TGPSAC – Chapter 91

The first time is unfamiliar, but the second time is a charm. Chi Wan was already familiar with the process of attending the bedchamber. The only thing she wasn’t quite used to was having to lean over Yu Jiuzhou’s neck at the very end, bite down deeply, and release her pheromones to achieve the effect of a mark.

She had also discovered something quite interesting: Yu Jiuzhou was a novice, but her theoretical knowledge was very solid.

It was like driving a car. Yu Jiuzhou was rich in theory, but actually getting on the road was another matter entirely.

She figured Yu Jiuzhou must have been studying in secret. Given Her Highness the Grand Princess’s personality, she would never have hired someone to teach her, which meant she could only have learned from books.

Chi Wan had wanted to read such books herself, but unfortunately, she had no resources.

Seeking resources in ancient times was even harder than in modern times.

After all, even if ancient people were unrestrained in private, they were absolutely proper on the surface. When the topic of “lust” was raised, it was usually to warn others that a blade hangs over the character for lust.

That evening, after washing up, Chi Wan sidled up to Yu Jiuzhou.

At that moment, Yu Jiuzhou was leaning against a daybed, reading memorials. Ever since becoming regent, the woman spent her entire day at the palace—discussing matters with the Grand Secretariat in the morning, reviewing memorials in the afternoon, and returning to the residence just before dinner. After washing up, she would continue reading memorials.

From dawn till dusk, the memorials were simply endless.

Chi Wan picked up a memorial from the side and glanced at it. She couldn’t tell what it was about, but she commented, “Your Highness, some of these greeting memorials aren’t really necessary to read.”

Yu Jiuzhou set down her memorial and lightly patted the thick stack beside her with a fair, delicate hand. “Chun Gui and the others have already taken the greeting memorials away.”

“Ah? There are still this many?”

Chi Wan began to read the contents of the memorial in her hand seriously. “The great households of Huai’an in Yanbei have formed groups to resist the reforms.”

She sat up straight. “Your Highness, they’ve resorted to violence in Yanbei?”

“In more than one place. Aside from Wucheng and Longcheng, conflicts of varying degrees have broken out everywhere else.”

Forming groups to resist the reforms—wasn’t that a military rebellion? And it was happening in various places.

Chi Wan looked at the stack of memorials. “Don’t tell me all of these are about the reforms in Yanbei?”

“Mm… about thirty percent, I’d say.”

This many was only thirty percent of the matters concerning Yanbei, so how many were there in total? And how many provinces were there in the Great Zhou? Thirteen. And this was a daily occurrence? No wonder there was an endless stream of memorials to read every day.

Chi Wan flipped through a few more before finally giving up. “Your Highness, you work too hard.”

Yu Jiuzhou was amused by her listless tone. “In this position, one must perform its duties.”

“Does Your Highness not wish to establish a secretariat?”

“What do you mean?”

What Chi Wan was describing was similar to a CEO’s office, mainly to delegate work. “It’s not easy being a diligent ruler. The key is knowing how to use people. I know His Majesty won’t allow Your Highness to form your own official team, but you could establish a private one in the Princess’s Residence. Just get a few more people like Chun Gui. Your Highness could assign them tasks, deciding which memorials they can handle themselves and which must be processed by you.”

Yu Jiuzhou raised an eyebrow. “That may be so, but for a ruler, these memorials are not the most difficult part.”

The reforms in Yanbei were a good thing, but resolving the issue of land annexation and returning the land to the common people was a difficult task. The original plan had been well-thought-out, but in reality, even with a great deal of unclaimed land, there wasn’t enough to distribute.

The number of commoners was greater than the amount of land.

Many of the great households had temporarily distributed their land among their own clansmen. The clan system allowed them to protect one another. Sometimes, all it took was persuading the clan elder or bribing a prestigious member of the family, and they would join forces with the local gentry and magnates to oppress the common folk within their clan.

To push the Yanbei reforms forward, the first step was to eliminate those gentry and local magnates.

If these people were not eliminated, the reforms could not proceed.

Chi Wan knew this, so she put the memorial back. “Your Highness, then we must kill our way down this path of reform.”

There were many people who did not fear death, but the self-interested gentry and magnates were certainly not among them.

Yu Jiuzhou tilted her head back, revealing her fair neck, the pheromones from her body steadily wafting outwards.

Chi Wan stared at her red lips, her pupils tinged with a faint red. She wanted to lean in and smell them, especially when those lips were speaking.

