Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 37.2

Gong Yu did not move until Dai Ru Yan bit down hard, causing Gong Yu to involuntarily cry out in pain.

“Does it hurt?” Dai Ru Yan gently stroked the bitten spot with her fingertip and asked softly.

As if the one who had just been so ruthless wasn’t her, Gong Yu was still dazed from the pain and looked at Dai Ru Yan in confusion.

“It… doesn’t hurt.”

“Doesn’t hurt?” Dai Ru Yan suddenly pressed down again with her fingertip. Gong Yu took a sharp breath and quickly dodged Dai Ru Yan’s hand, exclaiming, “It hurts, it really hurts.”

Only then did Dai Ru Yan release her hand, staring strangely at Gong Yu as she whispered, “Every time I see you frowning tightly in your sleep from a headache, I want to bite you hard.”

“Why?”

“So, you’ll remember better.”

Gong Yu found these words inexplicably chilling and quickly reached out to grasp Dai Ru Yan’s hand, saying, “I promise there won’t be a next time.”

Dai Ru Yan sighed softly, her gaze fixed intently on Gong Yu as she said, “If there is a next time, I will chain you up tightly, not letting you leave my side for even a moment.”

“I swear there won’t be a next time!” Gong Yu hurriedly replied.

In the pitch-black night, aside from the faint moonlight, there was no other light. Dai Ru Yan held Gong Yu as they lay quietly in the cool pavilion, both silent.

The cicadas continued their incessant chirping. Gong Yu couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to, softly calling out:

“Ayan?”

“I’m here.”

Gong Yu smiled, poking Dai Ru Yan’s palm with her fingertip and said, “The edict to annul the engagement has been issued.”

“I know.”

“Aren’t you happy?”

“I’m not happy.” Dai Ru Yan turned her head to look at Gong Yu, clasping her mischievous hand and said, “But Zhao Anyue deserved her injuries.”

Huh… Is that a compliment?

Seeing Dai Ru Yan’s calm expression, Gong Yu asked, “Weren’t you shocked, Ayan?”

“A little.” Dai Ru Yan gently stroked Gong Yu’s brow with her fingertip, her gaze tender. Gong Yu stared blankly, then heard Dai Ru Yan whisper, “Zhao Anyue deserved to die.”

“But she cannot die by your hand.”

Gong Yu hadn’t expected Dai Ru Yan to be so direct and was still somewhat stunned.

Dai Ru Yan’s fingertip paused near the scab, as if intimately familiar with the wound, and she murmured softly:

“Sleep now, Xiao Jiu. It’s late.”

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“Why?”

Gong Yu blinked and said, “I want to keep looking at you a little longer.”

“Silly.” Dai Ru Yan covered Gong Yu’s eyes with her palm and whispered, “In the eyes of everyone in the capital, you’re now a fool. You must keep up the act.”

“I know.” Gong Yu reached out and hugged Dai Ru Yan, replying, “Countless eyes are watching me now. I can’t make a single mistake, or it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor.”

Dai Ru Yan’s lips seemed to brush against Gong Yu’s cheek, lingering softly for a moment before she whispered, “Stay quietly in this mansion, Xiao Jiu. Outside, it’s already a storm of blood and violence.”

“I’ve heard about the Fourth Prince’s situation. It’s almost certain he was framed.”

“He deserves punishment!” Dai Ru Yan gently nibbled Gong Yu’s cheek, her warm breath falling softly like a feather.

Gong Yu smiled and didn’t avoid the punishment, only hearing Dai Ru Yan whisper, “The more fiercely they tear each other apart outside, the less they’ll have time to pay attention to us.”

“You’re right, Ayan.” Gong Yu nuzzled her nose against Dai Ru Yan’s cheek, gently kissed her soft lips, and said with a smile, “I understand. In these times, no one can be trusted. The most important thing is to take care of ourselves.”

