The Gilded Cage - Chapter 128
Returning – For the Last Time. (2)
It wasn’t until the end of February that the prince, who was far away in Huazhou, suddenly went to the evacuation, saying that the dredging of the ditches had been completed and he would return to Changan soon. This broke the deadlock.
The minister of the Ministry of Rites, who was the first to provoke the incident, suddenly turned his finger on Prince Xiao Yu, saying that he had been married for many years and had not given birth to a son or daughter. Even if he sat firmly in the East Palace, he would not be able to explain to his ancestors.
To the end of this remark, it was just to persuade the Emperor to marry a wife. set up an Empress and expand the harem.
But the prince’s party seized the opportunity.
Under Xu Rong’s arrangement, Wei Fujing and others immediately turned the conversation to the East Palace, saying that although the Crown Prince had been married for many years, the East Palace had always only had the Crown Prince’s Consort Chu, and there was never even a small concubine in the East Palace. This was the real reason why it had not produced anything in the past two years.
After arguing for many days, things finally gradually changed.
Chu Ning waited patiently in the East Palace every day. Until this day, she finally felt that the last play was near.
…
Three days later, on the first day of March, Xiao Yu finally rushed back to Changan from Huazhou.
In the evening, he didn’t enter the Taiji Palace to meet him, but went straight back to the East Palace, discussed with Xu Rong and others about entering the palace the next day, and then went to the bedroom with a solemn face.
In the evening breeze in spring, birds and insects were singing, the vegetation was fragrant, and there was vitality everywhere.
Chu Ning stood by the door of the bedroom. Her skirt fluttered in the breeze, and her beautiful and peaceful face was reflected in the brilliant sunset.
This should be the last time she had to stand here to meet Xiao Yu. The depression and suffering of the past disappeared, and she felt a burst of peace in her heart.
“His Highness is back.”
“A’Ning…” Xiao Yu stopped on the steps, and looked at her complicatedly from a distance, feeling inexplicably daunted.
Tomorrow, she was going to follow him into the palace and take the initiative to give up the position of the Crown Prince’s Consort. He suddenly felt a little timid in his heart, afraid of seeing any sad and desperate expressions on her face.
“Warm water and clothes have been prepared for Your Highness. Come in, Your Highness.” Chu Ning entered the room with his back turned to him, as usual, naturally gentle and flawless.
Only then did Xiao Yu feel relieved, and he stepped into the room with heavy steps.
The room was silent, save for the pattering of the warm water as she wrung out the towel.
She wiped his face and hands for him, took off the dusty robe for him, and put on a loose and clean robe. Her movements were gentle and comfortable. The tightness was also just right.
Everything was to his liking.
“A-Ning.” He couldn’t help but reach out and bring her into his arms, whispering in her ear, “It’s just a false name.”
Was he comforting her or comforting himself?
Chu Ning lowered her head, let him approach, and gave a low hum.
“It will be the same from now on. You can still live in the East Palace. When I come back every day, you will come to welcome me, help me wash and change clothes, and then have dinner together. It will be the same in the morning too. Nothing has changed…”
He slowly tightened his arms, as if to confirm something, and he kept dawdling and kissing her neck.
Chu Ning listened quietly. She wanted to reject him like the previous few times, but in the end, she held her breath and endured it. She leaned against his chest softly and let him peel off her clothes little by little.
It was the last time.
At first, he was very gentle, kissing her brows and eyes from time to time, as if she was a treasure to be held in the palm of his hand.
But it didn’t take long for his true nature to be revealed, and he no longer cared about her feelings.
His face was pale, but his eyes were red. He pulled the long hair from the back of her head and forced her to kneel at his feet, and asked eagerly, “A’Ning, we have been husband and wife for two years. You won’t be offended because of this incident, will you?”
Chu Ning’s knees were already red, and the long hair on the back of her head was also painfully pulled. There were tears in her eyes, but she still showed a peaceful smile.
“No, Your Highness. A’Ning will not hate Your Highness because of this incident.”
This was the truth.
Her hatred had been planted long before, when she learned the truth about her father’s death—no, it was probably earlier.
“That’s good, that’s good…”
He breathed a sigh of relief and slowly relaxed, and instead of holding her hair, he pressed the back of her head.
He felt an irresistible pleasure rising from the tailbone, but the hole in his heart was getting bigger and bigger, until the sigh on the edge of his mouth suddenly turned into a muffled sob.
He finally couldn’t help but lean on the cushion, cover his red eyes with one hand, and choke up two tears.
