Chapter 30 The Bed-Climbing Scandal
Perhaps feeling hot, Huiyi woke up much earlier than usual.
It was as if she were enveloped by the sun, and the intense sunlight surrounded her.
Huiyi writhed in the heat, but finally couldn't stand it and opened her eyes.
The first thing you see is a blurry outline.
Its hot, stiff body was like a small mountain.
And what about her?
He was pressed tightly against that burning hot body, holding the other's narrow waist, with one leg draped over the other.
He was equally eager, holding her in his arms like a child, her chin resting on her head, her lower back warm and damp from the touch of that hand.
Huiyi was stunned for a moment, then stared blankly up at Lin Er's sleeping face.
His thick eyebrows relaxed, and his usual arrogance and ferocity vanished, replaced by a gentle and harmless demeanor.
But at this moment, Huiyi could not remain calm.
"ah!"
"Lin Lanting, who let you up here!"
Early in the morning, before the princess's usual time to get up, Yu Niang and the others were still half asleep in bed when they suddenly heard this startled shout.
They immediately snapped out of their daze.
They hurriedly dressed and rushed to the main room, where they saw the brocade curtains shaking violently with the bed, and then the prince consort, dressed in disheveled nightgown, was pushed off the bed.
He practically rolled down, looking quite disheveled.
"What's wrong with you so early in the morning!"
I was startled awake from my sleep, and before I could even react, I was shoved off the bed. My mind was completely blank.
When I rolled off the bed, my morning grumpiness kicked in.
He muttered something under his hand, then looked around and gradually recalled what had happened last night.
Damn it, he actually fell asleep like that. This is going to be tough.
Seeing that Lin Er dared to talk back after climbing into my bed, Huiyi was furious. She put her hands on her hips and said fiercely, "Am I crazy? Who is the shameless person who lay in my bed in the middle of the night!"
"Shameless scoundrel!"
They had clearly agreed to keep to themselves, but this guy still swore he would keep watch for her.
Just thinking about the scene when she woke up this morning made Huiyi so ashamed and angry that she wanted to beat the guy to death.
Lin Lanting thought that if he didn't say something, he would be eaten alive, so he quickly opened his mouth and said, "This can't be me. It was the princess who got drunk last night and insisted on sleeping with me. She kept calling me 'husband'."
Upon hearing this, Yu Niang and the others were no longer in a hurry, and even showed a hint of helplessness on their faces.
Their princesses behave differently when they get drunk; they do strange things.
Sometimes they're mischievous, but other times they're obedient and clingy.
It wasn't that the prince consort had ulterior motives in climbing into her bed; it's just that no one knows what the princess looked like last night.
"Princess, please calm down. Be careful not to upset yourself so early in the morning."
Upon hearing that it was a misunderstanding, Yu Niang and Bi Qing and the others quickly came to persuade Hui Yi, and managed to calm her down.
"You come when I tell you to! Why aren't you this obedient usually?"
Knowing that it might be the result of her drunken antics, Huiyi's arrogance subsided somewhat.
Since her nightgown was intact and she didn't feel any pain anywhere, Huiyi felt much more at ease.
My mother and sister said that the first night of marriage will be very painful.
But Huiyi was still not very happy. She grumbled as she had Biqing help her get dressed behind the screen.
Behind the screen, Lin Lanting took matters into his own hands, fastening his belt with a click, his laughter tinged with a hint of helplessness.
"The princess is really clinging to me and won't let go. She even wants to sleep in the same bed with me. What can I do but comply with her wishes?"
Huiyi's expression grew increasingly grim as she listened, yet she couldn't offer any rebuttal.
Drinking really does lead to trouble.
After dressing properly, Huiyi stepped out from behind the screen and glared at Lin Lanting, expressing her anger at the blunder.
Lin Lanting stood with his arms crossed, unafraid, but his gaze lingered on the girl's proud brows for a few moments, filled with regret and pity.
She was indeed not as docile and submissive as she was last night.
If only this spoiled princess could get drunk every day.
Huiyi had no idea what Lin Er was thinking. After finishing the breakfast she had fought with Lin Er over, Huiyi wanted to go to the palace to see her elder sister.
Stepping out the door, I saw Lin Lanting, who had been talking about going horseback riding with his friends at breakfast, waiting at the door with his horse.
Huiyi adjusted the pomegranate hairpin with a ruyi design at her temple, then walked over and asked in confusion, "Didn't we say we were going out for horseback riding?"
