Chapter 020

Chapter 020

Before dawn, the imperial kitchen was already bustling with activity.

In addition to preparing breakfast for the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess, they also had to prepare meals for the journey, including lunch and dinner. Additionally, the adults and children had different preferences and dietary requirements, which meant the chefs were working tirelessly.

As the first light penetrated the room, Lu Jingzhe bent down to wake Chu Yin.

Still heavy with sleep and barely able to open her eyes, Chu Yin mumbled, "What time is it?"

"The hour of Mao."

The Emperor had set the departure time.

Chu Yin hurriedly got up.

But she still couldn't open her eyes, her right hand covering her forehead: "I feel a bit dizzy."

That's what she got for not sleeping properly last night, insisting on being held.

She said just for a while, but then wanted a bit more...

Lu Jingzhe instructed Lengdong to bring water for her to wash her face and wake up.

"We need to wake up Xiu'er and Zhen'er," Chu Yin thought of the children. "Your Highness, you go wake them. They adore you the most. Seeing you, they’ll be delighted and get up immediately."

"…" Making a chore sound so appealing.

Yet, Lu Jingzhe didn't refuse.

Lengdong and Lianqiao assisted Chu Yin in washing and dressing.

With little sleep, there were slight blue shadows under her eyes, which Chu Yin covered with some makeup.

With the Emperor traveling, many officials would be present, so her attire had to be appropriate but not overly elaborate or heavy, as it would impede movement. After all, they were going for a summer retreat, not attending a court session or a ceremony.

Hence, Chu Yin didn’t wear formal court attire. She chose a vermilion summer robe with brocade patterns, layered over a plain gauze undergarment, a red waistband with embellishments, white jade double rings, and her hair styled into a peony bun adorned with gold beads and a phoenix hairpin.

When Lu Jingzhe arrived with the siblings, he saw her standing at the doorway, radiantly elegant, and paused momentarily.

The person before him seemed very different from the one asking to be held last night.

"Mother, are we leaving?" Lu Zhen rushed into her arms. "Is father really not coming?"

"Father would like to go too, but he’s busy with many things and can’t accompany Zhen'er and Xiu'er. Father is also sad about it. You’ll tell father about everything you see when you return, okay?" Chu Yin reframed the situation.

Understanding, Lu Zhen nodded vigorously: "Okay." He turned and patted his father's leg, "Don’t be sad, father."

Lu Jingzhe: "…"

As time was running short, the maids set up breakfast.

The family sat down to eat.

Fortunately, they woke up early. Otherwise, with the children’s dawdling, they would have certainly been late.

After breakfast, they immediately set off for the Qianqing Palace.

Lu Jingchen and his wife were already there, and Tang Feiyan smiled and said, "Seeing our sister-in-law today, one truly understands the meaning of 'national beauty and heavenly fragrance'!"

"Then you must be 'sinking fish and falling geese'," Chu Yin replied nonchalantly to the polite remark.

Emperor Jianxing, seeing his grandchildren dressed in similar tender green outfits like a pair of green leaves in a pond, bringing a fresh breeze, couldn’t help but smile: "Later, ride with your Imperial Grandfather in the carriage to keep me entertained on the journey."

The children, not quite understanding what 'entertaining' meant, involuntarily looked towards their mother.

Emperor Jianxing, patting their heads, said: "Don't look, you must join your Imperial Grandfather, no one can stop you."

Chu Yin: "…"

Pleasing the Emperor was good, but she was concerned the children might cause him disturbance.

However, it was the Emperor's choice, and he would have to bear the consequences.

"I wonder how long Father Emperor will last," she whispered to Lu Jingzhe, "What do you think, an hour or two?"

"…" He thought maybe half an hour, but he didn't say it.

Really, she was trying to start a conversation, and he was still like this.

As the mother-in-law, third brother, and Princess Baocheng were about to arrive, they were ready to leave. Was he still not going to express anything? Chu Yin almost wanted to pinch him.

It was her who had wanted to be held last night, yet he hadn’t said anything about their impending separation.

Could it be that he genuinely thought half a month was too short a time to mention?

Don't lovers feel like every day apart is like years?

Lost in thought, she heard Princess Baocheng's voice at the doorway: "Sister-in-law, let me help you."

Everyone had arrived.

Emperor Jianxing stood up: "Let's go."

The group headed towards the palace gates.

In front, there was a dense crowd, with brightly colored flags bearing embroidered images of the four mythical creatures: the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise, as well as figures like the God of Wind, Master of Rain, Lord of Thunder, and Mother of Lightning. Chu Yin couldn’t count how many banners there were, only noticing that each one required four people to hold.

