The capital at the third quarter of Yin hour was still steeped in ink-like darkness, yet the Zhao Family Gambling Den blazed with brilliant lights and bustled with vibrant noise.
Chen Ping’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the hilt of his embroidered spring sword. Gazing up at the three-story pavilion bearing the gilded plaque that read “Lai-Cai Gambling Den,” he narrowed his eyes. “Is everything prepared?”
“Commander, everything is flawless,” replied his deputy, Hansong.
Having just received His Highness Prince Ning’s orders while on the night shift, Chen Ping had quickly assembled his men and led them here to make arrests.
A piercing night breeze carrying the stench of alcohol drifted over. Chen Ping thumbed his sword out of its scabbard. “Move in.”
Chaos erupted inside the gambling den.
Early Morning, Bedchamber
“Xiaotao, have you heard? Last night, goodness knows what happened, but both Shengge Brew and the Zhao Family Gambling Den were sealed by the Patrol Office, and that entire family of Zhao Tianlu was hauled off to the major dungeons!” Green Cloud said with a face full of excitement as she cracked melon seeds.
“Such a thing actually happened? But I often heard people say that Zhao Tianlu always threw his weight around and committed all sorts of outrages just because he had a bit of stinking money, and his son Zhao Tianbao was even more dissolute and lustful. Getting arrested is only getting what they deserve,” Xiaotao nodded in agreement.
Green Cloud continued cracking her melon seeds and added, “What you say is true. Oh, right, didn’t our Prince go play at Shengge Brew with the Prince Ning’s Consort yesterday? Everything was still completely normal back then.”
“Well… when the Prince wakes up, should we go ask him?” Xiaotao’s eyes burned with curiosity, eager to find out the inside story.
Crash,
The sound of porcelain shattering echoed from inside the room, sharp and jarring.
Xiaotao and Green Cloud startled and hurried into the room to check. They saw that Ji Lingfeng had just gotten up, but because of dizziness and instability, he had accidentally knocked over a nearby cup.
“Why are you just standing there, Your Highness? Sit down quickly. Xiaotao, go fetch a bowl of hangover soup.”
Green Cloud rushed forward to support him, wanting to make him sit down and rest.
Unexpectedly, Ji Lingfeng suddenly grabbed her arm with terrifying strength, gripping Green Cloud so tightly it hurt.
“Meng Qing—where is Meng Qing? Is he alright?” Ji Lingfeng’s head throbbed as if it were splitting open, and images of Meng Qing being carried away before he lost consciousness kept flashing through his mind.
“The Prince’s Consort? What happened? We haven’t heard anything,” Green Cloud said. Looking at his panicked expression, a guess had already formed in her mind: yesterday’s sealing of the establishments probably had a lot to do with the Prince.
“You can rest assured, Your Highness. The bosses of Shengge Brew and the Zhao Family Gambling Den have already been brought to justice, and we haven’t heard of anything happening to the Prince’s Consort either,” Green Cloud softly comforted.
Hearing this, Ji Lingfeng let out a heavy sigh of relief, collapsing limply into a chair as if all his strength had drained away. A look of deliverance from the jaws of death washed over his face. “That’s good, that’s good. If Sister-in-law had met with trouble because of me, I really would have died of guilt…”
Green Cloud poured a cup of water and handed it to him, letting him catch his breath. “So Your Highness, what on earth happened yesterday?”
“Wait, Your Highness, Xiaotao wants to hear it too!” Xiaotao rushed in carrying the hangover soup, her eyes sparkling with eager anticipation.
“You two, instead of doing your jobs properly, you’re all ears for gossip,” Ji Lingfeng gave a helpless smile. “Very well, since you both asked with such sincere intent, this Prince shall satisfy your curiosity.”
…
“Wow, Your Highness’s martial arts have improved even further! You actually sent that fellow kowtowing and begging like a grandfather with a single kick.” Green Cloud chimed in with timely flattery.
Ji Lingfeng felt a bit shy. Standard operating procedure, really.
“If Your Highness is so formidable, how come you didn’t notice the tea tasted wrong?” Xiaotao asked with absolute sincerity, completely devoid of any sarcasm.
Ji Lingfeng gave a light huff, turning his head away to refuse an answer.
“Fetch the finest tonics from the storehouse; this Prince is going to visit the Prince Ning’s Manor,” Ji Lingfeng stood up, preparing to head out.
“…Um, Fifth Prince, His Highness Prince Ning said you are not allowed to go anywhere except the Imperial Academy for a full month,” Green Cloud cautioned him warily.
!!!
“What? Third Brother, no!”
By now, it was already noon. Peddlers set up their stalls one after another, their overlapping cries and lively chatter weaving together into a vibrant chorus.
Meng Qing was jolted awake by this bustling clamor. Dazedly, he opened his eyes, wanting to sit up and pour himself a cup of water.
Hiss, it hurts.
Meng Qing couldn’t help letting out a soft gasp, feeling his entire body sore, weak, and devoid of strength.
What is going on?
