The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 63

Jiang Jingchun lifted her gaze to see who it was. Only then did she notice that Gu Huaisheng had stepped in from outside.

He took the bowl of porridge from her hands, pulled her up from the bedside, and calmly said, “I’ll do it.”

He’d do it?

The three others in the room froze in place. Before they could react, Gu Huaisheng had already picked up the spoon and scooped up a spoonful of porridge for Song Xuan’an.

Song Xuan’an stared at the spoon Gu Huaisheng held out towards him. He was caught between eating it and not eating it.

Who asked him to feed him…?

Song Xuan’an knew what Gu Huaisheng was thinking. Gu Huaisheng simply didn’t want Jiang Jingchun to feed him.

However, there wasn’t much Song Xuan’an could say. If he insisted on having Jiang Jingchun feed him, it would just give Gu Huaisheng more leverage to make snide remarks. 

He was left with no choice but to open his mouth and let Gu Huaisheng feed him.

The problem was that Gu Huaisheng clearly wasn’t experienced in feeding anyone. What was more, the person he was feeding was Song Xuan’an. His movements were inevitably a bit rough. The hot porridge scalded Song Xuan’an’s tongue and caused him to wince, then tug at his injuries. 

Jiang Jingchun, who was watching from the side, couldn’t bear it anymore. She snatched the bowl back and said, “Stop it—I’ll do it.”

She was genuinely worried that Gu Huaisheng might kill Song Xuan’an by feeding him.

If Gu Huaisheng kept at this, even a healthy person might become sick, let alone Song Xuan’an, who was already badly injured.

Gu Huaisheng didn’t protest when she grabbed the bowl away. He was squeezed to the side and could only watch as Jiang Jingchun resumed feeding Song Xuan’an.

The atmosphere grew awkward. No one spoke for a while until Gu Huaisheng broke the silence. “You’ve never fed me like this.”

Jiang Jingchun shot him a baffled glance. “Well, you’ve never been beaten up this badly.”

She was just feeding someone porridge. What was the big deal, exactly?

If Gu Huaisheng ever got injured this badly, she’d feed him, too.

She took her time feeding Song Xuan’an and showed him particular care due to the severity of his injuries. 

Gu Huaisheng didn’t speak again after making that earlier comment.

He just looked at Song Xuan’an with a decidedly unfriendly expression.

For his part, Song Xuan’an wasn’t feeling great either, especially with the memory of last night still fresh in his mind. As Jiang Jingchun fed him, he deliberately feigned being burned and furrowed his eyebrows in exaggerated pain.

“Is it too hot?” Jiang Jingchun asked worriedly.

Song Xuan’an nodded. Jiang Jingchun frowned slightly and made sure to cool the next spoonful more thoroughly.

Gu Huaisheng was getting a headache as he watched from the side. Why hadn’t he realised before that Song Xuan’an was so good at acting?

He was so skilled at it.

The porridge must be practically lukewarm—cold, even, at this point. What could possibly be burning him?

Yet Jiang Jingchun was still fussing over him.

Gu Huaisheng’s frown deepened as he repeatedly tried to interject but swallowed his words every time. 

Song Xuan’an was injured, so Gu Huaisheng couldn’t say anything now.

Anything Gu Huaisheng said would only make Jiang Jingchun feel sorry for Song Xuan’an.

So, he sat on a chair nearby with a frown on his face as Jiang Jingchun fed Song Xuan’an a bowl of porridge.

When Jiang Jingchun put down the bowl, Gu Huaisheng asked him about Song Xuanjing.

He asked Song Xuan’an why Song Xuanjing had suddenly hit him.

Song Xuan’an said, “Oh, he barged into my camp with a group of people yesterday. I got mad, we argued, and then we started fighting.”

He didn’t make any mention of Jiang Jingchun’s role in the matter. After all, she didn’t remember anything, and bringing it up would only complicate things.

Still, Gu Huaisheng easily read between the lines. 

He didn’t expect that this matter had something to do with Song Xuanjing.

Then, Song Xuanjing was tied to Wang Shun and Jiang Jinghui?

What exactly were these people planning?

These people were acting like a group of lunatics. Why…?

Gu Huaisheng was beginning to lose track of it all.

As he was deep in thought, he didn’t notice Song Xuan’an asking Jiang Jingchun to wipe his mouth. It wasn’t until Jiang Jingchun pulled out a handkerchief and moved to touch Song Xuan’an’s face that Gu Huaisheng snapped out of his daze.

He immediately said, “Stop!”

Why was Song Xuan’an so annoying? He always took advantage of every situation, didn’t he?

Jiang Jingchun was startled by his sudden outburst and froze mid-action.

