My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 82: There Is No Doubt About Their Love.

　　He walked in from the door, his gaze fixed on Yun Ling.

　　His expression was indifferent, his thin lips tightly pressed together. 

　　The deep black, noble brocade robe seemed to still be stained with the coldness of the night outside the Palace. 

　　Yun Ling let down her hair and said nothing. The two maidservants, Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ, felt the atmosphere was a bit strange. Just as they were at a loss, they heard the Crown Prince's cold voice, 

　　“You both go out.” 

　　“Yes.”　　

　　Originally, Lǜshuǐ wanted to advise the Crown Princess not to be estranged from the Crown Prince, but before she could speak, the Crown Prince arrived, and she could only swallow her words back down and retreat with Lǜyī. 

　　Closing the door and reaching the doorway, Lǜshuǐ and Lǜyī exchanged a look, hesitated for a moment, and then quickly left. 

　　The bedroom fell silent. 

　　Yun Ling glanced at him, sighing inwardly. She had promised her grandmother to live a good life, but now, with the matter of Emperor Jingning between them, neither had they resolved it, nor had she figured out what to do. 

　　So, she looked at him, and after a long while, she said, “Your Highness, why have you come?” 

　　He had been sleeping in the study these past few days, and she thought he was still angry. 

　　When Xie Jue first entered, he saw that several lamps had been extinguished, and knew she was about to go to sleep. 

　　He had been sleeping in the study for several days, and she hadn't shown the slightest discomfort.　　　　

　　Thinking of this, his handsome brows furrowed sharply. 

　　After a moment, his thin lips moved, simply saying, “I want to bathe.” 

　　Late at night, his request to bathe disrupted the palace servants who were about to fall asleep, causing them to scramble around. 

　　The lamps in the bedroom lit up one after another, illuminating the room. 

　　The servants, with nimble hands and feet, carried in bucket after bucket of hot water, filling the bathtub, and then quietly left. 

　　Yun Ling had already changed into her nightgown and sat quietly on the bed, waiting for him. 

　　She had intended to wait for him to finish bathing and have a good talk with him. But whether it was because he was taking too long or because she was too tired, as she waited, she gradually closed her eyes and fell asleep.　　

　　Xie Jue came out of the bath, only to find a peaceful silence. Pushing aside the layers of the hibiscus curtains, he saw that she was already lying down, her chest rising and falling evenly, her cheeks flushed, her eyelashes closed, fast asleep. 

　　She hadn't waited for him at all. 

　　Xie Jue's brow furrowed deeply. 

　　She was becoming increasingly bold. Ignoring him was one thing, but arguing with him, giving him the cold shoulder, and now this blatant disregard! 

　　He had stayed in the study for three days, and she hadn't come to look for him once.　　　　

　　He took off his boots and got into bed, Xie Jue lifted the covers and lay down beside her. 

　　Layers of gauze curtains fell, blocking half of the candlelight in the hall. The servants quietly entered and extinguished the candles, plunging the hibiscus tent into complete darkness and silence. 

　　So quiet that Xie Jue could hear her steady breathing in his ears. 

　　One breath after another. 

　　Like ripples spreading on the surface of a calm lake. 

　　Xie Jue furrowed his brow, slowly lowering his head. He stopped just before touching her nose, his fingers tracing her soft, red lips, gently pinching her face, intending to wake her. 

　　After gazing at her for a moment, his thin lips pursed slightly, and finally he turned over and lay down.

　　……　　

　　Yun Ling felt a movement beside her. 

　　It wasn't a loud sound, but she had slept all night and was already awake by the time it was morning. Opening her hazy eyes, she saw his back as he sat up. 

　　He was putting on his boots. 

　　It must still be early. Was he going to court? 

　　Yun Ling gradually woke up. Last night, she had intended to have a serious talk with him, but she had fallen asleep instead. 

　　This wasn't good. 

