...
Unbeknownst to Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong, the birthday banquet Ji Wushang hosted for him made the entire capital aware of the loving and devoted relationship between the Prince and Princess. The only flaw was the Prince's legs; if he could stand, they would be the most enviable couple in the capital.
The gentle morning breeze added warmth to the late winter. Warm winter sunlight streamed through the window, slowly filling the room.
The room is warm and cozy.
Ji Wushang was held tightly in his arms. He looked at her beautiful face with love and gently traced her outline with his slender fingers.
This delicate feeling was irresistible to Nan Xuzong. He wished time could stand still at this moment, with her quiet and peaceful, and him quietly watching her. He wished he could just hold her like this forever.
Ji Wushang's eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly woke up. He opened his hazy eyes and met those deep, tender black eyes. His thin lips curled up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile. He looked at her quietly, as if time had stood still.
Ji Wushang was also taken aback. Looking at him, she felt extremely at ease, feeling a sense of peace and warmth.
Nan Xuzong gently touched the bridge of her nose and said affectionately, "Have you slept enough?"
"Hmm." Ji Wushang nodded. He was glad he was alright. If there hadn't been no rules, and if Old Madam Yun hadn't been in the Buddhist hall and not been disturbed, he would have had to get up early to pay his respects to his aunt and Old Madam Yun.
However, the position was somewhat ambiguous. Ji Wushang only needed to open her eyes to see his bare chest, and the heat from his body was transmitted to her... She knew that she and he were completely naked at this moment.
His large hand encircled her slender waist, the heat making her shiver. A smile curved his lips as he held her tightly in his arms. "I really can't bear to part with you, I really can't bear to..."
"If you can't bear to part with it, then don't." Ji Wushang muttered to herself as she listened to him. Upon hearing this, a light flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. He kissed her forehead. "Don't part with it, that's what I think too." He smiled.
His hand gently caressed her delicate skin.
She cried out in alarm, "No, please don't do it again!"
He laughed, wondering if he had been too arrogant. Had he scared her a little? However, her body really couldn't take it... He also knew that if he did something, she definitely wouldn't be able to get up today.
Ji Wushang was relieved to see that he didn't mean it that way.
He smiled and said, "Get up!" His hands moved erratically from bottom to top, exploring every inch of beauty.
She grabbed his hand. "Then, don't move." A glint of light flashed in her eyes.
He grabbed her fair wrist with his other hand and gently kissed it with his thin lips. "I'll listen to my wife."
"Hmm." Ji Wushang nodded, but she was puzzled as to how she ended up in bed with him. Had they called someone in? No way! They'd be seen naked!
“I used gold thread last night, so you don’t need to guess. No one can break in,” Nan Xuzong said, looking at her.
Ji Wushang understood instantly, "Yes." She gently got up, and as he looked at her naked body, the heat in his heart surged back into his mind, but she was also extremely nimble, stepping over him and climbing off the bed.
Nan Xuzong's gaze burned as he stared intently at her. She was too beautiful for him to bear; he truly couldn't let her go. So, as she had said, he wouldn't let her go!
With her smooth skin exposed to the air, Ji Wushang, feeling cold, immediately grabbed some clothes hanging nearby and quickly put them on. With her beautiful body no longer exposed, Nan Xuzong's heart slowly calmed down, suppressing his restlessness. He saw Ji Wushang approaching, holding his clothes in her hand. "Zong, let me help you up."
"Okay." He grinned, looking at her with gentle, dark eyes that curved into crescents. He automatically pulled back the quilt, revealing himself completely.
With a blush, she came forward to help him put on his brocade trousers, inner garment, and middle garment, then put on his long robe, and had him sit on the edge of the bed while she tied his belt.
She did all this quietly, and he always had a smile in his eyes, looking very content and happy.
After finishing, Ji Wushang stood a little distance away from him, carefully examining his face. She smiled and said, "So handsome."
"My wife is even more beautiful," Nan Xuzong smiled. "I want to tie up your black hair."
Upon hearing this, Ji Wushang looked at his dark hair draped over his shoulders. He wanted to comb it, but in the past, his maids had always done this. Was he going to help him tie up his hair today?
