Chapter 84: Auspicious Day

The Wang Mansion stood tall and serene, devoid of any lingering atmosphere of the Up Yuan New Year. The sleeping hall was spacious, and as the doors closed, Yu Lingxi found herself enveloped in the tranquil shadow of Ning Yin.

“What are you doing?” Yu Lingxi’s voice tightened.

Didn’t he say he had carved a private seal for her? Why was he undressing now?

“Showing you the seal,” Ning Yin said, undoing his belt with one hand. A faint gleam of amusement crossed his ink-dark eyes. “Miss, you’re quite skilled in this, aren’t you?”

Yu Lingxi felt pressed against the bed, thinking that his eyes were both crazy and beautiful at this moment. Most likely, he was deceiving her again, about to stamp the seal in some hard-to-mention place.

Surprised by her own lack of seriousness, Yu Lingxi, in front of Ning Yin, felt that anything she did was justified.

“I really can’t these days,” she confessed.

With her hands on Ning Yin’s shoulders, she thought for a moment and softened her voice. “It’s uncomfortable, and I don’t feel like indulging in pleasure.”

Ning Yin continued to knead her waist without any intention of letting go.

“Go to the hot spring,” he suggested, his cold and handsome face revealing little desire but stirring an itchy feeling in her heart.

“These days, I can’t bathe there either,” Yu Lingxi replied, not wanting to risk her health for a bath.

Ning Yin raised an eyebrow, grabbed Yu Lingxi’s hand, and placed it on his chest. He chuckled lightly. “It’s the lady who eagerly wants the seal, and it’s the lady who is delicate.”

“I didn’t want this. Who can control the body?” Yu Lingxi grumbled softly, then stood up. “I’ll sleep in the outer room.”

Usually, she slept quietly, but during special times, she was restless and moved a lot at night. In her previous life, to avoid provoking the madman, she always chose to sleep separately during these days.

Before she could fully stand up, her wrist was pulled, and she fell back to the edge of the bed.

“Stay seated,” Ning Yin’s voice was calm but had an undeniable force.

He got up, opened the door, gave some instructions, and in no time, palace maids and attendants brought in silver trays with hot water, towels, and other items.

Glancing over, Yu Lingxi even saw neatly folded… sanitary napkins on the prepared clothes.

She coughed lightly, averted her eyes.

The attendants placed the laundry down, bowed, and quietly exited, closing the door behind them, as if well-rehearsed puppets.

Ning Yin leisurely took off his outer robe, rolled up his sleeves, revealing a fair and toned forearm.

It wasn’t until he sprinkled winter-resistant dried flowers into the silver basin, kneeling halfway with one knee on the ground beside his hem, that Yu Lingxi realized what he was about to do.

Too surprised, she instinctively moved her toes backward.

“No need, I can do it myself,” she said.

Ning Yin raised his eyes slightly, and Yu Lingxi froze in place. Her skirt was pushed up above her knees, revealing inner trousers and slender, fair legs. Then, a warm hand gripped her delicate ankle, removing the embroidered shoes and silk socks.

Yu Lingxi’s feet were petite and exquisite, as if crafted from high-quality soft jade. The tips of her toes carried a faint pink hue. Ning Yin held her foot, compared it to his own palm, and curiously concluded, “Miss’s feet aren’t as wide as my palm.”

Today, he seemed addicted to calling her “Miss,” and his lazy, deep voice was enticing like a demon. Yu Lingxi curled her toes. “It’s cold.”

“I feel like eating lotus seed meat,” Ning Yin suddenly said, looking at her feet.

Confused, Yu Lingxi looked at him, but Ning Yin just chuckled and pinched her small toe.

Yu Lingxi understood, her ears turning red. “How do they look like lotus seeds?”

“They don’t really look like it, but Miss’s toe is much tenderer than a lotus seed.” Ning Yin mischievously pinched again before reluctantly submerging her feet into the hot water.