　　Although she hadn't yet figured out how to talk to him, falling asleep like that made it seem as if she was deliberately ignoring him.　　

　　“It's still early. Will Your Highness have breakfast before you leave?” A soft voice suddenly came from behind him. Xie Jue stopped putting on his boots, turned his head, and saw Yun Ling already sitting up in bed, wrapped in her blankets. 

　　He paused. “When did you wake up?” 

　　“Just now,” Yun Ling replied. 

　　“Did I wake you?” 

　　Yun Ling shook her head again. “I woke up on my own.”　　

　　Looking at her rosy cheeks, just woken from sleep, her hair like clouds, her apricot eyes clear and bright, as vibrant as a delicate flower slowly opening at dawn, her expression innocent and bewildered. 

　　Of course he hadn't woken her. 

　　Xie Jue's thin lips tightened into a straight line, his chest tight with frustration, almost amused. Still, he couldn't help but lean down and pinch her face. “My Crown Princess slept soundly and peacefully, but did you ever consider that I tossed and turned all night?" 

　　“Every time we quarrel, you seem completely unconcerned. Is it always only I who am troubled and restless?”　　

　　Rational, composed, calm, and peaceful. She was always like this. 

　　Looking back, from the Cold Palace to now, his Crown Princess had always been so composed with him, seemingly unaffected by anything. 

　　His words hung in the air. 

　　Xie Jue lowered his eyes and looked at her face, which was forced to be raised. Her expression was one of puzzled innocence, as if she didn't understand the source of his sudden anger.　　

　　He lowered his lashes, gazing at her for a long while, then closed his eyes and released her face. 

　　Forget it, she probably didn't even know what he was angry about. 

　　Xie Jue turned to get up, but before he could stand, he was suddenly embraced from behind by a pair of soft arms. 

　　Then her warm body pressed against his. 

　　“Husband, I do care.” 

　　It's just that, compared to his emotional ups and downs, she often kept these things to herself. 

　　Xie Jue's body stiffened. 

　　He sat back on the edge of the bed, letting her hold him, without making a move.　　

　　“Last night, I was going to wait for you, but I was too sleepy, and I fell asleep before I knew it. I didn't even realize it myself,” Yun Ling sat up, leaning over to gently kiss the corner of his lips. “We are husband and wife, bound by fate, deeply in love. How could I not care about you?” 

　　Xie Jue slowly turned to look at her. 

　　The next moment, Yun Ling wrapped her arms around his neck and threw herself into his arms, her voice soft and muffled. “Isn't that right?” 

　　Xie Jue's pupils flickered. After a moment of silence, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist, holding her close. 

　　Inhaling her light fragrance, he closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, his lips parted to speak, but suddenly a hurried voice came from outside the hall. “Your Highness, Lord Chen has arrived, saying he has urgent matters to discuss and requests Your Highness's immediate presence!”　

　　Xie Jue's eyes sharpened. 

　　Chen Zhan coming to him so early in the morning—Yunze must have had an accident! 

　　Pulling the covers up to wrap Yun Ling, Xie Jue paused, looking into her eyes, his voice low and deep, “Yes.” 

　　It was an answer to her previous question. 

　　Then he said, “It's urgent. I must go see Chen Zhan immediately.” 

　　Without waiting for Yun Ling to reply, he placed her on the bed, stood up, put on his robe, and quickly left. 

　　Only after the door closed did Yun Ling slowly sit up, her expression turning serious. 

　　What kind of emergency would cause Lord Chen to seek him out so early? And the look on his face, that urgent departure… it was unlike anything she had ever seen from him. 

　　She pondered for a long while.

　　Alright, she'll talk to him when he gets back.

　　……

　　After finishing the inner palace affair, it was already lunchtime. Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ arranged for someone to bring in lunch. 

　　The dishes were plentiful, all the dishes that Yun Ling had specially instructed the imperial chef to prepare, the ones His Highness liked. 

