Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 8

“Even for a member of the royal family, deceiving the emperor is still a serious crime. Your eyes are too dangerous.” Dai Ru Yan’s gaze remained calm and composed as she meticulously painted with the fine tip of her brush.

Gong Yu snapped out of her daze, annoyed at her own distraction. She tugged lightly at her robe to steady herself and called out softly, “Ah-Yan.”

“Hmm.” Dai Ru Yan responded quietly, seemingly unbothered.

“You actually like it when I call you Ah-Yan, don’t you?” Gong Yu pressed with a smile.

Dai Ru Yan reached out to hold Gong Yu’s restless head in place and said helplessly, “It’s just a form of address. Call me whatever you like.”

“Which do you prefer, Ah-Yan or Sister Dai?”

“Naturally, Sister Dai. It’s more proper and I’m more accustomed to it.”

Gong Yu’s gaze lingered on Dai Ru Yan’s eyes, catching sight of her tightly pursed lips from concentration. Feeling guilty, she averted her gaze and said, “Well, there’s no one around now, so I’m calling you Ah-Yan.”

Dai Ru Yan paused her brush slightly and replied, “As you wish.”

The sunlight streaming into the room illuminated it brightly. Dai Ru Yan wore a simple green robe, pristine and unadorned, with a jade pendant hanging at her waist, one she always carried with her.

“This pendant is quite unique,” Gong Yu remarked, picking it up and holding it in her palm. It felt cool and incredibly soothing.

“My grandmother gave it to me.”

Dai Ru Yan paused her brush and studied Gong Yu’s features, leaning in slightly. Gong Yu didn’t dare move, her fingers tracing the pendant as she smiled and asked, “This pendant must be part of a pair, right?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s the other one?” Gong Yu played with the pendant, blinking innocently. “Since I’m going to marry you anyway, why not give it to me?”

“Why would I give it to you?” Dai Ru Yan asked, puzzled.

Caught off guard by the question, Gong Yu suddenly realized her behavior resembled that of a shady uncle teasing a virtuous maiden. She stammered, “Oh, nothing really. I just think this pendant is nice.”

Dai Ru Yan stopped painting and pulled back slightly, the pendant slipping from Gong Yu’s grasp.

“If you truly like it, I’ll have someone bring you a selection of fine jade pendants tomorrow for you to choose from.”

Gong Yu felt an itch on her cheek and was about to scratch it when Dai Ru Yan suddenly grasped her wrist, saying softly, “Don’t touch it. You mustn’t touch it before it dries.”

“This liquid is made from a special medicinal concoction and generally can’t be wiped off.”

Held in Dai Ru Yan’s grasp, Gong Yu felt unusually compliant. She blinked up at Dai Ru Yan’s serene eyes and murmured, “Ah-Yan.”

“Hmm?” Dai Ru Yan turned to look at her, as if waiting for her to continue.

Gong Yu smiled, her eyes crinkling. “You’re really beautiful.”

Dai Ru Yan was momentarily taken aback before laughing. “If you were a man, you’d probably break countless young beauties’ hearts in the future.”

“Beauties? There’s already a great beauty right in front of me. Why would I look elsewhere?” Gong Yu mischievously leaned in and nipped Dai Ru Yan’s hand.

“You and your sweet talk.” Dai Ru Yan withdrew her hand, unfazed by Gong Yu’s antics, and instead pinched her ear lightly. “The little wildcat has learned to bite, has she?”

“Ow—Sister Dai, I was wrong! That really hurts!”

Only then did Dai Ru Yan release her with a laugh, leaving Gong Yu rubbing her sore earlobe in surprise at how strong Dai Ru Yan’s grip could be.

After about the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the liquid had dried. Gong Yu held up the bronze mirror, examining herself left and right, and looked at Dai Ru Yan with amazement. “It really looks different now,” she said.

Though her nose was still a nose and her eyes were still eyes, her features no longer appeared as soft. With slightly thicker brows and a tense expression, she had lost some of the delicate femininity, gaining instead a youthful vigor that made her look more like a spirited young man.

Dai Ru Yan tidied up the box and said, “You’ll need to be careful with your daily attire from now on. I’ve brought a maid who will be responsible for your makeup. She is deaf and mute, and illiterate. I personally selected her for you.”

Deaf and mute?

Were all the maids who followed Dai Ru Yan also deaf and mute?

Gong Yu pondered silently. It seemed only one of them had ever spoken; the rest had indeed remained completely silent.

Dai Ru Yan sipped her tea and remarked, “The Empress’s belly has grown quite large now. She’s likely to give birth by autumn.”

“But the war hasn’t ended yet. Surely nothing will go wrong, right?” Gong Yu hugged the bronze mirror and poured herself a cup of tea.

The tea was unbearably bitter, so she set it aside. Dai Ru Yan drank slowly, as if deep in thought, before finally saying, “If she gives birth to a boy, we may have to take precautions.”

If it was a boy, there was a high chance he would be named the heir as the eldest legitimate son. With the Emperor away at war, if Crown Prince Gong Quan or the other princes had ill intentions, they might very well resort to harming the royal offspring.

Gong Yu nodded, picked up a preserved plum from the side, and took a small bite. The sour-sweet taste made her grimace. “Then the Empress must be in great danger?”

“It’s not exactly danger. The imperial guards and physicians are always on standby. After all, childbirth is a matter of life and death.”

In ancient times, giving birth was indeed a perilous affair. They chatted idly like this until the afternoon, when Dai Ru Yan rose to leave.

Noticing Gong Yu’s bare feet, she paused, frowned, and lightly tapped Gong Yu’s forehead with her hand. “It’s not even that hot yet. Must you be so careless with yourself?”

