Seducing the Heart - Chapter 34

Li Fuluan rose early today. Once awake, she had no desire to return to sleep. Eschewing her attendants, she dressed herself and pushed open the windows of the bedchamber.

Outside, several sparrows were chirping noisily. She stretched her body, noting that the weather was quite pleasant. Upon stepping out of the hall, she saw a few young maids kicking a shuttlecock back and forth, appearing to have a grand time.

Zao Zi was the first to react. As she instinctively kicked the shuttlecock descending from the air, she shouted, “Hey sisters, Her Majesty the Empress is awake!”

The group froze instantly, their eyes shifting in unison toward Li Fuluan. The shuttlecock fell, landing squarely on the head of an unguarded Tao Zi. She clutched her head, the pain bringing her nearly to tears. “Ouch!”

Li Fuluan walked over and inspected the young girl’s head, teasing playfully, “Oh dear, it looks like a big bump is rising, fresh out of the oven.”

She was always kind-hearted, lacking the haughty air of an Empress, and possessed a lively personality that allowed her to mingle easily with her close attendants. Consequently, she was deeply loved by everyone. Li Fuluan extended her hand, revealing a piece of chestnut pastry wrapped in oil paper. “Here, this is a reward for you.”

She did not usually rise this early, so she had caught the maids off guard. Not wanting to see anyone weeping so early in the morning, she sought to distract the girl. The method proved effective; the tears welling in Tao Zi’s eyes were held back.

Zao Zi, ever clever, bobbed a curtsy. “Your Majesty, we shall go prepare water for your morning wash immediately.”

Li Fuluan waved her hand dismissively. “Fine, fine, go on then.”

Only when they were gone did she feel comfortable letting out a long, lazy yawn. With nothing to do so early, as Qin Yuxiao was busy reviewing memorials and handling state affairs, she decided to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden. However, after only a few steps, she found herself disinclined to move much further.

At the end of a neatly paved pebble path in the garden, there sat a small stone table surrounded by four stone stools for resting and conversation. Li Fuluan remembered this spot and sat directly on one of the stools to rest. After a while, feeling bored, she sent Heqing to invite the Grand Princess. As long as she could drag Qin Jingyi along, the bored person would never be her.

Heqing was efficient as always. Upon her return, she informed the Empress that the Grand Princess had agreed. Though she agreed quickly, she arrived slowly. Li Fuluan sat there waiting listlessly for a while before the late-coming Grand Princess finally appeared. She rested her cheek on her hand and urged lazily, “Jingyi, do you dare to walk a few steps faster?”

Qin Jingyi pretended not to hear. Her unhurried pace was enough to wear away anyone’s patience. If not for the towering tree nearby that provided ample shade from the sun, Li Fuluan might have stood up and dragged her over herself.

Qin Jingyi sat across from Li Fuluan. Before speaking, she poured herself a cup of tea. Not paying attention to the color of the brew, she took a casual sip and realized the taste was somewhat unusual. “Hmm? Cheese tea?”

Qin Jingyi set the teacup down and raised an eyebrow, beginning to scold her friend. “Fuluan, can you not consume fewer of these sweet, cloying things?”

Li Fuluan emulated the other’s earlier behavior, pretending not to hear as she refilled her own cup. “Grand Princess, do not be so quick to wrong me. What can you taste from just one sip? Try a bit more; it is actually quite refreshing.”

Qin Jingyi was nearly moved to laughter by the words, yet she reluctantly raised the cup to her lips again, not forgetting to tease, “Do you think I have never had cheese tea before? Fine, fine, I have had no shortage of such things at your place.”

Once she actually drank it, she noticed the difference. “It truly seems different.”

A trace of inexplicable pride appeared in Li Fuluan’s expression as she poured another cup for her guest. “I told you, but you did not believe me. This was personally praised by Yun Jin.”

At the mention of Yun Jin, Qin Jingyi’s interest clearly peaked. “Fuluan, you call her ‘Jin-er’ so affectionately; you must be very satisfied with that child?”

Li Fuluan nodded in affirmation.

Qin Jingyi arched an eyebrow. This would not do; as of now, she was the only one who had not met Zhaoning’s beloved. Thinking of this, she smiled meaningfully. “Have Luo-er make arrangements. I would also like to meet her.”

