Zhao Wenxuan was visibly stunned when he saw the person in the carriage, and his grip on Song Xilou's hand reflexively loosened. Some people are born with an aura that towers above others—a single glance is enough to command obedience.
Yinzhen was exactly like that at this moment. Though his gaze appeared indifferent, anyone with eyes could see the storm brewing beneath the calm surface. Seeing Zhao Wenxuan's hand loosen, Song Xilou promptly withdrew her own.
At her movement, Yinzhen's gaze shifted from their hands to her face. He turned the prayer beads in his hand twice and spoke coldly: "Get in."
His voice was calm and frigid, utterly devoid of inflection—like a blade laced with crushed ice, capable of freezing one to the bone.
This was the first time Song Xilou had heard him speak to her in such a tone. Her hand gripping her sleeve tightened slightly as she looked at the carriage curtain that had already been drawn shut, then walked over.
Inside the carriage, there was not a sound for a long while. Song Xilou didn't know how to explain herself. Her relationship with Yinzhen had never been made explicit, and if she rushed to defend herself now, it would be tantamount to admitting she was in the wrong.
Men were like this—a woman's excessive eagerness only served to satisfy a man's vanity while lowering her own standing.
Moreover, anything she said now would be superfluous. It was better to say nothing at all.
Yinzhen, seated to the side, wore an increasingly grim expression. Lately, the Emperor had been openly praising him while reprimanding the Crown Prince, and behind the scenes, the Crown Prince's snide remarks were utterly exhausting.
It had only been a few days since he last saw her, and the moment he came, he witnessed her holding hands with someone else.
"You're quite composed." He glanced at the person sitting across from him, noting that she said nothing at all. Usually she was so clingy—where had her tongue gone now?
This was blatant sarcasm. Even she herself knew that being seen pulling and tugging with someone in broad daylight was damaging to one's image.
Her fingers tightened. She looked up, as if about to speak, then cast him a hesitant glance before lowering her head even further.
Yinzhen's expression was truly terrifying, yet Song Xilou found it rather amusing. He seemed to be waiting for her to explain herself, but to put it boldly—on what grounds?
Seeing that she remained silent, Yinzhen's face visibly darkened further. Eventually, he simply closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at her right now.
The carriage rumbled along, and not another word passed between them. Xiao Quanzi, who was driving, was unusually distracted. It had been his idea—when he saw his master, he'd mentioned that Song-guniang had been thinking of him constantly, hoping to please him.
His master had clearly been pleased to hear it and had come along with him. Who could have known they'd stumble upon such a scene?
Song-guniang was a kind person. Xiao Quanzi sympathized with her—she hadn't even been able to enter the Beile Mansion—and feared his master might hold a grudge against her. His mind wandered for a moment.
Suddenly, a dog appeared before him. Xiao Quanzi didn't react in time but managed to yank the reins. The horse, startled by the pain, reared up with its front hooves high in the air, throwing the carriage into chaos.
Song Xilou could have grabbed onto the carriage's edge at that moment, but thinking of the Palm Flower, she bit her lip and let go. Her body, following the momentum, tumbled—as expected—into Yinzhen's arms.
Fortunately, he didn't throw her out. Her body twisted and turned before settling steadily in his embrace.
"On purpose?" Song Xilou's body stiffened, but she could clearly sense his mood had turned pleased. His arms wrapped around her waist—the meaning was unmistakable.
It came again. That feeling came again. Sitting in his lap, she felt an unmistakable, bone-deep pleasure wash over her. Her hands, which had been hanging at her sides, boldly reached up to loop around his neck, pulling herself closer.
She felt the sensation of flower petals blooming one by one, and as the petals unfurled, her body trembled more violently. The feeling was simply too exquisite.
Yinzhen had just been teasing her. When the carriage lurched, he'd looked over and seen her grab the edge of the carriage before letting go. He'd thought she was deliberately throwing herself at him—but now she was trembling in his arms.
"Xilou?" He wanted to check on her, but Song Xilou only held on tighter, shaking her head and refusing to let go. He assumed she was terrified, and whatever anger he'd felt earlier had long since dissipated. He gently patted her back with sympathy.
"There, there. Don't be afraid."
Xiao Quanzi waited outside. Hearing no sound from within for a long while, he moved to lift the curtain—but the moment he opened it a crack, his master's voice roared from inside: "Scram."
Xiao Quanzi didn't dare actually scram—he still had to drive the carriage—but his face flushed crimson as he lowered his head. In that brief glimpse, he'd seen it: his master holding Song-guniang in his arms, and she was trembling.
Who knows what… they'd been doing in there. His master really was something—still… in the carriage, of all places.
Who knows how long passed before that feeling finally subsided. Song Xilou sensed the flower in her palm had fully bloomed, and only then did she lift her head from his embrace.
Her face, like fine jade porcelain, was flushed with a rosy hue. Strands of hair at her forehead were damp with sweat, messily clinging to her cheeks. Tear droplets still hung from her trembling lashes. There was no other outward change to her—and yet, in the moment she opened her eyes, there was an indescribable quality about her.
Innocent yet alluring without knowing it, one glance was enough to stir Yinzhen's heart and unsettle his soul, and in an instant, he tightened below.
He considered himself no lecher, and there was no woman in his household he doted on excessively, yet now he was like a rash young lad, his mind thrown into chaos.
Song Xilou realized she was still in his embrace, her face flushing red, and immediately shyly tried to get down, but the moment she made the slightest move, Yinzhen noticed and pressed his hand against her back to stop her.
If she went down now, that part of him would be impossible to hide.
