Seducing the Heart - Chapter 28

After several days of travel, the carriage finally entered the imperial city of Northern Chu.

Midway through, Xie Lianjing lifted the curtain to look outside. With just two glances, she made an initial assessment: the lives of the common people here seemed, for the most part, no different from those in the Cloud Capital. Their party remained low-key, avoiding any deliberate luxury in their attire or equipment; thus, even as a large group entered the city, they did not attract excessive attention. The citizens of the imperial city were indifferent, assuming it was an ordinary merchant caravan, with only a few gossips gathering to speculate idly on what they might be selling.

The only thing that revealed their identity was the Princess’s token that Qin Zhanluo had presented to the guards before entering. As the gates opened, someone immediately went ahead to report to the Monarch of Northern Chu. Those within the palace had been waiting for this news for a long time.

Qin Yuxiao, dressed in black dragon-patterned casual robes, sat early in the side hall, slowly sipping tea while waiting for the two juniors of his house. Before long, he saw the two of them walking side by side from outside the hall. His gaze immediately fixed on Yun Jin. Yun Jin had come dressed casually in white, which complemented her features—fair as jade with vivid lips and white teeth.

Qin Yuxiao set his teacup aside and reached a somewhat reluctant conclusion: based purely on appearance, there was nothing to find fault with.

“Prince Jin of the Cloud Kingdom, Yun Jin, offers greetings to the Monarch of Northern Chu. I wish the Monarch eternal peace, health, and fortune as high as the heavens.” Yun Jin followed the rules, bowing alongside Qin Zhanluo with a respectful tone.

“Prince Jin may rise.”

Qin Yuxiao swept his gaze over Qin Zhanluo standing beside Yun Jin but ignored her; in truth, he still harbored a bit of anger toward his daughter. Qin Zhanluo was not distressed; she simply straightened her posture and idly surveyed the Ningxiao Hall, which she hadn’t seen in some time. The furnishings were exactly as she remembered; her father was as nostalgic as ever, unlike the Emperor of the Cloud Kingdom, who frequently ordered new items for replacement.

Qin Yuxiao originally intended to make things difficult, so during his chat with Yun Jin, he seemingly casually tested her on questions regarding national policy and etiquette. Not only was Yun Jin able to answer fluently, but she also possessed unexpectedly clear insights, even inadvertently providing Qin Yuxiao with new ideas for governance. More rare was that this person was neither humble nor arrogant and knew how to restrain her brilliance. Unlike some talented youths he had seen before, who relied on the arrogance of youth to look down on others, Yun Jin showed no sign of haughtiness. Instead, she was modest and polite, maintaining the respectful attitude a junior should have toward an elder.

As for the innate imperial majesty she carried… it was on par with Zhaoning. When the two of them had first walked in, Qin Yuxiao felt they were a pleasing sight, though his state of mind then hadn’t allowed him to admit it. Now that he had personally assessed various aspects of Yun Jin, the rejection in his heart dissipated, replaced by a sense of satisfaction: she was indeed the one Zhanluo had chosen, a true standout among peers. The lingering resentment he felt subsequently diminished.

Qin Zhanluo had been observing Qin Yuxiao’s expression since they entered. Judging by his current demeanor, she knew he was satisfied. Father and daughter exchanged a look across the room. Qin Yuxiao knew he had indulged his only daughter, making her habitually lawless, but for certain matters, he had to keep a close watch. As for his final attitude regarding the two of them being together, he would need to observe for a few more days.

After more talk, Qin Yuxiao rose to return to his duties, as half a desk of memorials awaited his review. As he passed Yun Jin, he glanced at Qin Zhanluo, who was sipping tea with lowered eyes, and whispered: “Zhaoning’s mother also wishes to see the Consort. Rest for a bit, then head over shortly.”

Yun Jin watched Qin Yuxiao’s retreating back and felt that the Monarch of Northern Chu was quite amicable. He clearly valued talent and spoke with anticipation of the nation’s development and the people’s prosperity. Talking with him felt like a comfortable conversation with an elder—no hidden traps, no need for constant caution. It was a stark contrast to how she felt when speaking with Yun Mosheng.

Yun Jin turned and saw Qin Zhanluo waiting for her to speak, so she asked truthfully, “Zhanluo, where should we go to pay our respects to our Mother Empress?”

On the journey, she had been persuaded by her Princess Consort to change her form of address; here in Northern Chu, the two of them indeed needed to appear close.

“…” A sense of helplessness surfaced in Qin Zhanluo’s heart. So, her father had said that to A-Jin. Even before returning, she knew A-Jin would face layers of scrutiny, and she was right.

Qin Zhanluo originally intended to take Yun Jin there personally, but as soon as they stepped out, people from the Grand Princess arrived looking for her—having been away so long, her Royal Aunt indeed wanted to see her. Meanwhile, Li Fuluan had sent Heqing to lead Yun Jin to her sleeping quarters. Qin Zhanluo knew such a coincidence meant her Royal Aunt and Mother Empress had clearly planned this together.

