A Quiet Homecoming

It was nearly evening when Xie Qingyan returned from the yamen.

“So you’re saying that every year in the eighth and ninth months, the Canglan River swells, causing frequent floods in Lingdong Commandery.”

Chen Yao nestled in his arms, her slender fingertips toying with the jade pendant at his waist, repeating his words in a slow, lazy tone.

“So this time, the Emperor specifically decreed that the Crown Prince go as an imperial envoy to inspect the situation firsthand, and you, as one of his retainers, will accompany him?”

“Yes.” Xie Qingyan rested his chin gently on his wife’s soft hair, his palm clasping her waist as he said warmly, “This is His Highness’s first time being entrusted with such a task by the Emperor, and he isn’t very familiar with the local conditions in Lingdong Commandery. It may take two to three months.”

“If I’m not at the residence and Mother still—” His voice paused before he continued, “—still insists on her ways, you can stay at my outer residence. It’s better to seek some peace and quiet.”

“That’s only avoiding the trouble for a while.” Chen Yao leaned back lazily against the man’s chest, boneless as she pursed her lips.

She said with displeasure, “Anyway, until she achieves her goal, Mother clearly won’t give up.”

“I promised you that once I return from this assignment, your husband will completely resolve this matter.” Xie Qingyan immediately spoke up.

He feared that if he angered his wife again now, he might end up like last night—kicked out of the room to sleep in the study next door.

“Then I hope you resolve it soon.”

Chen Yao gave a light snort. It was just this small matter, yet Xie Qingyan guarded it as if it were a secret, not even telling her.

She didn’t need to guess to know that he was probably waiting until he truly held power, when the entire Xie household would be under his say, and then Lord Xie and Madam Xie’s pressure would be useless.

But Xie Qingyan was quite confident, thinking he could fully control the Xie family within three months?

Chen Yao felt a bit impatient inside, but since they were husband and wife after all, and he treated her irreproachably in daily life, she’d let it be for now.

“It’s getting late, my lady. Let’s retire.”

Xie Qingyan saw his wife frowning, lost in thought, and, worried she’d stew in her own irritation, couldn’t help but speak softly.

His hand, originally around her waist, slowly moved up as he turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on the jade-white earlobe of the young woman.

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, then he leaned over and parted his lips, gently taking the pale earlobe into his mouth.

Chen Yao’s thoughts were instantly interrupted—the next second, she felt a tingling numbness rise from deep within her body.

The young woman’s fair face flushed a lovely pink. She quickly raised a hand to cover her lips with the back of it, barely stifling the soft moan that almost escaped.

“It’s all right, my lady—your voice sounds lovely when you cry out.”

Xie Qingyan grasped her small hand and pulled it down, then tilted her face toward him, pressing his lips to hers with both force and familiarity.

Her lips and teeth were gently parted, his tongue tracing patterns, and the cool, piney scent of the man enveloped her like a fine net.

The young woman’s chest rose and fell gently, her beautiful almond eyes quickly misting over, glistening with tears.

The temperature in the room began to rise.

Chen Yao’s consciousness grew hazy as she felt the man’s arm pull her body backward, until she surrendered and fell onto the bed.

The long bed curtains were tugged and soon fell shut.

The candlelight in the room flickered, dimly reflecting two intertwined figures nearly merged into one within the bed curtains.

It wasn’t until late into the night that the endless creaking of the bed gradually subsided.

*

Chen Yao’s lips curled in a wry smile.

Sure enough, she’d been right—just three days after Xie Qingyan left, Madam Xie could no longer resist finding fault with her.

They had initially abolished the morning and evening greetings for her, but now, after more than half a year, Madam Xie seemed to suddenly remember that rule and insisted on reinstating it.

Looking at the stern-faced Xia Mammy who had come to deliver the message, Chen Yao waved her hand dismissively. “Mm, I understand.”

Then, once the messenger was gone, she turned to Chuntao and Xia He to pack her belongings.

“I heard my mother recently caught a chill and hasn’t been well, so we’ll return to the mansion to check on her.”

Chen Yao didn’t want to stay in the Xie residence and play mind games with Madam Xie—or even Lord Xie behind her—and she wasn’t familiar with Xie Qingyan’s outer residence, so she might as well go back to her natal home to fulfill her filial duties.

“Miss, the Lady’s cold was from before; she should be fully recovered by now,” Xia He said, only to have Chuntao flick her forehead with a finger. “Miss has her own plans—what’s it to you?”

Before Xia He could figure it out, she was dragged back to continue packing.

*

At the Pingyuan Hou mansion.

Lady Pingyuan reached out and gently stroked her daughter’s temple with some distress. “My Yao has grown thinner—has the Xie family been mistreating you?”

The targeting at the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet was still fresh in her memory. Lady Pingyuan wasn’t blind; she could see the Xie family’s private intentions.

But since Chen Yao was already married, no matter how indignant she felt, she couldn’t meddle in the affairs of the Xie household—otherwise, her daughter’s situation would only become more difficult.

So she could only worry, but not actually do anything.

Chen Yao wasn’t the type to swallow her grievances in silence. Hearing this, she immediately leaned over, threw her arms around the marchioness’s arm, and nodded with a pitiful look on her round face. “Yes, they’re all bullying your daughter.”

Lady Hou immediately frowned. “How have they been tormenting you?”

“They say I can’t conceive, make me drink bitter fertility medicine, drag me to temples to pray for fortune all day, and now Madam Xie wants to reinstate the morning and evening greetings—isn’t that trying to kill me?” Chen Yao counted off on her fingers.

Lady Pingyuan was silent for a moment. “…Anything else?”

“Isn’t that enough?” Chen Yao pouted in displeasure.

Lady Pingyuan sighed and gently stroked her daughter’s hair. “My Yao has been wronged.”

But fortunately, it was all still minor matters, not real torment.

Still, Chen Yao acted spoiled with her mother, using this time while Xie Qingyan was away to stay at the Pingyuan Hou mansion.

She naturally stayed in her own Lanyue Courtyard, which Lady Pingyuan had kept carefully cleaned even after she’d married out.

Jiang Lingxuan seemed to have heard she was back and, thinking she’d been wronged at the Xie residence, also came specially to comfort her.

The friendship that had faded due to Chen Yao knocking her out during the escape attempt, followed by her marriage that kept them out of contact, seemed to warm up again.

“So… you’re telling me that on the night of the palace banquet, you took my advice and didn’t fall into the water—instead, the Crown Prince fell in, and you happened to pass by and saved him.” Chen Yao’s eyes widened slightly.

So the plotline could still curve back around like that? She really hadn’t seen that coming.