My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 57: Husband.

　　The setting sun painted the clouds in the sky with vibrant colors, but they quickly faded as night fell.

　　After traveling for half a day, they entered the City late at night. As they were in a hurry to return to the Capital, they did not alert the local officials and stopped the carriage at the inn.

　　Pei Yuan respectfully said from outside the carriage, “Your Highness, we have arrived at the inn.”

　　Xie Jue responded with a faint “hm,” but did not immediately get out.

　　The atmosphere inside the carriage was warm and peaceful. Yun Ling had been worrying too much lately and hadn't been sleeping well. On top of that, last night had been... rather tiring. There were faint dark circles under her pale eyes.

　　Initially, she thought she'd be able to rest quickly after their first encounter, but to her surprise, the next time took much longer. No matter how much she begged or coaxed him, he wouldn't budge. She had called for water several times throughout the night, as she hadn't gotten enough sleep the previous night.

　　Today, she had interrogated the Head of the Lin family, which further exhausted her. Therefore, as soon as she got into the carriage, she quickly fell asleep.

　　She didn't know when, but she had already grown accustomed to falling asleep while inhaling the faint scent of pinewood from his body.

　　Hearing Pei Yuan's voice, Yun Ling's long, curled eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

　　Her round, almond-shaped eyes were filled with a watery sheen. She woke up by leaning on Xie Jue's neck.

　　“Awake?” His voice came from above her head, and his arm holding her shifted slightly.

　　Yun Ling's consciousness returned, and she quickly sat up straight, gently adjusting her clothes.

　　The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Grand Eunuch An had already been waiting outside, ready to assist her down from the carriage.

　　He made everyone wait outside, just to wait for her to wake up. Yun Ling felt a bit embarrassed thinking about this, so she hurried into the inn.

　　Grand Eunuch An noticed that the Crown Prince looked as usual.

　　Speaking of which, he was the most aware of the matters between Lady Yun and the Crown Prince.

　　Due to his smooth and clever handling of affairs, he had noticed the Crown Prince's special feelings for Lady Yun shortly after being promoted to the Eastern Palace by her.

　　The newly arrived young servant, Xiao Xiangzi, hadn't served well, and the Crown Prince had thrown a huge fit, intending to blame Lady Yun. But when Lady Yun arrived, the Crown Prince didn't say anything.

　　Thinking back, Xiao Xiangzi's clumsy service was just an excuse for the Crown Prince. Lady Yun, having taken charge of the Six Bureaus, was very busy and hadn't been to the Eastern Palace in a long time. The Crown Prince's anger was clearly a way to get Lady Yun to see him.

　　At the time, he only thought it was favoritism towards his subordinate.

　　Looking back at everything, the Crown Prince had repeatedly compromised for Lady Yun, so what else was there for him not to understand?

　　Therefore, when the Crown Prince decided to make Lady Yun the Crown Princess, An Zhong only felt a moment of shock before quickly accepting it.

　　The Crown Prince's affection for Lady Yun was evident to everyone.

　　After returning to the Capital, establishing the Crown Princess would be a top priority.

　　……

　　After dinner, she went into the room where the bedding had already been prepared. After traveling for most of the day, her whole body ached with fatigue.

　　Yun Ling felt better, having slept in the carriage and recovered somewhat, but her body still ached slightly, so she planned to go to bed early.

　　Tonight, she absolutely had to stop him. Her body was her own; she knew her own situation best.

　　She lowered her head to untie his sash, her lips pursed. Just as she was about to speak to him about it, she heard Pei Yuan asking for an audience outside the door. 

　　Xie Jue frowned.

　　Yun Ling retied his sash. “Go ahead, Your Highness. I'll wait for you to return.”

　　Xie Jue stroked her face before turning and leaving the room with an impassive expression.

　　This meeting lasted very late. It seemed it should have been held in the carriage earlier, but it was delayed until now.

　　Yun Ling was a neat person. Although it was winter, after traveling all day, she felt sticky and her body ached. She had someone bring in hot water for a bath.

　　Soaking in the hot water, enveloped in steam, she felt much more comfortable after a while. After bathing and changing into a clean, moon-white nightgown, half the candle had already burned down. Yun Ling wrung out her slightly damp hair and sat by the window for a while. Seeing that he hadn't returned, she got into bed to rest.

　　She had been so exhausted and unwell these past few days. She had intended to lie in bed and read for a while, but she had unknowingly fallen asleep.

　　When Xie Jue returned from his meeting, he opened the door and found the room quiet. Walking to the bed and lifting the curtain, he saw her lying with her back to the door, already fast asleep.

　　Her long black hair cascaded around her slender back. Without makeup or jewelry, she was still radiant and beautiful.

　　Her slightly parted lips caught Xie Jue's eye, and the delicate, jade-like skin of her face was flushed a light pink, a breathtaking sight that darkened his gaze.

