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Chapter 12: “Sit on Top”

Juchen was kissed until she felt utterly dazed and breathless.

During a brief pause for air, Song Mi exhaled deeply above her.

As if trying hard not to betray his original intention of simply letting her enjoy the hot spring, he seemed to be exercising extreme self-restraint—even choosing to strike up a conversation mid-kiss.

And oddly enough, the topic he brought up was… cherries.

“Did you really do it just to fight over cherries?”

Juchen had never realized just how curious he could be.

“Why not?” she replied with a smile.

Song Mi said, “You’re clearly not that kind of person.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

“You don’t have that kind of talent,” he said, lifting her chin to look at her blushing face.

Every time they were in bed, she was always passive—she didn’t truly know how to seduce a man. At most, she could flirt a little, but when things got serious, she ran faster than anyone else.

Juchen pouted slightly, “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

“How would I know that unless you tell me?”

Juchen saw that he really intended to get to the bottom of it. After a brief silence, she sighed, “You’re right. I don’t like cherries.”

Song Mi frowned. “Then why were you fighting your sister over them today?”

Juchen replied, “Because you gave them to me, didn’t you?”

For once, Song Mi showed a trace of genuine amusement.

When he truly smiled from the heart, he looked especially gentle and attractive. The way he gazed at her so tenderly gave Juchen the courage to tell the truth.

“At the time, the young heir of the Yongchang Earl’s household was engaged in marriage talks with another girl from my private school, but secretly, he kept trying to court me.”

“He wanted to marry you?” Song Mi asked.

Juchen scoffed. “He wanted to make me his concubine.”

“I’m just a minor official’s daughter. Families like theirs would never marry someone like me as their principal wife. But he claimed he was only marrying the other girl for show and that once I entered his household, he would dote on me exclusively.”

She shrugged. “I’ve heard those kinds of lies too many times, so I didn’t take him seriously. But to prove his sincerity, he told me he was forced to marry that girl for her dowry—to fill the financial hole in his family.”

“That had nothing to do with me. And the girl never got along with me anyway. But later, the princess consort took me to visit her home. I saw her mother preparing an elaborate dowry, fretting that her daughter wouldn’t marry anyone but him. She was worried her daughter would suffer if she married into a higher-ranked family, afraid she’d meet someone unworthy.”

“Her father died early. Though the family still held a noble title, it had passed to a male cousin. Her mother raised her alone, managing all their shops and properties by herself.”

Song Mi said quietly, “So, you couldn’t bear to see them deceived, and you sabotaged the marriage.”

“More or less,” Juchen admitted.

Song Mi held her close, his chin brushing her forehead. “And that girl still pushed you into the water? She really couldn’t recognize a kind heart.”

Juchen chuckled. “I did provoke her a bit. She kept calling me a fox spirit every day.”

At that age, Juchen was already showing signs of striking beauty—a budding blossom that caught the eyes of many noble sons in the capital.

She didn’t belong to the glamorous, sultry type of beauty. She was more like a serene landscape painting from Jiangnan—accidentally dropped into the bustling world of wealth. The more one looked, the more one became enchanted without realizing it.

Naturally, she quickly attracted a crowd of admirers—and just as many jealous rivals.

Those girls always accused her of pretending to be innocent and weak, acting pitiful only around men.

Though the accusations weren’t true, they still stung—like walking through a muddy field and getting your shoes wet from the morning dew. The discomfort lingered.

With a raised brow and a pout, Juchen said crisply, “I didn’t even use that stack of love letters from her fiancé to piss her off. I let her off easy.”

“You received a lot of love letters before?” Song Mi asked.

Juchen laughed. “Is that really the point?”

But Song Mi persisted, “Were any of them well-written?”

Their eyes met. Looking into the starry night reflected in his eyes, Juchen suddenly thought of the yellowed piece of paper hidden inside the bamboo tube.

“Of course.”

“Which one?”

Juchen blinked playfully. “I haven’t received it yet.”

She smiled sweetly, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

Under the glow of the luminous pearl, her snow-white face seemed to emit a gentle light—something almost divine, enough to stir awe and longing in the heart.

