Chapter 59

Chapter 59

"Qufei, are you all right?"

An Zeyou gestured for the physician to stand behind him. "It's nothing. My arm might still be injured from the night of the Lantern Festival. I couldn't hold the teacup steady."

His reply was all over the place. Chen Yingchou, who couldn't see, had asked about his choking and coughing, but he responded about the fallen teacup.

Chen Yingchou asked, "Did the tea spill as well?" Then he called out, "Qiao Yun."

Qiao Yun ran in from outside, "Your Highness."

"Take Master An to change into another robe."

An Zeyou looked at Jiang Mo, seeing the same panic in her expression. Unable to comfort her, he pretended to be unsteady as he rose and secretly slipped a note into her hand.

"Xingzhi, wait a moment. I'll be right back."

Jiang Mo clutched the note, her hands trembling. She stood rooted to the spot, watching the young eunuch clean up the spilled water under An Zeyou's seat. She listened to Chen Yingchou's words, answering with vague hums, her mind wandering far away.

Chen Yingchou: "Lan'er, I was thinking of keeping An Zeyou here for lunch. If you don't want that, I'll find an excuse to send him away."

Jiang Mo: "Mm."

Chen Yingchou: "Lan'er, what would you like to eat? I'll have the kitchen prepare it."

Jiang Mo: "Mm."

Chen Yingchou frowned slightly. "Lan'er, what would you like for lunch?"

Jiang Mo: "Mm."

Chen Yingchou reached out for Jiang Mo. "Lan'er, Lan'er."

Feeling someone tugging at her, Jiang Mo snapped back to reality, still flustered. "Your Highness."

Chen Yingchou asked with concern, "Lan'er, what's wrong? Do you have something on your mind? I asked what you wanted for lunch, and you just hummed. Qiao Yun doesn't know how to instruct the kitchen."

"Nothing. I was just thinking that I haven't made jasmine flower cakes in a long time. The ones I made this morning don't seem as good as before."

Chen Yingchou chuckled. "Don't mind what that rascal An Zeyou says. His words are a mix of truth and lies. Even I sometimes can't tell which is a joke and which is serious." He reached out and felt the chessboard. "The pieces are all messed up. Luckily we hadn't made many moves. Lan'er, help me reset the board. Once Master An returns, we'll continue."

"Alright."

An Zeyou walked back in after changing his robe, his free-spirited demeanor restored. "Xingzhi, all your clothes are so dull, the patterns too simple. I couldn't find a single one I liked."

Chen Yingchou shook his head. "I'll have your clothes dried right now. You can change back before you leave."

An Zeyou quickly said, "No need. Since I couldn't find one I liked, I naturally chose the most valuable one. This robe I'm wearing is made of fine cloud brocade, embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns outlined in gold and silver thread. It's worth far more than mine."

"Alright, stop your joking around. Come finish this game."

"Yes, yes. Whatever you say, Xingzhi."

An Zeyou sat down, casting a deep glance at Jiang Mo before looking at the board. "Black's move. Three-four point."

Chen Yingchou followed, "Six-three point."

...

Throughout this game, An Zeyou was distracted while Chen Yingchou was fully engaged and eager. The game ended quickly.

"Qufei, you weren't letting me win, were you?"

"No way. I made a wrong move. If I weren't a gentleman, I would have taken advantage of your blindness to take back my move and cheat—then you wouldn't have won." An Zeyou's mind had long left the chessboard. He didn't even know which move he'd blundered.

"Oh, you. I can't tell truth from lies with you these days." Chen Yingchou had long gotten used to An Zeyou's habit of saying the opposite and mixing truth with falsehood. "It's getting late. Stay for lunch."

On any other day, he would have stayed. But today, he declined. "No need. I've made plans to admire flowers with the girls from Huashang Tower this afternoon, and in the evening, I'm meeting the entertainers from Fusheng Pavilion for some music. I don't have time to dine with you."