"Okay." Ji Wushang smiled and pushed the wheelchair over, helping him sit in it. After a few tries, it became easier and not too difficult.
Ji Wushang pushed him to the dressing table and said with a smile, "Let me comb your hair first."
He listened, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, and said, "Okay."
Ji Wushang looked at Nan Xuzong in front of the mirror, picked up a wooden comb from the dressing table, and gently combed his hair.
Growing old together in marriage, that's probably what it means.
Ji Wushang exuded a delicate fragrance, and Nan Xuzong watched her, savoring the moment. Her jade-like hands gently smoothed his dark hair, placing a jade crown on his head and inserting a gold hairpin.
Turning her head, Ji Wushang looked at the person in the mirror and smiled, "My husband is actually quite handsome."
“That’s right.” He smiled gently.
She turned her head and said, "You're quite narcissistic."
“My wife is telling the truth, so of course I should go along with it,” he retorted warmly.
She smiled, and he pulled her close and kissed her gently. "I'll tie up your hair."
She sat on a stool, and he sat in a wheelchair. Her eyes were looking at him, and his eyes were looking at her. He smiled warmly, his large hand gently stroking her dark hair, then he held it to his nose and smelled it. "So fragrant."
Ji Wushang smiled but remained silent.
He picked up the wooden comb and gently placed it on her dark hair, combing slowly from end to end.
Ji Wushang thought, this life is fulfilling, with him by my side. Everything about me has changed. He is gentle, he is only good to me. This world should be this beautiful!
Nan Xuzong combed her hair a few times, smoothing it out, before starting to tie it up for her. Her black hair was soft and smooth, and his large hands trembled slightly as he worked on it, afraid of hurting her.
Ji Wushang looked at him nervously, and his lips twitched. "What are you nervous about, sweetie?"
He was startled, then burst into laughter, "Haha, haha!" She was actually mimicking his tone! "Wu Shang, my Wu Shang!" He happily pulled her into his arms, "Wu Shang..." He laughed heartily, and Ji Wu Shang, watching, also laughed, gently pushing his chest with her hand, "Who told you to always talk to me like that!"
Nan Xuzong grabbed her fair wrist. "Good girl." But then he smiled. "Okay, okay, I'll think about how to say it later."
"Mmm," she murmured.
Nan Xuzong helped her sit down in the chair. "Be good, don't move, or we'll have to start all over again." Nan Xuzong glanced at her dark hair, and she understood, nodding earnestly.
Nan Xuzong combed her hair again, feeling exceptionally good. All her previous tension vanished, replaced by a gentle and smooth demeanor.
"What hairstyle would be good? Hmm?" His deep obsidian eyes met the shimmering light in hers. She smiled and said, "Whatever you say."
“Okay.” He nodded, kissed her lips, and deftly gathered her hair into a double-knife bun. His hands were skillful and nimble, and he had already finished. Then, he looked at the dressing table, thinking about choosing a hairpin. After hesitating, Ji Wushang said, “The Phoenix Jade Hairpin.”
"Mmm." How wonderful it is that she's willing to wear the phoenix jade hairpin he gave her forever!
He inserted the phoenix jade hairpin into her dark hair and attached a tassel with a beaded pendant.
After tidying up, Nan Xuzong looked at the beauty in the mirror and said, "Wu Shang, what do you think?"
"Hmm." Ji Wushang smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror. His hair looked great and suited his face. He took out a lip rouge from the cabinet, gently kissed it, and then put it down.
Nan Xuzong watched her movements and gazed at her face, his heart filled with even greater joy. She turned her head, her bright eyes filled with shyness, "Do I look good?"
"It looks beautiful." Nan Xuzong smiled and gently embraced her.
Just then, someone outside called out, "Your Highness, Your Highness's Wife, are you awake? May we let Zhu'er in?"
Ji Wushang gently pushed Nan Xuzong aside, then sat down in the chair, glanced at Nan Xuzong, and said, "Zhu'er, come in!"
Nan Xuzong was also sitting upright to one side.
Zhu'er and Xian'er brought in water for washing, followed by some maids who served breakfast.
After washing up, Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong had their meal.
"I'll go check on the accounts; we've been busy with that these past few days," Ji Wushang said, wiping his lips with a silk handkerchief.
