Chapter 14: Her Highness Can Also Act Coquettishly?
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The first time she heard the Princess acting so coquettishly, Meng Chang'an felt herself completely weakened, as if her bones were turning to mush, finding it hard to summon the strength to push the person away from her embrace.
But the moment she realized what the person wanted her to do, Meng Chang'an felt like crying again.
"I apologize, can I not just apologize?!"
Meng Chang'an quickly raised both hands, afraid to touch the person in her arms any further, and surrendered, “I know I was wrong! I will not dare to touch Your Highness again, please spare me this time!”
Meng Chang'an thought the person was just teasing her because she was unhappy, not realizing that her apology had actually soured the Princess' mood.
"Enough, I will let it go this time."
Li Qiubai gave a slight snort, then released Meng Chang'an and stepped back a bit, opening her arms calmly, "As you said, my clothes are dirty. Since Yuechu is not here, I will trouble my Prince Consort to assist me with changing clothes."
Once Meng Chang'an settled her racing heart and looked back at the Princess, she found her with closed eyes, maintaining the posture with arms wide open, waiting calmly for Young Master Meng to undress and help her change clothes.
In desperation, Meng Chang'an had no choice but to comply. She dutifully removed the Princess’ shoes and socks and then proceeded to untie her waistband.
As the clothing loosened, the recent gentle tap on the chest by the Princess resurfaced in Young Master Meng's mind, making it difficult for her to calm her thoughts.
In the quiet room, Young Master Meng's increasingly intense heartbeat seemed especially piercing, resonating vividly in the ears of the Princess.
After a while of not noticing Young Master Meng's actions, the Princess couldn't resist any longer and quietly opened her eyes just a sliver.
Only then did she see Young Master Meng biting her lip with a troubled look on her face.
At that instant, it felt as if an invisible hand was plucking the strings of the Princess’ heart.
She never expected that the Young Master's ordinary expression could actually arouse her emotions.
For a while, the two silent figures were lost in their respective thoughts.
In the end, it was Li Qiubai who pretended to be calm, opened her eyes, and spoke to break the deadlock between them.
“Alright, it is just asking you to change clothes for me. Look at your deeply troubled appearance. If someone did not know better, they might think I am taking advantage of a virtuous woman."
Li Qiubai pretended not to know, avoiding the mention of why this person seemed distressed. She slightly curved her lips, then took Young Master Meng's hand, which was lingering at her waistband, and proceeded to remove her outer garment right in front of Young Master Meng.
"You did not get much sleep last night. Do you want to rest together?"
Just like this, Meng Chang'an suddenly came back to her senses and hurriedly shook her head.
"No, no, no, Your Highness, have a good rest, I better not disturb you now!"
After saying that, Meng Chang'an ran away as if escaping.
That flash of crimson clothing passed under the Princess' eyelids and vanished from the room in an instant.
Gradually, a smile emerged in the Princess' eyes. Once the frantic footsteps outside grew fainter, Li Qiubai, draped in the brocade quilt, couldn't help but smile.
If she could already unsettle Young Master Meng's heart, wasn't the day she occupied a place in Young Master Meng's heart not far away?
Wasn't it just a matter of time?
However, at this moment, Young Master Meng failed to notice the Princess' subtle thoughts. After fleeing the room filled with an ambiguous and alluring atmosphere, Young Master Meng finally calmed down a bit.
Unfortunately, even the cold breeze blowing directly couldn't disperse the scenic view engraved in Young Master Meng's mind.
The Princess' unconscious charm, displayed in her every move, unexpectedly imprinted itself in Young Master Meng's mind, lingering and refusing to fade away.
“Prince Consort."
Before Meng Chang'an could sort out her tangled thoughts, someone approached her through the corridor and called her, "Coincidentally meeting you here saves me the trouble of searching for you again. The Empress Dowager requests your presence for a chat. Would you please accompany me?"
Shen Deyun's smiling appearance appeared increasingly peculiar to Meng Chang'an. After a moment's thought, she chose to directly voice her inner doubts, "Just calling for me? Not requesting the presence of Her Higjness as well?"
“She heard Her Highness got drunk, and the Empress Dowager ordered her to rest well. She only needs to meet alone with the Prince Consort."
Although Shen Deyun spoke with a full face of smiles, his words revealed an unchangeable decision.
Meeting the Empress Dowager alone...
Meng Chang’an felt something was off, but being in such a position, she had to yield. After pondering for a moment, she put on a fake smile and replied, "Then, please lead the way ahead, Eunuch Shen."
After that girl Yuechu finished her dubious business, she disappeared without a trace. It was so desolate in the courtyard that Meng Chang'an couldn't recognize any of the palace maids.
As Shen Deyun was about to leave, Meng Chang'an casually stopped a cleaning maid, instructing her, "Her Highness drank too much. Remember to prepare a bowl of sobering soup for her and deliver it when she wakes up. If she asks, tell her I just went to chat with the Empress Dowager and not to worry."
Hearing this, the maid glanced at Shen Deyun discreetly. Seeing him nod slightly without objection, she replied, "Yes."
