Lu Qiuci had kept everything Xu Chen had said firmly in mind, including the promise of a reward, the selection of a capable young attendant for him, and… that she would come to see him tonight.
Consequently, Lu Qiuci had been pacing restlessly since midday.
He wanted Xu Chen to come, yet at the same time, he feared Xu Chen’s arrival.
With the new consort’s arrival, the entire Princess’s Mansion was watching; however grand the daytime rewards had been, they were still not enough.
The Crown Princess had not come to him on their wedding night; if she did not come today, who knew what rumours would be circulating in the Crown Princess’s residence.
He needed Xu Chen to come, to dispel the speculation that Xu Chen did not like him or favour him.
His fear, however, stemmed from the fact that the person about to arrive was Xu Chen!
Though today’s encounter had given him a faint sense that Xu Chen was not the cruel and tyrannical person the rumours described, the fear Xu Chen instilled in him had not diminished in the slightest; if anything, it was even more terrifying than the rumours suggested.
It was akin to the natural reverence a herbivore feels towards a carnivore; the carnivore need not do anything, nor even make an appearance. The slightest rustle of leaves was enough to send the herbivore fleeing in panic.
Alas, Lu Qiuci was no animal; he was a man. And no matter how afraid a man might be, he must learn to endure it, for there were matters far more important than this fleeting fear.
By convention, when Her Highness the Crown Princess was to visit a young nobleman’s residence, she would certainly arrive before supper, dine with him, and then share his bed.
Lu Qiuci had been preparing since midday. First, he bathed and cleansed himself, then selected his clothes and jewellery, dressing himself to perfection.
He did not possess many garments or ornaments befitting the Princess’s residence, but fortunately, a considerable number had been delivered that morning, so he simply chose from among them.
As he selected his clothes and jewellery, Lu Qiuci found himself once again unable to resist speculating on Xu Chen’s tastes.
What sort of man did she like?
One with a clear, bright countenance? Radiant? Charming? Or aloof?
Should he dress more demurely, or with greater passion?
Whenever his thoughts turned in this direction, Lu Qiuci couldn’t help but think of the two most favoured men in the Crown Princess’s residence, Xia Ling and Bai Chuyin. He had seen them in person today: one was sunny and charming, the other aloof and captivating.
Their demeanours were quite dissimilar—one might even say they were as different as chalk and cheese. It was impossible to deduce from them exactly what style of young man Xu Chen preferred.
Perhaps he should try to align himself with one of them?
Lu Qiuci quickly dismissed the idea. He recalled the kiss Xu Chen had given him; the fact that the Crown Princess had kissed him surely meant, at the very least, that she did not find his appearance repulsive—perhaps she even admired or liked him.
Better to play it safe and dress in his usual style.
Lu Qiuci selected a pale blue and moon-white gown, pairing it with a headdress and other jewellery made of white jade and sapphires. With just a few touches, a noble young gentleman quite unlike his usual self emerged.
Dongyi stared in awe and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Young Master, you are so beautiful!”
“Just as beautiful as when you wore your wedding robes!”
Her eyes sparkled like those of a puppy wagging its tail, and Lu Qiuci immediately broke into a smile.
“I’ll have to teach you to read a little later; you can’t even come up with a single fine phrase.”
Just then, Di Liu lifted the curtain and entered, smiling as she praised, “ ‘This is the Immortal Exiled Amidst Clouds and Brocade; the young master is peerless in this world.’
‘Your Lordship’s features are already exceptionally striking; set against such splendid robes, are you not like a celestial being descended to earth?’
Di Liu’s compliments were truly delightful to hear, yet Lu Qiuci’s heart felt little lightness. His smile quickly faded as he said, ‘It would still depend on whether His Highness takes a liking to it.’
To Lu Qiuci, all the careful preparations of the day felt like part of an examination, with Xu Chen serving as the examiner. With this mindset, no amount of romantic allure could leave a mark on his heart.
