Lanting

Capítulo 29

I opened my eyes, and remembering Fourth Master's eternally cold and aloof eyes, I bit my lip slightly.

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Quagmire

As I helped him get dressed early in the morning, I casually remarked, "You should go to Yiling's place from now on. I just don't feel comfortable coming here."

"Okay," he replied expressionlessly, his true thoughts impossible to discern.

As he reached the door, he turned around and said, "If you have time, spend some time with Fourth Sister-in-law and try to persuade her."

As soon as Lu Li left, Liu Shang rushed in, grabbed a pair of scissors, and started searching my bed.

"What are you looking for?" I asked hurriedly.

Liu Shang frowned and asked me, "Master, did the Prince stay in your room yesterday?"

"Yeah, I just left, didn't I?" I said casually as I straightened my hair in front of the mirror.

"Was yesterday the first time the Prince shared a bed with you?" Liu Shang asked again.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Why isn't there any bleeding?" Liu Shang asked me anxiously.

I was taken aback. I patted her on the head. "What are you thinking about all day? We're just roommates."

Liu Shang slumped into a chair, utterly dejected. "I thought that since the Prince was staying all night, you two would surely consummate your marriage. But who would have thought that you two could sleep so soundly through the long night without doing anything?"

I took a sip of fragrant tea, thinking to myself, "I slept fully clothed last night. There wasn't a sound. If it were any other couple..."

"My lord, this can't be! Doesn't His Highness feel anything at all? Anyone else sleeping next to you would have been unable to resist long ago, let alone his own wife. Is His Highness just very self-controlled, or... has he already lost control?"

"Go to hell. How old is he? Twenty. He's in his prime. If he can't keep up, who will Yiling's body be with?"

I had barely finished speaking when I glanced out the window and saw Qin Lanruo standing there, her face flushed, completely still.

I sighed, thinking that she was still a virgin, and hearing about such things would make her uncomfortable. But then I thought, wasn't I also a virgin who had never experienced love? How come I could talk about it without blushing or even flinching?

I pulled Qin Lanruo to sit on the edge of the bed, and I smiled at her, "Did you hear everything?"

Qin Lanruo's face turned even redder.

"I'm sorry you had to see this. It's nothing. It's a fact that the Prince and I haven't consummated our marriage yet," I said nonchalantly. "The Prince's mansion is all show and no substance. There aren't that many truly harmonious and loving couples there."

Qin Lanruo looked up at me and said, "I didn't expect that my sister also has her own troubles."

I smiled and gently put my hand on her shoulder. "Your beloved, at least you can think of him in your heart, and if you have the chance, you can catch a glimpse of him from afar. Seeing him happy will make you feel content. But me... even if I go to the underworld, I don't know if he will be waiting for me on the Bridge of Helplessness. So I often don't even dare to think about it. Any memory is painful."

Qin Lanruo looked at me with pity, "Then what about the good man beside you?"

I released her, my voice somewhat cold and mournful, “My beloved? I am a pawn my father placed beside his pillow, and also a stepping stone for the prince to win over my father. It is truly... a rare and perfect match.”

I listened to Lu Li's words and obediently went to my fourth sister-in-law's place early in the morning. When I entered the room, I saw my fourth sister-in-law wiping away tears by the bedside.

"My dear fourth sister-in-law, it breaks my heart to see you crying like this." I took the handkerchief and wiped her tears.

“It’s always the same… He almost died last time, and who knows what will happen this time. So many generals wouldn’t dare to take on this job, but he agreed without a word, without considering anyone in the household, young or old.”

"It's all settled now. Isn't it just bad luck for you to keep crying like this, sister-in-law? Since Master has decided to go to war, why don't you send him off happily and then welcome him back peacefully?"

Fourth Sister-in-law nodded and wiped away her tears.

I walked into the backyard and saw Fourth Master standing in front of his desk, writing something.

I knocked on the door, but he didn't look up, saying, "Come in..."

"Fourth Brother, aren't you going to comfort Fourth Sister-in-law?" I said with a faint smile.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes widening in surprise, "You...Seventh Sister-in-law is here..."

I walked up to him and saw the light in his eyes. My heart tightened. "I heard that the master is going to war..."

He quickly regained his composure, saying, "It was just a small battle, nothing to worry about."

"Is the date set?" I asked softly.

"The sixth day of next month."

"Oh... the sixth day of the month is a lucky day."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to celebrate your birthday."

I was startled and looked up at him. "How did you know, sir?"

There was a hint of warmth in his eyes. "These kinds of palace clan genealogies would all record it. The eighth day of the fourth month... the date is auspicious, so I remembered it."

I took a letter out of my pocket and handed it to him. “I have inquired and found that there are more than a dozen sects, including the Heavenly Blade Sect and the Dragon Gate Sect, with hundreds of people in the area. Each of them has a special skill and is well-versed in dangerous terrain. If needed, you can take this letter and ask for their help.”

The Fourth Master received the letter, slightly taken aback, "You..."

"These are some old acquaintances of mine, and we have some relationship with them," I said casually. In fact, in my letter, I requested the full assistance of various factions along the way in the name of Nalan Manor.

"Thank you so much for your trouble, sister-in-law."

"This matter... there's no need for my husband to know. Otherwise, he'll accuse me of being a woman who meddles in other people's business."

"It's truly a blessing for the seventh brother to have such a virtuous wife as his sister-in-law."

I smiled and said, "If only our boss thought that way, he would always say I'm heartless."

He chuckled softly. Perhaps because I rarely saw him smile, I was momentarily lost in thought. When his gaze fell upon me, I quickly lowered my head again.

"In short... please take good care of yourself on your journey."

"Sister-in-law... are you worried about me too?" His suddenly softened voice made me tremble.