Today, Lin Lanting was on leave. During breakfast, he said he wanted to go out for a ride to get some fresh air, but Huiyi had already assumed he had disappeared.
I didn't expect them to still be standing at the door.
After asking a question, I saw the person look at me with a resentful gaze and say something weakly.
“My grandfather caught me, scolded me, and made me accompany you to the palace.”
Huiyi remained silent, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Being too attentive to your in-laws isn't good either, as it can cause trouble for the couple from time to time.
"I won't make things difficult for you. You can leave halfway and go wherever you want."
This was her in-laws' expectation, but not what Huiyi wanted; she could have easily made an exception.
But Lin Lanting did not accept her kindness. He lazily mounted his horse and said listlessly, "No, I will escort the princess to the palace instead."
The old man's words made some sense, and after thinking about it, he decided not to wander off anymore.
Huiyi was at his mercy; she could stay or leave as she pleased.
However, just as the other party mounted the horse, Huiyi's gaze inadvertently swept over that seemingly resilient, slender waist, pausing for a moment.
It's hard to forget, because I was still being held by her this morning.
Thinking of this, Huiyi felt both angry and her face flushed, completely out of control.
Lin Lanting, of course, did not understand what the spoiled princess was thinking. He thought she was just feeling the heat and urged her to get in the carriage and leave.
The Chongrenfang area, adorned with kingfisher feathers, is the location of the Yanzhai carriage. To the north, one would want to enter the imperial city through the Jiafu Gate.
Huiyi's driver was a good one; he drove the carriage steadily and quickly with almost no bumps, so Huiyi could often sleep from beginning to end.
Huiyi didn't sleep well this morning because she found Lin Er in her bed. After sipping a cup of tea in the car, she started to feel sleepy.
When she opened her eyes again, she had arrived at Chengtian Gate, and Yu Niang was calling softly from outside.
Outside the carriage, Lin Lanting had already dismounted and handed the magnificent black horse over to the guards of Chengtian Gate.
Riding a horse is not permitted within the Forbidden City unless in an emergency.
Without horses for transportation, Lin Lanting, the imperial son-in-law, naturally had to ride in a carriage with Huiyi.
"Princess, may I come up with you?"
He put on such a pretentious act, which made Huiyi's teeth ache.
She can't possibly let him run behind her, can she?
It's as if I'm the one who bullies you most often.
"Get up here."
Huiyi snorted coldly, but still granted her request.
"Okay!"
He's so happy, like a fool, even though he's quite adept at being a live-in son-in-law.
One sneered, while the other reveled in it; the guards exchanged glances with their comrades, secretly sighing with dismay.
Being a prince consort is no easy task, especially for Princess Chang Le.
Look, even General Lin Erlang of the Imperial Guard is like this.
Unaware of the ulterior motives of others, Lin Lanting chuckled as she entered the luxurious carriage, admiring its consistent elegance inside and out, and secretly marveling at the other person's refined taste.
But then I thought, after suffering so much before, it's only right that I enjoy myself a bit more now.
"You want to say I'm extravagant again, right? You'd better shut up."
Otherwise, she wouldn't be so polite.
"No, this is the princess's good fortune."
Unexpectedly, Huiyi heard these words and snorted, "You know how to talk."
Because of this relatively harmonious conversation, the two remained amicable all the way to the Zichen Palace, which greatly relieved Yu Niang and the others.
I'm afraid the two of them will start arguing and causing trouble again.
Whenever the two met, Yu Niang felt like she was looking after two children, which was extremely childish.
Upon arriving at the palace, Lin Lanting was taken away by her elder brother, the Crown Prince, because her father was still busy, while Huiyi went to her elder sister's Yilan Palace.
Although her sister, who had divorced Xie Yun, looked much the same as before, Huiyi, as a close family member, could see that her sister had become more resolute and confident.
This is precisely what my elder sister has lacked in the past.
Ironically, when his sister was full of love and doted on Xie Yun, he didn't appreciate it, but when it came to divorce, he became unwilling.
He refused to divorce no matter what, and even chased her to the palace, trying to persuade her to stay.
Huiyi didn't understand and just thought Xie Yun had a mental illness.
If you really liked her, why did you treat her like that before? What are you pretending for now?
There must be some ulterior motive.
Finally, in a fit of anger, the grandfather reprimanded Minister Xie, suspended him from his post for a month, and granted the two a divorce, thus settling the matter.
"Don't be sad, sister. There will be a better man than Xie Dalang in the future. He will see your goodness and love you sincerely."
