Sweat blended with the lingering fragrance of the night, and the storm finally passed.
Zhao Xuanzhen realized he had been a bit too frantic earlier… He looked down at the scratch marks on his chest, then glanced at Su Wantang, who lay motionless beside him, feeling both annoyed and amused. Knowing she was surely unable to move again, he felt thoroughly refreshed and in good spirits, so he magnanimously picked her up and carried her to the adjoining bathroom to wash.
Su Wantang was so drowsy she could barely open her eyes, humming and whining against his chest.
Zhao Xuanzhen placed her into the bathtub, not forgetting to admonish her, “You won’t have this privilege next time…”
Su Wantang kept her eyes closed and gave him a perfunctory reply: “Mmhmm, it won’t happen again, I know.”
Zhao Xuanzhen: …
A long while later, the study door opened. Ping’an, who had been dozing off in the corridor, hurried to stand up, but to his surprise, it wasn’t the Second Miss Su who emerged, but his own master.
Zhao Xuanzhen wrapped the unconscious Su Wantang in a cloak and carried her directly back to Cuiwei Pavilion.
Su Huajin soon learned that Zhao Xuanzhen had returned Su Wantang to Cuiwei Pavilion in the middle of the night. Within the Ding Prince’s Mansion, Zhao Xuanzhen’s Minghui Courtyard had always been impenetrable, defended against the interests of the Prince and the secondary consort. Because Su Huajin was the only mistress in Minghui Courtyard and the couple was loving and harmonious, Zhao Xuanzhen had never guarded his actions against her.
It was precisely for this reason that when he returned Su Wantang to Cuiwei Pavilion in the middle of the night, Su Huajin found out from her personal maid, Cuihuan, early the next morning.
“The servants in our courtyard, following your orders, have been keeping an eye on Cuiwei Pavilion. They reported that Su Wantang left for the Heir’s study at the end of the Hai hour (approx. 11:00 PM)… and was only carried back by the Heir when the Zi hour (midnight) was almost over.”
Su Huajin’s complexion turned ashen in an instant.
From the end of the Hai hour to the end of the Zi hour—a full two hours?
Because of Zhao Xuanzhen’s previous attitude of total indifference toward Su Wantang, Su Huajin had been telling herself not to let her imagination run wild so as not to hinder their marital bond… But to be carried back after two full hours in the middle of the night?
What exactly did they do!
Su Huajin did not want to believe it, no matter what. She knew Zhao Xuanzhen’s temperament too well and refused to believe he would spend two full hours dallying with a woman. Yet, if it wasn’t for intimacy, what reason would he have to spend two hours with the stupid and shallow Su Wantang…
The gold hairpin in her hand was twisted out of shape. Su Huajin saw her own face in the mirror looking almost distorted.
Cuihuan hurriedly tried to comfort her: “Perhaps the Heir just wants to ensure she conceives an heir as quickly as possible… Miss, the Heir has never been close to women before. Now that the secondary consort is eyeing his position, having an heir in our Minghui Courtyard is crucial. You must not let your anxiety cloud your judgment.”
Hearing this, Su Huajin’s expression improved slightly.
That was true. No one understood Zhao Xuanzhen better than she did… Even with her, he was always respectful and gentle, never indulgent or driven by lust, and it had been like that for years. It couldn’t have been a disguise.
She must not be impatient!
Su Wantang slept until the sun was high in the sky and woke up feeling thoroughly refreshed. Recalling Zhao Xuanzhen’s almost frantic behavior the night before, she clicked her tongue. It was only because she had a strong constitution; if it were anyone else, they would surely have been “shaken to pieces” by him… She wondered how his reputation for being “aloof toward women” had even spread in the first place.
Because of Zhao Xuanzhen’s orders, the morning meals at Cuiwei Pavilion were now of the same grade as those at Minghui Courtyard. After Su Wantang and Xiaotao had eaten their fill, they strolled in the courtyard to digest. Seeing her mistress looking so radiant, with a pinkish glow to her fair skin, Xiaotao felt a bit suspicious.
How could her mistress, having endured such hardship and being “tossed about” for half the night, wake up looking so vibrant…
Oh, right! It must be because Miss has profound martial arts skills and is different from ordinary people, which is why Zhao Xuanzhen couldn’t harm her at all! That supposedly valiant Heir of the Ding Prince’s Mansion doesn’t seem like much… After all, how many people could ever compare to her mistress!
Not long after, Su Huajin sent someone to call Su Wantang to walk in the gardens. The Ding Prince’s Mansion was large, as the Prince was a favorite of Emperor Yongxing. The area allotted to the Heir and his wife was only a small part of the estate, yet it was filled with rockeries, lakes, and gardens.
Su Huajin certainly didn’t want to tour the garden with Su Wantang; this was meant to be a lecture. Because of Cuihuan’s earlier comfort, Su Huajin’s mood had calmed significantly. But when Su Wantang arrived, seeing the “little harlot” looking so full of spring, clearly well-nourished and pampered, her inner hostility flared up again.
Before Su Huajin could come up with a way to punish her, she saw two figures in a pavilion. When she saw who was playing chess against Zhao Xuanzhen, Su Huajin’s expression shifted, and she stopped caring about reprimanding Su Wantang, walking toward them with poise.
“So it is Cousin.”
Su Huajin offered a polite greeting, showing great respect to this cousin who, despite his young age, held significant power as the Grand Tutor of the Eastern Palace.
Xie Yan, sitting opposite Zhao Xuanzhen, looked up politely and nodded in acknowledgment. It was then that he saw the woman behind the Heir’s consort.
