Chapter 138

The study wasn’t far away from the bedroom. In addition, Wei Luo ran quickly. She disappeared from his sight in the blink of an eye. By the time that Zhao Jie caught up to her, Wei Luo slammed the doors shut in Zhao Jie’s face without any attempt to spare his feelings. After Zhao Jie touched his nose, he pushed against the doors. But, Wei Luo had already securely latched the doors from inside.

He helplessly sighed, “Ah Luo, open the doors. Let’s calmly talk this out.”

No sound came from behind the doors. She was probably still angry.

It wouldn’t be easy to eliminate her anger. Zhao Jie bitterly smiled.

In fact, Wei Luo felt more than just anger. Wei Luo felt disappointed and furious. So, it turned out that Zhao Jie wasn’t different from other men. He also had those thoughts. What was he thinking when he had taken advantage of her back then? Was it the same as the scholar? Was he thinking that she was easy to deceive as he enjoyed her body when they did those indecent things?

Wei Luo’s face felt burning hot. She turned around and glared at the doors. She ignored the words meant to deceive her that came from outside. At this moment, she really despised Zhao Jie.

Wei Luo was worried that Zhao Jie would come into the room through the window. After all, he had that before. So, she preemptively went to the window and tightly closed it. She restlessly walked around the room before finally sitting down on the couch.

Hugging a large pillow, she said towards the doorway, “Stop talking. I don’t want to listen. Go away, we’re sleeping separately tonight. Don’t try to talk to me.”

The voice from outside paused. Zhao Jie place a hand against the doorframe and slowly said, “Ah Luo, I didn’t know that you would think that way. I’ve never thought of you that way.” He was too busy liking her. How could he think badly of her?

But, she was angry at him, so he could only properly explain. “Before we were married, we were both willing. When the conditions are right, things will naturally go that way. You would definitely be mine in the end, so I couldn’t resist exercising some of my rights in advance. I won’t be like that scholar. I won’t be fickle. Open the doors. There are some things that I want to directly say to you.”

Wei Luo’s eyes were red as she fell onto the couch. She slipped off her shoes with her feet and curled up into ball, “I don’t want to talk to you. That’s not what you said earlier.”

He had only change his answer to deceive and coax her.

The more that Wei Luo thought about this, the more that she felt Zhao Jie was hateful. Before they married, his words had been sweeter than songs. After they married, his real thoughts were unmasked and the whole truth was revealed. Men were all scoundrels. If she didn’t handle this matter properly, he would think that he could act if he was someone from the heavens.

No matter what Zhao Jie said, Wei Luo continued to ignore him. Shortly after, she gradually felt sleepy. She closed her eyes and fell asleep on the couch.

About an hour later, there weren’t any sounds of movement inside the room.

Jin Lu and Bai Lan looked at Prince Jing, who was still standing at the doors. They didn’t know what to do. The prince and princess consort were having an argument. When the argument had started, they were standing outside the room and didn’t know what had happened. They only saw the princess consort rushing out from the bedroom and locking herself in the study. What happened? Hadn’t they been very affectionate and loving with each other during the previous days? They had stuck together like glue. Why did they suddenly start arguing?

Since they were servants, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Jin Lu and Bai Lan to persuade the couple to reconcile. They could only quietly stand at the side and observe the mournful prince.

They had a clear understanding of Wei Luo’s temperament. She wouldn’t be willing to turn a blind eye. When Wei Luo was a child, she had gotten angry with Wei Kun. She had burned the gifts that he had given her until nothing was left and wouldn’t pay attention to him for many days. Later on, Wei Kun had tolerantly coaxed her for several days before she forgave him.

Now that their miss had started an argument with their lord, and it didn’t seem like she was only slightly angry, who knows how many days their lord would have to coax her…

“Her Highness is probably sleeping. Your Highness, how about coming back here tomorrow morning? Perhaps, Her Highness won’t be angry then.” Jin Lu tried to persuade.

Zhao Jie wasn’t moved by these words. He said to Zhu Geng, “Open the doors.”

Zhu Geng obediently approached. They only saw him place his hand against the doors and gently push. The doors opened. It almost seemed as if he was using witchcraft.

Jin Lu and Bai Lan were stunned.

Zhao Jie pushed open the doors, entered the room, and had everyone else stay outside. He walked into the inner room and saw Wei Luo lying on the couch behind the divider that was made of four red sandalwood panels with paintings of beautiful women. She was curled up into a small ball and hugging a large pillow. A crimson quilt embroidered with magpies hid half of her face. She was deeply asleep.

