Ji Jinmo lowered his head and steadied Nan Shiying’s lips. She had just eaten osmanthus cake, and her lips were dusted with powdered sugar. Her mouth was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus, sweet and fragrant, so sweet and fragrant that Ji Jinmo couldn’t stop himself.
The moon blushed and hid behind the clouds. Yin’er stood on the stage, watching the unbridled intimacy of the two below, her mouth twitching slightly.
Was the master before her still the same cold and self-possessed iceberg that seemed to possess no human emotions? This iceberg had turned into a volcano!
Yin’er couldn’t help but steal another glance and was met with a fierce glare from Lv Wan’s eyes.
Yin’er: “……”
You peeked too, why are you glaring at me!!
……
Their evening entertainment was abruptly canceled. Ji Jinmo carried Nan Shiying back to Xinyuan Pavilion. The servants along the way lowered their heads and avoided them, not daring to look.
Xinyuan Pavilion, bathed in the hazy candlelight.
Nan Shiying looked at the handsome face so close to her and raised her hand to stroke it.
Lv Wan prepared a bathing tub, and Bai Zhi carried it into the room, thoughtfully bringing in several buckets filled with scalding hot water.
After shedding their clothes, Ji Jinmo carried the person in his arms into the bathtub, and followed suit.
Warm water floated around them, creating waves as it stirred. The sound of the water was slow and gentle, like a winding path leading to hidden depths. Wave after wave surged. Nan Shiying’s body softened like a pool of spring water. Her back leaned against Ji Jinmo’s chest, rising and falling with the man behind her.
The union of fish and water, spirit and flesh colliding to create pleasure that reached the heavens.
The night passed without incident!
The next morning, Nan Shiying woke up in Ji Jinmo’s arms. She turned her head and bit his arm.
Ji Jinmo slowly woke up, and certain parts of him also stirred from slumber. Feeling the contact beneath him, Nan Shiying’s face flushed. Her eyes seemed to be brimming with a tide, making one’s heart yearn for her. Ji Jinmo reached out and wrapped his arm around Nan Shiying’s waist.
Her waist was slender and soft, her skin as fair and tender as tofu. Ji Jinmo’s hand rested on her skin, his fingertips rubbing back and forth. Nan Shiying’s body began to heat up, a tingling, numbing itch spreading throughout her body, as if a small cat were playfully stirring her heart with its furry paws.
She grabbed Ji Jinmo’s mischievous hand, her usually clear voice tinged with a soft, sleepy huskiness, “Stop it.”
Yet, her soft and husky voice, combined, carried a strange enchantment. Ji Jinmo did not withdraw his hand. Instead, he lowered his head, burying it in her chest, and opened his thin lips, biting down on the grape exposed on her peak.
“Hiss~”
Nan Shiying gasped, a shiver running from her scalp to her toes. She tilted her head slightly, her lips parted, breathing rapidly. Her hands instinctively clutched Ji Jinmo’s head, her fingers digging into his hair, her fingertips holding his head, neither resisting nor yielding.
Hearing the commotion from inside, Lv Wan, who was by the door, reached for it but quickly withdrew her hand. Bai Zhi, carrying a food box, saw this from afar and hurried over, “Sister Lv Wan, are Master and Madam not awake yet?”
Her eyes sparkled, and her mouth split into a grin that reached her ears.
Lv Wan gave her an annoyed look, then placed her finger to her lips, making a shushing gesture, and whispered, “Tell the small kitchen not to stop the fire.”
Bai Zhi nodded vigorously and lowered her voice, “Then, Sister Lv Wan, I’ll take the food box back first. The pastries inside will get stale and won’t be good.”
Lv Wan nodded at her.
Today was New Year’s Day. Lanterns and paper cuttings were hung everywhere in the mansion, and colorful ribbons adorned the treetops. The air was filled with the festive spirit of the New Year. This was the most festive New Year the Prince’s mansion had seen in many years.
Today, New Year’s Day, they were scheduled to attend a banquet at the palace as usual.
In previous years, no matter how fierce the rivalry between Ji Jinmo and Ji Hong was on the surface, they never missed the palace banquet. This year, Ji Jinmo had no desire to attend.
How could the imperial delicacies in the palace compare to having a beauty in his arms? Attending the banquet meant he couldn’t openly hold her in his arms.
After another half hour of exertion, the two finally got out of bed. Breakfast time had already passed, so they had to combine breakfast and lunch.
Ji Jinmo was refreshed, his face showing no signs of fatigue. Nan Shiying, who didn’t need much exercise, although her face was as rosy as a peach blossom, looked weary and dispirited, lazily wanting to recline on the couch and bask in the sun.
“For today’s palace banquet, Madam will wear the court attire of a First Rank Princess, and this five-phoenix hairpin.”
As Ji Jinmo and Nan Shiying were eating, Lv Wan was already busy preparing the attire for Nan Shiying’s evening wear. Nan Shiying found the bustling activity dizzying. She turned to Ji Jinmo and asked, “Can we have a peaceful meal tonight?”
The imperial kitchen’s dishes were still very delicious.
“You can have a peaceful meal if you wish, and don’t worry about anything else,” Ji Jinmo said, placing a shrimp dumpling into her bowl.
Today was likely uneventful, but who could predict if someone with no sense would jump out to cause trouble? However, whether there was trouble or not, no one could disturb Ying’er’s enjoyment. Even if the sky fell, she could still have a peaceful New Year’s Eve dinner.
Nan Shiying took a bite of the shrimp dumpling, eating half a shrimp.
It was fresh, fragrant, and smooth. She closed her eyes in delight.
In the three hundred years since the fall of the Great Yuan, after experiencing two dynasties, the virtues of the imperial court and officials had not improved. However, the culinary arts and the variety of seasonings had indeed progressed. Even these shrimp dumplings, made by the imperial kitchen’s First Rank chef at the palace banquet back then, were merely this good.
Lan’er served them after their meal and cleared away the dishes. Bai Zhi then brought out a plate of fruit.
Nan Shiying lounged on the couch, eating fruit while watching Lv Wan bring out sets of hairpins and accessories to match the court attire and the phoenix hairpin.
When she first ascended the throne, whether she should wear her hair up in a bun with a crown or adorned with hairpins was a debate that lasted for two days among civil and military officials. The war of words was more heated than the current peace talks between two countries. It was her free spirit that ultimately rendered all arguments moot.
*I do as I please, what are you arguing about!*
At Weishi, Nan Shiying finally stood up from the couch and walked to the dressing table, letting Lv Wan adorn her.
She changed into the court attire of a First Rank Princess and wore a Cloud-Swaying Bun. The five-phoenix hairpin shimmered brilliantly under the rays of the setting sun. She was already naturally dignified, and now, adorned with court attire and the phoenix hairpin, she was even more incomparably noble. Lin Yuan had no Empress, only a Noble Consort. While Noble Consort Zou was stunningly beautiful, standing beside Nan Shiying, she would lose her radiance. Even the regality of the Empress Dowager when she held court was not one-tenth of Nan Shiying’s.
Lv Wan and the other maids gazed at their Madam in a daze, sighing – could any man in this world be worthy of Madam?
They had completely forgotten that the reason she was Madam was because she was already married to the Prince.