Chapter 039

Chapter 039

The gold butterfly hairpin lightly swayed on her head.

She tightly gripped the robe at her waist.

If they stopped now, it would still be in time; he could easily do it.

But at this moment, he didn’t want to restrain himself.

His hand pressed against her back, pushing forward without hesitation to the deepest point.

Chu Yin let out a soft moan, her face redder than the sunset.

She truly hadn’t expected this side of him.

What she once thought impossible turned out to be possible after all.

The writing materials on the desk suffered in the process, with the clattering of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone. Some fell, some lay scattered, and inkwater dripped onto her skin, which was pressed against the desk, making it damp.

She tugged at his sleeve, "Your Highness, it's cold..." indicating the spilled water.

His gaze, however, was captivated only by the alluring sight of her sprawled gracefully.

He paused, then bent down to lift her up.

With their clothes disheveled and movements restricted, they moved to the nearby bed.

The bed, cushioned with a leather mattress, was far more comfortable than the hard desk. The room was still bright with the remnants of the sunset, and the blush on Chu Yin’s face lingered. She stole glances at Lu Jingzhao, who appeared as calm as ever, his eyes slightly deeper in color, like spreading ink.

By the time they finished, it was past the time for the evening meal.

Chu Yin lay on her side, propping her cheek with her hand, gazing unblinkingly at him.

Lu Jingzhao dressed unhurriedly, silent.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, did something happen on your trip to the mountain?”

Lu Jingzhao replied indifferently, “Nothing.”

He could discuss anything with Chu Yin, except for the ‘drugging’ incident, which he chose not to mention.

But how could Chu Yin believe that?

Just one trip to Rabbit Hill had led to such uninhibited behavior in broad daylight.

Feeling his wife’s gaze glued to him, Lu Jingzhao could guess her thoughts.

He had broken convention today, leaving Chu Yin puzzled and unable to understand.

Yet, he had no intention of explaining.

It was a rare occurrence, something he actively wanted. He could accept that. If it had been a loss of control, he would have been bothered by it himself, without needing Chu Yin’s inquiry.

Lu Jingzhao turned and walked towards the washroom.

Chu Yin playfully complained, "Are you ignoring me?"

He stopped in his tracks, "Do you want me to carry you?"

"Mhm." She reached out her arms, her expression endearingly childlike.

He walked back and picked her up.

With her arms loosely wrapped around his neck, Chu Yin asked again, "Did nothing really happen on Rabbit Hill?"

He looked down at his wife in his arms, "How many times will you ask?"

“……”

Thinking to herself that it was unfair he got to be odd without explanation, Chu Yin resolved to find an opportunity to subtly probe Dong Ling.

Meanwhile, Princess Baocheng had stayed in the palace.

Emperor Jianxing, wiping his mouth, leaned back in his chair, "Speak up, it's late. Do you plan to stay overnight here?"

Princess Baocheng was infuriated by Jiang Yuyuan.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, feeling as if her years of genuine care were wasted!

"You don’t know how aggrieved I’ve been today," she clutched her chest, "And I couldn’t even tell you. I was so frustrated that I didn’t want to go home."

"Did Jiang Xian bully you?"

"No, it’s..."

Princess Baocheng’s mother, Empress De, had passed away early. Before her brother left for his fief, they had only each other. Naturally, she trusted Emperor Jianxing the most. With no one else to confide in, she bit her lip, "I was infuriated by that wretched Jiang Yuyuan. Don’t laugh at me. I’ve been manipulated by a young girl I raised myself. How can I not feel aggrieved? Had I known, I would have spent all that effort on Lin'er and Min'er!"

Emperor Jianxing leaned forward slightly, "No wonder I didn’t see Yuyuan... How did she manipulate you?"

"She drugged herself, aiming to enter the Eastern Palace!" Princess Baocheng slammed the table, "You know how much I’ve cared for her. Shouldn’t I be angry?"

“……”

That was unexpected.

Emperor Jianxing chuckled, "Wanting to be Jingzhao’s concubine is not such a big deal."

"...You’re not supporting her, are you?"