Seeing Qin Zhanluo’s hesitation, Yun Jin guessed her thoughts and smiled reassuringly: “Zhanluo, rest assured.”

Qin Zhanluo’s eyes shifted as she replied softly, “Mhm.” She truly believed A-Jin could handle everything and satisfy her parents. Thus, the two set off for different palaces.

Heqing was the internal affairs official of the Fengluan Palace, following the orders of her only master, Empress Li Fuluan. She didn’t say a word as she led Yun Jin, only stopping at the palace gates and gesturing for Yun Jin to enter alone.

Li Fuluan was sitting in a chair drinking tea. Hearing the report from the maids outside, she looked up just as Yun Jin walked toward her.

“…Yun Jin?” Li Fuluan circled Yun Jin twice, inspecting her carefully. Yun Jin felt uncomfortable under the intense gaze, so she covered her mouth with a dry cough and nodded. Li Fuluan’s eyes flickered: Yun Jin’s fingers hidden in her sleeves were long, pale, and well-defined—very beautiful. She secretly compared them to her daughter’s fingers, a strange competitive urge surfacing. Yun Jin noticed nothing.

“The journey must have been exhausting?” Li Fuluan had no air of the Mother of a Nation, affectionately gesturing for Yun Jin to sit with her. “Come, have some snacks.”

The sandalwood food box was filled with exquisite delicacies: cheese pastries, milk curd cakes, flower cakes, grass cakes, plum blossom cakes, and more. Yun Jin felt she had seen and tasted more varieties of snacks in Li Fuluan’s quarters than she had in an entire year at her own manor. Facing Li Fuluan’s eager gaze, even though she only picked one of each, she still ended up eating quite a lot. Her nose was filled with the cloying scent of sweetness.

Li Fuluan smilingly pushed over a box of Dragon Beard Crisps: “Jin’er, try this too. It’s fragrant, crisp, and refreshing—it goes crunch-crunch.”

“…” Yun Jin smiled through the effort and forced herself to eat the crisp Li Fuluan offered.

Watching Yun Jin eat, Li Fuluan personally poured her some milk tea as smooth as white silk. She sighed, “I like Jin’er much better. If Luo’er were here, she wouldn’t even taste a single bite of these things.”

This was true. Yun Jin thought of how Qin Zhanluo usually ignored the sweets common girls liked; she certainly wouldn’t have indulged Li Fuluan the way Yun Jin did. However, back in the carriage, she had shared some flower cakes with her.

Yun Jin obediently took a sip of the milk tea and found the taste excellent, perfectly neutralizing the sweetness of the snacks. Although Li Fuluan was the Empress and of a certain age, her personality remained lively, much like a pampered daughter of a wealthy merchant family. Since entering the Northern Chu palace, Yun Jin had felt a genuine, rare sense of ease. She lowered her eyes, feeling this state was precious.

The Grand Princess was indeed intentionally stalling her niece, asking after her well-being with various questions. However, her acting was poor, and she was soon exposed. She stopped pretending and admitted she had an agreement with the Empress, then asked gossipingly, “Is the one you chose really that good? Your Royal Aunt wanted to see them too.”

Qin Zhanluo was silent for a while, then used a tactic she had learned from Yun Jin, skillfully glossing over the topic. The method was effective; Li Ruoxi soon forgot the matter and followed her lead into the next topic.

Qin Zhanluo: “…” She felt as if she were seeing how others looked when A-Jin dealt with them. No wonder that person used the tactic so often.

Li Ruoxi was curious about the Cloud Kingdom, so Qin Zhanluo patiently detailed it for her. Li Ruoxi nodded while cracking melon seeds, showing no awareness of her status as the Grand Princess. Once she had heard enough, she began shooing her niece out: “It’s about time. Luo’er, go see your mother.”

By the time Qin Zhanluo reached the Fengluan Palace, Yun Jin had already been gone for a while. She walked to her mother’s side. After not seeing her daughter for over three months, Li Fuluan missed her dearly, yet she supported all of Qin Zhanluo’s choices.

“So that is the person you’ve been thinking of all these years?” Li Fuluan recalled and evaluated with satisfaction: “Appearance and temperament are both good; I like her manner of speech too.”

Li Fuluan had intentionally prepared those snacks for Yun Jin. Even knowing she was full of sweets, she kept pushing more over. Yet Yun Jin never refused, forcing herself to eat just to avoid upsetting her. She was someone with gentleness etched into her bones. Li Fuluan knew then that Luo’er hadn’t chosen wrong; this was someone worthy of a lifelong commitment. The only drawback was that the child’s constitution seemed weak and needed careful nurturing.

“Mother…” Qin Zhanluo was helpless, acting indifferent. Yet she could fool others, but not the mother who raised her.