Gu Huaisheng grabbed her hand, pulled it back, and pulled out his own handkerchief instead. His face darkened as he roughly dabbed at Song Xuan’an’s mouth. 

With some anger that he’d been holding back, he said, “There, done. The porridge is finished, and his mouth is wiped—can we leave now? You haven’t even had lunch yourself.”

Jiang Jingchun had only come to check on Song Xuan’an’s injuries, and now that she’d done so—and fed him—there was no reason for her to stay any longer. 

She stood, bid farewell to Song Xuan’an and Chen Muqing, and left with Gu Huaisheng.

On the way back, Gu Huaisheng couldn’t help but ask, “You’re still unwell yourself. Why did you have to go out?”

The nerve of him to bring that up!

Jiang Jingchun braved the cold wind, rolled up her sleeves, and demanded, “Why did you pinch me?”

When she got up that morning, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual. It wasn’t until she changed clothes that she saw marks in a few places—her chest, in particular, was covered in red marks that hadn’t faded even by morning.

He’d dared to bring the matter up, and it gave her the perfect excuse to confront him.

Jiang Jingchun’s skin was especially delicate, so even a little force could leave a mark. Last night, Gu Huaisheng had been overly rough, and even though he’d tried to be restrained, he still ended up leaving some visible traces.

Her forearm bore faint marks that stood out starkly against her pale skin.

Gu Huaisheng glanced at the marks, coughed lightly, and felt apologetic. “It wasn’t intentional…”

Wasn’t intentional?

Jiang Jingchun asked him, “You’re speaking as if the one who was drugged yesterday wasn’t me, but you.”

And he unintentionally did it that many times? How could it have been unintentional?

She had begged him to stop, over and over, but he had pressed her down relentlessly and made her this way!

He must’ve done it on purpose.

Gu Huaisheng wanted to say something, but just then, he noticed the crown prince’s figure nearby. Without another word, he quickly rolled her sleeve back down to cover the exposed pale skin of her arm.

Jiang Jingchun was baffled by his action. She wanted to say something, but before she could, the crown prince’s voice came from the side.

“I’ve never expected the young marquis to have such… tastes.”

The crown prince had clearly seen Jiang Jingchun’s arm earlier. He could tell, from just one glance, how those marks came to be.

Moreover, he’d seen how obsessed Gu Huaisheng was with Jiang Jingchun. He must’ve been the one who left those marks on her.

Gu Huaisheng usually didn’t seem like that kind of person, but apparently, he turned out to be so vigorous in bed? 

Gu Huaisheng could hear the undertone in the crown prince’s words and realised immediately that the crown prince had seen Jiang Jingchun’s arm earlier. His expression darkened. He had no desire to continue this conversation.

After the two of them gave proper greetings to the crown prince, Gu Huaisheng intended to grab Jiang Jingchun and leave quickly.

However, they had barely taken a few steps when the crown prince called out, “Why the rush? I have something to discuss with you.”

Gu Huaisheng couldn’t imagine what the crown prince would want to discuss with him, but the crown prince was the heir to the throne, after all, so he couldn’t possibly just ignore his words. Ultimately, Gu Huaisheng stopped in his tracks.

He told Jiang Jingchun to wait there and turned back to approach the crown prince.

“What is it?”

“You’re still investigating the case of Teacher’s treason all those years ago?” 

For once, the crown prince refrained from using his usual mocking tone. He used a serious expression and voice as he spoke of Shen Changqing, which was uncharacteristic of him.

When Gu Huaisheng heard his question, he went silent for a moment. He wondered what the crown prince meant by asking him this.

Shen Changqing was the imperial tutor for the crown prince. Gu Huaisheng had become Shen Changqing’s student when he was ten years old. The crown prince started even younger—when he was eight years old. By the time Gu Huaisheng turned eighteen, his relationship with Shen Changqing had fractured, but the crown prince had maintained a good relationship with Shen Changqing until his death.

Gu Huaisheng admitted honestly that the crown prince must have a teacher-student relationship with Shen Changqing that he couldn’t compare to.

When Gu Huaisheng was younger—when he was still immature and searching for his own path, Gu Huaisheng sometimes wondered this: did Shen Changqing dislike him so much because he had the crown prince, who was such an obedient and well-behaved student? He had often wanted to tell Shen Changqing that the crown prince actually wasn’t well-behaved at all. He only pretended to be that way in front of him.

But later, Gu Huaisheng came to understand that there was no point in competing with the crown prince for Shen Changqing’s favour. Anyhow, his falling-out with Shen Changqing wasn’t because of anyone else. It was simply because they walked different paths.

