Chapter 32

Outside, the cold wind howled. In the small room, there was only a single candle, its flame flickering slightly as the wind hit the window. They stared at each other for a long time without moving.

Yang Yanzong reached out and touched her face. Whatever he was thinking about, his expression darkened significantly. His black eyes were sharp and chilling, filled with coldness and gloom.

Well, anyone would be unhappy—especially a man like him.

Su Ci could empathize, feeling a sense of frustration. Damn, that old Emperor. He should just die already! But now, they couldn’t confront him directly and seek death; they had to find another way.

Yang Yanzong understood very well that they had to act this way. Before the old Emperor made things clear, they had to strike first; otherwise, their marriage would likely be impossible. No, not likely—definitely!

He laughed coldly. Steal the peach? Steal his wife? What was his, no one could take away unless he was dead—even the Emperor!! But in these extraordinary times, she had to endure the hardship.

Yang Yanzong lowered his eyes, his sharp and gloomy face slightly softened, but his aggressive gaze was no longer concealed. Unlike his usual restrained demeanor, his intense presence was overwhelming. At this moment, even a single strand of his hair seemed dangerous enough to make a timid person scream.

Su Ci stared at him for a while, blinking. She looked around. Here? No way, not here! There wasn’t even a chair.

Apart from a tall rack for clothes and towels, there was only a washstand with a brass basin half filled with cold water. This was too much! It made her teeth ache, and her head hurt.

But before she could finish her thoughts, she heard a noise outside. Something bumped into the furniture, followed by footsteps approaching. Su Ci’s heart skipped a beat. It was a palace maid carrying osmanthus hair oil and rose essential oil from the inner storage. Two palace maids and a young eunuch were assigned to serve Su Ci. The eunuch usually fetched water and food while the maids took care of her inside.

“Miss Su—” The older maid called out as she reached the curtain, lifting the dark blue satin drape.

Su Ci’s heart raced. She quickly pushed Yang Yanzong to the side, against the wall, and stepped forward, grabbing the maid’s hand and pressing it down with a deft move.

Su Ci lifted the curtain and smiled, “What’s the matter, Aunt Zhang?”

Aunt Zhang smiled, “Miss Su, haven’t you washed yet?” She lifted the basket in her hand. “The inner storage just received osmanthus hair oil, perfect for smoothing your sideburns, and the new rose water, which is great for washing your hair and face and soothing and calming.” She smiled as she spoke, about to place the basket inside.

Su Ci quickly stopped her, taking the basket herself, “Alright, I’ll put it inside. Thank you for thinking of me, Aunt Zhang.”

The King of Hell is easy to meet, but little devils are hard to deal with. Although arrangements were made, if no one specifically cared for these trivial matters, you wouldn’t be able to live comfortably.

The two palace servants were attentive to Su Ci, warm and considerate, but lacked a sense of hierarchy. It wasn’t a big deal, but in places like the bathroom, they would just lift the curtain and come in, which Su Ci didn’t like.

Aunt Zhang still wanted to come in, smiling as she stepped forward. “Let me scrub your back. It’s so cold, you can’t do it alone, can you?”

Aunt Zhang was round and plump, twice the size of Su Ci, and very strong. She almost pushed over Su Ci. She quickly blocked and pushed Aunt Zhang back. “No need, no need. It’s not a big deal. I can handle it myself.”

Su Ci’s voice was firm. She wasn’t used to having someone help her wash, and she didn’t like people coming in. Aunt Zhang didn’t find it strange. The curtain swayed as they pushed and pulled, almost extinguishing the candle by the door. Su Ci quickly grabbed a fire starter to prevent Aunt Zhang from offering to change the candle. “Aunt Zhang, can you find that pale green dress with the leaf pattern and the silver mink fur cloak? The lily scent isn’t good; I prefer the sandalwood.”

She quickly gave Aunt Zhang a list of tasks. Heaven knows she didn’t like sandalwood at all. It had kept her awake the first night, and now she had to switch it back.

“Oh, okay. The cloak is the dark green one? Dark green with pale green doesn’t look good. How about the white fox fur one?”

“Just prepare them all. I’ll try them on later.”

“Alright!…”

Finally, she managed to send the enthusiastic Aunt Zhang away. Su Ci peeked through the curtain gap, watching Aunt Zhang and the young maid Bai Tao open the wardrobe and take out the clothes she mentioned. The inner room was small, so they moved outside to the small round antique shelf, laid a thick cloth on the large round table, and prepared to iron the clothes.

The distance wasn’t very far, as the western annex wasn’t large, just about ten steps. Fortunately, it was much brighter outside, so the shadows behind the curtain couldn’t be seen. Behind the thin curtain were two people, and in the courtyard and palace walls, there were many sharp-eared and keen-eyed guards.

Su Ci held her breath, and the small room became exceptionally quiet. The candleholder tilted, and the wax tears drowned half of the flame, leaving only a tiny flicker. In this steamy, dim, narrow room, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and a solid chest silently pressed against her back.

Su Ci turned her head and met deep, fierce eyes. Suddenly, she was lifted and placed on a small yellow poplar wood shelf. The shelf was a bit high, probably higher than Yang Yanzong’s waist, so now their eyes were level, and she was even slightly taller. She breathed lightly, her eyes wide with surprise at his sudden movement, but she kept her mouth tightly shut, staring at him. She didn’t know that her eyes were bright and sparkling in the darkness, reflecting the flickering firelight and the red lanterns outside the window, looking astonishingly bright. She looked like a little chubby cat, startled by a sudden situation but not truly afraid, curiously staring at him. She looked pure and innocent, charmingly naive. She wasn’t scared- Not even a bit panicked.

