She clearly felt his shoulders tremble slightly, and the arm holding her tightened its embrace.
Amidst the sweet fragrance lingering in the bedchamber, Yu Ying grew bolder. Gently parting her thin lips, she lightly grazed her pearly teeth against his Adam’s apple, like a kitten seeking its master’s affection.
Zhao Xuanyou was amused by her playful gesture.
Before he could say anything, however, Yu Ying leaned close to his ear and whispered softly, “Shizi.”
Zhao Xuanyou let out a soft hum, clearly not in anger but with a hint of intimacy.
He was receptive to such gestures.
Yu Ying felt a flicker of satisfaction in her heart but dared not push further.
She had just taken the Anti-conception Decoction today. If they were to engage in that act again, wouldn’t it have been for nothing?
How could she refuse without angering Zhao Xuanyou?
As she hesitated, the man beside her pulled away Yu Ying’s quilt, and a wave of warmth swiftly enveloped her.
He was too tall and too powerful.
In his hands, Yu Ying felt like a Crape Myrtle flower battered by wind and rain, utterly powerless to resist.
Feeling her Sleeping Garment being loosened, Yu Ying struggled to call out again, “Shizi.”
“Hmm?” Zhao Xuanyou’s deep voice sounded, showing no intention of stopping.
Yu Ying did not rush to stop him but instead spoke pitifully.
“Shizi, I’m not feeling well tonight. Could we… let it go?”
Zhao Xuanyou lifted his head, moving his hand to the bedding, his voice softening slightly. “Tired from last night?”
“Yes.”
This was no excuse. Yesterday, she had been drugged, and when she encountered Zhao Xuanyou, it was like dry wood meeting a raging fire, nearly burning her to ashes.
Zhao Xuanyou let out a heavy sigh, said nothing, and turned over to lie down.
Yu Ying blinked, a wry smile forming in her heart.
With the prestigious titles of Heir Apparent’s Wife and Dinu of a Gongfu, her words carried weight in front of Zhao Xuanyou.
If the roles were reversed—if she had come to Zhao Xuanyou’s side as a Tongfang Yahuan and begged him not to touch her—would he have agreed so easily?
Yu Ying suddenly gained a rudimentary understanding of power.
But for now, even survival was a struggle for her, let alone seeking power.
Gazing at Zhao Xuanyou beside her, Yu Ying took a deep breath, cleared her mind of distracting thoughts, and leaned against his shoulder to sleep.
This affectionate gesture softened Zhao Xuanyou’s heart. He raised his arm to embrace her, allowing her to rest her head on it.
“Madam… actually…”
“What is it?”
Zhao Xuanyou’s tone carried a hint of helplessness. “If you’re not feeling well, why did you order Lurong Tang for dinner?”
Lurong Tang?
Indeed…
Cui Yichu was thorough in her schemes. Since she had drugged Yu Ying, she surely wouldn’t leave Zhao Xuanyou untouched.
Feeding Zhao Xuanyou Lurong Tang every day?
No wonder… in her previous life, Zhao Xuanyou had been particularly insatiable, like a wild beast at night.
Every morning, Yu Ying felt as if she had been crushed by a boulder, with no enjoyment to speak of.
When she learned she was pregnant, she had rejoiced at finally being able to distance herself from Zhao Xuanyou.
Looking back now, she realized she couldn’t blame Zhao Xuanyou entirely for this—Cui Yichu deserved a share of the blame.
“Shizi misunderstands. It wasn’t my order.”
“Not yours?”
Yu Ying thought for a moment and shifted the blame to Mama Zhou.
“The Attendants by my side all came from my Niangjia. As Shizi knows, my parents hope I can Expand the Family Tree for the Houfu sooner.”
“They listen to your mother, not to you?”
Hearing this retort, Yu Ying felt a surge of joy in her heart.
Indeed, Zhao Xuanyou disliked others wielding such influence within the Houfu.
Yu Ying made her point succinctly and then helped Cui Yichu cover her tracks: "They wouldn't dare disobey, but since the Shizi has been away from the capital for so long, every time I visited my Niangjia, my parents would mention it, so they remembered."
Zhao Xuanyou thought of his year away and felt he had indeed wronged his wife.
After all, she was still young, and in the Gongfu, there was only her elderly grandmother. It was only natural that she wanted to spend more time with her maternal family.
