Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 130

Yan Qinglan had always slept very well, but as soon as she was by Wen Zhuojin’s side, she would fall into a deep and peaceful sleep.

After a good night’s rest, Wen Zhuojin didn’t disturb her, and Yan Qinglan slept until the next morning at around 7 a.m.

When Yan Qinglan woke up, she felt a warm hand resting on her waist, gently covering it and even giving it a slight squeeze.

Yan Qinglan felt a bit ticklish and shivered slightly, opening her eyes to see Wen Zhuojin.

“Sister, you’re awake already.” Wen Zhuojin said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Yan Qinglan.

Yan Qinglan half-closed her eyes and leaned closer to Wen Zhuojin, snuggling up to her.

“Why are you touching me…” Yan Qinglan said lazily, pressing Wen Zhuojin’s hand back onto her waist.

“I wanted to see if you needed to change clothes, or if you were hungry, or if I should wake you… If not, you can sleep a little longer…” Wen Zhuojin’s hand rested on Yan Qinglan’s soft skin, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke.

Her original intention had indeed been just that—knowing Yan Qinglan’s habits, she could tell with a touch. But now, with Yan Qinglan pulling her close, things had already taken a different turn.

“Little rascal, why is my nightgown untied? What did you do while I was sleeping…” Yan Qinglan whispered close to Wen Zhuojin.

The nickname “Little rascal.” which she used to call Wen Zhuojin in private, occasionally slipped out now, carrying a hint of affection.

Especially at this moment, with Yan Qinglan still half-asleep, her voice carried a soft, teasing tone that made Wen Zhuojin feel an inexplicable sense of temptation.

Last night, when Yan Qinglan had fallen asleep, Wen Zhuojin hadn’t wanted to disturb her, but she had been craving her touch, so she had held back. When she woke up in the morning, she couldn’t help but want to hold the warm, soft body in her arms, to kiss and caress her…

Afraid that Yan Qinglan might not get enough sleep if she woke her, Wen Zhuojin reluctantly got up to wash up, checked the security outside, arranged breakfast, and even went to check on the child. By the time the sun had risen and it was fully daylight, she finally returned.

Now, being teased like this, Wen Zhuojin quickly became entranced.

What they hadn’t had time to do last night, they made up for in the morning.

Perhaps the longing from yesterday had already been mostly relieved, and now their intimacy was exceptionally tender and gentle.

Outside, a layer of mist had settled over the lake, and the painted boat floated in and out of view within the fog.

As the sun rose higher and the mist began to disperse, the thin blanket slipped down, revealing two figures entwined like fish.

“Are you hungry? Your stomach is growling. I’m hungry too, I’m hungry too. Be good, hold on a little longer, we’ll eat soon…” After a while, Wen Zhuojin chuckled softly, not sure if she was talking to Yan Qinglan or to the growling stomach beneath her hands, as if coaxing a child.

Wen Zhuojin had eaten a little something earlier to tide herself over, so she wasn’t too hungry, but Yan Qinglan had gone to bed early last night without having a late-night snack, and now, after the morning’s activities, she was clearly famished.

When the two of them finally quieted down, the sound of Yan Qinglan’s growling stomach was unmistakable.

“Let’s get up.” Yan Qinglan said, torn between laughter and tears at Wen Zhuojin’s tone, pinching her cheek.

If they were in Yunjing City, at this hour, the morning court session would almost be over.

Wen Zhuojin got up first, dressed, and went out to fetch some water. The two of them washed up in the room.

“Sister, did you come all this way just to see me? What else do you need to do? How do you plan to arrange things?” Wen Zhuojin asked as they were finishing up and getting dressed.

“Of course, it wasn’t just to see you. This trip south is also to investigate a corruption case. Additionally, the tax revenue from the salt and iron trade is irregular, so I need your help to audit the accounts and clean them up. This area is far from Yunjing City, and there are many long-standing issues.” Yan Qinglan explained.

“Ugh, I knew it. Official duties come first, and seeing me is just a side benefit…” Wen Zhuojin pouted.

“You’re the one who wants me to put you first and official duties second, right? That’s what I thought.” Yan Qinglan teased, pinching Wen Zhuojin’s cheek.

