Full of doubts, he scrutinized his wife beneath him.
She showed no change, not even a flutter of her eyelashes, patiently waiting for his response.
He couldn't answer.
Her sudden change left him perplexed.
But he didn't want to kiss her lips again, instead moving his kisses to her neck.
The skin beneath her earlobe was extremely sensitive; his warm breath brushed against it first, causing Chu Yin to shiver. Before she could calm down, his burning kiss landed, making her involuntarily hum softly.
It was very faint, almost inaudible, but being so close, he could sense the coyness in that sound.
Annoyed with herself, she clenched her fingers.
Lu Jingzhuo paused for a moment, then intensified his kisses.
To prevent making another sound, she bit her own lip.
She ended up sweating profusely.
The next morning, Lianqiao came to help Chu Yin dress and noticed a kiss mark on the backside of her neck, resembling a petal of purple lilac.
It was the first time such a mark appeared on the Crown Princess.
Indeed, a brief separation is as good as a new marriage.
Chu Yin herself was unaware, only feeling a bit tired, probably from the effort of keeping quiet, too tense.
"I would like to have chicken stuffed steamed buns, pickled bamboo shoots, and black rice porridge for breakfast... just these three," she ordered.
Dongji quickly sent a palace maid to the kitchen with the message.
"Also, send some Wenshu tea leaves to the Chu family with a servant, and inquire about my brother's marriage progress. It's already July, the weather isn't too hot, I wonder if mother has started the arrangements."
"Yes."
Chu Yin got out of bed to wash up, but didn't dress up elaborately, simply securing her hair with a jade pin.
On the eight immortals table was a dish of peach pastries, seemingly eaten by Lu Jingzhuo that morning.
He promised to try them for Lu Zhen, and he really did.
Chu Yin also picked one up to eat.
Sweet but not cloying, it was quite good.
After breakfast, the servant who went to the Chu family returned. Dongji reported to Chu Yin, "The tea leaves have been delivered. Lady Chu was delighted. She mentioned that the matter of Master Chu's marriage isn't settled yet, and will give a response in half a month."
It seems they haven't found a suitable match yet. Chu Yin took a rest before changing into her exercise clothes.
Dongji was surprised, "Are you going to practice exercises now?" No wonder she wasn't dressing up earlier.
"Yes, once in the morning and once in the afternoon."
In this life, if not living to a hundred, at least she should reach fifty, right? How could she not put in the effort?
There was a breeze in the courtyard, providing a cool respite.
She practiced the Eight Pieces of Brocade under the eaves.
By then, the two children were awake and joined their mother in her movements.
During a break, Lianqiao asked, "Should the painting you did earlier be mounted?"
Ah!
She had proactively mentioned showing the painting to Lu Jingzhuo yesterday and had completely forgotten about it.
"Not yet, just place it on the desk."
"Yes, Crown Princess."
After completing the Eight Pieces of Brocade for the second time, Chu Yin felt refreshed, despite the continuous sweating.
After washing up, she instructed Lianqiao to style her hair into a tilted bun.
She adorned the right side with a hollow-carved golden phoenix hairpin and a light pink velvet flower at the temple, adding a touch of youthful charm to her vivid appearance.
Lianqiao smiled, "You rarely wear velvet flowers, but it suits you well."
Chu Yin tilted her head towards the mirror, "Looks like I've grown half a year younger."
Just as she finished speaking, Lu Jingzhuo returned.
Their eyes met, and she greeted him with a reserved smile, calling out, "Your Highness."
It was still that controlled smile, the curve of her lips identical to yesterday's.
Lu Jingzhuo suddenly had a realization.
She was very much like the Chu Yin he first knew.
Could it be that her visit to Wenshu Temple led her to rethink her coquettish behavior and decide to change?
It's appropriate for the Crown Princess to be dignified and self-composed, which isn't a bad thing.
But her coquetry was aimed at enticing him for another child, and since that desire hasn't ceased, why change now? Or does she feel there's no longer a need to seduce him, confident that she can achieve her wishes without such tactics?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, his expression unchanged, he glanced at the unfamiliar velvet flower: "Did you just get up?"
"I've been up since Chen hour, just finished practicing exercises twice."
"...Rushing might not bring success, don't overexert yourself."
Chu Yin's smile deepened slightly, "Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. I'll be careful."
Since it was noon, the two had their meal together.
Remembering the painting, Chu Yin apologized, "I was tired yesterday and forgot to show you. Please, don't take offense, Your Highness."
So she did remember, Lu Jingzhuo replied indifferently, "It's fine, anytime will do."
While that was said, Chu Yin's ultimate goal was still to be affectionate with Lu Jingzhuo. Therefore, she later went to the desk to display the three paintings to him.
He wasn't adept at painting, but he could tell at a glance that she had used a fine brush.