“What’s the use of understanding?” Dai Ru Yan deliberately avoided Gong Yu’s kisses, her fingertips lightly rubbing Gong Yu’s earlobe as she whispered, “Little Jiu, you must keep this in mind. Otherwise, once you leave this mansion, you might forget again.”

“I remember,” Gong Yu leaned closer and replied, “Not only what Ayan says, but Ayan herself is always in my heart.”

Dai Ru Yan traced Gong Yu’s lips with her thumb, her eyes shimmering as she gazed at Gong Yu and said, “Little Jiu, your words are sweeter than anyone else’s, but when it comes to actions, you act recklessly. If you truly care about me, then don’t…”

“Don’t hurt yourself anymore.” Dai Ru Yan paused before continuing, “Otherwise, I won’t forgive you.”

Gong Yu quickly nodded, planting a light kiss on Dai Ru Yan’s fingertips as she promised, “I won’t. I swear I’ll never do it again.”

Dai Ru Yan withdrew her hand, picked up the thin blanket nearby, and draped it over Gong Yu, saying, “Then why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Even if you can’t sleep, you must try.”

Just as Gong Yu was about to poke her head out, Dai Ru Yan covered her with the blanket, holding her close and whispering, “Don’t move. Sleep.”

“The physician said you get headaches at night because you think too much.”

“My mind is filled with nothing but thoughts of Ayan all day,” Gong Yu mumbled from under the blanket.

“Such glib talk.” Dai Ru Yan kissed Gong Yu’s cheek through the blanket and said softly, “Sleep. That way, your injuries will heal faster.”

Though it was autumn, the night wasn’t cold, and Dai Ru Yan’s clothing was thin. Gong Yu, nestled close, could even feel the warmth of Dai Ru Yan’s skin.

Gong Yu blushed, gently pressing her forehead against Dai Ru Yan and whispering, “Ayan, I’m uncomfortable under here.”

Before she could finish speaking, Dai Ru Yan reached out and removed the blanket, asking, “Then will you behave if you come out?”

Gong Yu nodded obediently and finally emerged, lying on her side beside Dai Ru Yan.

The moonlight shimmered on the pond, casting a soft glow on Dai Ru Yan’s face. Gong Yu gazed at her for a moment before closing her eyes contentedly.

Dai Ru Yan held Gong Yu’s wrist gently, half-embracing her as they drifted off to sleep.

That night, Gong Yu slept deeply, undisturbed by dreams, until the glaring light outside woke her.

Dai Ru Yan was no longer by her side. The previous night felt like a beautiful dream, and Gong Yu hugged her pillow, grinning foolishly.

When she felt a pain near her ear, she reached up to touch it. It seemed Dai Ru Yan had been truly angry—the wound was likely quite deep.

After washing up, Gong Yu sent for medicine. The old steward, upon seeing the injury, exclaimed in surprise, “Your Highness, this wound is terribly deep!”

Gong Yu picked up a bronze mirror to look and saw the dark purple bite mark, now oozing blood, making it look even more alarming.

The old steward handed her the ointment, utterly perplexed, and asked, “Your Highness, how did you manage to get such an injury?”

Uh…

This was a rather tricky question to answer.

Applying the ointment, Gong Yu hesitated before explaining, “I’m not sure. Last night, I had a nightmare. It felt like a fierce demon bit me, and when I woke up, it hurt terribly.”

The old steward’s face paled in shock, and he hurriedly said, “Your Highness, you’ve encountered a ghost!”

“This old servant must summon an exorcist at once!”

Gong Yu listened to the old steward’s explanation with a bewildered expression and chose to remain silent.

After all, aside from someone else biting it, Gong Yu was too embarrassed to admit that the wound was self-inflicted by accident.

The weather was pleasant, and Gong Yu’s mood was equally bright.

Early in the morning, Gong Yu busied herself tidying up the account books from the shop. Outside, the distribution of porridge to the refugees was still ongoing, so it was necessary to calculate the expenses to plan for the refugees’ subsequent needs.