Yes, different paths.

There was no remedy for that.

It had nothing to do with anyone else.

So, he came to terms with the way things had ended between them.

Still, he couldn’t accept the injustice that Shen Changqing suffered in the end.

Someone like Shen Changqing did not deserve such a fate.

The crown prince asked if Gu Huaisheng was still searching for the truth of the past, though he must have already known the answer before he asked.

He knew Gu Huaisheng would never let their teacher bear such a disgrace. He would never allow him to carry such a damning reputation forever.

Gu Huaisheng had always been more capable than him. Just as everyone said.

So, perhaps Gu Huaisheng could do what he, the crown prince, couldn’t do.

The crown prince didn’t wait to gauge Gu Huaisheng’s reaction. He continued speaking on his own. He asked, “Have you heard of disguise techniques?”

“What?”

Gu Huaisheng was confused. Why bring this up all of a sudden?

Disguise techniques.

He had indeed heard of them.

There was a well-known case in the current dynasty involving a notorious s3x criminal skilled in disguise. The criminal could convincingly pose as a woman and fool everyone. This ability allowed him to commit numerous assaults without being discovered.

Though such techniques were difficult to master, they were by no means lost to time.

The crown prince’s words provided Gu Huaisheng with a realisation. Could it be that the person whom he had been searching for all this time, but to no avail, had managed to escape for so long due to disguise techniques?

That person could have changed his appearance, and that could be why they’d failed to find him.

That person had revealed his real face on the night of Gu Huaisheng’s wedding, then vanished without a trace. Could it have been because they had disguised themselves?

Yes, that had to be it. That must be the explanation.

Yes, that must be why, no matter how hard they looked, it was as if that person had vanished into thin air without even leaving so much as a shadow behind.

The crown prince saw Gu Huaisheng’s contemplative expression and knew that he’d figured it out.

In this case, the crown prince had nothing more to say to him, so he turned around to leave. However, before he could take a step, Gu Huaisheng’s voice stopped him.

“Why do you know this?”

The crown prince turned back to face him, and to Gu Huaisheng’s surprise, he let out a soft laugh.

He said, “Because he was my teacher too.”

How could he stand by and let him die so unjustly and leave the real reason unclear?

Shen Changqing was the imperial tutor whom the emperor had appointed for him.

It had not been easy for Emperor Taihe to secure Shen Changqing for the role. Initially, Wang Shun had wanted to take on the position himself.

How Emperor Taihe managed to make Shen Changqing his tutor was something the crown prince still didn’t know.

The truth was that his imperial father had very little authority. He couldn’t make decisions on personnel, finances, or even his own marriage. He married the empress because she was someone Wang Shun and the empress dowager approved of.

The emperor didn’t like the empress, and it was only natural that he didn’t like him—the crown prince, the empress’ son, either.

In all his years growing up, the crown prince couldn’t remember any time that the emperor had smiled at him. Since the emperor disliked him, so did his imperial mother—the empress. 

The empress always scolded him for being useless.

Why did the emperor favour the children of his concubines but not the crown prince? She thought that it was because the crown prince was inadequate—that it was the crown prince’s fault that the emperor didn’t like them.

All these years, no one had treated the crown prince particularly well.

Except for his imperial tutor.

Even after so many years, he still remembers the first time he met Shen Changqing as a child, as well as the three sentences Shen Changqing spoke to him during their first encounter.

The crown prince was only eight years old when he first met Shen Changqing.

Shen Changqing’s first sentence to him was to ask for his name.

How could Shen Changqing not know the name of the crown prince?

But he answered anyway. He said, “My name is Zhao Jinhe.”

Shen Changqing crouched down before Zhao Jinhe and said, “Your Highness is the crown prince. You should address yourself as ‘Gu.’”

This was the second sentence that Shen Changqing said to him.

Zhao Jinhe froze for a moment.

He said that he was the crown prince and should address himself as Gu.

But no one had ever treated him as the crown prince.

Everyone disliked him. They bullied him and insulted him, so much so that Zhao Jinhe himself didn’t feel like he was the crown prince.

Zhao Jinhe asked him, “Do you mean Gu, as in orphan?”

He often felt as if he had no father, no mother, no friends, no family…

No one loved him.

He wasn’t the crown prince. He was a little ghost haunting the depths of the palace. He drifted between the vermillion walls but was trapped in this vast yet stifling place. The wall surrounding him closed in around him from all directions and suffocated him.

He said he was an orphan. If the emperor heard this, he’d probably get his backside beaten to shreds.

Hearing this, Shen Changqing froze for a moment as well.

