“Watch where you’re going! Don’t you know you’ve bumped into the Shizi?”
Yu Ying was momentarily taken aback. She lowered the crape myrtle in her arms and saw a young servant boy in blue standing before her. He appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, his face still carrying a hint of childishness.
Behind the servant boy, a tall and upright figure was concealed in the darkness of the night.
Though she couldn’t make out his features clearly, she recognized the silhouette at once—it was Zhao Xuanyou.
She had seen him too many times within the Hongluan Zhang.
Why would Zhao Xuanyou appear here? This narrow path was typically used only by the Houfu’s low-ranking maids and elderly servants. Besides transporting flowers and vegetables, the chamber pots from various quarters were also carried along this route for cleaning.
Yu Ying had no time to ponder further. She lowered her head and curtsied toward him. “This servant greets the Shizi.”
Her voice was clear and bright, tinged with a hint of softness. Zhao Xuanyou inexplicably found it somewhat familiar.
“Which courtyard do you serve in?”
“In reply to the Shizi, this servant works in Liufang Hall.” Realizing her unexpected encounter with Zhao Xuanyou, Yu Ying deliberately lowered her voice when she spoke again.
It was not yet time to expose Cui Yichu. She couldn’t let Zhao Xuanyou detect any clues from her voice.
Upon hearing that she was a maid from Liufang Hall, Zhao Xuanyou took a few steps forward. The servant boy who had been blocking Yu Ying hurriedly stepped aside.
Yu Ying raised her head at the opportune moment, her gaze meeting Zhao Xuanyou’s directly.
Throughout the day, she had racked her brains trying to figure out how to seduce him. Little did she expect to encounter him here.
“Shizi.” Yu Ying approached with the crape myrtle in her arms and curtsied to Zhao Xuanyou once more.
Zhao Xuanyou looked down at her, somewhat surprised.
Tonight was a clear night. The moonlight, pure and bright, draped the tranquil Jingyuan Marquisate in a faint, yellowish veil.
Under the moonlight, the young girl’s features were as exquisite as a painting, as delicate and tender as the fresh flowers she held. Her thin garments clung to her body, swaying gently with the night breeze, accentuating her graceful and alluring figure, evoking a sense of delicate beauty.
Her facial features bore some resemblance to Cui Yichu’s, yet she was in no way inferior to Cui Yichu, who was renowned throughout the capital for her beauty.
Cui Yichu was cool and elegant, while she was charming and graceful.
In the hazy moonlight, her allure seemed even more striking.
However, Zhao Xuanyou, having long endured the hardships of the battlefield and possessing a heart of iron, would not be easily swayed by mere beauty.
He was merely somewhat puzzled that there existed a maid of such appearance within the Houfu.
“What is your name?”
“Yu Ying.”
The maids Cui Yichu had added were all named after hairpins, rings, jade, and precious stones.
She lowered her gaze and explained softly, “This servant was only focused on walking and did not see the Shizi. For bumping into the Shizi, I beg the Shizi to forgive me this once.”
Zhao Xuanyou, as the esteemed Shizi, led troops in battle with decisive resolve. Naturally, he would not trouble himself with such a trivial matter.
Besides, it wasn’t really Yu Ying’s fault. Today, he had returned from social engagements somewhat intoxicated and extremely weary. It was only because he sought a shortcut that he entered through the Side Gate used by the servants.
Seeing that Yu Ying’s appearance bore some resemblance to his wife’s, Zhao Xuanyou couldn’t help but reminisce about the pleasures within the Hongluan Zhang.
However, this maid’s voice was far less delicate and soft than his wife’s.
As the night breeze blew, his intoxication subsided somewhat, and an inexplicable restlessness stirred within him. He waved his hand, saying nothing more.
“You may go.”
“Thank you, Shizi.” Yu Ying, holding the crape myrtle, silently retreated to the side.
Zhao Xuanyou led his attendant and walked straight ahead. After he had gone some distance, Yu Ying did not follow.
Judging by the direction he was heading, it should be toward Liufang Hall.
If they entered one after the other, Cui Yichu would surely know they had met.
After a moment's thought, Yu Ying simply turned and headed towards the Flower Chamber.
"Master, didn't you say you'd be resting in the study tonight?" Seeing Zhao Xuanyou stride purposefully toward Liufang Hall, his attendant couldn't help but ask curiously.
Zhao Xuanyou neither confirmed nor denied it.
He had drunk quite a bit at the prince's residence today, and his body carried a strong scent of alcohol. Originally, he had intended to rest in the study, but now… he only wanted to see Cui Yichu as soon as possible.