Meng Qing raised a hand to touch his head; he didn’t have a fever. Subconsciously, he moved his arm, and his sleeve slipped down along his skin, exposing a multitude of red marks scattered across his fair complexion.
Meng Qing froze instantly. He slowly scanned his surroundings, the unfamiliar environment breeding a surge of unease in his heart. This wasn’t the Prince Ning’s Manor.
Immediately afterward, last night’s memories rushed back like a tidal wave.
“I feel so miserable. Please help me.”
“Be a good boy, Qingqing, your husband will help you right now.”
Wet, passion-drenched kisses, involuntary whimpers of pleasure, the warm breath lingering against his ear…
He and Ji Yanche had consummated their marriage?
Ever since marrying in, this was the first time Meng Qing felt completely at a loss. Why did it have to happen now?
Right at the moment when he had just come to terms with his own feelings…
Hearing the commotion, Dushun hurried into the room and saw Meng Qing sitting dazedly on the edge of the bed, holding his chest with a bewildered expression.
“Aiyo, my good Consort, why didn’t you say anything when you woke up? Imperial Physician Chen, quickly come examine the Consort.” Dushun looked anxious as he hurriedly beckoned the physician over.
Supported by Dushun, Meng Qing leaned back against the head of the bed, obediently letting the physician check his pulse and examine him.
Yet Dushun grew increasingly convinced something was wrong. From the moment the Consort woke up, through washing, dressing, eating meals, and all the way back to the manor, aside from asking about the Fifth Prince’s condition, he had barely spoken a word. He seemed cooperative on the surface, but a palpable aura of gloom clearly weighed upon his mood.
Upon returning to the Prince Ning’s Manor, Meng Qing sat alone in the garden pavilion, gazing blankly into the distance. In the late autumn season, most of the flowers had already entered their withering phase; the courtyard presented a desolate scene of falling leaves fluttering through the air.
Huayi stepped forward carefully, asking in a soft voice, “Consort, are you in a bad mood?”
Hearing her voice, Meng Qing slowly snapped out of his daze and looked at Huayi. “What did you say?”
“Consort, you are unhappy.” This time, Huayi used a statement of certainty. “Tell this servant about it; keeping things bottled up inside is bad for your health.”
Meng Qing’s gaze drifted away again, and he replied indifferently, “Nothing.” He knew very well that if he told Huayi, these words would eventually find their way back to Ji Yanche’s ears.
“I’m a bit tired, I’m going back to my room to rest. Unless it’s something major, don’t come call for me.”
Meng Qing stood up and walked toward his room, his retreating figure radiating a faint trace of desolation.
Dushun muttered, “Well? Did you get anything out of him?”
Huayi shook her head helplessly and sighed, “The Consort didn’t say anything.”
“Eh, he was still fine when we went out yesterday. Ever since the Consort entered the manor, our estate has never been this gloomy,” Dushun said with a deeply worried and depressed expression. Previously, whenever the Consort was around, the manor was always filled with laughter and peaceful harmony. But now that the Consort was unhappy, the entire Prince Ning’s Manor seemed to have lost its vitality, turning dead and dreary.
The Prince had instructed him to serve the Consort well, but look at this now! In another two hours, the Prince would be returning to the manor, and if he saw the Consort looking like this, he would surely place the blame on them.
“Grandpa Dushun, didn’t you say that last night the Consort was given an aphrodisiac and then consummated his marriage with the Prince?” Huayi asked suddenly.
“Yes, what about it?” Dushun asked, looking utterly baffled.
“Then this servant probably knows why the Consort is unhappy,” Huayi said with a mysterious, knowing look.
Dushun was burning with anxiety and pinched Huayi’s earlobe. “You little girl, what time is it and you’re still playing suspense? Hurry up and speak!”
“Ow, ow, ow, Grandpa, let go quickly.” Huayi pouted and voiced her conjecture: “When the Consort was drugged yesterday, his mind was unclear and he couldn’t refuse the Prince, so they just muddled through and consummated the marriage like that.”
“This, this, this… how can you call it refusing? Since the Consort married in, consummating their marriage was bound to happen sooner or later,” Dushun widened his eyes, clearly rejecting this logic.
“That’s precisely where the problem lies! The Consort doesn’t like our Prince! Waking up to find yourself married and sleeping with someone you don’t like who could possibly be happy about that?” Huayi grew more and more animated as she spoke, becoming thoroughly convinced her deduction was correct.
Slap,
Dushun raised a hand and knocked Huayi on the head.
“You girl, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? How could the Consort not like the Prince? If he didn’t like the Prince, would he take care of him day and night with such gentle consideration?”
“That was only to cure the Prince’s illness…” Huayi muttered under her breath.
“Go on, go on, get back to work. I reckon you’ve got too much time on your hands and are just making wild guesses.” Dushun waved his hand, shooing Huayi away.
He raised his gaze to look up at the sky, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening as a silent thought struck him:
Ah, wait a second… it actually does sound kind of plausible.
If that really was the case, their Prince was going to have plenty of headaches ahead of him!