TCPCHW Chapter 67

The Crown Prince Chases His Wife

Chapter 67          Work Hard

Early the next morning, Qin Yan and Ji Nanfeng were working together in the study room, and Shen Huai came in.

Since Shen Huai learned the news that Shen Shiying was about to return to the capital yesterday, he had been so excited that he didn’t sleep all night, so he had some dark circles under his eyes today, but his face looked good and his expression was full of joy.

Shen Huai was a retainer of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion. It could be said that he and Shen Shiying grew up together since childhood, showing a strong bond of friendship. Shen Shiying’s disappearance was once a concern for him, but at that time Qin Yan could not avoid leaking the news and only told his grandfather and uncle the news about Shen Shiying’s disappearance. Shen Huai was so worried about Shen Shiying that he was worried about it for more than a decade.

Shen Huai waited for Qin Yan to finish explaining to Ji Nanfeng, and then spoke, “Master, Lord Song from the Taizi Mansion has just arrived.”

“Master Song sent a bottle of ointment, saying that it was entrusted by His Highness Taizi to Master to use on your hands. His Highness Taizi asked Lord Song to convey that Master had worked hard yesterday.”

Shen Huai did not miss the unnatural look on Song Zhi’s face when Song Zhi explained to him. Shen Huai also asked Song Zhi if he wanted to hand it over to his master in person, but Song Zhi waved his hand repeatedly and left immediately after giving the explanation, seeming a little embarrassed to say anything.

Shen Huai didn’t know what happened between His Highness Taizi and his master in the study last night, which would make His Highness Taizi say “worked hard.”

Therefore, Shen Huai just repeated Song Zhi’s words seriously.

But Ji Nanfeng stood outside the study door from beginning to end and witnessed the absurdity of those two people with his ears. When Ji Nanfeng heard Shen Huai’s story, he felt a little embarrassed on his face.

But Qin Yan looked at Ji Nanfeng with a calm expression, “Mister Ji, take it back for inspection first.”

Since Qin Yan was harmed at the palace garden banquet last time, she had become more cautious about anything she was going to eat or touch.

“Yes, Master.” Ji Nanfeng took the exquisite and small white jade bottle from Shen Huai.

Shen Huai continued to speak, “Lord Song also said that His Highness Taizi empathized with Master’s hard work yesterday and said that Master should have a good rest. There is no need to go to the Taizi Mansion today.”

As soon as these words came out, Ji Nanfeng’s face darkened.

Qin Yan chuckled lightly. It was hard for His Highness Taizi, who used to be icy cold-faced, to be so good at flirting now. He was almost as good as her.

It was just that the other party was Qin Yan. If she was a thin-skinned girl, she would be embarrassed to hear these words.

Shen Huai continued, “Master Song asked me about the size of Master’s clothes, and said that His Highness Taizi wants to compensate Master for a few clothes. I dare not make any decisions on my own, but only say that I still need to ask Master for advice.”

Ji Nanfeng, who was standing aside, had a face that could not get any darker at this time. He could see last night that his master’s robe was slightly wrinkled when she came out of the study, and there was also the faint smell hidden in the incense…

Taizi was truly…

“Give him the size. Taizi should indeed compensate me.” Qin Yan frowned and thought for a moment before speaking quietly.

“Yes, Master.” Shen Huai replied.

Ji Nanfeng glanced at Qin Yan, their master also… didn’t look like a reserved boudoir woman.

However, Qin Yan had never been an ordinary woman, right?

——

“Is Master going on a long trip with His Highness Taizi?” Shen Huai frowned and asked, “Lord Song said that they will take waterways for the trip to Jiangnan, so Master should make some preparations in advance.”

Shen Huai looked at Qin Yan worriedly, “Master, isn’t the waterway not suitable?”

Ji Nanfeng also frowned when he heard this. They all knew that his master had been in danger twice because of falling into the water. Before, his master went to various prefectures, and there were also times when she took a boat, but it was all Yu Qingfeng’s people and their boat.

But if his master was with Taizi this time, he was afraid…

Qin Yan knew the two people’s worries, thought for a moment, and asked Ji Nanfeng, “Mister Ji, I remember that I seem to have a ship docked at a certain dock in the capital city.”