Li Fuluan narrowed her eyes and began criticizing her own daughter: “Luo’er, you are still so tsundere. Look at you, wearing a cold face all day, hiding your feelings. Can you really win someone over like that? You’ll regret it if someone else snatches her away.”

Qin Zhanluo choked on her tea and coughed several times.

“Oh dear, why so clumsy after just a few months?” Li Fuluan patted her back, her face showing obvious disdain.

“It’s late; Mother should rest. I should return to my quarters.” Qin Zhanluo didn’t want to hear more teasing and sought an excuse to escape. Knowing her mother, the conversation would only lead to more scandalous remarks.

Li Fuluan easily saw through her daughter’s intent and casually stuffed a scroll into Qin Zhanluo’s arms: “Fine, I’ll let you go today. But you must take this back and only open it in your quarters.”

“Mhm,” Qin Zhanluo accepted the scroll and agreed casually.

“No, I don’t trust you. Heqing…”

“This servant is here.”

“Go, follow Princess Zhaoning back. Only return once you’ve seen her finish reading this scroll.”

“Understood.”

Aunt Heqing had followed Li Fuluan since childhood and obeyed every command. She was difficult to deal with. Qin Zhanluo found it strange: what kind of scroll was so important that she must read it?

“Princess, please read the scroll quickly… so this servant can return to report.” Heqing bowed and reminded her flatly.

Qin Zhanluo had no choice but to unroll the mysterious scroll. However, after just one glance, she could hardly maintain her expression and hurried to close it. She wondered how her mother had let her go so easily; it turned out she had a plan. This scroll was clearly an instructional guide on the intimate arts between two women. There was no such thing in the palace… she wondered where her mother had found it.

Heqing continued to remind her expressionlessly: “Princess, Her Majesty commanded that I must watch you finish the scroll.” She paused, ignoring how the content made one’s face burn, and advised calmly, “Please do not make things difficult for me.”

Qin Zhanluo knew she couldn’t escape, so she picked up the scroll again and flipped through it rapidly. Although she skimmed it, certain images inevitably burned into her mind. So… there are actually so many strange positions.

“I have finished. Aunt Heqing, please leave.” Qin Zhanluo stuffed the scroll into Heqing’s arms and turned away to signal the end of the visit. Heqing said nothing, simply bowed, and returned to report.

Once Heqing was gone, Qin Zhanluo struggled to calm her racing heart, feeling the tips of her ears still burning. She called Ying Xi to prepare a basin of water for washing, hoping to wash away the memories of those erotic images.

Because Qin Zhanluo was a married princess returning home, it wasn’t an official diplomatic visit, so Yun Jin couldn’t stay at the guest house. Li Fuluan had long ago ordered the Princess’s quarters to be prepared. Unlike the manor, there was no extra couch for Yun Jin. This meant she had to share a bed with Qin Zhanluo.

“Does the Princess Consort prefer to sleep on the inside or the outside?” Yun Jin asked frankly, smiling to reassure her that she wouldn’t do anything.

Qin Zhanluo didn’t speak but lay down on the outside of her own accord. She seemed in a bad mood, closing her eyes without moving to give Yun Jin space. Helpless, Yun Jin had to carefully climb over her, inevitably brushing against her quilt. Before sleeping, she still couldn’t figure out how she had upset her.

Lying there, Qin Zhanluo slowly opened her eyes, silently watching the person already asleep beside her. The images from the scroll involuntarily surfaced in her mind, making her for the first time hate her ability to never forget what she had seen. She turned over and closed her eyes, forcing her mind to go blank. The effect was poor. In her movements, she took most of the quilt.

In her sleep, Yun Jin felt a chill and instinctively huddled toward the source of warmth. Feeling the warm breath on her neck, Qin Zhanluo’s body stiffened, unsure whether to move. After tossing for a long time, she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

However, it wasn’t a peaceful sleep; she unexpectedly had a rather suggestive dream.

“…Zhanluo?” a familiar voice called softly.

Qin Zhanluo opened her eyes, but when she looked at Yun Jin, her thoughts weren’t yet fully clear.

“Princess Consort, it’s time to rise.” Yun Jin was sleeping on the inside. Unlike last night, she couldn’t easily climb over the sleeping woman.

Qin Zhanluo reacted quickly to the words, her eyes flickering with avoidance, but she remained still. Yun Jin leaned in slightly and noticed something odd. She pressed the back of her hand against the other’s forehead to check the temperature and asked with concern, “Your body… seems a bit hot. Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

“…It’s nothing.” Qin Zhanluo rose composedly, making room. “Breakfast should be ready. You go ahead, I will arrive shortly.”

She suddenly doesn’t want to look at me. The reaction was a bit strange, but Yun Jin simply smiled and said “Alright.” Inwardly, she guessed that perhaps it was her monthly period, causing her to be embarrassed and want to send her away. Such a thing was normal and understandable.

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