The perfectly warm temperature enveloped Yu Lingxi, and she let out a comfortable sigh. Ning Yin picked up a nearby towel and dried his hands.

His fingers were long and powerful, with just the right amount of veins on the back of his hand, slightly raised, strong, and attractive. Unlike the ominous veins elsewhere on him…

“What’s Miss thinking? Your face is all red,” Ning Yin said while wiping his hands, his eyes fixed on her.

His eyes were so deep and beautiful that Yu Lingxi felt like he was seeing through her thoughts. Instinctively, she covered her cheeks. Then, she heard a teasing and joyful light laugh. It was evident from Ning Yin’s slightly curved eyes that he was teasing her again.

Yu Lingxi put down her hand, blushing, and accidentally splashed a few drops of water on Ning Yin’s chin.

She gasped and quickly apologized, raising her sleeve to wipe it off. However, a sly smile lingered in her eyes. “Did I wet you?”

Ning Yin didn’t blink, wiped the water off his chin with his fingertip, and leisurely said, “It’s not the first time I got wet. I’m used to it.”

Yu Lingxi hesitated for a moment, then curled her toes as if she wished to splash the entire basin of water onto Ning Yin. “Go and bathe and change quickly, don’t catch a cold,” she urged, leaning on the edge of the bed.

Ning Yin flicked the water droplets off his fingers, letting them fall onto the hem of Yu Lingxi’s skirt. Only then did he straighten his robe and head to the bathing chamber.

Yu Lingxi soaked her feet in the warm water, cleaned herself, and then removed the white jade Ruyun hairpin from her hair before rolling up in the bed.

Beside the bed was a small cabinet, and Yu Lingxi remembered that in her previous life, Ning Yin had a similar cabinet by his bedside, though she was unsure of its contents. Subconsciously, she reached out, but when her hand touched the drawer, she hesitated and withdrew.

Feeling fatigued from the recent chill, she yawned and closed her eyes, facing the direction of Ning Yin’s pillow.

In the bathing chamber, the flickering light created a shimmering effect, like scales on a fish. Ning Yin, with his ink-black hair loose, strolled out of the waist-deep pool. Water droplets traced over his porcelain chest, and steam rose, making the characters “Lingxi” on his chest appear as if burning red like fresh blood.

After a quick wipe, he donned his robe and headed towards the sleeping hall. Pushing open the door, the candlelight flickered, and on the bed, a figure wrapped in blankets slept soundly, as quiet as a bud waiting to bloom.

Ning Yin leaned against the edge of the bed, extending his finger to press lightly on the corner of her lips, pushing it up.

“You’re so silly,” he spoke in a low, almost tender voice, “actually went to seek Yu Huanchen’s help.”

Yu Lingxi, disturbed from her sleep, weakly held his finger and mumbled, “Don’t tease, go to sleep.”

Ning Yin chuckled softly, bit her earlobe, lifted the blankets, lay down, and forcefully pulled Yu Lingxi into his arms. In this position, Yu Lingxi slipped directly from the pillow and had to adjust the angle, nestling into his embrace.

With the interweaving light of the lamp, Ning Yin’s open robe revealed a large expanse of solid white. Yu Lingxi faintly glimpsed a very light red mark, as if it had some inscribed characters.

However, as she struggled to regain clarity from the haze…

As the haze lifted, when Yu Lingxi opened her eyes and examined carefully, that hint of red had disappeared.

Perhaps she had seen it wrongly?

Resting on that chest, she closed her eyes again after a while. The night passed peacefully without dreams.

…

As dawn approached, Yu Lingxi woke up. The space beside her was indeed empty, and when she touched it, it was cold.

“Where is the Prince?” Yu Lingxi yawned, sitting up. With ink-black hair against snow-white skin, she exuded a lazy and charming elegance, causing even the palace maids who came in to serve to be mesmerized.

“Miss, the Prince went to the palace early,” a palace maid answered respectfully, neither too much nor too little.

Yu Lingxi propped herself up on the edge of the bed, her mind pondering: Could it be that the matter with the remnants has not been resolved yet?

