Chapter 94

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Xiurun was pulled into Feng Liwu’s embrace, leaving her with an unobstructed view of the scenery before her.

As autumn set in, the lake was full and shimmering, its surface clear and emerald green, reflecting the blue sky. It was a sight that could lift one’s spirits.

Leaning against Feng Liwu’s chest, Jiang Xiurun gazed at the lake and found her mind drifting.

In her past life, this was the second year she had been in the Laundry Bureau, and Qin Zhao had already begun to pester her, often pulling her aside to talk.

Through him, she had learned much about the outside world.

After all, whenever Qin Zhao was sent out of the capital on official business, he would self-importantly update her, fearing she might worry about him.

However, in her memory, there had been no major incidents of bandits digging up riverbanks and flooding counties at the Wei-Qi border.

The Laundry Bureau, being part of the Imperial Household Bureau, had frequent interactions with eunuchs from both inside and outside the palace, making its information network more extensive than that of the common folk.

If such a tragedy had occurred, the court would have surely sent troops to suppress it, and there would have been some commotion.

From the moment Jiang Xiurun learned that Feng Liwu was going to handle the dispute in this area, she had thought of this.

She believed the situation would be easily resolved, and the bandits would likely be eradicated without causing any disaster.

Thus, Feng Liwu’s involvement should be safe…

Jiang Xiurun let out a soft sigh.

She realized she had become overly concerned about Feng Liwu.

Earlier, Qian’er’s words had struck a chord with her.

Qian’er, who had little formal education and was not much older than herself, had calmly assessed the gap between herself and Dou Siwu, refusing to lower her guard and indulge in daydreams.

Yet, despite having lived two lives, Jiang Xiurun found herself developing feelings for Feng Liwu.

At this moment, they were just a young man and woman, drawn together by desire and an inexplicable attraction.

Such fragile love was no match for the struggles of power.

Feng Liwu’s residence was already filled with the beauty and concubines, and in the future, there would only be more.

Once Feng Liwu became emperor, he would not only marry daughters of princes and nobles from various states but also seek alliances with powerful families in Luo’an to stabilize his rule.

Marriage alliances were the easiest and most effective method.

Beauty fears the passage of time.

Now, Jiang Xiurun’s lovely appearance had secured her a place in Feng Liwu’s heart, but what about the future? When the years left their mark on her, how could a weak princess from a vassal state hope to retain Feng Liwu’s affection? If she were as carefree as before, it might not matter, but if she allowed herself to become like the women in the inner courtyard, constantly yearning for a man’s love, wouldn’t she be setting herself up for heartbreak?

With these thoughts, the initial excitement from yesterday’s reunion faded from her heart.

She took a deep breath, put on her usual smile, and said, “Your Highness, the porridge will get cold if you don’t eat it soon. Please have your breakfast.”

As Feng Liwu sat by the large rock eating his porridge, Jiang Xiurun deftly placed some braised beef slices from a small plate into his bowl and said, “Your Highness, you must focus on handling this matter. My presence here might distract you from your duties. Besides, the academy is about to reopen. I should return to Luo’an to avoid Master Mufeng wondering why I haven’t gone back to the academy.”

Previously, Shadow Girl had impersonated her and left the academy early.

Now that Master Mufeng had returned to the capital and was ill due to guilt over the accident during the outing, Jiang Xiurun felt it was her duty as a student to visit him.

Feng Liwu listened to her words in silence, slowly finishing a mouthful of porridge before responding, “If you wish to return to the capital early, that’s fine. I will arrange for an escort to take you back. However, there’s no need for you to return to the academy. I will inform Master Mufeng.”

Jiang Xiurun paused, looking up at the Crown Prince with confusion and caution.

“Is it because I brought this misfortune upon you, Your Highness, that you plan to confine me as punishment?”

Feng Liwu found her words amusing and replied, “You are my beloved concubine. Always appearing in public will inevitably attract unwanted attention. If you love learning, there’s no need to go to the academy. I will hire a tutor to teach you at the residence… After the New Year, you will be older. Focus on recuperating and prepare to bear my children.”

While Jiang Xiurun could reluctantly accept the earlier part of his statement with composure, the mention of bearing his children made her heart race.

She pursed her lips and softly said to Feng Liwu, “Your Highness, have you forgotten that I only entered your household as a substitute for my sister… By rights, I should call you brother-in-law. You have not yet established a principal wife, and the one to bear your children must be a virtuous and gentle woman. I know my temperament is too rough and unworthy of bearing the future heirs of Great Qi.”

Feng Liwu found his appetite waning.

This woman was clearly trying to upset him early in the morning, especially with that “brother-in-law” remark, which made him want to drag her back into the tent and teach his sister-in-law a lesson.

With a raised eyebrow, he coldly said, “It seems you’re using your words to chastise me. I know you’re prone to jealousy, but there should be limits. Haven’t I shown you enough love and favor? Tell me, where have I fallen short that you feel the need to speak to me like this?”

Jiang Xiurun realized she had overstepped.