That glance didn't escape the notice of Young Master Meng, but she knew well that she held no sway in this deep palace. She shrugged helplessly and continued walking alongside Shen Deyun without paying too much attention to it.
“Prince Consort is indeed clever," remarked Shen Deyun without any concealment, smiling faintly as he directly pointed out, "But you should know, if the Empress Dowager really wants to do something to you, when Her Highness gets the news and rushes over, you might just end up needing someone to collect your corpse."
Hearing his words, Meng Chang'an felt somewhat relieved. Understanding she couldn't outwit the intricate thoughts of these palace insiders, she didn't bother with deceit and simply replied with a smile, “Eunuch Shen, do not overthink it. I am just worried that if Her Highness wakes up and can not find me, she might get upset. It is not as you think."
The people accompanying them were instructed to follow from a distance, and there were no others nearby. With no one around, Shen Deyun had fewer reservations. After a few soft laughs, he resumed chatting with Meng Chang'an.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"The Prince Consort is really brave. Knowing that his identity has been exposed, he still dares to follow this old servant to the Empress Dowager alone. Is he not afraid of what is waiting for him in the dragon's pond and tiger's den*?"
*extremely dangerous place
Meng Changan's lips curved and he responded calmly: "I believe that the Imperial Grandmother does not do secretive things. What is more, she must not be willing to let Her Highness be sad."
"Oh? Really?" Shen Deyun gradually suppressed the smile in his eyes, and said with a half-smile: "The Prince Consort might be too confident, he even dares to figure out the Empress Dowager’s thoughts."
"Eunuch Shen's words are harsh. I am just taking a gamble. I cannot say I am confident."
"Regardless of Shen Deyun's implications, Meng Chang'an remained unafraid, staying composed, and calmly responded with a light smile, “However, even if it is truly a dragon's pond and tiger's den, I must personally go there to know the outcome. After all, Her Highness at most can only come to collect my corpse, is that not so?”
Recalling what he had just said about collecting corpses, and now being repeated by Meng Chang'an in such a joking tone, Shen Deyun suddenly felt amused but shook his head helplessly.
"The Prince Consort is really like a newborn calf not afraid of the tigers."
With just such a sigh, Shen Deyun said no more.
Yong'an Palace is not big. In just a few moments of idle chat, Meng Chang'an had already followed Shen Deyun to the outside of the Empress Dowager's study.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Prince Consort has arrived."
"Mm, let her* in."
After receiving the consent, Shen Deyun dared to push open the study door and said, "Prince Consort, if you may."
Seeing that Shen Deyun had no intention of entering the room with her, Meng Chang'an didn't mind and just stepped on the threshold openly.
The walls of the study were adorned with various calligraphies and paintings, catching Meng Chang'an's eye as she passed by.
She leisurely approached the desk. Observing the old woman still engrossed in writing without raising their head, Meng Chang'an respectfully performed a bow and greeted, "I have come to see the Empress Dowager."
"Mm."
The Empress Dowager didn't even raise her head, she just responded lightly and left Meng Changan aside.
Since she has come, then settle for it.
Meng Chang'an was not in a hurry, nor did she come forward to talk shamelessly. She just walked around leisurely in the study room without any rush and enjoyed the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall with peace of mind.
After being silent for nearly half a stick of incense*, the Empress Dowager finally took the lead to break the deadlock.
*15 minutes
"Do you like that painting?"
At this moment, Meng Chang'an had been lingering in front of a painting of a desert sunset for quite some time. Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's inquiry, she turned back and responded, “To answer the Empress Dowager, I just found the scenery in this painting somewhat familiar, so I am looking at it a little more.”
"Then your taste is quite good; at a glance, you recognized the painting made by Qiu'er when she was young."
The Empress Dowager then put down the pen in her hand and waved to Meng Chang'an, "If you have nothing to do, come over and help me copy some Buddhist scriptures.”
Meng Changan couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
She was already ready to break into the dragon's pond and the tiger's den, but this old woman just wanted to drag her into copying Buddhist scriptures?
She didn't expect that just that one call from the Empress Dowager, could dispel the faint sense of familiarity in Meng Chang'an's mind.
Unable to remember where she had seen the scene in the painting, Meng Chang'an simply stopped thinking about it. But she secretly praised the Princess’ painting skills in her heart, and she walked towards the desk consciously.
After sitting down in the seat given by the Empress Dowager, Meng Chang'an was able to see clearly the half-copied Buddhist scriptures that the Empress Dowager had given.
Form is emptiness, Emptiness is form*.
*This phrase comes from Buddhist teachings and is often associated with the Heart Sutra.
The Empress Dowager only copied up to this point and did not continue transcribing.
Unexpectedly, at the moment of seeing these characters, the once-forgotten splendid scenery once again emerged in Young Master Meng's mind.
The Princess’ every frown and smile, her graceful gestures, all flooded into Meng Chang'an's mind.
At that moment, Young Master Meng felt a bit dry-mouthed.
