Erniu’s mouth regained its freedom, and he gave a big yawn towards Yu Jin.
The large dog opened his mouth wide, revealing white teeth, while observing the master’s reaction with slanted eyes, appearing thoroughly provocative.
Yu Jin nearly exploded with anger and raised his foot to kick.
Erniu nimbly dodged behind Jiang Si, affectionately licking the back of her hand.
Jiang Si frowned and scolded Yu Jin, “Why are you picking on Erniu?”
Yu Jin: “…” Strike first to gain the advantage, strike later, and suffer the consequences. If he had sold this dog Erniu earlier, how could he have fallen into such an internally injured state now?
Erniu: “Woof!”
The main courtyard of Prince Yan’s mansion, named Yuhe Garden, was located on the central axis of the residence.
As the couple crossed the courtyard entrance, Erniu closely followed behind.
Yu Jin paused his steps and said with disdain, “Go back to your doghouse.”
Before getting married, he had almost always rested in the front courtyard study, just to wait for A Si to enter the door and live together in their new home.
Erniu’s kennel was also set up in the front courtyard, though usually, no one cared if he ran wild throughout the vast princely mansion.
Erniu glanced at Yu Jin, then clamped onto Jiang Si’s skirt and wouldn’t let go.
Yu Jin reached out to grab Erniu’s neck but was stopped by Jiang Si.
“Let’s set up a doghouse for Erniu in Yuhe Garden.”
Erniu seemed to understand and barked twice triumphantly, then flopped onto the ground and started rolling lazily. He rolled to a shady corner of the wall, lying there with his tongue out, not moving.
Yu Jin thought silently that he’d settle accounts later, and entered the room with Jiang Si.
The subsequent changing of clothes and washing up need not be described in detail. While waiting for the meal, Yu Jin complained with a stern face, “A Si, I always have this misconception that you treat Erniu better than me.”
Jiang Si paused, then smiled charmingly, “Actually, it’s not a misconception.”
Yu Jin slapped the table and stood up, pulling Jiang Si close, “Really?”
Seeing him so serious with a tense face, Jiang Si laughed, “What, unsatisfied with the answer and planning to hit someone?”
Yu Jin lowered his voice, his eyes flashing dangerously, “I planned to do something else…”
Jiang Si blinked and laughed, “I was just thinking the same.”
Yu Jin was completely stunned.
He might have misheard; in his imagination, shouldn’t A Si righteously refuse?
Jiang Si couldn’t stop laughing.
After all, she had lived two lives. If it came to thick skin, she was at least a bit thicker than this fool before her.
“Let’s eat, I’m hungry,” Jiang Si stopped teasing him.
Yu Jin felt somewhat disappointed but obediently restrained himself from further thoughts.
It was just waiting until night, he could endure. There would eventually be a time when A Si would beg for mercy.
After the couple finished lunch, maids brought over washbasins, handkerchiefs, and other items. Only after tidying up did they consider themselves properly settled.
Jiang Si entered the inner chamber and reclined on the bed. Seeing Yu Jin follow her in, she asked with a smile, “Doesn’t the Prince have other matters to attend to?”
Yu Jin kicked off his shoes and lay down beside Jiang Si, embracing her in his arms, “Nothing is more important than taking an afternoon nap together. Besides, what business could an idle prince like me have…”
To eat and wait for death, or at least to make others think he was eating and waiting for death, that was how life became comfortable.
Jiang Si pushed him slightly, “Won’t you go to the study to read? Didn’t you tell Father Emperor that you would read more in the future?”
Yu Jin chuckled, “Reading too much brings more trouble. I’m just fine as I am now.”
“Then let’s sleep,” Jiang Si raised her hand to undo the bed curtain hooks.
The large red gauze curtains fell, secluding them in their little world.
Jiang Si couldn’t sleep, her mind preoccupied with that painting.
Yu Jin couldn’t sleep either, pondering over the Lingxiao bracelet the Empress had bestowed upon Jiang Si.