No matter how unhappy Zhao Jie was feeling, the feeling disappeared when he saw the tears on her face. He sat down on the side of the couch and gently stroked her face. The tears had already dried and he couldn’t use his fingers to wipe them away.

His heart ached. He helplessly said, “Silly girl.” Why did she get angry with him like this?

Zhao Jie stood up. He took a towel from a nearby wooden frame, dampened it with water, and went back to carefully clean Wei Luo’s face. The towel was slightly cold. Wei Luo instinctively moved backwards to avoid it and whimpered.

Zhao Jie smiled, put down the towel, and scratched her nose. “You’re so delicate. What were you thinking? Not allowing someone by your side to serve you.”

Wei Luo couldn’t hear his words.

After finishing this, Zhao Jie found a purple and pink sleeping robe and changed Wei Luo’s clothes. Then, he placed her back onto the couch, covered her with the quilt, and lied down next to her.

——–

When Wei Luo woke up on the next day, Zhao Jie had already left the mountain.

They were at an important phase in repairing the river channel today. Zhao Jie had to personally supervise. Even though he hadn’t succeeding in coaxing Wei Luo, he still had to go and deal with work first.

While Wei Luo was having her hair brushed in the morning, she asked, “Who changed me into a sleeping robe last night?”

As Jin Lu added a golden and emerald butterfly hairpin into Wei Luo’s hair, she said in a slightly guilty tone, “It was the prince.”

As she expected, Wei Luo stopped speaking.

After breakfast, just as Wei Luo was planning on walking around the villa, snowflakes floated down onto Wei Luo’s head. She lifted her head to look at the sky. It was probably because she was on the top of a mountain. She felt like the sky was really close as if she could touch it if she reached her hand out.

The sparkling and translucent snowflakes made rustling sounds like falling flower petals. The falling snow seemed like a dense net that was spread open and would envelop everyone underneath it. The snowfall became heavier and heaver. Wei Luo didn’t have another option. She could only return inside to hold a hand stove and look at the scene of the falling snow.

On the other side, in Tong Zhou’s city, they couldn’t continue to build the dam for the river channel due to the sudden and heavy snowfall. They could only temporarily stop.

Tong Zhou’s prefectural magistrate, Lin Qiu Tang suggested, “The snow doesn’t look like it’ll stop anytime soon. This one’s humble home isn’t far from here. Your Highness, how about coming to this official’s residence to sit down for a bit and drink a hot cup of tea?”

Standing underneath an umbrella, Zhao Jie looked at the snow that was profusely falling into the river. A short while later, he nodded and said, “Okay.”

Prefectural Magistrate Lin couldn’t contain his joy. He hurriedly ordered people to go to his residence to prepare and reverently led Zhao Jie to a carriage as if he was in the presence of His Majesty. “I heard that the princess consort also came to Tong Zhou with Your Highness. Where is she staying? My humble home doesn’t have much, but there are plenty of empty rooms. It’s inconvenient to stay outside the city. How about asking the princess consort to move to my residence? My daughter could also keep her company.”

Zhao Jie’s face was expressionless. “She doesn’t like to have any contact with strangers.” Then he raised his eyes to look at Prefectural Magistrate Lin, “Sir Lin, you don’t need to be concerned about this matter.”

Prefectural Magistrate Lin didn’t expect that Zhao Jie would be so straightforward in his refusal. He embarrassedly laughed and said, “This official has said too much.”

When they arrived at Lin’s residence, Lin Qiu Tang invited Zhao Jie to the main room and servants immediately came into the room with tea. Lin Qiu Tang discussed with Zhao Jie the problems with the river channel at first. People that were able to reach this position all had some skills and talent. Lin Qiu Tang’s insights were quite original. Many of them were useful.

However, Zhao Jie’s expression seemed absent-minded as he listened.

An hour later, the snowfall outside became even heavier as time went on instead of stopping. Zhao Jie probably wouldn’t be able to leave anytime soon. Zhao Jie thought of Wei Luo in Tian Chang Mountain. Was she still angry? It was such a heavy snowstorm. She should probably be staying inside, right?

He put down the teacup that had a colorful pattern of plum blossoms and sparrows, stood up, and said, “It seems that snow won’t be stopping today. The construction for the dam will have to be delayed for a day. This prince will be leaving now.”