"If all else fails, Sister can learn from Aunt Ningguo; she lives a carefree life, hehe~"
Fearing that her elder sister still missed Xie Yun, Huiyi coaxed her with many words, even going so far as to let her elder sister learn from Aunt Ningguo.
Since her husband passed away ten years ago, Aunt Ningguo has refused to remarry, but she has not given up the pleasures of being a woman. She keeps many handsome and elegant young men in the princess's mansion.
Some were retainers, some were guards, and some were musicians.
Despite this in name only, almost everyone in Chang'an knew that those were the handsome young men that Ningguo Auntie enjoyed.
Li Huaiyu was amused by her younger sister. The reserved and gentle woman had never thought of that. She chuckled and said, "Why bother? Xi Nu, you don't need to worry about me. Since we've already divorced, we should keep our word. As for the new consort, that's a matter for the future. There's no rush. If fate allows, it will come naturally."
Huiyi also thought it made sense, nodding like a chick pecking at rice.
The two sisters continued chatting. Li Huaiyu looked at her younger sister's fair and rosy face and naturally thought of her brother-in-law, Lin Erlang. She quietly inquired, "How are Xi Nu and your brother-in-law?"
When her elder sister mentioned Lin Er, Huiyi said dismissively, "What do you mean 'whatever'? He's just like before, just getting by."
Li Huaiyu didn't quite agree and earnestly said, "Although you misjudged the man and wasted so many years, I still hope that Xi Nu will not follow in your footsteps and can live a good life with your brother-in-law."
Seeing her sister's completely indifferent expression, Li Huaiyu continued, "Mother has already told me that you dislike Lin Erlang, so you haven't even consummated your marriage. How can you expect a harmonious relationship between husband and wife?"
Huiyi was annoyed by what she heard, but she couldn't tell her family about her agreement with Lin Er, since her family still hoped the marriage would go well.
After a moment of embarrassment, Huiyi, not wanting to trouble her elder sister, hurriedly said, "Don't worry, elder sister, I will handle it carefully and will not do anything reckless."
Li Huaiyu could tell that his sister wasn't very sincere, but this matter couldn't be rushed, so he didn't say anything more.
Finally, Huiyi inquired about the Xie family again. She saw that her elder sister's face was cold and her eyes showed obvious disgust. She said, "I don't know what he is unwilling about. This is what he wants, but he still won't let it go. It's annoying."
"I don't care who he marries, it's none of my business!"
After grumbling for a while, Li Huaiyu's expression improved. Huiyi said with a smile, "That's the right way to think, Sister. There will be plenty of good men for you to choose from in the future. We don't need him!"
After talking with her older sister for a while, Huiyi felt refreshed and happy.
After finishing his official duties, the grandfather had lunch with the whole family, except for his third brother, Li Ling, who had already gone to the south of the Yangtze River.
Lin Lanting still acted like a good son-in-law, making his parents smile from ear to ear, even more like a close relative than Huiyi.
She probably learned from her mother that she didn't like Lin Er, because her grandfather kept urging her to eat more at the dinner table.
for example.
"Look how considerate Erlang is! Xinu should live a good life with someone!"
"Give Grandpa a grandson soon, so our family can have some fun."
...
Huiyi ignored everything her grandfather said, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
She doesn't want to get close to Lin Er.
Fortunately, every meal eventually comes to an end. After the meal, Huiyi spent some time with her sister and her niece before returning the way she came.
After exiting Jiafu Gate, Lin Lanting had had enough of the carriage ride, so he rode back to his horse and rode outside.
On this short stretch of road, we unexpectedly ran into the Xie family halfway through.
However, it wasn't Xie Yun, but Xie Xi, who had previously made Huiyi quite unhappy.
"Xie San had no intention of offending the princess; he only wished to ask for her forgiveness regarding some matters."
After the prayer, Xie Xi explained his purpose.
The young nobleman dismounted and stood tall and elegant beside the carriage, his refined and graceful demeanor drawing attention.
If he weren't a member of the Xie family, and if it weren't for the previous disagreement at the Peony Banquet, Huiyi would probably have found Xie Xi quite pleasing to the eye.
But things are different now. She said irritably, "What are you doing? It's not some brother of yours who's here to plead for you, is it?"
At this juncture, Huiyi really couldn't think of anything else.
Then, Xie Xi's expression confirmed to Huiyi that she had guessed correctly.
This guy came specifically for Xie Yun.
"To be honest, Your Highness, it is indeed so. Xie San knows that his voice carries little weight, but please, for the sake of your brother and sister's many years of marriage, could you give your brother another chance to speak a few words with Princess Changji?"
