The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 77 Satisfaction
The dragon boat sailed along the canal and arrived in Yangzhou.
Before the boat even docked, the sound of drums and music filled the air, and the voices of people cheering from both banks could be heard.
Feng Zhan pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to alleviate the headache brought on by days of insufficient rest and the overwhelming noise outside.
Song Zhi returned to report, “Your Highness, the commotion at the dock is due to the Prefecture of Yangzhou and the city’s officials and citizens coming to welcome you.”
Noticing the deep frown on his master’s face, Song Zhi hesitantly asked, “Your Highness, are you feeling unwell? Should I summon the imperial physician?”
Still pressing his forehead, Feng Zhan responded in a tone tinged with irritation, “Disperse the crowd and have the officials wait at the Yangzhou Prefecture Office.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Song Zhi replied, quickly leaving to carry out the order.
———–
The noise from outside also made Qin Yan furrow her brows. After days of travel, all she wanted now was a quiet place to rest.
Soon enough, the clamor outside began to subside, and Qin Yan’s expression gradually relaxed.
Ji Nanfeng entered the room and reported, “Young Master Gu has sent word that Madam will be delayed for a few more days. She’ll meet us in Yangzhou City when she arrives. Young Master Gu is on his way here as well.”
Qin Yan lifted the white porcelain cup beside her and took a small sip, then chuckled softly, “Is my mother having so much fun outside that she doesn’t want to come back?”
Ji Nanfeng, intrigued, wondered what kind of woman could have raised someone like Qin Yan. What kind of person was her mother?
“Your Highness Taizi,” came Shen Ying’s voice from outside the door.
Feng Zhan entered the room as soon as his presence was announced.
Ji Nanfeng greeted the Taizi with a bow, “Your Highness.”
Feng Zhan’s gaze settled on Qin Yan, who was seated at a round table, her delicate white fingers idly playing with the teacup in her hand.
Ji Nanfeng respectfully retreated, pausing slightly at the door before closing it behind him with a sigh.
————
In the room, Qin Yan didn’t rise; she merely glanced up at the tall and imposing Taizi standing before her, then withdrew her gaze. Her slender fingers lightly tapped the outer edge of the white porcelain cup she held, as if assessing its quality by sound.
Feng Zhan had grown accustomed to Qin Yan’s lack of formality in his presence, and he found himself enjoying her casual demeanor around him. After all, it was his indulgence that had allowed her to be this way.
Stepping closer, Feng Zhan lowered his voice, making his already magnetic tone even more alluring, sending a shiver through Qin Yan.
“After we disembark, you’ll accompany me to the Prefecture Office,” he said.
Qin Yan paused in her movements, looking up with a hint of displeasure on her face.
The content of Taizi’s words was far less pleasing than the sound of his voice.
“Your Highness, do I not have any personal time?” Qin Yan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Feng Zhan had anticipated her reaction and patiently coaxed, “First, accompany me to handle some official matters.”
Qin Yan set the teacup down and leaned back in her chair, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Is Your Highness unable to separate with me?” she teased.
Feng Zhan’s eyes darkened slightly. This woman always knew how to say the most provocative things.
He didn’t want anyone else to witness this side of Qin Yan, nor did he want any other man to be the one she teased so boldly.
Qin Yan, sensing an opportunity for some playful banter, widened her smile, her voice taking on a seductive tone.
“Has Your Highness satisfied me?”
Feng Zhan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his eyes deepened like a bottomless pool. He took another step closer, stopping just before Qin Yan, and reached out to lift her delicate chin with a well-defined hand. Leaning down, his thin lips almost brushed against her full, red lips as he slowly responded.
“That day, did I not satisfy you?”
His voice, low and rich, sent another wave of warmth through Qin Yan. But… the satisfaction she was referring to was not the same as what Feng Zhan implied. Was he really trying to twist her words?
“Disembark in one incense stick’s time,” Feng Zhan left her with these words before walking out.
