When night fell, the Crown Prince did not send anyone to Yaohua Hall to summon anyone for the night.
Mama Qin, Qing Zhu, and Qing Mei were all very disappointed. Lin Fujia also came over to express her regrets to Wen Lier.
Wen Lier didn’t feel any sense of disappointment.
Several days passed like this as usual.
On this day, Wen Lier planned to go to bed early again, intending to read for a while before sleeping.
Unexpectedly, a eunuch from Yuqing Hall came to Yaohua Hall to announce that the Crown Prince had ordered Wen Lier to serve him tonight.
Wen Lier was shocked.
Had Sister Lin actually guessed correctly? Although it wasn’t that day, it hadn’t been long since.
Mama Qin was so happy she couldn’t close her mouth, while Qing Zhu and Qing Mei were both beaming with joy, almost jumping on the spot in excitement.
After the excitement, they busily prepared bath water for her.
In the middle of winter, Wen Lier shivered as she climbed naked into the bathtub, letting Mama Qin direct several maids to vigorously scrub her clean.
Wen Lier nearly cried from the scrubbing, but Mama Qin still wouldn’t let her off, having them change the water and continue scrubbing.
She insisted that Wen Lier must be completely free of any dirt, both visibly and to the touch.
By the time the bath was over, Wen Lier looked like a boiled shrimp, ready to be peeled and eaten.
Mama Qin then pressed her down in front of the dressing table to apply makeup.
This time, Wen Lier refused.
Putting on makeup at night would only mean having to remove it later—how troublesome.
Moreover, just during her bath, Mama Qin had already taught her the “Eighteen Positions for Serving the Night,” each of which sounded exhausting.
Wouldn’t she sweat from all that exertion?
If her makeup ended up smeared all over her face from sweat, wouldn’t it scare the Crown Prince to death?
Feeling justified, Wen Lier declared firmly, “It will smudge, Mama Qin. Let’s not wear makeup.”
Mama Qin hesitated for a long time but eventually only filled in her eyebrows and applied lip balm.
As for her clothes, everything from the inside out was new.
Mama Qin had prepared far more than just a little for this day.
She wore a crabapple-colored, high-collared jacket embroidered with floral patterns and a matching pleated cotton skirt.
Her hair was styled in a lily bun, and Wen Lier removed all the hairpins except for a single white jade hairpin.
“Mama Qin, this is enough.”
Mama Qin felt it was too simple, but on such an important day, she didn’t want to upset her mistress.
She opened her mouth to speak but ultimately held back.
“Then let it be so.”
She had already taught her mistress everything she needed to know; the rest was up to her.
Wen Lier wrapped herself in a willow-colored thick cloak and followed the eunuch waiting outside.
The Crown Prince’s Yuqing Hall was quite far from Yaohua Hall.
As Wen Lier walked along the path, she felt the biting cold wind stinging her face.
She took out a handkerchief and wiped off the lip balm.
She wasn’t afraid of serving the night.
Since she was married, this was bound to happen sooner or later.
When she arrived at the main hall of Yuqing Hall, the eunuch escorted her inside and then respectfully left.
Wen Lier thought she would remain calm, but upon entering this unfamiliar palace, she suddenly grew nervous.
Her heart pounded like a drum, beating fiercely as if it might leap out of her chest.
She wondered seriously: Should she speak when she meets the Crown Prince?
What should she say?
If the Crown Prince didn’t respond, should she keep talking?
Or should she directly help Your Highness undress?
She thought of all these things but never expected that His Highness would be having a meal.
Eating so late—the Crown Prince truly was diligent in governance and caring for his people.
Wen Lier stepped forward and curtsied: “Your humble servant pays respects to Your Highness.”
Yan Shixu raised his brow slightly to look at her, speaking gently: “Today the Grand Tutor mentioned your father.”
Wen Lier’s heart gave a sudden jolt, unable to suppress her anxiety: “Your Highness, what about my father?”
Seeing her nervous expression, Yan Shixu smiled: “Don’t worry. The Grand Tutor was only praising your father, saying he acts decisively and handles affairs with strict diligence.”
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Wen Lier’s face.
When speaking of her father, her eyes filled with admiration and excitement.
“Everyone says my father is a good official.”
Yan Shixu looked into her sparkling eyes and guessed that the bond between this father and daughter must be quite strong.
The thought momentarily turned to himself, bringing a touch of melancholy.
“Sit down and have something to eat.”
As he spoke, Yan Shixu picked up his wine cup and took a small sip.
Wen Lier wanted to say she had already eaten, but quickly remembered she hadn’t actually eaten her fill tonight.
She sat in the seat farthest from the Crown Prince, where a palace maid immediately brought bowls and chopsticks, serving her dishes.
Yan Shixu glanced at the seat beside him, somewhat puzzled – why was she sitting so far away?
But he didn’t dwell on this, instead asking Wen Lier: “Would you like some plum wine?”
At these words, Wen Lier’s eyes brightened even more.
She looked around and found an empty wine cup.
“Then this humble servant will accompany Your Highness for a few drinks.”
Hearing this, Yan Shixu raised an eyebrow slightly.
A few cups?
“Does Wen Fengyi have good alcohol tolerance?”
Wen Lier shook her head: “Not particularly good, but I can drink a little.”
Yan Shixu then had the palace maid pour wine for her.
Wen Lier gazed with sparkling eyes at the amber liquid in the white cup.
Then holding it with both hands, she first extended her tongue to give it a tentative lick.
Mellow and sweet, not burning the throat.
Satisfied, she raised the cup and drank it down in two gulps.
Yan Shixu hadn’t expected her to drink like this. After his surprise passed, he personally poured her another cup.
Watching the dimples on her cheeks appear and disappear with her drinking motions, he found it rather charming.
After three consecutive cups, a flush appeared on Wen Lier’s cheeks.
Her eyes scanned the dishes on the table, thinking she should eat some food instead of just drinking, as alcohol alone could hurt the stomach.
Oh? There was a dish of braised pork knuckles with soybeans on the table – she hadn’t expected His Highness to also like this dish.
Wen Lier extended her chopsticks to pick up a pork knuckle, but quickly reconsidered and withdrew them.
Yan Shixu asked curiously: “Is there something wrong with this dish?”
Wen Lier shook her head: “No, this humble servant just thought that gnawing on pork knuckles is somewhat unrefined and might mess up one’s face.”
Hearing such an honest answer, a smile appeared in Yan Shixu’s eyes.
“After eating, just have the palace maid bring you a basin of water to wash up.”
Hearing this, Wen Lier hesitantly picked up a pork knuckle that appeared to have more tendon.
She particularly enjoyed gnawing on the tendons – together with the surrounding meat, they were chewy, smooth and pleasant to eat.
With Mama Qin fortunately not around to nag, Wen Lier instantly became like an unbridled wild horse.
The Imperial Chef who prepared meals for the Crown Prince was naturally different from those at Yaohua Hall.
The flavors were so good she could almost swallow her own tongue.
Wen Lier devoted herself to gnawing on that plate of pork knuckles.
After finishing the second-to-last piece, as she reached for the final one with her chopsticks, someone intercepted them.
She looked up and met the Crown Prince’s amused eyes.
“Save one for me.”
Wen Lier, who had been gnawing with complete abandon, gave a start and returned to her senses.
Oh my, it’s all the fault of the pig trotters.
She was so engrossed in chewing that she forgot the Crown Prince’s presence.
Wen Lier hurriedly withdrew her chopsticks: “Your Highness, please have some.”