Chapter 69
The young woman was none other than the Crown Princess, County Princess Zhaoyun.
County Princess Zhaoyun had not shown herself for more than half a month after her marriage and had remained at the princess’s residence.
The Grand Princess had not pressured her to return, and the Crown Prince had tried to visit her a few times, but she had always refused, citing poor health.
Lu Hanzhi, in truth, wasn’t sure how to face this young woman. To put it bluntly, Zhaoyun was a pitiable figure.
Her current state was not what she deserved.
County Princess Zhaoyun was a naive and carefree young woman. She liked Yuwen Min, but she had never harmed anyone.
At most, under the subtle suggestion of Su Wan’ning, she had gone a few times to Yuwen Min to complain about things.
However, in the end, she had caused no real harm to Lu Hanzhi and had been caught in a counterattack by him and Yuwen Min.
This young woman was somewhat foolish and pitiful.
Lu Hanzhi sighed and stepped forward, saying, “County Princess Zhaoyun,” as he bowed to her.
County Princess Zhaoyun returned a half-hearted bow and said to him, “Congratulations, Wang Fei, on your great happiness. My mother sent me here with a small gift to offer congratulations to Your Highness.”
Lu Hanzhi replied, “Thank you, County Princess. The Grand Princess is very kind.”
County Princess Zhaoyun’s expression grew even more strained, and Lu Hanzhi asked, “Would you like to sit in my hall for a while?”
At this moment, the group of scholars by the winding stream seemed to just realize what had happened. They crowded around, saying, “Your Highness is truly talented! Please, Prince An’s Wang Fei, enlighten us!”
“The poem Your Highness just recited is truly excellent! I admire it deeply!”
“Your Highness, please wait! Would you be willing to write down your poem for us? I would love to study it!”
“Please, Your Highness, let me copy it down. I will cherish it greatly!”
……..
Lu Hanzhi: …
He looked at the scholars, speechless, while also attending to County Princess Zhaoyun. With a slight apologetic smile, he said, “Hmm… perhaps after I finish, I can have someone send it to everyone? Apologies for the delay, as we have a guest visiting.”
Everyone expressed their understanding and gestured for him to proceed.
As the scholars left, they began to speak enthusiastically about Prince An’s Wang Fei.
“I never expected Prince An’s Wang Fei to be so talented!”
“I’ve heard before that the third son of the Lu family was intelligent but lacked composure. After seeing this, there’s no need for composure! If he were constrained by convention, he would seem vulgar!”
“Truly, he gave birth to a child with Prince An; he is indeed a passionate and devoted person!”
“People like him, who dare to love and hate, are rare in this world!”
….
As Lu Hanzhi walked further away, he could still faintly hear them talking about him, and he felt slightly annoyed.
They hadn’t said this before. When Lu Hanzhi went out earlier, didn’t they all shout about how terrible he was?
They called him immoral, shameless, lascivious… anything unpleasant they could think of.
But now, they were praising him so sincerely. Didn’t they participate in spreading those rumors back then?
However, Lu Hanzhi didn’t care about these things. People tend to hate what others hate and get angry about what others are angry about.
It was no different from the keyboard warriors of today. Those who criticize online bullying are often the same people who are involved in it.
Lu Hanzhi led County Princess Zhaoyun into the inner hall and had Luan Feng serve tea.
County Princess Zhaoyun took a sip, but then frowned.
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Is the tea not to your liking, County Princess? Would you like me to get a different cup?”
County Princess Zhaoyun shook her head and said, “The tea is fine, but it’s just too fragrant. After drinking it, my stomach feels uneasy.”
Her stomach felt uneasy?
Lu Hanzhi opened his mouth but didn’t ask the question.
A little more than a month ago, the Grand Princess had gone to great lengths to arrange County Princess Zhaoyun’s marriage to the Crown Prince, and by the timing, if she were pregnant, she would likely be showing signs by now.
