Chapter 17: The Princess Complains There's Not Even Any Chicken Noodle Soup

Lin Yue returned to Prince Ding’s residence only at the hour of the Dog. When Steward Qian went to report back to Xiao Huaijing, Xiao Huaijing was displeased and said, “Tell the princess consort that from now on, she must return before the hour of the Monkey when she goes out.”

Steward Qian quickly went to the main chamber, but when he returned, he looked disheveled and said, “Young master, the princess consort said her affairs are none of your concern, and you are forbidden from inquiring about them again.”

Xiao Huaijing, furious, threw the book he was holding onto the ground. Lin Yue’s game of playing hard to get had its limits. He had already sent someone to ask and given her a way to save face—what more did she want?

“Go tell her I’m hungry and want chicken shredded noodles.”

In the past, whenever he desired a certain dish, Lin Yue would prepare it for him no matter how late it was. Surely it would be the same now.

With that thought, Xiao Huaijing picked up the book and tried to continue reading.

But this time, he simply could not concentrate.

Not long after, Steward Qian returned, his steps even slower than before.

Xiao Huaijing didn’t notice and smiled faintly, feigning insight. “Well? Did she go to the kitchen?”

“I knew it, how could she possibly—”

“No, the princess consort didn’t go.”

Steward Qian looked sorrowful, brushing back his hair to reveal a swollen, reddened forehead. He said aggrievedly, “The princess consort said there’s no chicken shredded noodles. If you send someone to bother her again, she’ll come and smash your head.”

“What?”

With a loud bang, Xiao Huaijing slammed the table and stood up abruptly.

“This is outrageous! Before, she begged me to eat it and I refused!”

“Now, after giving her a way out, she still won’t come down. Does she expect me to beg her? Ridiculous! Who does she think she is?”

Steward Qian wailed, “Young master, maybe you should just drop it. The princess consort really is hard to deal with.”

“Besides, all the people around her are trusted palace attendants. We… we can’t just force the issue.”

Xiao Huaijing was stunned. His anger gradually subsided, and he thought to himself there must be some misunderstanding.

Since Lin Yue was surrounded by palace confidants, how could she openly show her feelings toward him?

It was his fault for complaining to the palace before, which had angered her.

In truth, he had known all along the matter was not entirely her fault. She had simply been too deeply entangled to extricate herself.

But since she was married to his father, the prince, she ought to consider the reputation of the residence and stop tormenting Yingyue. He could no longer bear to watch and had gone to complain.

At worst, he would just pretend she didn’t exist in the prince’s mansion from now on.

“Forget it. I’ll go find her tomorrow and clear things up.”

Having said this, Xiao Huaijing calmed down.

At that moment, Nurse Liu arrived.

“Young master, the princess consort requests your return to the chamber for a talk.”

Xiao Huaijing’s eyes darkened upon seeing Nurse Liu.

Startled, she nervously asked, “Young master, what’s wrong?”

Xiao Huaijing snorted coldly, “What’s wrong? Who told you to hit Xiaomei?”

“You old hag, you’ve caused the princess consort to misunderstand me. You deserve to die!”

Nurse Liu hastily knelt down, “Young master, please calm your anger. Your old servant was blinded by pig’s grease at the time and was confused. Please spare me this once. I dare not repeat it.”

Xiao Huaijing said, “If it weren’t for Yingyue, I would have beaten you to death.”

“Go fetch two wooden boards yourself, and you are no longer allowed to serve the princess consort.”

“Get out!”

Nurse Liu was so frightened she burst into tears. She limped away before receiving her punishment, clearly deeply shaken.

Xiao Huaijing thought matters had finally settled, but after a while, Su Yingyue appeared.

She was naturally fair and beautiful. Without jewelry at night, dressed in white sleepwear with a pale blue cloak over it, she appeared as delicate and charming as shimmering snow under moonlight.

Xiao Huaijing’s heart skipped a beat as he suddenly remembered that they had yet to consummate their marriage.

And tonight… Su Yingyue was surely waiting for him.

Regretfully, he put down his book and quickly stood to greet her. “It’s my fault, I was too engrossed in reading.”

“You’re still not fully recovered. If there’s anything, just send someone to call me. Why come yourself?”

Su Yingyue smiled bitterly.

Why had she come?

Because Nurse Liu had been beaten, because the princess consort’s maid Xiaomei had been struck by order of the young master himself.

This was not simply punishing Nurse Liu—it was a slap in her own face.

Su Yingyue knelt and said, “Young master, I come to apologize on Nurse Liu’s behalf.”

“She offended the mother consort; she deserves it!”

“But young master spared her for my sake, and I feel deeply guilty.”

Xiao Huaijing’s expression darkened at the mention of “mother consort.”

He helped Su Yingyue up. “All this fuss over a servant? I hardly punished her. Why do you suffer so? Where does that leave your husband?”

Su Yingyue hurried to explain, “No, it’s just that I feel so uneasy.”

Xiao Huaijing said, “What do you have to be uneasy about? The one who should be uneasy is me.”

“Only today did I realize I wrongly blamed her.”

“Yingyue, was it wrong of me to go to the palace? Tell grandmother and make her so embarrassed. No wonder she refuses to see me now.”

“Hubby…” Su Yingyue was startled. If her husband started thinking of his stepmother, that would be terrifying indeed.

Lin Yue’s misconduct could lead to immediate execution by the royal court.

But if Xiao Huaijing behaved badly, the court would protect him. The disaster might fall upon her instead.

Thinking this, Su Yingyue hastily said, “My chest hurts so much.”

“It hurts… right here…”

She took Xiao Huaijing’s hand and placed it on her chest. The soft touch startled him, and he withdrew his hand.

But seeing Su Yingyue’s pale face, he gently began to rub her chest.

As he rubbed, Su Yingyue’s hand firmly held his, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked at him mournfully and called softly, “Hubby…”

Xiao Huaijing felt a sudden heat in his body; his lips grew dry.

Just as he leaned down to kiss her, Steward Qian rushed in, and seeing their nearly intertwined forms, he stepped back in alarm and shouted in the courtyard, “Young master, someone from the palace has arrived!”

“What?”

Instantly alert, Xiao Huaijing withdrew his hand.

He then dropped Su Yingyue’s hand and hurried outside to ask, “Is it the grandmother’s or the empress’s attendant?”

Steward Qian replied, “It’s the emperor’s chief steward, Zhou Dahai.”

Xiao Huaijing’s eyes shifted, nervously asking, “Why him? Is he here to escort the princess consort back to the palace?”

Steward Qian replied, “No. He said he was ordered to inquire about some matters. He’s already gone to the main chamber.”

As soon as Steward Qian finished, Xiao Huaijing hurried over.

Su Yingyue smiled sadly, tears streaming down her face.

She turned back, no longer seeing Xiao Huaijing’s figure. The courage she had gathered for so long dissipated completely. When she stood up, she felt an emptiness in her heart, knowing things could never return to how they were.

“Lin Yue, we agreed to keep our distance, but you broke the rules first!”

Su Yingyue whispered, her clenched fists cracking, a murderous glint flashing in her eyes.