Di Daughter's Strategy - Chapter 46

Chapter 46

As they were pulled by Qingya to the East Courtyard, Luo Yi’er wore a fox fur coat and felt a bit hot. She said helplessly: “Princess, slow down.”

They could already see the plum blossom forest. Qingya held her arm, and her elegant face showed a hint of a smile: “Okay, okay.”

When they stepped into the East Courtyard and saw the plum blossom forest, their eyes lit up with surprise. The red plum trees were arranged neatly, and clusters of red flowers dotted the branches.

The cold wind blew gently, causing the flowers to tremble slightly. Qingya smiled: “The plum blossom forest in the Prince of Jing’s mansion lives up to its reputation. It was worth braving the cold to come here.”

Luo Yi’er raised her hand and pushed aside a branch that hung in front of her. She responded gently, “Yes.”

Qingya pulled her inside, and as they walked further, the fragrance of the plum blossoms grew stronger. After a while, Qingya whispered, “It’s a pity that only the two of us get to enjoy this beautiful scenery.”

Luo Yi’er lightly tapped Qingya’s nose with her finger and teased her. “You’re enjoying it all by yourself. Aren’t you secretly happy?”

Qingya pouted and replied, “How is it just me enjoying it?”

Qingya nudged her shoulder and whispered teasingly, “When you enter this Prince’s mansion in the future, who will be enjoying it alone?”

Luo Yi’er’s face turned red, and she frowned slightly, her eyes showing a hint of embarrassment. She lightly slapped Qingya and whispered, “Stop talking nonsense!”

Qingya dodged and laughed loudly as she walked away. “Am I talking nonsense? Don’t you know best, Yi’er?”

Luo Yi’er’s eyes showed a bit of shyness, and she glared at Qingya before turning her head away and ignoring her. She held Pansi’s hand and walked deeper into the plum blossom forest.

Qingya covered her mouth and smiled before catching up to Luo Yi’er. She held her hand and pouted, “Good Yi’er, I’ll stop talking. Don’t be angry.”

“Who’s angry?” Luo Yi’er whispered in response. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and touched her cheek, feeling a slight warmth.

Qingya chuckled and asked the servants, “Is there a place to rest in the plum blossom forest?”

“There’s a pavilion ahead,” they replied.

Qingya said, “Let’s go sit there for a while.”

The servants saw them heading toward the pavilion and bowed before preparing tea and pastries.

When they reached the pavilion, the warmth on Luo Yi’er’s face had dissipated. There were cushions on the stone bench, so they didn’t have to worry about the cold.

After they sat down, the servants silently served them pastries.

The pastries, including osmanthus cake and flaky pastry cake, were all Luo Yi’er’s favorites. Qingya, who shared similar tastes, didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Luo Yi’er’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and her cheeks flushed.

Qingya urged her to try some, and Luo Yi’er’s smile faded slightly due to her helplessness.

Because she was wearing a fox fur coat that made movement inconvenient, Pansi had taken it off for her when they entered the pavilion and handed it to a maid from the Prince of Jing’s mansion to hold. Pansi then poured tea for both of them before stepping aside.

Luo Yi’er picked up a piece of flaky pastry cake and tasted it. Her eyes deepened slightly as she recognized the flavor, which was from Ju Man Lou’s pastry shop.

Her second brother, Luo Qiheng, would often bring some for her when he had time off. She was familiar with the taste.

Before they could relax for long, Qingya complained, “We’re guests, and yet Third Imperial Brother didn’t even bother to greet us personally.”

Luo Yi’er glanced at Qingya sideways and said lightly, “Didn’t someone say that when the Prince is around, we feel extremely uncomfortable?”

Qingya coughed lightly and accused Luo Yi’er: “You’re defending him.”

Luo Yi’er’s beautiful eyes showed a hint of shyness, but before she could respond, she heard a voice behind her: “Defending who?”