Li Fuluan understood the other woman’s temperament well. She cast a fleeting glance at her, expressing clear suspicion. “What are you planning to do?”

The sounds of lutes and harps resonated, and the songs and dances signaled a time of peace and prosperity. This was an atmosphere Yun Jin was intimately familiar with, yet the environment was different. It was precisely this difference that made her feel a faint sense of awkwardness.

Within Northern Chu, there was no Buxianxian, but there was the famous Junmowen. Here, the ones soliciting guests were not beautiful maidens, but handsome men of various charms. It was an elegant flower house open specifically to women.

The most famous figure in this establishment was the male top beauty, for whom noble ladies had been known to squander fortunes. It was said that once he finished a dance and offered a gentle smile upon the stage, treasures and jewelry would be thrown at his feet like rain.

Recently, the Grand Princess had taken a liking to bringing Qin Zhanluo here daily to listen to music and watch dances, insisting that Yun Jin accompany them to broaden her horizons. Qin Jingyi’s effortless poise was exactly like that of a dandy prince who spent his days among the flowers. With the Grand Princess as a regular, meeting the male courtesan, who was said to be difficult to see even for a thousand pieces of gold, was a simple matter.

Hua Wuying was born beautiful, with an air of feminine grace in his movements. His eyes, adorned with a beauty mark beneath one, were particularly striking, conveying a world of emotion in a single laugh. It made one feel that if these eyes were to shed tears, they would be more pitiable than a woman’s. He was truly worthy of his title. His face was lightly powdered, but his lips were decorated a vivid red, contrasting against his pale, smooth skin with thousands of charms.

Yun Jin felt neither fondness nor dislike for him. However, she felt a faint rejection toward certain details. His gaze often lingered, intentionally or not, on Qin Zhanluo. Qin Zhanluo, meanwhile, seemed to appreciate Hua Wuying and conversed with him harmoniously.

The Grand Princess sat there with an air of supple grace, surrounded by several flower boys who took turns offering toasts. Her tolerance for alcohol was excellent; she had already intoxicated two or three of them. Occasionally, she would brush against their hands as they poured the wine. These few were newcomers who had not served guests many times, and her teasing brought a touch of shyness to their faces. She merely smiled indifferently at the sight, occasionally dropping a few flirtatious remarks.

Yun Jin sat to the side, sipping tea with an unchanging expression, while secretly thinking that if the Grand Princess’s somewhat rogue-like behavior were to be publicized, there was no telling what would happen.

The fragrant wind in the elegant pavilion caused Yun Jin discomfort. After staying for a long time, she felt a bit dizzy. She stood up, intending to step outside for some fresh air. The internal architecture of Junmowen was ingeniously designed, and Yun Jin found herself interested, wandering toward a quieter area.

However, Yun Jin had forgotten that she was currently appearing in Junmowen as a man. She was naturally extraordinary in appearance, making it easy for others to misunderstand.

“This gentleman looks quite unfamiliar. I have never seen you before. Are you a newcomer?” A woman dressed in a vibrant red dress felt a spark of interest the moment she saw Yun Jin.

Yang Aohan was actually tired of the cookie-cutter handsome men here, who were so fragile one feared they might break at a touch. She had come to Junmowen after a long absence for a bit of amusement but had quickly lost interest until Yun Jin appeared, much to her surprise.

Yun Jin was different from the flower boys in this building. A faint heroic spirit was hidden between her brows, and her movements were elegant, entirely free of affectation. The aura of calm and indifference radiating from within her was especially captivating.

“How about accompanying this lady for a drink?” Yang Aohan decisively removed the jade thumb ring from her hand and pressed it into Yun Jin’s palm.

Yun Jin was momentarily stunned, but soon realized the misunderstanding. She smiled calmly. “I believe there is a misunderstanding. I am not one of the gentlemen who accompanies ladies.”

She was rejected.

Yang Aohan’s interest deepened. Taking advantage of the other’s lack of preparation, she decisively struck out to seal Yun Jin’s acupoints. “Do not worry. I only want you to accompany me for a few drinks, nothing else.”

