Volume One, Chapter 9: Where Haven't You Been Untouched?

Ji Qingmei took a sip of tea and gently dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief, though her eyes were cold as if tempered in ice.

"Your news is remarkably swift, sister."

She had only just received the invitation, and Liu Sisi already knew of it. It seemed this woman was not as brainless as she appeared. But if she weren't brainless, why would she speak of such a thing so bluntly? Ji Qingmei found Liu Sisi difficult to read.

"Tell me, if I wait for that woman's mother to arrive at the Eastern Palace and scold her away, will His Highness despise me? What if he decides to ignore me forever?"

She looked down at the pastries on the table—usually her favorites—but she pouted, having lost all appetite. If Liu Sisi truly did berate the woman's mother, she, as a consort, would inevitably be implicated, not to mention the involvement of the General’s wife.

"Sister Liu, watch your words and mind your actions."

"Although we are His Highness’s women, that woman’s mother is still our elder. One must not be disrespectful to one's elders."

"What kind of elder is she?"

Liu Sisi muttered under her breath, looking like a bird that had lost its vitality; she appeared listless and dejected. "Tell me, that woman is merely a prefect’s wife, so how could she be close friends with the General’s wife?"

Who doesn't want to marry up? How could two bosom friends end up married into such vastly different stations—one high, one low, like clouds and mud? It was truly laughable.

"I heard that when General Mo was in distress, the current Madam Mo saved him. They grew fond of each other during his recovery."

While such family secrets were not public knowledge, one would often hear the adults speak of them while growing up in the boudoir.

Liu Sisi nodded. "Sister Mei, Crown Prince should be at the morning court by now. Shall we go see how that woman is doing?"

Thinking that she hadn't seen the woman since she entered the manor, Ji Qingmei nodded. "It is time we paid a visit to the new sister. I wonder what rank His Highness intends to bestow upon her?" She paused, then added, "But you must not cause trouble." She herself could do as she pleased, but she could not have Liu Sisi striking someone in her presence; she did not want to create a rift between herself and the Crown Prince.

"I won't hit her. Don't worry, sister. I will listen to you."

The two chatted and laughed all the way to the Crown Prince’s sleeping quarters. The eunuch at the door blocked their path.

"My ladies, His Highness has given orders. No one is allowed to enter the bedchamber. Would you like to wait until His Highness returns to ask for his permission?"

Seeing the eunuch blocking the way, Liu Sisi shouted toward the direction of the bedchamber, "Lin Qingwan, come out here!"

The eunuch waved his hands nervously, terrified of waking the noble person inside.

"My ancestors, Lady Liu, please don't shout. The person inside is severely injured; I fear she cannot even get up."

Mentioning the woman’s injuries only made Liu Sisi angrier. She put her hands on her hips and snapped, "How can she be severely injured? I’ve never heard of anyone unable to get out of bed just because their face was slapped! Lin Qingwan, come out here!"

That damnable, cheap woman—she only knew how to feign weakness to seduce the Crown Prince and earn his pity. The two guards stationed outside the bedchamber barred the way, and Liu Sisi dared not force her way in, so she could only shout at the door.

Lin Qingwan was jolted awake by the noise. She clutched her head, intending to rise, but felt an odd sensation in her body and lay back down in astonishment.

"My lady, you are awake. You need not pay mind to the noise outside."

"Before His Highness left, he said that for these three days, no one but the female physician and the maid is to enter the bedchamber."

Lin Qingwan nodded. In her current physical state, she was not fit to stand; every time she opened her eyes, she felt as though she were suffering. But thinking that she could see her mother in two days, it was all worth it.

Seeing the love bites on Lin Qingwan’s neck, trailing down to her collar, the young maid blushed. "His Highness is very fond of you, my lady. If you could just be a little more yielding to him, you would surely be destined for great glory."

