Chapter 49: Too Hard

In the box, there was a faintly dark red pill. Before Zhao Yan could take a closer look, the wooden box was pressed down from behind. Startled, she curled her fingertips and glanced back, only to see Wen Renlin, covered in moisture, bending over from behind.

His snowy garment was loose, his features deep and vivid, with a dampness from the splashes of water, giving him a unique and gentle charm. His semi-dry ink-black hair cascaded down his shoulders in two strands, brushing against Zhao Yan’s cheeks and neck.

She instinctively touched her slightly itchy face as Wen Renlin retrieved the wooden box in his palm.

Instead of leaving, he positioned himself over Zhao Yan, with a subtle sense of control, his eyes seeming to ponder how to handle the situation.

This study had never been entered by outsiders. Ideally, he shouldn’t have allowed such an accident to happen, and anyone who discovered his secret couldn’t be allowed to leave alive.

Wen Renlin tilted his head slightly towards Zhao Yan.

His soft garment, fitting him perfectly, appeared loose and oversized on the young girl in front of him. The hem hung down to her knees, the diagonal collar almost slipping off her slender shoulders, creating a sense of vulnerability rarely seen.

Zhao Yan looked at Wen Renlin’s almost intimately close profile, her delicate face showing a hint of confusion, seemingly aware of the subtle atmosphere.

Wen Renlin’s fluctuating gaze gradually calmed down. His hand, which could easily take a life, only gently rested on her chest, adjusting her slipping garment.

“What medicine is in there?” Zhao Yan asked casually.

Wen Renlin casually placed the small wooden box back in the drawer and said, “It’s been a few months, Your Highness. Your energy is greatly improved, even running around like this.”

What a mess!

Zhao Yan’s thoughts were diverted, and she pursed her lips. “I just wanted to find some medicine to apply.”

“Injured?” Wen Renlin was somewhat surprised.

He had tried to take care as much as possible. Before leaving, he had specifically checked and aside from some slight redness, he hadn’t seen any other injuries.

“My knee is a bit sore and red,” Zhao Yan rubbed her knee.

She felt annoyed just thinking about it. Back then, she had been stripped clean while Wen Renlin remained neat and tidy. The touch of his warm jade hook and the fine texture of his clothes constantly rubbing against her had brought an indescribable feeling, more torturous than any punishment.

Wen Renlin looked down and indeed saw a rouge color on her just healed delicate knee. He lifted her too long sleeve, and even the outside of her elbow was slightly red, fortunately without broken skin, just against the surrounding fair and delicate skin, it was too dazzling and alarming…

Wen Renlin’s eyes darkened, his fingertips carefully touched the reddened area on her knee, then he stood up and went to the outer room, returning with the ointment Zhao Yan needed.

He bent down to lift Zhao Yan onto the bed, then sat on the edge of the bed, slightly turning her body, and opened the small jar of ointment, picking up a fingertip and applying it to her.

His fingertips were cool, with a thin callus characteristic of a martial artist. The ointment was also cool, immediately relieving the heat and pain in her knee.

Suddenly, Zhao Yan remembered that over the past few months, Wen Renlin seemed to be applying medicine for her more and more frequently, and his technique became more and more natural and skilled.

She didn’t know when they had developed this tacit understanding. If it were last year when she had just returned to the palace, let alone letting Wen Renlin apply medicine, even if he touched her lightly, she would be frightened.

Wen Renlin glanced at her lowered eyelashes, as if seeing through her thoughts, and said slowly, “Your Highness is getting more delicate. Can’t kneel, can’t beat, surely need this prince to serve you.”

Annoyed, Zhao Yan retorted, “It’s because the bed in the Prince Su’s Mansion is too hard.”

The long couch here was covered with a summer mat, with only a thin mattress, as hard as a military bed. She didn’t know how Wen Renlin could sleep on it.

Wen Renlin chuckled at her words and wiped his fingertips with a wet cotton cloth, “Your Highness, you don’t know. There are advantages to being hard. If you sleep too soundly, you might not wake up.”

Zhao Yan keenly caught something in his words and was about to ask, but she saw Wen Renlin pour out a snow-white pill and put it between her lips, cutting off her attempt to dig deeper into the matter.

As his fingertip, faintly smelling of medicine, brushed over her lips, Zhao Yan’s brows furrowed slightly. This small pill was crystal clear like frost, but it was bitter.

“Don’t vomit.” Wen Renlin pressed her lips.

“What… what is it?” Zhao Yan furrowed her brows, struggling to ask.

“Something to prevent Her Highness from suffering.”