Qingya was drinking tea when she suddenly heard his voice and was choked. The maid behind her had already stepped forward to pat her back, but Qingya waved her hand, signaling her to step back. After a moment, Qingya turned to look at the newcomer.

Luo Yi’er looked over too and saw Fang Jinling standing on the steps of the pavilion. She didn’t know when he had arrived or how much of their conversation he had overheard.

Luo Yi’er’s hand, which had been resting casually on the stone table, was withdrawn into her sleeve, and she tightly gripped her handkerchief. She gave Qingya a stern look, warning her not to say anything more. Then, she stood up gracefully, preparing to bow.

Just as she stood up, Fang Jinling frowned slightly and said, “Sit down.”

Luo Yi’er lowered her eyes, her cheeks slightly red as she sat down. Fang Jinling also sat down, taking a seat on her right side, separated from Qingya by a stone bench. Qingya finally reacted and teased with a smile: “Defending who?”

She pouted, her eyes sparkling with amusement, but seemed somewhat dissatisfied: “I only said something about Third Imperial Brother, and Yi’er immediately defended him. I’ve never seen her be so nice to me.”

“Princess!” Luo Yi’er frowned, calling out to her in embarrassment and annoyance.

Because she was being teased, her eyes had a faint redness. She had already added some makeup today, and now she looked even more beautiful. Fang Jinling looked at her, his dark eyes tinged with a hint of amusement.

However, he didn’t join in the teasing with Qingya. Instead, he glanced at Qingya lightly, and Qingya pouted, picking up a piece of pastry to eat.

Apart from Luo Yi’er, Fang Jin Ling didn’t pay much attention to others’ emotions. He noticed that Luo Yi’er had taken off her fox fur coat and asked with a slight frown: “Were you hot?”

Luo Yi’er lowered her eyes and replied softly, “The fox fur coat was a bit inconvenient.”

It seemed like no one else could intrude between them. Qingya felt like she was in the way and said tactfully, “I’ve never been to the Prince of Jing’s mansion before. Brother, could you have someone show me around?”

After she said this, Fang Jinling’s gaze toward her softened slightly. Qingya felt a bit surprised by the attention and saw him instruct someone: “Take good care of her.”

Qingya looked over and saw that it was the head steward of the Prince of Jing’s mansion. She thought to herself that if she hadn’t been tactful, she might not have received such attention even after returning to the mansion.

Fu Shan led Qingya away, leaving only Luo Yi’er and Fang Jinling in the pavilion. Fang Jinling frowned slightly, looking at Luo Yi’er’s thin clothing, and asked softly, “Have you finished touring the plum blossom forest?”

When she nodded, he added, “It’s cold outside. Would you like to take a look at the study?”

Luo Yi’er looked up in surprise, but saw that his expression was calm, as if he didn’t know that the study was a restricted area that outsiders shouldn’t enter.

Her hands unconsciously tightened around her handkerchief. She replied with a trembling voice, “The study is a restricted area. I shouldn’t go there.”

Seeing that she didn’t seem unwilling, Fang Jinling directly pulled her up. Earlier, in the carriage, Luo Yi’er had accidentally spilled tea on his clothes, and he had just changed into a new outfit when he arrived.

He wore a jade crown on his hair, which was simply styled, and his clothes were not the black Luo Yi’er had seen before but a gentle silver-white. At this moment, he had put aside his usual indifference, and his features seemed even more refined and otherworldly.

Luo Yi’er had always known that he was handsome, given that his mother was a famous beauty in the capital, and even decades after her passing, the Emperor still remembered her fondly.

However, he usually wore an indifferent expression, making it hard for others to look closely.

She was caught off guard when he pulled her up, and her footing was unsteady. Instinctively, she grabbed his sleeve. Fang Jinling raised his hand to protect her, and they were suddenly very close. Luo Yi’er’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she felt a bit bewildered.

After she let go of his sleeve, he didn’t release her. She pursed her lips, feeling a bit awkward about where to place her hands.