Then, he did something incredibly improper. In his first meeting with the crown prince, he reached out and patted the crown prince’s head. This almost soothing gesture made Zhao Jinhe’s bl00d freeze, and he didn’t dare to move.

Shen Changqing half-knelt on the ground, looked up at him with a serious expression, and said, “Your Highness, no, Gu does not mean orphan. It means… the solitary one who stands above all but one.”

The solitary one who stands above all but one.

That was Shen Changqing’s third sentence to him.

Shen Changqing saw Zhao Jinhe’s bewildered gaze and said no more.

Instead, Shen Changqing stood up and took his hand.

Shen Changqing—his teacher, held his hand as they walked through the long palace corridor. Before that day, Zhao Jinhe had always walked this path alone. The corridor was cold, and its vermillion hue was as vivid as bl00d. Every time Zhao Jinhe walked here, he would feel a chill go down his spine. 

But from that point on, his teacher would accompany him as he walked through this corridor. Many seasons of his life passed, but every single one was warmed by sunlight, and he would no longer feel or do as he once did—shivering, hugging his arms, trying in vain to keep warm like a mantis futilely resisting a cartwheel… It was so cold. Still so cold.

Zhao Jinhe didn’t like Gu Huaisheng.

Why did his teacher have to take on another student?

And why was that student even more talented than him?

His imperial mother often said that Shen Changqing favoured Gu Huaisheng more because he was clever and more likeable…

Zhao Jinhe actually agreed with his mother. Gu Huaisheng was indeed better than him.

And so, he disliked him even more.

He was always afraid Gu Huaisheng would steal his teacher away.

But they later had a falling out.

That day, Shen Changqing harshly scolded Gu Huaisheng. Zhao Jinhe thought that Shen Changqing must have been extremely angry and deeply disliked Gu Huaisheng. However, when he went to find Shen Changqing, he found him sitting alone in his room with a sorrowful look.

It seemed as though he was even crying.

Zhao Jinhe didn’t understand. Why?

If he was so sad, then why did he choose to part ways in the first place?

He asked his teacher why he was crying.

Later, Shen Changqing told him he never expected his past words to become shackles for Gu Huaisheng.

At first, he had been angry, but after the anger subsided, he realised they had long since diverged in their paths.

That day, Zhao Jinhe told Shen Changqing that he still had him.

He would never, ever abandon his teacher. 

He seemed to have fallen into the same predicament as his imperial father. 

Back then, Wang Shun had held the young Emperor Taihe’s hand, just as Shen Changqing held his hand and supported him now. Only at that moment did Zhao Jinhe understand his father’s situation—why he had trusted Wang Shun so completely at the beginning.

He couldn’t live without his teacher, just as the young Emperor Taihe couldn’t live without Wang Shun.

This was a cycle, an inescapable pattern…

Perhaps it was a curse that’d befallen the imperial family. They were always bound by the hands of their officials.

No. This was different. 

His imperial father might abandon Wang Shun, but he would never abandon his teacher.

He would never betray his teacher, and his teacher would never betray him.

Never.

Later, Shen Changqing proposed a new reform—the New Policies. Zhao Jinhe made up his mind that when he became emperor, he would carry forward his teacher’s reforms.

He asked his teacher to wait for him, to wait until he grew a little older.

But in the end, his teacher couldn’t wait for him.

Shen Changqing was condemned to death by beheading…

For the first time in his life, Zhao Jinhe went to plead with Emperor Taihe. He knelt before him and sobbed bitterly. Never before had he begged for anything. But this time, he abandoned all pretence and wept like a child. He only hoped that the emperor would show mercy.

However, Emperor Taihe did not heed his plea.

He said that the evidence was irrefutable and he must die.

And so, his teacher died.

That day, Zhao Jinhe couldn’t even bear to watch.

He was not like Gu Huaisheng, who had the courage to face it.

So he never got to see Shen Changqing one last time.

Everything else felt like an illusion. Only the pain felt real.

Everything from the past had faded into emptiness, leaving behind only the raw, unrelenting pain of Shen Changqing’s death.

He was determined to restore his teacher’s name.

However, he wasn’t as intelligent as Gu Huaisheng, and even now, he hadn’t been able to uncover the truth of what really happened back then. His investigation regarding Shen Changqing’s subordinates hit a dead end.

He also couldn’t locate the person he needed to find.

Later, by chance, he heard about disguise techniques.

Disguise…

His meaning in explaining this to Gu Huaisheng now couldn’t be more obvious.

The crown prince didn’t have the ability to solve this himself, but it didn’t matter to him who among them succeeded.

Anyhow, they had the same goal, which was to clear Shen Changqing’s name.

