Feng Lezhen didn’t return until evening. As soon as she entered the residence, she went straight to Qi Jingqing’s room. Seeing him eating dinner, her eyes immediately filled with a smile.
“Looks like I came back at just the right time,” she said.
“Why is Your Highness back so early today?” Qi Jingqing asked gently.
Feng Lezhen walked straight over and sat beside him. Qi Jingqing glanced at the page, who immediately brought a fresh bowl and chopsticks.
“I came back to see you, and to change clothes. I’ll be heading out again soon,” Feng Lezhen said as she scooped some rice from his bowl.
Qi Jingqing chuckled. “If you wanted food, you could’ve had Qi An serve you. Why take mine?”
“Can’t bear to part with it?” Feng Lezhen raised her brows.
Qi Jingqing’s smile deepened. “I’m afraid Your Highness won’t get enough to eat.”
As he spoke, he personally added more rice to her bowl.
“You look thinner again. Even your wrists have gotten smaller,” Feng Lezhen frowned. “Better have Suifeng check you again. That way I can be at ease.”
When she mentioned Shen Suifeng, the page immediately gave Qi Jingqing a look, signaling him to take the opportunity to ask about the side room.
But Qi Jingqing acted as if he didn’t see it. “The underfloor heating makes the room too warm, so I haven’t had much of an appetite. Losing a bit of weight is normal—Your Highness needn’t worry.”
“If it’s too warm, then tell them to burn less coal. As long as there’s no draft, it’s fine for the room to be a bit cooler,” Feng Lezhen instructed.
Qi Jingqing looked up, meeting her concerned gaze, and smiled slightly. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
The page was nearly frantic, wishing he could ask about the side room himself. But Qi Jingqing shot him a look, and he had no choice but to quietly withdraw.
“What’s with him?” Feng Lezhen asked casually.
Qi Jingqing replied, “He made a mistake and I scolded him. Probably feeling wronged.”
“You know how to scold people?” Feng Lezhen raised a brow.
“Of course I do.” Qi Jingqing lowered his eyes and lightly tapped the hand she’d rested on the table. “I can be quite fierce.”
Feng Lezhen let out a laugh and laced her fingers with his.
After the meal, Ah Ye arrived. Feng Lezhen glanced at her and asked, “Have the bedding preparations been completed?”
Qi Jingqing paused.
“All done, Your Highness,” Ah Ye replied.
Feng Lezhen nodded, then turned to Qi Jingqing. “I’ll go change in my room and head to the yamen. I’ll come back tomorrow morning to have breakfast with you.”
“Your Highness won’t stay the night?” Qi Jingqing asked.
Feng Lezhen smiled. “The yamen is busy. It probably won’t be done before midnight. Better not go back and forth.”
Qi Jingqing nodded. “Alright.”
Knowing his temperament was always agreeable, Feng Lezhen said nothing more and left with Ah Ye.
Once they were outside, Feng Lezhen asked, “How many bedding sets did you prepare in total?”
“About five or six. They hadn’t been touched for a while and were a bit damp, but after drying over the underfloor heater, they’re fluffy and warm again,” Ah Ye explained.
“Did you scent them with floral branches?”
“Yes, we did. Even though Master Shen hasn’t been back in a long time, the staff still remembers his habits. Your Highness needn’t worry,” Ah Ye said with a small laugh.
“Have them loaded onto the carriage. They’ll go with us to the yamen later.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As they spoke, they arrived at the bedroom. The bathtub inside was already filled with steaming hot water. With Ah Ye’s help, Feng Lezhen undressed and slowly sank into the water.
Once the water reached her shoulders and the last of the chill was driven from her body, Feng Lezhen let out a long breath and leaned back lazily. Ah Ye tied her hair into a simple bun to keep it dry, then rolled up her sleeves and began massaging her shoulders.
After a long day, Feng Lezhen finally relaxed completely. With her eyes closed, she dozed off slightly, unknowingly slipping into a light sleep.
“A while ago, Steward Qin sent two bottles of floral oil from the capital. Said it relieves fatigue and feels good when applied. Shall I go get it for Your Highness to try?” Ah Ye offered.
Half-asleep, Feng Lezhen murmured her agreement.
Ah Ye left, and the room quieted. Soaking in the warm water, Feng Lezhen drifted between sleep and waking, feeling her body swaying gently with the ripples.