All of this was a lie, of course. An Zeyou wasn't unwilling to stay; he simply couldn't. He knew very well that he was no longer calm, barely holding himself together.

He truly feared he would rush over to Jiang Mo at any moment and demand: did she want to keep this child? Did she still intend to leave? Would she confess to Prince Yu?

Once a woman has a child, that child becomes her greatest weakness. He had been so close—in just two more months, he could have helped Jiang Mo leave the Prince Yu's residence, leave Chen Yingchou, leave the capital. How did this happen now?

He figured Jiang Mo must also be stunned, unable to think straight for a while, needing enough time to ponder. All he could do was wait patiently for her to decide.

"Qufei, you just recovered from your illness a few days ago. You should rest properly, not go out drinking. Oh, you really live for the moment, drinking today while you can."

Sometimes Chen Yingchou envied how carefree An Zeyou was. He had burdened himself with too many responsibilities, often so weighed down he could hardly breathe.

An Zeyou evaded Qiao Yun's line of sight, silently asked with his eyes if Jiang Mo needed any more help, while saying, "The future is unknowable; let's amuse ourselves today."

Jiang Mo shook her head, indicating no.

An Zeyou reluctantly looked away from Jiang Mo's face. "Xingzhi, I take my leave."

Leaving the Prince Yu's residence, An Zeyou went straight to Huashang Tower. Since the New Year's Eve banquet, he hadn't drunk or caroused for a month. If he didn't show up now, it would be inconsistent with his wastrel persona.

Sitting in Huashang Tower, the swaying figures of the dancers failed to delight him. Whenever a dancer approached, he felt irritable. For the first time, he couldn't even keep up the pretense. Fearing the dancers would gossip, he simply took the wine cups from them and drank one after another until he was completely drunk and passed out.

Inside the Prince Yu's residence, Jiang Mo stared at the table full of delicacies, having no appetite at all. The meat dishes in particular—just the sight of them turned her stomach before she even tasted them.

Hearing that Wei Yalan seemed to have eaten very little, Chen Yingchou asked with concern, "Lan'er, is the food not to your liking? I'll have the kitchen make something else."

Jiang Mo quickly said, "The food is fine. I ate too much breakfast and I'm not hungry yet."

Chen Yingchou put down his chopsticks, groped to take Jiang Mo's hand, and said, "You've made jasmine cakes more than once, haven't you? Did you taste them many times to perfect them, so now you can't eat lunch?"

Jiang Mo's mouth twitched. This man really had a wild imagination. But fine, let him think whatever he wanted.

"Maybe so." Jiang Mo looked at Chen Yingchou and asked out of nowhere, "What was Your Highness like as a child?"

She thought, if she were carrying a boy, he would surely resemble Prince Yu—with eyes as beautiful as his, equally skilled in both civil and military arts, as upright, courteous, gentle, and benevolent, as devoted to the people and the realm, as capable of becoming a general who defends the realm.

Chen Yingchou squeezed Jiang Mo's hand tightly. "If I ever regain my sight one day, I'll draw you a picture of how I looked as a child."

He pulled Jiang Mo to her feet. "I'm done eating too. Lan'er, I'd like to hear you play the zither."

Under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, Jiang Mo first played a soothing melody. After hearing it, Chen Yingchou had Qiao Yun fetch his sword.

"Lan'er, play your composition 'Summer Flying Flowers.'"

Jiang Mo understood Chen Yingchou's intention. She adjusted the opening tempo, gradually synchronizing it with his sword dance movements. The zither and the sword achieved perfect harmony, growing ever more synchronized.

His beloved playing the zither while he danced with his sword—this was something Chen Yingchou had long dreamed of. He never expected it would come true at this very moment.

He danced with abandon, pouring out his emotions, his heart free and bright.

Jiang Mo had only ever read about scenes like this in storybooks, but experiencing it firsthand was entirely different. She wasn't as lucky as the protagonists in those tales—as a stand-in, she would eventually have to leave.

