Chapter 49: He Has Someone He Likes

Of course, that thought flashed by in an instant, because he was also afraid—afraid that if Qiao Qingyun were to learn the truth, she would cast him out. If that happened, he would be plunged into unbearable misery.

“Brother, where is Her Highness?” Hong Ying rushed before Zhong Shi, noticing him lost in thought. She slapped him lightly, startling him back to his senses.

“Her Highness has gone in to bathe and change.”

“Oh, then I’ll go in to attend to her. You should get some rest; after all, today has been quite exhausting.”

“Mm.” Zhong Shi only nodded without speaking. Just as he was about to leave, footsteps sounded behind him. He turned abruptly to find, to his astonishment, that Yuan Zaichun had arrived.

“Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince,” Hong Ying and Zhong Shi knelt in unison. Yuan Zaichun cast a glance at the two, saying nothing. Liufu, who stood beside him, immediately understood and asked, “Where is Her Highness?”

“Her Highness is inside, bathing and changing, preparing to rest.”

“Hmm.” Yuan Zaichun grunted, not deigning to reply further, and strode into the inner chambers.

Zhong Shi’s fists clenched tightly, but his expression showed not the slightest change. He could not act rashly; nothing had been decided yet. If, in the future, she grew powerful, he would take Qiao Qingyun and leave this man behind.

Upon entering the room, Yuan Zaichun was greeted by a delicate and heartfelt fragrance that warmed the soul—the scent that belonged to Qiao Qingyun alone. After all, she was still a young woman, and the aroma of maidenhood she exuded was the most potent of poisons; who could possibly be immune to it?

“Your Highness, why is it that I feel you seem… seem so averse to the Crown Prince?” The voices of Qingluo and Qiao Qingyun drifted from the inner room, reaching Liufu’s ears and sending a chill through her.

This is it—it’s all over now! That Qingluo, too, dares say anything at all. If only she’d made some noise upon entering to alert Yuan Zaichun.

With that thought, Liufu tilted her head and stole a glance at Yuan Zaichun, only to see his face utterly impassive, as though the people discussed inside were strangers to him.

“What’s wrong? Are you worried that if I fall out of favor, you’ll lose your standing?”

“Of course not. Even if Your Highness were out of favor, I would still serve by your side. I just feel that you seem rather too indifferent to the Crown Prince, especially so soon after the wedding.”

“This is still considered distant?” Qiao Qingyun asked in surprise. She had thought her interactions with Yuan Zaichun were intimate enough, yet in Qingluo’s eyes, there was still something amiss.

“It certainly is. And… and…” Qingluo hesitated for some time, unable to finish her thought. Qiao Qingyun grew anxious. “And what? You must tell me.”

“It’s just… your servant feels that you and His Highness have not… consummated your marriage.”

“What?” Qiao Qingyun stared at Qingluo in disbelief, stunned into silence.

“How could you think that?”

Even Liufu outside was dumbstruck, but Yuan Zaichun clearly had no intention of offering any explanation.

“Because I have served other ladies before, and was once sent to the palace for training by the Crown Prince himself. So… I’m well aware of how things are supposed to be.”

“So…” Qiao Qingyun’s heart began to pound, dread filling her. If Qingluo had seen through her, then henceforth, only Qingluo could serve her closely, for it proved other maids could discern the truth as well.

“It’s just… Your Highness, about the white handkerchief…”

“All right, enough, say no more. Let’s pretend none of this was ever spoken. From now on, you alone will tend to my personal needs.”

“What? Your Highness, this is not proper…” Qingluo protested in vain. Although she understood that whether Yuan Zaichun favored Qiao Qingyun or not was of secondary importance, there was another critical matter—Qiao Qingyun could not indefinitely maintain her untouched state. If discovered by any of the older palace women, it would be impossible to contain the consequences.

“What else can I do?” Qiao Qingyun sighed softly. “He has someone he loves. I do not, but I want my freedom. So keep these thoughts to yourself, or you’ll only bring trouble upon him and in turn, he may kill you.”

“Ah?” Qingluo was startled into silence. After helping Qiao Qingyun into her nightclothes, she stepped out, only to find herself face-to-face with Yuan Zaichun.

“Blessings upon Your Highness.” Perhaps out of guilt, Qingluo dropped to her knees at once.

Liufu, watching from the side, only felt a sense of helplessness. Everything that needed to be heard had been heard; what was the point of kneeling now?

“Get up.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Qingluo rose hurriedly and, together with Liufu, withdrew, leaving Qiao Qingyun alone.

As the door closed, Liufu glanced at Qingluo. “You’ve brought trouble upon Her Highness.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Qingluo asked, her face troubled as she mulled it over in her heart. She vaguely recalled hearing the door close while she was speaking…

“Surely the Crown Prince wouldn’t…” Before she could finish, Liufu nodded. “He heard everything. It seems that tonight…”

She, too, left her words unsaid, gazing off with a sense of melancholy. If no one knew, that would be one thing. But now that the secret was out, there was no way this matter would end so simply.

“Wasn’t Your Highness fatigued today? Why have you come to me?” Qiao Qingyun asked.

Yuan Zaichun sneered, “If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known that after so much careful concealment, your maid could see through it so easily.”

“What…” Qiao Qingyun turned pale with shock, staring at him as if searching for an answer written upon his face.

“Don’t look at me like that. This time, you brought it upon yourself.” With those words, he flung her onto the bed. For so long now, his mind had been entirely occupied by Qiao Qingyun. He did not understand why her image haunted his every thought, even as his heart yearned for Bu Sheng Lian.

Gazing at Qiao Qingyun’s hands, which he gripped tightly, and her twisting form, he could no longer restrain himself. Since she was now the Crown Princess, he would treat her as such.

“Let me go! Yuan Zaichun! Let me go!” Qiao Qingyun struggled desperately, but Yuan Zaichun’s hands were like iron shackles, holding her fast, as though he feared she would slip away.