You Yuji suddenly turned around, and Si Que quickly hid the gloom on his face, quietly looking at her.
“Yes, and your cat too,” she said.
With that, You Yuji curled her lips into a smile and turned to leave.
Si Que turned his head to look at Baisui in the corner of the bed. It had grown a bit since that rainy night but still looked like a kitten, its fur fluffy and unruly.
You Yuji went outside to give special instructions for some nutritious food. Because her mother was seriously ill, she had learned a bit about dietary therapy.
Involuntarily, she thought of her mother again. Standing under the eaves, she watched the snow fluttering down and sighed softly.
Since Si Que had injured his leg, You Yuji didn’t let him get up. She ordered the maidservants to move a small square table to the bed. Si Que glanced at the various nutritious dishes on the table and silently picked up the deer milk.
You Yuji sat opposite him, took a few bites, and then lost her appetite. She rolled up her sleeves and personally served a bowl of bone broth to Si Que. “Here, drink this.”
Si Que frowned at the layer of grease on the soup’s surface.
You Yuji grabbed his hand and forced the bowl of bone broth into it. Looking into his eyes, she said firmly, “Drink it all.”
Si Que glanced at You Yuji’s delicate hand over his and reluctantly took a small sip. After just one sip, he put the bowl down.
“Don’t you want your leg to heal quickly?” You Yuji asked.
“I’ve already drunk some,” Si Que replied evasively.
You Yuji looked at him helplessly, feeling he was like a stubborn child. She lightly bit her lip, a frown creasing her brow. Si Que, however, found amusement in her troubled expression.
She suddenly appeared different to him.
You Yuji slowly smiled, her eyes curving charmingly. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she stood up, walked to Si Que’s side, leaned down, and whispered something softly in his ear.
Si Que was stunned.
You Yuji, her eyes still smiling, straightened up and walked back to her seat. She resumed eating with elegant ease, holding her silver chopsticks.
Si Que stared at her for a moment, then picked up the bowl of bone broth and drank it all in one go. He put the empty bowl down heavily and served himself another.
He continued until he had drunk all the soup from the large bowl.
Finally finished, You Yuji stood up, smiling as she gently wiped his lips with a handkerchief. Suddenly, Si Que grabbed her wrist.
“You Yuji, how could you say something like that?” he asked.
You Yuji also felt that her words had been too much and embarrassing, but seeing Si Que’s reaction, her initial embarrassment quietly dissipated. She gently hummed, saying softly, “I won’t say it again.”
Si Que looked at You Yuji’s eyes and was momentarily speechless.
You Yuji had already turned her eyes away, a gentle, shallow smile on her lips. She raised her voice to instruct the maidservants outside to come in and take the table away.
The maids bustled about, their footsteps light but still noisy to Si Que’s ears. Later, You Yuji sat lazily in the rattan chair by the window, picking up a medical book to read. Si Que, still sitting on the bed, continued to watch her. He observed her slightly drooping cloud-like hair, her gentle yet focused expression, the way her fingers turned the pages, and even the thin blanket draped over her legs seemed especially soft in color.
Si Que was still thinking about what You Yuji had just said when she leaned down to whisper in his ear.
She had breathed softly, her tone tender and warm: “Some positions just won’t work with a missing leg.”
Si Que silently cursed her as a temptress, then lay down out of boredom, grabbing the sleeping Baisui to play with in his hands.
At night, to avoid Si Que’s injured leg, You Yuji slept on the outer side of the bed.
When Zhenxu extinguished the lights and came out from the inner room, she could still hear You Yuji’s gentle voice speaking to Si Que: “If your wound hurts at night, let me know. If you need anything, wake me up…”
Zhenxu closed the door quietly and tiptoed out. On her way, she couldn’t help but think about what Baohe had said to her last time.
Could it be true that the lady doesn’t like men and has a preference for women?
Zhenxu returned to her room, absentmindedly washing up before lying on her bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She kept wondering whether You Yuji liked men or not.
