The Female Regent’s Daily Guide to Spoiling Her Wife - Chapter 46

The next morning, Yunxia woke up feeling sore all over. The memories of the previous night made her blush and her heart race. She couldn’t help but hug the quilt and giggle secretly her sister was hers now.

Faintly, Yunxia could hear Lu Zhao talking with Wen Yuan outside the door. Her voice was cool and pleasant, bringing Yunxia a sense of comfort.

“Hey, Lu Xiaozhao, what’s going on with you? Why are you leaving so late?” Wen Yuan leaned lazily against the corridor outside, his phoenix eyes filled with teasing.

Lu Zhao looked at him expressionlessly and said coldly, “Give the order to prepare a spacious carriage.”

Wen Yuan shook his head, leaned in close to Lu Zhao, and sniffed. “Tsk, tsk, Lu Xiaozhao, what exactly did you do to that girl?”

Ignoring him, Lu Zhao gestured toward Song Ziyan and said calmly, “Keep him in check. Who knows what nonsense he’s thinking about all day.”

Beneath his mask, Song Ziyan’s lips curved into a smile. He reached out a long arm and pulled Wen Yuan to his side, saying helplessly, “A-Yuan, stop provoking Lu Zhao.”

Wen Yuan twisted his body to break free from Song Ziyan’s grasp. Every time, Song Ziyan was like this never taking his side, always teaming up with Lu Xiaozhao to bully him! And besides thinking back to the situation when the two of them were alone in the room last night, Wen Yuan felt somewhat awkward. Before, he was always the one in control!

Why was it that now, aside from his shy earlobes, there wasn’t a single soft spot on Song Ziyan? And why did he always take advantage of him? When had Gao Wen Yuan ever been at a disadvantage in matters of romance? He was always the one teasing others without a hint of embarrassment, when had he ever been teased like this? The more Wen Yuan thought about it, the angrier he became. He turned and walked ahead, ignoring Song Ziyan.

Song Ziyan didn’t mind. Holding his sword, he followed slowly behind, gazing at Wen Yuan with adoration. How wonderful it was to stand so boldly by the side of the one he loved in an unfamiliar place, watching him without any reservations.

After dismissing Wen Yuan, Lu Zhao gently pushed the door open and entered.

As soon as Yunxia heard her, she immediately turned over, pretending to still be asleep with her back to Lu Zhao.

Lu Zhao tiptoed to the bedside. A pale, delicate arm lay atop the thin quilt, and her smooth back was exposed, with inky black hair cascading behind her. Her graceful figure was especially pronounced.

Lu Zhao stood quietly by the bed for a while, feeling a pang of guilt. She had been too unrestrained the night before, and Yunxia’s body was covered in purplish kiss marks.

“You must be exhausted from last night, right?” Lu Zhao thought with a pang of heartache as she gently tucked Yunxia’s arm back under the quilt. She leaned down and kissed her tender cheek.

Just as she was about to straighten up, Yunxia wrapped her arms around Lu Zhao’s neck, her eyes sparkling as she asked coyly, “Sister, what are you doing?”

Pulled forward by her embrace, Lu Zhao ended up pressed against Yunxia again. Their softness touched, sending a shiver through her.

A smile lit up Lu Zhao’s eyes. “Xiaxia, I never expected you to be so affectionate so early in the morning.”

Yunxia’s eyes widened, and a blush slowly spread from her neck. Remembering that she was completely naked under the quilt, she trembled with shyness, her eyelashes fluttering as she pushed against Lu Zhao. “You rogue!”

Lu Zhao wrapped her arms around Yunxia, quilt and all, and pulled her into an embrace, nuzzling her smooth forehead. “Alright, aren’t you hungry? Let’s get up and have something to eat.”

Due to their frolics the previous night, Yunxia’s clothes were no longer wearable. Lu Zhao brought her own garments and dressed Yunxia piece by piece.

Lu Zhao was much taller than Yunxia, so Yunxia had to roll up the sleeves when wearing her clothes, looking quite comical.

As Yunxia followed Lu Zhao out of the room, Xiao Ba approached, pointed at Lu Zhao, and whispered, “Lu Xia, did you sleep in the regent’s room last night? And why are you wearing her clothes?”