　　Looking up, she asked, “Has His Highness returned?” 

　　Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ shook their heads in unison. “Not yet.” 

　　Yun Ling knew he must still be busy. 

　　But she hadn't expected that his business would keep him away until before bedtime. 

　　The little eunuch Yun Ling had sent returned to report, “Reporting to Her Highness the Crown Princess, His Highness is still in a meeting. He instructed you to rest and not wait.”　

　　Yun Ling was stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded. “I understand. You may go.” 

　　Since they didn't need to wait for His Highness the Crown Prince to return before retiring for the night, Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ came to help Yun Ling undress. Lǜshuǐ said, “Crown Princess, don't worry too much. His Highness must be busy with matters of state.” 

　　Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ offered comfort, but their hearts were uneasy. His Highness had been distant from the Crown Princess for several days, and yesterday, he had finally returned. They thought they had reconciled, but what was happening now? 

　　They wanted to offer a few more words of comfort, but they heard Yun Ling telling them to leave.　　　　

　　The Crown Princess didn't seem worried at all. 

　　They didn't dare say anything more and quietly withdrew. 

　　After Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ left, Yun Ling got into bed and lay down, but her mind was filled with thoughts of what he was busy with. Could it still be the matter Lord Chen had sought him out for in the morning? 

　　What major event had occurred? 

　　Worried and anxious, she unknowingly drifted off to sleep. 

　　She woke up early the next morning, probably because she had been preoccupied, and hadn't slept well. 

　　She reached out and touched the other side of the bed—it was cold. 

　　She didn't know if he hadn't returned last night or had left early this morning.　　

　　Yun Ling sat up, her hair falling over her shoulders, her eyes hazy as she pondered for a long time. 

　　For the next two days, it was the same. 

　　He only returned late at night, after she had already fallen asleep. By the time she woke up, he was already gone. 

　　His busyness must still be related to what Lord Chen had reported that morning, but what exactly had happened? She couldn't even get a hint of information from Grand Eunuch An.　　

　　Could it be that something else had happened to Yunze? But hadn't the rebel army been wiped out? 

　　Without any news, she couldn't figure it out. But since he was busy with state affairs, Yun Ling didn't want to disturb him. 

　　She would wait until he was free. 

　　That night, Yun Ling finished reviewing the accounts from the Shanggong Bureau that Yao Shanggong had given her. Because there were many items to be reviewed and approved, she worked late. 

　　Looking up, she saw that it was already dark outside. 

　　The sky was dark and heavy, and even the moon hanging in the night sky was not very bright. 

　　After looking out for a while, Yun Ling got up to go to rest. 

　　Lying in bed with her eyes closed, she didn't fall asleep for a long time.

　　She didn't know how long it had been, but in her sleep, Yun Ling seemed to hear him return. A short time later, she felt the bed beside her soften, and then she was enveloped in strong arms. 

　　Even in her sleep, Yun Ling was used to snuggling in his arms, and subconsciously rubbed her cheek against his chest. Her eyes struggled to open, trying to wake from her sleep, but she couldn't. She vaguely remembered asking, “Your Highness, what are you busy with...?” 

　　Xie Jue tightened his embrace, leaned over and kissed her soft lips, then held her closer. 

　　Yun Ling remained lost in her dreams, unable to fully wake. She vaguely heard him whisper in her ear, 

　　“It's late. Don't worry, go back to sleep.”

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T/N: Thank you, rs.nineteenn, for your kind words at NU website! You've noticed something I hadn't considered—the gender of some characters. To be honest, I try to translate the text as accurately as possible. If a character's gender isn't specified, it's because the author omitted it. However, I appreciate you pointing out these details; it shows how much you care about the novel, and I appreciate your support! 😘 Please let me know if you find any incorrect translations or misspelled names, and I'll fix them immediately. Even after proofreading, I sometimes miss errors. 😆

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