The mansion gardens were currently in full bloom with rare flowers, and Xie Yan had been staying at the Ding Prince’s Mansion recently to keep the Dowager Consort company and enjoy the scenery. Yet, the woman before him was eye-catching even standing amidst the vibrant, precious flowers.
So this Second Miss Su is still in the mansion…
Xie Yan glanced at Zhao Xuanzhen opposite him, just in time to catch Zhao Xuanzhen withdrawing his gaze from that Second Miss Su. It seemed as light as a breeze, but he knew Zhao Xuanzhen too well; it was easy to glimpse something else beneath that nonchalance.
Su Huajin was accustomed to Xie Yan’s cold detachment. He was a person who was so frigid he almost seemed to lack human warmth; everyone wanted to avoid him. Yet, he was exceptionally talented, powerful, and, beyond being the Grand Tutor, he was the eldest grandson and current head of the century-old Xie clan.
When the Xie family married the Princess Anping in the past, they had donated most of their fortune to replenish the national treasury and helped Emperor Yongxing suppress the rebellion in the Liao Kingdom. The Emperor trusted the Xie family and also doted on and relied on his nephew, Xie Yan. If it hadn’t been for Xie Yan’s refusal, he might have even married a princess.
Xie Yan’s mother, Princess Anping, and the Ding Prince were siblings born of the same mother; thus, Xie Yan and Zhao Xuanzhen had grown up together, making them closer than others. Even though the Ding Prince’s secondary consort came from the noble Duke Yong’s family, her son, Zhao Xuanheng, could never surpass Zhao Xuanzhen.
Su Huajin naturally held this cousin in high regard. Seeing the two men playing chess in a relaxed manner, she smiled and asked to observe: “Cousin’s chess skills are superb, and the Heir has always been eager to spar with you. I happened to run into you, so would I have the honor of observing and learning?”
Zhao Xuanzhen was in an exceptionally good mood today and gestured for her to come over: “Come over and watch if you like. Why be so formal with Cousin?”
Others feared Xie Yan, but Zhao Xuanzhen grew up with him. Although he was a few years younger, he knew that the cold, detached Xie Yan had once been a child like any other… He respected him, but there was a sense of closeness and relaxation.
Su Huajin sat down with Zhao Xuanzhen’s help, while Xie Yan’s expression remained unchanged. The two played back and forth, and Su Huajin could see that Zhao Xuanzhen was losing. But everyone knew Xie Yan was a brilliant strategist, so losing to him was nothing to be ashamed of; she didn’t mind. She knew Zhao Xuanzhen didn’t care either…
Suddenly, Su Huajin remembered Su Wantang standing nearby. Thinking of how Zhao Xuanzhen despised shallowness and stupidity, Su Huajin deliberately summoned Su Wantang over to watch: “There aren’t many opportunities to see the Grand Tutor play chess. Wantang, you should learn a thing or two.”
Zhao Xuanzhen glanced over and saw that Su Wantang’s eyes were indeed blank. Since she couldn’t even write her own name properly, how could she understand chess?
Su Huajin’s original plan was to let Zhao Xuanzhen see the “empty-headed” nature behind Su Wantang’s pretty face, but before Zhao Xuanzhen could see anything, Su Wantang spoke up herself.
“Elder Sister, I don’t understand…”
All of Su Huajin’s schemes were wasted. Caught off guard, she could only feign a chuckle: “Very well, you silly girl.”
She couldn’t let the two men see her deliberate malice, so she played the role of a gentle and magnanimous elder sister: “After this move by Cousin… the Heir is in danger.”
Su Wantang’s eyes widened, but she still didn’t understand.
But she had heard the point…
Seeing Zhao Xuanzhen being pushed into a corner, hesitant and indecisive, Su Wantang blinked, and in the next instant, she let out a cry and fell onto the chessboard without warning.
The board instantly became a mess. Beside them, Su Huajin was stunned into silence.
Zhao Xuanzhen slowly turned his head to see Su Wantang trembling as she scrambled up, clumsily uttering a lie so foolish that everyone present could see through it:
“I… I just lost my footing… I’m sorry.”
Su Huajin regained her composure, torn between being happy that Su Wantang had acted like a fool in front of Zhao Xuanzhen, or being angry that she had shamed the Su family in front of Xie Yan. She apologized profusely: “My younger sister is ignorant, please do not take offense, Cousin.”
Xie Yan glanced at the girl standing there timidly with her head bowed, then calmly withdrew his gaze: “A small matter, not worth mentioning.”
He stood up immediately: “The hour is late, and I have matters to attend to.”
Zhao Xuanzhen rose as well: “Very well. You go ahead, and once I am done with these matters in a few days, I will treat you to wine.”
Xie Yan hummed in agreement, turned, and walked out of the pavilion. His follower, Wen Jian, bowed to Zhao Xuanzhen and followed him. Only Zhao Xuanzhen, his wife, and Su Wantang remained in the pavilion.
Zhao Xuanzhen turned back, his tone calm and unruffled: “Tell me, what exactly were you doing?”
A hint of sarcasm flashed in Su Huajin’s eyes: “Indeed, Wantang, how could you be so rude in front of Cousin just now?”
Su Wantang bit her lip: “I… I didn’t mean to.”
Zhao Xuanzhen laughed in frustration: “You still dare to spout nonsense?”
Su Wantang bit her lip, staying silent.
Zhao Xuanzhen frowned: “Speak.”
As his rebuke fell, the cowardly, stupid look on Su Wantang’s face turned into one of profound grievance. She looked up at him, blinked, and a string of tears fell.
“I just didn’t want the Heir to lose to him…”