County Princess Zhaoyun’s expression was unnatural, and she spoke, “Your Highness’s poem is quite good.”
Lu Hanzhi humbly replied, “You’re too kind, too kind.” After all, he had just copied it.
County Princess Zhaoyun hesitated, and Lu Hanzhi asked, “Is there something you wish to say, County Princess?”
County Princess Zhaoyun sighed and said, “There are so many disputes in the Crown Prince’s residence, I really don’t want to return. But now… I… I have no choice but to go back. My mother says that with the Grand Princess backing me, those people won’t dare to do anything to me. But I…”
Lu Hanzhi smiled and said, “Are you worried about Su Wan’ning? Or Lu Haozhi?”
It was surprising to him that County Princess Zhaoyun, whose concerns involved his younger brother and cousin, would come to him with these matters.
County Princess Zhaoyun saw that he had asked directly, so she said, “Though I’ve been away from the Crown Prince’s residence these past few days, the rumors still reach my ears almost every other day. One day it’s Su Wan’ning attempting suicide, the next it’s Lu Haozhi causing trouble. I heard that the Crown Prince banned Lu Haozhi from leaving his room and has been staying with Su Wan’ning all day. I’m already pregnant with his child, and if my mother keeps me here, it would be hard to explain to the Emperor. I’ve been thinking a lot these days, and my mother won’t listen to me. My father is too kind-hearted. Your cousin Su Wan’ning, though, is a two-faced person. Several times, she has tried to persuade me to elope with Prince An, but she clearly doesn’t have good intentions. After thinking it over, you’re the only one who hasn’t caused me harm. Everyone else sees me living so grandly, but who knows I don’t even have anyone to confide in? Now, in the end, I can only come to you, someone I once saw as my enemy.”
Lu Hanzhi quietly listened to Zhaoyun as she spoke but did not respond to her.
Perhaps County Princess Zhaoyun didn’t expect an answer from him, after all, some paths were ones she had to walk herself.
After a while, Lu Hanzhi finally said, “Does County Princess has a wet nurse who has accompanied you for many years?”
County Princess Zhaoyun replied, “Yes, but… she is my mother’s wet nurse, called Wet Nurse Liu.”
Lu Hanzhi nodded and said, “County Princess, in the future, if you have any questions, you should ask your elders. She has been in the family for so many years, she must be able to offer advice.”
If he remembered correctly, the wet nurse of the grand princess was actually a spy for Yuwen Min.
Yuwen Min’s people were certainly not amateurs.
County Princess Zhaoyun nodded after a long while, subconsciously touching the handkerchief in her arms, but in the end, didn’t return it.
She didn’t linger, sitting for a while before leaving.
Lu Hanzhi sent her out, and before she left, he reminded her, “County Princess, you’re pregnant. If you’re not completely sure, it’s best to stay low and avoid seeing Su Wan’ning. Also, be cautious of fire and other accidents. After all, since you’re going into a place full of disputes, it’s inevitable you’ll meet people involved in those disputes.”
County Princess Zhaoyun nodded and turned to leave Prince An’s residence.
Watching the frail young woman leave, Lu Hanzhi sighed.
Being born into the royal family wasn’t as easy as being born to an ordinary family, where one could live more freely.
He turned to go back, but as soon as he looked back, he bumped right into Yuwen Min.
Lu Hanzhi rubbed his forehead, instinctively reaching for Yuwen Min’s chest, about to push aside his clothes, and asked, “What are you hiding in your chest? Are you wearing armor?”
But all he felt was warmth, and it was simply the firm muscles of a man’s chest.
Lu Hanzhi clicked his tongue and said, “You martial artists, so stiff, don’t you get uncomfortable when sleeping?”
Yuwen Min replied with a deadpan expression, “Because we don’t sleep with ourselves.”
Lu Hanzhi: ???
Damn Yuwen Min, you’re really getting worse with time!
Sometimes Lu Hanzhi thought that flirtatious talk was contagious.