Song Xilou had no idea what he was thinking, assuming Yinzhen simply wanted to keep holding her. The current position was too uncomfortable, so she twisted a few times to find a more comfortable posture.
But the moment she twisted, she froze, her body stopping dead, not daring to move. She seemed to have touched something. Looking at Yinzhen's unflappable expression before her, she was astonished that he was already having such thoughts about her.
In her past life, she had experienced everything, but now she was an innocent young lady who knew nothing. This situation was like riding a tiger—impossible to dismount.
Men truly were creatures driven by their lower halves. Song Xilou lowered her gaze, full of silent mockery.
Yinzhen had no idea he had been exposed, still thinking it fortunate she was young and knew nothing. Looking at the obedient little girl sitting in his lap, he stroked her hair, rewarding her a little.
He closed his eyes and recited the Diamond Sutra several times, and only then did the murky heat in his chest begin to subside.
He called out to the outside: "Let's go." He only wanted to hurry back now, lest he frighten the little girl. She was so delicate that she would surely burst into tears.
At the thought of her looking like a weeping pear blossom, Yinzhen's hand, which was rolling his prayer beads, paused, and the sutras on his lips were recited even faster.
Song Xilou, sitting in his lap, bit her lip, her face red. This man was nothing but a beast in human clothing.
Fortunately, the distance was not far, and nothing happened on the way. Before long, they arrived at the small courtyard where Song Xilou stayed. This time, however, Yinzhen did not get down, only saying: "There should be news of your family soon. I will come find you again in a while."
Seeing her obediently nod, he glanced once more at the courtyard before letting down the curtain and leaving.
Same as last time, only after his carriage had completely disappeared did Song Xilou turn back, though this time her steps were quicker. Once inside, she shut herself in her room and did not come out.
Nanny Wu thought the two had quarreled and knocked on the door: "Miss, calm your anger."
It took Song Xilou quite some effort to persuade the woman to leave. Turning back, she looked at the flower in her hand. The pink petals, layered one upon another, had finally bloomed, and under the rosy glow, it was still emitting a white light.
Song Xilou tapped the petals, and the lotus, like a young sprout, clung to her finger, rubbing against it dependently several times. Song Xilou could feel the attachment within it, and she also noticed the lotus seed at the heart of the flower.
Golden, glowing. One glance was enough for Song Xilou to know it was something good for her. Without hesitation, she took it down and, following her body's command, swallowed it.
Yinzhen sat in the carriage while Xiao Quanzi reported in a low voice everything Song Xilou had done and eaten during this period.
"What about the person at the entrance of Linglong Zhai today?" Yinzhen's expression soured at the thought of them holding hands.
"It was Young Master Zhao Wenxuan of the Zhao family." Among the notable Zhao families in the capital, it could only be that one—renowned for their carving skills, pursued by thousands.
"Sometimes, being too prominent in the limelight is not a good thing."
The prayer beads in his hand stopped. He knew that such ostentatious people would one day be eliminated for getting in others' way.
That would save him the trouble of acting himself.
After returning to the mansion, he went straight to the study. While handling official affairs, he heard a commotion outside. Irritated, he set down his brush and called out: "What is it? The noise is giving me a headache."
Su Peisheng was about to go in and report when Lady Li shouted loudly: "My lord, it is your concubine."
Her voice was soft and gentle, the final syllable drawn out long. Yinzhen recognized her at once—it was Lady Li.
His brows furrowed in annoyance. He had meant to send her back, but the person outside seemed to know his thoughts and called out again: "My lord, Hongyun says he misses his father."
"Hongshi too." As if not reassured, she added another line.
Hongshi was only two or three months old—how could he know what missing someone meant? This was merely Lady Li, just out of her confinement period, afraid someone might seize favor in her absence, brazenly competing for his affection.
The lord had rarely visited the rear courtyard since his return, and even when he stayed, it was at the consort's place. Lady Li tightened her grip on her handkerchief. With that stern face of the consort, how could the lord possibly like her? It was only for appearances, mutual respect without true intimacy.
Even if Yinzhen was displeased with Lady Li's behavior, he still thought of the children. It had been a long while since he had seen them. After a moment's consideration, he set down his brush: "I'll go to your courtyard to take a look."
Hearing this, Lady Li straightened her back even more. In the entire rear courtyard of the beile mansion, she was the first to achieve this.
After playing with the two children for a while, dinner was naturally taken in Lady Li's courtyard. She knew his preferences and had clearly prepared everything in advance, and Yinzhen was served most comfortably.
After the meal, he lay on the couch, and Lady Li gently massaged his head. He had been troubled by Jiang Zhengqi's matters these past few days, and for a moment, his mind felt much more relaxed.
When Lady Li picked up his clothes and asked, "Will you stay tonight, my lord?"
"I'll stay."
Under the candlelight, Lady Li held his clothes, looking exceptionally gentle. Having borne a child, her figure was fuller on top, yet her waist was so slender that one hand could encircle it.
She held his clothes and boldly sat on his lap, her eyes full of unspoken words, alluring and captivating.
With a seductive expression, she slowly pressed her lips toward him.
When the two had been together before, such intimate moments were nothing new. He had thought to go along with her and indulge in passion, but unexpectedly, his mind drifted to the scene in the carriage earlier today.
Those eyes, glistening with tears, exceptionally clear and enchanting.
Instinctively, he pushed away the person who was about to reach his lips, and Yinzhen stood up from the couch.
"My lord?" Lady Li, pushed aside, was startled and looked utterly bewildered.
Without a word, Yinzhen shook her off and turned to leave, leaving Lady Li clutching his clothes with a face full of annoyance.