"I'll stay with you," Nan Xuzong smiled. "Anyway, I don't have anything to do right now."
"Let's go." Ji Wushang stepped forward, walked behind him, pushed his wheelchair, and they went out together.
They had only been in the accounting room for a short time, examining the ledgers, but there was nothing particularly special about them.
Nan Xuzong closed the ledger and said, "Wu Shang, it seems there's nothing special about these things. Let's not look at these ledgers."
Ji Wushang glanced at him. "What I'm afraid of is that Aunt Zhao will test me. If I don't finish reading, she might come up with some excuse."
"There are so many, when will I ever finish reading them all?"
"I'll just flip through it quickly, get a general idea, and that'll be fine." Ji Wushang put down the ledger in his hand and picked up another one to look at.
Nan Xuzong looked at her and could only let her continue looking; if she wanted to look, he would just stay with her.
Just then, a maidservant came and respectfully said, "Your Highness, the Prince of Zhenbei's heir requests an audience."
“Okay, please ask him to wait for me outside the study.” Nan Xuzong nodded.
Ji Wushang listened, looking at Nan Xuzong and Bei Gongminhao. Their arrival must be for something important. And then there was that heart-protecting pill he'd given her last time…
The maidservant then withdrew, and Ji Wushang stepped forward and said, "Cong, I forgot to tell you something."
"Hmm?" A slight smile appeared on Nan Xuzong's lips. "Go ahead."
"Before that, the day after you left, something happened at the manor..." Ji Wushang recounted what happened that night, explaining that Beigong Minhao had given him a heart-protecting pill, but did nothing else.
"Hmm." Nan Xuzong nodded, not showing much surprise.
But Ji Wushang was surprised, "Don't you find it unbelievable? Why would he give me this heart-protecting pill? Master said that only the royal family has heart-protecting pills. Although he is the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei, he shouldn't have this heart-protecting pill. This feels very strange."
Nan Xuzong smiled and said, "If someone gave him this heart-protecting pill, or if he threw it at him from somewhere and stole it, then it wouldn't be surprising."
"Would he steal other people's things?" Ji Wushang asked with some doubt.
"Then there's only one possibility left." Nan Xuzong glanced at her, and Ji Wushang understood. "But why did you give me this heart-protecting pill?"
"Silly boy, it's simple, it's just to make sure you survive!" Nan Xuzong smiled and affectionately pinched Ji Wushang's nose, giving him a doting smile. "I'll go check on him first. You can stay here and look at the account books, or you can go back to Moxuan Garden. But, I've ordered people to install traps at Moxuan Garden, so be careful."
"Okay." Ji Wushang nodded and watched him leave.
Gong Shu had been waiting outside the door for some time. As soon as Nan Xuzong came out, he immediately went forward to push his wheelchair, saying, "Master."
"Okay." Nan Xuzong walked with him toward the study.
When they turned a corner and could no longer see anyone, Gong Shu couldn't help but say, "Master, why didn't you tell the Princess Consort about this? That heart-protecting pill was clearly yours..."
"Don't say it." Nan Xuzong raised his hand to signal him not to say anything more. "If she finds out, she will definitely become suspicious. Someone as smart as her will definitely investigate thoroughly. If that happens, and she gets involved later, wouldn't all my efforts have been in vain?"
"My lord, the Crown Princess is also a capable person. If you bear it all by yourself, it will probably only make her more heartbroken in the end!" Gong Shu couldn't bear it and still retorted.
Nan Xuzong narrowed his eyes. "That's hard to say. Senior brother is actually right. I shouldn't have dragged her down. So, I'm trying my best to avoid it now."
"Master..."
"There's no need to say anything more. Don't mention anything about this in front of her," Nan Xuzong stopped him from speaking further.
Gong Shu had no choice but to nod, "Yes."
The two entered the study, where Bei Gongminhao had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Gong Shu bring in Nan Xuzong's wheelchair, he immediately went up to him and said, "Xuzong."
"Okay." Nan Xuzong nodded. "Gong Shu, you stay outside and keep watch."
"Yes, sir!" Gong Shu nodded, gestured to Bei Gong Minhao to indicate that he had said hello, and then went out, closed the door, and stood guard outside.