Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Secret Midnight Rendezvous

The woman was extremely delighted. To be left at Jing Mo’s side for a night meant the Eldest Prince Jing was satisfied with her service. This would give her a few more days of his imperial favor.

Jing Mo shut his eyes, his voice filled with the sluggish tone of a man after lovemaking. “Sleep,” he said softly.

The woman did her best to curl up next to him, keeping her manner petty and servile. Jing Mo suddenly asked, “Do you want to come with me to Zhuri?”

The woman hastily said in a coquettish tone, “That will be this servant’s fortune.”

“But you’re a Fengtianer.”

“It’s fine if this servant stops being a Fengtianer after I’ve received eldest prince’s favor,” the woman breathed.

Jing Mo opened his eyes. This was no brothel courtesan, but a young maiden specially sent to wait on him from the palace. Seeing him stare, the girl hastily pasted on a smile and said warmly, “Eldest imperial prince, this servant is already yours. This servant’s life is for you to deal with as you see fit.”

Jing Mo laughed, then said, “Tell me about Princess Linglong.”

The woman gave a start, but didn’t dare to ask why. She quietly began, “This servant hasn’t had a chance to wait on Her Royal Highness.”

“You’ve never seen her once?”

Servants didn’t speak of their old masters. That was the bottom line ingrained into the heart of each one, but this woman was simply a court lady who didn’t know such unspoken rules. Since Jing Mo was interested in Princess Linglong and she’d overheard his servants talk today about how the princess had enraged the man, she lightly sighed and said, “The eldest princess has been coddled by the empress to the point that she doesn’t know her proper limits. She married below her station to the third young master of the Gu Clan. This servant overheard that it was Consort Zhao who forced the arrangement. It’s a real joke, because the eldest princess had always thought of Consort Zhao as a good person.”

By now, Yu Xiaoxiao had brought Yu Ziming right next to Jing Mo’s bedside and was listening to all this in silence. Just because the little white rabbit was too naive, she has to become a target? Moreover, I married below my station out of my own will. It’s such a heroic choice, but people are calling me a fool?

Jing Mo’s eyes had slid shut again as he declined to comment on the woman’s words. Seeing this, she continued, “The eldest princess has always liked Esteemed Consort Zhao, she—”

Yu Xiaoxiao chopped the woman on the back of her neck to shut her up. If this went on, she’d end up painted as someone who rolled in the sheets with Consort Zhao!1

Sensing the cold wind pass his face, Jing Mo opened his eyes at the same time he sat up and unsheathed his sword, pointing the end at Yu Xiaoxiao’s throat. Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t dodge, but merely held onto Yu Ziming with one hand while waving with her free one. “Hi.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Who are you?!” Jing Mo demanded. Yu Xiaoxiao was clothed completely in black and had her hair in a ponytail. Although the lanterns illuminated the room, she stood with her back to the light, making it hard for Jing Mo to discern her features. No movement came from outside the bedroom, which made Jing Mo’s heart sink. He had shouted loud enough to attract attention, but none of the guards reacted. Were they already all dead?

“Who sent you?” Jing Mo asked sternly. “How much is my life worth?” Who else could this black-robed stranger be if not an assassin?

“Whaa?” Yu Xiaoxiao leaned forward to show him her face. “I’m Yu Xiao–no, I mean, I’m Yu Linglong, ah.”

Jing Mo stared at her face and realized it really was that damned Yu Linglong!

Once again, Yu Xiaoxiao waved a hand at him. “Hi~”

Hi your sister, ah! Jing Mo almost spat up blood. His hand grew limp and the sword fell on the bed. I’ve already spared Yu Ziyi, so Linglong has no reason to kill me. “Why has Your Royal Highness come?” Jing Mo asked. For a newlywed bride to barge into another man’s bedroom in the middle of the night, what was this princess thinking?

Yu Xiaoxiao placed Yu Ziming onto Jing Mo’s bed and declared, “I wanted to find you to talk.”

“What do you need to talk to me about in the middle of the night?” Jing Mo asked. Princess, don’t you know this counts as a secret midnight rendezvous?

Yu Ziming used his tiny, reed-stem fingers to point at Jing Mo. “Eldest imperial sister, he’s not wearing any clothes.”

Jing Mo stiffened before looking down at himself. Indeed, he was still naked. A cool autumn breeze chose this time to blow in through the window, causing the two tender pink dots on his chest to rise beneath the scrutiny of three pairs of eyes. Staring at those two red dots, Yu Xiaoxiao remarked, “I never expected you to have such an impressive figure without those clothes.” She could tell at a glance that he was proficient in martial arts, just like Gu Xinglang. Jing Mo usually looked like a skinny dude in his robes, but his naked chest exposed his well-built muscles.

Subconsciously, Jing Mo grabbed to covers to hide his humiliation, but when he was done he realized there was nothing for a man to feel embarrassed about. Shouldn’t it be Yu Linglong feeling abashed? He looked up. What the hell, Her Royal Highness is still staring at me!

“Achoo!” Yu Ziming chose this moment to sneeze.

“Cold?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked the little beansprout.

Yu Ziming nodded, so Yu Xiaoxiao picked him up and stuffed him into Jing Mo’s covers. Because Jing Mo was completely naked from top to bottom, he was too scared to move when Yu Xiaoxiao unceremoniously packed a little child into his bedcovers.

Yu Ziming’s little hands felt around inside before he immediately announced, “Eldest imperial sister, he–he’s not wearing any pants.”

“You,” Jing Mo’s face exploded into scarlet as he glared at him. “Don’t stroke it!”

“He’s only a little kid, let him touch it if he wants,” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Your chastity will stay intact.”

“…..” said Jing Mo. Is this really a question of chastity right now?!

“Still cold?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked Yu Ziming.

The little beansprout shook his head. “Is he Jing Mo?”

Yu Xiaoxiao nodded. “He’s the big thigh you’ll have to hug tight in the future. Quick, act cute for Jing Mo.”

Jing Mo had no idea what Yu Xiaoxiao was saying, but pointed at the unconscious woman by his side. “Move her aside first.”

The beauty was under covers of her own, so she didn’t expose any skin despite Yu Xiaoxiao knocking her out. Now Yu Xiaoxiao simply picked her up, covers and all, and set her on the long, narrow divan beyond the folding screen shielding the bed. Meanwhile, Jing Mo took the chance to put on a set of outer robes. This was the first time in his life that he’d been trapped with a bare bottom inside some bedcovers, and the feeling was really… Eldest Prince Jin only wished that everything was nothing more than a nightmare.

After taking care of the beauty, Yu Xiaoxiao sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Jing Mo. “Let’s talk.”

So this isn’t a nightmare! Jing Mo thought as he stared back. “Apologies for my lack of etiquette on this late night visit, princess,” he said with a heavy face. “Princess, have you ever considered your own reputation if news of this spread?”

Is reputation something you can eat? Yu Xiaoxiao sucked at her lip and said, “Do you want to put on your pants first?”

Bastard, ah!

Jing Mo wanted to jump up in fury. What does your reputation have to do with whether or not I wear pants? Where’s the connection?! I’m not the one who forced myself on you, you’re the one who ran in to see me naked ahhh—!!