Zhao Jinhe stopped after saying that much. He turned and walked away.

Gu Huaisheng understood what Zhao Jinhe meant. He had been wondering whether Zhao Jinhe’s sudden appearance in the emperor’s tent yesterday was accidental or deliberate. Now, it seemed the answer was clear.

He had come specifically to help him escape trouble.

The wind grew colder as winter approached. It now carried a biting chill as it spread across the land. The rustling of leaves filled the air so loudly it was almost deafening. Zhao Jinhe’s figure slowly disappeared from Gu Huaisheng’s sight.

Gu Huaisheng withdrew his gaze from the direction Zhao Jinhe had left and went to find Jiang Jingchun. She was still waiting for him, though she seemed a bit impatient. When she saw him approaching, her eyebrows were already slightly furrowed.

Before she could say anything, Gu Huaisheng reached out and took her hand.

The late autumn wind was cold, and her hands had grown icy from waiting.

Gu Huaisheng’s hands were also cold. Jiang Jingchun displeasedly tried to pull hers away.

She said, “Your hand is so cold.”

She withdrew her hand.

Gu Huaisheng rubbed his hands together to warm them and then stubbornly reached for hers again. Jiang Jingchun, who couldn’t argue with him, gave in out of exasperation. Anyhow, his hands were warm now, and holding them didn’t feel so bad.

His palms were broad and enveloped Jiang Jingchun’s entire hand completely.

Jiang Jingchun didn’t know what Gu Huaisheng and the crown prince had just been discussing, nor why Gu Huaisheng’s expression now carried an inexplicable sense of relief.

As they walked back towards their tent, Jiang Jingchun couldn’t resist asking, “What were you two talking about just now?”

What were they talking about? It was nothing but a bunch of old memories from long ago. Seeing Jiang Jingchun’s curiosity, Gu Huaisheng decided to explain.

He said, “I’ve never really gotten along with him. When we were kids, he used to enjoy bullying me. I never quite understood why until today.”

Jiang Jingchun grew even more curious at his words. The crown prince did seem to have a sharp tongue, but why would he dislike Gu Huaisheng?

She asked, “Why?”

Gu Huaisheng lowered his gaze and replied softly, “Because he couldn’t afford to lose our teacher more than I could.”

Zhao Jinhe had no one but Shen Changqing.

He grew up in the cold, hostile environment of the imperial palace, and had endured far more malice than Gu Huaisheng ever had. Shen Changqing’s presence in his life had been like salvation.

Salvation… 

A presence so vital it could not be lost.

No matter what differences they had in belief, no matter if they walked separate paths or stood on opposing sides, Zhao Jinhe had always followed his imperial tutor unconditionally. He shared his imperial tutor’s heart and mind, and his loyalty to him was unwavering.

When Shen Changqing died, the crown prince must have been in even greater agony than Gu Huaisheng.

And Zhao Jinhe was indeed more pitiful than Gu Huaisheng. After Shen Changqing’s death, Gu Huaisheng still had the chirping, lively Jiang Jingchun by his side. But Zhao Jinhe had no one.

He had suddenly been thrust back into the isolation of his childhood.

Jiang Jingchun vaguely grasped the meaning behind Gu Huaisheng’s words. It seemed like another heavy topic. She worried that if they continued, Gu Huaisheng might unconsciously tear up again.

As such, she decided to keep her mouth shut.

Yet, she felt Gu Huaisheng’s grip on her hand tighten slightly.

Suddenly, she heard him say, “Thank you, Cousin.”

He thanked her for being willing to like someone as difficult as him without ever growing tired of it.

Otherwise, it would’ve been very hard for him to endure.

It had been so hard…

He could hardly imagine how Zhao Jinhe had managed to get through it all alone.

People always seemed to be a step too late in perceiving their happiness.

Looking back now, he realised just how happy he was back then.

Only when reflecting on those easily overlooked moments did he truly understand how precious they were.

At the time, he had taken it all for granted.

Things would seem trivial when one already had it. Only after losing it would it seem precious again.

But he had been so slow to realise—slow to the point of being infuriating.

Jiang Jingchun was baffled by his sudden sentimentality but chose not to press further.

The warm and tender afternoon sunlight bathed the two of them. Even the scenery seemed to take on a softer hue because of it. Jiang Jingchun kept her head down and quietly allowed Gu Huaisheng to keep holding her hand. His palm grew increasingly warm, so warm that she found herself reluctant to let go.

After everything that had transpired before, Gu Huaisheng didn’t dare leave Jiang Jingchun’s side for the remaining days of the autumn hunt. He feared something else might happen. Besides, he couldn’t quite figure out what Wang Shun and his people were plotting. Wang Shun was a man without children or family—so he had nothing to lose. If he decided to act recklessly, there was no telling what chaos he might cause.

