Seducing the Heart - Chapter 33

The hunting grounds were partitioned within a dense, interconnected jungle. Typically, fierce beasts remained only in the deepest parts; the tiger encountered by the Princess and the Consort had likely wandered out by chance in search of prey, thereby breaching the defensive barriers.

Guards eventually located the beast. It had been tied up securely to a tree, rendered completely immobile and incapable of attack. This was undoubtedly the work of the two masters, which essentially confirmed that they were unharmed.

When word was sent back to report to Qin Yuxiao, the Emperor finally breathed a sigh of relief. Guessing that Yun Jin and Qin Zhanluo had simply lost their way, he ordered his men to increase their efforts to find them.

Meanwhile, Zhou Zhongguang had already been given a blistering scolding by a rotating cast of civil officials and military generals. He, along with his close associates, remained kneeling outside the Emperor’s tent, refusing to rise.

Zhou Xingqi was even more furious. He had personally seized a disciplinary staff and shouted that he would “clean up the family threshold,” only to be restrained with great difficulty by several familiar officials. Being naturally strong and currently in a fit of rage, he was hard to hold back.

It took a great deal of effort for the crowd to finally wrestle the heavy, life-threatening staff from Zhou Xingqi’s grip. By the time they succeeded, everyone involved was gasping for breath from the exertion.

Zhou Xingqi finally calmed down slightly. Held back by those around him, he could not get close to his son; however, since he could not strike him, he had to vent his anger through words. He glared coldly at the group kneeling on the ground, his gaze locking onto Zhou Zhongguang as he began to berate him. “How did my Zhou family produce such a rebellious son like you? Tell me, Zhou Zhongguang!”

“Who exactly gave you the courage to act against the Prince Consort? Hah? I told you constantly to read more books, to study more, but you never listened. Do the words ‘status and rank’ even exist in your eyes?”

Zhou Zhongguang accepted the scolding quietly without talking back. He knew he had erred balance-shatteringly, and his heart was filled with nothing but endless regret. Being scolded by these people actually made him feel slightly better.

Since his son remained as silent as a block of wood, Zhou Xingqi had no way to proceed with him. He turned his glare toward the close associates instead. “And you all! You do whatever he tells you to do, is that it? He is your master, but does the Prince Consort not count as your master too? If he told you to kill me one day, would you just follow along blindly?”

The associates were already trembling with anxiety, and hearing this terrified them further. They knocked their heads against the ground repeatedly. “We would not dare, small ones would not dare!”

Zhou Xingqi let out a cold laugh, moving the hands that held him away one by one. He crossed his arms and said sarcastically, “Saying you ‘would not dare’—from what I saw of your actions then, you clearly dared quite a lot.”

Zhou Zhongguang usually acted far too willfully and recklessly, never considering the consequences; his head was filled only with notions of brotherhood and loyalty. Now, while his intentions might have been well-meaning, his behavior was entirely inappropriate. It might even end up involving that Yang family boy.

He let out a long, deep sigh, his tone still icy. “Zhou Zhongguang, I only ask you this: do you recognize your mistake?”

Zhou Zhongguang prostrated himself and said with sincere gravity, “Your son knows his mistake.”

Zhou Xingqi said no more, merely glancing at the disciplinary staff on the ground. A person must always pay the price for their actions. Zhou Zhongguang stood up, picked up the staff, and handed it back to his father. The onlookers knew there was no more room for pleading and could only stand by and watch.

At that moment, Prime Minister Xu Wenyang walked out of the tent, frowning slightly. “Enough. Why are you all crowded here making a scene instead of searching for people?”

The officials instinctively made a path for him, watching as he walked up to Zhou Zhongguang. Xu Wenyang cast a glance at the staff. If a blow from that heavy thing landed, even the strongest person would likely be bedridden for many days before being able to rise.

He had come out of the tent to deliver an imperial edict from Qin Yuxiao. “Young General Zhou, His Majesty orders that your matter be discussed after we return. The current priority is to find the Princess and the Consort as soon as possible. Do not add to the chaos here.”

Zhou Zhongguang lowered his eyes and bowed toward the imperial tent. “This guilty general accepts the command.” He immediately led a troop of horses to rejoin the search.

The paths through the forest were intricate, and identifying directions became even harder after dark. Although the search parties split into several routes, they searched for almost the entire night.

It was not until dawn began to break that the party led by Yang Efeng finally located the two and rendezvoused with them. Seeing the pair leaning against a tree in a very intimate posture, Yang Efeng’s eyes showed no further fluctuation. He simply walked over with a calm expression. The other guards in his company instinctively turned their backs.

The night had been chilly. Fearing that Yun Jin’s constitution would cause her to suffer from the cold, Qin Zhanluo had gently wrapped her arms around her from behind. Qin Zhanluo had woken up early and had already opened her eyes by the time the group arrived. The campfire used for warmth and to ward off beasts was nearly burnt out; the timing of their arrival was actually quite perfect.