The winter wind carried a chill that helped cool down the warmth on Luo Yi’er’s cheeks. She tugged at his sleeve, looking around nervously. She noticed that the servants in the pavilion had already retreated, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared at him: “Your Highness!”

Fang Jinling chuckled and gently brushed his fingers over the corner of her eye: “Why do you blush so easily?”

“You’ve always seemed so calm and collected,” he teased further. Luo Yi’er felt embarrassed and annoyed. She pushed away from him, turning her back to him. Her voice carried a hint of irritation: “Your Highness!”

Afraid she might really get angry, he didn’t tease her anymore. Instead, he said, “You don’t need to overthink it. If you want to go in, just go ahead.”

Luo Yi’er wasn’t one for excessive dramatics. She bit her lip and turned around, following closely behind him as they headed to the study. She heard him ask softly, “Is Yun Wu tea acceptable?”

Yun Wu tea was a tribute, limited to just a few packages each year, and it was exceptionally good. Luo Yi’er still felt a bit embarrassed from their earlier exchange. She kept her head down and replied softly, “Yes.”

When they entered the study, one wall was lined with bookshelves that separated the space. Inside, there was an incense burner emitting a gentle fragrance.

The pear wood desk and chairs were carved with patterns of clouds, dragons, and phoenixes, giving the entire study an air of elegance and solemnity.

Fang Jinling walked over to the desk and said, “There’s no soft couch in the study. You can sit on the stool for now.”

Luo Yi’er wore a red dress that stood out prominently in the study. Fang Jinling’s gaze followed her, noticing her cold, red fingertips. He frowned slightly and stepped out of the study to give some instructions before returning.

By the time he came back, Luo Yi’er had already walked over to the bookshelves. His eyebrows arched slightly as he asked, “Do you want to read?”

Luo Yi’er’s eyes showed a hint of hesitation. “I only like reading legendary stories and folk tales.”

Fang Jinling knew that historical texts and official documents could be dull. He wasn’t surprised by her answer.

As he looked up at her, he saw that she had her head slightly lowered, her eyes hidden, and her small hands clenched tightly together.

She was nervous and perhaps a bit shy. She had even forgotten his earlier instruction to sit on the stool and stood there, looking a bit awkward and uneasy.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. He allowed them to enter, and the servants brought in tea. One of them handed him something. Luo Yi’er still had her head down, standing there with a delicate appearance. Fang Jinling walked over to her and placed the object in her hands, his voice low: “Warm your hands.”

Luo Yi’er looked down and saw that she was holding a hot water bottle wrapped in flannel, which was just right for holding without feeling the heat.

However, Fang Jinling hadn’t let go of her hand, and his large palm was pressed against the back of her hand. Luo Yi’er felt like she was being scorched by the warmth of his palm.

She heard him ask softly, “Do you still feel cold?”

His slightly hoarse voice made her heart tremble. She hastily looked up and met his deep, unfathomable eyes.
She was stunned, her lips parted slightly, and she stammered: “N-no, I’m not cold.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a chill on her back. She stared blankly at the man in front of her. He had pinned her against the bookshelf, his large palm pressed against her back, preventing her from hitting the sharp corner of the books.

However, she didn’t have the presence of mind to appreciate his thoughtfulness. All she knew was that her back felt a wave of heat spreading to her limbs, making her feel weak all over.

The man quickly wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from losing her balance. His fingers moved slightly and landed on her forehead, gently stroking her delicate skin before moving down to her tender cheek and finally stopping at her slightly parted lips. He caressed them gently.

Perhaps because he had spent years holding swords and knives in battle, his fingers, though slender, had a rough texture.

When he touched her lips, it sent shivers down her spine. She gripped the hot water bottle tightly, her fingers turning white from the pressure.

As the man leaned in slowly, Luo Yi’er thought in a daze: …What was she doing in the study?
It seemed like she was a lamb in the lion’s den.