Song Mi’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily—clearly at the edge of his self-control.

The hand he had wrapped around her waist gradually moved downward. He patted her lightly and, voice low and rough like he was barely restraining himself, said, “Sit on top.”

Juchen’s eyelashes quivered, her pale face instantly flushing scarlet.

As she leaned closer, pressing herself against his neck, the man’s eyes darkened like the depths of night. His chest tensed with restrained heat.

The paradise he longed for was within reach—one more step, and he could finally be saved.

Yet Song Mi still held on to the last shred of patience, guiding her carefully with his long, slender fingers, drawing her into a slow, consuming pleasure.

He seemed to care deeply about mutual experience—he never rushed. Until she was fully ready, he wouldn’t push forward.

Juchen adored this tender side of him. Even through the thin silk robe, her body grew warmer by the second.

She straddled his lap and reached out to loosen his collar.

But just then, behind the hazy screen, outside the beaded curtain, the palace door creaked softly.

A palace maid carrying refreshments gently pushed the door open—and her pupils contracted sharply at the sight.

The prince’s jade crown, ceremonial robe, and the eunuch’s attire were all scattered chaotically on the ground, trailing toward the steaming pool in a tangled mess—an intoxicating scene.

Before she could even set down the lacquered tray, a cold and commanding voice came from within:

“Get out!”

Terrified, the maid dropped to her knees, forehead to the ground.

Only after the faint sound of the door closing filtered through the curtains did Juchen relax her resisting hands. Song Mi, who had been shielding her beneath the water, pulled her back up.

Even though Song Mi was absolutely certain no one else would dare barge in, Juchen’s ears were blazing red—she adamantly refused to continue in the water.

Left with no choice, Song Mi followed her ashore. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder from behind, he gave a half-smile and teased:

“What, that scared?”

---

Ju Chen heard the teasing in his voice and shot him a fierce glare with her beautiful eyes. Imitating his smirk, she said, “If we get discovered, will you marry me?”

Song Mi’s fingers, which had been stroking her cherry lips, paused slightly.

Ju Chen immediately said, “I’m just joking.”

To avoid arousing his suspicion, the girl’s lips curled into a soft smile. Her tone was flirtatious, her breath like orchid, and her jet-black hair swept past the beaded curtain with her light steps.

Song Mi’s eyes darkened. He stepped forward, blocked her at the door, and turned to carry her onto the bed.

—

Later that night, everything was silent.

Outside in the courtyard, Yuan Ruo was stationed at the palace gate under orders. No one dared approach Huaqing Palace.

However, the rumor that Prince Pengshan had played around with a young eunuch in the hot spring spread to the Empress Dowager the very next morning.

At dawn, the mist on the mountain had not yet cleared.

Song Mi had just returned to his study when Yuan Ruo rushed in from outside and whispered something in his ear.

Song Mi frowned, his gaze darkening, and sighed before turning around to obediently head to the Empress Dowager’s palace.

As soon as the Empress Dowager saw his familiar tall figure enter, she slammed the tea cup onto the table, her face hardening.

The sound of the cup clinking against the table echoed in the room. Pei Duzhi hurriedly signaled to the others, and the palace maids and eunuchs quickly withdrew.

With hands behind his back, Song Mi stood straight before her. “Your Majesty, what is it you wish to see me about?”

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, gave him a sidelong glance, and asked, “Where were you last night?”

Song Mi replied unhurriedly, “Nowhere. Just up on the mountain.”

What a perfect “just on the mountain.”

The Empress Dowager sneered, scrutinizing him. “Didn’t you say yesterday there were three feet of official documents you hadn’t read? How did you suddenly get the urge to soak in a hot spring in the middle of the night?”

“I got tired from reading and needed some relaxation.”

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. “Relaxation? With a man?”

Her usually gentle tone dropped several notches, revealing the hidden authority and sharpness beneath.

Song Mi stayed silent, and her temper flared for real.

He was already twenty-three. In an ordinary family, she’d be holding grandchildren by now. Even his younger brother, the current emperor’s eldest son, was already six. Yet he showed no urgency about his own marriage.

