Chapter 20

Jiang Mo murmured "Mm" and brushed past him.

The bathing chamber had two tubs, and every night Xingchun would have hot water prepared, all in preparation for this very day.

When she arrived at the bathing chamber, Xingchun and Lanqiu had already made everything ready. Both looked very happy, and even the water they poured over her seemed joyful.

Too many things had happened today; her mind was overwhelmed. The warm streams of water made her dizzy—one moment, An Zeyou’s gaze flashed before her eyes, the next, Hui Qing’s venomous words, and then Prince Yu’s old scars.

"Princess, Princess." She had actually dozed off. Lanqiu woke her, saying, "The Prince is still waiting for you."

Jiang Mo groggily put on a clean inner robe and walked to the bedside.

She climbed from the foot of the bed to the inner side, and the moment her head touched the pillow, sleep crashed over her.

"Wei Yalan, I’ve never heard that tune you were humming. Did you compose it yourself?"

Jiang Mo looked toward Chen Yingchou and instantly snapped awake. Chen Yingchou had already removed the silk band covering his eyes, revealing his sightless pupils.

He faced her like this once again, and Jiang Mo didn't dare wonder why.

She stopped all movement and only dared to look at those beautiful eyes.

"That was a tune my mother used to hum to put me to sleep when I was little."

Chen Yingchou, who had been lying flat on his back, turned over to face her. "It's what people call a lullaby, I guess. I’ve never heard it before."

The corners of his mouth smiled, yet his eyes held a hint of sadness. "My mother died when I was young; I don’t remember her voice.

I was a very well-behaved child. I never cried at night or bothered anyone to put me to sleep. Perhaps that’s why I never heard the Empress hum a lullaby to me."

No child wants to fall asleep alone, Jiang Mo understood. He wasn’t without tears—he had simply learned too early that there was no one left to indulge his tantrums.

Jiang Mo said nothing, just softly hummed the familiar tune.

Perhaps she was too tired—she didn't even remember falling asleep.

When she woke, there was no one beside her. Reaching out, she felt the bed cold. She didn’t know if Prince Yu hadn’t stayed overnight or had risen too early.

She had slept like a log and felt completely refreshed.

After changing clothes, fixing her hair, and finishing breakfast, she sent everyone away except for Lanqiu.

"Did you figure out what the powder on those pastries was?"

"It was a love potion."

Jiang Mo smiled helplessly, thinking to herself: Xingchun and Hui Qing really did end up in the same place by different roads.

"Lanqiu, there’s something I need to tell you..."

Except for Duke Qingguo’s treason, Jiang Mo told Lanqiu everything: the substitute marriage, the birth-prevention soup, the gold bracelet, the name register, including her suspicion that An Zeyou and Wei Yalan knew each other. She held nothing back.

After listening, Lanqiu was unable to snap back to reality for a long time. "This... this is a capital crime of deceiving the emperor."

"Yes, a capital crime. I've been cornered, with no way out. Lanqiu, I need your help."

Lanqiu didn’t hesitate. "For you to tell me all this, Princess, means you trust me. I won’t betray that trust. Please, give your orders, Princess."

Jiang Mo confirmed again, "I'm just a girl from a modest family, with no guarantee of keeping my own life safe. You can pretend I never said these words; you don’t have to do anything for me."

"No, Princess. I’ve had no family since childhood. These days with you have made me so happy, and I want to keep being happy like this." There were tears in Lanqiu’s eyes. "In this world, only you have treated me this well. I don't care who you really are. As long as I can stay by your side, this life is enough."

Jiang Mo's heart ached. Tears in her eyes, she studied Lanqiu’s face and then embraced her tightly. "Lanqiu, I'll never let anything happen to you."

"Princess." Hui Qing's voice came from outside the door.

Hui Qing had gone to the Duke Qingguo’s residence and stayed overnight. Whether it was too late to return, or whether Duke Qingguo had spent the night pondering, no one knew.

Jiang Mo wiped away Lanqiu’s tears, took out the token and gave it to her. "From now on, you'll keep this token."

This meant Lanqiu could come and go from Prince Yu’s mansion at any time.

"Come in."

Hui Qing entered the room. Lanqiu left, and Hui Qing turned and closed the door.

"The Duke has agreed. Today, at the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), the leftmost room on the second floor of the Fallen Cloud Pavilion." She spoke with her head bowed, not daring to look at Jiang Mo.

"Give it to me." Jiang Mo held out her hand to Hui Qing. "The token for Prince Yu’s mansion. Hand it over."

Reluctantly, Hui Qing pulled out the token but hesitated to hand it over.

Jiang Mo kept her hand extended without moving forward. "I'll give you the token only when you need to report to the Duke's mansion."

Hui Qing muttered, "But I'm supposed to report every three days."

Jiang Mo gave a cold laugh. "I am now the Princess Yu. Killing a maid is as easy as squashing an ant. Don’t forget, there are still three maids in the Duke’s mansion who know my identity. If you die, the Duke will naturally send new people. Did you really think you mattered that much?"

In the past, she was afraid because she didn't know her place on the chessboard. But now she understood—even pawns aren't all the same. She was the most important, the most indispensable piece, while others were merely replaceable, insignificant little pawns.

It was obvious which move the chess player would make.

Hui Qing trembled all over, staring at Jiang Mo with disbelief.

At that moment, it was like waking from a dream. What she hadn’t expected was that the one to wake her up was the person she had looked down on.

She had been sold to the Duke’s mansion by her father at the age of seven. She knew she was a slave, that her life was not her own but her master’s. To survive, she served humbly, groveling in everything she did.