"I’m telling you, it's quite normal for women to have such aspirations. Who doesn’t seek wealth and status? Even without Yuyuan, other girls will aspire to enter the Eastern Palace. It’s not a big deal." His consorts were all willing; none were forced by him.

His sister simply couldn’t accept being deceived.

Princess Baocheng paused, then nodded, "That’s true."

Had Lu Jingzhao not been indifferent to women, he probably would have taken concubines long ago.

"Don’t be so upset. Handle it as you see fit," Emperor Jianxing consoled her, "No need to ruin your health over a distant relative."

"I’ve left her to my husband to deal with. I don’t want to dirty my hands!"

Was it a test of Jiang Xian’s loyalty? Emperor Jianxing pondered, "How did you find out she drugged herself?"

"She tried to seduce Jingzhao and got caught by him..."

Fortunately, he had warned her. Otherwise, she would have believed that Jiang Yuyuan was drugged by Wei Anzhong, rushing to ask her brother for help and interrogating Wei Anzhong.

If it turned out Wei Anzhong was falsely accused, she would lose all face!

"Jingzhao is truly observant," Princess Baocheng praised genuinely, "Without him, I would still be in the dark."

Emperor Jianxing, busy listening to the officials' flattering poems, hadn’t expected his eldest son to handle Jiang Yuyuan in the meantime. He stroked his short beard, "How could a young girl get her hands on such a drug? Did you ask?"

"She claimed it was Wei Anzhong who drugged her. Brother, Wei Anzhong is indeed a lecher, known to have forced himself on common girls."

"Is that true?" Emperor Jianxing frowned.

Wei Anzhong had already been a fourth-rank official, and considering the Wei family's significant contributions, Emperor Jianxing, having recently ascended the throne, hadn't altered many official positions, inadvertently creating hidden problems.

"These are just rumors, but there's usually some truth behind them... Brother, about this drug, could it be that my household steward or servants colluded with that wretch?" Princess Baocheng grew more suspicious, "You're brilliant, brother. I hadn’t thought of that. Not just her, I wouldn’t even know where to get such a drug."

Compared to his sister, who wore her emotions on her face, Emperor Jianxing was much more calculative and had roughly guessed the situation, "Easy to handle. I'll have Qin Xiao look into it for you, and while he's at it, also investigate Wei Anzhong."

With the commander of the imperial guards involved, the case was sure to be resolved quickly. Princess Baocheng hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

Feeling relieved after confiding in her brother, she made her way back home.

To appease his wife, Jiang Xian decided to send Jiang Yuyuan to a nunnery in Xuzhou as punishment, to become a nun.

Jiang Yuyuan couldn't believe it, "Uncle, I didn’t betray you. Why are you so heartless? Even Auntie wouldn’t send me to a nunnery!"

"You said you wouldn’t regret it. Now that the matter has come to light, you must bear the consequences," Jiang Xian consoled her, "Just endure for a year or two. Once your aunt cools down, you can discreetly leave the nunnery... Don’t worry, I’ll still help you find a good marriage elsewhere then."

Jiang Yuyuan gritted her teeth, "Uncle, you’re truly ruthless!"

"I'm doing this for our own good. You’ve already lost Shanhui’s favor, and I need to secure my position as the son-in-law. Understand?"

"A gentleman's revenge can wait ten years," Jiang Yuyuan thought, resigning herself to becoming a nun for now.

In reality, after a year or two, Jiang Xian would likely forget about her, just sending her to the nunnery to avoid trouble.

Later, he would give money to the abbess, ensuring Jiang Yuyuan remained confined in the nunnery, never to trouble Princess Baocheng again.

He immediately ordered his attendants to escort Jiang Yuyuan to Xuzhou.

Hearing of this, Princess Baocheng felt vindicated.

"That wretch, instead of marrying a gentleman, now she’ll never marry at all!"

For Princess Baocheng, Jiang Yuyuan was not a blood relative, so any outcome that brought her comfort was acceptable. But for Jiang Xian, that girl was indeed his real niece, and he had the resolve to act decisively.

Princess Baocheng began to harbor a subtle wariness towards Jiang Xian.

