Yan Xuecuī walked to the couch and sat down. His deep, clear voice interrupted her thoughts. “What is the Princess Consort looking at?”

Chi Ying hurriedly withdrew her gaze. “I…”

Before she could answer, Yan Xuecuī suddenly asked, “Are you reading?”

So that was what he meant.

Chi Ying quietly breathed a sigh of relief and poured tea for him. “Yes, it is a book I bought at the bookstore today.”

Yan Xuecuī had already caught the scent of Pre-rain Dragon Well. Since that night, Shuyu Pavilion had kept this tea prepared for him.

Chi Ying watched as he took a shallow sip of the hot tea, his already crimson lips seeming to grow even more vivid.

Setting down the teacup, Yan Xuecuī said nonchalantly, “I have heard that the Princess Consort is skilled with the zither, yet I have never seen you play.”

Chi Ying’s face turned slightly pale, and she unconsciously gripped her sleeves.

From the moment she agreed to be the substitute bride to the wedding day, only a few months had passed. While she could barely manage to learn the etiquette and rules of a noble lady, skills like the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting could not be mastered overnight. In such a short time, she was no match for the years of foundation Chi Yingyue possessed.

Fortunately, she had already prepared an excuse. She carefully weighed her words and replied, “I hope Your Highness does not laugh at me. In the past, I practiced the zither diligently only to avoid falling behind others and to gain a good reputation. In truth, from the bottom of my heart, the zither is not something I truly enjoy.”

“So that is how it is,” Yan Xuecuī could not help but curl his lips into a smile. “Since you do not like the zither, does the Princess Consort have other hobbies?”

Chi Ying thought for a moment and said, “Cooking, needlework, occasionally tending to flowers, and reading some miscellaneous books.”

Yan Xuecuī spoke with approval. “While the four arts are indeed elegant, the way of food and drink is also a part of the vibrant mortal world. This is very good.”

Regardless of whether he was being sincere or perfunctory, Chi Ying found his words comforting. Of course, these were the only things she knew.

Though she had some contact with the four arts when she was young, everything had to be set aside after she was sent to the manor.

Needlework and cooking were hobbies, but they were also born of necessity. At first, her mother taught her, and later she figured things out on her own, slowly beginning to make sachets and embroidered handkerchiefs to exchange for silver. Her cooking skills were also honed in front of the stove over the years. Although life at the manor was bitter, she could turn wild mushrooms and vegetables into delicacies.

A hobby like cooking might not fit the requirements for a noble lady, but having a rare chance to speak her mind, Chi Ying chose to tell the truth. If Prince Zhao was inclined, he would not use the four arts to test or embarrass her in the future.

Being tested so unexpectedly just now had broken her out in a cold sweat.

Hearing the sound of her fingertips brushing against the pages, Yan Xuecuī became interested. “What book is the Princess Consort reading?”

Chi Ying replied, “It is Cheng Mengchuang’s *Dream Studio Notes*.”

She had only gone to the bookstore as a formality, picking up two volumes of famous essays and flipping through a few pages. They seemed to discuss the elegant anecdotes of literati. Thinking she would inevitably have to interact with imperial relatives at the Flower Banquet, she thought there was no harm in reading them, so she bought them on a whim.

However, seeing the slight smile at the corner of his lips when she finished speaking, she felt uneasy. “Has Your Highness read it? Or is there something wrong with this book?”

Yan Xuecuī shook his head and smiled. “What does it talk about? Read it to me.”

“It seems to be notes of Cheng Mengchuang’s travels and social circles in the capital,” Chi Ying flipped to the table of contents and read line by line. “Burning incense and playing the zither, drinking under the moon, playing chess and tasting tea, red sleeves adding incense, tying hair and painting eyebrows, reclining on the couch…”

As she read, she finally realized something was wrong. These were not the elegant affairs of scholars, but…

Her cheeks flushed, and she was too ashamed to continue. Prince Zhao, however, pointed it out directly. “I remember this volume was Cheng Mengchuang’s record of the private pleasures between him and his wife. It seems I did not remember incorrectly.”

Chi Ying: “…”

He clearly knew, yet he still made her read it out loud to embarrass her!

Chi Ying’s face was completely red. She felt as though her lack of knowledge had been exposed, and she felt a surge of shame and indignation at his teasing.

Yan Xuecuī’s brow twitched slightly. “So the Princess Consort truly did not know. I thought you had bought it specifically because you wanted to discuss marital pleasures with me.”

Chi Ying lowered her head, gripping the corner of the book in her embarrassment.

Yan Xuecuī sighed softly. “It is a pity that I am blind and cannot paint your eyebrows or accompany you to watch the flowers and enjoy the scenery.”

Chi Ying was stunned. Looking up to see the smile lingering on his lips, a trace of bitterness welled up in her heart.

She wanted to say something, but felt that all words of comfort would be hollow. She could only say, “Physician Lin has superb medical skills. In time, Your Highness will surely recover as before.”

