Reborn After Widowhood – Chapter 136
Chapter 136
Because the sun was already scorching outside, Hua Yang was not interest to walk around anymore. It was better to go back home early, take a long rest, and walk around with Chen Jingzong in the spacious and exquisite garden of the Grand Princess Mansion, so that he could truly enjoy his rest time.
The maids packed up their stuffs, and Chen Jingzong sat with her under the magnolia tree in the yard, waiting.
The branches of two magnolia trees were lush and leafy, casting a thick shade on the ground.
There were tea and purple grapes on the coffee table. Because Hua Yang didn’t like to eat grape skins, Chen Jingzong was responsible for peeling them for her.
The tender pulp of the grapes made his fingertips stained with some juice.
He handed the peeled grapes to her.
Hua Yang raised a round fan to cover half of her face so that the maids would not see it, and then lowered her head to accept his “service”.
The surrounding sunshine was bright, making the grand princess’ face become more and more radiant and delicate, but her lips were so red that she seemed to have applied lip rouge.
But Chen Jingzong knew that she was just born with such a good face.
“It’s still too hot now. When the weather cools down, we can go out on horseback and have more fun.”
Hua Yang: “You ride to and from the guard station on horseback every day, you’re still not tired?”
Chen Jingzong: “I’m used to it. Besides, riding with you is completely different from riding for duty.”
Hua Yang was noncommittal. Seeing that Chen Jingzong only peeled the grapes for her and didn’t eat one himself, she picked up a grape and stuffed it into his mouth.
Chen Jingzong looked at her slender and beautiful fingertips and ate the skin together, receiving a look of disgust from her.
Chen Jingzong: “You grew up in a honeypot, doesn’t know how many people have never had the opportunity to eat such a grape in their lives. Not to mention they will not dislike the grape’s thick skins, some people can even swallow the grape seeds.”
Hua Yang: “You are not an ordinary person. Even if you were in Lingzhou for all those years, how can you not be able to afford a plate of grapes.”
Chen Jingzong: “But this is my first time eating grapes fed by the Grand Princess.”
Hua Yang glared at him again.
Chao Yun, Chao Yue and several young eunuchs were moving things in and out of the small courtyard constantly. The young eunuchs did not dare to look around, but Chao Yun and Chao Yue saw the grand princess and prince consort sitting face to face on both sides of the small table. Although prince consort always had to be glared at by grand princess several times, but there was a kind of indescribable intimacy between the two, just like a pair of sparrows on a magnolia branch, chasing each other for a while, and then putting their two round heads together.
The boxes and trunks she brought out were all loaded into the carriage. Chen Jingzong held the umbrella himself and protected Hua Yang, who was wearing a curtain hat, as they walked down the mountain.
There were guards leading the way, and the pilgrims on the road stepped aside one after another, watching respectfully and curiously as the legendary Princess Hua Yang and the Prince Consort walked down like a fairy couple, and then gradually moved away.
Finally arrived at the foot of the mountain, Hua Yang’s carriage had already parked there, with a guard standing next to it, holding Chen Jingzong’s horse in his hand.
Last night, Chen Jingzong tied his horse at the foot of the mountain. Early this morning, he asked Zhou Ji to arrange for guards to take care of it, so as not to be taken away by the passing people.
Hua Yang glanced at the horse and got on the carriage first.
When Chen Jingzong came in, he saw that she had taken off her curtain hat, revealing a cheek that was flushed from going down the mountain in the scorching sun.
Chen Jingzong loosened the collar of his robe, sat next to her, and fanned her.
When the carriage started moving, a breeze blew in through the gauze curtains, and Hua Yang felt comfortable.
“How long have you had this horse?” Hua Yang asked.
Chen Jingzong thought for a while and said, “Eldest Brother gave it to me when I came to the capital at the age of eighteen.”
Hua Yang couldn’t help but say: “Eldest Brother is so kind to you.”
Chen Jingzong: “Aren’t all eldest brothers like this. If I were the eldest in the family, I would also take care of the brothers below me.”
Hua Yang: “Forget it, if you’re the eldest brother, you will only lead your younger brothers astray.”
Chen Jingzong: “Let’s continue talking about horses and stop talking about my eldest brother.”
