Gao Zhi found the sound strange.
In all the time she had known Feng Che, she had never seen him like this.
“You’re…”
A thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
“Are you ticklish?”
Feng Che pressed his lips together.
“…Mm.”
“Oh. Then I’ll be more careful.”
Once the fastenings were undone, Gao Zhi withdrew the hand resting at the small of his back. His outer robe came off, leaving only his trousers.
Feng Che had difficulty moving, so naturally Gao Zhi had to help him with his trousers as well.
“Gao Zhi, there’s no need to take off my trousers.”
Feng Che reached out with one hand to stop her.
Gao Zhi slapped his hand away and reached straight for his waistband.
“I’m quick. Don’t be so fussy.”
Feng Che immediately pulled his hand back. Ignoring the risk of falling, he dropped heavily into the wheelchair and hurriedly covered his waistband with both hands.
“Shang Lu, Cang Zhu.”
The door was pushed open from outside, and the two men quickly walked over. Perhaps sensing the subtle atmosphere and seeing their master desperately guarding his waistband, they tacitly lowered their heads and didn’t look any further.
“Master.”
“What are you doing…”
Gao Zhi stared at Feng Che, who was red from head to toe, utterly bewildered.
“I… I’m ticklish…”
Feng Che awkwardly lowered his eyelids and gripped the wheelchair handles.
“You two will attend to me while I bathe.”
“Yes.”
Shang Lu nodded and followed Feng Che into the bathing room.
Cang Zhu remained behind. He winked at Gao Zhi.
“Princess Consort, Master is shy. Haste makes waste. Be patient a little longer—he’ll give in eventually.”
Gao Zhi froze.
Haste makes waste?
Her?
When Feng Che came out of the bathing room, he went straight to lie down on the bedroll and didn’t say another word to Gao Zhi.
After the two hidden guards left, Gao Zhi glanced at the man lying on the floor.
“Then I’ll go bathe too.”
“…Mm.”
Before even half a tea hour had passed, the sound of splashing water came from the bathing room, accompanied by the faint, pleasant fragrance of soapberry.
*
Feng Che closed his eyes, his palm slowly tightening around the edge of the quilt.
When the door to the bathing room opened again, the fragrance grew stronger. The soft rustling of someone drying her hair sounded, followed by footsteps moving from the outer room to a spot above his head, where they paused.
“She fell asleep so quickly.”
Gao Zhi muttered, blew out the lamp in the inner room, and climbed onto the bed.
But she soon noticed something unusual.
When she had prepared Feng Che’s bedroll earlier, she had given him the thick quilt from the bed and used the slightly thinner spare bedding from the cabinet herself.
Yet when she reached out now, the quilt was still the original thick one.
And there was even a warming pot tucked inside.
It was only the middle of August. Although the temperature difference between day and night in the capital could be considerable, there was no need for a warming pot at this time of year.
*
Morning lessons at Yuelu Academy began at the third quarter of the Mao hour, with a senior instructor surnamed Wang giving lectures at the Minglun Hall. Gao Zhi was a martial artist, so waking early was hardly difficult for her. Unfortunately, her period happened to arrive that day.
The academy did not allow servants to attend to the students.
Chan Yi and Bai He had left after bringing her there the previous day.
Early that morning, Gao Zhi had hurriedly washed the soiled bedding by herself, endured the pain in her abdomen, changed into the academy-prescribed uniform, and rushed over.
Even so, she was still half a tea hour late.
Inside the hall stood an elderly gentleman with graying hair, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared sternly at her.
“Why are you late for the very first lesson today?”
Gao Zhi frowned. She could hardly explain the reason to him, so she could only lower her head and admit her mistake.
“I know winter makes people prone to laziness, but if every student in the academy were as negligent as you, would this academy even be able to continue?”
Instructor Wang launched into a tirade.
“Today’s lesson is from the Analects, which says, ‘Rotten wood cannot be carved, and a wall of dung cannot be plastered.’ Do you understand what it means?
“You came to Yuelu Academy. Do you know the five steps to learning that the old Master Zhu spoke of? Study extensively, inquire carefully, think cautiously, distinguish clearly, and practice earnestly.
“Earnest practice is the key. A lazy person can never accomplish it. If your resolve is not firm, why come here at all? You’re only tormenting everyone else and yourself.”
Gao Zhi knew that every instructor at the academy was exceptionally learned. Since she was the one who had made the mistake, she could only obediently endure the scolding.
There were quite a few students seated inside Minglun Hall, including many familiar faces from the capital’s influential families. Several princes had even come. Feng Che sat quietly in the back, his dark eyes as calm as an undisturbed well, silently lifting to look at her.
The academy provided only a limited amount of bedding. Each student was allotted one set, and private purchases were forbidden, all to train the students to avoid extravagance.
Gao Zhi regretted it terribly now.
If only she had known, she would have waited until after class to wash the bedding.
Even if the stain couldn’t be washed out, her father had pulled some strings for her anyway. She was the only one using her dormitory, so no one could complain about her.
“General Gao, both a strategist and a warrior, went to great lengths to get you admitted.”
Instructor Wang snorted angrily.
“Women belong within the household, while men belong in the outside world. Since you clearly had no intention of studying, you might as well go home.”
Before sending her there, Gao Zheng had spoken with the academy’s instructors and informed them of his daughter’s identity.