Storybooks! Suddenly, an idea struck Jiang Mo.

When the music ended, she took out a handkerchief to wipe Chen Yingchou's sweat. "My prince, let me read you a story."

Chen Yingchou had not expected Wei Yalan to take the initiative to read to him, and said with pleasant surprise, "Of course, that would be wonderful."

Jiang Mo deliberately chose a story about a woman who deceived a man and became pregnant with his child.

When she reached the part where the man learned of the woman's pregnancy, Jiang Mo paused. "My prince, if it were you, what would you do?"

Chen Yingchou did not hesitate at all. "I wouldn't be so foolish as to let myself be deceived like that."

Jiang Mo gripped the book tightly. "I mean, suppose—suppose you were deceived. What would you do? Would you forgive the woman?"

Chen Yingchou thought for a moment, resting his forehead on his hand. "Why should I forgive? Not holding it against her is already the greatest forgiveness."

Jiang Mo's hands trembled uncontrollably. She pressed on, "And the child? The child is of your own blood."

Chen Yingchou replied immediately, "Am I mad? A child from that kind of woman? Of course, I'd make her get an abortion."

Jiang Mo's hands and feet turned icy cold. She could barely hold the book. Instinctively, she touched her lower abdomen, her gaze toward Chen Yingchou growing colder by the second.

Chen Yingchou sighed. "Lan'er, this is just a story. Don't dwell on things that would never happen. I would never do something so foolish as to make you sad." Then, struck by a sudden thought, he said eagerly, "Lan'er, you don't think I'd be unwilling to wait for you and go have a child with someone else, do you? I've told you before—I respect your wishes regarding children."

Jiang Mo's ears were ringing. She did not hear a single word Chen Yingchou said after that. All she felt was anger surging to her head. "But shouldn't it be the mother's decision whether to keep the child or not? What right do you have to force her to get an abortion?"

Chen Yingchou was stunned. Had he said something wrong? Why was Lan'er speaking to him in such a tone?

Jiang Mo realized she had said the wrong thing. In frustration, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them again, she said, "I'm sorry, my prince. I only meant that no matter what mistake the woman made, she has the final say on whether to keep the child or not."

Chen Yingchou stood up, reached for her arm, then took the book from her hand, tossing it aside. "This storybook is no good. Let's not read it. Pick another one."

Jiang Mo took deep breaths, trying to temporarily forget that she was pregnant. She picked up another book, forced herself to calm down, and began reading.

At dinner, afraid she might not be able to keep from vomiting, Jiang Mo said she had plans with Lin Mei and would not be dining at the estate.

Chen Yingchou was clearly disappointed but did not try to stop her.

Jiang Mo quickly sent someone to deliver a message to Lin Mei, asking her to meet at Luoyun Tower.

When Lin Mei arrived at the private room, she did not see Jiang Mo, only Lanqiu.

"The princess had urgent matters to attend to. The bill has already been paid, Miss Lin. Feel free to stay and enjoy the evening."

Lin Mei immediately asked, "Is the princess all right?"

"She is fine. Please don't worry, Miss Lin." With that, Lanqiu left the room.

Lin Mei looked at the table laden with delicacies and then at the wine she had brought. She immediately told her maid, Xiao Huan, to go to Su Jiying's home and invite Su Jiying to join her.

At that moment, Jiang Mo was in the private room next door. She could neither confide in Lin Mei nor drink with her. But since she had told the prince she was meeting Lin Mei, she had to follow through. Besides, she knew that Prince Yu and Duke Qingguo's men would be watching, so she had no choice but to do it this way.

"So tiring." Jiang Mo looked up at the bright moon outside the window, her hand gently stroking her abdomen. "Child, let's leave together—just you and me."

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Author's note: "The future is unknowable; tonight, let's enjoy ourselves." — Adapted from Ming Dynasty Wang Lidao's poem "On Today's Fine Gathering"