Prefectural Magistrate Lin hadn’t expected that he would leave right after saying those words. He was slightly disoriented for a moment as he hurriedly stood up and said, “This… this official will send off Your Highness.”

Zhao Jie didn’t take his words seriously as he walked out of the room.

Right after Zhao Jie left the main room, he saw a red figure braving the snow as she ran to the verandah. There were several freshly picked plum blossoms gathered in her arms. She called out to Lin Qiu Tang, “Daddy, it’s such a heavy snowstorm. Why did you insist on having me pick plum blossoms? Ah…”

Before she could finish speaking, she raised her head and saw a handsome man next to her father. She immediately lost her voice.

This flower-like beauty was wearing a crimson cloak with a golden treasure pattern. Snow had fallen onto her head and shoulders. Her lips were red, her teeth were white, and her cheeks were rosy. All in all, she was a pretty daughter from a relatively humble family. Perhaps, because the weather was too cold today, her nose was red from the cold. The moment when she saw Zhao Jie, her cheeks also turned red. She swallowed down all of her complaints and asked, “Daddy, who is this person?”

Lin Qiu Tan chuckled, walked forward, and introduced her to Zhao Jie, “Your Highness, this is my young daughter. Please excuse her poor behavior.” Then, he stopped smiling and said to his daughter, “Rou-er, hurry and greet His Highness.”

Lin Rou Yin blushed from embarrassment. When her father had said that a prince would be coming to Tong Zhou, she thought that the prince would be an old middle-aged man. Prince Jing was surprisingly young. Moreover, his appearance was incomparably handsome. Her heart skipped a beat. Lin Rou Yin timidly walked forward and said with a blushing face, “This subject greets Your Highness.”

Right after these words were said, because her footing was unstable, her body stumbled and fell forward.

Zhao Jie furrowed his eyebrows. The angle that Lin Rou Yin’s had fallen was very clever. She had fallen straight towards his chest. Even if he didn’t reach out to support her, he would still be making contact with her body. In addition, it would only be reasonable to help a girl if she was falling down in front of you. Just as the other people thought that Zhao Jie would stretch out a hand to help her, he shifted a step to the side and adequately avoided Lin Rou Yin.

It was too late for Lin Rou Yin to stop her fall. She solidly fell onto the ground and felt a piercing pain coming from her ankle that was probably twisted.

Zhao Jie looked at her coldly without feeling the slightest bit moved. When he looked at Lin Qui Tang, his earlier politeness had changed into a warning. He coldly said, “Sir Lin, if you act this presumptions and foolish again, don’t blame this prince for not being polite.”

Scared, Lin Qui Tang started sweating despite the cold winter temperature. He realized that his petty tricks wouldn’t work with Zhao Jie. He immediately kneeled down, “This official acknowledges his error in overstepping his authority. Your Highness, please forgive me.”

Lin Qui Tang had heard the rumors about Zhao Jie. He knew that he had an unreasonable temperament. He had been hoping to take advantage of this lucky change in weather to get the prince to take a fancy to his daughter. He hadn’t expected that Zhao Jie would be disdainful of her and straightforwardly expose his intentions. It was very humiliating.

Zhao Jie lowered his eyes and looked at him. He lightly said, “Since you know you’re wrong, then continue kneeling. The prince will come tomorrow morning.”

His words meant that he wanted him to kneel until tomorrow morning.

Prefectural Magistrate’s face became deathly pale.

Zhao Jie left without looking back. He entered the carriage and headed towards Tian Chang Mountain.

It was only 2 PM when the carriage reached the top of the mountain. The sky shouldn’t be dark yet, but the snowfall was too heavy and blocked the sunlight. Zhao Jie brushed off the snow on his shoulders before walking into the verandah and headed towards the bedroom. However, Zhao Jie felt that something seemed wrong as soon as he pushed open the doors. The room was extremely quiet. If Wei Luo was in the room, there would still be a little bit of sound even if she was still angry at him.

His eyes hesitantly moved back and forth, “Ah Luo?”

There wasn’t a response.

Zhao Jie came out of the inner room and expressionlessly asked Bai Lan, “Where’s the princess consort?”

Bai Lan trembled. She nervously kneeled down and acknowledged her mistake, “To respond to Your Highness, the princess consort went to the backside of the mountain…”