The meticulous and detailed outlines, along with the clever use of colors, made the paintings strikingly lifelike. He could easily envision the scene of the spiritual spring cascading down in his mind.
"It rivals Kong Weining's 'Listening to the Spring.'"
Such high praise brought joy to Chu Yin's heart, but she remained modest on the surface, "Your Highness flatters me too much. I am nowhere near Master Kong's level... But I'm surprised Your Highness knows of him. I haven't seen you appreciating paintings much."
"What I do in Chunhui Pavilion is naturally unknown to you." She had only visited two or three times, hadn't she?
"......"
So he did more than just attend lectures at Chunhui Pavilion. Chu Yin had a thought, "True, I only spend time with Your Highness at noon and in the evening, we hardly know each other well... Besides painting, I occasionally collect calligraphy, like the works of Liu Xu, which I quite admire."
In her past life, he must have learned of this from someone else. This time, she told him directly.
He'd better remember it and send her some calligraphy soon.
However, Lu Jingzhuo only hummed in response, not indicating whether he really listened.
Chu Yin couldn't help feeling disappointed, but still asked, "What do you like, Your Highness?"
She had never asked him before.
The flower arrangement was her own idea, certainly not what he wanted.
Racking her brain, she couldn't find any clue.
It couldn't be that his only interest was in handling state affairs, could it?
Lu Jingzhuo didn't answer, slowly putting down the painting in his hands, "I need to leave now."
Unaware of how half an hour had passed, Chu Yin said, "Let me see Your Highness out."
"......"
After just a few sentences, Chu Yin repeatedly referred to herself as "your concubine." Lu Jingzhuo gave her a deep look, noticing she consistently maintained a distance of about one foot from him, and said, "No need."
She was actually refused...
She was merely trying to fulfill her duties as a good wife. Was that too much?
This man is really hard to please, Chu Yin thought resentfully. He disapproves of coquetry and even this simple gesture.
Lu Jingzhuo left swiftly.
As he reached the palace gate, a pale yellow sycamore leaf, blown by the wind, fell at his feet.
It truly was autumn.
Migratory birds were heading south, often passing overhead in flocks, their cackles filling the air.
The pomegranates were half-ripe, hanging like fists from the branches. Lu Zhen, craving them, insisted on eating one, so Chu Yin asked Xiao Dou to stand on a stool and pick one.
After washing and opening it, the seeds inside weren't very red. Chu Yin gave one to her daughter.
She pursed her lips, the sourness nearly bringing her to tears.
Lu Zhu, curious, said, "Mother, I want to try too."
Sharing both the sweet and sour experiences is only fair, so Chu Yin also gave him a seed.
Lu Zhu's face immediately scrunched up like a bitter melon.
Chu Yin chuckled at their reactions, then wondered, was it really that sour?
Driven by curiosity, she too tried a seed.
The sour and astringent taste spread over her tongue, almost making her toss the pomegranate away. But then, a thought flashed in her mind; she decided to keep it and brought it back to the palace, placing it on the desk.
Later, Chu Yin went to practice her exercises.
Compared to before, she sweated less and felt less soreness in her hands and legs after two rounds of practice.
This improvement might mean she could start learning horseback riding.
But would Lu Jingzhuo be willing to teach her?
Probably not; it might be better to find a female official skilled in riding.
Yes, that's what she would do!
Lianqiao had already prepared the bath, sprinkling some nearly blooming osmanthus flowers on the water.
Chu Yin settled into the tub, surrounded by a sweet fragrance.
Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching.
August...
And then it would be October soon.
She needed to hurry and find a way to expose Gong Huai.
Chu Yin leaned against the tub, idly fiddling with the osmanthus flowers, her brows suddenly furrowing. Lianqiao asked, "What's wrong? You seemed happy just now, why do you look troubled all of a sudden?"
"I do have something on my mind," Chu Yin replied, watching droplets fall from her fingertips and ripple the water, and instructed, "Go prepare the carriage, I need to visit Kun Ning Palace shortly."
"Now? At this hour?"
"Yes." She had a plan.
Lianqiao complied.
After dressing up, Chu Yin took a carriage to Kun Ning Palace.
As it neared the hour of You, the sky was tinged with faint orange clouds.
Empress Jiang exclaimed in surprise, "Ah Yin, why have you come at this hour?"
"I need Mother's help with something," Chu Yin got straight to the point.
"Sit and tell me."
"Yes." Chu Yin half-truthfully began, "Recently, I was telling the children about Yu the Great controlling the floods. They are too young to understand, so I thought of a jade carving in the palace depicting this story. It might help them grasp it better."
Empress Jiang turned to Chen Mama, "Do we have such a jade carving?"
"Your Majesty, there's none in Kun Ning Palace. We should ask Eunuch Chen, he oversees the four great treasuries."