Yang Efeng prepared to speak, but Qin Zhanluo signaled him with a look to remain silent for now. Her movements were gentle as she rose without disturbing Yun Jin, then walked toward Yang Efeng with a composed stride.

Naturally concerned for her safety, Yang Efeng asked almost without thinking, “Is Your Highness injured?” Realizing the impropriety, he immediately corrected himself and added, “Is the Prince Consort also well?”

“Neither the Consort nor I am injured; there is nothing wrong.” Qin Zhanluo’s expression remained as cold as ever. She glanced at the guards waiting not far behind Yang Efeng. “Have you been searching all night?”

She shifted her gaze back and turned to walk back to Yun Jin’s side, giving a quiet instruction, “We will set out once the Consort wakes up.”

Yang Efeng nodded slightly, looking at Yun Jin, who was still asleep by the tree. Yun Jin was too exhausted and was completely unaware of the surrounding activity, remaining in a rare state of deep sleep. Yang Efeng looked away, raising his head toward the distant, murky sky. It was silent and windless, yet felt piercingly cold.

He could no longer continue to deceive himself. The Princess… truly liked that Prince of Jin very much.

Once Qin Zhanluo and Yun Jin appeared safely before the Emperor, Qin Yuxiao immediately sent people to escort them back to the palace, forbidding them from continuing with the hunting activities. It was a great blessing that no accident had occurred; if they stayed, neither he nor Li Fuluan would feel at ease.

Far away in the Phoenix Palace, Li Fuluan had also been anxious half the night upon receiving the news, pacing back and forth and wishing she could leave the palace to join the search herself. Consequently, the moment Yun Jin and Qin Zhanluo stepped through the palace gates, they were immediately invited to the Phoenix Palace.

“Imperial Physician Feng, quickly give them both a thorough examination. See if anything is wrong.”

Since the Princess was of noble blood, the person who arrived was the female imperial physician who often took Li Fuluan’s pulse. She placed her hand on Qin Zhanluo’s wrist, probing carefully for a while before nodding to Li Fuluan. “The Princess’s pulse is steady; her noble body is healthy.”

When the female physician moved toward Yun Jin, however, Yun Jin took a step back and did not easily yield her wrist. “This Prince’s pulse has already been checked by a personal physician. There should be no need to trouble you further.”

She smiled elegantly, yet her stance was firm. Appearance can be decorated and voices can be disguised, but the pulse alone cannot be faked. Yun Jin had always refused to let anyone other than Xie Lianjing touch her pulse, fearing it would lead to an accidental exposure of her identity.

The physician was at a loss and turned to look at the Empress. Li Fuluan, knowing the underlying reasons, did not insist further. Her tone remained relaxed and casual. “I have heard of Jin-er’s physician; she is indeed highly skilled. Since you have already been seen, we shall dispense with it. As long as you are well, all is fine.” She waved her hand, smiling as she signaled the physician to leave.

Yun Jin instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. If the Imperial Couple had been any more insistent, she truly would not have known what to do. Fortunately, they were not.

Li Fuluan’s mood lightened, and her tone became affectionate. “Jin-er, you have arrived at a good time. The imperial kitchen just sent over some newly developed fresh pastries. Come and try them with me.” She looked at the expressionless Qin Zhanluo and intentionally whispered to Yun Jin, “None for Luo-er.”

That display of blatant favoritism made it seem as if Yun Jin were her own flesh and blood, while Qin Zhanluo looked entirely like someone picked up from the street. Qin Zhanluo did not find this offensive; on the contrary, a hint of a smile flashed through her eyes.

“Come, the two of you, sit down.” Li Fuluan waved them over warmly, then turned back to instruct without looking, “Heqing, bring me that box of Golden Thread Jujube Cakes.”

The Golden Thread Jujube Cakes looked soft and fluffy, and they felt that way to the bite. They had a rich jujube fragrance and were very delicious.

“The imperial chef said these pastries can nourish the complexion and replenish the blood; eating more is beneficial.” Seeing that Yun Jin had just finished one piece, Li Fuluan reached out to offer another.

It was a bit dry.

The memory of being dominated by various pastries in the Phoenix Palace last time resurfaced in Yun Jin’s mind. She could only offer a bitter smile as she accepted the new piece of jujube cake. Last time, the Cotton Cloud Cakes that Li Fuluan had sent to the Princess’s chambers had not been finished; she had distributed them to the young maids serving the Princess, and they had been quite happy. However, as the distributions became more frequent, the expressions on the maids’ faces as they ate gradually became a bit pained.

Though the food was good, one could not withstand being fed like this.

Qin Zhanluo’s usually cold face showed a hint of helplessness. “Mother, do not make things difficult for A-Jin any longer.”

