Hearing Yu Jin’s explanation, Jiang Si nearly burst into laughter as she held her fan.
She had always known that Yu Qi was fearless and never one to follow rules. But she had vastly underestimated him. To think that this fool had even cross-dressed in his youth!
Jiang Si’s unrestrained laughter irritated Yu Jin further. He scooped her up and tossed her onto the low couch, growling, “Stop laughing!”
Jiang Si ceased her laughter and reached up to caress his brow, her delicate fingers tracing down the sharp angles of his face.
Yu Jin lightly avoided her touch, muttering, “What are you doing?”
Jiang Si couldn’t help but chuckle again, “I’m imagining how you must have looked prettier than most girls when you were twelve or thirteen in women’s clothing…”
In the eyes of those brothel keepers, they must have thought you were a rare beauty, perfect to be trained as a high-class courtesan.
“Ah Si!” Yu Jin was thoroughly annoyed now. He lowered his head and nipped at her shoulder.
Through the thin summer clothes, Jiang Si felt a tingling sensation on her shoulder. She pushed him away, “Stop that.”
“Then stop laughing.”
Jiang Si sat up straight, pushing him away, and asked softly, “So, you remembered me even back then?”
Yu Jin leaned against the headboard, gazing at the person beside him, “Yes, back then I thought, I must stay with that little girl who saved me every day in the future. Eat together, listen to crickets chirping on clear nights together, sleep together…”
That way, he wouldn’t be alone anymore.
Jiang Si’s face inexplicably reddened. She spat, “How old were you then, to be thinking such nonsense…”
Yu Jin looked innocent, “It was just purely sleeping, Ah Si. You’re thinking too much.”
Jiang Si swatted Yu Jin’s arm with her fan, then met his deep, affectionate gaze. Suddenly, her heart ached.
Noticing her change in mood, Yu Jin placed his hand on her shoulder, “Ah Si, are you upset?”
Jiang Si’s long, thick eyelashes trembled as she controlled her tears. Her voice was full of endless reproach, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
If he had told her in her previous life that their connection began so early, there wouldn’t have been those misunderstandings and torment.
“Tell the woman I love that I cross-dressed and nearly got sold to a brothel?” Yu Jin’s lips tightened, his face a picture of despair.
If Ah Si hadn’t discovered this painting in the study today, leaving him no way to avoid it, he would have taken this secret to his grave.
Jiang Si thought for a moment and understood Yu Jin’s actions.
With Yu Qi’s personality, he would indeed keep such an embarrassing incident secret.
However, with one being too proud and the other too stubborn, it had ended in tragedy in her previous life.
Jiang Si suddenly wondered what had happened to Yu Qi after her tragic death in her previous life.
No matter. She couldn’t let the events of her past life affect the present. That would be truly foolish.
As for why the painting in her previous life had a red mole while the current one didn’t, Jiang Si decided not to ask.
In her previous life, she had discovered this painting nearly three years later than now. A tiny mole that could easily be added with a touch of cinnabar ink – too many people could have tampered with it. Questioning Yu Qi about it now would only put him in a difficult position.
Seeing that she still held the painting, Yu Jin looked somewhat embarrassed, “Before I left for the Southern Frontier, I secretly went to see you, during your eldest sister’s wedding. The initial days in the Southern Frontier were hard to endure, and I missed you even more. Later, by chance, I met the Wumiao Holy Maiden Ah Sang, and suddenly thought of painting you. That way, I could see you all the time…”
As he spoke, his expression grew increasingly tender.
By then, he hadn’t seen Ah Si for over two years. In his imagination, his little girl would look like that in her early teens.
“So you’re saying you painted me based on Holy Maiden Ah Sang’s appearance?” Jiang Si asked.
Yu Jin firmly denied it, “Of course not. Although you might look very similar to others, you’re vastly different in my eyes.”
He pointed at the young girl in the painting, “Your eye corners are longer than hers, your nose bridge is higher, your lips are thinner… The most obvious difference is that she has a mole here, which you don’t…”
Jiang Si smiled, “Your observation is quite detailed.”
Yu Jin looked pleased, taking her hand and placing it on his chest, “Of course, I have a good memory. I saw you twice, and it’s imprinted here.”
“I meant your observation of the Holy Maiden is quite detailed.”
Yu Jin began to cough violently.
He had walked right into that one. Life wasn’t easy.
Jiang Si felt utterly content. She suddenly leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Yu Jin was stunned for a moment, then quickly pinned Jiang Si beneath him.
“Your Highness, I have something to report!” An urgent knocking sound came from outside the door.
Yu Jin and Jiang Si exchanged glances, smiling helplessly. “This Chancellor, always meddling in others’ affairs!”
The couple walked out of the living quarters and opened the study door.
The Chancellor, having regained his composure, stood outside the door. His sharp eyes flashed with a keen light as he scrutinized Yu Jin up and down.
As for the Princess Consort, it wouldn’t be proper to look at her like that. He would ask his good friend, Madam Ji, to keep an eye on her.
After his inspection, the Chancellor let out a small sigh of relief.
No daytime debauchery. There was still hope for this rotten wood of a Prince!
Yu Jin’s face was darker than a thundercloud, “What does the Chancellor have to report?”
If it weren’t for the fact that this old fellow was getting on in years and still managed the affairs of the household quite diligently, he would have had him thrown out long ago.
The Chancellor’s old face turned serious, “It’s about matters outside, Your Highness. I need to report to you privately.”
Jiang Si suppressed a smile and nodded slightly to Yu Jin, “Your Highness, I’ll take the erotic paintings back to the main courtyard first. I heard from Madam Ji that such items can ward off evil.”
Even after Jiang Si had gracefully left, the Chancellor remained in a daze.
How could Madam Ji do such a thing?
Seeing this, Yu Jin sighed.
Ah Si was bullying the honest one again. Out of sympathy for their shared plight, he decided to keep the old Chancellor around.
“Chancellor, please come in,” Yu Jin turned and entered the study.
As she made her way to Yuhe Courtyard, Jiang Si felt her mood was as bright as a spring day. Even the noisy cicada calls sounded pleasant to her ears.
Back in Yuhe Courtyard, she leaned against the screen and unfolded the painting again, her state of mind completely different now.
This was her at twelve or thirteen years old.
When he painted this, he must have been only fifteen or sixteen himself.
If she had known that there was always such a young man thinking of her, accompanying her, and coincidentally growing into the man she admired, perhaps she wouldn’t have hidden such deep insecurity within her pride.
“Princess Consort, Madam Ji requests an audience,” Ah Qiao’s announcement interrupted Jiang Si’s reflections.
Jiang Si handed the painting to Ah Man to put away and gestured for Ah Qiao to let the visitor in.
Soon, a neatly dressed woman with a long face entered, followed by two young girls.
Jiang Si’s gaze moved past Madam Ji’s long face, briefly resting on the two young girls before withdrawing.
“Paying respects to the Princess Consort.”
“No need for formalities, Madam. What brings you here at this hour?”
By custom, she should only start managing the Prince’s household affairs three days after the wedding, when she returned to her maiden home.
Madam Ji stepped aside slightly, revealing the two young girls.
“We should have waited until three days later to trouble the Princess Consort, but these two young ladies are instructress palace maids bestowed by the Emperor to His Highness. I need to consult with the Princess Consort on how to arrange for them in the future.”