The Gilded Cage - Chapter 118

Lantern-Watching – It’s Best to Ask the Crown Prince’s Consort to Step Down (3)

Inside the outer robes, she felt a stifling heat. She could not help but call out to him in the most imaginative “Sixth Uncle”.

The hot, moist breath coming from the red lips, entwined with his, increased the temperature in the confined space.

She was so warmed up that she felt a thin layer of sweat behind her, and became more and more afraid that the lotus would be destroyed. But he raised her a little more and simply moved forward, biting and kissing her lips.

“Good girl.”

On the hillside, the palanquin went unhurriedly.

“His Majesty’s painting-”

They finally reached the Feishuang Hall, and after Liu Kang’s distant call announced them there, Xiao Kezhi pulled her out of the robe.

The slightly cold wind brushed by, chasing away the stifling heat of their actions. Her face was scarlet and her eyes were swimmingly full, as if she was a swimming fish that had been short of water for a long time and could easily get back into the water, and she hurriedly gulped air in big gulps.

He carried the collapsed beauty into the hall with big steps, directly had her bend down, and carefully examined the ink lotus painted by the light.

The lotus was still intact, but there were several lines emitting a faint ink fragrance, creating a dense and hazy beauty of a painting.

He couldn’t help but trace the petals with his fingers along with the ink fragrance.

The ink lotus became even more blurred.

“It’s a pity that a good flower is ruined like this.” He looked at the black ink stained on his fingertips and moved to redo the painting.

“You have to hold back this time, you can’t move.”

She had to grip the corner of the table, gouging hard, even breathing carefully controlled, afraid that a movement would break the ink lines.

“Your Majesty, it’s time for Ning to go back.” She opened her misty eyes and tried hard to see his appearance reflected in the candlelight, but she could only see the crossbeams carved with intricate patterns above her head.

“Liu Kang!” He called the man outside the screen and asked in a raised voice, “Where did the prince go?”

After a rush of footsteps and muttering outside, Liu Kang answered cautiously, “Your Excellency, the Crown Prince is with Minister Xu and has not yet returned to the palace.”

“You see,” he gently patted her cheek, “What are you afraid of? There is still more time.”

……

But Duke Lu and his wife were still lingering at the lantern festival, more energetic than the young men and women on the sidelines.

The two of them, after raising their daughter, rarely had such a chance to be alone in one place. They were feeling comfortable and relaxed, joking and laughing, and a little less restrained than usual.

Minister Wei even picked a fancy mask and put it on Madam Xu with his own hands. Madam Xu’s face was red, glaring at her husband, but did not take it off.

However, it didn’t take long for the maid who sent Guo’er back to return, full of anxiety, “Sir, Madam, the young lady saw something outside and is now sobbing and won’t communicate to anyone. This maid really couldn’t manage her, so she had to ask Sir and Madam to hurry back and take a look!”

Duke Lu and his wife were extraordinarily caring about their only daughter, and when they heard this, they panicked and followed the maid back, asking about the details along the way.

The maid did not dare to hide anything and told them carefully what she saw before and after, and when they returned to their residence, led them to Guo’er’s room.

Guo’er was tired of crying and was falling asleep on her bed. Two maids were standing by, one handing her water and the other wiping her tears.

Madam Xu caught her daughter and held her tight. Duke Wei reached out to hold her and took her mother and daughter to sit on the edge of the bed, asking with a worried face, “Guo’er, don’t cry. Tell Mother and Father. Did you see something unclean outside? Tell us, it’s okay, if there’s anything, Father will think of something!”

He didn’t know what was going on, and when he heard that his daughter was crying, he just assumed that it was an evil spell.

She was not as frightened as she was when she had her parents with her and had returned to her own room. After sending away the maids, she told them what she had seen and heard only after her parents’ careful persuasion.

She was young and very frightened. Some things she didn’t remember very clearly, but she firmly recalled the prince wanted to marry another and did not hesitate to say it.

The couple patiently listened, face to face, lost for words momentarily.

Guo’er was still crying and couldn’t help but pull the corner of her mother’s clothes and ask with reddened eyes, “Mother, will Her Highness not be very sad?”

The “Her Highness” in her mouth naturally referred to the Crown Prince Consort Chu Ning.

Madam Xu was worried and froze, and it took her a while to react to her daughter’s words. She hugged her and comforted softly, “Mother does not know, I can only hope that Her Highness will be alright…”

Chu Ning treated them very well. She had heard of the misfortunes of the crown prince consort and had sympathy for her. Hearing that the crown prince was to marry another, she became even more concerned.

“Husband, what should we do? The Crown Prince’s Consort usually treats us so well…”

Minister Wei was aghast and paced the room.

Madam Xu was concerned about the Crown Prince’s Consort, but what he was thinking about was what his daughter had heard about the Zhao family and military power. Although he was born in the country, he had often seen the nobles of Changan in the past few months and encountered the court situation, so he naturally understood the importance of it.

He knew a little bit of the Zhao family’s identity. Lady Zhao’s motives were not difficult to guess, but the situation was not that simple.

He was the Emperor’s own uncle, by the Emperor’s favor, he must not conceal this matter.

“I’ll go see the Emperor and ask him what he wants, you take Guo’er to bed first.” He stopped and instructed his wife, and then turned to comfort his daughter, “Guo’er, it’s nothing serious. We have His Majesty’s protection, don’t worry, just sleep peacefully.”

He didn’t know what the prince was plotting, but he knew that the Emperor had to know about it.

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