Who knows how much time had passed when the door finally made a sound. Feng Lezhen, still relaxed in the tub, smiled and said, “It was just to fetch some oil—why did it take so long?”
There was no response.
Feng Lezhen didn’t think much of it and casually said, “Hurry up. We need to head to the yamen.”
As soon as she spoke, a hand landed on her shoulder.
She immediately opened her eyes, about to turn around, but the hand gently pressed down. “Don’t move, Your Highness.”
Recognizing Qi Jingqing’s voice, Feng Lezhen relaxed slightly. “What brings you here all of a sudden?”
“How do I use the oil?” he asked, ignoring her question.
Feng Lezhen’s eyes shifted slightly. After a moment, she replied slowly, “Pour it onto your hands, warm it up, and apply it to my shoulders. Do you know how to massage?”
“I’ve never tried, but Qi An used to massage my legs often. I figure it’s similar.” As he spoke, the sound of bottles clinking filled the room.
Hearing those clumsy noises, Feng Lezhen could tell just how unfamiliar he was. She smiled faintly. “Where’s Ah Ye?”
“She handed me the oil and is waiting outside,” Qi Jingqing replied as he rubbed his hands warm and pressed them to her shoulders. “Whatever Your Highness wants, just tell me—no need to call her in.”
Steam curled in the air, obscuring the view beneath the water. Above the surface, skin pale as jade shimmered as slender fingers coated in oil pressed down on smooth, wet shoulders. Each press left a slick sheen of oil and, when slightly firmer, faint marks that lingered—made all the more alluring by the heavy mist.
Qi Jingqing lowered his gaze, fully focused on massaging her shoulders, as if nothing else in the world mattered at that moment.
After a long while, Feng Lezhen took his hand. “That’s enough.”
Qi Jingqing paused and asked, “Does Your Highness want a brocade robe?”
“Mm.”
Qi Jingqing picked up a soft cloth and was just about to hand it to her when Feng Lezhen suddenly rose from the water.
With a splash, water cascaded and steam surged. Her graceful curves were suddenly exposed before him. Qi Jingqing froze for a moment and instinctively turned his face away, only to hear a soft laugh from her.
“…Your Highness, the cloth.” He stiffly handed her the item in his hand.
Feng Lezhen took the towel. “Wait outside.”
“Alright…”
Qi Jingqing turned and walked out, his cane tapping rapidly against the floor.
Moments later, Feng Lezhen emerged from behind the screen in a thin inner robe. Qi Jingqing’s expression had returned to normal.
“You still haven’t told me why you suddenly showed up.” She walked over to the bed and sat down, picking up the clothes Ah Ye had laid out, debating whether to call someone in to help dress or do it herself.
Before she could decide, Qi Jingqing had already approached her.
It was late. Although the lamps were lit, the room wasn’t as bright as during the day. His sudden appearance blocked most of the light, and Feng Lezhen paused, looking up—finally sensing something was off.
“What’s wrong?” she asked with a smile.
Qi Jingqing stared at her silently, saying nothing.
Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow. “If you don’t speak, I’m leaving—”
“Why did Your Highness have the side room cleaned?” Qi Jingqing interrupted.
Feng Lezhen hadn’t expected that question. Just as she was about to answer, he followed with another: “Is Your Highness… planning to let Doctor Shen live there?”
Feng Lezhen gave a half-laugh. “Why would I…”
“Then wasn’t the side room prepared for him today?” Qi Jingqing asked.
Feng Lezhen paused. “It was, but only because…”
Qi Jingqing gave a soft laugh. “Your Highness doesn’t need to explain. I didn’t come today to argue or demand answers.”
“Then what did you come for?” Feng Lezhen looked at him leisurely.
Qi Jingqing held her gaze in silence. After a long moment, his eyes reddened at the corners.
He already had a fair complexion, like the snow of Yinguan. But now, touched with red, he looked like plum blossoms blooming in a snowstorm—subtle and mysterious, evoking a sense of tenderness.
Feng Lezhen knew it wasn’t the time, but she was still momentarily dazed by his beauty.
He didn’t miss that flicker of distraction in her eyes. With a light laugh, he tossed aside his cane.
The cane was made of fine redwood. The sound it made landing on the floor was deep and pleasant. Feng Lezhen’s brows twitched slightly. She was just about to ask what he was doing when she saw his hands move to his belt.
She stopped speaking, waiting to see what he’d do next.