Fortunately, the following days passed without incident, and the autumn hunt wrapped up after a little less than a week. The group then set off to return to the capital.

Once they were back in the capital, Gu Huaisheng began investigating two matters.

The first was related to Shen Changqing’s subordinates. They now had a new lead involving disguise. Perhaps this new angle would reveal something previously overlooked.

The second matter… concerned Jiang Jingchun’s biological father.

Qiongzhang?

Gu Huaisheng first ordered people to investigate whether anyone in the capital’s prominent families bore this name. Yet, no trace of such a person could be found.

The old madame had probably conducted a similar search long ago but also came up empty-handed.

Then, could Qiongzhang be an alias?

It was puzzling.

If Qiongzhang had resided in the capital, then surely he could find him. Perhaps he was not from the capital? But that didn’t seem likely either.

Anyone who had lived in the capital would have left behind some evidence of their presence.

Gu Huaisheng decided to shift his approach. Since he couldn’t find Qiongzhang, he turned to investigating Cen Yin’s past to see if he could uncover any clues from there.

After returning to the capital, Gu Huaisheng also resumed his official duties. The days passed steadily, and before long, it was late in the eleventh month. The cold wind grew piercing and seeped into every crevice of people’s bones.

Gu Huaisheng noticed that Jiang Jingchun had been acting a bit odd lately.

She seemed to always be away from home…

Before the autumn hunt, she had often stayed home to learn things from Madame Gu, and once her lessons were done, she rarely felt the inclination to go anywhere else. But recently, Gu Huaisheng observed that after finishing her studies, she would frequently head out.

Jiang Jingchun was probably afraid of being questioned, so she always returned home before he finished his duties. Seeing this, Gu Huaisheng refrained from asking her about it.

One day, Gu Huaisheng deliberately returned home early.

When he arrived at the Cangzhuo Courtyard, the sky was still bright. As expected, Jiang Jingchun was nowhere to be seen.

Gu Huaisheng pressed his lips together and asked the maids where Jiang Jingchun had been going these past few days.

The maids exchanged nervous glances. Jiang Jingchun had indeed been going out more frequently recently, but she always left with Huayun and never mentioned where she was headed. How could they possibly know?

In the end, since Gu Huaisheng had asked, they simply confessed the truth. “We really don’t know. She hasn’t told us.”

Hearing this, Gu Huaisheng asked no further questions. He sat in the outer sitting room and waited for Jiang Jingchun to return.

The weather was frigid, but a pot of hot tea had already been prepared for him on the table. Gu Huaisheng sipped it idly. The mist from the hill censer softened his cold, sharp features.

It wasn’t until dusk, when the sky began to darken, that there was finally some commotion in the courtyard.

Gu Huaisheng set down his tea and looked towards the yard.

Winter had arrived, and the nights had grown longer. As the daylight faded, the sunset receded and left behind dim twilight. The room was faintly illuminated as Jiang Jingchun came bouncing in from outside. She was wrapped in thick winter clothing; its layers, which she had bundled herself in, tightly protected her from the cold.

Despite her heavy attire, she didn’t appear awkwardly bulky. Under the shadows of the sparse flowers, her figure seemed nimble and light.

She looked delighted. Even after entering the courtyard, her face was still adorned with a bright smile. Whatever had happened, it had clearly made her very happy. She didn’t notice that Gu Huaisheng had already returned and was seated inside.

It wasn’t until she entered the sitting room that she heard a cool voice.

“You’re back?”

The sudden sound startled Jiang Jingchun.

When she realised it was Gu Huaisheng, who had returned early from work, she was taken aback.

Why was he home so early today? He normally wouldn’t be back at this hour.

Jiang Jingchun suddenly felt a slight pang of guilt upon seeing him. She quickly composed herself and nodded while replying, “Yes… I’m back. Why are you home so early today?”

If he hadn’t come home early, he wouldn’t have caught her so happy from whatever she’d been up to. Clearly, she didn’t want him to know about it.

Gu Huaisheng couldn’t shake the faint sense of unease growing in his chest.

He asked her, “Where have you been these days?”

Jiang Jingchun’s smile faded. She shook her head and looked at him as she said, “Nowhere special. I went to check on the shops. Mother has been teaching me how to manage them, so I’ve been stopping by to learn there whenever I have free time.”

She wasn’t lying. She had indeed been going to the shops. Over the past few days, she had been accompanying Madame Gu, who taught her how to run the businesses they owned. So whenever she had the chance, she would head over to learn about it.