The two of them laughed and joked for a while before Wen Zhuojin took Yan Qinglan’s hand and led her out to eat.

“Breakfast is ready. It’s a local specialty. I was thinking of buying some to take back, but now you can try it fresh.” Wen Zhuojin said as they stepped outside.

Wen Zhuojin had been staying here for a few days and was familiar with the area, so she had chosen dishes that suited Yan Qinglan’s taste.

Before they reached the dining room, they saw the child.

The child was being carried by an Embroidered Uniform Guard, struggling in their arms. But when the child saw Wen Zhuojin and Yan Qinglan, they immediately calmed down, their eyes fixed on the two of them, reaching out and opening their mouth as if trying to say something, but no sound came out.

It was a pitiful sight.

Like a lost child seeing their parents again.

Wen Zhuojin stood still, watching Yan Qinglan’s reaction.

“Has she eaten?” Yan Qinglan walked over and asked the guard carrying the child.

“Your Majesty, I apologize. She hasn’t eaten yet. She woke up very early this morning and kept trying to go outside. We took her out for a walk, but she kept trying to go to Your Majesty’s room… She wouldn’t listen to anything we said, and she refused to eat or take her medicine…” The guard replied, somewhat embarrassed.

The child could smell Yan Qinglan and knew exactly which room she was in.

“Everyone here is a good person. You don’t need to be afraid. If you keep struggling like this, your wounds will reopen, and it will hurt.” Yan Qinglan said softly.

The child stared at Yan Qinglan, her expression gradually softening.

“Shall we eat together?” Yan Qinglan turned to Wen Zhuojin.

“Of course. I had them prepare a lot of breakfast.” Wen Zhuojin said with a smile.

Yan Qinglan reached out and picked up the child.

The child, now clean, smelled of soap. When Yan Qinglan held her, she became very docile.

Yan Qinglan could clearly feel that this child had a level of trust and dependence on her that surpassed anyone else.

“Before eating, you need to be clean. Have you washed your hands?” Yan Qinglan asked.

“…” The child shook her head and lowered her eyes, showing a hint of emotion.

Yan Qinglan had someone bring a towel to clean the child’s hands.

Wen Zhuojin watched as Yan Qinglan took care of the child, feeling a warmth in her heart.

At this moment, Yan Qinglan was exceptionally gentle, radiating a unique kind of beauty.

At the same time, Wen Zhuojin realized that Yan Qinglan was beginning to develop feelings for this child.

This made Wen Zhuojin both happy and worried. Would this child betray Yan Qinglan’s kindness? What was her true nature?

Wen Zhuojin wanted Yan Qinglan to have more positive emotions to heal her past wounds, but she also didn’t want her to suffer any more pain.

So, she needed to carefully observe this child.

If anything seemed off, she would have to cut ties immediately.

“Sister, this is a famous local dish called Five-Diced Buns. It has diced chicken, shrimp, pork, bamboo shoots, and ginseng. And this is sweet porridge. You’ll definitely like it.” Wen Zhuojin said as they entered the dining room, setting the table for Yan Qinglan with a smile.

When Yan Qinglan was about to start eating, she glanced at the child.

The child looked at the food but didn’t move, her eyes turning to Yan Qinglan as if seeking permission.

“You can eat. Here, this is a bun. For the porridge, use a spoon. Eat slowly, or you’ll burn your mouth…” Yan Qinglan said gently, preparing the meal for the child.

The child nodded at Yan Qinglan and then began to eat.

Yesterday, the child had eaten with her hands, so Yan Qinglan had been worried she would do the same today. She watched for a while, making sure the child was being careful, before finally relaxing.

After the meal, both Yan Qinglan and Wen Zhuojin had work to attend to.

When the child was taken away, she reached out toward Yan Qinglan, so Yan Qinglan had her stay by her side.

The painted boat was only a temporary residence, and in the afternoon, the group went ashore.

Wen Zhuojin had a house in the area, and since Yan Qinglan didn’t want to alert the local officials, they stayed there for the time being.

Over the next few days, Yan Qinglan investigated several local officials, while Wen Zhuojin helped her audit the accounts.

The child remained quiet as long as she could see Yan Qinglan.

Yan Qinglan had someone buy her some toys to play with, so she wasn’t bored.