Seeing Zhao Yan’s confusion, Wen Renlin brought over the tea that had already been prepared and spoke more bluntly, “It’s a contraceptive pill. I personally improved it, so Your Highness can rest assured.”

Zhao Yan blinked, blinked again, and then came to her senses, her ears tinged with a slight blush.

“You didn’t, didn’t put it… on…” She stuttered, not knowing how to describe it.

Wen Renlin recalled the scene and his gaze deepened slightly.

“It’s best for Your Highness not to trust too much in my self-control.”

Zhao Yan hadn’t expected it to be like this, no one had taught her about these things.

Now she couldn’t care less about the bitterness. She took the tea from Wen Renlin’s fingers and drank it all in one gulp, raising her head and swallowing, saying in a daze, “About the last hairpin banquet…”

“The external contraceptive used last time is not as effective as this one.”

Wen Renlin raised his finger and wiped away the water droplets on her lips. The young princess was still so young; using such crude things would harm her delicate body. How could it match her noble status?

Zhao Yan couldn’t find words. The current situation… why did it feel like secret whispers between husband and wife?

Wen Renlin watched her trembling eyelashes, flicked away the water droplets on his fingertips, and his gaze gradually softened.

The night was still long, and for a moment, he wanted to get up and fetch soft bedding, making the couch softer and more comfortable, so as not to hurt the delicate body of the young princess anymore.

He vaguely understood that he had gone to great lengths to do those things, just to quietly and lastingly possess this moment of elegance.

But this thought was just a bubble, and he forcefully suppressed it.

What was he doing?

Wen Renlin mocked himself inwardly. He was shaken to think of staying overnight with her on the same couch.

Lost in thought, he was interrupted by Zhao Yan, whose eyelids were beginning to droop. “I should go back to the Eastern Palace. Liu Ying and the others are still waiting in the carriage.”

Wen Renlin looked at her, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Zhao Yan rubbed her eyes and retreated to the couch, rubbing her hands through the bedding to put on her undergarments. Then she reached out her fair hand to pull up the bodice scattered along the edge of the couch.

She couldn’t fasten the bodice by herself, struggling with it, until Wen Renlin finally leaned forward and wrapped it around her layer by layer – not too light, not too heavy, much more familiar than the last time at the hairpin banquet.

Zhao Yan smelled the faint snow-like scent on him and then let go of her hand.

He pointed at his arm, and Zhao Yan raised her arms to put on the sleeves. He tapped her slender legs, and she lifted her legs to put on the boots. Wen Renlin pinned the jade hairpin for her, and as he looked at her restored youthful appearance in the mirror, his movements slowed down.

Just as she was fully dressed, he wanted to peel off this outfit that didn’t belong to her and was getting in the way.

Zhao Yan yawned lightly, observing Wen Renlin’s seemingly careless but handsome face in the mirror. After hesitating several times, she finally spoke softly, “Is the Grand Tutor calmed down?”

Wen Renlin adjusted the angle of the jade hairpin and looked at her with lowered eyes.

Zhao Yan continued, “When Liu Baiwei is sent back to Mingde Pavilion later, I will instruct someone to watch over and discipline him properly, so as not to cause trouble for the Prince Su’s mansion again.”

Wen Renlin saw through her little thoughts and, while adjusting the hairpin, his hand naturally moved downwards, gently wrapping around a strand of her temple hair.

“What does it matter if this prince lets him go or not?”

“What does it matter? Anyway, he can’t come and go freely in the Eastern Palace now, so he won’t bother the Grand Tutor anymore.”

Zhao Yan looked back at him in the mirror, her mood calming down, and her thoughts becoming clearer. “I don’t have many people I can rely on by my side, and the Grand Tutor can’t protect me all the time. Now that Liu Baiwei is gone, it’s even more difficult for me to move forward. I haven’t even demanded compensation from the Grand Tutor yet.”

“Not demanded for compensation?”

What was this night for then?

Wen Renlin’s eyes darkened, thoughtful, as he nodded, “Compensation is needed.”

Zhao Yan accepted the situation gracefully, taking a deep breath as she rose to her feet and turned to look at Wen Renlin.

“In the future, if there are any plans involving the Eastern Palace, please inform me.”

She lifted her chin, her bright eyes shining. “I couldn’t help but be scared.”

Wen Renlin reached out and pinched her softly blushing earlobe, his tone as gentle as ever. “Are you still going?”

“Yes.”

Zhao Yan nodded and took a few steps towards the outer chamber before looking back.

The pearl curtain swayed, and Wen Renlin’s figure was indistinct.