She had finally picked a county lady from the Prince of Ruyang’s household for him and arranged for them to meet yesterday. But he had dodged the meeting under the excuse of being busy in his study.

Then, he brought a young eunuch into Huaqing Palace—and didn’t come out the entire night!

The Empress Dowager slammed the table and shouted, “Who was that young eunuch?”

Song Mi touched his nose, pretending to recall, and frowned. “Just someone I pulled along the way. Don’t remember.”

“What were you doing in there?”

The corner of Song Mi’s lips twitched. “Whatever you imagine we were doing, that’s what we were doing.”

The Empress Dowager was stunned speechless for a moment. “The County Lady of Rongcheng waited for you all night in the garden. How could you…”

Song Mi cut her off directly, “I didn’t ask her to wait for me.”

His cold tone clearly expressed displeasure at her arranging a blind date for him without his consent.

The Empress Dowager sighed heavily, scolding with furrowed brows, “If you’re not interested, just say so! Why damage your own reputation like this and make people think the reason you’re still unmarried is because you’re into men!”

Song Mi was silent for a moment and looked at her. Apparently, she hadn’t found out the person’s real identity—didn’t even know if it was a man or a woman.

The Empress Dowager gasped. “Don’t tell me you really have that… preference?”

Song Mi didn’t deny it. He gave a cold chuckle. “If you hadn’t sent someone to spy on me, who would’ve known about my ‘preference’?”

That palace maid last night was clearly sent by the Empress Dowager. Who else could have bypassed Yuan Ruo and entered his quarters?

And she knew he despised anyone overreaching into his private affairs.

The Empress Dowager was momentarily choked, staring at his cold gaze. She opened her mouth several times, but in the end, swallowed her explanation.

She clenched her fists, glaring at him. “You lied to me first. Can I not check what you’re doing? Even if you’re angry, must you go this far?”

“What did I do wrong?”

“You’re being ridiculous!”

“Ridiculous?” Song Mi sneered, looking at her. “More ridiculous than my own mother marrying my uncle? Than my sister-in-law?”

“You—!”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes widened. She tried to speak several times, but in a fit of rage, she grabbed a porcelain cup from the table and hurled it at his feet.

To her shock, Song Mi didn’t even flinch. The cup smashed with a crash, shards flying. One sharp piece sliced his sleeve and left a deep red gash on the back of his hand.

The Empress Dowager froze, her fury replaced by concern. She rushed forward to check his hand.

But Song Mi shoved her away and left without looking back.

At the door, Pei Duzhi stepped forward, looked at the Empress Dowager hesitating behind him, and tried to persuade the prince to stay while calling someone to fetch the imperial physician.

Song Mi coldly refused, “No need. I can take care of myself.”

At that, the Empress Dowager staggered slightly. Watching his tall figure disappear through the door, she hunched her back and her eyes reddened.

Pei Duzhi quickly stepped in to support her.

The Empress Dowager sighed deeply and pounded her chest. “Truly a debt from a past life—to have given birth to such a stubborn child!”

“Your Majesty, why not explain to the Prince? Yesterday, you only sent someone because—”

“What good would it do?” she cut him off sorrowfully. “He’s never believed I truly cared about him. From the moment I sent him to Pengshan alone, he decided I didn’t love him…”

Otherwise, how could he so naturally say, “I can take care of myself”?

—

Early that morning, Ju Chen was quietly escorted back to her residence by the man. She slept soundly until late morning before finally waking up.

Yawning and stretching, she headed to the dining hall and gracefully took a seat beside the other female disciples.

A palace maid poured her tea. Ju Chen picked up the cup and leaned in toward Xue Wan and the others. Only by midday did she finally piece together the explosive gossip that had shaken the entire Mount Li that day.

“Prince Pengshan had another argument with Her Majesty.”

Ju Chen gently blew the tea foam and took a sip. She thought to herself—those two bickering? That’s nothing new. Completely normal.

“But get this—Prince Pengshan apparently played around with a young eunuch! Took him to Huaqing Palace last night to frolic in the spring! Who would’ve thought—such a noble, upright man turned out to be… a cut-sleeve!”

Ju Chen spat out her tea.