Chapter 33: Is His Highness Actually Able or Not?

Xie Yujiao really hadn’t guessed wrong, this whole matter was indeed orchestrated by Xie Yao. To put it simply, she was targeting Song Wenbo.

Because of this, Song Wenbo’s reputation had been damaged. Even though the faction of the Noble Consort had both money and power, the scholars and refined men of the world valued their reputations above all else. None of them would dare, for the sake of one man, to defy public opinion and accept him as a disciple.

“Your Highness, Crown Princess,” Zhuxin whispered, “news just came that Song Wenbo has already taken Second Young Lady back from the Xie family.”

Xie Yao shook her head lightly, disappointment flashing in her eyes. She had gone so far as to bribe one of Madam Song Li’s close servants, stirring her up with a few words, making her really believe she was about to become the princess’s mother-in-law, and so Madam Song Li had triumphantly thrown Xie Yujiao out. But all it took was for Song Wenbo to show his face, and Xie Yujiao was persuaded to return so easily…

Still, it didn’t matter. She never had high expectations for this brainless fool anyway.

“About the man I told you to find last time, see that he’s arranged into Nan Feng Pavilion. No need to rush, what matters is absolute security.”

“Yes,” Zhuxin replied, then turned and left.

While giving these instructions, Xie Yao was lazily leaning against her bed’s headboard, dressed only in an undergarment, her long black hair cascading loosely around her shoulders.

Her monthly time had come.

So she hadn’t stepped outside her chambers, instead curling up in bed to read medical texts.

Over the past days she’d skimmed through many books, her gaze quickly passing through pages, but the only ones she’d paused on, the ones with folded corners, were those about “male impotence.” Yet she was quite certain that Xiao Ji didn’t suffer from such a problem.

She just needed to plan carefully how to proceed next.

These days, although Zhao Ying left early and returned late, Xiao Ji had fallen into the habit of taking dinner in the main courtyard and staying the night to rest.

The last few nights, it was Xie Yao who had invited him. But today, she didn’t. Xiao Ji found it a little strange, but still stayed, almost by reflex.

Xie Yao glanced at him, but didn’t tell him to leave.

That night, as they lay down, she made no effort to create casual physical contact as before. Instead, she was perfectly well-behaved, curling up under her own quilt.

Oddly enough, it was Xiao Ji who now felt something was off. Lying there, he kept glancing at her neat, well-behaved little figure bundled up across from him, and it all felt strangely unreal.

Had his Crown Princess… given up on him?

Was it because of his secret, or was it… because of his ill-fated lonely destiny?

He was not one to overthink, but at this moment he couldn’t stop the thoughts tumbling through his mind. He even forgot to look away, staring at her without pause.

“Your Highness?” Xie Yao turned her head to look at him.

Xiao Ji quickly dropped his gaze, retreating his eyes, and gave a muffled, “Mm.”

Perhaps it was just as well. The Crown Princess liked children, but he couldn’t give her one. One day, he told himself, he would make proper arrangements for her, ensuring she’d live the rest of her life in safety and comfort. That could be his way of compensating her.

“Your Highness?”

He was still lost in thought when suddenly Xie Yao leaned closer. Her moist eyes filled his vision, her long lashes brushing against his as she tilted her face up. Her soft, sweet lips were right there, close enough to touch.

All he needed was to lean forward a little…

His throat worked, but he restrained himself. He didn’t lean in, nor did he retreat. His heart, though, settled solidly back into place.

Yes. This was the Crown Princess he knew.

“Sleep,” Xiao Ji muttered in satisfaction, tugging the quilt between them and flipping it right over her head.

Xie Yao instantly ripped it off, her cheeks pink from the brief suffocation. Rolling her eyes, she pouted coquettishly. “Your Highness, I hurt.”

He sat up immediately, brows knitting. “Did I… hurt you?”

She shook her head, catching his hand.

His hand tightened into a fist, refusing to move closer, afraid of touching anything sensitive. She tugged but couldn’t move him, so she looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Your Highness…”

His fist loosened.

She pulled his hand and placed it gently on her lower belly. “It hurts here.”

Of course, with her special body constitution, her cycle brought no pain at all. This was just her spur-of-the-moment scheme to win sympathy.

Through the thin fabric, Xiao Ji immediately tried to draw his hand back.

But she quickly said, “Your Highness, your hand is so warm, it makes me feel so much better.”

His hand froze in place. To pull back or not to pull back; either way was awkward.

She pushed further, her voice sweet and soft. “Your Highness, could you rub it for me? I heard it helps a lot.”

He lowered his gaze. After a long pause, he gave a quiet, “Mm.”

And he did. His hand moved carefully in gentle circles, steady and tender.

It was so comfortable that Xie Yao didn’t even know when she drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke, Xiao Ji was still there which was rare indeed. His hand still rested on her stomach, while she herself had curled completely into his arms, her cheek pressed to his broad chest.

And it was precisely that closeness that made her quickly notice something wasn’t quite right.

Her first instinct, born of old fear deep in her soul, was to pull away. But then another thought flashed through her mind and she forcibly stilled herself.

This was an opportunity!

She could finally find out… whether His Highness was actually “capable” or not.

The thought alone brought a deep blush to her cheeks. After all, this kind of thing… this was her very first time!

But they were husband and wife. What was there to be afraid of?

For the sake of a child, for the sake of her life…

She coaxed herself silently for a long time before she slowly, carefully began to move her hand under the quilt.

Gulp.

She swallowed hard, her body stiff, breath held without realizing it, only her guilty little hand inching forward at a snail’s pace.

Suddenly, her hand was caught.

“Crown Princess,” Xiao Ji’s voice was hoarse, carrying a dangerous edge, “what are you doing?”

Her palm was already damp with nervous sweat. Startled, she looked up, wide-eyed. “I…I hurt, it hurts…”

His gaze turned deep and dark, the cold, world-weary detachment he’d shown when they first met already half gone. “Don’t move your hand.”

She had no idea that she was like a perfectly ripe peach, temptingly sweet…

He was no saint.

The closeness was too much, the intimate posture unbearable. Losing control, he abruptly stood up, striding quickly toward the door.

Last night he’d rubbed her stomach too late, and so he’d slept too late and woken too late. That was the only reason things had gotten this far…

But his movements were too fast. In that fleeting moment, Xie Yao instinctively called, “Your Highness!” and reached out after him.

And then…

Xiao Ji’s body froze solid.

Because in her haste, she had grabbed hold of the wrong thing.

Clutching at his undergarment trousers, her tug had yanked them right down, given their height difference.

For an instant, the scene turned unbearably awkward.

Xiao Ji paused only a moment before he tried to stride forward again… but he couldn’t.

His trousers were still clenched in her hand.

Finally realizing what she’d done, Xie Yao’s face went crimson. “Your Highness, I…I didn’t mean to…”

But even as she said it, she forgot to let go. Instead, she glanced up…

Xiao Ji didn’t turn, but his voice, cold and furious, ground out between clenched teeth, “Let go!”