In the Ministry of Rites, the hall was solemn. The chief of the Qintian Observatory and the Ministry of Rites bookkeeper bowed respectfully on either side, watching the serene Prince sitting in the main seat. They wiped the nonexistent sweat from their jaws.

The chief of the Qintian Observatory was the first to speak, presenting a carefully selected date with both hands. “According to the calculations of the old minister, the sixteenth day of the eighth month is a propitious day with beautiful flowers, a full moon, and clear weather. It is a rare auspicious day in ten years, suitable for marriage and moving into the house…”

Ning Yin’s fingers drummed absentmindedly, and he raised an eyebrow. “August?”

“Uh…” The chief paused, quickly moistened his index finger in his mouth, and turned a page. “August is a bit late. The old minister has also prepared two other dates: the ninth day of the fifth month is also an auspicious day.”

Seeing that Ning Yin didn’t raise his eyes, the chief shook his beard and continued, “Or perhaps the twelfth day of the fourth month.”

Thump, thump… the Prince chuckled.

Despite being a strikingly handsome figure, his laughter sent an inexplicable chill down the spines of those present.

The bookkeeper exchanged a glance with the chief and then stammered, “Maybe, the eighteenth day of the next month?”

Eighteenth day?

Ning Yin estimated for a moment: one month would be enough to clean up everything.

The light tapping of his fingers stopped, and the bookkeeper quickly suggested, “Perhaps, the eighteenth of the next month?”

A slight smile appeared on the Crown Prince’s face.

The Minister of Rites promptly bowed and said, “We will do our best to arrange the three books and six rites. Tomorrow, we will present the list of ceremonies to Your Highness for approval.”

“I only plan to marry once; I appreciate your efforts, gentlemen.”

Ning Yin stood up, left the hall with hands behind his back, leaving the lingering question of who could live up to the Crown Prince’s only marriage.

The Minister of Rites and the chief of the Qintian Observatory knelt on the ground, sending him off with a combined vow, “We will do our utmost!”

In the second month of spring, by the side of the Qujiang Pool in the southern part of the city, willows hung down in strands, and a gentle new green swayed.

A child holding a windmill ran across the alley, narrowly avoiding a collision with an oncoming carriage.

His arm was grasped, and the bewildered child looked up to see a dignified and refined face.

“Just a child, no need to be nervous,”

A deliberately hoarse voice came from the carriage, very soft and deep. Xue Song then released his grip and spoke towards the carriage, “Yes, master…”

Thinking of the presence of outsiders, Xue Song restrained his voice.

A woman’s hand, delicate like that of a lady, extended from the carriage, with a few wood shavings still clinging to it. She gently placed several candies into the child’s hands.

“Go and play,” the person inside the carriage said.

The child, delighted with the treats, ran off happily. The carriage curtain closed again as it moved slowly towards the north. Xue Song looked around, instructed the guards to stay outside and keep watch, and then entered a secluded courtyard.

Reaching the innermost part of the courtyard, he nodded slightly, gesturing for a servant to unlock the door.

With a creaking sound, harsh light poured in, causing Xue Song to squint beneath the moonlit figure by the window.

“Did the willow branches sprout? There’s an early spring breeze in the air.” Xue Cen turned his gentle face towards Xue Song.

Xue Song closed the door, the bright sunlight of the spring day fading instantly, leaving behind endless cold darkness.

“I have informed my father and grandfather that you will be away for over a month for external studies,” Xue Song placed a sandalwood box on the table, looking at the announcement paper on top that was filled with the characters “Lingxi,” his brow furrowing. “Everything is fine at home, no need to worry.”

“I didn’t know that my elder brother had prepared such a separate courtyard.”

Even though he was confined to this tiny space, Xue Cen still maintained the pride of a scholar, softly saying, “What my elder brother does, will it ultimately bring peace to the family, or will it never be calm again?”

“You won’t understand me.”

