Chapter 38
**Chapter 38: In the Study...**
...
In the deep of night at Qixue Pavilion,
Liu Ruyan, dressed in a gown as white as frost and snow, leaned against a concubine chair, engrossed in a book.
As she read the lines, "The flowing water and falling flowers of spring are gone, in heaven and on earth," tears began to fall silently from her eyes.
Liu Ruyan closed her eyes, her pale lips moving slightly as two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks: "In dreams, I know not that I am but a guest, indulging in fleeting joy... The flowing water and falling flowers of spring are gone, in heaven and on earth. This long, endless night, my heart is already desolate."
Xue Mei stood by, her expression blank, her arms covered in swollen mosquito bites.
Those wretched mosquitoes, they never bite Liu Ruyan, only torment the maids who serve her!
Liu Ruyan seemed to be talking to herself: "The deeper the love, the deeper the hurt. That Shen Wei refuses to forgive the prince; I am but a fellow traveler with her..."
Xue Mei swatted a mosquito on her wrist and spoke up, "My lady, if you had taken the initiative to welcome the prince back then, forgiving his mistakes, he wouldn't have been disappointed in you."
Liu Ruyan set the book down, shaking her head sorrowfully: "Why must I forgive him? Just because he is a prince?"
Xue Mei thought to herself: Yes, just because he is a prince!
The prince has already acknowledged his mistakes, coming to seek forgiveness ten times—ten times!
If you, my lady, still refuse to see him, even the most devoted man will eventually lose his patience!
"Xue Mei, you don't understand me." Liu Ruyan sighed deeply, a hint of melancholy gracing her stunning face. "What I want is not mere forgiveness; I want a harmonious life together, a lifetime as one."
But alas, it is all a fleeting dream.
Unable to attain it, she could only curl up alone in Qixue Pavilion, ground down by the relentless passage of time.
Xue Mei silently scoffed: The princess and the prince are the true couple; you, as a side concubine, how can you claim to be his partner?
Besides, if you desire a lifetime together, you shouldn't have married the prince in the first place!
Seeking "a lifetime as one" in the royal family is as difficult as finding a man in a kingdom of women—nearly impossible!
...
Under the moonlight, in the Liuli Pavilion, Shen Wei happily enjoyed a bowl of sweet red sugar jelly.
On a scorching summer day, a bowl of chilled jelly was simply delightful.
Cai Ping served her from the side, looking concerned as she said, "My lady, the prince has already been turned away three times. Shouldn't you meet him? If this drags on, it might not end well."
The Yan Wang had come three times, and Shen Wei had consistently refused to see him.
Cai Ping was worried.
After all, the Yan Wang was a high-ranking lord; if Shen Wei continued to brush him off, it could backfire.
Shen Wei set down her bowl of jelly: "There's no rush; I have my own plans."
Easily forgiving the Yan Wang would make him think Shen Wei was easy to manipulate.
But refusing to forgive him indefinitely would only lead to his displeasure. After all, the Yan Wang held great power, and Shen Wei, a lowly maid, could hardly expect him to bow his noble head repeatedly.
Thus, the key was to find the right balance.
After a while, Cai Lian entered the room, holding a set of eunuch's clothing: "My lady, I've brought the clothes you asked for."
Shen Wei stood up, touching the deep blue eunuch's robe: "Is the prince in the study tonight?"
Cai Lian nodded: "The steward Fu Gui said so himself; it must be true."
A smile crept onto Shen Wei's rosy lips as she changed into the eunuch's attire. She rubbed her slender waist, knowing it would be a long night ahead...
...
In the Yan Wang's study,
After finishing his official duties, the Yan Wang rubbed his weary brow. The study was cooled by an ice basin, the blocks of ice exuding a gentle chill.
The Yan Wang felt restless.
He wanted to see Shen Wei tonight, but he feared he would be turned away once more.
He had once thought Shen Wei to be a gentle and obedient woman, but after this ordeal, he realized that the seemingly delicate and compliant Shen Wei also had a stubborn side.
He didn't like women who were too submissive, nor did he favor those who were too obstinate. But Shen Wei, with her blend of tenderness and defiance, intrigued him and made him like her even more.
Yet if Shen Wei continued to refuse to forgive him, the Yan Wang would also feel frustrated and disappointed.
Just as he was lost in thought, the door to the study opened, and a slender little eunuch entered, head bowed, respectfully presenting a bowl of chilled jelly, gently placing it on the desk.
The little eunuch lowered his voice, whispering, "Your Highness, the cooling jelly has arrived; please give it a try."
The red sugar jelly was a summer delicacy developed by Shen Wei. Thanks to the enthusiastic promotion by Zhang Miaoyu from the Huaxiang Courtyard, it had become a staple summer treat in the royal residence.
The Yan Wang picked up the small white porcelain bowl and quickly finished it. The little eunuch, trembling with fear, stepped forward to retrieve the bowl.
Perhaps intimidated by the Yan Wang's authority, the little eunuch's hand trembled, and the porcelain bowl crashed to the floor.
Startled, the little eunuch let out a soft gasp.
The Yan Wang's ears perked up; that familiar sound...
His keen gaze fell on the little eunuch, noting the slender figure and the slight rise and fall of the fabric across the chest. Though the eunuch was looking down, the fair and rounded chin was still visible.
The Yan Wang suddenly smiled.
This adorable little girl had disguised herself as a eunuch to sneak in and see him.
A mix of sweetness and bitterness filled the Yan Wang's heart as he deliberately spoke slowly, "You've broken the bowl; you must be punished."
The little eunuch trembled, at a loss for words.
The Yan Wang pulled Shen Wei into his embrace. The eunuch's hat fell off, revealing her fair and beautiful face. She widened her eyes in surprise, seemingly not expecting to be recognized by the Yan Wang.
Her bewildered and dazed expression was utterly charming.
The Yan Wang, grinning, held her slender waist, his warm breath brushing against her ear: "I punish you, little eunuch, to serve me tonight."
Shen Wei's ears turned red.
She huffed, "I missed you, Your Highness, and came to see you secretly. Tonight... tonight, I won't serve you!"
Seeing her shy demeanor with flushed cheeks, the Yan Wang felt quite pleased: "Whether you serve or not is not up to you. I will personally make amends to our Wei Wei."
The study was spacious, with a resting bed.
Shen Wei, still clad in the thin eunuch's robe, her hair styled like a man's, looked like a delicate young scholar. The Yan Wang was captivated; Shen Wei in men's clothing brought him a different kind of delight.
He lifted Shen Wei effortlessly, pinning her against the corner of the bed.
The ice basin in the study exuded a chilling air, but it couldn't dispel the heat that filled the room.
At first, Shen Wei struggled fiercely.
But the more she resisted, the more the Yan Wang was stirred.
The women who had served the Yan Wang before were either stiff or submissive. Today, Shen Wei's rare defiance piqued his interest, making him feel exhilarated.
The two of them frolicked in the study until the early hours of the morning, and by the end, Shen Wei's voice was hoarse as she was dizzily carried out of the study by the Yan Wang, back to the nearby Liuli Pavilion to rest.
Fu Gui led a group of maids to clean up the aftermath in the study.
The place was a mess, clothes strewn across the floor, books scattered haphazardly on the carpet. The bed was disheveled, the desk dirty, the pillars stained, and the carpet soiled, a clear testament to the intensity of the encounter.
Fu Gui looked on in amazement; although Shen Wei appeared delicate, she had managed to withstand the vigorous Yan Wang, which was truly remarkable.
A strong body and the ability to vie for affection—such a remarkable woman was destined to become the Yan Wang's favorite.
...
Table of Contents