Behind the flags marched the clearing patrol of the imperial guard, all armed with crossbows and spears.

Following them were ten uniquely designed carriages, including a compass carriage, a mileage counting carriage, an evil-averting carriage, and a carriage for medicinal herbs, each drawn by four horses and manned by drivers, craftsmen, and imperial physicians.

In the center was, of course, the Emperor’s jade carriage, surrounded by even stricter security: twenty warriors for protection, plus eunuchs, imperial guards, and several teams of cavalry and infantry.

Having never traveled far from the capital since her arrival in her previous life, even for a journey as short as a day, Chu Yin had never witnessed such a grand entourage and felt assured of their safety with so many soldiers.

Yet, she also felt a tinge of guilt; the Emperor's journey was a consequence of her rebirth, and such an arrangement did strain the populace and treasury to some extent.

Fortunately, she had also done a good deed before, which might compensate for this.

As they were about to leave, Princess Baocheng asked Empress Jiang, "Has Yuyuan not improved at all? Why hasn’t she come to see us off?"

"She felt unwell again this morning, so I let her rest."

Princess Baocheng frowned, "How can this be? Can’t the Chief Imperial Physician even cure heatstroke? My brother is taking him to Yan Mountain... Sister-in-law, I’m sorry to trouble you again. Could you find another physician for her?"

"It’s probably due to the heat these past few days, causing some relapse. I’ve already ordered more ice for her room."

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

Only then did Chu Yin realize why Jiang Yuyuan was feigning illness.

She planned to take advantage of Chu Yin’s absence to get closer to Lu Jingzhe.

Did the young girl really want so much to become Lu Jingzhe’s concubine?

Chu Yin turned her head to glance at her husband beside her.

Dressed in a red robe with golden embroidered dragons and wearing a golden crown, his fine eyebrows and handsome features, coupled with his status as the heir, made him irresistibly attractive. It was no wonder Jiang Yuyuan harbored such thoughts.

Apart from wanting to replace her, Jiang Yuyuan must also harbor some affection for Lu Jingzhe; otherwise, she wouldn’t have waited so many years.

It’s just that in this life, Jiang Yuyuan's scheming started too early...

In her previous life, it wasn't until next year's Dragon Boat Festival.

Anyway, no matter how much she racked her brain, Chu Yin couldn’t think of a good outcome and chose not to concern herself with it.

The drum and music ensemble suddenly started to play.

Looking forward, Chu Yin saw that the Emperor had already taken the children and seated himself in the jade carriage.

It was her time to leave.

"Your Highness, take care of yourself while I'm not in the palace." This statement was, of course, unnecessary with so many eunuchs and maids to attend to him, but she wanted to express her care and reluctance.

Lu Jingzhe responded indifferently, "You too."

Just three words?

Chu Yin bit her lip, frustrated that he didn't hold her hand or say he would miss her.

Really annoying.

She cast a resentful glance at him and then turned to sit in the luxurious carriage.

Through the window, watching his red-clad figure, she thought he would surely show signs of reluctance soon.

She remembered when she left Qingzhou for the capital, her mother and brother had come to see her off. Long after the carriage had departed, she looked back to see them still standing there, happy for her new role as the Crown Princess but also filled with reluctance.

Lu Jingzhe must feel the same, right?

The luxurious carriage slowly moved forward.

She stared intently at Lu Jingzhe, observing every move he made.

She saw his gaze fall on her carriage for only a moment before he quickly turned and walked towards his mother-in-law and Lu Jingrui.

The three of them seemed to be talking about something, and he never looked back at her carriage again, though his mother-in-law did glance over twice.

Afterwards, he left with his mother-in-law and Lu Jingrui.

Without looking back once.

There was no sign of lingering affection!

At that moment, Chu Yin felt a void in her heart.

It was never there to begin with.

How could she have seen something that never existed?

The events since her rebirth flooded her mind like waves, overwhelming her.

And the memories of her previous life…

She suddenly realized that the signs of Lu Jingzhe's affection for her only appeared after he ascended the throne, after her death.

He didn't love her now.

A loud 'bang' echoed in Chu Yin’s mind, her cheeks burning hot.

She covered her face with her hands.

What had she been doing all this time in front of a husband who didn’t love her?

Every day she acted coquettishly, presumptuously believing he loved her, speaking without restraint, and behaving without boundaries.

How mortifying.

She had never been so embarrassed in either of her lives!