Nightfall descended, and the lanterns were just lit.
Peony Garden, inner chamber.
After dinner, Princess Nanzhang sat at the dressing table, staring blankly at the dicine bottle in her hand.
Mrs. Zhao stood by, her heart aching at the sight.
Outside the beaded curtain, a maid stood and said, "Commandery Princess, the Prince is here."
Princess Nanzhang handed the dicine bottle to Mrs. Zhao.
Mrs. Zhao accepted it and hid it in her sleeve.
After saluting the Prince, Princess Nanzhang instructed Mrs. Zhao, "Go and serve tea to the Prince."
Mrs. Zhao withdrew.
The Prince had just returned from the barracks, knowing that Princess Nanzhang was looking for him.
He finished writing the morial he planned to submit the next day and then ca over.
The maids in the room had all been dismissed.
The Prince and Princess Nanzhang spoke privately in the inner room.
Mrs. Zhao was brewing tea outside.
She poured the contents of the dicine bottle into the tea.
After briefly hesitating, she emptied the entire bottle into it.
Having hidden the dicine bottle properly, Mrs. Zhao carried the tea into the inner room.
"Prince, please enjoy the tea," Mrs. Zhao placed the tea before the Prince.
Princess Nanzhang wanted to discuss the matter of Xie Jinyu with the Prince.
Xie Jinyu was punished to kneel in the Buddhist Hall, but the ti wasn’t up yet.
Summoned by the Empress Dowager, coupled with Xie Jinyu’s fright, Princess Nanzhang admitted her heart ached for her daughter, thus sending Xie Jinyu into the palace without seeking the Prince’s permission.
The Empress Dowager was sowhat displeased to learn that Xie Jinyu was punished to transcribe family rules, so she had Xie Jinyu transcribe Buddhist Scriptures to pray for blessings.
The Prince initially wondered why he was being summoned. He knew Xie Jinyu took the fall for Princess Nanzhang, but since she was already in the palace, there was no use in saying more.
Besides, since Princess Nanzhang’s attitude of admitting wrongdoing was very good, the Prince found it difficult to argue excessively with a woman.
Feeling a bit thirsty, the Prince picked up the tea and drank.
Seeing the Prince drink the tea, Mrs. Zhao quietly retreated.
Princess Nanzhang engaged in conversation with the Prince, her tone growing softer, while the Prince seed dazed, as if seeing both Princess Nanzhang and the person he dearly missed.
Princess Nanzhang held his hand, and the Prince, unable to restrain his deep longing, lifted her up.
Placing Princess Nanzhang on the bed, the Prince caressed her face.
Princess Nanzhang’s face flushed with redness.
"Hengheng," the Prince called.
Princess Nanzhang’s expression stiffened.
The flush on her face quickly faded, and a surge of anger welled up within her.
She raised her hand and slapped the Prince across the face.
Slap!
A loud slap echoed.
With his cheek stinging, the Prince’s befuddled mind instantly cleared to so extent.
Seeing clearly that the person beneath him was Princess Nanzhang, the Prince’s expression shifted, and he quickly got off the bed.
The Prince turned to leave.
"Stop right there!" Princess Nanzhang’s voice was icy.
The Prince’s steps halted.
Princess Nanzhang got off the bed, walked up to the Prince, and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Is it not enough for the Prince to humiliate with the title of concubine? Now you mistake for soone else! Is the Prince trying to drive to death?!"
The Prince did not wish to argue with Princess Nanzhang; his head was dizzy.
He shoved Princess Nanzhang aside and strode out.
Mrs. Zhao was waiting outside the room. Seeing the Prince co out, Mrs. Zhao was taken aback.
Even in the dim light of night, the slap mark on the Prince’s face was clearly visible.
In the room, there were only Princess Nanzhang and the Prince, so it was clear who had slapped him.
Seeing the Prince leave in great strides, Mrs. Zhao hurried back into the room.
Princess Nanzhang sat there, a mix of anger and satisfaction etched on her face.
Mrs. Zhao rushed over, anxiously saying, "My dear Commandery Princess, why did you slap the Prince and let him go?"
