Chapter 61: The Return Of Prince Zhan

The autumn hunt was originally scheduled for mid-to-late September, but continuous days of drizzle kept postponing it, finally pushing it back to the period between late September and early October.

Officials of the court accompanied the procession in great numbers, heading grandly to Xili Mountain. Fang Rui also left people to guard the capital Jindu. As for the palace, to Fang Rui, if the Empress Dowager were foolish enough at this time to try to seize control of the entire palace or even the whole capital, he would have a legitimate reason to move against her openly without being blamed.

Although he was somewhat looking forward to it, Fang Rui thought the Empress Dowager probably wasn’t foolish to that extent.

The procession moved grandly toward Xili Mountain, but Fang Rui could not smile. The three consorts from the harem had come along as well. Consort He’s confinement had only been temporarily lifted, and once back at the palace she would still be kept in seclusion.

How could he possibly smile? And it wasn’t just the three consorts from the harem…

“Finally, I can get out for some fresh air. I’ve been back over a month, I’m nearly suffocating,” De’an said, leaning on the carriage window. Aside from Fang Rui, there was no one else in the carriage. De’an had none of the demeanour expected of a princess, instead pressing against the window excitedly watching the scenery by the roadside.

Besides the three consorts of the harem, of course there was also the little trouble of De’an.

Since leaving Jindu, De’an had been as excited as a little mouse released from a cage. She wouldn’t sit in her own carriage, insisted on crowding in with him.

Sighing, Fang Rui moved to the other carriage window. Looking back, Shen Yu’s carriage was at the very rear. He had originally intended for Shen Yu to share a carriage with him, but with this little trouble De’an around, he let it go.

The only consolation was that since returning from Xili, De’an seemed to have accepted his relationship with Shen Yu. Before the last visit to Xili for the review, De’an would run over to the Grand Guardian’s residence every few days and often run into Shen Yu. Now it was much better. At least, aside from the time Shen Yu was ill when she sent gifts to the Grand Guardian’s residence, there had been no other times and no more chance encounters with Shen Yu.

However, after returning from Xili, De’an often locked herself away in the princess’ mansion. Servants said they frequently heard the sound of things being smashed coming from the princess’ chamber.

The royal household had no shortage of things, so she could smash to her heart’s content and never run out. The important thing was she shouldn’t keep thinking about Shen Yu.

After several hours they finally arrived at Xili Mountain. Fang Rui told everyone to tidy up and then set up camp in the designated area.

Lei Shengda had been guarding the Tiger Roar Camp for months and felt stifled. The last time His Majesty had come, he stayed only a few days and hurried off, and hadn’t properly shared a drink with Shen Yu. This time, with half a month ahead, he could have several drinks with Shen Yu.

…However, that was mostly wishful thinking on Lei Shengda’s part.

After setting up camp, Fang Rui ordered everyone to rest for the night and begin the hunt the next morning.

He also had Shen Yu summoned to the royal tent. As soon as Shen Yu arrived, he waved to the palace women and eunuchs inside the tent with a cool expression. “You may all leave.”

No sooner had Shen Yu entered than she heard Fang Rui dismiss the others, and she immediately recalled the teahouse incident. There hadn’t been any real affairs to attend to, yet he told Gu Changqing to leave first, saying he had things to discuss with her. But it wasn’t really business. He was plainly asking whether she liked the gifts he had given. That was only the first problem. Despite having seen her in the day, at night he broke into the Grand Guardian’s residence again along with the white cat…

Shen Yu truly worried that one day he’d be discovered, and how would she explain why His Majesty had appeared at the Grand Guardian’s residence, and worse, in her bedchamber?

Once the servants had all left, Fang Rui’s expression changed instantly. He rose from his seat and walked forward. The coldness that had been on his face was gone.

The smile at the corner of his mouth was like spring sunshine.

Shen Yu again thought to herself that she had truly been blind before.

As Fang Rui stepped down from his seat, Shen Yu took a small step back, but Fang Rui grabbed her hand and led her toward the folding screen embroidered with a map of the realm. Behind that screen was the sleeping platform!

Fang Rui said, “Ah Yu, your skill at chess has always been good. Play a few games with me?”

Shen Yu looked at the hand holding hers, stifled the urge to pull away, and glanced at where she was being led. She said politely, “Your Majesty, I am not skilled at chess. Lord Gu’s skill is superior to mine, so perhaps Your Majesty could summon Lord Gu to play with you instead.” Ever since his identity had been discovered, Fang Rui had been cautious, but ever since she first let him into her bedchamber, he’d been taking more liberties.

Shen Yu felt… if she gave in any more, forget continuing in office. At this rate, His Majesty was clearly trying to change their relationship from sovereign-and-minister to emperor-and-consort.

Upon hearing this, Fang Rui paused, stopped beside the screen, turned to Shen Yu and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Ah Yu, how do you know Lord Gu’s skill surpasses yours? Surely the two of you have arranged to play many times, haven’t you?”