The faint smell of vinegar came out again. Hua Yang didn’t bother to glare at him, and turned the topic back to the horse: “You are twenty-five this year, so you have raised the horse for eight years. He is almost old, right?”
Chen Jingzong: “Where is it old. He’s only thirteen years old and at a prime-age for a horse.”
Hua Yang knew a bit about horses. Usually, a horse that’s twenty years old was considered an old horse. For some wealthy children who were more particular about it, a horse would be retired after it reach the age of sixteen and would no longer be used for riding.
And with Chen Jingzong’s status, he only had this mount, which was already very frugal. Even though Hua Yang rarely rode horses, she also had three beautiful white horses in the stable.
Chen Jingzong: “What, you want to give me a horse?”
Hua Yang: “Do you want it?”
Chen Jingzong: “Better not. The horse you gave me is definitely not cheap. When I ride it, if the old man sees me, he will lecture me for showing off.”
Hua Yang respected her father-in-law in her heart, but she really wanted to give Chen Jingzong something nice, and she didn’t care what her father-in-law said or thought.
Let’s just talk about Chen Jingzong’s horse outside, which only worth a few dozen taels of silver. After all, no matter how much Chen Bozong liked his younger brother, he would not spend hundreds of taels of silver to give his younger brother a high-quality horse. Firstly, he may not have that much private money, and secondly, with her father-in-law watching over him, Chen Bozong who was very filial and obedient wouldn’t dare to spend so much money to provoke his strict father’s reprimand.
Hua Yang either didn’t have the chance to see Chen Jingzong’s horse in the past few years, or she was too focused on major events and ignored it.
Now that she saw it, she wanted to give Chen Jingzong a good one. Not only would it be worthy of his status as the grand princess’s consort, the horse would run faster and it would also save him time on the bumpy road.
Chen Jingzong said he didn’t want it, so Hua Yang didn’t insist anymore and didn’t seem to care.
Returning to the Grand Princess Mansion, Hua Yang went to take a bath first, and then came out to have dinner with Chen Jingzong.
When having afternoon nap, Chen Jingzong lay on his side honestly and said to her: “I asked Wu Run to arrange a boat. It’s cool at night and I want to swim on the lake.”
The lake in the Grand Princess Mansion was quite big, enough for the owner to go boating on the lake.
Hua Yang turned her back to him and hummed indifferently.
But she knew what Chen Jingzong was thinking about. He was so frustrated in the morning that he had to come with some fresh tricks to relieve the fire in his body.
.
As night fell, Chen Jingzong carried Hua Yang to the center of the lake on a single-canopy boat.
Inside the canopy, the grand princess who was sitting on the couch reading a book was brought in by him. He also brought the lotus bowl and other essential items for the night.
The bright moonlight shone on the calm lake. After Prince Consort, who acted as the boatman, put down his oars and entered the canopy, the water waves left by the boat gradually returned to calm.
But not long after, there were new waves centered on the boat, slowly and sometimes rapidly rippling in all directions.
The boat also seemed to be swept by an invisible storm, shaking violently from side to side.
From beginning to end, only the moonlight was gentle.
Near the second watch, Chen Jingzong finally let go of Hua Yang.
Hua Yang used her remaining strength to move to the couch and lie on her side facing the window.
He pulled up the shutters, leaving only a thin layer of gauze. The boat was swaying back and forth, and at this time, the window here was facing the bright moon in the sky. There were some dark shadows on the semicircle moon, which looked like a pair of long rabbit ears.
Hua Yang subconsciously covered her body with the thin quilt next to her.
Chen Jingzong hugged her from behind and smiled in her ear: “Are you really afraid of being seen by Chang’e?”
Hua Yang: “It’s just a little cold. Besides, Chang’e is not you, why she want to look at me?”
Chen Jingzong thought for a moment and grabbed half of the quilt to cover himself: “Then I have to prevent her from peeking at me.”
Hua Yang wanted to tell him to shut up again.
Chen Jingzong lay with her for a while, then put on his trousers, squatted in front of two copper basins, and started cleaning that thing seriously under the light.
Hua Yang turned around, saw his serious look, and asked curiously: “Don’t you think this is too troublesome?”
Chen Jingzong glanced at her: “What’s the trouble? These are all treasures. I’m not an ungrateful person who burn the bridge after the deed is done.”