"Yes, I'm worried..." she said, meeting his gaze with a smile. "Not only me, but my husband and my fourth sister-in-law are also very worried about you. So, sir, you..."

Looking at his complicated expression, I couldn't stay calm. "You must be alright, Master."

"I promise you... I will definitely come back alive."

His calm gaze struck my heart. I finally understood why I had never dared to look him in the eye; his eyes were too painful, beneath the cold arrogance lay an unconcealable loneliness and desolation… Growing up in the cold palace, his mother a lowly concubine, he was her pillar of support, always expected to outperform the other princes. He may have lost too much joy, possessing only years of accumulated forbearance and endless loneliness. Perhaps he had never received love, and it was precisely because of this that every time he stepped forward, every time he risked his life to complete a task, this loneliness made him so disregard his own life… Suddenly, the image of that emerald jade bracelet flashed into my mind, and a sudden pity welled up within me, intertwined with countless feelings of regret and guilt.

I ran out of that courtyard against the wind. Why could I always see the deep wounds in his heart? I couldn't bear his forbearance, I couldn't bear his pain. I couldn't stay there any longer. There, I saw shattered pieces, the shattered pieces of Fourth Master.

Leaning against a pillar in the corridor, I let out a long sigh. I'm sorry... Fourth Master... I can't, and should not, mend your broken heart.

When I returned from the Fourth Prince's residence, Lu Li had already finished the morning court session.

As soon as I stepped into the main room, I heard a crisp sound. My heart skipped a beat as I thought of my jade porcelain cup with the Three Friends of Winter.

He rushed in and saw that it was a white porcelain bowl from the official kiln that had been broken. He was relieved. When he looked up, he saw Lu Li holding Qin Lanruo's hand. Her beautiful hands were red from being scalded by the tea.

I was stunned, staring at the astonishing sight: a white dress paired with a blue top, both women so handsome and beautiful. The phrase "a perfect couple" suddenly popped into my head. But then I thought, wait a minute, my own man is holding another woman's hand, how can I say "a perfect couple"? What would that be? Adultery? No, no, that's too vulgar. "A perfect couple" it is, I'll stick with "a perfect couple."

Seeing me staring blankly at the two of them, Qin Lanruo hurriedly pushed Lu Li aside, her face pale, and walked up to me. "Sister, no, Your Majesty, it was my mistake when I served the tea. The Prince was just checking my hand injury."

I quickly dismissed my strange and wonderful thoughts and instructed Liu Shang to fetch the cooling balm.

I held Qin Lanruo's hand and carefully blew on it, occasionally looking up to ask her, "Does it hurt a lot?"

Qin Lanruo shook her head, "The prince already applied cold water to my face, it's nothing serious."

I then looked up at Lu Li, who was already back at her desk, engrossed in her work, and casually said, "I've already gone to see Fourth Sister-in-law."

He responded with a sound and then fell silent.

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Scam

At night, Lu Li, as usual, stepped into my inner room, took off his outer robe and lifted the quilt without saying a word, and lay down inside.

I was sitting in front of the mirror taking off my headdress when I saw him like this. I was startled and quickly sidled up to him, pulling back his blanket. "Didn't you promise to go to Yiling's place?"

He didn't even look up. "I'm leaving for Jiangbei first thing tomorrow morning. Can't you just let me sleep in peace?"

"Go back to your own bed," I muttered.

"I've been sleeping in this bed alone for many years since you came to the mansion, I'm used to it."

My face darkened, and I thought to myself, who's afraid of who? I took off my coat and crawled into the quilt, deliberately kicking him to the side with my foot.

He gasped and slightly opened his eyes. "Why are your feet so cold?"

I said "Oh," and pulled the blanket tighter. I felt that the bed was so warm today. To be precise, it was because his body was so warm that I unconsciously leaned closer to him. He looked at me with a puzzled expression, then smiled knowingly and took my cold hand in the blanket. "Is it even warmer now?"

"Mmm." I closed my eyes.

"You're not happy even though someone's warming your bed for you."

"Yes, yes." I snuggled closer to him, feeling even warmer, and finally leaned against him, drifting off to sleep. But I could still sense the change in his body; his hands, which had been holding me, were no longer warm as before, but burning hot.

I greedily inhaled the mingled scents of mugwort and ink emanating from him. It was a very pleasant and refreshing aroma.

"Mmm. It's so warm. Xuan used to cuddle me like this when we slept. It's really warm." The warmth made me a little drowsy. After saying that, I suddenly felt a chill from head to toe. I snapped back to reality. What happened to me? Why did I suddenly say that?

The body beside me suddenly stiffened. I looked up and saw that Lu Li's bright eyes in the darkness had softened quickly after a moment of coldness.

My lips trembled. I wanted to say something. He had already closed his eyes slightly. It seemed he hadn't heard anything.

The drowsiness had been dispelled by the chill that had swept over me from head to toe.

"Go to sleep, don't think so much, we have to get up early tomorrow." His voice lingered faintly in my ear.

Although Lu Li got up quietly in the morning, not wanting to wake me, I still sat up sensitively and watched him get dressed.

I rubbed my eyes, still half asleep, and said, "How about... we let Lanruo go to Jiangbei to serve you? That way I'll feel more at ease, right? There has to be someone to look after you and keep an eye on you too."

His back stiffened, and his voice was somewhat cold, "No need."

"Don't be shy. I consider Lanruo my own sister; she won't object. Besides, what if my third brother causes trouble while I'm at the sacrificial ceremony and you're not home? Just take her away; I'll have someone go and give her permission right away—"

"Enough." Lu Li stood up abruptly, without even turning to look at me. "Mind your own business."

He spoke his last words almost angrily.