Until the Duke sent Wei Yalan away and assigned her to watch Jiang Mo. For that one month, everything was reversed. In the small courtyard, the maids and servants all looked up to her. She strutted around full of herself—the small power made her forget her original identity.

She brought that sense of superiority to Prince Yu’s mansion, forgetting that she, too, was just a slave. In the Duke’s mansion, she was a slave of the Duke; the Duke controlled her life and death. In the Dawn Twilight Courtyard, she was a slave of that courtyard; the Princess Yu decided her fate.

The secret of the substitute marriage was not a weapon for her to use against Jiang Mo, but a blade hanging over her own head. It was a pity she realized this too late.

Hui Qing bowed and respectfully presented the token with both hands. "I will listen to everything the Princess commands."

Jiang Mo took the token, but Hui Qing dared not rise, waiting for her instructions.

Jiang Mo knew that Hui Qing had finally woken up.

"Do not harm others unless they harm you; harmony is most precious." That was what Jiang Mo’s father had told her. By her usual nature, since the other had acknowledged their mistake, she would not press further. But Hui Qing was different—she was the Duke’s eyes on her.

She needed to find an opportunity to have Hui Qing leave Prince Yu’s mansion.

"You may go. Unless I call for you, you do not need to appear."

Just after the hour of Si, Jiang Mo took Lanqiu to the main compound, seeking Chen Yingchou’s permission to leave the mansion.

As it turned out, Chen Yingchou was not in the main courtyard but had gone to the garden.

A young eunuch led them to a plum grove at the southeast corner of Prince Yu's residence garden, and without announcing their arrival, he let her in directly.

In the twelfth lunar month, the plum blossoms were in full bloom, a vibrant red, braving the cold to display their beauty. The fragrance of plum blossoms filled the air, drifting in with the gentle breeze like threads of silk.

Chen Yingchou stood among the plum trees, clad in a dark green robe, his eyes covered with a dark green silk ribbon. As the wind blew, the ribbon fluttered, making him stand out like a touch of green amidst a sea of red, exuding a unique charm.

Jiang Mo thought that since he had come to appreciate the plum blossoms, he must be in a good mood, and would likely grant her request.

Qiao Yun saw her and bowed, "Greetings to the Princess."

Chen Yingchou turned at the sound of her voice, "What brings you here?"

Jiang Mo initially wanted to exchange a few pleasantries, but decided it was unnecessary.

"You know, Your Highness, that your humble wife has been indulged since childhood, living willfully and without restraint. Since marrying into Prince Yu's residence, I have lived a disciplined life devoid of joy, and it has been a long time since I last went to the Fallen Cloud Tower to watch the variety shows."

Chen Yingchou reached out to touch a plum blossom on the branch, broke off a twig, and handed it to Jiang Mo. "You wish to go watch them?"

Rather than lying outright, it was better to mix truth with falsehood, so that if anything happened, she could find a way to explain.

"I've been wanting to go for a long time." Jiang Mo took the branch, sounding aggrieved.

Chen Yingchou smiled slightly. "It's been a long time since I last left the residence. I'll accompany you."

Jiang Mo was stunned. She had never expected Chen Yingchou would also go.

Wasn't it said that after returning from the Battle of Zhuoyang, he had been despondent and listless, locking himself away in his room?

Appreciating plum blossoms was surprising enough, but now he was saying he would accompany her to watch variety shows.

Jiang Mo grumbled inwardly: Watch variety shows? Didn't he know he was blind?

"Your Highness, I said, watch, variety shows." She deliberately and cautiously emphasized the word "watch," saying it slowly and softly.

Qiao Yun, upon hearing this, deliberately interjected, "Princess, His Highness just instructed lunch to be prepared and invited you to join him. Is there anything specific you would like to eat, Your Highness? I will have the kitchen prepare it."

This was the first time in nearly four months that the master had taken interest in appreciating flowers; it must not be disrupted.

During this time, he had already sensed that since that night when the master and the princess were alone together, the master's state had been different from when he first returned to the capital. And yesterday, after going to the armory and returning to the main courtyard, he finally felt a sign of life in the master. The master was slowly recovering and pulling himself together; no mistakes must be made now.

However, Chen Yingchou called out Qiao Yun's little scheme. "Qiao Yun, what are you interrupting for? What are you afraid of? The princess is right. I am indeed not suited for watching variety shows."

Qiao Yun was taken aback. Were these words really coming from his master?

After four months, he had finally waited for this.

Qiao Yun looked at Jiang Mo, his eyes full of gratitude. He knew it was all because of the princess. Without her, the master would still be locked in his room, not living like a human being.

Jiang Mo was also overjoyed. The spirited young general of the past was finally returning.

She had heard that the former Ninth Prince was gentle and refined, courteous and proper. She did not ask for him to return to his best days, only that he would no longer be sensitive, irritable, and moody.

Somehow, looking at the gentle smile on the man's face, she reached out and touched his cheek.

Chen Yingchou did not flinch; instead, he took half a step forward and stood still, waiting.

Jiang Mo looked up, gazing at his eyes, imagining what his gaze would be like if he could see. Suddenly, her heart began to pound rapidly.

At that moment, she felt no wind, smelled no plum blossoms, and saw nothing around her. There was only Chen Yingchou's face, with his eyes covered.

She raised her hand again, tracing his eyebrows from the brow to the tail, and finally caressing his eyes.

She was afraid, afraid that he would push her away, afraid of his sudden anger.

Yet she still did it.

Jiang Mo's fingers trembled violently, and involuntarily, she gently pressed her fingertips on Chen Yingchou's eyes.

Chen Yingchou grasped her wrist, steadying her trembling hand. "Don't be afraid. You can touch my eyes."

Author's Note:

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