Someone unaware of the circumstances might not have understood the deeper meaning behind those words.
It was only then that Gao Zhi understood the source of Instructor Wang’s inexplicable hostility toward her.
He thought she was being unruly—a woman who had no business involving herself in men’s affairs.
“Instructor, I sincerely wish to study. Today was truly an accident. It won’t happen again.”
The dull ache in Gao Zhi’s lower abdomen was growing worse, and she only wanted to sit down and rest.
“Looking at you, you don’t seem remorseful at all. If I don’t punish you, I’m afraid you won’t learn your lesson.”
Instructor Wang pointed outside.
“Go out now. I sentence you to stand there until class ends.”
Gao Zhi had already looked at the lesson schedule. Instructor Wang’s class lasted a full hour. Outside, the world was covered in ice and snow—the cold could freeze a person solid.
The hall fell silent. Some students looked at her, while others lowered their heads and continued reading.
Instructor Wang said, “Are you planning to waste everyone’s time?”
“I’ll go.”
Gao Zhi glanced at Feng Che, feeling humiliated.
Being reprimanded in front of her archenemy was simply too embarrassing!
The wind and snow raged outside the corridor. Even the uniform she wore had been issued by the academy, and the thin layer of cotton inside was nowhere near enough to withstand the bitter cold. After only a quarter of an hour, the cold had made the pain in her lower abdomen even worse, and she was barely able to remain standing.
Suddenly.
Footsteps sounded beneath the corridor.
“The instructor is calling you inside.”
When that clean, deep voice reached her ears, Gao Zhi paused slightly. She looked up and found herself meeting Feng Che’s calm, unreadable eyes.
“…”
She instinctively lowered the hand covering her abdomen and forced herself to remain composed.
“Oh.”
The lecture inside continued. The only empty seat was beside Feng Che. Afraid that the old man would continue lecturing her, Gao Zhi walked straight over and sat in the empty seat.
Then she heard the old man grumble angrily.
“Even when you were sent outside to stand, you didn’t know how to choose a proper place. You didn’t think about anyone else and blocked the light. How are the others supposed to read?”
Gao Zhi froze.
There was a lattice window right beside her.
The spot where she had been standing earlier was still some distance from the window.
Whose light could she possibly have blocked?
After another tea hour had passed, Feng Che returned. There was now a large cloak in his hands.
“Little Prince, please sit.”
Unlike the way he had ignored Gao Zhi, Instructor Wang knew that Feng Che had once studied under Yan Sheng, the former Grand Tutor. Yan Sheng was a scholar of profound learning and vast knowledge, a man admired and revered by every scholar in Da Feng.
Since Feng Che had studied under him and now came to Yuelu Academy as Instructor Wang’s student, the old man felt a certain vanity—as though he had finally reached the same level as Yan Sheng.
“He’s back now, so he shouldn’t be blocking the light anymore, right?”
Instructor Wang looked at Feng Che.
Curious, Gao Zhi looked toward him. Feng Che’s expression did not change. He merely gave a slight nod in response.
Instructor Wang did not mind the young man’s indifference. Instead, he became even more solicitous.
“Quickly, put on your cloak. It’s cold outside. Don’t let yourself catch a chill.”
Third Prince Feng Zhou teased, “Why don’t I ever see you showing us this much concern, Instructor?”
“Third Prince, you look to be in excellent health. You have no need for my concern.”
Instructor Wang withdrew his gaze.
“Let us continue the lesson.”
“Take this.”
Gao Zhi saw a small, round warming pot being handed to her. It was wrapped in pink cloth—the bribe she had given Feng Che when she went up the mountain the previous day.
He had refused to let her ride in his carriage, but in the end, the academy had remembered Gao Zheng’s instructions and deliberately sent someone to pick her up.
“I told you, I don’t want anything you’ve touched.”
Gao Zhi snorted.
“…”
Feng Che said nothing.
But the next moment, the warming pot landed in her arms, its warmth spreading from her lower abdomen throughout her body.
“?”
The warming pot had been filled with hot water.
So he had gone to…
Just as Gao Zhi’s thoughts began to wander, something heavy settled onto her shoulders. The thick, warm fur collar wrapped around her neck, and the chill she had suffered outside seemed to be driven away in an instant.
“Aren’t you cold?”
She asked in confusion, “You even went out of your way to get your clothes just now.”
“I moved around earlier. I’m not cold now.”
Feng Che released his hands and began arranging the books on the desk again, not looking at her even once.
Only belatedly did Gao Zhi realize what was going on.
“…”
This blockhead sometimes… wasn’t quite as wooden as he seemed.
*
The morning light was faint.
Half-asleep, Gao Zhi felt something warm pressing against her lower abdomen.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the unfamiliar red bed curtains embroidered with golden dragons and phoenixes. Feng Che was leaning over her, pulling the quilt back up after it had slipped down from her abdomen.
The man hadn’t noticed that she was awake. His handsome face was close to hers as he carefully tucked the edges of the quilt around her, then pushed the warming pot closer to her lower abdomen.
Only then did Gao Zhi remember that her period had ended just two days ago.
“You… still remembered?”
When the woman’s slightly hoarse voice sounded, the hand that had slipped beneath her quilt trembled.
The next instant, the man raised his dark, beautiful eyes and met her gaze.
Both of them froze.