Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C067

Wushuang was instantly flustered.

"Your, Your Highness, what are you saying?"

She panicked, wanting to get up, but her hands slipped several times, failing to rise.

Prince Wei, grasping her slender, white wrist, took advantage of the situation to press her beneath him, his heated breath fanning against her ear, "What? Does this Prince speak in a way you cannot understand?"

Wushuang tried her best to calm herself, but her mind was a complete muddle. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and a great amount of sweat poured out, making her feel damp and stifling.

She felt as if she could barely breathe.

His heated breath brushed against her face, lingering there. At this moment, Prince Wei was like an alluring, wicked monarch, surveying his territory.

"This Prince does not believe you do not understand."

"Your Highness, what you say is truly beyond my understanding. Could you please let me go? My hand hurts so much." She sniffled, tears already welling up.

The man's deep, dark eyes seized her pupils, and he lowered his head, covering her lips.

The sensation of her fragrant lips was as soft and sweet as he had imagined. The large hands that held her wrists tightened slightly, pressing their lips together more firmly. Between their lips and teeth was the fragrance of wine, with a subtle hint of sweetness.

The light in her eyes trembled once, then again, finally overflowing. Tears blurred her vision, sliding down her cheeks and dampening his face as well.

He lifted his head, gritting his teeth, glaring at her, glaring at her as she wept like a woman drowning in tears, as if he were a scoundrel forcing himself upon a virtuous maiden.

"This Prince has cherished you, protected you, and provided for you in so many ways. In your eyes, is this Prince merely a villain?"

Her body trembled, and she choked out, "No."

"Then why are you willing to be intimate with him, yet avoid this Prince as if I were a tiger or a wolf? Is this Prince not your husband?"

"No, I don't know, I didn't, I don't know what to do…"

This time, she finally cried aloud, her slender, white arms covering her eyes, tears falling like rain.

Prince Wei stared at her. Gradually, he loosened his hold on her. As soon as Wushuang felt the release, she quickly scrambled out from under him.

She dared not look up at him, tears still falling, yet she wanted to lower her head and tidy her clothes, her hands shaking violently.

"Wipe your tears before you go out."

She obediently wiped away her tears. Before leaving, she could not help but look back at him. She saw that the hair tie he had worn was completely loosened, his long hair falling down his back, obscuring his dark expression.

Wushuang's heart tightened. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself, lowered her head, and went out.

"Princess Consort, this old servant will have little Douzi escort you," Fusheng said, approaching her.

Wushuang nodded hastily. When she reached the door, Linglong greeted her, and just as before, little Douzi held up a lantern to escort them back to Xiangluan Courtyard.

After returning, Xiaohong seemed to notice something unusual.

"Princess Consort, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm tired. Let's tidy up and rest."

***

The thin gauze curtains hung low, and a soft, yellow light bloomed in the corner of the room.

The large canopy bed was like a small house, warm and giving a boundless sense of security.

Mei Wushuang hid herself under the covers, her mind replaying the words Prince Wei had just spoken.

"Wipe away your tears before you go out."

For some unknown reason, she was reminded of her previous life, when Ji Yang had once said the same thing to her.

At that time, Ji Yang's temper was unpredictable, his moods shifting like the weather. One moment they would be fine, and the next, he would become strange and enraged.

Once, she couldn't even remember why she had cried; it seemed they had quarreled, and as he left, he had uttered the same words.

By then, Wushuang had gained some understanding of the palace, knowing that women within its walls lived by the grace of favor. Even if one day you lost that favor, you had to maintain appearances, lest others see your fall from grace. She remembered these words were spoken to her by Consort Hui in a moment of self-deprecation.

So, at that time, she understood Ji Yang's meaning. Even if they had a disagreement, they must not let outsiders see it, or, given her then-hated position, she would be torn to shreds in an instant.

Later, they reconciled, yet this time, she had recalled the incident so abruptly.

"This Prince has cherished you, protected you, and provided for you in so many ways. In your eyes, is this Prince merely a villain?"

All along, Wushuang had relied on Prince Wei's willingness to maintain a facade of harmony, but what if one day he no longer wished to do so? A myriad of questions were suddenly thrown before Wushuang. What should she do?

She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, when Ji Yang arrived.

His arrival made Wushuang feel somewhat disoriented. Lately, she often felt as if she could not distinguish between the two men. One moment he was cold and composed, and the next, he would adopt a different persona.