Xie Xi and her elder brother Xie Yun were full brothers from the same mother. She had previously thought that her brother and Princess Changji did not have a very warm relationship and that their divorce was a good thing.
But to my surprise, my brother's attitude was strange, as if he was determined not to give in.
But the Emperor's heart was awe-inspiring, and once the decree of divorce was issued, no matter how unwilling the elder brother was, he had to obey.
Just like the arranged marriages of the past.
From marriage to divorce, nothing seems to go smoothly.
After his divorce from Princess Changji, his elder brother visibly became haggard and could hardly eat or sleep.
The father and mother were heartbroken. The mother, who had made this terrible mistake, dared not say anything more. As for the cousin from the Wang family, her brother immediately sent her back to the Wang family and openly ordered her never to set foot in the Xie family again.
But what's done is done, and no amount of effort can undo the damage.
Many days passed like this, and the elder brother returned to his cold and stern demeanor. The Xie family, who thought that the elder brother had figured things out, all breathed a sigh of relief.
Unexpectedly, they found themselves seeking help at Princess Changji's doorstep.
He went to the palace gate every day to request an audience, but each time he was turned away, which was quite disheartening.
Xie Xi and her brother have always had a good relationship. Seeing her brother in this state, she wanted to do something for him.
Unfortunately, the royal family all resided in the palace, making it impossible for him to enter.
However, during his outing today, he happened to run into Princess Chang Le's carriage.
He suddenly saw an opportunity.
Princess Chang Le is now the only member of the imperial family who does not reside in the palace. She is also Princess Chang Ji's younger sister, and the two have a close relationship.
Furthermore, didn't that incident at the Peony Banquet also indicate that Princess Chang Le had some feelings for him?
Thinking this, Xie Xi's heart skipped a beat, and she decided to give it a try, so she boldly stopped Yan Zhai's carriage.
With anticipation, Xie Xi explained his purpose. He lowered his head and caught a glimpse of Lin Erlang approaching on horseback, his gaze unfriendly.
Yes, Lin Erlang was already so rude and extreme when he wasn't yet the prince consort, and he'll only be worse now.
"Dream on!"
"All of you Xie family members, get out of here and don't come near my sister!"
With two unpleasant incidents combined, Huiyi was not going to give Xie Xi a friendly look and showed no mercy, directly cursing him.
Xie Xi had been raised with Confucianism and etiquette since childhood, and his acquaintances were all refined and learned people. The Xie family was a prestigious clan, and he had never encountered any rude people.
Where have you ever encountered Princess Chang Le who is so impolite from the start?
Xie Xi's face flushed red and then turned pale, which amused Lin Lanting, who smiled contentedly.
"I say, Xie Sanlang, you should save your breath. Your Xie family is so arrogant and audacious, disrespectful to the emperor, so don't even think about any opportunities. No princess will pay any attention to your Xie family. Go back and reflect on your mistakes."
The mocking laughter, like kicking someone when they're down, made Xie Xi's face turn ugly.
He couldn't help but think that if he had received that opportunity at the Peony Banquet, things might be very different now.
His brother and sister-in-law might not divorce, and Lin Lanting had no right to be arrogant and presumptuous in front of him.
But what you didn't catch, you didn't catch; what you missed, you missed.
Just like my brother.
Just like its owner, the Yan Zhai chariot turned its back on people without hesitation, and the emerald feathers on its body shone with a cold light.
Xie Xi looked dejected, mounted his horse, and rode away.
Perhaps this is just our individual destiny.
As they approached Chongrenfang, Huiyi finally managed to calm herself down when she heard Lin Er talking to her outside.
"Does the princess still remember?"
Such rudeness seems to stem not only from Princess Changji, but also from an old grudge.
Lin Lanting couldn't help but ask a question through the car wall.
Huiyi parted the curtain, looked at the still lush green trees outside, and hummed while resting her head on her hand, "Of course, how could I forget that?"
Huiyi was incredibly embarrassed when she finally felt like taking the initiative, only to be coldly rejected. She wouldn't be satisfied until three or five years later.
However, Lin Lanting misunderstood and his thoughts wandered elsewhere. He hesitated for a long time before finally leaving out only one sentence.
"...What kind of taste do you have?"
The smile on his lips vanished, as if he were the one who had just been humiliated.
Huiyi saw that profile, which gleamed with a cold light, in the dappled sunlight and felt nauseous, so she closed the carriage curtain again.
What a deadpan face! Get lost!
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Author's Note: Update complete! [heart emoji]
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