You Yuji had been a beauty since she was a child, not only possessing the cheerful and straightforward nature of the people from the grasslands but also inheriting the gentle and graceful demeanor of her mother’s Su Kingdom heritage. In Si Kingdom, both men and women liked to associate with her. Moreover, elders spoke highly of her.
Besides, the You family was a prominent family in Si Kingdom, not only wealthy but also renowned for their military achievements and scholarly honors.
In Zhenxu’s memory, ever since You Yuji turned ten, many people had come to the You family, eager to arrange a marriage early. Of course, You family girls didn’t worry about finding a match, and the elders, who cherished their children, refused these proposals, preferring to wait.
Elders were eager to have You Yuji as their daughter-in-law, and her peers competed to win her favor. People from Si Kingdom, unlike the reserved and introverted people of the Central Plains, were straightforward in expressing their affections. Even if rejected, they either continued to pursue or remained friends.
Zhenxu tried to recall the men who had shown affection to You Yuji over the years.
There were so many!
To Zhenxu, many of these men were truly outstanding!
She continued to rack her brain to remember if You Yuji had ever shown interest in anyone, even a slight extra glance at a man. She thought hard for a long time but had no impression of any such moment.
Zhenxu sat up suddenly, looking fearfully at Baohe, who was sleeping on another bed, and asked, “Could it be that our lady really likes women?”
Baohe was fast asleep. She scratched her bottom, turned over, and soon started to snore lightly.
Zhenxu was greatly shaken.
You Yuji was nineteen, no longer a young girl, yet had never been moved by any of her many suitors? Could it mean…
“Lady You used to always read Princess Que’s poetry and essays. Could she have liked Princess Que since then? And now that the princess has injured her leg, they’re even sharing a bed…”
Zhenxu sat there in a daze for half the night.
The next day, Cuiyu, Lin Yingying, and Chunxing came to pay their respects to You Yuji. Shortly after they arrived, Hongzan also came.
Hongzan curtsied weakly and greeted, “Greetings to the madam.”
Cuiyu and Lin Yingying exchanged a glance, both seeing the same meaningful smile in each other’s eyes.
“No need for formalities,” You Yuji said, letting them rise. “There aren’t so many rules here. You don’t have to come daily to pay respects. If you have some free time and wish to sit and chat, you’re welcome. Formal greetings are unnecessary.”
“The madam is kind,” Hongzan curtsied again. “I’ve just moved to my new place and need to tidy up, so I’ll take my leave now.”
You Yuji nodded, watching Hongzan’s retreating figure.
Hongzan had been promoted to concubine, and You Yuji had learned this yesterday afternoon.
Ever since Fang Qingyi became Chen Anzhi’s concubine, she had hardly left the house. Others thought she was unable to face her new status as a concubine. But You Yuji knew it was likely because her body was not well.
Indeed, many in the household were unaware that Fang Qingyi was pregnant before her marriage. The few maids who knew had been sent away to the estate by Chen Anzhi.
Fang Qingyi had been married for some time and would probably announce her pregnancy in another month or two.
Hence, You Yuji was surprised that Hongzan had become a concubine. Hongzan was Fang Qingyi’s personal maid, and with Fang Qingyi now pregnant, why would Chen Anzhi take Hongzan as a concubine at this time?
You Yuji sighed softly.
“Sister, I would like to visit my mother tomorrow,” Lin Yingying said cautiously, observing You Yuji’s expression. She knew that, as a concubine, frequent visits to her family were frowned upon.
“Alright,” You Yuji agreed almost without hesitation.
“Sister is so kind!” Lin Yingying beamed, then continued to say a slew of things to make You Yuji happy.
While You Yuji was chatting with the concubines, an unpleasant incident occurred at Qingya Residence.
Chen Anzhi was accompanying Chen Lingyan to Qingya Residence to select jewelry when they encountered Prince Kangjing.