　　His Yun Shanggong, with her fair skin and delicate beauty, was captivating. Just one glance had captured his heart, and he always felt an overwhelming urge to keep her confined in his embrace.

　　He remembered her earlier today, nestled in his arms, so gentle and vulnerable, that it had softened his heart completely. And she had said she would wait for him to return.

　　He had hurried back after the meeting, yet she was already asleep?

　　As Yun Ling slept, she felt a burning gaze upon her and slowly awoke. Opening her eyes, she met his deep, dark eyes looking down at her.

　　The lamplight was dim, making it difficult to discern the emotions in his eyes.

　　Yun Ling had just woken up, her thoughts still unclear. With hazy, watery eyes, she turned and nestled into his arms, unconsciously wrapping her arms around his waist. Her voice was slightly muffled, “Your Highness, when did you return?”

　　“Just now.”

　　Xie Jue allowed her to hold him, his face expressionless as he softly hummed, “Why didn't you wait for me?”

　　Yun Ling's face flushed, a little embarrassed. “I intended to wait, but I must have been very tired; I don't know when I fell asleep.” Even her book had fallen to the side.

　　Her soft, sweet scent filled Xie Jue's nostrils. As her small, red lips moved, he lost all thought of further questioning. 

　　Leaning down, he embraced her waist and kissed her.

　　The sound of their lips meeting filled the room—a sound that made one's heart race.

　　Yun Ling's arms were forced onto his shoulders when Grand Eunuch An's cautious voice came from the doorway, “Your Highness, the medicine is ready.”

　　Xie Jue paused for a moment, then released her and got up to open the door, taking the medicine from Grand Eunuch An's hands.

　　As the curtain fell again, Yun Ling looked up at the bottle of medicine in his hand, puzzled. “What medicine did you bring, Your Highness? Is your shoulder hurting again?”

　　Xie Jue opened the jar, his clean fingers dipping into the ointment as he replied flatly, “I noticed you were limping when you walked today.”

　　In an instant, Yun Ling understood the purpose of the medicine. Her ears turned red as she pushed his hand away. “No need for that; it will get better in a couple of days.”

　　Xie Jue frowned slightly. “How can it get better without the medicine?” Saying this, he firmly grasped her ankle, pulling her closer despite her attempts to refuse.

　　Yun Ling's face turned a deep shade of red as she quickly turned and crawled back into bed.

　　Who did he think he was, speaking so seriously? Plus, she didn't want him to apply the medicine; she could handle it herself.

　　“I don't need you; I can do it myself…”

　　“You can't see it properly, so I'll help you,” he replied.

　　“……”

　　Yun Ling couldn't resist his strength and eventually allowed him to apply the medicine.

　　After applying the ointment, he washed his hands, blew out the candles, and returned to bed.

　　The room immediately plunged into darkness.

　　Yun Ling huddled under the covers in a corner, her face flushed red from her neck all the way to her cheeks, as if she had a high fever.

　　She remained silent, lips pursed, utterly embarrassed and ashamed, her back turned to him.

　　Xie Jue got into bed and pulled her into his arms from behind. Their shoulders pressed together as he turned her face toward him, silencing her with a series of tender kisses, his hair brushing against her shoulder.

　　His voice was husky as he murmured, “You're hurt; I won't touch you today.”

　　Yun Ling, unable to tolerate it any longer, turned around and pushed him away with her hand. In the dim light of the room, she accidentally brushed against his jaw.

　　The soft sound of a light slap echoed in the dark room, resonating clearly.

　　Yun Ling was momentarily stunned, her fingers curling slightly.

　　Did she just... slap him? She actually slapped the Crown Prince, which was truly an outrageous act.

　　Xie Jue caught her fingers, holding them in his palm. His brow raised in disbelief as his voice deepened, “How dare you hit me?”

　　“To offend the Crown Prince is a grave crime,” he said slowly, lowering his head. The weight of his tone was filled with pressure.

　　Yun Ling blinked, her eyelashes fluttering as she shrank deeper under the covers, silent. She hadn’t expected to be so careless; she had only meant to push his shoulder, but it was too dark to see clearly. Now, explaining felt like making excuses.

　　She bit her lip and decided not to offer any explanations. “It’s my fault. Your Highness can punish me however you see fit.”

　　Seeing her calm demeanor, Xie Jue couldn't help but chuckle in frustration. “You're quite fearless now, aren't you? You don't seem afraid of me at all. You think I wouldn't dare to punish you?”

　　He grasped her chin, leaning down slowly. “Of course, I must impose a heavy punishment.”

　　……

　　Yun Ling soon learned the nature of his ‘heavy punishment.’

　　His intention to apply the medicine had been kind, but she had inadvertently slapped him. He seized upon this mistake, making full use of it.

　　Yun Ling hadn't resisted him much in the past, but this slap had shaken her confidence, causing her to comply readily. However, his youth and strength proved too much, and she gradually found herself unable to keep up.

