His behavior is contradictory and inconsistent, clearly indicating that he is fabricating and lying.
Looking at that petite figure who was still stubbornly turning her back to him, Chu Yao's face showed a slight smile.
"Since you're already wet, you might as well take a shower. There are some unworn clothes in the suitcase; you can find some to change into."
After saying that, he left.
Jun Wushuang turned around when she heard the curtain fall. It turned out that she had been called over so that she could rest here.
The prince's felt tent was certainly more comfortable than the makeshift spare tent.
But who would want to bathe in water he used to wash?
Jun Wushuang snorted, climbed out using the wooden stool in the bucket, took off her men's clothing, and grabbed a towel to dry herself.
As she lay down on the soft, plush bed, Jun Wushuang let out a sigh of contentment.
Chu Yao seems to be a decent person.
Perhaps we can start looking forward to him finding out the truth, restoring her reputation, and then the days after they get married.
For the first time in so many days, she felt that the gloom hanging over her head was no longer so heavy, and she could vaguely see a bright future.
Jun Wushuang had a good night's sleep, but when she woke up, she didn't get the welcome ceremony she was supposed to receive. Instead, she received news of Chu Yao's death.
Chapter 33.1
Chapter Thirty-Four:
Emperor Deqing was always decisive and efficient; once the decision to make the southern tour was made, all departments went all out to prepare. Just ten days later, on February 20th, everything was ready, and the southern tour team officially set off.
Unlike previous years' tours, this time the emperor's carriage did not leave the city, but instead traveled to Tongzhou, the end of the Grand Canal, to board a boat.
Before dawn that day, the nine gates of the capital were closed, the streets were quiet and the city was sealed off, the Imperial Guards were on high alert, and the ceremonial procession stretched from the palace gates all the way to the docks.
The emperor's carriage went first, followed by the empress dowager and her concubines, then the princes and members of the imperial family, and finally the officials and their families.
Jun Shu left home before midnight to wait in the square outside the palace, while the Yang family mother and her two daughters also boarded the carriage before dawn.
Because Wushuang was small enough to be held in someone's arms, she wasn't woken up and nestled happily in her wet nurse's arms, sleeping soundly all the way to the dock.
She woke up when the cold wind blew after she got off the car.
Upon opening my eyes, I saw several treasure ships docked at the pier. Their massive bodies, backlit, looked as majestic as ancient, slumbering beasts.
The treasure ship has a pointed bottom and a wide top, with a high bow and a high stern. Except for the dragon head on the bow of the imperial ship, the rest are decorated with tiger heads in relief. The sides of the ship are painted with flying dragons and phoenixes, and the stern is painted with a roc bird with outstretched wings.
Even with her head tilted back so high she almost bent over, Wushuang could only see the ship's hull and the top of the towering masts. As for what the view on the deck was like, she was really looking forward to it.
Climb the ladder to board the ship. There are four decks in total, but only the second and third decks are for living. Rooms are limited, so the servants who came with us had to live in the cabins below deck.
The Jun family occupied two suites on the second floor. The rooms were exquisitely furnished, with large beds and square tables all made of carved mahogany, and screens and curtains all in the style of the imperial palace, no less than those in the mansions of marquises. When the boat was sailing smoothly, without looking at the scenery outside the window, one would not feel any difference from being on land.
Wushuang was excited and curious, as it was her first time on such a big ship. Naturally, she wouldn't stay still in the cabin. She wiggled her short legs up and down, inside and out, exploring the entire treasure ship.
Jun Shu was extremely protective of his daughter and feared that something might happen to her on the water, so he refused to have a wet nurse or maid and personally followed Wu Shuang everywhere.
The treasure ship set sail, its white sails billowing.
Wushuang was held by her father at the bow of the ship, watching as the imperial ship sailed away first, followed by her own ship.
The large ship sailed south with the wind and current, moving at an astonishing speed, leaving the scenery on both banks far behind before it could even be clearly seen.
With the bow of the boat facing the wind, Wushuang couldn't help but sneeze after standing there for a while.
Jun Shu touched his daughter's face, which was cold from the river breeze, and coaxed her gently, "Sweetie, let's go back inside. Don't catch a cold. Medicine is bitter, isn't it?"
When they were out together, Wushuang was exceptionally well-behaved. She softly said "okay" and then snuggled onto her father's shoulder, letting him carry her back to their cabin.
As Jun Shu's words proved prophetic, Wu Shuang indeed fell ill after returning to her cabin, experiencing dizziness, vomiting, and a feeling of vertigo. [No pop-ups, I love this kind of website, definitely deserves a good review!]
The accompanying imperial physician came over and took his pulse, saying it wasn't a cold, but seasickness: "The waterway may seem calm, but many people aren't used to it. The Imperial Hospital has plenty of seasickness medicine on hand; one dose should be enough to relieve it."
Wushuang would drink one dose every day when she felt dizzy, and she would feel better on the same day. However, she would fall back into the same state the next day, and this went on for several days without any improvement.
During this time, Chu Yao received the news and came from the imperial ship to visit the sick, bringing with him medicinal herbs bestowed by the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Consort Jing.
Wushuang lay in bed, her face pale, and said weakly, "I'm so seasick that even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor know?" She felt a little ashamed to face anyone. "Didn't the imperial physician say that many people get seasick?"
Why is she the only one who's famous?
“Wanwan thinks about having you come to the imperial ship to play with her every day. When you don’t come, she keeps talking about it. The ship is small, and everyone sees each other all the time. Almost everyone in the imperial family knows that you are her best friend.”
Besides Emperor Deqing, the imperial ship also housed his accompanying concubines and princes, as well as several members of the imperial clan who were close to the emperor. Chu Yao, fearing trouble, originally did not want to bring the young Chu Wan along. However, since Consort Jing was appointed to accompany the emperor, and Chu Wan was left in the capital without any elders to look after her, she eventually came along.
Chu Yao pinched Wu Shuang's chubby little face. Hmm, she really is quite ill. Her flesh is thin and doesn't feel good to the touch. "I'll bring you some more meat tomorrow."
The topic had taken a rather strange turn, and Wushuang, not in the mood to think about it, simply complained pitifully, "I feel nauseous after eating..."
“She still has to eat; a little girl looks prettier when she’s a bit plump,” Chu Yao said.
It turns out Chu Yao likes fat people.
Wushuang went through all the girls in the capital in her mind and realized that in her previous life, there really wasn't a single noble lady who was a plump beauty.
No wonder he's still unmarried at his advanced age!
When she was betrothed to him, Chu Yao must have been very unhappy, right?