Shen Yu didn’t know how to answer that. Even without having seen what jealousy looked like, Shen Yu knew it tasted was sour and she could almost smell it now.

She tried to withdraw her hand from Fang Rui’s grasp, but his hold was tight. She lowered her head in helplessness and said, “Only once.”

Fang Rui was about to say something more when the tent flap was suddenly lifted.

“My brother, can I bring that little soldier from last time into the… mountain, to hunt…?” De’an, who had been very excited, barged in and froze when her eyes fell on Fang Rui and Shen Yu’s joined hands. She didn’t even know how she managed to finish her sentence.

De’an’s gaze moved from Shen Yu’s face to Fang Rui’s, then to their hands, and finally to the place they were standing, which was right by the sleeping platform. Realizing something, De’an immediately turned pale.

Fang Rui reacted and quickly let go of her hand, his expression showing a trace of anger as he scolded, “De’an, when will you stop being so rash? You will cause trouble sooner or later!”

De’an’s mouth twitched as she glanced at her brother with disdain, thinking to herself that when he said she’d cause trouble sooner or later. Clearly he simply meant she was interfering with his fun.

Shen Yu withdrew her hand calmly, showing almost no panic of someone caught in the act. She straightened her back and bowed her head respectfully to Princess De’an, saying, “Your Highness.”

De’an looked at Shen Yu, then at her brother, and rolled her eyes toward another direction, her face full of disdain. “Brother, you do not restrain yourself and yet blame De’an for being unsteady.”

Shen Yu’s expression stiffened. Did Princess De’an’s tone mean she had discovered something?!

“Brother, Lord Shen is only your subject. Your three flower-like consorts are still waiting outside the tent to attend to you,” De’an said. She had always respected her brother, but since Shen Yu had appeared, every sentence seemed to carry a heavy hint of something.

Hearing this, Shen Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although the remark sounded off, it seemed the princess had not discovered her female identity.

When De’an reminded Fang Rui in front of Shen Yu that he had three flower-like consorts, Fang Rui immediately grew displeased and, with a stern face, said, “De’an, didn’t you say you wanted to go into the mountain to hunt with that little soldier who saved you last time? Then go ahead. Take more people with you.”

De’an curtseyed and replied perfunctorily, “De’an thanks her brother, the Emperor. De’an will take her leave now.” As she turned, she muttered very quietly, “You just think I’m in the way.”

Though her voice was small, everyone in the tent could hear it very clearly.

He had planned to while away an afternoon playing chess with Shen Yu, but De’an’s commotion ruined it. Not only did Shen Yu lose interest in playing, Fang Rui lost interest as well.

He called toward the outside of the tent, “Have Lei Shengda come here.”

Then he looked at Shen Yu with a smile at the corner of his mouth. “Ah Yu, you should go back and rest now. Tomorrow you must accompany me into the mountain to hunt.”

At the mention of tomorrow’s hunt, Shen Yu promptly said, “Your Majesty, let’s play chess instead.”

Fang Rui shook his head. “In a moment I need to discuss tomorrow’s encirclement hunt with Lei Shengda. Besides, even if you play chess with me now, you will still accompany me into the mountain to hunt tomorrow.”

Shen Yu was dismayed.

Her expression immediately fell apart, full of reluctance: “Your Majesty, do you think these slender arms and thin legs of mine make me cut out for hunting? If you ask me to chase after game, it will be gone before I reach it.”

Fang Rui looked very seriously at the “slender arms and thin legs” Shen Yu described, making Shen Yu feel embarrassingly uncomfortable all over.

Back when she first knew him as Jia Ming, which was Fang Rui wearing Jia Ming’s guise, her impression was that he constantly had an impulse to strip her clothes off, and from then on her binding chest wrap grew tighter and tighter, at times almost suffocating her.

His gaze lingered on Shen Yu’s long legs, which even the loose robe couldn’t entirely conceal. In his mind floated the scene he had seen previously at the Court of Judicial Review. That thin layer of clothing soaked through and clinging to Shen Yu’s body, indescribably alluring.

The thought made Fang Rui’s nose tingle. He reflexively covered his nose with his hand and withdrew his gaze. He waved to Shen Yu. “It’s settled. You will go into the mountain with me tomorrow. Go back and rest.”

Shen Yu knew nothing she said would do any good, so she cupped her hands and took her leave, “I will take my leave first.”

Fang Rui hummed and turned away. After Shen Yu left the tent, Fang Rui silently wiped away the blood that had run from his nose and glanced at the smear on his hand.

Fang Rui murmured to himself, “After enduring for too long, it really flares up.”

…

At that moment Shen Yu, leaving Fang Rui’s tent, was dejected. Why should a civil official be involved when military officers go hunting?

What a headache.

Shen Yu sighed and raised her eyes, but suddenly a tall, dark silhouette appeared before her. By the time she became wary, it was too late.

The owner of that tall figure instantly embraced Shen Yu, his voice full of joy. “Lord Shen, long time no see!!!”

Hearing that voice, Shen Yu froze and forgot to push him away.

“Prince Zhan?”