With her acupoints sealed, Yun Jin could neither speak nor move. She could only sit helplessly as Yang Aohan arranged her to lean back against a soft chair. Yang Aohan leaned in very close, nonchalantly chewing on peanuts while scrutinizing her. “You truly are good-looking, far more handsome than that top beauty.”

“Come, have a cup of wine.” Yang Aohan circulated her energy, and within moments, she had filled a cup and held it in her hand. With a smile in her eyes, she gently pinched Yun Jin’s chin and fed the wine to her.

Just as she was about to repeat the action and feed Yun Jin a second cup, the room door was suddenly blasted open from the outside.

Qin Zhanluo looked at Yang Aohan’s hand, which was currently pinching Yun Jin’s chin, and frost instinctively gathered in her eyes.

“Second Miss Yang, I trust you have been well. If it is possible,” Qin Zhanluo’s tone was icy, laced with an anger that was difficult to ignore, “could you return my Prince Consort to me?”

Prince Consort?

Yang Aohan stared blankly at Yun Jin, then looked at Qin Zhanluo’s furrowed brows, instinctively releasing her grip.

Having unintentionally caused such a blunder, the matter only concluded after Yang Aohan offered a sincere apology to both of them.

“The Consort would do best to stay by my side at all times within Junmowen, lest you be mistaken for a flower and plucked by someone,” Qin Zhanluo said in an unreadable tone, her expression cold.

Yun Jin, however, detected a hint of awkwardness in it, and a trace of a smile rose in her eyes. This attitude, this person, she was likely jealous.

However, she had smiled a little too soon.

Because Yun Jin had to stay by Qin Zhanluo’s side, she was forced to watch the interactions between Hua Wuying and the Princess at close range. Whether intentional or not, Yun Jin occasionally caught a hint of provocation from the man. It was always fleeting, leaving her with nothing concrete to voice.

“I was merely discussing poetry and prose with Her Highness. Surely the gentleman is not angry?”

“I am here specifically to serve the pleasure of noble ladies and young misses.” The top courtesan bit his lip, looking as if he were on the verge of tears. “Surely the gentleman would not feel unhappy because of this?”

“I offer this cup of wine to Her Highness.” Hua Wuying’s eyes were fixed on Qin Zhanluo. “Drink slowly, Your Highness, lest you spill it upon yourself.”

Throughout it all, Yun Jin kept her head lowered, maintaining her habitual smile. She acted as if she could not see the intimate interaction between the two.

Eventually, Qin Zhanluo became slightly intoxicated. As her footing grew unsteady and she nearly slipped, Yun Jin immediately stood up, reaching out to catch her hand.

“Be careful, Your Highness.” Hua Wuying was quick, reaching out to support Qin Zhanluo first. He let out a sigh of relief. “It is quite slippery here.”

Yun Jin’s gaze dropped. The hand resting on the woman’s waist was exceptionally piercing to the eye. The smile on her face faded slightly. She calmly withdrew her hand, her eyes flickering.

“This tea is bitter. This Prince shall call someone to change it.”

Watching Yun Jin’s retreating back, Qin Zhanluo coldly pushed away the hand supporting her, showing no tenderness for the “fragrant flower.”

Looking at Qin Zhanluo’s gaze, which was cold enough to manifest into ice, Hua Wuying could not help but feel a shiver of dread. Heaven was his witness; he had not dared to actually touch her. That hand had clearly belonged to the Grand Princess. From that specific angle, Yun Jin had simply misunderstood. It truly had nothing to do with him!

“That is enough.” Qin Zhanluo frowned, having no interest in continuing this play.

Qin Jingyi dismissed the surrounding flower boys with a few words and approached her niece with an air of effortless charm. A casual smile curled at the corners of her lips. “What is this? Does your heart ache for her?”

Qin Zhanluo pursed her lips and remained silent. She felt that her agreement to let her Imperial Aunt test Yun Jin’s feelings had been utterly absurd. She was usually rational, yet she occasionally lost her composure when it came to matters regarding Yun Jin.

The onlooker sees most clearly, and Qin Jingyi understood the situation perfectly. The way these two children interacted was exactly as Li Fuluan had described: terribly awkward and enough to make an observer die of impatience.

