Chapter 55: Encountering Wen Yuzhu

Chapter 55: Encounter with Wen Yuzhu

On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the Double Ninth Festival—a day for climbing high and taking in distant views.

Within Yanjing City, whether nobles, wealthy households, or the common folk, all would ascend the mountains on this day to enjoy the autumn scenery.

The most beloved spot among Yanjing residents was Fucui (Floating Emerald) Mountain in the southeast.

There, in spring and summer, the greenery was so lush it seemed to drip, like floating jade amidst emerald waves—hence its name.

Though autumn had stripped it of its verdant green, it had a charm all its own.

To rise early for the climb, the night before, Liu Yun had flat-out refused to let the Crown Prince have his way more than once, lest she find herself unable to get up the next day.

With fewer rounds of exertion, Liu Yun indeed felt refreshed the following morning, all traces of fatigue gone.

In the half-month since their marriage, Liu Yun had shared the Crown Prince's bed nearly every night, often couldn't remember how she'd fallen asleep.

Grandmother Xia always reassured her, saying the Crown Prince was young, at that vigorous, tiger-like age, and it was normal for him to be a bit greedy.

Liu Yun felt he was far too greedy, to the point that she felt her body growing weaker by the day.

After washing up, palace attendants stood in three or four rows, delivering newly made dresses and hair ornaments, overwhelming her with choices.

"Autumn has turned cold, so it's time to add new garments. For now, these are all we have; the rest should be finished in a few more days. Please forgive us, Your Highness, for making do with these for the moment."

The head matron of the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau said with earnestness, her smile polite and proper, her words tinged with slight apology.

How could Liu Yun possibly mind? She said gently, "No need to fret, Auntie. This is already plenty. Take your time."

Back when she was still an unmarried girl at home, her parents had always prepared new clothes for her. Now that she was married, such matters fell to her husband's shoulders.

Xiao Hang was considerate—before she even spoke, everything was ready.

Whether she needed them or not, it warmed her heart.

But knowing she'd be on her feet today, Liu Yun chose a simpler gown.

A green blouse and yellow skirt, with a crimson wide-sleeved robe, and worried about the wind outside, she added a cloak.

The hairpin and dangling hair ornament in her bun were both chosen by the Crown Prince, each one more exquisite and costly than the last. Liu Yun was afraid she'd be heartbroken if she lost them on the way.

Anticipating hunger and thirst along the way, Liu Yun packed some snacks and drinks as was her habit, including her recent favorite—rose shortbread.

Xiao Hang poked fun at her for it, but still had the cooks make a big batch to bring along.

With everything ready, Liu Yun happily climbed into the carriage with the Crown Prince, heading toward Fucui Mountain.

The carriage rattled and swayed as it left the imperial city, passed through Xuanwu Avenue, and arrived at the noisy, bustling main street.

As they passed Xu Family's shop, even though she'd just finished breakfast, Liu Yun was still tempted by the sweet smell of Xu Family's cherry pies.

"Sister Jin He~"

With people bustling about outside, Liu Yun no longer lifted the carriage curtain carelessly like she used to, but called out softly through the curtain.

"What is it?"

Quicker than Jin He, Xiao Hang beside her asked.

He turned to look at her, with long brows and phoenix-like eyes, stern yet suffused with tender affection.

Liu Yun's heart skipped a beat, and she didn't dare look him in the eye.

"I was thinking I'd like some of Xu Family's cherry pies."

Pointing out the carriage window, Liu Yun said with hopeful eyes.

Xiao Hang's eyes flickered, and without a moment's hesitation, he said to Su Lin, who was riding alongside outside, "Go to Xu Family's shop and buy some cherry pies."

"Yes."

The master and servant traded words back and forth, no need for Jin He to lift a finger—Liu Yun soon had her hands on freshly baked cherry pies.

One bite, and her mouth was full of sweetness. Liu Yun was thoroughly satisfied.

"Good?"

All of a sudden, Xiao Hang asked, making Liu Yun, who was in the middle of savoring it, snap back to reality. She held the cherry pie out to him and said with a sugary smile, "Husband, you have some too."

Xiao Hang glanced at her lips, still sticky with cherry syrup, his throat bobbed. Thinking no one was around, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

His tongue flicked, sweeping away that bit of sweetness, savoring it on his tongue.

Liu Yun didn't react in time. After he got what he wanted and pulled back, after he took a bite of her cherry pie, she realized she'd been had again.

"You..."

She wanted to curse at him, but after thinking it over, she couldn't come up with anything to say, so she shut her mouth and stayed quiet.

Puffed up like an angry pufferfish, she shoved another cherry pie into her mouth, her cheeks puffing in and out as she chewed.

Xiao Hang found it absolutely adorable. He simply pulled her into his arms, keeping that soft warmth in his embrace.

Before they knew it, they'd left Yanjing City and arrived at the southeastern outskirts, at the base of Fucui Mountain.

In past years, the family would hike up on foot first, then get back in the carriage when they got tired.

But this year, having married a high-and-mighty Crown Prince, her status had become something special, so Liu Yun rode in the carriage all the way to the top.

The Crown Prince's carriage was probably too flashy—the moment Liu Yun stepped out, she saw many officials and their families waiting nearby, probably to pay their respects to the Crown Prince.

Under his sleeve, the Crown Prince gave her hand a squeeze, signaling her to keep her cool.

In the crowd, Liu Yun spotted her parents and little brother, waiting with all the other officials' families.