This return to the capital had brought him many pleasant surprises from his wife. This marriage was indeed the right decision.
The Marquis of Jingyuan had been injured in his youth, leaving him with severe chronic ailments. Therefore, he placed high hopes on Zhao Xuanyou. When Zhao Xuanyou was ten years old, his father took him to the military camp, introducing him to his old subordinates and personally teaching him martial arts and military strategy.
After the Marquise passed away and the Marquis's health could no longer bear the heavy military duties, the fifteen-year-old Zhao Xuanyou took on the responsibility. He achieved successive military victories, stabilizing the Houfu's power, but this also delayed his marriage.
When his grandmother wrote saying she wished to arrange a marriage for him with Cui Yichu, the capital's most renowned beauty, he had no objections.
Zhao Xuanyou rarely stayed in the capital, and given the separation between men and women, he had never met Cui Yichu. But since his grandmother spoke highly of her, he assumed she must be exceptional.
However, due to his busy military duties, he only returned to the capital ten days before the wedding.
Feeling guilty toward Cui Yichu, he doubled the betrothal gifts.
On their wedding night, when he lifted the bride's red veil, he indeed saw an elegant and ethereal beauty.
Yet, the beauty's willow-leaf brows were slightly furrowed, and a faint trace of melancholy lingered in her eyes.
She rose and bowed gracefully to Zhao Xuanyou, saying she had caught a severe cold two days prior and was too ill to serve her husband on their wedding night.
Though a military man, Zhao Xuanyou was not uncouth. Despite his disappointment, he knew to be considerate of his wife. After accompanying her back to her family home for three days, he followed the Ministry of War's orders to suppress a rebellion and was away for a full year.
It was only upon his return to the capital yesterday that he finally consummated his marriage with his wife.
Just that one night of intimacy had swept away all of Zhao Xuanyou's dissatisfaction from the past year.
"Master?" Seeing Zhao Xuanyou lost in thought, his attendant couldn't help but ask.
Without a word, Zhao Xuanyou quickened his pace and left.
Inside Liufang Hall, Cui Yichu had just finished washing her feet and was drinking Anshen Tang. The old woman guarding the courtyard gate saw Zhao Xuanyou standing at the entrance and, remembering Mama Zhou's instructions, hurriedly announced loudly, "The Shizi has returned!"
Zhao Xuanyou frowned slightly, his expression displeased.
The maids and old women in Liufang Hall seemed overly jumpy. When he had come in the morning, they had also shouted loudly in the courtyard as if guarding against him.
Zhao Xuanyou strode toward the room. Entering the inner chamber, he saw Cui Yichu, fully dressed, coming out to greet him.
"Master, you've returned to the residence?" Cui Yichu's eyes held clear surprise, but there was no particular joy in them.
Meeting that gaze, Zhao Xuanyou, who had been in high spirits, felt somewhat deflated.
Nevertheless, determined to make their marriage work, he still sat down beside Cui Yichu and responded in a low voice, "Mm."
By now, Cui Yichu had steadied herself and noticed his displeasure. She mustered a smile and said softly, "The Shizi left late. I thought you wouldn't return until late at night."
Hearing this, Zhao Xuanyou's gaze softened slightly. "I drank quite a bit at the banquet and am feeling a bit hungry now."
"I'll have the kitchen send something over right away."
As Cui Yichu rose to leave, Zhao Xuanyou reached out and stopped her. "Let the maids handle it. Why trouble yourself?"
“Since the master rarely returns to the capital, I naturally must oversee everything. Mama Yu in the kitchen came with me from the Duke’s residence—her skills are excellent. I’ve been eating her dishes since I was a child. Shizi should try them as well.”
Zhao Xuanyou released his grip. Cui Yichu lowered her gaze with a faint smile, then stood and walked out, with Baozhu following quietly beside her, head bowed.
Once they reached the corridor, Cui Yichu instructed a maid to prepare a bowl of Xingjiu Tang for Zhao Xuanyou, then added softly, “Also prepare a bowl of Anshen Tang for Yu Ying, ready whenever needed.”
Baozhu’s eyes flickered. Sensing something amiss, Cui Yichu frowned and asked, “What is it?”
“Some flowers in the courtyard have withered. Yu Ying is busy in the Flower Chamber right now.”
“Didn’t I tell you…”
Anger suddenly surfaced on Cui Yichu’s usually indifferent face. Seeing Baozhu’s lowered head, she suddenly understood. When Baochuan approached, Cui Yichu raised her hand and slapped her.
“Fool!”