Zhao Changdu closed his eyes for a moment, his thick long eyelashes casting two deep black shadows underneath. "It will be fine as long as we get through the Xingqing Festival safely."
Gu Ying undid his hair bun for him, gently massaging his temples. She took the opportunity to ask him the details of the Xingqing Festival.
Zhao Changdu did not hide anything and told her everything one by one.
Gu Ying listened attentively, carefully rehearsing the arrangements of the Xingqing Festival in her mind a few times. By the time she came back to her senses, the man in her arms had fallen asleep.
She chuckled softly, her small hand gliding over his sturdy pillar, unable to resist planting a kiss on his thin lips.
Soft and extremely sweet.
"Don't make trouble."
Gu Ying was not going to listen to him. She lowered her head and continued to peck at his brow, then his exquisite brow and eyes, the tip of his nose, his lips, his chin, teasing him until he slowly opened his eyes.
Meeting his passionate gaze, Gu Ying regretted it then.
Her body turned and somehow she was pressed onto the bed, those hungry wolf-like eyes staring straight at her.
She gave an embarrassed laugh, covering her chest. "Um... Changdu, I was just teasing earlier..."
Zhao Changdu leaned over her, whispering hoarsely next to the young lady's flushed ear as he toyed with her earlobe. "Ying, I'm leaving soon. Let me eat my fill, okay?"
Gu Ying's ears grew hot. Facing the man's desirous eyes, she could not get the words of refusal out.
"Then be gentle."
"Alright."
"And go slowly, not like last time."
Zhao Changdu chuckled lowly, his large hand deftly undoing her sash. "Okay, okay, anything you say."
Gu Ying's body was pushed into the sheets. Soon, she felt the heat rising, and the sturdy bed began emitting one long, slow rocking sound after another.
...
In the blink of an eye, it was the Xingqing Festival.
This day was a grand festival for Dong Li to commemorate ancestors and worship deities.
Not only did the officials get time off, every household would stop their work and worship the gods, commemorating their ancestors.
The Crown Prince had gotten up before dawn to prepare to go to the palace to perform the morning court ritual.
Gu Ying also got up to follow him, vaguely aware of being kissed for a good while by the man before being pressed back into bed. "Be good, sleep a while longer."
Still dazed, she watched the man's back as he changed clothes. Her body felt too heavy, and she soon fell back asleep.
When she woke up again, it was bright out.
Yanzhi and Yin Lan brought over hot water and towels to bathe and dress her and do her hair.
"Did the people I borrowed from Auntie arrive?"
Yanzhi put a hairpin in her updo and smiled. "They've arrived and are waiting for you, my lady."
Gu Ying nodded. She took Yin Lan's hand and walked out, "Yin Lan, is your hand better?"
Yin Lan smiled faintly. "Thank you for your concern, my lady. It's completely healed now."
The lady had been extremely kind, sending many precious health tonics, and having the Princess Consort personally look at her injury. With someone as attentive as Huai An looking after her day and night, how could she not recover quickly?
Yanzhi teased, "Sister Yin Lan was able to recover so swiftly thanks to Lord Huai's help. If not for Lord Huai not eating or sleeping—" Ow!"
Yin Lan's face flushed slightly as she quickly covered Yanzhi's mouth. "Yanzhi, quiet!"
Yanzhi smiled behind her hand, eyes full of joy.
This was her first time participating in the Xingqing Festival at the Duke's estate, so naturally she was excited, almost dragging Yin Lan along to share her delight.
Gu Ying watched Yin Lan and Yanzhi joking with a smile, also feeling somewhat emotional.
When she was at the Earl of Dongping's estate, she hardly had the chance to leave the estate and participate in festivals like this. Now she could represent the Duke of Zhenguo's estate and accompany the Consort Shou to Qingyun Temple. It really made one sigh with emotion.
His Majesty had summoned the civil and military officials before dawn to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Considering the time, they must have already left the temple and gone to the Imperial Altar now.
Only the Empress was qualified to accompany the Emperor to the Imperial Altar. The other palace women were not granted access.
Thus every year the Consort Shou would be granted permission to leave the palace and go to Qingyun Temple to mourn her sister who died in a great fire.
This year was no exception.
For her safety, it was still done according to convention, with Captain Xia Zixi of the Imperial Guards personally leading people to protect her outing from the palace.
Gu Ying followed behind the Consort Shou's carriage with the other two palace ladies. They swayed along all the way to Qingyun Temple.
"My lady, do you see that one in green? That's Madam Zhang, wife of Lord Yang of Bianjing Prefecture. Lord Yang is in charge of the prisons and like a brother to Captain Xia. Ten years ago, he was promoted entirely thanks to Captain Xia. "
Well-informed and discerning, Yin Lan pointed to the woman about the Consort Shou's age next to Madam Zhang. "That's Madam Li, wife of Marquis Juying. She and Madam Zhang often accompany the Consort Shou in the palace to play. The Consort Shou is from Changzhou. She didn't have any friends or family after entering the capital, so His Majesty was afraid she would be unhappy and had people bring her close sisters from Changzhou over. Madam Li married over from Changzhou and is a fellow townswoman of the Consort Shou. There are rumors in Bianjing that Madam Li once had that kind of relationship with Prince Shu... Later, after the Imperial Guards gave a warning killing, no one brought it up anymore."
Gu Ying nodded slightly to indicate she understood.
Come to think of it, the Consort Shou had been much more low-key this year.
Perhaps because His Majesty was unwell, she didn't dare be extravagant. She also brought fewer people with her.
Madam Zhang and Madam Li stood together, chatting and laughing together intermittently.
"But why did the Consort Shou ask you to accompany her this year?" Yanzhi wondered.
Somehow Madam Zhang and Madam Li were the Consort Shou's own people, while the lady was an outsider. She couldn't integrate into their circle either. Also, things had been unhappy between them since the Consort Shou's birthday banquet at the palace.
Yin Lan also looked over wonderingly. "Could it be related to when you were kidnapped last time, my lady? I heard Huai An say the one behind it was Prince Shu's people. Prince Shu coveted you, so when one plan failed he hatched another... This Qingyun Temple is clearly another Hongmen Banquet."
"To say it's a Hongmen Banquet is overestimating the Consort Shou." Gu Ying scoffed. "This is where she rendezvouses with Xia Zixi. It's clearly a den of iniquity."
Yin Lan suddenly understood. "No wonder those Madam Zhang and Madam Li are also unruly characters with unsavory reputations in Bianjing."
Yanzhi was shocked, mouth agape. "So they're a nest of snakes, rats and weasels! I'd only heard that Madam Zhang and Madam Li relied on the Consort Shou's favor to run amok outside, forcibly taking men. I thought they were just rumors. Looking at how those two old ladies are still making themselves up attractively now, they don't seem like proper ladies at all. So every year when they come to Qingyun Temple, on the surface accompanying the Consort Shou to mourn her sister, but actually... right in front of the gods and immortals they privately meet with men?!"