During these days, Yan Qinglan also had someone look into the child’s background and interrogated the boat owner. It turned out the child was indeed an orphan, but not a street urchin. She had parents, but they had both died.

It was just a coincidence.

The case Yan Qinglan was investigating also involved the child’s family.

The child’s mother’s family were local wealthy merchants, and her father was a local official. Because he refused to engage in corruption, he was conspired against and killed by other local officials.

The child’s mother’s family was also ruined, their property seized. The child became an orphan.

The boat owner had initially planned to raise the child as a dancer, to serve the officials when she was older. But when he discovered her talent for making incense, he imprisoned her and forced her to make incense.

As a normal person, Yan Qinglan felt deep pity for the child’s suffering. As the ruler of the nation, she also felt a sense of guilt and responsibility toward the child.

Because of this, she treated the child even more kindly.

In her spare time, Yan Qinglan would interact with the child, trying to teach her to speak.

Progress was slow, from being able to open her mouth, to making sounds, but she still couldn’t form clear syllables.

Although it was a long and difficult process, even the smallest progress made Yan Qinglan very happy, and she would gently praise and reward the child.

At first, Wen Zhuojin had joked about being jealous, but after a few days, she genuinely started to feel a bit envious.

But seeing Yan Qinglan so happy, the jealousy came and went quickly.

Wen Zhuojin arranged the daily meals, which were almost never the same. Within a few days, both the child and Yan Qinglan’s faces had filled out a bit.

As the investigation drew to a close, the remaining tasks were left to the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the local officials. Wen Zhuojin noticed that the child had grown much more familiar with them, so she brought out the incense for the child to examine.

After some questioning, it was confirmed that the incense had indeed been made by the child, though she wasn’t entirely sure what materials had been used.

She only knew the scents of the materials, not their names.

When asked to describe the specific scents, she couldn’t articulate them.

Wen Zhuojin then purchased a variety of incense materials, teaching the child to recognize each one, remember their names and effects, and identify the ones she had used in her incense-making.

Wen Zhuojin discovered that the child had an exceptional memory.

Even though she couldn’t read, after being told the names of the incense materials just once, she could match the written names to the actual materials.

In the process of learning the materials, she also learned to recognize the characters.

Through this process, Wen Zhuojin witnessed the truth of what the boat owner had said—that the child could recreate a fragrance just by smelling it once.

Wen Zhuojin spent two days helping the child identify all the materials, and together they recreated the incense.

Over the past two years, Wen Zhuojin had taught many people and encountered many so-called prodigies, but this child was by far the most talented. Combined with her incredible memory, she was truly one in a million.

Wen Zhuojin’s earlier desire to take her as a disciple resurfaced.

Now, she wasn’t worried about Yan Qinglan being unhappy. Over the past few days, Yan Qinglan had been exceptionally kind to the child, praising her countless times for her memory.

The child, who had always seemed somewhat blank, would blush when Yan Qinglan praised her, and a shy smile would appear on her face, her expressions becoming much more vivid.

Now, the most important thing was to assess the child’s character and temperament.

Although these traits could be nurtured over time, some might be innate. Wen Zhuojin had never raised a child before and wasn’t entirely sure.

By the time Yan Qinglan’s work in the area was nearly finished, the child’s foot injury had scabbed over, and she could walk a few steps.

Yan Qinglan handed the remaining tasks over to the newly arrived inspector, and she and Wen Zhuojin packed up and prepared to return to Yunjing City.

They had been away for quite some time, and it was time to return to the capital. Sending and receiving memorials every day was becoming cumbersome.

They returned by carriage, a spacious four-horse carriage that Wen Zhuojin had specially prepared.

Along the way, they could enjoy the scenery and perhaps even have a bit of fun.

Since the last time they had played with the waist chain, Wen Zhuojin had been on the lookout for more such tools and had indeed found quite a few.

One of them was a special kind of bell, which was quite intriguing.

Just as Wen Zhuojin was about to open her treasure box of toys, she looked up and saw Yan Qinglan carrying the child into the carriage.

“A Zhuo, she wants to be with us. The carriage is spacious, so let her come in and play for a while. Is that a new toy you have? Can she play with it?” Wen Zhuojin’s hands, holding the treasure box, stiffened slightly, and she quickly hid the box away.