My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 58: I Agreed.

　　In the prison of Zezhou, the new governor of Yunze had taken office. In a few days, Qin Yi would be executed, with no hope of survival.

　　The closer the execution date drew, the greater Qin Yi's fear became. Facing death, all his past achievements and regrets resurfaced, leaving only remorse. He regretted his greed and reckless gamble.

　　In the evening, the jailers changed shifts, their vigilance relaxed. They ate peanuts and chatted amongst themselves.

　　Their conversation centered on the recent sensational murder of the Head of the Lin family in Yunze.

　　“I heard that the Head of the Lin family, incredibly foolishly, dared to send someone to assassinate the Crown Prince's favored court lady. Although she was merely a court lady, the Crown Prince clearly doted on her; it was expected she would soon become a consort. However, the assassin accidentally injured the Crown Prince! That is undoubtedly a capital offense; confiscation of property and extermination of the clan would be insufficient punishment.”

　　“Then why did they only kill the Head of the Lin family?”

　　A jailer, whispering some inside information, said, “I heard the Crown Prince's favored court lady had ties to the Lin family... so His Highness showed mercy!”

　　“I see.”

　　All the conversation drifted into Qin Yi's ears. That woman… he mused, she was actually from the Lin family? No wonder her bearing seemed familiar.

　　Furthermore, judging from the jailers' words, the Crown Prince seemed quite fond of her.

　　The Lin family… Qin Yi pondered, his eyes suddenly lighting up as he thought of something. He called for a jailer, requesting paper and ink to write something down.

　　If he could provide the Crown Prince with some information, perhaps he could be pardoned!

　　……

　　Yun Ling found the rice wine brewed by the old lady to be quite delicious. After returning to the inn, she had a few more cups. Initially, it tasted sweet, but she hadn't anticipated its strong aftertaste. Soon, her face flushed with a rosy hue.

　　The winter night was cold, with a howling wind that could freeze one's bones. As the night deepened, a sudden drizzle began, the raindrops cascading down from the eaves in a continuous stream.

　　The corridor outside was silent, devoid of any sound.

　　The room was heated by a charcoal brazier, making it pleasantly warm. The heat rose steadily.

　　Inside the bed curtains, Yun Ling felt incredibly hot. She removed all her outer garments, leaving only her thin undergarment, and murmured, “I'm so thirsty…”

　　Xie Jue had already shed his outer clothes as well. Hearing her, he got out of bed, poured a cup of warm water, and brought it to her lips. He helped her drink the water.

　　Yun Ling's mind was hazy, thinking about how she could get him to serve her, yet she couldn't control herself as she drank all the water. With wet, glistening eyes, she pushed her luck further, saying, “I want another cup.”

　　Xie Jue didn't say anything. He got up and poured her another cup.

　　Yun Ling drank so quickly that some water spilled from her lips, wetting her collar.

　　After two cups, her thirst subsided considerably.

　　Xie Jue looked at her, “No more?”

　　Yun Ling shook her head, “No, thank you, Your Highness.”

　　Xie Jue casually tossed the cup to the floor, climbed onto the bed, and pressed down on her thin shoulders, pushing her onto the bed. He followed, falling onto her. He lowered his head, capturing her soft, red lips and probing them with his tongue. He tasted the wetness of her mouth, still carrying the sweet aftertaste of rice wine.

　　He deepened the kiss, holding her waist.

　　Yun Ling tilted her chin, struggling to breathe, her head even more dizzy. She let him kiss her, her arms slowly wrapping around his neck.

　　Xie Jue asked, “Are you hot?”

　　“Mm.”

　　Yun Ling responded, suddenly realizing his kisses were moving lower. Yun Ling instinctively pushed back, her movements becoming disordered, “No…”

　　How could this be?

　　Xie Jue took her hand, placing it firmly against his side, not allowing her to resist. “Uncomfortable?”

　　Yun Ling mumbled a response in a daze.

