Huan Xuan returned to the palace and lay down on his couch, but he was not sleepy.
He drank a lot of wine last night, and now there are only some fragmented images in his mind. The burning feeling still lingers in his limbs, like a wildfire that has just been extinguished, as if it will be rekindled at the slightest touch.
He felt a little dry in the mouth, and the dryness spread to his heart.
When he decided to bring the hunter woman back to the camp, he knew he had done something ridiculous and it was only a matter of time before things came to this.
But he didn't expect that he would be so out of control for the first time. It was as if the woman had drawn out a rampaging beast from his body, wanting only to destroy everything.
Just thinking this, the beast began to stir again.
Huan Xuan pinched his brows. Losing control was always unpleasant, and he wanted to suppress this unpleasant thought.
But somehow, the image of the woman biting her lips, closing her eyes, and crying silently with trembling eyelashes, lingered in his mind.
He sat up, put on his clothes and got out of bed, and called Gao Mai: "How is the situation in Shanchiyuan?"
Gao Mai thought he was going to ask about the aftermath, so he said, "Someone just called back and said that Madam Gao has already helped Madam Lu drink the contraceptive soup. Your Highness doesn't have to worry. With Madam Gao taking care of her, everything will be fine."
Huan Xuan nodded. The hunter's daughter was not even a concubine, so of course she could not give birth to his children. He did not need to worry about these trivial matters, as someone would take care of them.
Grandma Gao is a cautious person and will make sure that nothing goes wrong.
He thought for a moment and said, "Open my private storehouse and reward her with a hundred pieces of silk."
A piece of silk could be exchanged for about one thousand coins, and the annual living expenses of an ordinary family were less than ten thousand coins. Even if His Royal Highness the King of Qi was generous to his subordinates and servants, this reward was not a small sum.
However, rewards are different from gifts. Silk is used as money, and rewarding silk is like reward money. Although the amount is large, it does not require much thought. Otherwise, there are so many things in the storehouse. Picking one or two pieces of utensils, pearls, jade, or even cosmetics and perfumes is more thoughtful than spending money carelessly.
Just from this reward, Gao Mai figured out the attitude of His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi towards Lady Lu—he was quite satisfied with her service last night, but that was all.
…
When the reward was delivered, Sui Sui had just gotten up from bed.
While combing her hair, Grandma Gao said in a roundabout way, "Madam, you will still serve His Highness for a long time to come, and you can't let His Highness do whatever he wants. You were reckless when you were young, and you have hurt His Highness's foundation. This is your great sin."
She paused and looked at the face of the woman in the mirror. She still looked a little tired, but after last night, she seemed to have gained a different kind of beauty, like a flower hit by rain and dew, whose colors became more vivid.
Who can bear this, not to mention that their prince is just beginning to experience the pleasures of love. Grandma Gao sighed secretly: "Even if it's the lady herself, it's not good to lose her energy and blood."
There was one more thing she didn't say. His Highness would probably marry a concubine in the next two years. Although Lu Suisui was a concubine from the imperial concubine's household, she was His Highness's first woman. If she was favored too much, and the news got to the princess' ears in the future, she would inevitably become a thorn in the mistress's side.
The mistress of a high-ranking family has many ways to torture a concubine, and she can make the concubine miserable without even getting her hands dirty.
Grandma Gao had been living with this hunter girl for some time and had some feelings for her in her heart. She didn't want her to have a miserable end.
Sui Sui smiled helplessly. Huan Xuan was a prince, and she couldn't persuade him to do anything he wanted.
But she also knew that the old lady just liked to nag and had no bad intentions, so she didn't argue with her and just let it go in one ear and out the other.
Grandma Gao was not very satisfied with her attitude, but because of the bowl of contraceptive soup, she felt guilty and had less confidence to say anything harsh to her. She changed the subject and said, "Last night, my lady was in a hurry to receive the emperor's favor. I didn't have time to explain the rules of serving the emperor. After serving the emperor, you should help His Highness take a bath and go to bed, and then leave His Highness's bedroom. It is against the rules for your lady to stay overnight like this."
Sui Sui had never thought of this, and Grandma Gao's words reminded her.
After all, she didn't really think of herself as a servant, and couldn't take care of everything.
Just like this morning, I was so tired that I couldn't open my eyes, so how could I care about others
At that time, she felt someone pushing her while she was half asleep and half awake, and soon she heard the sound of carriages and horses. She thought that it was probably because she had occupied Huan Xuan's bed, and he didn't want to sleep in the same bed with her, but she couldn't sleep in the side room, so he went back home.