“You’re right. Some people must be killed.”

Yu Jiuzhou abruptly rose from the daybed and suddenly hooked Chi Wan’s chin. “And what if someone wants to take what is mine?”

“Your Highness is the Regent Grand Princess. Who would dare take Your Highness’s things? Surely not His Majesty?”

Chi Wan was very curious. Who was unafraid enough of death to dare take something from Her Highness? The Emperor? Or Prince Bao’an? They were both people who would contend with Her Highness for things.

Yu Jiuzhou pinched her chin. “Tell me, what should be done?”

“Hmm…”

Chi Wan tilted her head up, allowing Yu Jiuzhou to get a better grip on her chin. “Whoever dares to lay a hand on Your Highness’s things, just chop it off.”

Sometimes, there was no need for excessive mercy. If the other party dared to reach out and take things, what else wouldn’t they dare to do?

Looking at her resolute eyes, Yu Jiuzhou suddenly smiled. “What if the person they want is you?”

“Me?”

Chi Wan was puzzled. She was a living person. Was she someone who would just go along if one person wanted her and another was willing to give her away?

“Yes, you.”

Yu Jiuzhou confirmed it, then continued, “If someone wanted you, and offered an irresistible benefit in exchange.”

“Truly irresistible?”

“Truly irresistible.”

Was this a real situation, or a hypothetical one?

Chi Wan studied Yu Jiuzhou’s expression. It was the same face as always, showing no emotional fluctuation, so she couldn’t read anything from it.

It was probably just a hypothetical. Thinking this, she said, “Would Your Highness let me go?”

If it was a hypothetical, it was much easier to answer. It all depended on whether Yu Jiuzhou would let her go.

Yu Jiuzhou lowered her gaze, releasing her chin. She then went to wash her hands. “You wash your hands too. The memorials are dirty.”

“Alright.”

Chi Wan walked over with a smile, and the two washed their hands together.

Clearly, the previous topic was not yet over.

Yu Jiuzhou extended her slender, jade-like hands to her, gesturing for Chi Wan to help dry the water from them.

With a single glance, Chi Wan understood Yu Jiuzhou’s meaning and promptly helped dry her hands.

But as she did so, inexplicable images kept appearing in her mind.

Especially when Chi Wan was drying her hands, Yu Jiuzhou looked away unnaturally. After their consummation, she could no longer look directly at Chi Wan’s hands.

It wasn’t that Chi Wan’s hands weren’t beautiful. On the contrary, her hands had well-defined joints, long and fair, as lovely as suet jade.

But whenever she saw them, she couldn’t help but think about why her own back was sore.

After her hands were dry, Yu Jiuzhou finally answered Chi Wan’s question. “What, if I don’t let you go, you won’t leave?”

Chi Wan shook her head. The motion made Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes turn cold as she struggled to control her emotions.

Just as she was about to lose her composure and ask, Chi Wan’s voice rang out. “I don’t think Your Highness’s question is valid. I am an independent individual. Whether I stay or go should be my own decision, not one determined by benefits. If someone came to Your Highness and said they would support you with all their might if you just gave me away, what would it matter even if Your Highness agreed? I just have to disagree.”

“Who I follow is a matter of my own free will, not because of benefits, nor because someone handed me over to another. Just as I follow Your Highness, it is of my own free will. Otherwise, I would not have consummated our marriage.”

Hearing the first part of her speech, Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes flickered. She was actually dissatisfied with that answer. But as she heard the latter part, her pupils slowly widened, unable to hide her delight.

She was shocked by Chi Wan’s resolve, but the affection in her eyes was even more obvious.

Yu Jiuzhou’s gaze gradually softened into a pool of tenderness. “Fuma is saying you consummated our marriage willingly?”

Hearing Yu Jiuzhou single out the key point of her words, Chi Wan pursed her lips shyly. “Since Your Highness asked me that question, let me ask you: under what circumstances would Your Highness hand me over?”

She was very curious why Yu Jiuzhou had suddenly asked this question.

Yu Jiuzhou turned her head away unnaturally, hiding the tenderness in her eyes and feigning a relaxed tone. “Nothing can tempt me.”

But this wasn’t the answer Chi Wan wanted to hear. She pressed on, “What if there is?”

“I will not.”

As if pushed to her limit, Yu Jiuzhou’s defenses crumbled and she bit out the words through gritted teeth. This woman, she just had to make her admit how important she was.

She was very important. Whether for her talent or for soothing the Rain and Dew Period, she needed Chi Wan. And she only needed Chi Wan.

