Chapter 2: Entanglement “Are you hiding from me?”

Autumn had just arrived, and the crabapple trees in Linhua Palace were bearing pale green fruit. The leaves of the sycamore trees in the southeast corner rustled in the wind. The door curtain lifted, letting in a cool breeze.

Pei Yu walked steadily, taking off his cloak and handing it to the attendant at the door.

The dim candlelight in Linhua Palace illuminated his face clearly, revealing the faint scar running from behind his ear to his neck. The man’s eyes were cold and resolute, his expression distant, dark beneath a pair of sword-like brows. He possessed a truly handsome face, but due to his status and the pressure he commanded, few dared to look him in the face.

Looking at his wife approaching, he pursed his slightly heavy lips, a slight thaw of frost and snow.

“Are you checking the accounts?”

The man’s voice was low, perhaps due to the alcohol; it wasn’t as cold as usual, but held a subtle raspy edge.

“Go get the hangover soup,” Ming Yunzhi instructed Qingwu, then personally wrung out a silk handkerchief and handed it to him before answering, “I looked for a while.”

Pei Yu wiped his face and went back inside. He took off his boots and sat on the couch. The hangover soup was also served.

The soup didn’t taste particularly good. He frowned and drank it in one gulp.

“The lights are so dim, be careful not to hurt your eyes.”

“I didn’t look for long, it’s nothing serious.”

Ming Yunzhi paused and said gently, “I recently learned a new tea recipe that has a calming and soothing effect. Your Highness, would you like to try it?”

Pei Yu nodded slightly, leaned back on the table, and pressed his eyelids.

After giving his instructions, Ming Yunzhi washed his hands and sat down at the table.

Over the years, Pei Yu had grown increasingly mature and indifferent. He had become the crown prince at a young age, having long since shed his youthful innocence and never once shown tenderness or consideration.

Outwardly, he was the Crown Prince, a strict and unyielding ruler. While not as prone to beating and scolding servants as other rulers, he was far from gentle and kind. Most of his servants held him in a state of both respect and fear. Even Qing Wu, her most trusted advisor, dared not linger for long, and could only whisper in a low, worried voice as she presented the tea set, “Your Majesty…”

“Go down.”

Ming Yunzhi lowered his eyes and set the tea cake on the charcoal fire. Soon, the rustling sound of grinding tea could be heard in Linhua Hall.

Three years without a child was a fact. The lack of concubines in the Eastern Palace was a matter of great concern not only to the Empress but also to the officials within. She couldn’t continue to play dumb, but how should she begin?

Empress Chen wasn’t Pei Yu’s biological mother. If she said it was the Empress’s intention, Pei Yu would naturally dislike outsiders interfering in the affairs of the Eastern Palace and might even take his anger out on her.

She considered simply arranging for a few beautiful maids to stay by Pei Yu’s side. But Pei Yu seemed to strongly dislike such behavior. Previously, a maid with ulterior motives had taken advantage of her absence to tend to the empress dowager, but by the time she learned of it, they had already been dealt with.

Since then, no one in the Eastern Palace dared to overstep the bounds in front of the Crown Prince, let alone dream of becoming his own.

After much deliberation, she decided it was best to speak directly, to discuss matters clearly, and to avoid damaging the relationship.

Ming Yunzhi made up her mind, and her movements quickened. With a soft tinkling sound, the fragrance of tea filled the Linhua Palace.

“Your Highness, please.”

Smelling the fragrance of tea, Pei Yu’s frown softened slightly, his gaze following the teacup to his wife.

Her dark hair, now free of her jewelry, cascaded down her shoulders, making her appear even thinner. Her complexion was as delicate as white flesh, her dark brows slightly lowered, her features clear and graceful. Her movements flowed like flowing water, her bare hands stirring the incense, a truly pleasing sight.

He knew his wife had learned the art of tea-making since childhood, and the tea served at Linhua Palace was always brewed to his liking. In fact, it wasn’t just about tea; since their marriage, she had always been considerate and compliant in every aspect. Looking at the teacup before him, Pei Yu’s gaze softened. “The tea is crystal clear, the color of amber. Truly excellent.”

Ming Yunzhi smiled as she personally handed it to him.