　　Xie Jue's eyes darkened slightly, and he also made a sound of affirmation.

　　……

　　The temperature within the bed curtains steadily rose.

　　Suddenly, a knock came from outside the door, followed by Pei Yuan's serious voice, “Your Highness, Young Master Chen in the capital has sent a message, requiring an immediate discussion with you.”

　　Xie Jue paused, slowly raising his head and sitting up. A tall, dark shadow appeared in the middle of the bed curtains.

　　His Adam's apple bobbed, his stern brow furrowed in suppressed tension. He closed his eyes tightly.

　　After a long moment, he responded softly, “Mm.” (T/N: LoL, Pei Yuan, you really are a party popper. 😂)

　　He got up and pulled the blanket to tightly wrap the woman lying on the bed, ensuring not a single breath of air could pass through. He lowered his head and whispered softly in her ear, “Go to sleep first; I will be back shortly.”

　　Yun Ling's mind was a muddle. Hearing his low, husky voice, she slowly opened her eyes, her eyes still filled with unshed tears. Her gaze fell upon his high, straight nose bridge, and she responded drowsily,

　　“Okay.”

　　Xie Jue got up and put on his clothes before leaving.

　　Yun Ling turned her face and closed her eyes, waiting for her heartbeat to calm down. Without thinking about anything, she gradually drifted off to sleep.

　　However, she couldn't sleep for even an hour. As the effects of the alcohol wore off, she woke up.

　　Rubbing her slightly flushed cheeks, Yun Ling thought to herself that she couldn’t indulge in drinking like that again; she had gotten so drunk. She got up to pour herself a glass of water, but as she lifted the bed curtain, she suddenly paused, feeling something damp beneath her…

　　Her hazy consciousness gradually began to clear.

　　Then, the heat that had just faded from her face suddenly flared up again, this time flushing all the way to her ears and neck.

　　How could a dignified prince like him... She felt utterly embarrassed just thinking about it.

　　And he had just walked out like that... with water stains still on his nose!

　　Yun Ling's slender, pale fingers clenched tightly. Now fully awake, she felt as if she might explode from the overwhelming embarrassment.

　　She felt she had never been this angry in her entire life. Lying in bed, her chest heaved rapidly, her frustration overwhelming. The heat in her face stubbornly refused to subside, and even with her eyes closed, sleep remained elusive.

　　He had actually…

　　She had been so drunk and disoriented at the time that she hadn't resisted.

　　Thinking about it, she could no longer bear it and turned her head, burying her face in the pillow.

　　The night outside was deep. The rain, which had fallen for a long time, had stopped at some point, leaving only the steady drip, drip, drip of water from the eaves.

　　Yun Ling faced the wall, silently fuming, and didn't sleep again.

　　After an unknown amount of time, the room door creaked open, and Xie Jue, having finished his business, returned.

　　Seeing that the bed curtains were still, and there was no sound from within, he removed his boots and got into bed.

　　The long meeting had left him tired as well. He pulled her into his arms from behind and closed his eyes.

　　The fuming Yun Ling: “...”

　　After suppressing it again and again, she finally couldn't hold back any longer. She forcefully pushed his arm away, freeing herself from his embrace; she didn't want his hug.

　　……

　　Her anger persisted into the next day.

　　Xie Jue woke up to find her sleeping on the edge of the bed, at least a person's length away from him.

　　His brows furrowed. He stretched out his arm to pull her back into his embrace, but the next second, she forcefully broke free again.

　　Her back was turned to him; her figure looked puffed up with anger.

　　“Don't touch me.”

　　Xie Jue paused. “You're quite bold now. Where did you get this temper?”

　　Yun Ling pursed her lips, refusing to speak.

　　Xie Jue chuckled, a hint of anger in his voice. “Unruly.”