It was as if the awkward scene between them had just occurred, yet here he was, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Why aren't you asleep? Usually, when this Prince comes, you are already asleep." He lifted the bed curtains and entered, sitting on the edge of the bed, raising an eyebrow as he spoke.

Wushuang had intended to say she was not sleepy, but the words that came out were that she had been doing needlework for too long today, her eyes were sore and uncomfortable, and she could not fall asleep.

"No wonder I saw your eyes were red. Why do needlework? There are so many maids; what are they doing if not that?"

He took off his outer robe and got into bed, pulling her into his embrace. He looked at her eyes, "Even if you can't sleep, close your eyes. You should be better tomorrow."

She obediently closed her eyes, but her mind was preoccupied with Ji Yang's headaches.

In her previous life, Ji Yang had told her that her body fragrance could alleviate his headaches, but at the time, she had dismissed it, thinking it was a fantastical notion, just a casual remark.

But in this life, they had met earlier. Ji Yang had sought her out at Marquis Changyang's mansion, saying he had a headache and could not sleep, coming to her every night. Later, he gradually had fewer headaches, which meant that although it seemed fantastical, it might be true.

If, according to the trajectories of both lives, she had met him earlier in this life, allowing his headaches to be controlled sooner, then Ji Yang, without headaches, was actually a normal person, even somewhat childish, acting on a whim. The so-called tyrannical, cruel, and bloodthirsty nature was simply a facade.

Then, in her previous life, although it was delayed by a few years, why was he, with his headaches also under control, still so unpredictable and volatile?

"This Prince has cherished you, protected you, and provided for you in so many ways…."

Some things were best left unexamined. In this life, due to their good start, both Ji Yang and Prince Wei had indeed protected her in many ways.

Wushuang was not an ungrateful person. From his cleaning up after her messes, to arranging for granny Gong and Linglong to come to her side, to ensuring her dowry was well-prepared, she could clearly sense that these were all Prince Wei's doing.

He had even subtly arranged for her meals to be prepared in the small kitchen of his study.

If before, Wushuang had not fully understood her own situation, after the incident with Shuyu and learning from Granny Gong how Xi Fu had died, she had realized the dangers she would face as Prince Wei's consort.

Yet, to this day, she was still safe and sound.

She thought of the rules granny Gong had set for Xiangluan Courtyard. Besides Xiaohong, Meifang, and Linglong, no one else could enter her room unless they were summoned. Her meals came from the study, and could only pass through the hands of these few maids, or those of Prince Wei's people.

Before her marriage, Prince Wei's mansion had sent her a batch of jewelry and clothing, all of the most fashionable designs and styles.

Ji Yang was not so meticulous.

She thought again of her past life, of granny Gong and Linglong going to her side, of the Lady Fengtian's mansion that had been managed so meticulously, of the new palace attire, precious jewelry, and rare fabrics and delicacies that were constantly sent from the palace.

Some palace servants said that all the good things in the palace were in the Lady Fengtian's mansion, even the Empress's palace did not have them.

So, Emperor Qianwu, he—why would he do this?

It seemed as if some answer was about to emerge, but Wushuang nipped it in the bud before it could sprout.

She turned over, looping her arms around his neck.

Ji Yang reached out and stroked her back, saying, "Weren't you saying you were uncomfortable?"

Why was his mind always on that matter? Thinking this, she snuggled closer into his embrace, "I just want to find a comfortable position."

Ji Yang chuckled, "You should just say you like sleeping on this Prince, you're so spoiled!"

Though he said this, he rubbed her slender waist, adjusted her to the most comfortable position, and then fell into a deep sleep with her in his arms.

***

Wushuang thought that Prince Wei would likely not see her for a long time, but she had not expected him to come again for lunch the next day as if it were normal.

There was not a trace of any unusual expression, as if everything from last night was just her illusion.

There was frost last night, and the weather seemed to have gotten colder, so there was a hot pot for lunch today.

In a foot-wide purple copper pot, a milky white soup was simmering. According to Fusheng, this soup was made by simmering mutton, mutton bones, and fresh fish.

There were some scallions and ginger slices in the soup, as well as bright red dates and goji berries. No other ingredients were added to the soup, but there were many dishes placed around the pot, including the rare winter vegetable, various thinly sliced meats, and tofu. All of these were raw and had to be cooked in the pot before eating.

She and Prince Wei also had a plate of dipping sauce in front of them, which was to be eaten with the hot pot.