The King of Jin and his wife were also keenly interested in the fate of Jiang Yuyuan.

Since Tang Feiyan hadn’t gone to Rabbit Hill, she was eager to question Lu Jingchen in detail.

"Did Jiang Yuyuan manage to seduce our eldest brother?" This was what she was most curious about.

"The student failed before she could succeed." Lu Jingchen briefly explained the situation.

“……”

Such a disappointment!

Tang Feiyan instantly lost interest, "I thought there would be some drama. So she ended up compromising herself? I was actually worried..." She had been a bit afraid that Lu Jingchen would be tricked, making her the subject of mockery.

"We probably won't see her anymore. With auntie’s temper, she’s sure to be strictly punished!" Tang Feiyan scoffed, recalling Jiang Yuyuan’s pretense.

Lu Jingchen wasn’t aware of Princess Baocheng's temperament from before, but after his father ascended the throne, being constantly flattered, she wouldn't tolerate any disrespect. Now tricked by Jiang Yuyuan, her fury would be unimaginable.

Jiang Yuyuan had completely ruined her own prospects.

"In a few days, you’ll accompany our eldest brother and sister-in-law to inspect the agricultural work outside the city, right?" Tang Feiyan sounded a bit dejected, "I’ll just stay home and avoid being questioned."

Left alone in the capital, who wouldn't know she had offended her father-in-law?

Her family might even become concerned.

"Just say you don’t want to go because you’re afraid of bugs," Lu Jingchen suggested.

Tang Feiyan pulled the blanket over her face, exclaiming, "Stop it, who would believe that? Isn’t sister-in-law afraid of bugs? She's from a scholarly family, and I’m at least a general’s daughter. I'm not afraid of some bugs!"

Her antics were unexpectedly adorable, causing Lu Jingchen to chuckle softly before diving under the covers.

………………

The daytime intimacy had left a lasting impression on Chu Yin, igniting her curiosity to the point of overflowing.

That evening, seeing Lu Jingzhao engrossed in reading, she stood about a yard away from Dong Ling, gesturing for him to come closer.

Just as Dong Ling was about to speak,

She put her finger to her lips, signaling for silence.

As a skilled attendant to the Crown Prince, Dong Ling approached quietly and asked in a hushed tone, “What can I do for you, Crown Princess?”

“I need to ask you about something.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Did anything happen on Rabbit Hill during the Double Ninth Festival?”

Dong Ling immediately thought of Jiang Yuyuan, cautiously inquiring, “What exactly are you referring to? Do you mean the Emperor commanding officials to compose poetry at the mountaintop, or incidents like Minister Ding of the Ministry of Revenue falling down the mountain?”

The matter involving Jiang Yuyuan, the Crown Prince, and Princess Baocheng was sensitive, and he dared not speak carelessly.

Chu Yin: “…”

Had Lu Jingzhao instructed Dong Ling not to divulge anything?

“All of it. Anything big or small that you know, tell me everything.”

Dong Ling carefully chose unrelated events to discuss.

Seizing a moment when he was off guard, Chu Yin abruptly asked, “Did His Highness go for a barbecue?”

“Yes, the Jiang brothers invited His Highness for a barbecue.”

"Why?"

"To seek guidance in archery and horsemanship."

"Did His Highness eat?"

"That..." Dong Ling seemed to choke on his words.

It appeared he hadn't eaten; no wonder when she asked Lu Jingzhao, he didn’t answer.

What interrupted him?

The Jiang brothers are Jiang Yuyuan's cousins; surely they weren't the cause of the interruption?

Did Lu Jingzhao see her and avoid eating the barbecue to prevent any misunderstanding?

Fearing he might give something away, Dong Ling bowed and excused himself, "I might be needed by His Highness soon, I must take my leave."

With him gone, Chu Yin had no choice but to head back inside.

On this autumn night, the cool moonlight draped over her, bringing a growing chill.

Today was already the 12th of September. It wouldn't be long before her father-in-law sent them to the six counties.

They hadn’t flown the kites yet.

She would have to tell the children about their impending separation of over a month, wondering if they would cry when the time came.