Chi Wan smiled with satisfaction, her doe-like eyes roaming over Yu Jiuzhou’s form. In truth, she was feeling quite smug.

Yu Jiuzhou was like the bright, cold moon—proud and elegant. It was rare for her to reveal her thoughts, or more accurately, it was rare for her to say such things.

Although it wasn’t the least bit tender, it was so very pleasing to the heart.

Chi Wan slowly placed a hand over her heart, feeling its abnormal rhythm. “Since Your Highness cares for this subject so much, could you let this subject have a look at the secret manual?”

The moment she felt smug, she started asking some rather unreliable questions.

The “secret manual” she wanted was not something that could be properly brought out for study, yet one couldn’t say exactly what was improper about it. When a young lady from a proper family married, her family would prepare a booklet. Similarly, when the imperial family took wives or concubines, or when a princess chose a Fuma, there would be an instructional booklet for the wedding night.

Chi Wan was too embarrassed to say that she had investigated where to get these booklets. But since she had inquired secretly and hadn’t sent her subordinates to procure one, she hadn’t been able to obtain it.

And her skin was too thin; she couldn’t bring herself to buy a booklet personally, so she was stuck in this limbo of having only inquired secretly.

Yu Jiuzhou’s rich theoretical knowledge was proof that the palace’s instructional booklets truly existed, so she was quite eager to see one.

Chi Wan had gotten a bit carried away. How could Yu Jiuzhou possibly admit to having read such a booklet?

She watched as Yu Jiuzhou’s expression shifted from disbelief to shame and then to anger, all in a very short span of time.

“Chi Wan!!!”

Yu Jiuzhou shouted her full name in fury.

Chi Wan immediately sobered up. Her eyes shining like a puppy’s, she grabbed Yu Jiuzhou’s sleeve and shook it a few times. “Sister~ Don’t be angry.”

It was the first time she had called her “Sister” today. While Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes showed shock, one could also see a tiny hint of happiness.

Acting spoiled worked on Yu Jiuzhou. Normally she called her “Your Highness,” so changing the form of address today would surely have a better effect.

As expected, Yu Jiuzhou shot her a helpless, exasperated look. “Insolent!”

“Then this subject applies to be even more insolent.”

At this moment, Chi Wan could no longer feel the strange atmosphere between them. In fact, the strange atmosphere stemmed from overthinking. As long as the two of them were together, they couldn’t think about superfluous things.

To them, what came next was the most important thing.

No wonder so many people said long-distance relationships were hard to maintain. Was it a lack of love? Of course not. It was the overthinking that came from not being able to see each other. Nothing was more important than meeting in person.

But… they could see each other during the day. It was only at night that they couldn’t. If she had to say, was it that people were just prone to overthinking late at night?

That was probably the reason. At night, she felt that Yu Jiuzhou might have some good feelings for her, but not many. But as soon as they met, she would start to think that their current situation was actually quite good, and it would be even better if they could slowly cultivate feelings.

No, to be precise, love. They already had feelings for each other—perhaps affection, a little bit of liking—but whether it had reached the level of love, Chi Wan couldn’t be sure.

Ah, people were just so conflicted and hesitant. At their core, they were afraid of being hurt, worried that if they gave their hearts away, they would be met not with gentle care, but with a sharp blade.

Such things were not uncommon in this world; there were many examples around them.

Empress Xu had once wholeheartedly acted for Emperor Shengyuan’s good, only to be mistaken for wanting to control power and seen as meddlesome.

And then there was Prince Bao’an. Dong Zhilan had done so much for him in their past life, but in this new life, he only saw her as an obstacle.

One example after another made not just them, but many rational people, unable to give their true hearts.

They were intelligent enough, with clear goals. It was precisely because they were so clear-headed and saw many things so clearly that they were even more worried about entrusting their hearts to the wrong person, struggling amidst complex emotions.

Just now, Chi Wan’s “of my own free will” and Yu Jiuzhou’s expressed resolve had set both their hearts ablaze.

The atmosphere suddenly heated up. They inexplicably wanted to be closer to each other.

Yu Jiuzhou fought to suppress the desire rising within her and turned to walk into the inner chamber.

Chi Wan had never been so quick-witted in such matters. She followed closely behind and even shut the door behind her.

In the compact inner chamber, she could smell that enchanting fragrance even more clearly.

The alluring scent lingered at the tip of her nose. The woman’s indistinct Adam’s apple moved slightly. Though her Adam’s apple wasn’t visible, it was clear she was swallowing.

