He wasn't smiling, but rather felt puzzled.
Could something have happened for her to seek him out here?
Lu Jingzhao asked the lecturer to pause and got up to step outside.
"Speak," he said.
His eyes, like the clear light of the moon, showed no hint of surprise or warmth at seeing her.
Until now, she had always thought of him as unflappable, like a calm lake without a breeze, but she had seen another side of him, realizing he was just deeply reserved.
Looking at Lu Jingzhao again, she felt a novel sensation and smiled, "I just wanted to see you, Your Highness."
Lu Jingzhao: "..."
"I just wanted to see you," she reiterated.
She looked up at him, her clear eyes and fair skin radiating a youthful charm.
Lu Jingzhao's lips were tightly pressed, his expression unchanging.
Their eyes met in a moment of silent stillness.
After a moment, he said, "If there's nothing else, you should go back," and turned to leave her with his cold back.
Chu Yin was not upset; she thought that Lu Jingzhao must be quite surprised, as this was the first time she had spoken to him this way.
His Crown Princess still stood by the window.
Amidst the lush greenery of the garden, her cherry-colored attire stood out, dazzling to the eyes.
Lu Jingzhao's gaze swept over her, and his mind flashed back to events four years ago in Qingzhou when his father was still a prince, and the likelihood of him becoming the next emperor made his choice of a wife a matter of great importance.
In the end, his parents chose Chu Yin.
Before this, they had only met twice and did not know each other well, but matters of marriage were never for the young to decide.
Not long after he married Chu Yin, the Emperor passed away, leaving no heir. The officials then elevated his father to the throne.
As they prepared to relocate to the capital, it was discovered that Chu Yin was pregnant.
Fearing the long journey might harm her and the child, Chu Yin chose to stay in Qingzhou, selflessly insisting he didn't need to stay for her sake and should assist his father with the ascension to the throne.
It was in that moment he truly understood Chu Yin.
Her insistence on his going to the capital was to prevent any complications that might affect the future heir's status, even if it meant facing the dangers of childbirth alone.
In her heart, his becoming the Crown Prince and her the Crown Princess was of paramount importance.
Later, she gave birth to twins in Qingzhou. Due to the children's frail health, they remained there for nearly two years before moving to the capital.
Though they had been married for four years, they had actually spent only a few months together, and the long separation had led to some estrangement.
Why this sudden change in her behavior today?
Lu Jingzhao was perplexed.
The attendant Dong Ling reminded him, "Your Highness, you haven't turned the pages of your book for a while."
Lu Jingzhao: "..."
Never mind, he thought. After all, she just came to see him, which wasn't a big deal.
He refocused his attention.
By the time Chu Yin returned to the Eastern Palace, the children had already finished their meal and were being shown the koi fish in the porcelain tank by Qi Niang and Mrs. Zhou.
For good luck, the number of koi fish was always even, either twelve or ten, in various colors like gold, red and white, and black-spotted, all plump and endearing.
Lu Zhen beckoned, "Mommy, come here!"
The two nannies bowed respectfully upon seeing her.
Chu Yin's gaze settled on Mrs. Zhou.
Mrs. Zhou had taken good care of her son, on par with Qi Niang. Chu Yin was very satisfied, but only after her death did she realize Mrs. Zhou's ambitions.
Her son, bereft of his mother, became overly reliant on Mrs. Zhou, who seized the opportunity to gain his affection.
Eventually, her son's attachment to Mrs. Zhou grew so strong that he fulfilled most of her requests. Mrs. Zhou, wielding power in the palace, had even placed her own relatives there, acting almost like an Empress Dowager.
Chu Yin was almost sick with frustration watching this.
But what could she do? She had died too early.
Feeling the Crown Princess's icy gaze, Mrs. Zhou's eyelashes fluttered, and she asked softly, "Did I do something wrong?"
Ignoring her, Chu Yin took her son and daughter by the hand, "Let's go see the pomegranate flowers, it won't be long before the fruits appear..."
Watching her walk away, Mrs. Zhou whispered to Qi Niang, "What's with the Crown Princess today?"
Qi Niang shook her head, "I don't know. She's been odd since this morning, but don't worry. As long as you've done nothing wrong, she won't punish you for no reason." She said this to reassure herself as well.
In reality, Chu Yin was already contemplating how to dismiss Mrs. Zhou.
Of course, given her status, she could do it now, but Mrs. Zhou was chosen by her mother-in-law before leaving for the capital and had stayed in Qingzhou to care for her son diligently, leaving no grounds for fault.
Chu Yin glanced at her son, who was crouched down observing ants on the ground.
He was three now and likely didn't have much attachment to Mrs. Zhou, so he probably wouldn't miss her.
Besides, if he did miss her, a little comforting would suffice. His memories weren't deeply ingrained yet; it was better to part ways sooner.
She decided to discuss this with Lu Jingzhao in the evening.
Lu Zhen, not interested in ants, looked at the pomegranate flowers: "Are pomegranates tasty?"
"Don't you remember, Zhen? You had some last year, they were very sweet," Chu Yin pinched her little cheek, "as sweet as Zhen."