He leaned over and kissed her dark hair: "In the future, when I'm not in the capital, you should visit your Niangjia more often."
"When will the Shizi leave the capital?"
"Didn't I just say?"
During dinner, Zhao Xuanyou had already told Cui Yichu about his arrangements—he had to return to the Junzhong on the seventh day of the next month.
In her previous life, Zhao Xuanyou had only stayed in the mansion for a little over ten days before leaving. Yu Ying knew this, which was why she brought it up.
She hadn't expected him to have already mentioned it to Cui Yichu.
Fortunately, this mistake wasn't irreparable. Yu Ying began to act coquettishly: "Leaving next month is too rushed. I was thinking, couldn't the Shizi find a way to stay in the capital a little longer?"
Cui Yichu had a rather aloof temperament and certainly wouldn't urge Zhao Xuanyou to stay longer in the capital during meals.
Moreover, since Cui Yichu wanted to carry out her Touliang Huanzhu scheme, the less time Zhao Xuanyou stayed in the capital, the better—she wouldn't try to keep him.
But Yu Ying was different.
With Zhao Xuanyou at home, Cui Yichu had to be cautious in her actions. Without him, Cui Yichu was the master of the Houfu.
No matter what, she had to take the risk. If she could keep him here, her revenge would be twice as effective.
"Earlier, when Madam heard I was leaving next month, didn't you have nothing to say?"
As expected, Cui Yichu couldn't wait for him to plant his seed and leave quickly.
"Don't tease me, Shizi. The maids and servants are all around—how could I say such things?"
"Is that so?" Zhao Xuanyou listened to her aggrieved tone and unconsciously pursed his lips.
"So, is that a yes or a no?"
Hearing her persistent questioning, Zhao Xuanyou's mood improved even more. He replied slowly, "This isn't something I can decide alone. I'll ask around and let you know when there's progress."
"Good, but," Yu Ying said slyly, "wait until late at night, when it's quiet, and tell me secretly."
"Why?"
Yu Ying lifted her head and whispered into Zhao Xuanyou's ear, "Otherwise, how will I give the Shizi my thank-you gift?"
Her words were flirtatious, and the desire that Zhao Xuanyou had suppressed after drinking the Lurong Tang flared up again with a whoosh.
He replied in a husky voice, "What is your thank-you gift?"
"The Shizi will find out when the time comes."
"Heh." Zhao Xuanyou chuckled softly.
He had promised not to touch her tonight, but aside from touching her, there were many other things he could do.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was filled with warmth and intimacy, but outside in the corridor, Cui Yichu's expression was terrifyingly dark.
Listening to the soft laughter and playful voices coming from the room, the hatred in her eyes seemed almost tangible.
"Madam, it's late. Let this servant keep watch here for you." Baozhu brought over a cloak and draped it over her, whispering a gentle reminder.
Cui Yichu ignored her and instead looked at Baochuan, who was squatting nearby tending to the stove.
"Why are they still talking inside? Did you give Yu Ying the Anshen Yao?"
"I did." Cui Yichu's gaze was too frightening, and Baochuan felt as if she were about to be slapped again. Her voice trembled slightly as she answered.
"Did you see her drink it with your own eyes?"
Baochuan had seen Yu Ying pick up the bowl, but she had been distracted by her own thoughts. When she looked back, the bowl was already empty.
But she didn't want to be slapped again, so how could she dare tell the truth? She insisted firmly, "This servant personally watched her drink it all."
Cui Yichu stared at her for a moment, then turned to Baozhu and said, "From now on, you will watch Yu Ying drink the medicine."
"Yes."
Seeing that Cui Yichu's expression remained displeased, Baozhu earnestly advised, "The Shizi favors the lady, and right now he is doting on her because he thinks he is doting on the lady."
Is that so?
Cui Yichu thought of Yu Ying's graceful, voluptuous figure and her porcelain-like fair skin, and her hatred grew even stronger.
In bed, she might not be able to compare to that wretch.
She had long known that powerful men never cared about a woman's background or status; the one who could please them in bed was the one they truly favored.
As her resentment flared, she instinctively wanted to kick over the boiling water's Tongguo to vent her anger. Baozhu quickly grabbed her, shaking her head desperately.
Zhao Xuanyou was in the room, and if they made a commotion, he would surely be alerted.
After a moment of rage, Cui Yichu regained her composure. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Keep a close watch. Bring Yu Ying out before dawn."