Crown Prince's Concubine [Completed]

C113.1 Extra 13.1

Chapter 113.1

Amidst the relentless snowfall, the palace gates were about to close, the hurried footsteps of palace maids echoing through the empty, long corridors.

Li Wenzheng seemed to be deaf to the commotion, his gaze fixed on Yingque as he inquired, "How can we improve her behavior?"

Ying Que finally grasped the gravity of his question, carefully weighing her response.

"As you know, the young lady has always been fond of playing," Yingque explained. "Now that Miss Yue Li is married and Miss Wei is constantly occupied at the Ministry of Agriculture, she needs companions."

Li Wenjian's expression remained grim.

Ying Que hastily attempted to rectify the situation, subtly observing Li Wenjian's demeanor while actively brainstorming solutions. "However, the young lady is aware of her limits," she continued, "always bringing Miss Wei or the Eighth Princess along when she goes out. Even if she harbors feelings for him, she would never..."

At Zhao Heng's age, it's natural for her to develop romantic interests, as long as she maintains decorum and avoids causing a scandal, Ying Que reasoned.

"Impossible," Li Wenjian declared. "She wouldn't."

Ying Que was taken aback. "Ah?"

"This Chen Ke?" Li Wenzheng pressed, "Who is he?"

Chen Ke, the eldest son of the Marquis of Dongyang, was frail since childhood. A fortune teller predicted that he would not live past sixteen. His parents raised him in a Taoist temple.

This year, he turned seventeen, and the Chen family, seeing that he had survived, brought him back to the capital. At the beginning of the year, Master Chen sent him to Guanghua Hall to attend lectures and study.

Due to his chronic illness, he was small and often bullied. Once, the young lady came across a few people teasing him and stepped forward to help him out. That's how they got to know each other.

Ying Que carefully recalled the relationship between Zhao Heng and Chen Ke. "Although this young master is physically weak, he has loved reading since childhood and has traveled with the Taoist priest in his early years, so he is very knowledgeable and has a lot to talk about with the young lady. Over time, the two of them often played together and gradually became familiar with each other."

Zhao Heng has always admired scholars, and it was the same in her previous life. Every time he talked to her about poetry and literature, she would look up to and admire her.

Li Wenjian repeated, "Very familiar?"

"Yes, very familiar," Ying Que said. "Guanghua Hall is not far from the Xiyiguan, and after school, the two of them often went to Langhuan Pavilion to read books together."

Li Wenjian remained silent for a moment and nodded, "I understand."

Ying Que withdrew, leaving Li Wenjian alone in the west hall.

Li Wenjian entered Zhao Heng's bedchamber. The room was adorned with an array of trinkets, the floor covered with Persian carpets he had requested Wei Zhan to bring back from the northwest. The windows were made of large, translucent jade, and the candlelight shone on the gleaming jade, casting a dazzling glow.

Her room had always been a riot of colors and patterns. She liked to be surrounded by an abundance of things - ever since the year she had come of age, stained her dress with menstrual blood, and run to the East Hall in the middle of the night to find Li Wenjian, he had never entered her bedchamber again.

The bedchamber was silent and still.

Night deepened, and some of the palace chambers turned off their lights.