　　Saying this, he wrapped his arms around her waist, forcefully pulling her into his embrace. Yun Ling struggled violently, pushing his hands away, her face flushed with anger. She wanted to make herself clear. “I was drunk yesterday, how could you…” She hesitated, then blurted out, “...take advantage of me.”

　　Xie Jue finally understood what she was angry about. He tugged at his lips, saying carelessly, “Your whole person belongs to me; where can't I touch you?”

　　Yun Ling's face flushed crimson.

　　Unable to bear it any longer, the resentment that had been building up in her heart finally erupted. Her face red with anger, she called out his name, “Xie Jue!”

　　Xie Jue remained unfazed. “Mn.”

　　“……”

　　Yun Ling opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it and didn't say anything. She pushed his hand away and got out of bed on her own.

　　Even after getting into the carriage, she didn't speak to him, sitting as far away from him as possible.

　　Xie Jue sat opposite her, watching her tightly pressed, red lips. The carriage was silent, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

　　Seeing her distance herself, Xie Jue's mood also sank.

　　He hadn't really dwelled on what happened yesterday. Whether she was drunk or not didn't matter to him; he simply didn't want her to be uncomfortable.

　　He couldn't understand why she was so angry.

　　Ultimately, he realized he had spoiled her too much lately, allowing her to become increasingly willful and unruly.

　　Thinking this, he picked up a book and started reading, saying nothing more.

　　Along the way, Pei Yuan had some matters to discuss with him, so Xie Jue got off the carriage and walked with Pei Yuan.

　　With one less person in the carriage, Yun Ling felt more at ease. Leaning against the soft cushions, she picked up a geographical record of Che Luo Kingdom to read.

　　She wasn't interested in romantic novels, but she enjoyed reading geographical records and travel journals, discovering unique customs and human nature within them.

　　After reading these accounts, it felt as if she had traveled those places herself.

　　There was an eight-treasure box of sweets in the carriage; the Crown Prince didn't particularly like sweets, it was specially prepared for her.

　　Yun Ling opened it and picked a candied fruit to put in her mouth. It was sweet. After eating two, she wanted to drink some water. As she poured a cup of tea, she inadvertently saw the two bottles of rice wine in the corner. She sighed heavily, moving them further away, unwilling to revisit those memories.

　　They had been traveling for more than ten days; it would take another three or four days to reach the Capital.

　　Once they arrived in the Capital and entered the Palace, she knew there would be countless matters awaiting her.

　　The matter of establishing her as the Crown Princess...Now that he held the power of the Empire, the objections of the officials would pose no difficulty to him; they couldn't stop him.

　　And although he hadn't said anything, she knew that during these days, the messages from Young Master Chen were not only inquiring about Lin Ling's whereabouts, but were also working on the matter of establishing a Crown Princess.

　　Her mind raced with countless thoughts. Yun Ling shook her head, deciding not to think too much. After all, they hadn't yet reached the Capital.

　　Yun Ling spent a very leisurely afternoon.

　　As the sun set, their party entered a county town. It was unsuitable to continue traveling, so they found a good inn and settled in.

　　Yun Ling asked the innkeeper for a tub of hot water to bathe. The warm water was extremely comfortable.

　　After her bath, she found him already bathed and changed into a moon-white nightshirt, sitting by the bed, holding a book.

　　Yun Ling glanced at him, then sat by the window to dry her hair, ignoring him.

　　She didn't say a word to him, nor did she offer him tea or attend to his needs.

　　“What a temper,” he thought.

　　His long, slender fingers clenched. Xie Jue suddenly slammed his book shut, his voice low and cold. “Come here.”

　　Yun Ling paused, remaining seated.

　　Xie Jue slammed the book down, walked over, scooped her up, and placed her on the bed. Seeing her attempt to struggle, he held both her wrists. “Intimate relations are a natural part of life. What is there to be angry about?”

　　Yun Ling stopped struggling. Her expression calmed, she pursed her lips, tilting her head up to say seriously, “But Your Highness took advantage of me last night while I was drunk, so naturally I'm angry.”