Hua Yang paused and said, “What I mean is, now that you and I are out of the mourning period, have you ever thought about not using this again?”
Chen Jingzong: “What do you mean?”
Hua Yang said honestly: “I mean that after using up the ones my aunt gave me, we could just let nature take its course. I didn’t expect you to order another batch.”
Originally, those given by her aunt could be used up until next year, but with the delay cause by her father’s death for a year, the existing stock in the mansion could last until the third year of Yuanyou’s reign.
Hua Yang would be twenty-four years old by then. If her father-in-law was still well and her brother no longer hate her father-in-law, Hua Yang would not have to worry about anything anymore.
To her surprise, Chen Jingzong was not in any hurry to have a child and found a way source it himself.
Facing Chen Jingzong’s dark eyes reflecting the light, Hua Yang asked doubtfully: “Eldest Brother and Third Brother both have children, do you really not envy them?”
Chen Jingzong: “Envy, but I’m not in a hurry. Although you and I have been married for more than four years, two years of that were spent in Lingzhou and one year in mourning for the late emperor. When all is said and done, the days we spent happily together was only one and a half years. This year, I have been going out early and come back late most days, so I don’t even have enough time to spend with you, so how can I have the mood to raise a child.”
Hua Yang didn’t quite understand. They didn’t interact much during the day, but they were often intimate at night. They saw each other almost every night. Did he think it was too little?
Her face was still flushed, but her eyes were bright and clear, and her confusion was clearly revealed.
Chen Jingzong smiled, cleaned the thing in his hands first, checked for the last time that there was no leakage, and hung them on the shelf next to him.
After washing his hands again, Chen Jingzong wet a towel, sat on the edge of the couch, and served his ancestor by wiping her sweat.
Hua Yang stretched her body and only closed her eyes.
The grand princess was noble and confident, with a dignified air. There were times when she was reserved, but at moments like this, when she allowed him to serve her due to her own laziness, she was generous and calm.
The watery moonlight shone through the screen window and fell on the grand princess’s flawless body.
Chen Jingzong lowered his eyes, and while wiping her, he asked: “What do you think a husband and wife is?”
Hua Yang’s fingertips imperceptibly grasped the silk surface of the couch, and said: “A man and a woman, once they get married, they are husband and wife.”
Chen Jingzong: “Getting married is just a ceremony. It just gives two people the name of husband and wife. But once something happens, it’s easy for the nominal husband and wife to part ways.”
Hua Yang suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him in disbelief: “Are you still worried that I will divorce you?”
He often said such things, Hua Yang just thought he was just blabbing his mouth.
Chen Jingzong said meaningfully: “. ”
Hua Yang frowned: “What do you mean?”
Chen Jingzong: “Because of the old man, I was able to marry you. But what will happen to you and me when the old man falls?”
Hua Yang’s heart tightened suddenly, and she almost thought Chen Jingzong knew something!
It was Chen Jingzong’s expression that was too calm, and it was his right strength that made Hua Yang understand, he could not have known. If he could have predicted the fate of her father-in-law and the Chen family in her previous life, he would not have treated her like this.
“You, why do you say such unlucky words.” Hua Yang was slightly annoyed, “Even if you are Father’s biological son, you shouldn’t always curse him like that.”
Chen Jingzong: “I didn’t curse him. What he’s doing now is too offensive. There are too many people who oppose him. Maybe one day he will be brought down.”
Hua Yang was silent.
It seemed that she had never seriously discussed the situation in the court with Chen Jingzong.
She was just about to say some words of comfort that even she was not sure about, such as that her mother empress and brother would always support her father-in-law. But Chen Jingzong spoke first: “You wouldn’t want me dead, but if that day really comes, if the old man lose his official position and I became a commoner’s son, or if the old man committed a crime and I became the son of a guilty minister, what will you do?”
Hua Yang didn’t think about this problem.
Because it had not happened in this life, and although his words came true in the previous life, he had gone earlier. The Chen family was sent to the frontier, and she was still the noble grand princess.
Chen Jingzong touched her face: “I don’t want to tie you up with my child.”
🐴: Hello Grand Princess
Hua Yang: Chen Jingzong do you want a new horse?
🐴: >:0