———
As the Taizi’s entourage disembarked from the ship, the raucous drum music at the dock had ceased, and the once dense crowd had been dispersed. Only Yangzhou’s Prefect, Lin Hui, along with several colleagues, stepped forward quickly to greet the Taizi.
“Long live Your Highness Taizi,” they intoned in unison.
Feng Zhan raised his hand, and Song Zhi called out loudly, “Rise.”
The officials stood up and moved to the side, awaiting further instructions.
Feng Zhan cast his gaze across the dock, his eyes lingering on the hundred or so various-sized boats along the right side of the river. The boatmen on those vessels wore slightly worn straw hats and loose-sleeved garments, and upon closer inspection, their feet were shod in straw sandals, reflecting the customs of Wu and Chu regions.
Yangzhou Prefect Lin Hui stepped forward, bowing,
“Your Highness, I am Lin Hui, the Prefect of Yangzhou. Those are ships carrying Yangzhou’s local products to various destinations.”
In truth, while the shipping vessels were real, today’s gathering had been specially arranged by Prefect Lin to present a display of Yangzhou’s prosperity. Even the boatmen’s attire had been standardized to highlight the region’s customs for the Taizi’s benefit.
Seeing that the Taizi remained silent, Lin Hui continued, “These boats carry not only grain but also local specialties. If Your Highness is interested, you may board a boat for a closer look.”
Feng Zhan, fully aware that such performances were a common practice for local officials hosting visitors from the capital, was not here to observe local customs but for more pressing matters. He responded in a deep voice, “To the prefectural office.”
The group then boarded their carriages, escorted by the Taizi’s well-disciplined guards, heading toward the prefectural office.
As they traveled through Yangzhou City, the city’s wealth and bustling atmosphere were evident. The streets were crowded with carriages and people, the variety of goods on display was overwhelming, and the presence of wealthy merchants and scholars created an air of vibrancy. Yangzhou indeed lived up to its reputation as a prosperous and lively city.
————
Taizi, Feng Zhan, accompanied by his entourage, including Princess Zhaoren, Qin Yan, arrived at the Prefect’s Office in Yangzhou. Upon arrival, they immediately delved into administrative matters. By the time evening approached Prefect Lin Hui respectfully inquired.
“Your Highness, I have arranged a small banquet here at the office in honor of Your Highness and Princess Zhaoren. The local officials and notable gentry of Yangzhou will be in attendance. May I have your permission?”
It was clear that Lin Hui intended to use Taizi’s presence to extract funds from the wealthy merchants of Yangzhou. Feng Zhan understood this but also recognized that given the severity of the recent disasters in Jiangnan, relying solely on the national treasury for disaster relief would be insufficient. He did not refuse Lin Hui’s proposal, and everyone present understood the true purpose of the banquet.
That evening, the main hall of the Prefect’s Office was set up for the banquet, adhering to the imperial protocols of the capital. The guests were seated according to rank.
At the head of the hall sat Taizi Feng Zhan, dressed in a black robe embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons, his head adorned with a golden crown.
Seated at the highest positions on either side of the hall were Princess Zhaoren, Qin Yan, and Prefect Lin Hui.
Other attendees included Yangzhou officials of the fourth rank and above, the Taizi’s advisors, and the wealthy merchants and influential figures of Yangzhou invited by Prefect Lin.
Given the significance of the banquet, none of the guests had brought their families—except for one notable exception, a familiar face.
Young Lady Wang Jingyan, the second daughter of the Left Prime Minister, attended the banquet alongside her adoptive father, Yu Shenghai, the head of the Yu family.
Knowing that Young Lady Wang was both the daughter of the Left Prime Minister and Taizi’s cousin, Lin Hui assumed that the Taizi would not disapprove and thus granted her request to attend, providing her with a seat at the banquet.
The dishes served were not overly extravagant; they consisted of delicately presented, lightly flavored Yangzhou specialties, which suited the tastes of both Feng Zhan and Qin Yan.
As customary, Song Zhi, standing by the Taizi’s side, tested the food and wine on the table with a silver needle, a procedure everyone understood as a necessary imperial precaution.