Yunxia scratched her head sheepishly and stammered, “Y-yes…”

As Yunxia moved, red marks on her neck became visible. Xiao Ba spotted them at once, her eyes widening in horror. ” You!”

Yunxia, confused, quickly scurried to Lu Zhao’s side, occasionally hooking her fingers with Lu Zhao’s.

Xiao Ba, trailing behind, was even more horrified. Covering her face, she ran to the backyard, inwardly lamenting, “I can’t stay in the regent’s residence any longer! The regent might force me to warm her bed!!! Poor Lu Xia!”

After Wen Yuan bought the carriage, Lu Zhao settled Yunxia comfortably inside, purchasing numerous picture books and snacks to keep her entertained during the journey. Along the way, she frequently bought small trinkets for Yunxia. Xiao Ba watched in astonishment, beginning to doubt her previous assumptions were the benefits of warming the regent’s bed really this plentiful? She stole several glances at Wen Yuan, wondering if her own master needed such services.

The group traveled swiftly, taking over thirty days to reach Changzhou. Located south of Yindu, Changzhou was originally a prosperous region. However, years of consecutive droughts had plunged the area into misery. Relief funds repeatedly allocated by the court ended up lining the pockets of Changzhou’s local officials. The entire city was rife with collusion between officials and merchants, and public resentment ran high.

Lu Zhao’s mission was to govern Changzhou, gather evidence of the local officials’ crimes, and escort them all back to the capital.

Upon arriving in Changzhou, Lu Zhao and her companions headed straight to Guangqing Tower, the largest restaurant in the area. Despite the widespread famine, Guangqing Tower remained bustling with customers. Upon inquiry, they learned that Sun Huan, the county magistrate, was hosting a banquet for his disciples there.

Sun Huan was the de facto ruler and local tyrant of Changzhou. Anyone wishing to do business in the region had to pay him a “mountain tribute” before being permitted to operate.

Before entering Changzhou, Lu Zhao had Yunxia change into women’s attire, removed Song Ziyan’s mask, and simply painted a scar running from the bridge of his nose to the back of his head to prevent recognition.

Thus, they all assumed new identities: Lu Zhao was Wu Ziyun, a merchant from Lingxi; Wen Yuan was her brother, Wu Ziyuan; Yunxia was her concubine, Xiao Xia; and Song Ziyan served as their bodyguard.

As soon as Lu Zhao entered the restaurant, she drew the attention of everyone around. Dressed in luxurious brocade robes, her strikingly handsome face exuded an air of aloof authority, her noble demeanor captivating all who laid eyes on her.

Ignoring the onlookers, Lu Zhao scooped Yunxia up from the carriage. Yunxia, blushing deeply, buried her face in Lu Zhao’s chest.

Now dressed as a woman, Yunxia wore her hair loosely tied in a bun at the back, adorned with a translucent jade hairpin. Her snow-white neck was slightly bowed, and though her face was veiled, her graceful figure alone was enough to enchant anyone who saw her.

Behind Lu Zhao trailed the dashing Wen Yuan and the refined, handsome Song Ziyan, each standing tall and graceful with features as exquisite as a painting clearly individuals nurtured in prestigious households.

The waiter in the shop, noticing their extraordinary bearing, immediately recognized them as distinguished guests. He hurriedly guided them inside while bowing and said, “Honored guests, my sincerest apologies, but all our private rooms are fully occupied today. Would you mind taking that table by the window? It offers a lovely view outside and is quite pleasant.”

Lu Zhao frowned slightly. Yunxia, nestled in her arms, tugged at her collar and whispered, “A-Zhao, I’m hungry.” Yunxia knew that everyone was exhausted from days of travel and eager to sit down and rest.

Clenching her lips, Lu Zhao carried Yunxia over. With so many eyes on them, Yunxia squirmed, wanting to get down and walk on her own.

Lu Zhao tightened her arms, casually glancing at the people observing them from the corner. She affectionately brushed past Yunxia’s ear and murmured, “Xiaxia, don’t move. I still need you to help me maintain this roguish, untamed image!”

Lu Zhao had long noticed that they had been followed ever since they set foot in Changzhou territory. This Sun Huan was truly vigilant!