With the Emperor’s personal words, Cheng Yujin stayed behind the closed door at the Ciqing Palace and never went out. When Lian Qiao came in to deliver refreshments for Cheng Yujin, she couldn’t help sighing upon seeing her mistress sitting in front of the window, busy with a brush again.
Lian Qiao put the plate of pastries on the table and said softly, “Crown Princess, you’ve been doing that all day. Please take a break.”
Cheng Yujin didn’t even lift her head. She just nodded, and it seemed that she didn’t really listen. Lian Qiao sighed again and said, “When will the Crown Prince be back? It is because the Crown Prince is not here that those people dare to be so arrogant. If His Highness is in the palace, why does Crown Princess have to stay in Ciqing Palace all day and not move an inch?”
Cheng Yujin put down her brush and said, “Isn’t it good now? There is peace and tranquility. I wear fine clothes, eat delicious food, and live a carefree life. I can do whatever I want and don’t need to spend my energy dealing with troublesome people. When I was young, this was the kind of life that I yearned for the most.”
Lian Qiao, of course, understood this. Moreover, for a pregnant woman like Cheng Yujin, this kind of relaxed life was naturally the best. However, she still couldn’t help but feel a bit wronged on Cheng Yujin’s behalf: “But Crown Princess. You have not even gone out of the palace gate for several days. You are alone in the palace, and you don’t even have people to accompany you to chat. Your life is too hard.”
Cheng Yujin couldn’t help but chuckle. She then raised her head and glanced at Lian Qiao: “Are you not a person?”
Lian Qiao pouted: “Crown Princess, you know that this servant doesn’t mean that.”
Cheng Yujin just smiled and returned her attention to the copybook she was doing. After a moment of silence, she said again, “I’m fine. I don’t feel bored anyway.”
Lian Qiao still pouted and murmured in a low voice, “If only His Highness could return sooner.”
Immediately after the words fell, Lian Qiao realized that she had overstepped. As a mere servant, it was taboo for her to comment about the masters. Lian Qiao secretly observed Cheng Yujin’s expression and saw that her mistress didn’t seem to intend to reprimand her. The Crown Princess’ expression was calm, as if she hadn’t heard her servant girl’s inappropriate remark.
Lian Qiao understood. Sure enough, even if the Crown Princess liked the quietness, doing everything alone and staying in quietness with someone by her side were two different matters. The Crown Princess was the person who looked forward the most to the Crown Prince’s return.
Lian Qiao put down the plate and quietly exited. After the study returned to its initial silence, Cheng Yujin looked at the dense rows of brushwork in front of her and sighed softly.
Li Chengjing’s dispatch order was issued in the seventh month, and he departed just a few days later. It was now the end of the eighth month. Cheng Yujin didn’t know the situation in the disaster area now and how the flood and plague had been handled so far.
With the Emperor’s personal words, Cheng Yujin stayed behind the closed door at the Ciqing Palace and never went out. When Lian Qiao came in to deliver refreshments for Cheng Yujin, she couldn’t help sighing upon seeing her mistress sitting in front of the window, busy with a brush again.
Lian Qiao put the plate of pastries on the table and said softly, “Crown Princess, you’ve been doing that all day. Please take a break.”
Cheng Yujin didn’t even lift her head. She just nodded, and it seemed that she didn’t really listen. Lian Qiao sighed again and said, “When will the Crown Prince be back? It is because the Crown Prince is not here that those people dare to be so arrogant. If His Highness is in the palace, why does Crown Princess have to stay in Ciqing Palace all day and not move an inch?”
Cheng Yujin put down her brush and said, “Isn’t it good now? There is peace and tranquility. I wear fine clothes, eat delicious food, and live a carefree life. I can do whatever I want and don’t need to spend my energy dealing with troublesome people. When I was young, this was the kind of life that I yearned for the most.”
Lian Qiao, of course, understood this. Moreover, for a pregnant woman like Cheng Yujin, this kind of relaxed life was naturally the best. However, she still couldn’t help but feel a bit wronged on Cheng Yujin’s behalf: “But Crown Princess. You have not even gone out of the palace gate for several days. You are alone in the palace, and you don’t even have people to accompany you to chat. Your life is too hard.”
Cheng Yujin couldn’t help but chuckle. She then raised her head and glanced at Lian Qiao: “Are you not a person?”
Lian Qiao pouted: “Crown Princess, you know that this servant doesn’t mean that.”
Cheng Yujin just smiled and returned her attention to the copybook she was doing. After a moment of silence, she said again, “I’m fine. I don’t feel bored anyway.”
Lian Qiao still pouted and murmured in a low voice, “If only His Highness could return sooner.”
Immediately after the words fell, Lian Qiao realized that she had overstepped. As a mere servant, it was taboo for her to comment about the masters. Lian Qiao secretly observed Cheng Yujin’s expression and saw that her mistress didn’t seem to intend to reprimand her. The Crown Princess’ expression was calm, as if she hadn’t heard her servant girl’s inappropriate remark.
Lian Qiao understood. Sure enough, even if the Crown Princess liked the quietness, doing everything alone and staying in quietness with someone by her side were two different matters. The Crown Princess was the person who looked forward the most to the Crown Prince’s return.
Lian Qiao put down the plate and quietly exited. After the study returned to its initial silence, Cheng Yujin looked at the dense rows of brushwork in front of her and sighed softly.
Li Chengjing’s dispatch order was issued in the seventh month, and he departed just a few days later. It was now the end of the eighth month. Cheng Yujin didn’t know the situation in the disaster area now and how the flood and plague had been handled so far.