Catching their daughter's eye, all three of them broke into smiles.

Counting back the days, since her post-wedding visit home, Liu Yun hadn't seen her family in half a month. Now that their eyes met, a tidal wave of longing washed over her.

Secretly hooking Xiao Hang's pinky, Liu Yun looked toward her parents, her meaning obvious.

Xiao Hang knew exactly what she meant, giving a slight nod to show he understood.

The imperial guards fanned out, flanking the Crown Prince and Crown Princess in a protective formation, maintaining a protective posture.

"Your subjects and their wives pay homage to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess."

The voices rang out in perfect unison, so loud they startled the birds out of the woods.

Liu Yun was unaccustomed to such occasions and felt somewhat ill at ease, keeping a polite smile on her face.

"Today is the Double Ninth Festival, a day for enjoying the autumn views. No need for formalities—don't mind me or the Crown Princess. Go ahead and enjoy the scenery as you like."

With that, Xiao Hang led Liu Yun toward the pre-arranged tent, leaving the officials staring at his cold, aloof back.

The officials and their families murmured in agreement and started to scatter, when Su Dianling, the Crown Prince's secretary, came over with a smile and invited the Liu family into the tent.

"Vice Minister Liu, madam, and young Master Liu—His Highness and Her Highness would like to see you."

Hearing this, the three Lius beamed and hurried after him.

It had been two weeks since they'd seen their daughter, and they missed her like crazy.

Inside the tent, after a quick round of small talk between the father-in-law and son-in-law, Liu Yun hopped down from her seat and squeezed in between her parents, chattering away happily with a big smile.

The only one left out was Xiao Hang, sitting by himself and watching the family's cozy reunion.

His face visibly darkened, and though he wanted to call her back, he was afraid his in-laws would think he was petty and controlling. So instead, he started chatting with his young brother-in-law.

"So, Brother Ying, what part of government work interests you the most?"

He'd done his homework—his brother-in-law was well-read, had a solid character, and showed real promise as an official. Down the road, he'd definitely groom him to be a trusted court official.

Even though the autumn exams were still a few years off, it made sense to get a read on him early. If he passed the imperial exams, Xiao Hang could slot him into the right position.

Xiao Hang's question wasn't exactly subtle, so even someone as dense as Liu Yun caught on to what he was planning.

But isn't this way too early?

Liu Ying's brow furrowed. He stood up and answered respectfully, "Thank you for asking, Your Highness. In matters of state, nothing is too big or too small—as long as it serves the country and the people, it's all the same to me."

Hearing such a perfectly polished answer, Xiao Hang let out a quiet snort, annoyed that his brother-in-law was still calling him "Your Highness" so formally.

Yeah, they were just like his wife—if he didn't push, they'd never drop the formalities.

"Yunniang, you tell me—what kind of government work does Brother Ying like best?"

Used to the Crown Prince always pestering her, Liu Yun answered without thinking.

"Brother likes solving crimes and judging cases—he'd love to work at the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review."

When they were kids, her brother would always drag her into pretend games, making her play the criminal while he played the judge.

As he got older, he loved hearing those kinds of stories and reading those kinds of books, and eventually he dove into studying Great Yan's laws.

Even though her brother never said it out loud, Liu Yun knew he wanted to work at the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review.

And she always believed he could do it!

Caught red-handed, Liu Ying's face turned awkward. He quickly bowed to the Crown Prince, trying to hide his embarrassment. "You're too kind, Your Highness."

Finally getting his answer, Xiao Hang nodded and smiled. "We're all family—no need for all that formality. Brother Ying, just focus on your studies."

The Liu family stayed in the tent for about half an hour before coming out to the envious stares of everyone around.

As the Crown Prince's in-laws now, and future relatives of the emperor, the Liu family was on a path where wealth and status were practically guaranteed.

Back in the tent, with her parents and brother gone, Liu Yun felt bored and listless again.

"If you're bored, want me to take you for a walk?"

Just then, Xiao Hang's well-timed suggestion reminded Liu Yun of something.

"Yes, yes! I remember there's a big jujube tree in the easternmost woods of Fucui Mountain. Every year it's loaded with sweet, crunchy dates, and they're ripe right now. Let's go grab some!"

She'd been coming every year for the past eight years.

Xiao Hang never said no to her. Taking his wife's hand, he headed toward the eastern woods.

A group of guards followed dutifully behind, always ready to protect the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

The place wasn't too close or too far—perfect for a relaxing walk.

Along the way, Liu Yun picked some cornel sprigs from the roadside, tucking one in her own hair and one in the Crown Prince's.

The mood was lighter than usual, and Liu Yun felt like a little bird in the forest.

But as they kept walking, before they reached the old jujube tree, they came across a Taoist temple.

They looked up at the sign and saw it was Yuzhen Temple.

Liu Yun racked her brain before remembering that Wen Yuzhu had been sent here to reflect on her mistakes.

She glanced at Xiao Hang, but his face stayed calm, like he hadn't even thought about it.

Neither of them had come here for the temple, and Liu Yun definitely wasn't about to bring up Wen Yuzhu on her own. So when Xiao Hang urged them to keep going, she smiled and was about to say yes.

"Cousin, please wait!"

Just then, a shrill, pitiful cry rang out, catching both their attention.

Liu Yun turned instinctively and saw Wen Yuzhu, dressed in plain clothes, stumbling out with red, puffy eyes. She ran up to them and dropped to her knees.

Author's note:

None.