Yan Xuecuī set down his teacup, smiled, and suddenly reached out his hand toward her. “Come here.”

Chi Ying’s breath hitched. She hesitated for a moment before standing up.

She did not know what he wanted to do. She shuffled over slowly, and just as her fingertips touched his palm, she was suddenly pulled in by the man’s arm around her waist. Her hands pressed against his broad, hard chest as she struggled to stand steady.

His large, slightly calloused palm covered her lower back, the scorching heat seeping through her clothing. They were so close that their breaths intertwined. The clear Galan incense mixed with the faint scent of tea brushed past her nose. Chi Ying’s face was flushed deep red, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on her back.

She turned her head slightly, wanting to adjust her posture, but as soon as she moved, he held her even tighter.

Seeing that there was only a finger’s width of distance between their lips, Chi Ying’s heart thundered, and a crimson hue spread from the tips of her ears to her neck.

Sensing that his thin lips seemed intent on drawing closer, she clenched her fingers and blurted out in desperation, “Your Highness, I… my lips are a bit swollen…”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it.

If she hadn’t said it, they could both pretend nothing had happened. But by saying it, she undoubtedly punctured the secret, unspoken intimacy hidden in the dark of night.

The man’s breath, carrying a hint of a smile, fell upon her lips. His thumb lightly grazed them. “Swollen?”

Chi Ying immediately pressed her lips tight, holding her breath.

Yan Xuecuī said, “It is because I did not kiss you well. My apologies.”

Chi Ying did not know how to respond. He always said he was sorry, but his attitude was never one of making amends. Those words were like a waiver; once spoken, he felt free to do as he pleased.

She lowered her head and asked in a muffled voice, “That night, why did Your Highness entice me to drink?”

Yan Xuecuī chuckled. “Entice? I simply did not expect your alcohol tolerance to be so poor that you would be unconscious after three cups.”

Chi Ying carefully stole a glance at him. Seeing his composed expression mixed with a bit of playfulness, she assumed he hadn’t managed to coax any secrets out of her. Otherwise, she would already be a prisoner.

Just as she breathed a small sigh of relief, she heard him say, “I indeed did not kiss you well, but you also bit my tongue. Shall we call it even?”

Chi Ying was struck with shock. “You…”

She did not believe she would be so rude while drunk. It was clearly him who acted recklessly every night after she fell asleep.

Yan Xuecuī: “You do not believe me? Do you want to see?”

Chi Ying nearly tripped over her own tongue. “No, there is no need.”

But she was under his roof and had to bow her head. He was the Prince; if he said she bit him, then it must be her fault.

Chi Ying had to brace herself to apologize. “If I truly bit Your Highness, I offer my apologies.”

Yan Xuecuī laughed softly. “You should indeed apologize. It still hurts even now.”

Chi Ying’s fingertips felt numb. She buried her head low, wishing she could find a crack in the floor to crawl into.

Even though she knew he could not see, she felt that with his sharp intuition, all her shame and fluster were laid bare before him.

Sensing her slight retreat, Yan Xuecuī increased the pressure of his fingers, pulling her closer to his chest. The scent of neroli filled his nose, gently enveloping all his senses. He closed his eyes and intimately nuzzled her delicate, soft cheek.

Chi Ying stood dazed as she pressed against his face. Their breaths crossed and their body heat touched; she could even feel the clear pulse thumping beneath his skin.

His heartbeat seemed no slower than hers.

Yan Xuecuī nuzzled her cheek, and a gentle kiss fell lightly on her lips. Chi Ying’s almond eyes widened, and she instinctively gripped her sleeves, the tension in her heart impossible to suppress.

He lingered for a moment, then sucked gently, his tone so matter-of-fact as if he were only confirming the degree of the swelling. “It is indeed a bit swollen.”

Chi Ying nodded hurriedly. “Yes.”

But then she heard his slightly raspy voice. “Then today, I shall kiss elsewhere, alright?”

A buzzing sound erupted in Chi Ying’s mind, as if all her thoughts had been drained away. She didn’t know how he did it as a blind man, but by the time her consciousness returned, she had already been placed on the bed.

The palm of a warm hand supported the back of her neck, and the cool jade thumb ring brushed past the side of her throat.

Chi Ying’s body went stiff. She felt everything around her become blurry, with only the sensation of where the man’s thin lips passed being infinitely magnified.

He was very, very close, every part of his body almost pressed against hers. A gentle but irresistible kiss fell on her forehead, slowly moving downward, lingering and grinding. His high nose bridge brushed against the tip of her nose, slowly passing her cheek, then nuzzling her neck. Everywhere he passed was like a prairie fire; Chi Ying’s entire body heat was rising, and her back was already soaked with sweat.

***

Footnotes:
TN1: Red sleeves adding incense (红袖添香): A literary trope referring to a beautiful woman accompanying a scholar while he studies.
TN2: Rites of the Duke of Zhou / Marital pleasures: The text alludes to “夫妻之乐” (pleasures of husband and wife), which refers to sexual intimacy.

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