Veins bulged on Xue Song’s neck as he spoke in a deep voice, “Growing up in a honeyed jar like you, always being held in high regard from a young age, of course, you won’t understand the feeling of having the shadow you trampled on.”

Xue Cen was taken aback, looking at his elder brother, who seemed somewhat unfamiliar. He muttered, “What are you talking about, elder brother?”

“You, tender as jade, the center of attention, and the one engaged to the Yu family is also you… From childhood, all the advantages were yours, so of course, you won’t understand my feelings.”

Xue Song said indifferently, “Clearly, I am the legitimate eldest grandson of the Xue family, but everyone only knows the outstanding second son, Xue Erlang. Have they ever remembered that the Xue family has an unknown eldest son? I struggled to climb to the position of Assistant Minister of the Household using my own abilities, but did my father and grandfather ever look at me with approval, or praise me even for a single sentence?”

“So, elder brother deceived the entire Xue family and sought refuge elsewhere?”

Xue Cen’s eyes turned red as he looked at his elder brother, whispering, “Elder brother controlled the information about the deposed Crown Prince from Grandfather, investigated the news about the Yu family from me—everything, all to provide convenience for your true master behind the scenes… Elder brother, in doing so, have you lived up to the family bonds and friendships that were exploited?”

Xue Song’s face remained unmoved.

“A man’s existence in this world revolves around nothing but fame and fortune. I am determined to prove to my grandfather that my choice is right.”

Turning around, Xue Song said each word deliberately, “I am the mainstay, the backbone of the Xue family.”

“Elder brother…”

“Prince Ning Yin, is engaged to Yu Lingxi.”

The words Xue Cen hadn’t finished were stuck in his throat, and his face quickly turned pale.

He had anticipated this day, but hearing the news was like a sharp knife stabbing into his heart, causing intense pain.

“Your fiance, whom you haven’t officially married, is about to marry someone else.”

Xue Song’s mouth curled with a sneer, “Prince Ning, like his foolish, cruel, yet hypocritically peaceful father, can only snatch other people’s wives. And you, Ah Cen, you can only act like a coward, hiding in a corner, weeping.”

“Stop it…”

“In the future, you will have to kneel down and call your childhood sweetheart ‘Royal Consort’… No, someone as weak and incapable as you surely won’t even dare to look at her.”

“Stop it!”

Xue Cen clenched his fists, his voice trembling, “Stop it, Elder brother.”

Xue Song, satisfied to see Xue Cen on the brink of collapse, slowed down his tone, “Don’t you want to reclaim everything, Ah Cen?”

Like thunder striking in his heart, Xue Cen suddenly lifted his bloodshot eyes.

Opening a sandalwood box, Xue Song revealed a pair of exquisite dragon-phoenix glass cups inside, along with a pre-prepared black porcelain bottle.

He said, “Go wish her joy on her wedding day. She won’t be suspicious of you.”

Stepping back, Xue Cen stumbled and sat in a chair.

“No…”

His once clear face now lacked any trace of color, and he uttered in disbelief, “What are you going to do, Elder brother?”

“Don’t worry; she won’t die. My target is Prince Ning.”

Xue Song spoke with a heavy tone, “After Prince Ning’s death, take her and go far away.”

Xue Cen continued to look at him in disbelief, as if meeting this brother of his for the first time.

“You’re my brother; I won’t force you.”

Without getting a response from Xue Cen, Xue Song put away the glass cups and the bottle, saying, “Since you don’t want her, I don’t need to keep her either. After it’s done, I will release you.”

Holding the sandalwood box, Xue Song walked towards the door.

The sound of overturned tables and chairs came from behind. Anxious, Xue Cen said, “Elder brother…”

Xue Song halted his steps.

“You swear you won’t use me to harm her,” Xue Cen’s jaw trembled.

“I swear.” Xue Song didn’t hesitate.

After a long silence, Xue Cen slowly closed his eyes.

With a rolling Adam’s apple swallowing back tears, his voice became as rough as sandpaper, “Fine, I promise you.”

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