“This tea is richly fragrant. I’m afraid Your Highness won’t like it…”

Her voice suddenly paused, and the hand holding the tea trembled imperceptibly, spilling the scalding liquid unexpectedly, scalding her fingertips.

Pei Yu took the cup and set it aside, frowning. “Someone, get the burn ointment.” He reached for Ming Yunzhi’s fingertips. “Why are you so careless?”

Outside the palace, Qing Wu’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the ointment was needed. Fortunately, she didn’t hear any arguing, so she hurried to get it. A servant had already brought cold water, and Ming Yunzhi dipped his fingertips into it, unable to tell whether the redness was from the tea or the biting coldness of the basin.

“Your Highness, the medicine is here.”

Pei Yu hummed, raising his hand to take it. Noticing the man’s movements, Ming Yunzhi finally raised his gaze from the basin. “Send Qing Wu.”

The air in Linhua Palace seemed to be silent for a moment.

Qingwu remembered this as the first time her own queen had so bluntly rejected the Crown Prince. There was even a hint of urgency in her voice, as if something was being avoided.

Qingwu lowered her head, not daring to look up at the Crown Prince’s expression. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the sleeves of his cloud-embroidered robe pause for a moment in mid-air. Her fingertips, about to touch the medicine jar, paused, then casually withdrew.

Ming Yunzhi: “Your Highness, don’t worry. It’s not a serious injury. It’s almost healed. Qingwu is all you need. But, Your Highness, wouldn’t you like to try the tea I brewed?”

Pei Yu, with his usual gentleness and thoughtfulness, glanced at her, his gaze fixed on her face. “Never mind. It’s getting late. Rest.”

The hot water was already ready. Ming Yunzhi turned and gave a few instructions. After everything was settled, Pei Yu turned around the screen and went to bathe.

Qing Wu, feeling uneasy, prepared the medicine for Ming Yunzhi’s wound and asked timidly, “Your Highness, what did the Crown Prince say just now?”

Could it be that His Highness had reprimanded the Empress, who was usually so composed and composed, that the Empress was so distracted? His Highness clearly intended to apply the medicine to the Empress. This was such a perfect opportunity for intimacy, so how could the Empress refuse?

Ming Yunzhi shook her head and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

“Do you sense anything amiss?”

Qing Wu carefully surveyed the Linhua Palace. Everything was familiar, arranged, and arranged in the same way.

“Fragrance.”

Ming Yunzhi watched the man disappear behind the screen.

At a distance, she hadn’t noticed it, but as soon as she got closer, something was revealed, and she couldn’t stop it.

Pei Yu used fragrance sparingly, resulting in a clean scent, a characteristic of her style. Whether it was the sachets or the agarwood used to fumigate clothes, they were all hers. No one knew Pei Yu’s scent better than she did. Day after day, year after year, even the strongest tea aroma was instantly noticeable to her.

He was tinged with someone else’s scent.

The chalcedony incense was tributed from India… its fragrance was long-lasting, a touch lingering. It was a tribute, and there were only a few dozen taels of it in the entire country, making it extremely rare. If she remembered correctly, after paying a few nobles in the palace, the remaining amount was personally bestowed by her.

Ming Yunzhi closed the account book, which contained several small portraits of women.

“Take it,” she curled her lips. “Why should I bother with it? Your Highness is willing, and that’s a good thing.”

–
Ming Yunzhi lay on her side on the bunk bed, facing inward. The more she tried to sleep, the more awake she became.

After an unknown amount of time, the bed curtain was lifted, revealing a slightly damp figure lying beside her.

Sensing someone approaching, Ming Yunzhi closed her eyes and feigned a deep sleep. Even more uncontrollable than her body’s stiffness were the thoughts racing through her mind. The scent of chalcedony had washed away, yet it seemed to linger on her nose.

“Are you asleep?”

A low voice echoed behind her ear, bringing a tingling sensation.

Ming Yunzhi struggled to catch her breath, but the more she tried, the more vulnerable she became. After just a few breaths, her breathing missed a beat, disrupting her rhythm.

A faint chuckle drifted past her ear, its tone indistinguishable from joy or anger, light and ethereal.

A large, warm hand touched her slightly cool shoulder, lingering for a moment. Beneath the brocade quilt, fingertips slowly traced down her lake-blue nightgown, resting on the waistband.