But… after leaving the shops, she had also gone to a few other places.

She thought it best not to let Gu Huaisheng know about those.

If he found out, he would surely feel upset again.

Hearing her explanation, Gu Huaisheng couldn’t help but twitch his lips in disbelief.

She was still claiming she was at the shop? Who could possibly be at the shop to make her this cheerful?

She seemed to think he was easy to fool.

But he wasn’t that gullible. She hadn’t succeeded the first time she tried to trick him, in the past, so why was she using the same excuse now?

He wasn’t a fool…

But since Jiang Jingchun had said so, Gu Huaisheng didn’t press further. It wasn’t until she got closer that he caught a faint, almost imperceptible scent on her.

This scent didn’t belong to her—it wasn’t her usual fragrance. He had no idea where she had picked it up.

He had actually been noticing it more frequently lately.

Gu Huaisheng frowned slightly. A flood of thoughts crossed his mind.

He recalled how, during the autumn hunting grounds, Jiang Jingchun had stared intently at the dancing girls who were performing. Back then, he’d worried she might pick up some less-than-respectable tendencies. Could it be that, over these last few days, she’d actually gone to those kinds of places?

She had just returned from outside, and her face was lit up with joy. This only solidified Gu Huaisheng’s suspicions.

She hadn’t been exposed to such things before, but now that she was a bit older, had she really started indulging in those bad habits?

Had she gone out seeking ‘entertainment’ on her own?

Gu Huaisheng’s expression darkened considerably.

Even so, he kept his emotions in check. He thought that perhaps she’d only gone to watch a dancing performance. She didn’t seem the type to venture too far into such things—she wouldn’t have the nerve.

Even so, he kept his emotions in check. Perhaps she’d only gone to watch a dancing performance, he thought. She didn’t seem the type to venture too far into such things—she wouldn’t have the courage to.

He decided not to question her about it for now. Instead, he planned to have someone discreetly follow her next time. That way, he’d know for certain.

Their dinner passed peacefully enough.

Jiang Jingchun hadn’t expected Gu Huaisheng to refrain from questioning her in the end. She let out a sigh of relief in her heart—if he had asked, she wouldn’t have known how to explain herself. She couldn’t possibly lash out at him like she used to.

After all, he was still helping her search for her father. She didn’t want to upset him.

So, Jiang Jingchun pushed the matter aside.

Later that night, after washing up, she climbed into bed early, curled up under the covers, and lay on her stomach reading a storybook. Just as she finally got warm and comfortable on the bed, Gu Huaisheng emerged from the washroom.

He lifted the quilt and brought a gust of chill. He also carried the cold air on his body as he lay right next to her.

Because of the cold weather, Jiang Jingchun remained bundled under the blanket and even pulled it over her head. She turned her head to glance at Gu Huaisheng and grumbled in dissatisfaction. “Every time I finally get the bed warm, you climb into bed and freeze me again.”

Wasn’t he taking advantage of her? He was just making her warm the bed before he got in.

Whenever she got it nice and toasty, he’d come in and steal the warmth.

Gu Huaisheng asked, “Isn’t there a bed warmer under the blankets?”

Wasn’t the bed already warm when she got in?

Why did she tell such little lies?

But Gu Huaisheng didn’t argue with her. Instead, he chuckled lightly and said, “Then, should I get into bed first next time?”

That wouldn’t work, either. He was always busy, and who knew how late she’d have to wait if he went first?

She didn’t respond to him further. Instead, she set her book aside and prepared to sleep. She turned over and then pulled the blanket up to cover her face. She left only her eyes exposed as she blinked at him. She thought he was about to lie down to rest as well, but instead, he reached out and grabbed the storybook she had been reading earlier.

Jiang Jingchun was startled by his sudden action. She lunged forward, trying to snatch the book back, but it was too late.

With his long arms, Gu Huaisheng easily kept the book out of her reach. His other hand pressed firmly against her waist to prevent her from moving.

He glanced at the book’s cover, where the words ‘Ocean of Sin’ were boldly printed.

Jiang Jingchun grew flustered. She didn’t want him to see it. She panicked and struggled against him in an attempt to retrieve the book, but it was already too late.

Gu Huaisheng asked, “Since when did you start reading opera scripts?”

Seeing that he had already noticed, Jiang Jingchun gave up resisting.

She made up an excuse and said, “It’s nothing. Aren’t storybooks and opera scripts the same? I just read them to pass time.”

“If it’s just something you read to pass time, why did you want to hide it so much?”

If it were truly casual reading, she wouldn’t have reacted so strongly. What had she been up to these days?

Had she been sneaking off to do something she wasn’t supposed to behind his back?