Yield to him? In her previous life, she had been yielding for a lifetime, only for it to end in a sea of flames. In this life, she only wanted to let each other go. He did not love her; he only loved her body. A love bought at the cost of one's life was enough once.

*

Chu Linyuan, having returned to the Eastern Palace with Yun Yuying, saw the two women standing at the entrance of the bedchamber. He had heard Liu Sisi’s shouting before he even stepped inside and quickened his pace to approach them.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince." The guards and eunuchs at the door knelt in haste.

Ji Qingmei and Liu Sisi quickly bowed. "May Your Highness be blessed with peace."

Chu Linyuan looked at the two oblivious women. He had already issued an order forbidding anyone from approaching his bedchamber, yet the two of them dared to loiter here.

"Go back and copy the 'Classic of Filial Piety for Women' ten times. Finish by today."

"This concubine knows her mistake. I will take Sister Liu back to copy the books now."

Liu Sisi wanted to say more, but Ji Qingmei pulled her away, shaking her head at her, and led her away from the bedchamber. Today’s incident was indeed their fault; they should have left the moment they heard the Crown Prince had forbidden entry. It was all the fault of this brainless Liu Sisi for getting her punished.

After the two women left, the eunuchs and guards breathed a sigh of relief.

When he entered the room with Yun Yuying, Lin Qingwan was already awake. Hearing the maid rise to salute the man, the woman on the bed turned her head to the inside, as if she had heard nothing.

Chu Linyuan walked to the bedside, thinking that four hours had passed since the last dressing change, and had rushed back to the Eastern Palace immediately after the morning court. He took out the instruments, applied the ointment, and set them aside, saying gently, "I will remove the previous dressing for you first. Bear with it."

Lin Qingwan shrank inward slightly, unable to stop herself from blushing. "There is no need. Your Highness is of noble status and should go rest outside. Just let the female physician change the dressing for me."

Chu Linyuan cast a glance over his shoulder at the physician standing behind him. Yun Yuying tapped her head, brushed her forehead with her hand as if suddenly remembering something, and spoke in a rush.

"Your Highness, the physician said that Lady Lin’s medication needs a slight adjustment. May this servant take her leave to prepare the decoction according to the new prescription?"

"Go." The Crown Prince waved his hand with satisfaction, his tone filled with unconcealable joy.

Seeing the female physician find an excuse to leave, Lin Qingwan looked at the only remaining maid in the room and was about to speak when the maid immediately knelt and kowtowed to them both.

"Your Highness, this servant just remembered I need to fetch your new robes from the Imperial Household Department."

Chu Linyuan waved his hand, the corners of his mouth curling up as he looked triumphantly at Lin Qingwan, who was glaring at him.

"Now that there are only the two of us left in this room, only I can help you."

She had recovered well from the high fever after taking medicine yesterday, and while she had felt dazed, she hadn't thought much of it, but now she truly wished she could just bump her head and die.

The woman’s flushed cheeks put Chu Linyuan in a wonderful mood; he couldn't resist leaning down to steal a kiss.

"Where on your body have I not seen, touched, or kissed? I remember the location of every single mole on you with perfect clarity."

Lin Qingwan sighed slowly. How had she not realized in her previous life that he was so flippant?

"The old saying goes that one only hears the new bride laugh and never sees the old one cry. Your Highness need not trouble yourself; I do not wish to be your new bride." The newest of new brides would sooner or later become an old one.

"Lin Qingwan, shut your mouth. I am here to change your dressing; do not disturb me. If my hand slips and causes you pain, it will be your own fault." This woman’s mouth was truly capable of saying nothing but things that angered him.

After warming his hands, he reached under the quilt, felt for the medical implement hidden beneath her, removed it slowly, and tossed it into the water basin nearby. He took out the freshly prepared implement, lifted a corner of the quilt, and slipped inside.

Feeling the man’s cautious movements, Lin Qingwan’s face turned red to the point of extremity. The man was being far too slow, and Lin Qingwan couldn't help but urge him.

"Can you hurry up?"