Li Fuluan had an innocuous habit: she loved to feed the juniors she liked, and the more she liked them, the more she sent their way. From snacks and cakes to delicacies and main dishes, she insisted on feeding them until they could eat no more. Qin Zhanluo had been fed this way many times as a child, but since reaching her coming-of-age ceremony, she no longer played along and coldly refused such kindness.

Now that Yun Jin had arrived, and Li Fuluan liked this junior immensely, that little habit was once again stirring.

“How am I making things difficult for Jin-er? Look at how thin she is.” Having her intentions exposed by Qin Zhanluo, Li Fuluan showed no embarrassment and merely argued secretly, “Luo-er, you should also watch her meals more closely.”

Yun Jin took a few bites and found it truly too sweet and cloying. Taking advantage of a moment when Li Fuluan was not looking, she quietly placed the jujube cake back into the food box. Then, she wiped her mouth convincingly.

Although Qin Zhanluo noticed the small gesture, she did not expose it. Instead, she picked up the lid and closed the food box, denying her mother a chance for a new round.

“Jin-er, tell Mother, do you often pick at your food?” Li Fuluan turned toward Yun Jin, looking at her with an expression of disappointment.

“…” Yun Jin was slightly stunned. She had not expected Li Fuluan to suddenly ask such a question and did not know how to answer for a moment. She looked toward Qin Zhanluo, who was sitting beside her, as if for help.

The other woman simply took a slow sip of tea, her slightly raised brow indicating that she was unable to help.

Indeed, Yun Jin ate very little during every meal. Only when she encountered a dish she particularly liked would she eat a few more bites, but it was limited to just those few bites. Qin Zhanluo lowered her eyes, her mind deep in thought. Perhaps, in the future, she really should urge A-Jin more in this regard.

Over there, Li Fuluan smiled mysteriously at Yun Jin and began to whisper about Zhaoning’s past. “I will tell you, Luo-er was actually a picky eater when she was little. Every time she had a meal, she needed…”

As long as she did not have to eat those sweet, cloying little cakes, anything was fine.

Yun Jin slowly sipped her tea while listening with great interest to Li Fuluan’s “little anecdotes” about Qin Zhanluo’s childhood.

Qin Zhanluo felt profoundly helpless. “Mother…”

One should at least leave her some dignity in front of her beloved.

The person lying on the rattan chair with eyes slightly closed appeared leisurely and content. When Liu Wu approached Yun Jin, she opened her eyes as if sensing his presence.

The person Yun Jin had asked him to find some days ago had finally yielded some leads.

“Your Highness, we found several households in the Imperial City with the surname Li, but none of them are the person you are looking for.” Liu Wu looked at Yun Jin, who appeared somewhat disappointed, and cupped his fists. “However, we did obtain another piece of information.”

Among the young ladies surnamed Li, the most noble was undoubtedly the current Empress of Northern Chu. The birth mother of Princess Zhaoning also hailed from the Li clan.

A flash of insight struck Yun Jin. She had a suspicion that, while uncertain, felt close to the truth.

Li Luo.

Taking the surname of Li Fuluan and adding a character from her own name.

Qin Zhanluo was Li Luo.

If this were the case, could she have known Yun Jin’s true identity long ago? Once Yun Jin thought this through, she was momentarily unsure: if her guess was correct, did the other woman still remember her?

If so, Qin Zhanluo’s true purpose for coming to Yundu would be…

Subsequently, whether intentionally or not, Yun Jin occasionally attempted to secretly test Qin Zhanluo.

During a typical lunch, Yun Jin picked up a new dish from the table and placed it in Qin Zhanluo’s bowl. The outer skin appeared fried to a crisp, but the filling inside was unknown. Qin Zhanluo picked it up, brought it to her lips, and took a bite. Her expression changed minutely.

Yun Jin keenly captured this detail and asked as if casually, “What does the Princess think of this dish?”

“It is acceptable,” she replied, her expression showing no sign of anything amiss.

After lunch, Yun Jin looked at the plate of eggplant buns that had remained largely untouched, and a smile flickered in her eyes. In the past, Li Luo disliked eggplant the most, finding it bitter and difficult to eat. Every time she accidentally ate it, she would frown and refuse to eat any more. It seemed her tastes had not changed.

Qin Zhanluo’s expression remained calm as she gave an order to Ying Xi: “Find out who prepared the dishes for lunch today and have him come see me.”

Although Jiang Sanpang had a somewhat rustic name, his culinary skills were exceptional. A few years ago, he had been sent to the imperial kitchen specifically to cook for the Princess. In the eyes of his peers, this was a matter of great honor for his ancestors.

When he saw the Princess had summoned him, he was delighted, though he acted with great reserve and modesty. “Your Highness, how did you find the eggplant buns at lunch? I had never heard that you ate eggplant before; I even specifically asked someone to buy the ingredients from outside the palace.”