　　“And Your Highness, how could you so brazenly go out? What if someone saw you?”

　　If someone were to find out, it would be so embarrassing; how could she face anyone? Although most wouldn't think that way, she was incredibly uncomfortable.

　　Her face was flushed, whether from anger or something else, she looked even more captivating than the sweetest rice wine.

　　Xie Jue gazed at her quietly. After a moment, his brow relaxed, and his voice softened. “Taking advantage of you while you were drunk wasn't my intention.”

　　She belonged to him; he hadn't considered those things. He kissed her because he wanted to.

　　Yun Ling mumbled in response, letting out a low humph.

　　Of course, he hadn't done it intentionally; for him, it was only natural.

　　Her bright and gentle apricot eyes held a hint of moisture, her jawline thin and white, looking pitifully wronged.

　　Xie Jue paused for a moment.

　　Only this woman could always soften his heart.

　　He took a deep breath.

　　Lowering his head, he cupped her chin, forcibly turning her face towards him. He pulled her wrists, pulling her whole body into his embrace, coaxing her, “Alright, what do you want me to do? I'll do anything you ask.”

　　Yun Ling's eyelashes fluttered. After a moment of thought, she looked up at him. “Then Your Highness must promise me that in the future, you will obtain my consent and discuss matters concerning me with me beforehand.”

　　“Okay.”

　　“You can't force me to do things I don't like.”

　　“Okay,” Xie Jue said. “What else? Let's get it all out at once.”

　　“Will Your Highness agree to all of this?”

　　“Don't you know whether I will or not?”

　　Yun Ling's face flushed, and she leaned close to his ear, whispering, “Before Your Highness establishes me as the Crown Princess, I don't want to be pregnant. I absolutely don't want to enter the East Palace with a baby bump.”

　　Xie Jue answered without a blink, “I agree to everything.”

　　He responded without the slightest hesitation.

　　Even Yun Ling was taken aback by his immediate agreement.

　　“As long as you don't sulk at me again.”

　　He would agree to anything.

　　Xie Jue lowered his head, his nose touching hers. “Are you happy now?”

　　Staring at him for a moment, the sullen expression on her face faded, replaced by a softer one.

　　Yun Ling's eyes curved slightly in a gentle smile. “Yes, thank you, Your Highness,” she replied sincerely.

　　Xie Jue smiled back, the intensity in his brow softening. He reached out to touch her face, then lowered his head to kiss her neck. Yun Ling giggled, finding it ticklish. She hugged his waist, humming with laughter as she shifted away, “Ticklish!”

　　Xie Jue closed his eyes, his kisses deepening in a moment of blissful surrender.

　　The warmth intensified within the bed curtains. Somehow, she found herself sitting facing him on his lap, tilting her head back to kiss him.

　　Their hair mingled, a sweet entanglement.

　　……

　　They continued their journey for two more days. They were at most a day's travel from the capital.

　　Yun Ling was resting her head on Xie Jue's shoulder in the carriage when it suddenly stopped.

　　She opened her eyes and looked up, wondering what had happened.

　　At that moment, Pei Yuan's serious voice came from outside the carriage, “Your Highness, I have just received an urgent message from the Young Master Chen. This matter is of great importance and requires your immediate decision.”

　　Xie Jue asked, “What is it?”

　　Pei Yuan's voice was extremely serious, “Your Highness, the investigation into Lin Ling's whereabouts, commissioned to Young Master Chen, has yielded results. Unexpectedly, she's in the Capital.”

　　Yun Ling's pupils trembled at these words.

　　Xie Jue inquired, “Where in the Capital?”

　　Pei Yuan hesitated before saying solemnly, “I believe Your Highness and Lady Yun should see this for yourselves.” He then handed in the letter.

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T/N: I think this novel title really suits this story. Yun Ling's always coaxing Xie Jue, and he does the same to her! I was smiling so hard while translating this part. 🤭

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