But Qi Jingqing didn’t move any further. He held the belt, lips pressed together. The flush at the corners of his eyes spread to the tips of his ears, then down his neck, staining his whole figure in a faint, alluring pink.
The belt hadn’t even been undone, and already he looked like this. Could he really go through with it? Feng Lezhen suppressed a smile and was about to speak when he suddenly pulled off the belt.
His robe came undone, revealing a large expanse of skin.
He was thin—so thin he didn’t even compare to the nineteen-year-old Chen Jinan back then. But his skin was fairer than snow, and so fine it couldn’t even conceal the faint veins beneath. He looked as fragile as porcelain—like a push would shatter him across the bed.
It stirred something reckless in the heart. Feng Lezhen’s smile faded; her gaze darkened as she waited for his next move.
But he didn’t remove anything else. Instead, he lowered his eyes and knelt on one knee before her, placing his slender hand lightly on her knee.
“I came today to offer myself to you.” His voice trembled with difficulty, but it carried a kind of desperate courage, as if he would rather dash himself against a wall than turn back.
Feng Lezhen looked at him quietly for a long time before letting out a sigh. “Jingqing…”
“I know I’m weak—not strong like other men, and not as pleasing to the eye either. But what I can do, others may not be able to,” Qi Jingqing seemed to anticipate what she was about to say. He raised a finger and gently touched it to her lips.
His voice was usually cool, and when he didn’t smile, his features carried the same chill. Yet now, with that same cold voice and cold face, he spoke such bold and heated words.
Feng Lezhen’s gaze darkened gradually. After a long pause, she asked, “What can you do?”
“Whatever Your Highness wants me to do, I will do it.” Qi Jingqing’s eyes grew more resolute. “If it hurts, I can bear it. If it burns, I can bear that too. As long as Your Highness likes it, I can do anything.”
Feng Lezhen paused, and her expression grew more complicated as she realized what he meant. “Where did you learn all this?”
“Xunfang Pavilion,” Qi Jingqing replied frankly. “They said that with a face like mine, but a weak body, there’s only one path a man like me can take.”
“…”
“…Did they teach me wrong?” Qi Jingqing saw the change in her expression and furrowed his brows.
Feng Lezhen laughed, and as she met his near-reverent gaze, her breath caught. “And what else did they teach you?”
“They wanted to teach more, but I didn’t let them,” Qi Jingqing said as he clasped her hand. “What’s left—I’d like Your Highness to teach me personally.”
As he finished speaking, he lowered his eyes and placed a soft kiss on her wrist.
It was just a brief touch, but it stirred a sudden wave of heat.
The underfloor heating made the room warm, and the candle flames flickered silently. Unnoticed, the mood had shifted from light to heavy.
Feng Lezhen looked at him for a long time before finally saying, “Get on the bed.”
When she finally spoke, Qi Jingqing’s heart dropped with relief—then immediately soared again with anticipation for what was to come. He said nothing, just braced a hand on the bed beside her and slowly got up.
His body was indeed frail. Just that simple movement left his breath unsteady. Feng Lezhen didn’t reach out to help him, nor did she look back when he finally got onto her bed.
The candle on the table had been burning the whole time. Red wax tears dripped onto the candlestick and solidified into drops of crimson jade. Feng Lezhen stared at the stand, suddenly recalling what Qi Jingqing had said earlier—“I can bear pain. I can bear heat.”
Skin like ice and bones like jade—though thin, he was beautiful. If his pale skin were dotted with plum blossoms, how enticing would that be? She always thought her tastes were fairly normal, but at this moment, even she felt a cruel impulse rise.
“Your Highness…”
His voice came from behind. Feng Lezhen returned to her senses and looked over calmly.
Qi Jingqing was already lying down, the robe now without its belt disheveled and gathered around him, revealing large swaths of white skin.
Feng Lezhen curved her lips. “Do you still have that handkerchief of mine?”
“I do.” Qi Jingqing didn’t know why she was asking about the handkerchief at this moment, but he took it out from his sleeve anyway.
Ever since his mother had discovered it, he’d been carrying it close to him.
Feng Lezhen took it and lowered her eyes, beginning to fold it.
Qi Jingqing hesitated and was just about to ask what she was doing when the folded cloth fell over his eyes, blocking his vision—and instantly heightening the unease in his heart.
“Your Highness…” He reached up to remove it.
“Shh.” Feng Lezhen gripped his wrist and leaned close to his ear, whispering, “If it falls off, you’ll be punished.”