By noon, the old steward had indeed invited a group of masters to perform rituals. Gong Yu had no choice but to lower the curtains and let them carry on.

Unexpectedly, after releasing several pigeons over the past few months, one of them fluttered back.

Gong Yu stood up and embraced the little pigeon, removing the letter attached to it. Unfolding the paper, she found Dai Ru Yan’s reply:

[“Letter received, no need to worry.”]

Was this reply too brief?

Poor Gong Yu, filled with excitement, nearly stared a hole through the letter but found no additional message.

By the time the rituals ended, dusk had already fallen. Gong Yu, feeling bored, played a game of Go alone. Suddenly, the old steward hurriedly rushed into the courtyard.

“Your Highness!”

“What’s the matter?”

Gong Yu turned her head and saw the old steward panting as he entered the pavilion. She poured a cup of tea and said, “Don’t rush, old steward.”

“The Fourth Prince has been arrested and imprisoned by His Majesty’s order.”

“For what reason?”

The old steward took a sip of tea and replied, “It’s because of the grain levy. The wealthy merchants of the capital jointly accused the Fourth Prince at the magistrate’s office. But how would the magistrate dare to handle such a case? Unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince was involved in a fatal incident with the daughter of one of the merchants. Someone even brought the case directly to the imperial court, and the Emperor, enraged, ordered the Fourth Prince’s arrest and imprisonment.”

“If it’s just a commoner’s death, the Fourth Prince will likely be released soon. Why are you so anxious, old steward?” Gong Yu said, her gaze fixed on the Go board.

“But didn’t Your Highness instruct this servant to report any movement in the capital immediately?”

That was true…

Gong Yu paused for a moment and asked, “Which family’s daughter did the Fourth Prince cause the death of?”

“I heard it was the daughter of the Song family, the wealthiest in the capital. She took her own life after being dishonored.”

“If it was suicide, the Fourth Prince can easily shift the blame. Unless someone is using this incident to bring other charges against him and bring him down.” Gong Yu quietly placed another piece on the board.

The old steward took another sip of tea and asked, “Does Your Highness mean we should send someone to investigate the situation?”

“No.”

Gong Yu held a white piece in her left hand and a black piece in her right, her expression serious as she studied the board. “We must send someone to investigate discreetly.”

“Find a few street urchins to do it. Make sure no one traces it back to me.”

“Why is Your Highness suddenly being so cautious?” the old steward asked, puzzled.

Gong Yu turned her head and said, “After all, the wound still hurts. I can’t afford to act recklessly anymore.”

The old steward nodded with relief. “Your Highness is right. Since the head injury hasn’t fully healed, it’s wise to think twice and avoid taking risks.”

Gong Yu lowered her head to look at the Go board and gently touched the wound by her ear. In truth, she wanted to say, “This wound is not that wound.”

As night fell, Gong Yu finished her meal early, dismissed the maids from the rear courtyard, and remained alone in the pavilion.

Suddenly, fireworks lit up the dark night sky, illuminating the entire quiet estate. Gong Yu turned her head to watch.

Even past midnight, the fireworks continued, but Dai Ru Yan never arrived. As dawn began to break, Gong Yu, with dark circles under her eyes, groggily rose from the low couch.

The old steward looked in surprise at Gong Yu, who usually rose very late, now awake while the mist was still thick.

“Your Highness, what’s the matter today?”

Gong Yu sipped hot porridge, unsure how to explain to the steward that Dai Ru Yan hadn’t come last night.

After sighing several times, Gong Yu finally asked, “Who set off fireworks for so long in the capital last night?”

The steward sent someone to inquire and hurried back to report, “Last night, the Sixth Prince hosted a poetry banquet. I heard it was quite lively.”

“Oh.” Gong Yu responded softly, then fell silent.

The steward hesitantly added, “It seems Miss Dai also attended the banquet.”

At this, Gong Yu’s spirits lifted, at least confirming that Dai Ru Yan hadn’t failed to come without reason.

The steward, still full of concern, watched Gong Yu’s changing expression with growing worry.