Yuwen Min, once a good-natured man with a poker face, had gotten more and more corrupted by his influence, and Lu Hanzhi had to admit that he had unwittingly led him astray.
He thought carefully for a moment, then decided not to change his ways.
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Do you need me to accompany you for drinks?”
Yuwen Min was bothered by the words “accompany for drinks” and said, “No one dares to have a Wang Fei accompany drinks.”
Lu Hanzhi said, “Since His Majesty won’t be coming today, don’t you think we can skip a lot of things?”
Yuwen Min responded, “My elder brother isn’t feeling well, so he called in Doctor Lin.”
Lu Hanzhi asked, “How’s my second sister-in-law?”
Yuwen Min replied, “With Doctor Lin here, there’s no problem.”
Lu Hanzhi nodded. The eldest prince’s child had certainly been a difficult one to carry.
Yuwen Min added, “That poem you just recited… was it for your big pig trotter?”
Lu Hanzhi thought for a moment, unsure of how to respond.
It was just a poem he casually recited about longing, merely to match the mood with the scholars.
Lu Hanzhi could only reply, “If I said it was written for you, would you believe it?”
Yuwen Min gave him an expression of “I can’t believe you’re so ridiculous,” and Lu Hanzhi, the mischievous little rascal, had really corrupted the poor boy.
The mischievous rascal smiled playfully as he walked away, casting a flirtatious glance at him as he passed, “I’ll wait for you in the bridal chamber!”
Yuwen Min’s expression didn’t change, but his heart felt strange.
Tonight was indeed their wedding night, but this marriage, which had been formed for the sake of cooperation, was never going to result in a passionate romantic encounter.
After all, he was still waiting for his big pig trotter, and he wasn’t going to take advantage of the situation.
The wedding banquet lasted late into the night, and the nobles of the capital gradually dispersed.
Only the Rong family remained at Prince An’s residence, wanting to chat with their own family.
That day, when passing by the Crown Prince’s residence, they saw the Empress’s people lurking around.
Every move of the Rong family truly caught the attention of those in the court.
After chatting for a while with the head servant of the Rong family, the servant urged him to hurry and enter the bridal chamber.
Yuwen Min felt awkward, but tonight, no matter what he said, he would have to stay in the bridal chamber for a while. Once everyone had gone to sleep, he planned to go to the study and sleep there for the night.
In the future, Lu Hanzhi would still stay in Hanyu Pavilion, while he would remain in the front courtyard.
After giving him this title, he also let him do things his way. He always felt that with his intelligence, he shouldn’t just be a little young master used for childbearing.
Lu Hanzhi had returned early, as he had been traveling all day and needed rest.
Right now, he was lying on the bed, and when he entered the room, he saw Ah Chan being carried out by Luan Feng.
Ah Chan had fallen asleep. The child slept soundly through the night without waking up.
He was a very sensible and well-behaved child.
Yuwen Min pulled back the red canopy and saw Lu Hanzhi lying on his side, facing inward, lying motionless. Had he fallen asleep?
He was only wearing a red undergarment and wasn’t even covered by a blanket.
In this late autumn weather, wearing so little, he’d catch a cold if he slept like this all night.
He stepped forward and pulled the blanket up for him, saying, “Why aren’t you covering yourself with the blanket?”
But just then, a strong fragrance suddenly filled the air, and the hand that touched his shoulder was also burned slightly.
Yuwen Min frowned, and immediately realized what was happening.
Lu Hanzhi, perhaps sensing his presence, sat up lightly, revealing a flushed face tortured by his heat period.
He took a deep breath, seemingly trying to suppress his emotions.
Unfortunately, the heat period of the Xiao Langjun was far too overwhelming, and he could not control his urge to crave Yuwen Min.
Slowly, Lu Hanzhi got up, raised his arm, wrapped it around Yuwen Min’s neck, and suddenly kissed his lips.
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
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