Jiang Jingchun remained trapped in his embrace. She wanted to escape, but his large hand stayed firmly on her waist and held her in place.

She couldn’t help but think back to that night—how his hand had also pinned her waist and kept her completely immobile. Remembering that night made her cheeks flush red.

She didn’t want to stay in his arms any longer, so she angrily yelled his name.

“Gu Huaisheng!”

He looked at her face—now so close to his. Her eyes were wide with fury, and she seemed utterly exasperated. Her body was pressed tightly against his… and made him have a shameful reaction.

This reaction made it impossible for him to let her go.

Jiang Jingchun clearly noticed his change as well.

She glanced down, and sure enough…

She really wanted to strangle him.

Why had he become so sensitive ever since that night?

With him like this, how could she ever dare to sleep in the same bed with him again?

Gu Huaisheng’s gaze, which was full of predatory intent, dragged her mind back to that night once more.

Jiang Jingchun glared at him with growing annoyance. “Can’t you stop being so lecherous!?”

Gu Huaisheng pulled her closer and countered shamelessly, “You were the one who pounced on me first…”

“That’s only because you took my book first!”

“It’s just a book. Why are you so secretive about it?” Gu Huaisheng said.

And so, their conversation circled back to where it started.

Jiang Jingchun turned her head away and said, “Anyway, I’m not doing it with you anymore. You made me so miserable last time. You only care about your own pleasure.”

In truth, she did enjoy herself that night, perhaps because of the drug she had been given. However, the aftermath was unbearable—she was in pain for a couple of days after that night. Because of this, she was determined never to agree to it again.

Besides, her monthly cycle had been late for several days this month. After consulting an old female servant, she learned that a delayed period might indicate pregnancy…

Jiang Jingchun almost fainted from shock upon hearing that.

The idea of a child growing in her belly was something she couldn’t even begin to imagine.

Thankfully, it turned out her period was only a few days late. When it finally came, she felt as though she had narrowly escaped death and breathed a long sigh of relief.

Gu Huaisheng, of course, had no idea what was going through her mind. He had casually set aside the Ocean of Sin book. Jiang Jingchun, who was practically sprawled on top of him, struggled to get up. However, the more she struggled, the more friction there was, and the worse his discomfort became.

A vein throbbed visibly on Gu Huaisheng’s forehead, and his throat felt dry. In a hoarse voice, he said, “But I’m in so much pain, Cousin… it really hurts…”

His breath brushed against Jiang Jingchun’s ear and tickled her.

His tone carried a hint of pleading, and she felt as though he were murmuring directly into her ear. His breathing was shallow—coaxing her, luring her in.

“Help me, please…” he said. “I promise to be gentler this time. You said I was just mediocre before, but I’ve learned how to make it better for you.”

The last time they had been intimate, Jiang Jingchun had dismissed his performance as ‘mediocre.’

It had been a blow to his pride.

Gu Huaisheng took her words to heart. He realised his inexperience had likely left her dissatisfied, which explained her reluctance to continue. Since she thought he was mediocre, he learned to be better.

He had instructed Shuliang to find an ancient text for him—one that detailed the art of intimacy in the bedroom.

Gu Huaisheng had studied it for an entire hour.

In the past, he might have thought such things were obscene and distasteful. But now, he saw no harm in it. If he lacked skill, what was wrong with seeking guidance?

His frustration grew unbearable. His breathing became more laboured, and he whispered, “I’ll be gentle… I promise…”

Jiang Jingchun heard his heavy breathing graze her ear, and it made her feel itchy all over. She clamped a hand over his mouth and nearly cursed him. She said, “Stop breathing like that!”

Why was he still trying to seduce her?

Gu Huaisheng received another scolding. Her hand covered his mouth and left only his eyes visible. Those eyes were usually cold and indifferent, but now they burned with an almost scalding intensity.

When she stretched out her hand, the first thing that his senses perceived was her delicate fragrance. As her soft, supple fingers covered his mouth, they felt like another temptation.

The next second, Jiang Jingchun felt a sudden wetness on her palm.

“Ah—”

She let out a soft cry and quickly withdrew her hand.

She looked at her now damp palm and angrily snapped, “Why did you lick me!?”

Why was Gu Huaisheng so perverse? Why was he always doing things that baffled her?

The lick left her palm tingling. The strange sensation spread through her body like an electric current and left her feeling itchy and restless.

Jiang Jingchun looked into Gu Huaisheng’s eyes and felt certain of one thing.

He was seducing her.

However, the look in his eyes still filled her with fear and wariness.

Though she lay on top of him, he felt as though he had her pinned beneath him.