“That child clearly has feelings for you.” The Grand Princess let the wine glide down her throat, her tone absolute. “She cares about you.”

On this point, there was no longer any room for doubt.

As twilight fell, Qin Jingyi invited Yun Jin and Qin Zhanluo to watch a dance. Though they were used to seeing women dance, they had not expected that men could also dance with such unique suppleness and grace.

Suddenly, chaos erupted.

Several dancers abruptly tore off their outer layers, drawing hidden cold arrows from their sleeves. Silver light flashed in the gloom. The surrounding guards reacted quickly, drawing their blades to engage the assassins. The assassins fought with extreme ferocity, desperate to break through and reach their target.

Qin Zhanluo saw clearly that every single one of them was coming for her. Her Imperial Aunt was right behind her; she could not let her be caught in the crossfire. Decisively, Qin Zhanluo snatched a blade from a nearby guard and charged forward to meet them. Her movements were light and her swordplay was superb. After a dozen exchanges, she cut down an assassin.

Seeing her locked in combat with his companion, another assassin intended to launch a sneak attack from behind, but Yun Jin intercepted him with lightning speed. Yun Jin’s only weapon was an unremarkable folding fan, yet she used it with divine skill, preventing anyone from getting close.

At that moment, an assassin who had collapsed unconscious woke up. Enduring his injuries, he found a gap and fired a concealed weapon at Qin Zhanluo. Sensing the danger, Qin Zhanluo turned around, but in that split second, it was too late to dodge.

In the nick of time, Yun Jin threw herself in front of her. Using the folding fan as a shield, she blocked the incoming projectile, causing it to change direction and whistle back toward the assassin. The fan flew back into Yun Jin’s hand, and the surrounding threats were entirely eliminated.

The few assassins captured by the guards had come prepared; they resolutely crushed poison capsules between their teeth, dying instantly. Every single one of them was a suicide agent.

Qin Zhanluo looked at the messy corpses on the ground and frowned. This would make it difficult to trace the mastermind. She turned to speak, only to see Yun Jin’s body sway before she fell straight backward.

“A-Jin!”

The hidden dart had a poison needle concealed within its tube, which had struck Yun Jin’s right shoulder.

Yun Jin’s usually fair face was now a sickly pale due to her injury. She lay quietly on the couch, looking incredibly weak.

The wound on her shoulder was seeping blood, which appeared a dull black due to the poison. When she was first handed over to Xie Lianjing, the blood flowing out had been a startling purple-black. Fortunately, Xie Lianjing had neutralized most of the toxicity, leaving it as the current faint black color.

The poison was temporarily contained and would not spread, but a specific medicinal herb was required to cure it completely. This was why Yun Jin had yet to wake up. That herb was rare. Xie Lianjing knew it was grown in the medicinal garden of the Prince of Jin’s manor, so they had to wait for Nangong Ning to rush a thousand miles to deliver it personally.

In the meantime, Xie Lianjing had to continuously use needles to draw out the poison, followed by applying and changing dressings to prevent the skin from ulcerating. The poison was truly insidious, clearly intended to kill.

Thinking that Yun Jin had been injured while protecting her, dark shadows swirled in Qin Zhanluo’s eyes. However, when she looked at Yun Jin’s face, the darkness subsided, replaced by pity and worry.

Xie Lianjing pushed open the door on schedule, bringing prepared silver needles and medicinal ointment. Qin Zhanluo picked up the bottle of ointment, intending to change the dressing for Yun Jin.

Xie Lianjing originally thought nothing of it, but as Qin Zhanluo reached for Yun Jin’s lapel, she suddenly realized the danger. She pressed her hand down on the bottle. “Princess, let me do it. I frequently treat His Highness’s injuries and illnesses; there will be no problem.”

Remembering Yun Jin’s special identity, she naturally could not allow Qin Zhanluo to handle the medicine. Fearing Qin Zhanluo would refuse, she added a logical reason. “Besides, I need to apply needles in a moment, so it would be inconvenient. Your Highness has not closed her eyes all night; you should go and rest first.”

Qin Zhanluo looked at the pale Yun Jin on the couch, lowered her eyes, and walked out.

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