Chapter 119

If Feng Liwu hadn’t come to Hanyang, he might have been able to maintain his composure.

But seeing Jiang Xiurun sitting cross-legged on a dirt mound, eating a vegetable pancake, his heart twisted painfully.

At that moment, he no longer cared about who should speak first.

Hearing her say she was thirsty, he immediately handed her his water pouch.

Jiang Xiurun had no idea what kind of luck had brought the princes to the Hanyang waterworks site today.

Especially the Crown Prince’s sudden appearance—she hadn’t received any prior notice, leaving her completely unprepared.

So, she could only bow respectfully to the Crown Prince and ask if he was here on an incognito inspection.

Unfortunately, seeing her exhausted and weathered appearance, Feng Liwu was filled with nothing but heartache.

He was also frustrated by her stubbornness, choosing to endure hardship in Hanyang rather than explain the grievances she had suffered that day.

So, he remained silent, staring at her intently.

It was Qian’er, who couldn’t bear to see her mistress suffer, who stepped forward and bowed to the Crown Prince, saying, “Your Highness, it’s mealtime. Master Jiang hasn’t eaten since morning, and you must be hungry after your journey. Would you like to try some of Hanyang’s specialty meat and vegetable pancakes?”

Hearing that Jiang Xiurun had only just started eating, Feng Liwu finally spoke, “Bring some for me as well.”

Since the Crown Prince was joining the meal, they couldn’t very well invite him to squat on a dirt mound and eat pancakes.

So, Jiang Xiurun led Feng Liwu into a small tent nearby, dusted off a mat with a horsehair duster, and invited the Crown Prince to sit and eat.

In addition to the vegetable and meat pancakes, she also brought out a small clay pot containing bone broth made from the marrow of boiled bones, seasoned with scallions and salt—perfect for pairing with the pancakes.

As Feng Liwu sat across from Jiang Xiurun, sipping the soup, he suddenly realized that it had been a long time since he had truly enjoyed the taste of food.

Since she had left, no one had been there to smile and explain the subtleties of each dish, the intricacies of cooking.

Every meal had reverted to the bland, utilitarian fare he had eaten before she entered his life—merely sustenance, nothing more.

If this had been a temporary situation, he might have endured it.

But seeing her stay away for so long had become unbearable.

The saying “it’s hard to go from luxury to simplicity” had never felt more true.

This hostage princess from Bo had subtly changed so many of his habits, making him feel as though he couldn’t live without her.

Now, in this windswept construction site, eating coarse vegetable pancakes and hot soup, even watching her delicate mouth bite into the food made the meal taste better.

Feng Liwu couldn’t take it anymore.

He wanted to take her back to the capital immediately.

What he had originally decided not to bring up slipped out unintentionally.

“The matter of the Bo spy has been cleared up. It had nothing to do with you or your brother… I was wrong to suspect you.”

Jiang Xiurun looked up at Feng Liwu in surprise.

The young Crown Prince’s lips were tightly pressed together, clearly unaccustomed to apologizing to a woman.

Jiang Xiurun, ever the understanding subordinate, knew when to give Feng Liwu an out.

She refilled his bowl with soup and said nonchalantly, “It’s nothing serious. Your Highness is magnanimous. Even if you initially suspected me of colluding with Bo, you still generously forgave me. Your broad-mindedness is truly admirable…”

Feng Liwu had no patience for her insincere flattery and cut her off, “If you don’t mind, why haven’t you returned to the capital?”

Jiang Xiurun pointed to the construction site around them with a bitter smile, “Your Highness, as you can see, since arriving here, I’ve been working day and night on the waterworks project. I dare not neglect my duties or hold any grudges against Your Highness!”

Her words were reasonable and beyond reproach.

If Jiang Xiurun had reacted as she used to—crying in grievance or glaring at him in humiliated anger, pinching his cheek… anything, really—Feng Liwu might have believed that the matter was truly behind them.

But her calm, understanding demeanor made it impossible to tell whether she genuinely didn’t mind or if she was hiding her true feelings…

However, Feng Liwu was never one to dwell on minor details.

He had already said what amounted to an apology, and as Jiang Xiurun had pointed out, he hadn’t actually convicted Jiang Zhi or her.

There was no need to dwell on it further.

After a symbolic inspection of the river and reservoir, Feng Liwu declared that the project no longer required the personal supervision of the head of the Agricultural Department.

Competent officials could handle the remaining work.

He then ordered Jiang Xiurun to pack her belongings and return to the capital with him.

But that evening, as she was packing, the Second Prince arrived with his entourage.

He had originally planned to invite Jiang Xiurun for a walk by the nearby pond under the pretext of discussing waterworks.

However, his excitement was quickly dampened when he saw his elder brother sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, watching Jiang Xiurun wash her face with hot water.

What a disappointment!

With the three of them in the courtyard, what had once seemed spacious now felt cramped.

Both royal brothers had come incognito to visit the beauty, and neither had known the other was coming.

Their expressions were equally unpleasant.

Feng Liwu was the first to speak coldly, “Second Brother, when did you arrive? How could you be so careless as to barge into Master Jiang’s courtyard?”