Prince Kangjing was a member of the fallen Qi royal family. His status would typically confine him to another palace, but since Qi had voluntarily surrendered and Prince Kangjing had pledged loyalty to Emperor Chen, earning military merits, he was not imprisoned. Instead, he was titled a foreign prince, greatly favored by Emperor Chen.
“Brother, are they telling a story over there? When did Qingya Residence start having storytellers?” Chen Lingyan pulled Chen Anzhi towards Ning Tea House to join the fun.
As they got closer, Chen Anzhi heard the storyteller recounting how You Yuji had tamed a horse and saved people in the street.
When Chen Anzhi and his sister arrived, the storyteller was just finishing. With the final closure of the fan, a scholar in white also put down his brush. He unveiled his painting, depicting the scene of You Yuji taming the horse.
A tall horse, a beauty in purple with scattered cloud-like hair, turning back with a charming smile.
Chen Anzhi stared at the painting, his face instantly darkening.
“Let’s go, there’s nothing worth seeing,” Chen Anzhi said with a displeased look, turning away.
“Is this You Yuji?” Prince Kangjing picked up the painting. “I’ve heard the You family beauty is extremely lovely. Does she really resemble the fairy in this painting?”
The scholar hurriedly said, “My humble skills are inadequate to capture even a fraction of Lady You’s beauty.”
Others around them chimed in:
“Lady You is indeed a beauty.”
“She’s even more beautiful in person than in this painting.”
“If we had to rank beauties, Lady You would be second to none.”
“Oh? This prince is quite intrigued.” Prince Kangjing squinted his eyes, looking at the departing Chen Anzhi with a meaningful smile. “Young Master An, everyone claims that Lady You is exceptionally beautiful. I wonder how much of that is mere hearsay. As her husband, you must know best. Could you enlighten me?”
Chen Anzhi’s face darkened, and his hand clenched into a fist at his side. He turned around, glaring angrily at Prince Kangjing. “Qi Mingcheng! Are you drunk? Do you know what you’re saying?”
Qi Mingcheng laughed heartily twice, then seriously admired the beauty in the painting again before looking back at Chen Anzhi. “I heard that Young Master An is willing to exchange a beautiful concubine for a fine horse. What might this prince offer to trade for Lady You? Name your price.”
While concubines could be bought and sold, a wife represented a man’s honor.
Chen Anzhi’s face turned white with rage. He wanted to rush over and kill this man who was deliberately insulting him! But he knew he lacked both the ability and the courage to do so.
Could he let this go?
He was the heir of the Chen family, the grandson of the emperor. How could he allow this fallen prince to insult him?
No, he couldn’t allow this thief to trample on his dignity!
Qi Mingcheng was tall and imposing, and Chen Lingyan was scared just looking at him. She grabbed Chen Anzhi’s arm, whispering urgently, “Brother, let’s go…”
Chen Anzhi shook off Chen Lingyan’s hand and strode towards Qi Mingcheng.
Qi Mingcheng, who had always looked down on the useless Chen royalty, smiled as Chen Anzhi approached. “Have you thought of a price?”
“Barbarian! No wonder your country was lost!” Chen Anzhi snatched the painting from Qi Mingcheng’s hand and turned away in anger. Glancing at the painting, You Yuji’s face flashed in his mind, and he couldn’t help but curse her for being unfaithful and bringing him shame!
Qi Mingcheng’s face darkened as well.
No matter how proud he was, the fall of his country was always a sore point.
The You Yuji being cursed by Chen Anzhi was currently napping by Si Que’s side.
Si Que picked up a strand of her long hair, twirling it around his slender fingers twice before gently brushing the tip across You Yuji’s collarbone.
In her sleep, You Yuji felt ticklish and scratched her collarbone, causing her collar to open slightly. She wasn’t in a deep sleep, so she groggily opened her eyes, looking dreamily at Si Que.
“Sister, I need to go to the restroom.”
You Yuji fully awakened and sat up. “Shall I call Tingyun for you?”
“No.” He smiled at You Yuji. “I don’t want anyone else to pull up my pants for me.”