Lu Zhen was surprised: "I'm sweet?" She licked her own hand and shook her head, "Not sweet."
Chu Yin was amused by her cuteness and chuckled.
In the future, Lu Zhen's husband would also say she was sweet, and she wouldn't doubt it then, just blush profusely.
However, her future son-in-law was still young, only seven years old, four years older than her daughter, and the heir of the Duke of Song's household, Fu Yue.
Their first meeting was yet to happen, and although Chu Yin was eager to meet her son-in-law, she didn't dare disturb the natural course of their relationship, fearing it might affect the outcome. She could only wait patiently.
Lu Jingzhao returned to the Eastern Palace in the evening.
Both children ran to their father, calling "Daddy!"
Lu Jingzhao gave a small smile and tousled their hair, engaging in casual talk without much warmth.
Perhaps because he wasn't there for their birth and missed much, his bond with them was lukewarm compared to hers. But Chu Yin had no regrets. There were priorities, and even though Lu Jingzhao was the legitimate son, his half-brother was also favored by their father, and anything could happen.
"Your Highness," Chu Yin approached, "I have something to discuss with you."
Lu Jingzhao asked, "What is it?"
"I want to dismiss Xu's nanny from the palace."
Lu Jingzhao was surprised, "Isn't she the one you brought from Qingzhou? Why suddenly dismiss her?"
Of course, Chu Yin couldn't reveal the real reason.
"Xu is a boy, after all. In a couple of years, he should move out of the Eastern Palace. It's not appropriate for him to always have a nanny by his side. I think it's better to encourage his independence early... Perhaps add a few more male servants and reduce female attendants."
Lu Jingzhao misunderstood her intention, thinking she was worried their son might indulge in female company like his grandfather, lacking self-control.
But wasn't this precaution a bit too early?
However, Chu Yin had always been the one concerned about the children, and he was not well-informed about these matters: "Do as you wish."
"But I still need Mother's approval since she was the one who chose her," Chu Yin moved closer to him, "Your Highness hasn't forgotten, has he?"
Indeed, he had.
Lu Jingzhao glanced at her.
Her smile remained unchanged, almost leaning against his arm.
Through the thin summer fabric, he could feel the warmth of her skin and the softness underneath.
Thinking back to their encounter at Chunhui Pavilion, he felt Chu Yin was somewhat off today.
Even if it was just to ask for his help with his mother, did she need to cling so closely?
But he didn't push her away: "I'll speak to Mother when she feels better."
In her previous life, she wouldn't bother him with trivial matters, as they each had their responsibilities; him as the Crown Prince and her as the Crown Princess, never burdening each other. Hence, she was unsure of his reaction.
But now, seeing that he didn't mind her frequent requests and was even willing to approach his mother, it was evident he did care for her. She had been blinded by his stern exterior, never attempting to explore deeper.
Chu Yin gently shook his arm, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Fragrances wafted around him; the scent of osmanthus from her hair, the orchid fragrance from her clothes, and her unique feminine aroma mingled together, enveloping him like mist, along with her overly sweet voice and coquettish movements...
He suddenly felt an inexplicable, uncomfortable sensation.
"Isn't it time for dinner?" He withdrew his arm and walked towards the eight-immortal table.
Normally, the children wouldn't stay in the main hall at this time, but since Chu Yin hadn't had a family meal in a long time, she asked them to eat there too.
Naturally, the meal was not a quiet affair.
Lu Jingzhao watched her alternate between feeding one child and then the other, unable to resist commenting, "Can't they eat by themselves? They can hold chopsticks, can't they?"
"It's a rare occasion, it's fine."
In her memory, it had been twelve years since she last spent time with her children, so she didn't see any issue.
Lu Jingzhao stared at her for a while but said nothing more.
If Chu Yin continued like this tomorrow, he would not allow it.
After dinner, the children played in the hall for a while before returning to the side hall.
Chu Yin instructed Lian Qiao to prepare a fragrant orchid bath; she wanted to soak and enjoy the pleasure of living again.
Closing her eyes in the tub, she felt so comfortable she almost fell asleep.
By the time she returned to the inner chamber, it was already late.
Lu Jingzhao's routine was fixed: retire at the same hour every night and rise early the next day.
As he lay down, Chu Yin caught the cool, refreshing scent on his clothes, recalling the nights he spent tormented by memories, unable to sleep. She had longed to embrace and comfort him, to encourage him to carry on living, yet she could only embrace emptiness.
But now, she could touch him.
Chu Yin turned and gently nestled into his arms.
Lu Jingzhao's body tensed.
As husband and wife, such behavior was normal, but Chu Yin had never done this before unless he initiated it. She usually fell asleep quietly and maintained decorum.
What was going on with her today?
In the morning, she had come to Chunhui Pavilion to see him, had been clinging to him earlier, and now this...
Remembering how lovingly she had interacted with the children during dinner, a thought suddenly struck Lu Jingzhao: was she eager to have another child?
That seemed to be the only explanation.
Otherwise, how could her actions be explained?
Women are often shy about such matters, likely she was too embarrassed to speak of wanting another child, preferring to hint through actions.
After a moment's consideration, he placed his hand on her waist.