"This is the way they eat hot pot in the Northwest. There are many cattle and sheep there. In winter, they use mutton bones and mutton to make soup. Drinking a bowl will dispel the cold and warm the body. The soup can also be used to cook the hot pot. Princess Consort, please try it, you will definitely like it," Fusheng said while serving the food.

Wushuang knew that because Ji Yang liked to eat this in her previous life. The soup bases were different, with beef, mutton, and sour soup being the most common in winter, while various mountain delicacies or chicken and duck were used as soup bases in spring, summer, and autumn.

He was stationed at the border, mostly in the Northwest, so his taste was inclined towards the people there. People in the capital were not used to eating mutton, finding the smell too strong, but mutton was very delicious when prepared well.

Little Douzi brought a pot of wine, which was warmed yellow wine. He first poured a cup for Prince Wei, and when it was Wushuang's turn, he seemed a little hesitant.

Prince Wei glanced over, and Wushuang lowered her head.

Fusheng took the wine pot and said to Wushuang with a smile, "This wine is not intoxicating. It is best for warming the body and dispelling the cold in winter. Princess Consort, would you like to try some?"

Wushuang nodded, and as the wine flowed from the spout, she seemed to smell the slightly sweet and slightly sour aroma.

To eat hot pot, one had to use chopsticks to pick up the dishes and put them into the pot to cook. Some dishes needed to be cooked for a while, while others could be eaten after a quick dip. The thinly sliced beef, mutton, rabbit, and donkey meat could be eaten after a quick roll in the soup, and when dipped in the special sauce, it made one's appetite open up.

Wushuang had never had a large appetite, but today she ate a lot involuntarily. Hot pot paired with the finest yellow wine was a perfect match. Wushuang not only ate more, but also drank a little too much.

After the meal, Wushuang was actually a little dizzy, but Prince Wei did not leave, so she could not go to the bedroom.

Why was it hot pot?

Why did it have to be hot pot!

The person who had eaten hot pot with her many times in her previous life, was it him or him?

But all of this was something Wushuang could not bring herself to speak of, nor could she question.

"You…"

Her large eyes, shimmering with moisture, seemed as if tears would spill forth with the slightest tremor. Her cheeks were flushed, a delicate pink against her porcelain skin. Her lips, slightly reddened, were glossy and full of moisture. Prince Wei's gaze darkened. "Regarding your two half-sisters, there is some progress."

Wushuang felt a little dizzy, yet wanting to hear him speak, she propped her face on her hand and looked at him.

"One is a deputy Commander under the Five Cities Military Commission, named Li Xin, thirty years of age this year. He is a widower, but has no children, nor any elders in his household. The other is a Battalion Commander under the Shenji Camp, a son of a concubine-born from the Chen family of the Earl Yongcheng's Mansion, named Chen Jin, who has never been married."

Since Prince Wei spoke of Li Xin first, it indicated that he favored this person more, but he was a widower and already thirty.

"Isn't thirty a bit old? Second Sister is only a year older than me, and Fifth Sister is even a year younger."

Thirty years old was old?

Then he, at twenty-eight, and she, at fifteen, did she also find him old?

However, Prince Wei did not voice these thoughts, but rather tapped his finger on the table and said, "Having no parents, siblings, or relatives means that after marrying, there is no need to serve in-laws, and one can immediately manage the household. Li Xin is a composed man, able to reach the position of deputy Commander of the Military Commission through his own efforts, his future is not limited to this."

"As for Chen Jin, although the Yongcheng Marquis's family is somewhat chaotic, he does not live in the residence, so the impact is not significant. Moreover, he himself is highly skilled in the improvement of firearms, and his future is boundless. You may consider these two, but if you wish to find someone more suitable than these two, it will be extremely difficult."

Wushuang thought for a moment and asked, "Do they have anyone in their chambers?"

Seeing that Prince Wei seemed somewhat puzzled, she paused and added, "I mean, do they have any concubines, or chamber maids or anything like that?"

Prince Wei glanced at her and pondered, "I have not heard that either of them has concubines."

Seeming to perceive Prince Wei's disapproval, Wushuang thought for a moment and explained, "Rather than their future prospects, I think Second Sister and Fifth Sister would be more concerned about this. I ask these questions also to prevent them from asking me, and me being unable to explain clearly."

Not caring about their future, yet particularly concerned about these things?

The things women and men care about are always different, which meant that she also cared about these things?

"I will have someone inquire and then tell you."

Wushuang nodded.