Gong Yu rubbed her forehead and gazed at Dai Ru Yan with a dazed smile. “I’m much healthier than before. Look, when I stand, I’m almost as tall as you now, aren’t I?”

Fortunately, most of the Gong family were tall, so even though Gong Yu was somewhat frail, her height was passable.

Though she still fell short compared to men, she figured that in another year or so, she might have a chance to surpass Dai Ru Yan.

Dai Ru Yan sighed helplessly, took Gong Yu’s wrist, and sat her down on the soft couch. “It’s fortunate you’re a prince. If you were a woman, exposing your feet so casually would invite gossip.”

Gong Yu sat cross-legged, her hair slightly disheveled, her bright eyes fixed on Dai Ru Yan. Like a child, she grabbed Dai Ru Yan’s hand and said, “I don’t care. The Grand Tutor piles on so much homework in this sweltering summer that I don’t even have time to go out and play. I’ve heard there are many new exotic things from foreign lands in the capital.”

“But have you been eating the yogurt I send you every day?” Dai Ru Yan gently poked Gong Yu’s palm with her fingertip, responding patiently.

“It’s not the same.” Since the assassination attempt, Gong Yu rarely went out. Besides, Dai Ru Yan had stationed guards at the residence, making it nearly impossible for Gong Yu to slip out even in the dead of night.

“The Grand Tutor also said that going out broadens one’s knowledge and experience. You know, ‘Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.'”

Dai Ru Yan lowered her gaze slightly at Gong Yu and sighed softly, “It’s possible, but I can’t withdraw the guards.”

“Alright, thank you, Ah-Yan.”

And so, on a dark and windy night, Gong Yu finally left the estate in the dead of night. The summer heat made it impossible for her to venture out during the day.

The cool night breeze felt refreshing as Gong Yu wandered around like a kite set free, clutching sweet pastries in her hands.

But at the entrance of an alley near a tavern, she bumped into Prince Consort Song, who was out with a woman, intimately holding her as they entered a sedan chair.

It was like witnessing a live gossip scandal. Gong Yu’s jaw nearly dropped. She silently stuffed a piece of pastry into her mouth.

Hmm, confirmed! This was real, not a dream.

After finally managing to go out, she had the misfortune of catching her brother-in-law cheating. Gong Yu quietly turned away. The lakeside under the willow trees was the most crowded.

Strolling alone, Gong Yu suddenly found the sweetness in her mouth rather bland.

She hailed a carriage with some silver and headed to the courtyard from last time, intending to visit Dai Ru Yan.

But when she arrived at the courtyard, she realized that what had been winter during her last visit had now turned into summer, with lush grass and singing birds everything had changed.

The lake shimmered with ripples, cool and inviting. The servants escorted her to the pavilion, and Gong Yu approached with her pastries in hand.

The curtains swayed gently, with maids standing guard at each corner. Gong Yu suddenly felt like a flower thief.

Though that analogy might not be the most flattering.

“Xiao Jiu, why are you just standing there?”

Snapping out of her daze, Gong Yu walked closer and saw Dai Ru Yan dressed in a simple, thin robe, her loosely tied hair cascading down her back. The dim lantern light did nothing to diminish her beauty.

“Why are you here all alone?” Gong Yu asked as she sat down.

Dai Ru Yan held a cup of tea, surrounded by various letters and documents, with stacks of books piled nearby.

“Only after you’ve eaten your fill do you think of coming to see me?” Dai Ru Yan deflected the question.

Gong Yu rubbed her nose, unwrapped the package, and offered the pastries. “Try this one, it’s red bean filling. It’s really sweet.”

Dai Ru Yan hesitated before taking a small bite. She probably still didn’t have much of a sweet tooth and remarked, “These sugary pastries are usually for children. Why haven’t you outgrown them yet?”

“Who says sweets are only for kids?” Feeling a bit embarrassed, Gong Yu leaned forward and took a bite of the remaining half of the pastry in Dai Ru Yan’s hand.

It was indeed a bit too cloyingly sweet.

“You…” Dai Ru Yan seemed slightly surprised but didn’t say anything more.

Gong Yu poured herself some water and took a sip, then noticed the incense burner nearby. “What kind of incense is in there?”

“Just something to soothe the mind and help with sleep.”

“Have you been having trouble sleeping lately?”

Dai Ru Yan closed the book in front of her and replied, “Mhm.”

Gong Yu leaned in, resting her chin on the low table as she gazed at Dai Ru Yan. The moonlight streaming in from outside enveloped her like a dream, making her look ethereal like a celestial being.

“They say restless sleep usually means you’ve done something bad. Sister Dai, it seems you’ve been up to no good,” Gong Yu teased with a playful grin.

Dai Ru Yan tilted her head slightly and smiled at Gong Yu. “I’ve committed plenty of heinous crimes. Aren’t you afraid?”

“I’m not scared.” Finding her position uncomfortable, Gong Yu shifted and shamelessly rested her head on Dai Ru Yan’s lap, looking up at her.

“But books say villains have crooked brows and sinister faces utterly wicked. A beautiful villain like Sister Dai would probably have plenty of people willingly jumping into the fire for you.”

“Such a smooth talker.” Dai Ru Yan reached out and lightly poked Gong Yu’s cheek, her movements unbearably adorable.

The cicadas’ chirping was melodious, making even the lapping waves of the lake sound crisp and clear. The incense from the burner seemed to truly have a soothing effect.

Gong Yu, drowsy, rubbed her eyes and said, “Ah-Yan, I’m sleepy.”

Dai Ru Yan’s voice whispered softly by her ear, “If you’re sleepy, then sleep.”