Yang Yanzong gritted his teeth, leaning close to her ear, and whispered, “Do you know what I’m going to do?” So calm?

Su Ci’s eyes rolled around. Saying she didn’t know seemed fake, and she couldn’t pull it off. Besides, this man’s eyes were sharp, and he wouldn’t be fooled. But saying she knew very well seemed a bit too much. Thinking about it, she couldn’t help but laugh. Damn, this was really difficult.

Su Ci laughed, and Yang Yanzong’s face darkened. But he had to admit, her laughter eased the tense atmosphere that felt like it was about to explode. He was a bit annoyed, but his mood lightened a bit. He pinched her chin, shaking it a few times as a punishment, and even bit her face.

Su Ci silently screamed, damn, is this guy a dog? Always biting her face. Wouldn’t she be at a huge loss if he accidentally left a mark?

As they tussled, the playful fight turned into something else. Slowly, their noses touched, and they kissed. In the dim room, their breathing was light yet heavy. The atmosphere was quite good. He felt he had wronged her, so his demeanor and actions were much gentler than when he entered the room. But Su Ci’s mischievous nature kicked in again. She suddenly said, “Hey, what if I can’t marry you in the end? Wouldn’t I be at a huge loss?”

Yang Yanzong: “…”

She had a point, but it ruined the mood. No one knew better than her how to provoke him. Yang Yanzong’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he was furious. He gritted his teeth and said, “Don’t worry, you won’t lose out!”

He didn’t want to hear her talk anymore. Her sudden words could drive him half-mad. Yang Yanzong gritted his teeth and decided to act. He bit her lips hard, and Su Ci silently screamed. Damn, it hurt so much. She kicked him, and their movements made the tall, slender, half-old yellow poplar wood shelf creak loudly.

The sound was evident in the quiet room, and they both paused.

“Miss Su? What’s wrong?” Footsteps approached, and a voice called out.

Su Ci took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice, and replied casually, “Nothing, I just accidentally bumped the shelf.”

“Oh, be careful then.”

“Mm.”

The sound of embroidered shoes on the carpet was faint. The footsteps moved away, followed by the sound of water splashing and the hiss of an iron.

Su Ci was lifted again. In the darkness, they left the unstable shelf and moved behind the small screen in the dressing area. The space was extremely narrow, just enough for two people. Su Ci looked up, breathing deeply. She felt Yang Yanzong’s hot breath on her neck. He was like a fierce beast about to attack, his dominance making her heart race. Her delicate skin felt the pressure, and she couldn’t help but shiver lightly. Blood continued to flow through the delicate, green veins, and her breath quickened. After a long time, the moment filled with fierce determination arrived. She closed her half-open eyes, furrowing her brows, and dug her nails into his shoulders!

It was truly unexpected. In modern times, she had always wanted to find someone with a great body, face, and personality to talk to before marriage, but she never found the right person. She didn’t expect to come to this ancient time and get involved before marriage. So, people’s encounters are like worms in their stomachs; you never know how many there are until you take the medicine.

She was still distracted, unromantically complaining like Ah Q (*). She couldn’t help it; she was really uncomfortable, her back aching. A team of guards patrolled the courtyard, passing by the window. Both of them held their breath and moved lightly.

T/N: Ah Q is a fictional character from the novel “The True Story of Ah Q” by the Chinese writer Lu Xun.

Time was too short. Even so, they didn’t dare to take too long, solving the matter quickly and efficiently. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. Yang Yanzong held her and placed her on a long bench against the wall, tucking the cloak around her. He whispered, “It will be over in ten days at most or as short as two or three days.”

Su Ci responded with a lazy “Mm.” She felt a bit uncomfortable. Yang Yanzong couldn’t stay long. After a few words, he kissed her forehead and silently left through the window.

He really came and went like the wind!

But Su Ci wasn’t sentimental. Melancholy wasn’t her style. After complaining for a while, she got up, lit the candle, opened the window a bit, and quickly tidied up to avoid leaving any traces.

After checking everything inside and out, the matter was covered up. Aunt Zhang and the young maid brought in the freshly ironed clothes, and Su Ci smiled and tried them on.

“Miss Su, you look good in anything!” Aunt Zhang praised.

Su Ci’s face was particularly rosy, with two faint blushes on her porcelain-white cheeks. Her lips looked like they had lipstick on, making her look especially attractive.

Feeling guilty, Su Ci quickly finished trying the clothes and chose the pale green dress with leaf patterns and the white fox fur cloak for tomorrow, based on Aunt Zhang’s suggestions. These were gifts from Princess Zhao. After a trip to the palace, her wardrobe had upgraded significantly. She yawned and said she was going to sleep. Finally, she sent Aunt Zhang, the young maid, and the young eunuch out, blew out the lamp, and lay down on the bed, pulling the quilt over herself.

It felt like something big had happened, but also not that big. Anyway, she decided to sleep. No matter the size of the issue, the immediate problem was solved, and she could sleep peacefully. Thinking this, she felt relaxed. Although her body was a bit uncomfortable, she didn’t care. She adjusted to a comfortable position and quickly fell into a deep sleep, taking only three to five minutes.

Fortunately, Yang Yanzong didn’t know, or his face would have turned even darker.

---