“Yes, to make it easier for Master to travel. There will be a Yu Qingfeng’s large ship and accompanying auxiliary ship docked at the nearest dock wherever Master is.” Ji Nanfeng said.

“Sure.” Qin Yan nodded, paused for a moment, and then ordered, “Mister Ji, go to the Taizi Mansion later to inquire about the dock for tomorrow’s departure, and park Yu Qingfeng’s boat there as well.”

“Yes, Master.” Ji Nanfeng replied.

Qin Yan agreed to go to Jiangnan with Feng Zhan, but she did not agree to be on the same boat with him, just conveniently they were on the same route.

Qin Yan said to Shen Huai, “Uncle Huai, you stay in the capital to manage the affairs of the mansion and prepare to welcome Mother’s return.”

“Mother, she should be in the south at this time.”

Shen Huai’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

“Keep an eye on Jiang Mu.” Qin Yan added.

“Yes, Master.” Shen Huai nodded, with uncontrollable excitement on his face.

The young lady is still alive and will be back soon…

Qin Yan continued to make arrangements, “Mister Ji, this time you’re coming with me and taking a look at Yu Qingfeng’s situation at different places.”

“Yes, Master.”

After Ji Nanfeng and Shen Huai left, Shen Ying came in and exchanged a cup of tea for Qin Yan.

“Master, are you going on a long journey again?”

Qin Yan rubbed a delicate white jade private seal in her hand and the fresh aroma of tea rushed into her nose. Qin Yan closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Shen Ying, the fragrant warm bath in Yangzhou is good. Would you like to try it this time?”

Shen Ying’s lips twitched when she heard this. Her mission was to protect her master, not to go out and enjoy herself.

Fragrant warm bath?

Her master and Taizi?

Shen Ying shook her head and realized that she had been infected by her own master. What was going on in her mind…

Qin Yan looked at Shen Ying shaking her head in a daze and chuckled.

Through the white mist of tea, Qin Yan looked out the window.

Is she in the South?

——

On the west side of the capital, in a low-key residence, a pair of brocade-robed men and women, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, sat on the two seats of honor in the main hall. The man had sharp eyebrows and eyes, while the woman had a slightly heroic face.

On a chair at the lower side, a woman wearing a goose-yellow cotton skirt sat with her legs crossed, holding a silk handkerchief in her hand as she cried. The woman above frowned as she listened.

The man in a brocade robe spoke in a deep voice, “Tell me, why did you call yourself A Yan? Why did you pretend to be a disciple of Master Yishan? And why did you steal Princess Zhaoren’s paintings? How did you become the concubine of the Shizi of Marquis of Yongding Mansion? You stayed in the capital city quietly for three years?”

The man spoke slowly, word by word, which made A Yan, who was sobbing quietly, feel trembling in her heart.

A Yan didn’t answer the man’s question, she still sobbed quietly.

“Do you think I can protect you? This is the capital city, not Yizhou.”

The man in a brocade robe sitting upright and speaking coldly at this moment was Ye Qinghe, Wang Yizhou. Ever since the day of the Longevity Banquet at the palace, Wang Yizhou recognized the person outside the Fengtian Palace and brought her back to the mansion, he has had a headache since then.

“That day in the palace, I took you away one step ahead of the people from the Taizi Mansion. Now you have offended Princess Zhaoren again, as long as you leave this mansion, within an hour, you will fall into the hands of those two.”

The Wang Yizhou said again, “And your fiancé, Shizi Xie of the Marquis of Yongding Mansion, I heard that he has moved out of the Marquis Mansion in the past two days and has moved to a mansion near Princess Zhaoren Mansion in the western suburbs.”

At this moment, A Yan raised her head and looked at Wang of Yizhou with disbelief in her eyes.

Wang Yizhou continued, “You haven’t left the mansion for the past two days. Do you know what is being said about Shizi Xie outside?”

“Saying that Shizi Xie passed off fish eyes for pearls, but do you know who is the treasure and who is the fish eye?”

“As far as I know, Xie Changyuan has not sent anyone to look for you since you left.”

“Do you still insist on him?”

Wang Yizhou’s words were like sharp knives cutting into A Yan’s heart. A Yan suddenly burst into tears. Wang Yizhou frowned, while Wangfei Yizhou looked at Ayan, who was crying her heart and lungs out, with a sarcastic smile on her lips.

