Chapter 33: with translation of chapter title

Gu Jiu Ling heard Xiao Yin's voice from inside the room, felt a little nervous, steadied herself, and entered carrying the food box. The chamber lamps were dim, casting only a halo of light at the table's edge that fell on Xiao Yin. He had removed his outer robe, wearing only a dark cyan single thin garment that made his skin look even whiter and more translucent, his features exceptionally pure, like a sharp ridge on a ten‑thousand‑year iceberg, bitterly cold. Gu Jiu Ling forced a smile, walked over, and bowed: 'Your Highness, I have prepared a few small dishes; please try them.'

Gu Jiu Ling finished speaking and laid out the dishes, serving a bowl of tofu balls and vegetable soup in front of Xiao Yin. Xiao Yin did not refuse, picked up the bowl and took a sip; his eyebrows rose slightly—it was surprisingly good. He drank from the bowl, while Gu Jiu Ling sat on the edge of the chair, fiddling with her handkerchief and smiling: 'Your Highness, regarding the private money… it is indeed my oversight.'

Xiao Yin, still holding the bowl, lifted his eyes to glance at her and said: 'I never imagined… the princess consort I have taken is truly capable; with just a move, she has kept many noble families in Shang Jing awake at night.'

Gu Jiu Ling gave an embarrassed laugh: 'Prince, you overpraise me.'

She has a habit: when excited, sweat appears on the tip of her nose; this time, under the palace lamp's glow, several crystal‑clear beads of sweat appeared on her small nose tip, matching her guilty expression, making her indescribably moving. Xiao Yin focused his gaze on her, his heart stirred slightly. Originally he hadn't taken this matter to heart, but someone used it to grab his handle, which also served as a warning. After seven years of concealing his abilities, the underground force he built isn't as airtight; it's a warning, some subordinates also need to be disciplined. That he is alive now is a miracle; what he controls must be flawless. The troubles caused by Gu Jiu Ling are nothing to him, they won't harm him at all. However, this girl bringing things over to apologize made his mood not bad; looking at her cute appearance, Xiao Yin felt a mischievous thought arise. He slowly set down the bowl, beckoned Gu Jiu Ling with a hand. Gu Jiu Ling cautiously rose, walked to his side, but he grabbed her and pressed her to sit on his lap. Gu Jiu Ling hurried to rise, but his strong, long arms encircled her waist, leaving her unable to move. Her heart raced instantly; sitting on the stool versus sitting on his lap felt completely different, unsettling! Xiao Yin's other hand lightly pinched her chin; his gaze was aggressive, inch by inch wanting to subject her to lingchi. 'Prince, it's all my fault; if I don't compensate you for your loss, I'll have Jiu Yue bring you ten thousand taels of silver shortly to make amends, for you to buy food, drink, and entertainment—these are all my foolishness.'

She uttered words with sobbing sounds, the sweat on her nose tip rolling down more, her eyes truly showing some fear. Xiao Yin, however he looked at her, resembled the little fox he had caught seven years ago in Bei Di—cunning, playful, occasionally extending claws to scratch him, still painful. But that fox had been burned to ashes in Qi Sha Gu. Xiao Yin's eyes turned cold; he raised his hand and lightly pinched Gu Jiu Ling's face, feeling she had become rounder over the past few days. Her skin was smooth and tender, giving a good sensation when pinched. Gu Jiu Ling was extremely embarrassed; she had come to apologize, expecting Xiao Yin to explode in anger, not to play with her face, which also hurt. She grit her teeth silently, waiting until she becomes stronger to avoid him, far away. Being dependent on a person is unpleasant. Moreover, a prince of high standing pinching her cheeks for fun made her think he was a pervert. 'Consort,' Xiao Yin rubbed Gu Jiu Ling's cheeks lightly, feeling the touch was excellent; his voice, for some reason, sounded tight and hoarse, and his lower abdomen felt hot. His eyes deepened a few degrees, speaking in a hoarse voice: 'After all, we are husband and wife; although we are just a temporary partnership to get by, some matters still need to be discussed in advance.'

Gu Jiu Ling nodded firmly; Xiao Yin's lips curled with a smile, looking at her well‑behaved appearance. 'Are you still accustomed to living in the Wangfu?'

His fingers moved to Gu Jiu Ling's earlobe, kneading it; Gu Jiu Ling's cheeks instantly flushed red. 'Still… still accustomed, thank you, Prince.'

The Prince knows you are wealthy and lack no money, but what is yours is yours and what is mine is mine. Starting tomorrow, I will have your maid collect the monthly stipend from the public accounts; your daily expenses will be charged to my account.

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes instantly brightened; that glint fell into Xiao Yin's gaze, and he found it somewhat interesting. He finally released Gu Jiu Ling; she felt sweat all over her body, bowed to him, and said: 'I will not disturb the Prince's work any further; I take my leave.'

Xiao Yin waved his hand at her. Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly fled the study in the East Pavilion, standing under the banana tree, feeling her face hurt, her ears hurt as well. In the study, Xiao Yin lowered his eyes to look at his own fingers; that lingering slippery sensation had not faded, and a smile he himself hadn't noticed curled his lips. Outside, Ling Feng entered, delivering several documents to Xiao Yin, and observed his master's complexion. Recently the poison in the Prince's body has flared up again; he whispered: 'Prince, does the Princess Consort have any way to help cure the Prince's poison?'

The Princess Consort's medical skill is now the talk of Shang Jing, yet it's unclear whether she has examined the Prince; why is his health still poor? Xiao Yin leaned wearily against the chair back, raised his hand to rub his forehead, and said: 'She wants to cut open my abdomen.'

Ling Feng's face changed dramatically—how could there be such a way to detoxify? This isn't it just killing someone? Xiao Yin sighed: 'Wait a bit longer, this woman…' He slowly closed his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly: 'There's something… sinister.'

In Explore Spring Garden, the warm pavilion transmitted the sound of a teapot shattering on the floor; the maids serving inside and out knelt on the ground, not daring to speak. Maid Hongyu knelt before Su Wanrou; her forehead was sliced by the shards, bleeding, she lay on the ground, not daring to rise, but a flash of resentful malice crossed her eyes. She had served Su Wanrou diligently for many years, doing countless unconscionable things for her, yet the rewards were only minor favors. Su Wanrou is temperamental, ruthless; in front of the Prince she pretends to be extremely gentle, but privately she is extremely hot‑tempered. At the slightest provocation she either beats or scolds these maids; only because the Prince dotes on her does she, in this Wangfu, hold an even higher status than the deceased princess consorts. This time Gu Jiu Ling arrived; in a short span, the Prince voluntarily stayed overnight in her quarters, and tonight he again allowed her to enter his study. Know that the Prince's study in the East Pavilion is off‑limits even to Su Wanrou. Just now they received news: the Princess Consort brought a food box in, stayed a long time, came out with red cheeks. After Hongyu reported back, Su Wanrou went mad smashing things, not even caring about the previous master‑servant bond; her face was disfigured. Hongyu could only endure, yet chills ran through her heart. 'This lowly wretch! I will surely kill this lowly wretch!'

Su Wanrou, exhausted from smashing things, sat in a chair panting, a dim gloom flickering in her eyes. 'Tomorrow I will send a note to Gu Jiu Ling, saying I admire her talent and wish to meet her at a teahouse to exchange poetic verses.'