Yu Jiuzhou shyly turned her head away and sat on the bed without a word, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over Chi Wan’s hands.

She had heard that Chi Wan wasn’t particularly diligent about her facial skincare—a simple application of toner and lotion was all—but she valued this pair of hands greatly, employing various and rather troublesome methods to maintain them.

If Yu Jiuzhou knew about the profession of a hand model, she would probably think Chi Wan was perfectly suited for the job and would even need to get her hands insured.

Chi Wan followed Yu Jiuzhou’s gaze down to her own hands, then smiled shyly. “Your Highness, may this subject be insolent?”

She asked deliberately, determined to get an answer.

She knew Yu Jiuzhou’s personality and that she would never answer such a question, but she insisted on being mischievous.

Yu Jiuzhou smoothed her sleeves. “Be quiet!”

“Why? Did this subject say something wrong?” Chi Wan wore an innocent expression.

She sometimes referred to herself as “I” and sometimes as “this subject.” One could tell that when she said “I,” she was being serious, but when she said “this subject,” she was clearly teasing Her Highness the Grand Princess.

The wicked creature was truly awful.

Yu Jiuzhou was at a loss for words. Could she, the dignified Grand Princess, actually extend an invitation herself?

Although she was the one who had summoned her to the bedchamber, so what? She would absolutely never say it.

The next second, Yu Jiuzhou stood up, blew out the candle, and said stiffly, “Get up here.”

Hehe.

Chi Wan smiled with satisfaction. Her Highness was soft after all, as long as the lights were out.

She quickly walked to the bedside and nimbly climbed up, only to have her ear grabbed in an instant.

“Bastard,” Her Highness the Grand Princess cursed in shame and anger.

That’s right. After the lights were out, Her Highness could be soft, but she could also get physical.

Chi Wan flipped over, pinning Yu Jiuzhou beneath her. “Your Highness, it’s not right to pull people’s ears.”

“I am the Grand Princess. It would be right even if I beheaded you.”

“Would Your Highness have the heart?”

Yu Jiuzhou suddenly gripped the bedsheet, stifling the sound that was about to escape her lips. “Don’t.”

“Your Highness pinched me. This subject is merely giving you a taste of your own medicine.”

“But I pinched your ear.”

“Isn’t that still pinching?”

In the darkness, their voices echoed—one angry, the other delighted.

Chi Wan had discovered the joy of teasing the tsundere Grand Princess. Sure enough, once the lights were out, they both loosened up considerably.

“Your Highness.”

“Mm?”

Chi Wan asked curiously, “Your Highness, why do you only summon this subject to attend the bedchamber during your Rain and Dew Period?”

It could be done at other times, so why only at that specific time?

In the dimness, Yu Jiuzhou hugged Chi Wan’s neck tightly and bit her on the shoulder. “You’re not allowed to ask.”

Her Highness the Grand Princess was like a puppy, always biting her, or like a cat, showing its claws.

Chi Wan didn’t feel she was being bad at all. She was just experimenting and learning, putting into practice everything she could think of. She was clearly maintaining an attitude of diligent study.

However, she still really wanted to know why Her Highness only had her attend the bedchamber during the Rain and Dew Period. Was she being used as a tool?

Yu Jiuzhou naturally had her reasons. Summoning the Fuma to the bedchamber during the Rain and Dew Period was perfectly natural and justified. Doing so at other times would make her seem too lustful, which was quite embarrassing.

There was another point. The Emperor believed their consummation was for the sake of an imperial grandchild. While that was true, sometimes Yu Jiuzhou felt that the consummation itself was more important than producing an heir, but she always had to mislead the Emperor a little.

So, it was mainly out of shyness that she didn’t summon Chi Wan often.

Once a month was indeed too little.

Suddenly, the room lit up. Chi Wan had used her internal energy to relight the candle. She had intended to continue her questioning, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the Grand Princess’s exquisite collarbones and the faint curve of her chest.

The crimson flush of desire was so mesmerizing one couldn’t look away.

The beauty was unaware of her own beauty, completely oblivious to how alluring she was.

Yu Jiuzhou was simply startled. Why had the candle suddenly been lit? She pulled the blanket over herself in distress, accidentally brushing against Chi Wan’s leg.

And Chi Wan’s leg was propped between hers.

“Chi Wan!!!”

Chi Wan looked at Yu Jiuzhou’s lazy, entranced eyes, which cleared a little before she angrily shouted her name.

