6 – The Aloof Fox Spirit
Yin Zhen watched as Fu Qingzi’s slender fingers restlessly plucked flower after flower, squeezing them in her palm before tossing them into the grass. He frowned and asked, “Fu Qingzi, why are you plucking my flowers?”
Fu Qingzi bent down and tucked a flower into the buttonhole of Yin Zhen’s collar, replying casually, “It looks nice.”
Yin Zhen lowered his gaze to her long, distinct eyelashes, catching the faint fragrance on her and her alluringly seductive voice. His sharply defined, handsome face flushed slightly.
His dark eyes fixed on Fu Qingzi walking ahead, and he thought to himself that someone like Fu Qingzi was truly unsuited to be a primary consort—she was born a haughty enchantress.
Fu Qingzi turned back and gave him a faint smile, her voice soft and gentle. “Is Fourth Master planning to stand there forever?”
Yin Zhen snapped back to reality and strode toward Fu Qingzi. How had she bewitched him so?
Her smile alone could captivate a hundred hearts—it was no exaggeration.
Fu Qingzi rubbed her sore ankle and sighed, “This garden is truly vast.”
Yin Zhen glanced at her, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly, and said lightly, “It’s not even one-tenth the size of the estate. The path is long—take your time.”
Fu Qingzi: “…” He didn’t even consider what shoes she was wearing. Easy for him to say without feeling the strain.
It had to be said that although Consort De disliked this son, Kangxi treated him exceptionally well. Whether it was because of Empress Tongjia or truly because of Yin Zhen himself remained unclear.
Yin Zhen looked at the flowers Fu Qingzi had plucked along the way and twitched his lips. What a bad habit.
After walking a while longer and still not reaching the Main Courtyard, Fu Qingzi could bear it no longer. She extended her slender, jade-like hand, raising it to signal Yin Zhen, and lifted her eyelids slightly. “Could Lord please lend me an arm?”
If it weren’t for the fact that she couldn’t remove her shoes outside for propriety’s sake, and with Qiao An trailing far behind, she wouldn’t have troubled Yin Zhen.
Yin Zhen hesitated for a moment but still offered his arm, though inwardly he felt awkward.
Fu Qingzi smiled faintly again, leaning almost her entire weight against him, and sighed in relief.
Feeling the pressure of Fu Qingzi leaning on him, Yin Zhen’s face darkened, and his lips twitched. “Fu Qingzi! Don’t push your luck!”
Only then did Fu Qingzi straighten up.
After the two returned to the Main Courtyard, Fu Qingzi first sat on the kang to rest for a while, a trace of weariness coloring her eyes.
Yin Zhen noticed her swollen ankle and frowned slightly. How could she be so delicate? “Just wear flat shoes on ordinary days.”
Fu Qingzi placed her hands over her abdomen, bowing her head in thanks. “Thank you for your concern, Lord.”
Yin Zhen snorted lightly. He wasn’t concerned about her at all.
Su Peisheng had been signaling to Fu Qingzi with his eyes, but she simply didn’t understand, leaving him anxious. So, he turned his attention to Qiao An.
He cleared his throat twice. Qiao An looked at Su Peisheng suspiciously. What did he want?
Su Peisheng mouthed a few words: “Retire for the night, retire for the night.”
Qiao An pretended not to see. Why didn’t he do it himself? Why did such matters always fall on her? Did he have no conscience?
Su Peisheng: “…”
After a while, Fu Qingzi finally caught on. Rubbing her temples, she said wearily, “Qiao An, fetch some water. It’s getting late.”
Fu Qingzi clumsily attended to Yin Zhen. He would be the emperor in the future, the most exalted person. With this thought, she comforted herself, feeling much better.
“Fu Qingzi, come and help me undress,” Yin Zhen said matter-of-factly, glancing at the woman lying on the bed tightly wrapped in blankets.
Fu Qingzi was so exhausted she could barely move, her eyelids drooping heavily as she spoke with impatience, “Please find someone else to serve you.”
Yin Zhen’s expression remained indifferent, his increasingly dark eyes fixed intently on Fu Qingzi’s fair face. “Don’t make me say it a second time.”
Fu Qingzi simply turned her back to him, her voice growing soft and drowsy. “Lord, your concubine has fallen asleep. Please find someone else to serve you.”
Yin Zhen: “…”
A few dark lines seemed to appear on Yin Zhen’s forehead as he gritted his teeth. “Fu Qingzi, could you be any more perfunctory?”
Seeing that Fu Qingzi genuinely had no intention of paying him any attention, he undressed himself.
Yin Zhen walked to the bedside, looked down at Fu Qingzi, and patted her back lightly, displeased. “Move further inside. You haven’t left any space for me.”
Fu Qingzi turned over and glanced at Yin Zhen. The candlelight reflected in her phoenix eyes, bright as a sky full of stars, before she finally shifted inward.
In that instant, her gaze met Yin Zhen’s dark eyes, which seemed capable of captivating one’s soul, utterly mesmerizing.
Yin Zhen flustered slightly and averted his gaze from Fu Qingzi’s eyes. This was not a good sign.
Fu Qingzi placed her hands over her abdomen and was just about to close her eyes when Yin Zhen suddenly turned over, causing her heart to skip a beat in fright.
Yin Zhen’s large hand seized Fu Qingzi’s slender waist, as delicate as a willow leaf.
His dark, profound eyes met hers, and he could clearly sense a flicker of panic in Fu Qingzi’s gaze.
Yin Zhen leaned down slightly, his eyes narrowing gently as his thin lips pressed firmly against Fu Qingzi’s soft cherry lips. The faint kiss held not a trace of affection, yet their breaths gradually grew heated.
Fu Qingzi’s delicate hands pressed against her chest, feeling Yin Zhen’s slightly rapid heartbeat. She could even sense his breath brushing against her face, causing her cheeks to flush with a rosy hue.
Unconsciously, she began to respond to him.
Yin Zhen’s large hand continued to caress her waist, and in the dim light, only the two of them remained…
Outside, Qiao An couldn’t help but blush upon hearing the commotion inside. Exchanging an awkward glance with Su Peisheng, she shifted away from him. After all, Su Peisheng was only in his twenties, and listening to such intimate sounds together felt somewhat inappropriate.
Su Peisheng was speechless. This was his first time listening as well, and the look in her eyes made him wonder what she thought of him.
After some time, Qiao An shifted closer again, lowering her voice as she whispered into Su Peisheng’s ear, “Does your Fourth Master not have court tomorrow?” How could he be so unrestrained? He should be careful not to exhaust himself.
Su Peisheng understood the implication in Qiao An’s words, a faint blush rising to his face as he cleared his throat. “He does.”
Qiao An simply sat down, resting her chin in her hands as she looked up at the sky, bored. “Su Peisheng, look, the moon is so big and round.”
Su Peisheng followed her gaze upward, the moonlight reflecting brightly in both their eyes.
And so, the two sat side by side, watching the moon until water was called for inside.
The next day, the sky was tinged with a pale gray.
Yin Zhen held Fu Qingzi tightly in his arms, and no matter how she struggled, she couldn’t break free. What kind of sleeping habit was this? Seeing that escape was impossible, Fu Qingzi succumbed to drowsiness and fell back asleep.
It wasn’t until Su Peisheng, keeping an eye on the time, softly called from outside, “Fourth Master, it’s time to rise.”
Yin Zhen instantly opened his eyes, his gaze falling upon Fu Qingzi’s head. His large hand caressed her waist, his voice carrying a hint of lingering affection, “Fu Qingzi, get up and attend to your Lord.”