun Zechen every day, Jun Zechen might go to Qiluan Palace to accompany her and coax her because of the guilt and heartache he felt on the day of the Flower Festival.
But this has been going on for several days in a row. Not only does Jun Zechen have to deal with state affairs every day, he also has to coax women when he returns to the East Palace.
For Jun Zechen, it's enough for women to coax him.
Because of the promise Jun Zechen made to her, Ling Yue has always placed herself and Jun Zechen at about the same level, and always felt that Jun Zechen would love her, coax her, and get used to her.
If they were truly equal, there would be nothing wrong with them getting along like this.
But Jun Zechen's identity shows that he is extraordinary. It is not that he coaxes women, but that women have to always remain attractive to him.
Guilt, a useless emotion, can't keep Jun Zechen for long.
"Your Highness also went to Qiluan Palace today?"
Su Jingyao raised her head slightly, her face as calm as water, and asked in a faint voice.
"Not today. I heard that people from Qiluan Palace also went to invite His Highness, but His Highness said that he was busy with government affairs today and was tired, so he rested in Yude Palace."
There was a hint of schadenfreude in Miaoxue's tone.
After hearing this, Su Jingyao raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a barely perceptible sneer.
It’s pretty much what she thought.
Jun Zechen had already changed his mind, not to mention that his feelings for her were still at the freshest stage. Being guarded against and obstructed by Ling Yue like this, Jun Zechen must be feeling depressed.
After all, if I don’t eat enough food, I will always think about it.
"It's dark today, and it might rain tonight."
Su Jingyao slowly raised her head and looked out the window. The inky sky seemed to be pressing down on her.
Miaoxue was a little confused and didn't understand why her master suddenly mentioned the weather.
"Master, it will probably rain today, but it will only be a light drizzle. It rained this afternoon, too. There won't be thunder. Master, don't be afraid."
"If you are afraid, my master, I will come to accompany you then." Miaoxue looked at Su Jingyao sincerely, her face full of concern.
Su Jingyao smiled, then teased, "What if I want His Highness to accompany me?"
"Then I will go to Yude Hall to invite His Highness to come to my master." Miaoxue said with a firm look in her eyes, without hesitation.
"Okay, I'll ask you to go and invite His Highness tonight."
There was a sly glint in Su Jingyao's eyes, and she spoke in a meaningful voice.
After hearing this, Miaoxue was excited and a happy smile appeared on her face. The masters were finally going to start competing for favor.
At the beginning of the Xu hour, Su Jingyao, who had just finished washing up, was wearing a light and thin light pink gauze dress. She looked like a delicate and charming peach blossom. She walked gracefully to the couch and sat down.
The long hair like a waterfall casually draped over the shoulders adds a touch of softness and charm.
There was a piece of white paper on the low table in the middle of the couch. Su Jingyao stretched out her slender hands, gently picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and then slowly wrote on the paper.
Her expression was focused and serious. After finishing writing, Su Jingyao looked at the beautiful handwriting on the paper with satisfaction. The corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing a sweet and lovely smile.
She folded the paper carefully, put it into an exquisite envelope, and then handed it to Miaoxue who was standing beside her.
"Miaoxue, go ahead and give it to His Highness in person."
Su Jingyao blinked her big, bright eyes mischievously, with a cunning light flashing in her eyes.
"Yes, master." Miaoxue replied happily, holding the envelope tightly in her hands as if she were holding a precious treasure.
After Miaoxue went out, she picked up an umbrella and walked out of the hall.
There was a drizzle outside the palace. Miaoxue carefully hid the letter in her arms to prevent it from getting wet by the rain.
Outside the Yude Hall, Anshun saw Miaoxue coming and hurried forward to greet her.
There was a complex expression on his face, showing both respect and helplessness.
He has served in the East Palace for more than ten years, and now he is in a dilemma facing the two masters of Qiluan Palace and Xiyan Palace.
An Shun originally thought that this beautiful concubine could not get the favor of His Highness in the Eastern Palace, and felt sorry for it. Now he realized how wrong he was.
This concubine is not simple.
"Miss Miaoxue, it's raining, why are you here?" An Shun's voice was filled with concern.
"Eunuch Anshun, the master asked me to bring a letter to His Highness, and said that I should deliver it to His Highness personally. Could you please pass on the message?" Miaoxue's voice was clear and pleasant, and her eyes were full of expectation.
"Miss Miaoxue, wait a moment. I will go in and ask."
An Shun said this and turned and walked into the Yude Hall.
Jun Zechen sat in the first seat, his posture was tall and straight, his bearing was majestic, he was holding a book in his hand and reading it intently, the bright candlelight danced on his handsome face, making his facial features more three-dimensional.
His face had strong lines, yet a hint of softness, deep brows, a straight nose, and thin lips that were tightly closed. He had no expression and looked cold and mysterious, like a god, which made people feel awe.
"Your Highness, Concubine Su's personal maid Miaoxue is outside asking to see you." An Shun bowed slightly and spoke softly.
When Jun Zechen heard that it was Su Jingyao's palace, his eyes as deep as a cold pond flickered slightly, and then he asked calmly: "What's the matter?"
"Miaoxue said that Concubine Su wrote a letter to you and asked Miaoxue to give it to you personally." An Shun replied respectfully.
"Let her in."
"yes."
An Shun responded, then turned and went out, and soon came back with Miaoxue.
Miaoxue followed behind Anshun, feeling a little nervous. She walked cautiously and came in front of Jun Zechen.