Ming Yunzhi finally couldn’t pretend anymore. She opened her eyes, her voice trembling slightly, “Your Highness…”

Pei Yu’s fingertips flicked the ties, loosening them abruptly, his voice a low, husky voice.

“Hiding from me?”

Ming Yunzhi looked away uncomfortably: “I’m tired…”

Pei Yu’s eyes darkened, and he reached out with his long arms, pulling her into his embrace.

“…You don’t have to move.”

The faint sounds drowned out the night until the drum beat past the third watch, and the swaying gauze curtains finally settled. Ming Yunzhi was drowsy as she was carried to her husband’s arms, washed, and then taken to bed together. Her back rested against his chest, a steady warmth radiating from behind.

In her trance, there was a certain tenderness.

…

The candlelight flickered, and a subtle crackling sound echoed.

The night was late.

The person in his arms breathed evenly, already sound asleep.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, Pei Yu’s consciousness slowly faded.

After a long period of darkness, a piercing, clamorous sound of joy filled his ears, and the sky suddenly brightened.

He instinctively raised his hand, but it felt as if something intangible was restraining him, making him unable to sense his body. That barrier, invisible and intangible, yet also inextricable.

Where was this?

The thick fog gradually dissipated, revealing a familiar sedan chair on the long street. A man in bright red wedding attire, riding a steed, stood tall and handsome. People on both sides of the street cheered, and children scrambled for the candy and money showered upon him.

Not far away, the man in wedding attire swiftly dismounted, walked over to the sedan, and firmly grasped the woman’s slender, white hand.

The hand, stained with the juice of the marigold, curled nervously, then was held tightly in the broad palm. After a moment, the hand tentatively opened, resting in the man’s grasp with utter dependence.

This is…

Pei Yu’s gaze deepened. The sound of greetings continued incessantly, and after three bows, countless compliments and congratulations followed. At the grand banquet, the faces of the people clinking glasses blurred, even the shadows of the trees dimmed. He didn’t know when the cup had been thrust into his hand, and the mellow wine inexplicably lost its flavor. Everything was hazy and unclear.

When the moon reached its zenith, he slowly entered the bridal chamber.

The moment he pushed open the door, the hazy mist that had obscured his vision suddenly dissipated. The bride, seated on the wedding bed, seemed aware of something, straightening her back adorably, putting on an expression of never slacking off.

Pei Yu’s steps didn’t pause, his gaze fixed on her nervously clenched hands.

After all, she was a young woman who had just come of age, he thought. If she hadn’t already been engaged, and he was several years older, a woman of her family wouldn’t have had to marry so young.

The room was just the two of them, and the silence was audible. He slowly raised his hand, lifted the jade ruyi, and lifted the veil.

The wedding candles illuminated the falling red silk, revealing a delicate face like a flower. It wasn’t the first time they had met, but it was the first time they had appeared in this attire, captivating as if they had just met.

Her brows, like distant mountains, lifted slightly, and her almond-shaped eyes, like autumn water, gazed up at him unblinkingly. Pei Yu inexplicably detected a hint of naiveté in them, and also… a different kind of beauty from their previous encounters.

The girl who had once barely reached his chest was now his wife.

Pei Yu’s fingertips tightened.

Only when his young wife glanced curiously at his hand did he slowly let go of the jade ruyi he had been holding.

“My dear…”

An uncontrollable premonition seemed to burst through his chest and burst forth from his heart. Pei Yu turned his hands behind his back and pressed the ring at the base of his finger, trying to pull himself away from the ominous feeling.

“As my Crown Princess, matters of love must come to the back of your mind.”

“Now that we are married, we are destined to spend the rest of our lives together. We will share honor and disgrace, our lives linked together,” Pei Yu said coldly. “Crown Princess, you only need to do your job and manage the household affairs. I will respect you. Your will is mine, everyone in the Eastern Palace. Crown Princess, do you understand?”

Her almond-shaped eyes froze for a long moment before she replied, “…Yes. I… know what Your Highness means.”

Pei Yu lowered his eyes. “Rest in peace.”

The candlelight dripped, forming large patches of red.

This was clearly the outcome he had hoped for, yet for some unknown reason, a piercing pain spread from his heart, a subtle bitterness surging through his very bones.

Pei Yu suddenly opened his eyes.