“Your Highness, don’t be angry. Miss Dai might have had no choice but to attend.”

Gong Yu smiled and asked, “Why should I be angry?”

“I’m actually quite happy.”

The steward looked puzzled and asked, “But hasn’t Miss Dai not visited for several months? Aren’t you upset?”

“She must have been busy with matters. I understand.”

Gong Yu drank her porridge, her usual energy restored, leaving only the utterly bewildered steward to ponder alone.

Since she couldn’t leave the estate for now, Gong Yu had to stay in the courtyard, occasionally practicing swordplay or playing pitch-pot—essentially doing whatever passed the time fastest.

After barely making it past noon, Gong Yu collapsed for a nap. When she woke, it was already dusk outside.

Excitedly, Gong Yu had dinner prepared early. After eating, she dismissed the maids as she had the day before.

As night finally darkened under Gong Yu’s hopeful gaze, she waited quietly for Dai Ru Yan to appear, even idly counting the cicadas chirping outside.

The candlelight flickered slightly. Late at night, fireworks suddenly lit up the sky again. Gong Yu’s hopeful heart shattered at the sight.

Would Dai Ru Yan be attending another banquet tonight?

Dejected, Gong Yu curled up on the low couch, watching the brilliant fireworks reflected on the water, inexplicably imagining Dai Ru Yan laughing and chatting with the Sixth Prince at that moment.

The thought made Gong Yu feel like a complete fool.

As the night deepened, the tiny flame of hope in Gong Yu’s heart grew fainter. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she suddenly heard faint footsteps.

Gong Yu instantly perked up and, with a mischievous impulse, slipped behind the green curtains. She saw the figure quietly approaching the low couch where she usually lay.

Yet Gong Yu was lying right there on that low couch.

Moving quietly through the courtyard, Gong Yu felt as if they were playing hide-and-seek.

The figure stopped before the low couch, hesitantly reached out a hand, and just as they were about to pull aside the thin blanket Gong Yu was pretending to be under, suddenly went still.

Gong Yu stifled a laugh, watching as the figure hurriedly circled around the blue curtain, as if searching for where Gong Yu was hiding.

But after a full circle, they still hadn’t found Gong Yu. Gong Yu even deliberately slowed their breathing, afraid of giving away their hiding spot.

Unexpectedly, the figure suddenly crouched down, as if murmuring something under their breath. Gong Yu slowly drew closer.

They saw Dai Ru Yan, who had been crouching with their head lowered, look around and softly call out, “Xiao Jiu?”

Hiding in the shadows, Gong Yu hesitated, wanting to respond, but Dai Ru Yan seemed not to have noticed and anxiously called again, “Xiao Jiu, where are you?”

Hearing the urgency in the voice, Gong Yu quickly stepped out from the darkness.

Dai Ru Yan reached out, pulling Gong Yu into a light embrace. Startled by how fast Dai Ru Yan’s heart was beating, Gong Yu immediately asked, “Ayan, what’s wrong?”

“You… scared me half to death.” Dai Ru Yan rested their forehead against Gong Yu’s cheek and whispered, “I thought you had disappeared.”

Since Gong Yu had gradually grown to nearly the same height as Dai Ru Yan, they could easily wrap their arms around Dai Ru Yan and comfort them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, I’m right here.”

“Then why did you hide just now?” Dai Ru Yan tightened their grip slightly, as if relaxing a bit, allowing Gong Yu to hold them.

Gong Yu felt a bit awkward at the question. Too embarrassed to admit they were still bothered by Dai Ru Yan not coming the night before, they replied softly, “I just wanted to tease you a little, Ayan.”

Dai Ru Yan rested their head on Gong Yu’s shoulder and murmured, “Don’t do that again.”

“I was so worried about you, you know?”

“Alright, I won’t dare to do it again.”

Gong Yu could clearly sense that Dai Ru Yan’s nerves were on edge, and the strength of their embrace was almost suffocating.