After a moment, he finally emerged, dressed and pulling back the curtain himself to personally escort Zhao Yan out of the mansion and onto the carriage. Zhao Yan didn’t say anything, but the corners of her mouth, tense all night, finally lifted slightly.

…

Inside the carriage, Liu Ying was anxious as she waited, but seeing Zhao Yan return under the escort of the Prince Su, she breathed a small sigh of relief.

The prince’s delay in returning to the Eastern Palace, lingering in the mansion of Prince Su until midnight, might be difficult to explain to the Empress, but Liu Ying didn’t ask anything. She simply helped Zhao Yan onto the carriage and handed her a refreshing tea.

Seeing Prince Su getting on the carriage as well, she understood that he intended to personally escort the prince back to the Eastern Palace. Liu Ying got off the carriage and walked, making room inside.

As the carriage started, the solemn lights of Prince Su’s mansion gradually faded into the distance.

Zhao Yan was extremely tired, propping her chin and feeling drowsy. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

When she woke up, the first thing she saw was a dark-colored garment. She didn’t know how she ended up leaning against Wen Renlin’s chest, her head resting on his shoulder, while he had one hand against his temple and the other loosely around her waist.

Seeing that he was also awake, Zhao Yan quickly sat up, asking in confusion, “Are we there?”

Wen Renlin nodded, his gaze falling on the faint red mark on her cheek, a hint of a shallow smile in his eyes.

“Thank you, Prince Su.”

Zhao Yan rubbed her cheek and realized that further conversation might seem too deliberate, so she unconsciously bit her lip and got up.

Entering through a side door of the Eastern Palace, Zhao Yan stood beneath the high gate and glanced back, seeing Wen Renlin’s carriage still parked in the distance. The curtain was drawn, but she could feel that faint yet lingering gaze.

Continuing on, passing through the long corridor, the side door of the Eastern Palace was bolted again, and the area was secured. Only then did the faint sound of hooves departing from outside reach their ears.

With a determined spirit, Zhao Yan returned to her chamber and sat on the bed.

For a long time, she gently lifted her hand and smelled the faint, almost imperceptible cool fragrance lingering on her fingertips, like the frost and snow of a harsh winter.

It was from the red lacquer medicine box she accidentally touched when opening Wen Renlin’s low cabinet. She feared discovering any secrets of Wen Renlin, so although she was suspicious, she endured without showing it, only daring to lightly sniff her fingers upon returning to the Eastern Palace to confirm.

Is that dark red pill an elixir?

It’s hard to imagine someone like Wen Renlin who has always shown disrespect for the heavens, earth, and spirits, being someone who seeks immortality or enlightenment. Why would there be elixirs in his room? And why would he keep them in such an important place as the study?

Zhao Yan wasn’t sure either. After some thought, she called for Liu Ying and said, “Go and fetch Doctor Zhang. I have something important to ask him.”

Zhang Xu soon arrived, still showing signs of sleepiness in his eyes, and greeted, “I’m still in the process of analyzing that ancient book and the prescription for the elixir. Please give me some more time, Your Highness.”

Zhao Yan waved her hand. “I called you here for something else.”

She sniffed her fingertips again, recognizing the faint scent of frost, but it was too subtle. Even Zhang Xu wouldn’t be able to discern anything from just this scent.

The only thing she could confirm for now was that Wen Renlin’s pill wasn’t poisonous.

Thinking of Wen Renlin’s occasional abnormal body temperature, Zhao Yan’s suspicions grew stronger. She gestured for Zhang Xu to withdraw for now.

Suddenly remembering something, she looked up and called out, “Wait.”

Zhang Xu, holding the medicine chest, stopped and turned to await further instructions.

Zhao Yan pursed her lips and whispered, “Does Doctor Zhang have any Birth Control Soup?”

She had been awakened by Wen Renlin, and she was somewhat scared now. It would be reassuring to take another dose of medicine.

Birth Control Soup? It should be this. She remembered hearing her nanny mention it when talking about the various concubines in the palace.

Zhang Xu glanced at Zhao Yan and didn’t ask further. He only reminded her, “Birth Control Soup is a cold remedy. Overuse can harm the body. Your Highness, please try to use it sparingly.”

With a bow, he left. Shortly after, Liu Ying brought a bowl of steaming bitter medicine, claiming it was for replenishing vital energy.

Understanding each other without words, Zhao Yan raised the bowl and drank it all in one go.

Perhaps due to the medicine’s effect, Zhao Yan felt a dull ache in her lower abdomen later in the night.

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