As a concubine, Feng Liwu had indeed treated her impeccably.

At the very least, the fact that he visited her every night was something the other women in the residence envied.

But in Feng Liwu’s heart, she was just a concubine, someone who should live dependent on a man, spending her days in the courtyard bickering with the other women over trivial matters.

Having spent a year at the academy, Jiang Xiurun’s horizons had broadened under her teacher’s guidance.

Though the Crown Prince’s residence was large, she found it stifling.

Who could have expected that this incident would trigger Feng Liwu’s possessiveness, making him want to confine her to the inner courtyard, never to dress as a man again? If she were to become pregnant, as Feng Liwu suggested, it would surely provoke jealousy and hatred from the other women in the residence.

Cao Xi had the powerful Empress behind her, and Tian Ying had the support of the influential Marquis Jing in Luo’an. Jiang Xiurun, on the other hand, relied solely on the fleeting and unreliable affection of a man.

She knew she wasn’t foolish enough to let her child suffer and would rather die than bear Feng Liwu’s child.

At this thought, her heart stirred. Yesterday, during their passionate encounter, she had not taken any contraceptive measures. If she were to become pregnant, it would be disastrous. As soon as she had a moment, she would ask Qian’er to prepare some medicine to prevent pregnancy.

Lost in her thoughts, Jiang Xiurun remained silent for a long time, which made Feng Liwu suspect she was sulking.

In the past, he would have found a way to discipline her for such willful behavior.

But after Jiang Xiurun’s disappearance, the Crown Prince’s once cold and unyielding heart had melted into a puddle of water.

How could he remain stern?

Though he suspected she was sulking, he set down his bowl and chopsticks and pulled her into his arms.

“Since when did you learn to sulk in silence? I’ve spoiled you too much, and your heart has grown wild. If you insist on going to the academy, you can do so after bearing a child and recovering. By then, the child will have wet nurses and nannies to care for it, so you won’t feel stifled.”

She was used to playing around, so to coax her into bearing a child, he would have to offer some sweet incentives.

Feng Liwu prided himself on his ability to manage people, and he applied the same balance of rewards and punishments to the woman he loved.

However, Jiang Xiurun wasn’t sulking.

She knew she had no real standing and was merely treading on thin ice in Luo’an, every step filled with anxiety. How could she dare to throw a tantrum with her benefactor? Her earlier silence was simply due to being lost in thought, but it had been misinterpreted as her acting spoiled.

What a great injustice!

Forcing a smile, she cheerfully accompanied Feng Liwu as he finished his meal before returning to her tent.

The first thing she did was summon Qian’er and instruct her to quickly procure contraceptive medicine.

Qian’er, who was folding clothes, paused upon hearing Jiang Xiurun’s request and said with concern, “Why do you need to take it again? The physician who prescribed the medicine said that while the formula is gentle, it still contains some toxicity. Prolonged use could harm your health. Your last few menstrual cycles were extremely painful. And after falling into the deep pool and catching a chill, taking this medicine again could damage your constitution.”

Jiang Xiurun sat down and sighed deeply.

She was well aware that she should stop taking the medicine, but after yesterday’s intense encounter with Feng Liwu, she felt uneasy without the contraceptive.

Qian’er placed the clothes in a chest and tossed her thick braid behind her back.

“You are now favored by the Crown Prince. Even if you do become pregnant, what’s the harm in having the child? It’s not like we’re a poor rural family that can’t afford to raise a child. In my opinion, since you and the Crown Prince are together every night, constantly taking that medicine isn’t good for you. Why not let nature take its course and have the child? If you really don’t want it, don’t harm your own body… Just persuade the Crown Prince to find a way to, well, ‘spill the seed on the ground.'”

Jiang Xiurun knew her maid was bold, but she hadn’t expected such a blunt suggestion.

She couldn’t help but laugh.

“I don’t have the courage for that. Maybe I should take some time to teach His Highness how to ‘spill the seed on the ground.'”

Qian’er closed the chest and turned to look at her giggling mistress, shaking her head helplessly.

“In my opinion, mistress, you’re not timid at all. You have big ideas! It’s just that in front of the Crown Prince, you always act like a mouse seeing a cat. Over time, the cat thinks it has the mouse completely under control. If he ever finds out the truth, I wonder if he’ll turn into a raging tiger?”

Jiang Xiurun couldn’t handle Qian’er’s sharp tongue and pretended to scowl.

“Hurry up and get the medicine! If you keep talking, I’ll marry you off to Dou Siwu and see who’s the tiger and who’s the mouse!”

In the end, as they entered the border city of Great Qi with the convoy, Qian’er managed to procure the medicine for Jiang Xiurun to take.

Meanwhile, Feng Liwu rushed off to deal with the bandits who were threatening to destroy the riverbanks and flood the villages.

After settling in, Jiang Xiurun gathered her belongings and purchased some local specialties, preparing to return to the capital to visit her teacher and explain why she could no longer continue her studies.

However, little did she know that a shocking turn of events was about to unfold.