Feng Wu, regaining his composure, raised an eyebrow and replied with a hint of sarcasm, “Since it’s Master Jiang’s courtyard, do men need to avoid each other here?”

Feng Liwu responded slowly, “Master Jiang’s courtyard indeed requires Your Highness to exercise some discretion.”

Although Feng Wu was currently subordinate to Feng Liwu, he was no less skilled in verbal sparring and could hold his own against his elder brother.

He smiled and said, “Oh, so the Crown Prince, despite his busy schedule, has found time to meddle in the affairs of his subordinates in this remote area. I heard that Your Highness’s engagement to Lady Yang Ruxu is imminent. Shouldn’t you be preoccupied with that?”

Feng Liwu knew exactly what Feng Wu was trying to do—bringing up the engagement in front of Jiang Xiurun!

Although his ministers had strongly recommended marrying the Yang family’s daughter, given the current political climate, it was the best choice.

Moreover, when his previous concubines had entered the residence, Jiang Xiurun hadn’t reacted strongly, even becoming close friends with Princess Jing.

Marrying a Yang daughter into the residence shouldn’t provoke much of a reaction from Jiang Xiurun.

After all, no matter who he married, he would continue to dote on her as before.

Jiang Xiurun wasn’t like the other women in the inner courtyard who vied for his affection.

As a court official, she should understand the reasons behind his decision to marry a Yang daughter.

Yet, for some reason, Feng Liwu didn’t want Jiang Xiurun to hear about this from Feng Wu.

The brat was clearly trying to drive a wedge between him and Jiang Xiurun.

Feng Liwu couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Xiurun out of the corner of his eye.

She seemed oblivious to Feng Wu’s words, happily feeding the leftover meat bones to the dog in the courtyard.

The dog happily ate, occasionally licking Jiang Xiurun’s fingers, making her giggle softly.

Throughout it all, she never once looked up at Feng Wu.

Seeing that his attempt to stir up trouble had failed, Feng Wu left awkwardly.

The servants in the courtyard continued packing, and the next morning, they set off for Luo’an.

That night, Feng Liwu, who had been alone for over a month, finally got his wish and held Jiang Xiurun in his arms.

However, after a long day of work at the construction site, Jiang Xiurun was too exhausted to appreciate the joy of their reunion.

She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

As her soft snores filled the room, Feng Liwu gently brushed aside the hair that half-covered her face.

Though her jade-like beauty remained, the faint dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion, and she had clearly lost weight.

Although Feng Liwu ached with desire for her, he couldn’t bring himself to wake her.

Instead, he held her close, kissed her cheeks a few times, and then fell asleep with her in his arms.

After a long journey, they finally returned to Luo’an City.

The bustling crowds at the city gates were as lively as ever.

At the gate, officials from the Ministry of War approached the Crown Prince, seemingly with urgent matters to discuss.

Jiang Xiurun didn’t enter through the main gate but instead went straight to her courtyard through the back door.

It was said that at the front gate, the two concubines and other beauties were waiting to welcome the Crown Prince.

Though he had only been away from the residence for a few days, it felt like an eternity to them.

Unfortunately, the beauties waited in vain.

That evening, the Crown Prince sent word that the Ministry of War had urgent documents to process, and Feng Liwu would be staying at the government office for several days to discuss matters with the generals.

He wouldn’t be returning to the Crown Prince’s residence.

This came as a relief to Jiang Xiurun, who no longer had to pretend to be cordial with Feng Liwu.

The past month in Hanyang had been exhausting.

Lying down on the fragrant, soft bed felt like a dream.

The officials who had accompanied her to Luo’an were also worn out, so the Agricultural Department was given two days off upon their return.

Jiang Xiurun enjoyed the freedom.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she noticed her skin had darkened considerably.

She planned to spend the next few days indulging in good food and drink, restoring her fair and delicate complexion.

Her maid, Taohua, was shocked by Concubine Yao’s suddenly darkened skin.

She fetched five or six pearls and a snow ginseng from the storeroom.

After grinding and boiling them, she mixed them with rose paste and applied the mixture to Jiang Xiurun’s face, neck, and hands.

As she massaged, she admonished her mistress, “You can’t let yourself be exposed to the wind and sun like this in the future. A woman’s skin is delicate and can age quickly if not cared for properly.”

Jiang Xiurun soaked in the warm pool, enveloped in the steam, her head resting on a jade pillow.

Taohua’s skilled hands massaged her, making her sigh softly in contentment.

She smiled and said, “With a maid as skilled as you, how could I ever grow old? Good Taohua, massage my neck a bit more. It’s so sore.”

Just as she was enjoying herself, she heard noisy voices outside the courtyard.

It turned out that Cao Xi and Tian Ying had each received an invitation from Yang Ruxu that afternoon.

Lady Yang had announced that she was hosting a fruit banquet, inviting the ladies and young misses from various households, especially the concubines from the Crown Prince’s residence.

Cao Xi and Tian Ying had both come to seek Concubine Yao’s opinion on the matter.