A siren.

With skin of jade and snow, her slightly damp hair scattered carelessly, she was as soul-stealing as a siren.

Chi Wan tried to steady her mind, found she couldn’t, and leaned over to cover her. “Your Highness, answer me.”

Her heart was moved, and she wanted to know if the person who moved her felt the same.

If she was only summoned when needed, then she was a tool. If not, she wanted an answer.

People are always greedy. Before the consummation, she had thought it was enough that she was Yu Jiuzhou’s only choice. After, she wanted more.

But Yu Jiuzhou turned her face away, looking as if she would ignore her.

Chi Wan would not accept that. She smoothly gathered the warm, fragrant, jade-like body into her arms, her lips slowly approaching Yu Jiuzhou’s ear. “Your Highness, if you do not answer, have you ever met a libertine?”

A libertine was a scoundrel, nothing like her own graceful style, which was romantic but not vulgar.

But Chi Wan deliberately placed her leg between Yu Jiuzhou’s, forcing them into a more intimate face-to-face embrace. She could not refuse to answer.

Yu Jiuzhou had no choice but to say, “A ruler must abstain from lust.”

“Ha!” Chi Wan let out a laugh, but it was only a single sound, which sounded like a scoff.

This annoyed Yu Jiuzhou. “Why are you laughing at me?”

“How could this subject be laughing at Your Highness? It’s just that Your Highness is so proper and by-the-book… have you considered that this subject might be heartbroken?”

“Why would you be heartbroken?”

Yu Jiuzhou didn’t quite understand. Everyone in this world had to follow the rules. Those who defied convention did not live long and were never well-regarded.

A smile played on Chi Wan’s lips. “Of course I’m heartbroken. Your Highness uses someone once and then casts them aside. It has thoroughly broken this subject’s heart.”

Yu Jiuzhou: “…”

“I have not.”

She said it weakly, not at all like the lofty Grand Princess she usually was.

Chi Wan’s smile grew wider, but she buried her face in Yu Jiuzhou’s neck so the other couldn’t see her expression and fly into a rage from embarrassment.

“Then what does Your Highness mean? Why can’t you tell this subject?”

Yu Jiuzhou clutched the bedsheet tightly. “I am not casting you aside.”

“Then?” Chi Wan pressed relentlessly.

After a long moment, Yu Jiuzhou truly grew flustered. She suddenly twisted her hips. “The night is short. Does the Fuma intend to chat with me all night?”

Although she hadn’t received a clear answer, Chi Wan now understood the reason.

She gently turned to her side, brushing the strands of hair from Yu Jiuzhou’s ear. Her fingertips inadvertently caressed her lips, and the warm touch sent a slight tremor through both their hearts. Even the air in the room seemed to grow hotter.

Her kiss slowly fell upon Yu Jiuzhou’s neck. Feeling the person in her arms tremble lightly, she finally couldn’t hold back and used more intense methods. Hearing the soft, delicate sounds that spilled from the lips beside her ear, the fire in her heart burned even hotter.

“Your Highness, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring.”

Chi Wan whispered, provoking Yu Jiuzhou to raise a hand, but she was no longer given the chance.

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Spring arrived, and the garden of the Grand Princess’s Residence bloomed with many vibrant flowers. Some new and precious varieties were also moved into the residence.

It was said that the Fuma was fond of flowers, so even more were displayed in the residence this year.

The Fuma loved to walk through the flowerbeds, admiring the voluptuous red roses, the elegant and fresh white roses, and the noble and graceful pink roses. Some were passionate and unrestrained, some pure and flawless, and others gentle and demure. Each one exuded a captivating charm that was impossible to resist.

Every rose used its layers of petals to carefully protect its pistil. The enchanting fragrance of the roses permeated the air, leaving one utterly intoxicated.

The Fuma loved flowers, yet also loved to pick them.

The Fuma often walked among the flowers. The blossoms were knee-high, and with every step, her knees would brush against them. The swaying roses would shake their branches and leaves in protest, like the petulant pout of a young maiden.

Chi Wan would select the most beautiful flower in the thicket, pick it, caress it, and press a kiss upon it.

The image of a beauty kissing a flower ought to be frozen in time. Chi Wan was a beauty, and the flower was a beautiful flower.

The morning blossoms were dotted with a bit of dew. When she kissed the flower, the dew would inadvertently touch the tip of her nose.

But Chi Wan was already used to it. Besides, the flower’s dew was sweet, and she liked it very much.

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