Chen Qing Sheng was Gong Huai's superior. Implicated by Gong Huai, he was beheaded for negligence, deceived by Gong Huai and failing to notice the theft of treasures.
Empress Jiang pondered, "Ah Yin, I'll invite Eunuch Chen tomorrow morning. You can speak with him then."
"Thank you, Mother," Chu Yin was about to leave when she remembered about horseback riding, "Mother, I've been wanting to learn horseback riding. Do you know of any female official who is skilled at it?"
Chen Mama knew just the person, "Her Majesty could invite Yu Sizhang. She is a military officer's daughter."
Sizhang, part of the Imperial Wardrobe, was in charge of arms and guards. Once a prestigious position, but since the previous dynasty, female officials' roles had been increasingly diminished to merely symbolic.
Empress Jiang looked puzzled, "Ah Yin, why not ask Jingzhuo to teach you? He's been skilled in riding since childhood. Wouldn't that be better?"
Only if he was willing.
Not wanting to face rejection again, Chu Yin replied, "I don't wish to bother him, and it's easier to arrange time with a female official."
His daily lectures at Chunhui Pavilion did indeed make it inconvenient. Empress Jiang didn't press further.
Chen Mama, always thorough, reminded, "Since the Crown Princess will learn horseback riding, you should have riding outfits made in advance."
Remembering the exercise outfit she wore, Chu Yin smiled and instructed Dongji, "Go to the Imperial Wardrobe and tell the director I need four sets of riding outfits, each embroidered with plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum patterns, in red, orange, blue, and green."
"Yes, I'll go right away."
It was evening by the time Chu Yin returned from Kun Ning Palace.
Lu Jingzhuo had arrived at the Eastern Palace before her.
"I heard you went to see Mother?" he asked.
"I needed Mother's help with something," Chu Yin explained the whole situation to him, "If Zhu and Zhen see the jade carving, they'll likely have a lasting impression of the story of Yu the Great controlling the floods, and perhaps remember it better."
Such an effort for a story? Lu Jingzhuo gave her a sidelong glance.
Today, Chu Yin was dressed in a rose-purple peony-patterned brocade jacket and a jade-colored skirt with embroidered flowers, her hair styled in a tumbling ponytail, adorned with a golden hairpin and jade earrings. She was the epitome of elegance and grace, yet her expression was notably subdued, like a patch of snow amidst a burst of flowers, easily overlooked.
This demeanor of hers had persisted for half a month.
Lu Jingzhuo hadn't expected such a complete change in her.
Even in bed...
Naturally, their intimate encounters were less frequent than before, as he wanted to see what Chu Yin was really thinking.
"Good thing there's a jade carving. What would you have done for a different story?" he asked, rolling up his sleeves to wash his hands.
It was just an excuse, there was no other story. Chu Yin replied, "I'd choose simpler stories... Of course, if Your Highness has the time, you could read to them too." Her gaze drifted to the pomegranate on the desk. She walked over, picked it up with a slight smile, and asked, "Do you remember when Zhen asked you about pomegranates, Your Highness?"
"Hmm."
"It's grown this big," she showed him.
Opening the pomegranate revealed its lightly pink seeds. Lu Jingzhuo glanced at it without a word.
"Would Your Highness like to try it?" she asked.
Lu Jingzhuo declined, "No need."
"......"
She had wanted to see his reaction to the sour pomegranate, but now she wouldn't.
Since she couldn't act coquettishly, she might have persuaded him to try one otherwise.
Resigning herself to the situation, Chu Yin set the pomegranate aside.
Her actions were decisive and efficient.
Lu Jingzhuo glanced at the pomegranate, for some reason reminded of the time she insisted on feeding him iced yogurt.
She held the silver spoon, urging him to eat faster, complaining about her arm getting tired.
Eventually, he had uncharacteristically fed her.
He lowered his gaze, slowly wiping his hands with a towel.
Chu Yin instructed the palace maids to set the table for dinner.
Dongji returned from the Imperial Wardrobe, "Crown Princess, I have conveyed your request to the director. She said it will take about eight days to complete the outfits. You can wait, or we can deliver one set first if you're in a hurry."
"There's no rush. Tell them tomorrow to focus on the details." Chu Yin had the treasury matter to attend to and still needed to deal with Gong Huai.
"Understood, I'll let them know."
Lu Jingzhuo, somewhat confused, sat down and asked, "What is this about?"
Chu Yin explained, "I've asked the director of the Imperial Wardrobe to make riding outfits for me."
"......"
So, her desire to learn horseback riding hadn't changed.
But when had he agreed to teach her?
Just as Lu Jingzhuo was about to object to her presumptuousness, he heard Chu Yin say, "Please don't misunderstand, Your Highness. I will be taught by a female official."
Lu Jingzhuo: "..."