News of the Crown Princess’s impending arrival had spread throughout the Yuhua Courtyard, and the Imperial Kitchen dared not take it lightly; they swiftly delivered a table laden with delicacies to the courtyard.
The palace chef’s attendants were even more eager to make a good impression on Lu Qiuci; after all, should Lu Qiuci truly fall into favour and secure the position of Consort, a mere wave of the hand from him would ensure their lifetime of prosperity.
Alas, Lu Qiuci’s mind was entirely occupied with Xu Chen; he had no inclination to humour them.
As dusk cast its warm, orange glow across the courtyard, Lu Qiuci grew increasingly anxious as the sky darkened and the hour of Xu Chen’s arrival drew nearer. He could not even stop his hands from twisting together in nervousness.
As the wait dragged on, the warm evening light faded completely and the sky began to darken. Di Liu softly called for Dong Yi to help her light the candles, gently placing lampshades over them.
They waited on, and soon it was pitch black. The sumptuous dishes on the table had gone from steaming hot to completely cold.
The atmosphere throughout Yuhe Courtyard mirrored the food on the table, shifting from the day’s eager anticipation to a silence of disappointment; the night breeze only served to heighten the sense of desolation.
Many of the servants, gazing at the brightly lit room, could not help but murmur amongst themselves: “It’s so late now; I doubt His Highness will be coming.”
“Perhaps even the news that the Crown Princess would be coming was something our master made up himself. In reality, Her Highness doesn’t like our master at all, so naturally she wouldn’t come to his courtyard.”
As the night breeze swept past, Lu Qiuci shivered.
How much chill could there be in the July air? It was merely that his heart felt as though it had been cast into an ice cave, leaving him cold from the inside out.
His mind was in a jumble, yet it felt as though he were thinking of nothing at all. He could not fathom whether he had misinterpreted the situation, or why the Crown Princess had not appeared.
Di Liu could no longer bear to watch him like this and could not help but whisper gently to Lu Qiuci, “My Lord, Her Highness may well have been detained by some urgent matter. Please have your supper first; otherwise, should Her Highness learn that you have gone hungry, she will surely be distressed.”
Lu Qiuci snapped out of his reverie, a bitter taste in his mouth, yet he had to maintain his master’s dignity. He nodded and said, “Very well, let us eat first. With so many dishes, it would be a waste not to.”
Di Liu quickly ordered the servants to take the dishes to the small kitchen in the Yuhua Courtyard to be warmed up.
The Yuhua Courtyard currently had no servants skilled in the kitchen, but simply reheating the food was a task Di Liu could manage on her own.
Lu Qiuci then told Di Liu not to reheat so much; after all, he couldn’t eat much on his own. His earlier words had merely been to save face, so as not to make himself look too foolish.
The only thing he needed to worry about was that, after today, his life would likely become difficult once more. He was living a fool’s paradise.
Lu Qiuci gave a self-deprecating chuckle, chiding himself for regressing with age. Had he not prepared himself for a hard life when he first entered the Eastern Palace?
It had been merely a single day, yet it had given rise to hopes he ought not to have harboured.
Lu Qiuci, when did you become so naive?
As he wielded his chopsticks, taking small bites of food and feeding them into his mouth, he mercilessly grilled himself in his mind.
Little did he know that Xu Chen was already outside the door.
The servants, upon seeing Xu Chen, immediately bowed and greeted her. Xu Chen swept her gaze over them, silencing them all.
Late at night, and they dare disturb the peace.
The two guards, Xuan Ying and Xuan Yu, remained outside to keep watch, whilst Xu Chen walked straight into the room.
It was only when Xu Chen reached the doorway that Lu Qiuci, lost in his own thoughts, realised someone had arrived. He turned his head immediately and saw Xu Chen standing beneath the corridor.
The light from the lanterns fell upon her face, casting a shadow across her nose. Standing there, she resembled both a deity and a ghostly apparition.
Di Liu and Dong Yi realised what was happening and immediately bowed to Xu Chen.