When he had returned to the capital, he had been completely in the dark, just like a blind man.
That feeling was awful.
As early as that year when he had nearly been sold into a brothel as a girl, he had sworn that in this life, he would never again let others control his destiny.
Since then, he had put away the grievances and resentment of his childhood, frantically studying and practicing martial arts, honing himself on the cruelest battlefield of the Southern Frontier, all to gain power.
It could be said that A Si had given him a new life.
Now he had returned and, as he had wished, possessed A Si. Although he was content and had no other desires, he couldn’t relax his vigilance.
He could actively choose not to contend, but he couldn’t passively go with the flow.
In the year and more since returning to the capital, most of what he had gained in the Southern Frontier had imperceptibly turned into certain chess pieces and eyes and ears.
Those were his eyes and ears, ensuring he wouldn’t be blind and deaf after returning to the capital.
Of course, he had heard stories about the Lingxiao bracelet.
A Si had cured Princess Fuqing’s eyes, rendering a great service. It was understandable for the Empress to want to reward her heavily, but wasn’t bestowing the Lingxiao bracelet too much?
Hearing that the breathing beside him was not even, Yu Jin spoke, “A Si, do you like the bracelet bestowed by the Empress?”
Jiang Si turned to face him.
They were lying on the same bed, extremely close.
She could count the few stubbles on his chin; he could see the fine down on her cheeks.
Jiang Si raised her hand, and as the snow-white sleeve fell back, it revealed a stretch of fair wrist adorned with the jade-green Lingxiao bracelet.
“The bracelet is indeed quite beautiful,” Jiang Si said sincerely.
Yu Jin’s thin lips pursed slightly as he reminded her, “The Empress’s intentions are somewhat unfathomable. In the future, unless necessary, don’t go to the palace.”
Thinking shallowly, the Empress was too grateful and thus took out her most precious item to reward Prince Yan’s wife. Thinking deeply, who knows if the Empress wanted to drag them into that murky water?
Yu Jin felt that the habit of thinking the worst of everyone wasn’t very good, but he had no intention of changing it.
Jiang Si nodded, “I naturally understand this. A Jin, don’t worry. Since I married you, I’ve prepared myself. I won’t let myself fall into a desperate situation again.”
The word “again” caught Yu Jin’s attention.
“Again?”
From A Si’s words, had she fallen into a desperate situation before?
Jiang Si realized her slip of the tongue and covered it with a smile, “At the beginning of the year, I attended the flower banquet held by the Marquis of Yongchang’s mansion and heard some rumors. At that time, I still had a childish temper and a big temper. I was sick for a long time before I figured it out.”
She had been reborn at the end of that spring. Truly speaking, the previous Jiang Si, who was proud and looked down on everyone, had died at that time.
She had died from a man’s casual comment, died under the girls’ teasing gazes.
Thinking about it now, it wasn’t worth it.
Yu Jin’s eyes suddenly turned cold, “A Si, do you want to vent your anger?”
Jiang Si shook her head, “Irrelevant people, even getting angry is a waste of time. Let’s sleep.”
“Mm.”
It quickly became quiet inside the curtains.
When Jiang Si woke up and opened her eyes, the space beside her was empty.
“Where is the Prince?” she asked A Qiao while putting on her outer garments.
“The Prince woke up earlier than you and went to practice swordsmanship.”
Jiang Si wasn’t surprised.
Yu Qi had always been self-disciplined in this regard and had never slacked off.
It was originally just an afternoon nap, but she had slept for quite a while. It was indeed an aftereffect of last night’s exertions.
Jiang Si rubbed her throbbing temples, washed her face, and walked out.
Yu Qi would practice swordsmanship in the training ground, so she might as well go take a look at the study.
As she walked forward, the servants she encountered all bowed in greeting, “Princess Consort.”
Jiang Si nodded slightly and, accompanied by A Man, passed through several moon gates to reach the front courtyard study.
Outside the study, there were pageboys on guard. Seeing Jiang Si, they were startled for a moment before hurriedly paying their respects.