However, another detail caught the guests’ attention.
The maidservant beside Princess Zhaoren, Shen Ying, was also testing the food for poison using a silver needle.
This raised questions among the attendees. Was Princess Zhaoren merely a member of the Taizi’s advisory team? Despite the Taizi’s presence, the Princess showed no restraint in her behavior or etiquette. She appeared to have no fear or respect for the Taizi, acting with a level of freedom that seemed excessive. Yet, the Taizi appeared to tolerate this behavior, as if it was the norm.
However, there was little interaction between the Taizi and the Princess during the banquet, leaving many to wonder about the true nature of their relationship.
———–
As the banquet commenced, Yangzhou Prefect Lin Hui clapped his hands, signaling the entrance of a group of graceful women dressed in flowing gauze skirts. They stepped lightly into the hall, and as the music began, they started to dance in perfect synchrony.
These women, all slender and supple, shared a striking resemblance in appearance, embodying the gentle, delicate charm typical of the Jiangnan region. Their performance was a visual delight, captivating the audience.
After a few dance movements, the lead dancer, a woman in a light green dress, began to sing a soft, melodious tune, her voice as sweet as a yellow warbler, clear and pleasing to the ear.
Some of the guests recognized her as Lin Hui’s youngest daughter.
Throughout the performance, the guests frequently raised their cups to toast the Taizi, but Feng Zhan seemed to have little appetite, barely touching the food on his table and hardly sipping his wine.
This lack of enthusiasm left many of the guests uneasy, unsure if something had displeased the Taizi.
Meanwhile, the advisors from the Taizi’s entourage frequently toasted Princess Zhaoren, Qin Yan, who was in good spirits and accepted most of the toasts. She sipped her wine lightly, her attention amusedly fixed on the dancers in the hall.
As the dance ended, the women slowly retreated, leaving only the lead dancer, the young woman in the light green gauze dress with a delicate and beautiful face. She gracefully walked over to Prefect Lin Hui’s side.
Lin Hui stood up and introduced her to the Taizi, “Your Highness, this is my daughter, Lin Miao.”
Lin Miao curtsied demurely toward the Taizi, “Your humble servant greets Your Highness.”
Lin Miao’s bright eyes, filled with shyness and anticipation, flickered up to the Taizi for a brief moment before she quickly lowered them again.
That single glance made Lin Miao’s heart race. The Taizi was the most charming man she had ever seen—handsome, tall, noble, and powerful. Even the mere chance of a fleeting affair with him would be worth it.
Lin Hui noticed that the Taizi had only given his daughter a brief glance before looking away, leaving him unsure of the Taizi’s reaction. But such a rare opportunity was not something Lin Hui was willing to let slip by easily, so he pressed on, thick-skinned.
“Your Highness, my daughter is modestly skilled in the four arts. During your stay in my humble residence, she could accompany you. Her zither playing is also quite pleasing and could help alleviate your fatigue.”
The guests…
Accompany? What kind of “accompany” are we talking about?
Playing the zither to relieve fatigue? Or what kind of relaxation is that?
Tsk, tsk, Lin Hui’s blatant and shameless offer left everyone at the banquet cringing with secondhand embarrassment.
But then again, if they could get the Taizi to visit their homes, they would gladly offer not just their daughters, but even their wives and concubines to him.
Wang Jingyan’s face darkened. Fortunately, she had come today. It seemed that the number of women eager to climb into the Taizi’s bed was countless. But then she quickly corrected her thoughts, No, no, it’s not that—they are just women who admire the Taizi’s greatness…
Song Zhi…
His master didn’t need to appreciate someone else’s zither skills. His Highness’s only desire was to play the zither for Princess Zhaoren, but that would depend on whether the Princess was willing to listen.
Song Zhi glanced at Princess Zhaoren, who was quietly sipping her wine, her expression unreadable.
Song Zhi felt uneasy. These tactless individuals were creating unnecessary obstacles on Taizi’s path to winning over the future Crown Princess.