　　On their journey back to the capital, things were peaceful. Yun Ling's attitude had softened, and she had grown accustomed to his embrace; their days were filled with intimacy.

　　Yun Ling found the journey back to the capital exceedingly long. She longed to reach the Capital city soon; otherwise, she feared she wouldn't be able to endure.

　　Every day, she would nestle in his arms on the carriage and sleep. Upon arriving at inns and post stations, she would sleep again.

　　She hadn't had a single day's rest.

　　Yun Ling was greatly worried. The journey back to the capital was still many days long, and if this continued—if he repeatedly slept with her—her stomach would likely be quite swollen by the time they reached the capital.

　　She certainly didn't want that! Therefore, she had been quite worried lately, unsure how to broach the subject with him, and could only try her best to avoid intimacy.

　　As evening approached, they finally entered the city before nightfall and checked into an inn.

　　After dinner, Yun Ling had no desire to return to their room. Hearing the innkeeper mention a lively lantern festival in the city that night, still in progress, she decided to go and see it.

　　Xie Jue agreed.

　　After a long and tiring journey, allowing her to see the lantern festival was reasonable.

　　It was a relatively small county town, and it happened to be a local festival. The market was filled with exquisitely crafted and lifelike lanterns.

　　There were rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, flower basket lanterns, fish-shaped lanterns, and many more. The streets were bustling with young men and women, and enthusiastic vendors, creating a lively atmosphere.

　　Yun Ling bought a rabbit lantern and asked the old woman selling them why it was so lively that day.

　　The old woman smiled. “Young ¹mistress, you must be from out of town. This is An Nian County's annual lantern competition; it's very lively, and the first prize is ten taels of silver! Would you and your husband like to try?”

　　Husband…

　　Yun Ling paused, shaking her head. “We... we'll just watch. We don't know how to make lanterns.”

　　Turning to look at him, she saw that his expression was calm, without a ripple of emotion.

　　True, in his heart, all that was missing between them was a formal title.

　　The market was bustling. An older woman selling her homemade rice wine, well-versed in the importance of attracting customers, stopped anyone who passed by, urging them to try her drink.

　　Yun Ling was thus caught. The woman grabbed Yun Ling, noticing her face. “Oh my, what a beautiful young mistress! I've never seen you before. My rice wine is perfect for someone like you. Try it; it's very sweet and delicious!”

　　Unable to refuse her enthusiasm, Yun Ling took a sip. It was indeed smooth, sweet, and fragrant, leaving a pleasant taste in her mouth.

　　She nodded. “Delicious.”

　　“Since you like it, young mistress, why not buy two jugs?” the woman said cheerfully.

　　Before Yun Ling could answer, Grand Eunuch An very thoughtfully stepped forward and paid.

　　Going out with him, she didn't need to worry about buying anything. If she said something was nice, Grand Eunuch An would step forward and pay. After strolling through the market for a while, Yun Ling said it was time to go back.

　　Xie Jue asked, “Don't you want to stroll around a little longer?”

　　Yun Ling shook her head. “Your Highness has already accompanied me for a long time; it's enough. We have to continue our journey tomorrow.”

　　“It's alright. If you like, I can spare a little more time to accompany you.”

　　Yun Ling knew that he wasn't a person who enjoyed such trivial matters; he never showed much interest in lantern festivals. Yet, throughout their walk, he hadn't shown any impatience, patiently choosing a beautiful lantern for her, his expression as serious and focused as when reviewing official documents.

　　Yun Ling paused, then suddenly said, “Your Highness's temperament now is vastly different from when you were in the Cold Palace.”

　　He promised her everything.

　　Back then, he would often grab her by the neck, and she lived each day in fear and trepidation.

　　Upon hearing this, Xie Jue lifted his eyelids slightly. “Are you bringing up old grievances again?”

　　He walked over, slowly bending down until his nose was almost touching her face, the distance incredibly close. “Don't even mention the present; even back in the Cold Palace, I was lenient enough with you.”

　　Otherwise, how could she have survived until now?

　　Gazing into her clear eyes, he lightly curled his lips. “Now, I'm not just good-tempered. I want to grant you everything. Even if you shed a single tear, my heart aches terribly. All the treasures in the world, I would gladly pile them before you.”

________________

Glossary:

¹‘Mistress’ has a few different meanings, and the specific meaning depends on the context. Here are some common ones:

- A woman in a position of authority: This is the older, more traditional meaning. You might hear it used in phrases like ‘mistress of the house’ or ‘mistress of ceremonies.’

- A woman who has a romantic relationship with a man who is already married: This is the most common meaning today, and it often carries negative connotations.

- A woman who is in charge of a household or business: This meaning is less common, but it can still be used.

To figure out the intended meaning of ‘mistress,’ you need to consider the context in which it's used.

….

T/N: Please let me know if you see any grammatical errors or incorrectly named person. Special thanks to heebsjeebs on the NU website. Thank you for taking the time to review this novel. 😘

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