“We pay our respects to Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess. May Her Highness enjoy a long and prosperous life.”
Xu Chen stepped inside, dismissed them all, then reached out to help Lu Qiuci to his feet.
“Why are you having supper so late?”
The moment he saw Xu Chen, all of Lu Qiuci’s previous emotions vanished, leaving only one: nervousness.
He hurriedly said, “Your Highness, I’ll have the servants bring you another set of tableware!”
Xu Chen stopped him. “No need. I’m not very hungry. You may eat on your own.”
She casually picked up the teapot from the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and waited quietly for Lu Qiuci to finish his supper.
But with her watching him like that, how could Lu Qiuci possibly eat? He shovelled a few mouthfuls in haphazardly before setting down his chopsticks.
Xu Chen looked at the dishes, which appeared untouched, and asked, “Is the food not to your liking?”
“The Royal Kitchen has been negligent; why wasn’t it prepared to your taste?”
Lu Qiuci hastened to reply, “Your Highness, it has nothing to do with the Royal Kitchen; I have simply had my fill.”
“I can see Your Highness looks weary. Perhaps we should have the servants clear away the supper so you may retire early?”
Xu Chen’s hand paused as his gaze fell upon Lu Qiuci. Only then did Lu Qiuci realise he might have said something open to misinterpretation, and he hastened to explain, “Your Highness, that is not what I meant!”
Xu Chen paid no heed to whether that was his intention or not. In truth, Lu Qiuci’s intuition had not failed him; she was utterly exhausted and longed to rest immediately.
However, Xu Chen never allowed her weariness to show on her face; to her, that would be tantamount to exposing her vulnerabilities to others.
When Xu Chen was truly tired, she merely appeared more aloof and short-tempered.
Since Lu Qiuci was unwilling to eat any more, Xu Chen didn’t bother to ask whether he was full; instead, with a ready compliance, summoned attendants to prepare water for her to wash.
By the time Xu Chen had finished washing, the evening meal had long since been cleared away; even Lu Qiuci had removed his jade crown and was preparing to attend to Xu Chen.
The door closed, and a lingering trace of the atmosphere from their wedding night still hung in the air, making Lu Qiuci even more nervous; his heart was beating so fast it felt as though it might leap into his throat.
“Your Highness, I… I shall help you undress.”
Xu Chen did not actually like people getting too close to her, especially after spending ten years in a psychiatric hospital; she even felt a sense of revulsion towards anyone who approached her without warning.
Yet, looking at Lu Qiuci before her—pale with nervousness, his hands and feet trembling uncontrollably—she found, for once, that she did not feel particularly repelled.
This was crucial. If Lu Qiuci did not win her favour, no matter how suitable he might be, Xu Chen would never consider him in her plans.
Xu Chen would simply have him cast out into the Yuhua Courtyard, just as Lu Qiuci had originally feared.
Under Lu Qiuci’s gaze, which dared not wander, Xu Chen spread her arms. Lu Qiuci hastened to unfasten the belt and ornaments from her waist, remove her outer garments, and lay them upon the bed beside her.
Lu Qiuci was about to kneel to help Xu Chen remove her boots, but Xu Chen was not the original owner; she was not about to let her formal husband help her take off her boots.
For one thing, their relationship hadn’t actually reached that stage yet; for another, Xu Chen had no intention of humiliating him deliberately.
“Lie down on the bed.”
Lu Qiuci’s pale face flushed crimson in an instant; he scrambled onto the bed almost as if his hands and feet were moving in unison, then lay there, at a loss.
He didn’t know whether he should pull the quilt up or let it fall, nor did he know how he should take the initiative later.
The knowledge he’d crammed in at the last minute before the wedding—which he’d barely managed to retain—fluttered through his mind like a swarm of butterflies, yet it remained nothing but fragments; the parts concerning the actual act were all a blur.
Xu Chen could tell at a glance what he was thinking, but she had no intention of doing the things he had in mind.
She lay down on the bed, casually drew the bed curtains, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. She was utterly exhausted.