"Is it the first ti he’s walked away?" Princess Nanzhang’s expression was indifferent.
She was fed up with being mistaken for another woman.
Hengheng?
Such an endearing way to call!
This slap was one she wanted to deliver eighteen years ago.
Now that her wish had co true, she felt utterly gratified.
Wasn’t he suspicious that she drugged him?
This slap, surely it would dispel his doubts, right?!
Princess Nanzhang’s words left Mrs. Zhao speechless.
Before, when administering drugs, they didn’t dare use too much, fearing the Prince would detect it while drinking tea.
The Prince had a strong will, often sobering up by himself.
Plus, with the Old Madam’s protection, nothing was ever discovered.
She feared it would be the sa this ti, so she administered three tis the previous amount.
This isn’t sothing a single slap could sober one from.
Mrs. Zhao’s heart was trembling.
She thought of the Third Madam; after taking aphrodisiacs, the Third Master favored two maids, one of whom even beca pregnant.
In the inner courtyard of the Prince Mansion, if anything was abundant, it was maids.
If the Prince wanted to favor soone, would any maid refuse?
Mrs. Zhao didn’t dare tell Princess Nanzhang the truth, instructing a trusted maid to follow and see what was happening.
The maid, with a lantern, hurried out and soon returned.
"Didn’t see the Prince," the maid reported.
Mrs. Zhao prayed silently that nothing would go wrong; otherwise, the Princess might literally skin her alive.
anwhile, the Prince, upon leaving Peony Garden, intended to return to the outer courtyard.
On his way back, faint sounds of a musical performance drifted into his ears.
The lody seed familiar.
The other day, at the South Courtyard entrance, he had heard this very music.
But this place was too far from the South Courtyard; it couldn’t have co from there.
The Prince followed the music until he reached the entrance of Qingqiu Garden.
In the pavilion.
Lady Chi was playing the zither.
Xique and Caiju stood there listening, thoroughly captivated.
"I never expected Madam to be so skilled at playing," Caiju remarked.
"It’s a pity Madam rarely plays; now that she has, who knows when next ti will be," Xique said wistfully.
The two maids were talking softly, but upon hearing footsteps approaching, Xique was startled.
With few people in Qingqiu Garden, every extra footstep frightened them.
Seeing it was the Prince, Xique hesitated for a mont before hurrying down the steps to salute him.
The Prince waved his hand.
Xique and Caiju curtsied and withdrew.
Lady Chi, engrossed in playing, was unaware of the Prince’s arrival.
The Prince stood outside the pavilion listening.
The lody continued uninterrupted.
The Prince beca lost in thought.
That year, he accidentally wandered into the plum grove.
A lady broke off a plum blossom, smiling gently.
Amidst swirling snowflakes, she danced involuntarily.
She had the world’s most beautiful smile.
She turned around, and their eyes t.
He was montarily spellbound, and she slipped in panic.
He failed to hold her steady, and they both tumbled into the snow, getting covered in it.
That was their first encounter.
...
The Prince was imrsed in mories.
The music, however, abruptly ceased.
The Prince looked up to see the person he longed for smiling at him.
He walked into the pavilion.
Lady Chi was montarily taken aback.
Why had the Prince co to Qingqiu Garden?
Was she dreaming?
Gazing at the Prince, she noticed the slap mark on his face.
It really was a dream.
Otherwise, who would dare slap him?
Lady Chi raised her hand to touch the Prince’s face, and the searing temperature shocked her.
She reached to feel his forehead, and the Prince caught her hand.
The Prince extended his hand, pulling off the veil on her face.
The wind blew it into the Lotus Pond.
Lady Chi’s heart sank.
She turned to leave, but her wrist was caught, preventing her escape.
Instead, her waist was tightly embraced, and the Prince kissed her.
Lady Chi struggled to resist, but it was futile, and the Prince’s call made her forget to struggle.
"Hengheng," the Prince called.
Lady Chi’s nose tingled.
Watching the Prince carry Lady Chi out of the pavilion.
Xique and Caiju, the two young maids, blushed deeply.
Never expected it.
Really never expected it.
Literally never dread of it.
The Prince would cherish their Madam soday.
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