Qin Zhanluo remained unruffled, feigning as if she did not remember clearly. “When did I say that?”

Jiang Sanpang was stunned and instinctively scratched his head. “The Prince Consort told me. He even handed me the recipe, saying it was a dish you liked and that you would surely reward me after eating it.”

And so, he had indeed been summoned by the Princess.

Qin Zhanluo tapped her ivory-white finger on the table. For a moment, she did not know whether to be angry or amused, so she followed Yun Jin’s words and commanded, “Reward him.”

Jiang Sanpang immediately beamed with joy, bowing repeatedly. “Thank you for the Princess’s grace!”

“Wait,” Qin Zhanluo said calmly to Jiang Sanpang as he was about to follow the maid out to receive his reward. “Do not include eggplant in the dishes in the future. The Prince Consort dislikes it.”

Jiang Sanpang agreed readily, though he thought to himself: Our Northern Chu Prince Consort is truly a good husband. He clearly dislikes eggplant himself, yet knowing the Princess likes it, he specifically had me make it for her. And it even earned me a reward! Truly a wonderful person!

The marketplace was bustling and noisy. Yun Jin stopped her pace and pointed for Qin Zhanluo to see. “Princess, do you want to eat that?”

Qin Zhanluo looked in the direction of Yun Jin’s finger and saw a stall selling candied haws. Realizing the other’s intent, she declined with a neutral expression. “That is a snack for children.”

This person is still as un-cute as when she was a child, unwilling to be honest at all, Yun Jin thought secretly.

Yun Jin raised an eyebrow. “I wonder if the Princess tasted this when she was a child?” She handed the stall owner a few copper coins and received two skewers of plump candied haws.

“No,” Qin Zhanluo replied flatly, her expression unchanging.

Yun Jin raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying. She tentatively handed one skewer to Qin Zhanluo while biting into a hawthorn berry herself, asking somewhat indistinctly, “Does the Princess really not want to try a taste?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Qin Zhanluo took it. It was crisp, sour, and sweet—the same taste from the old days. Qin Zhanluo instinctively looked sideways and found the other woman watching her with a faint smile in her eyes.

This person is testing me. She bit into another hawthorn berry and smiled silently in her heart. In that case, I might as well play along. Since A-Jin refuses to speak plainly, we shall both feign ignorance; it is more interesting this way.

On this day, Li Fuluan invited her daughter alone to sit in the bedchamber and chat, showing great concern for the relationship between her and Yun Jin.

“You have been married for so long; how is the progress between you two?” Li Fuluan picked up a piece of Cotton Cloud Cake. “I heard that Jin-er sent people to look for a girl named Li a few days ago.”

She paused, her eyes sparkling with a gossipy light that ill-fitted her status. “So, does Jin-er know that you are ‘Li Luo’ yet?”

Qin Zhanluo lowered her gaze to the small teacup in her hand, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. “She has likely noticed.”

But she was keeping it a secret.

“Then what about you and her.”

Qin Zhanluo looked away and remained silent. Seeing this, Li Fuluan knew the progress was not great. The interaction between these two had always been subtle, but Li Fuluan could see clearly that Yun Jin was not entirely indifferent to Luo-er.

“Jin-er is a good child; Mother likes her.” Li Fuluan’s expression was solemn, but her words were anything but. “You must find a way to win her over for me.”

“How was that scroll I showed you last time? How much do you remember?” Interest rose in Li Fuluan’s eyes as she pulled out another scroll from somewhere and tucked it into her daughter’s hand. “Mother has the second volume here. You need to win her over quickly so you can put this into practice.”

Holding the scroll, she wasn’t allowed to put down, Qin Zhanluo met Li Fuluan’s teasing gaze with a cold expression, only pursing her lips as the tips of her ears began to burn.

Li Fuluan knew her daughter was thin-skinned and insisted on teasing her further. “Anyway, Mother is telling you, you have no idea how likable someone like Jin-er is. You must strike first.”

If someone else intercepted her halfway, little Zhanluo wouldn’t even know where to go to cry.

Qin Zhanluo knew her mother was right about Yun Jin’s popularity, but she shook her head at the idea of being “intercepted.” “She won’t. A-Jin… she is not like that.”

“But how can you be so sure? You haven’t seen each other for many years, and you’ve been the only one following her while Jin-er knew nothing about it.”

“Mother, I know what I am doing.”

“Fine, fine. I won’t nag. Turn the page and keep looking.”

Qin Zhanluo glanced at the intertwined bodies in the illustrations.

“…”

These things were not meant to be looked at just like that. Taking advantage of Li Fuluan’s inattention, she sped up her page-turning while secretly shifting her gaze elsewhere.

These things are better left unread.

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