"Your Highness, your servant greets you." Miaoxue bent her knees slightly and said respectfully.
"Get up and present it."
Jun Zechen's voice is still flat, but it always gives people a sense of oppression.
Miaoxue quickly stood up and presented the envelope respectfully with both hands.
Jun Zechen took the envelope, opened it, unfolded the letter, and read it carefully:
There is a continuous rain tonight, but unfortunately there is no thunder. I hope Your Highness can sleep well.
Just three sentences.
Jun Zechen frowned and narrowed his eyes slightly, not quite understanding what this little woman was thinking.
"Does your master have any other instructions?" Jun Zechen raised his head, looked at Miaoxue and asked.
Miaoxue saw the doubt in His Highness's face and was also curious about what the master had written to His Highness, but the master had indeed not told her anything, so she answered truthfully, "No, Your Highness."
"Well, go back."
Jun Zechen waved his hand, signaling Miaoxue to leave. Miaoxue bowed respectfully and then slowly walked out.
After Miaoxue left, Jun Zechen took the letter and read it carefully over and over again, his brows slightly wrinkled, his eyes full of confusion.
His slender fingers gently stroked the letter paper, as if trying to find some hidden clues in it.
It was indeed drizzling outside tonight, and Jun Zechen clearly remembered that the little woman was always afraid of thunder, but she expressed in the letter that it was a pity that there was no thunder today.
Isn't this contradictory? Moreover, if there was no thunder, shouldn't he be able to sleep more soundly?
Then why does she still feel sorry?
Jun Zechen's mind was completely occupied by the letter, and he couldn't even concentrate on reading the book in his hand.
I kept thinking in my mind, this little woman is very knowledgeable and talented, could there be any deeper meaning behind these three sentences?
Jun Zechen was completely puzzled and felt itchy in his heart.
"An Shun, go to Xiyan Palace."
Jun Zechen's deep voice echoed in the hall, and a hint of anxiety flashed in his eyes.
An Shun was shocked when he heard Jun Zechen's instructions. His Highness had rejected the Crown Princess' invitation today. If His Highness went to Xiyan Palace tonight, what would the Crown Princess think tomorrow?
Concubine Su wrote a letter, and His Highness sat there reading it for a long time, thinking about it with all his heart. He even went to Xiyan Palace now when it was raining.
The concubine is really capable.
Although he was thinking over and over again, An Shun still replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness."
When Jun Zechen arrived at Xiyan Palace, there was only a candle flickering faintly in the bedroom, and the little woman was already sleeping soundly.
Jun Zechen walked into the bedroom quietly without making any sound.
He stood quietly beside the bed, gazing at her tenderly.
Her sleeping face was sweet and peaceful. In the dim candlelight, her eyelashes cast a faint shadow under her eyes. Her small and straight nose was slightly twitching, and her lovely rosy lips were slightly upturned. Her whole face was beautiful as a dream.
Jun Zechen just looked at her quietly, as if time had stopped at this moment.
After a long time, Su Jingyao seemed to sense something, but she did not open her eyes and just remained sleeping.
"How long will your Highness continue to look at me?" Su Jingyao's voice was lazily and mischievously tinged.
Jun Zechen was slightly stunned. He didn't expect that she had already noticed his presence.
"How did Yaoyao know it was me?"
Su Jingyao opened her eyes, turned her body to the side, propped her head up with her hands, and looked at Jun Zechen with a smile that was both naughty and cute.
"Because Your Highness and I have a tacit understanding, I felt it the moment Your Highness came."
"You are such a smooth talker. Why did you deliver a letter to me today and go to bed so early after delivering the letter?"
"I asked Miaoxue to deliver a letter to Your Highness in the rain. Your Highness, I don't know what it means."
Jun Zechen pursed his lips slightly. He really didn't know the specific meaning of her letter.
However, there was still no expression on his face. He did not want to expose his ignorance in front of this little woman. As a prince, how could he lose to a little girl like her in literary studies?
Jun Zechen strode forward, and his tall body instantly covered Su Jingyao.
He bent down, put his hands on both sides of the woman, and looked into her watery eyes with deep and fiery eyes.
"Since you want to sleep alone, why regret that there is no thunder?" Jun Zechen's voice was low and magnetic.
"Without thunder, how can I have any reason to crawl into your arms?"
Su Jingyao smiled as brightly as a flower, with a cunning light flashing in her eyes. Then she hugged the man's thin waist tightly, with her smiling face pressed against his chest.
Jun Zechen's heart shuddered and his eyes suddenly froze. How could she say such a thing!
Jun Zechen's eyes became even hotter, as if they wanted to melt her.
"How can you be so sweet!" His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of barely perceptible lust.
Jun Zechen's eyes began to show fire, and his breathing became a little rapid.
"Because my heart is sweet." After saying that, Su Jingyao placed Jun Zechen's hand on her heart, "Does Your Highness feel it?"
"I didn't feel it."
Jun Zechen put his lips against her ear, his voice was low and slow, and slightly hoarse, as if he was deliberately seducing her.
"I miss your Highness. Your Highness is in my heart, so my heart is sweet."
Su Jingyao blinked her big, twinkling eyes and looked at Jun Zechen sincerely.
Jun Zechen couldn't bear it any longer. Where did this woman learn these seductive tricks from?
"Then I want to taste it!"
He leaned over and kissed her lips hard, sucking her sweetness greedily.
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