“Alright,” Wangfei spoke coldly.

A Yan suddenly stopped crying, but her body was still trembling slightly. She glanced at Wangfei timidly, and then quickly looked away as if Wangfei was intimidating her.

Wangfei sneered, after all these years, her tricks were still the same.

Wangfei calmed down her expression, turned to Wang Yizhou, and said, “It’s time for you to enter the palace. The matter between her and Shizi Xie still needs to be decided by the Empress Dowager.”

“Yes.” Wang Yizhou nodded at his wangfei and gave a cold look at A Yan before standing up and walking away.

When A Yan saw Wang Yizhou leaving, she quickly stood up, caught up with a few steps, and called out urgently, “Imperial Brother, Imperial Brother…”

But Wang Yizhou didn’t stop and walked straight out of the hall door.

——

“Stop.” The princess shouted sternly.

A Yan looked at the departing back of Wang Yizhou with a mournful expression until Wang Yizhou’s back could no longer be seen. A Yan turned around and looked directly at Wangfei, her eyes seemingly crazy.

“Did you say something to Imperial Brother? Why is Imperial Brother so cold to me? Clearly from the past…” The words were interrupted by Wangfei.

“Clearly what?” Wangfei sneered.

“He clearly indulged you in everything, especially after the death of the late emperor, right?”

“You clearly have everything you want in the Yizhou Palace, with the entire palace letting you have your way and spoiling you. You can even go to his bed in the middle of the night wearing undergarments and holding a pillow to say you want him to hug you and tell you stories.”

“You clearly can remain unmarried for the rest of your life and just stay in the Yizhou Palace and be pampered and protected by him, right?”

A Yan looked at Wangfei with hatred and said nothing.

Wangfei sneered coldly again, “Do you know that he only transferred his favor from his imperial sister who married far away to you?”

“At that time, you only called Brother Qinghe, and when you ran up to your brother Qinghe’s bed every night, you still remembered that he was just your brother.”

Hearing this, A Yan suddenly screamed, “You are just jealous of me, jealous that I can get the love and care of Imperial Brother, and even if you marry Imperial Brother, you still stay alone in the boudoir. Why don’t you have children? Because you don’t sleep in the same room at all.”

“Shut up.”

Wangfei quickly stood up and walked over, slapping A Yan so hard that she immediately fell to the ground.

A Yan covered her face with one hand, looked at Wangfei warily, and spoke sharply like before, “Am I wrong? You rely on your father who has military achievements to marry Imperial Brother. You are a jealous woman who cannot win Imperial Brother’s love and don’t let Imperial Brother take any concubine. You deserve…”

“Pa.” Another slap hit the other side of A Yan’s face.

Wangfei looked at A Yan coldly.

“Today, your imperial brother will enter the palace to discuss the matter between you and Shizi Xie with Empress Dowager Xiao.”

“You idiot may not understand that Yizhou is the trump card left by Empress Dowager Xiao to herself. In these years, Yizhou has never been in contact with the capital or other capitals in the Great Xia.”

“But you are getting involved with the Marquis of Yongding Mansion, which has great military achievements.”

“Oh, I guess your foolish brain only wants to know that now. As the sister of Wang Yizhou, you are qualified to be the legitimate wife of Shizi Xie.”

“You said, if Shizi Xie knows your true identity, is it the illegitimate daughter he hated the most or the illegitimate daughter of the old Wang of Yizhou with a singer? What do you think he would do? A legitimate wife?”

A Yan’s breath froze, and she collapsed on the cold ground in a daze.

“No, I am not an illegitimate daughter. My mother and imperial father truly love each other. They are true love.” A Yan shouted loudly at Wangfei, trying to emphasize the fact she deeply believed with a high volume.

“Oh, just deceive yourself. After being recognized by the Yizhou imperial family, your identity has not been made public, but do you think you can hide it? And how long will it take for Shizi Xie to know those things?” Wangfei smiled coldly and then strode away.

A Yan froze on the ground and murmured, “No, no, Brother Changyuan won’t let me go. I saved Brother Changyuan. Brother Changyuan said he would take care of me for the rest of his life, for the rest of his life…”

A sudden surge of sourness surged in A Yan’s heart, and tears rolled down immediately. 

“Brother Changyuan, Brother Changyuan, where are you? Brother Changyuan…”

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