Time was pressing, so she discussed with Lu Jingzhao that night, "Could you spare some time tomorrow to fly kites with Xuzhi and Zhenzhi?" Aware it was sudden, she explained, "We’re leaving soon. If we don’t do it in the next couple of days, we'll have to wait until November, when it's much colder."

She remembered that year had heavy snowfall.

Gazing out the window each morning, it was always a blanket of white.

"Tomorrow?" Tomorrow was when the strict Instructor Tao was scheduled to lecture, and postponing seemed improper. Lu Jingzhao pondered, "Let’s do it at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM)."

He could ask the lecturer scheduled after Instructor Tao to come the day after instead.

Chu Yin was delighted that he agreed without hesitation, "Then it's settled. I'll have the servants prepare the kites in the morning."

"Mhm."

The kites for the children were smaller than those for adults to ensure they could hold on to them even in the wind.

The servants brought two small kites, a butterfly and a swallow, for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, along with a large, ornate koi fish kite with two red bubble eyes and an elegantly flowing tail, colorful and vibrant.

As the hour approached, Chu Yin decided to take the children to Chunhui Pavilion first.

"Shall we go pick up Daddy?"

"Yes!"

Lu Zhi eyed his swallow kite, "Can Daddy make it fly really high, so high it disappears?"

Chu Yin didn't want to overpromise, uncertain of Lu Jingzhao’s expertise in kite flying.

But as the former heir of the Chengwang Mansion, he likely had experience with such pastimes.

"If it flies too high and disappears, we won't be able to find it again. Zhi, do you not want it anymore?"

Lu Zhi quickly shook his head, "Oh, then let's keep it lower."

Lu Zhen was less interested in flying her own kite, "I want to watch Daddy fly the big koi fish. It must look beautiful in the sky."

The hour of Shen was nearing.

Despite the arrangement, Lu Jingzhao stayed focused on his studies, not wanting another lecture from Instructor Tao.

He vividly remembered the last incident, considering it a stain on his academic record.

After Instructor Tao finished his lecture and packed up, he took his leave.

As he stepped out, he saw a woman leading two children approaching from afar, then turning into the gate of Chunhui Pavilion.

The woman, with fair skin and delicate features, dressed in a light purple robe embroidered with plum blossoms and a beaded golden skirt, exuded elegance and dignity. Instructor Tao immediately guessed she was the Crown Princess who had recently arrived from Qingzhou.

The thought of the Crown Prince’s distracted state during the last lecture crossed his mind, and Instructor Tao couldn’t help but suspect it had something to do with her.

Instructor Tao couldn't really blame him; if he were at the Crown Prince's vigorous age and knew he had such a wife waiting for him, he might have been similarly affected. Smiling secretly, Instructor Tao continued on his way.

Upon seeing his wife and children, Lu Jingzhao asked, "What brings you here?"

"To save time, of course. It's already the hour of Shen, we don't have much time left for kite flying," urged Chu Yin, "Let's go to Yinghua Tower now!"

So hasty...

Although he once misunderstood her eagerness to have children, she indeed had an impetuous side.

Lu Jingzhao joined them in the carriage.

Yinghua Tower was relatively unobstructed, perfect for kite flying in the gusty winds.

Lu Zhi excitedly called out, "Daddy, Daddy, hurry up!"

Chu Yin handed the koi fish kite to Lu Jingzhao.

He was taken aback.

His understanding of "flying kites" involved the attendants running against the wind with the kites, and then he would simply hold the string once the kite was aloft.

Was he now expected to fly the kite himself?

Lu Jingzhao instructed Dong Ling, "You do it."

Chu Yin was surprised, "Aren't you going to fly it, Your Highness?"

Hearing this, both children fixed their eyes on him.

"...It's the same if Dong Ling does it."

"How is it the same?" Chu Yin pouted slightly, "I thought Your Highness would personally fly it. I was looking forward to it, but now you want someone else to do it."

The children's lips curled into a pout, looking crestfallen.

Lu Jingzhao: "..."

He felt that if he didn't take the kite himself, these two... no, all three of them might burst into tears.