Sui Sui did not feel guilty or frightened, but as she currently held this identity, she could not reveal any flaws.
She said sincerely, "Mammy, I understand. I will sleep in my own room next time."
Grandma Gao wanted to instill some female virtues in her, but the reward from His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi arrived.
One hundred pieces of silk were packed into three large boxes and carried in by four eunuchs.
Sui Sui seemed to be indifferent to fame and fortune. After the four eunuchs left, she asked Chun Tiao to open the box and took out two ends for her and Madam Gao. She then said, "Last time I sent soup to Qinghan Courtyard, His Highness was unhappy and fined several people their monthly allowances. Please count them out and pay them back for me."
Chun Tiao was shocked: "My lady is too careless. You worked so hard to get this reward, why do you just give it away so casually?"
Sui Sui said, "They were implicated by me. It would have been fine if I had no money, but now that I have money, of course I have to compensate them. Besides, my food and clothes here are all provided by His Highness, and I have nowhere to spend the money."
Although those guards in the palace look glamorous, they actually don't have much benefits and rely on those monthly salaries to support their families.
Chun Tiao stamped her feet anxiously: "My wife, why don't you think about it for yourself..."
She has no status and only uses her beauty to serve others. Who knows how long she can be happy? She may be rewarded this time, but she doesn't know if she will be rewarded next time.
But it was not easy to say it directly, so she hesitated and said, "If I leave the mansion in the future, I will have trouble moving forward without some money."
Sui Sui understood her concerns, but couldn't tell her that he had other plans, so he smiled and said, "At most one box will be divided, and there will be one box left, which will be used as a dowry for Sister Chun Tiao in the future."
Chun Tiao didn't know whether she was angry or ashamed: "My lady only knows how to make fun of me, I don't care!"
Sui Sui smiled and said, "If the silk is gone, there will be more."
Chun Tiao gave her a displeased look, but had to admit that with her looks, she had the confidence to say such things.
The two boxes of silk were distributed like this, and the remaining box was put away by Chun Tiao in an empty room on the north side of the east wing and no longer taken care of.
The story of the hunter woman's "generous and generous" act reached the Prince of Qi's palace the next day.
Gao Mai also got ten pieces of money to make up for his salary that was fined. Although he had no shortage of this little money, it was always a pleasure to get it back after losing it.
He also had a new respect for Lady Lu. She was so sensible and not greedy for money. Maybe she would have great fortune in the future.
In order to return the favor, he found the right opportunity to say something to His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi: "Madam Lu is too cautious. We were punished because we did something wrong. What does it have to do with her?"
There was a flash of surprise in Huan Xuan's eyes, and then he sneered. This hunter girl was quite interesting. She was using his reward as a favor.
He said casually: "She is willing to give it, you just take it."
"Then I, your highness, would like to thank you for the reward."
"She gave it to you, why are you thanking me?" Huan Xuan said.
Seeing that he was in a good mood, Gao Mai then said indirectly: "Then I will wait for Your Highness to go to Chang'anfang and thank Lady Lu."
Huan Xuan just stared at him and said nothing.
Gao Mai's heart was beating fast. He saw that His Highness was interested in Lady Lu, so he helped him.
Huan Xuan retracted his gaze and said with a half-smile, "Are you short of money? I can buy you for ten pieces of silk."
Gao Mai breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that His Highness was in a good mood today.
Although Huan Xuan did not blame Gao Mai for talking too much, he did not go down the ladder he had set up.
Gao Mai was secretly puzzled, unable to guess what his prince's attitude was towards Lady Lu.
…
The King of Qi just rewarded Sui Sui with silk and said nothing else. Sui Sui did not take it seriously. He rested for a day and got up early the next day.
But I didn't expect that it would be even more painful when I woke up. The whole area was red and swollen, and it was burning painful when I rubbed it when I walked.
She knew some good remedies for treating external injuries, but she didn't know if they could be used on this type of injury, so she had to endure it for the time being.
Chun Tiao saw that her face was pale and her steps were smaller than usual. He knew the reason and blushed. He hesitated to say, "My wife is injured... How about we find a female doctor to take a look..."
"It's okay," Sui Sui said, "I'm going out. Please help me find some clothes."
Chun Tiao was surprised: "Where are you going, my lady? You are like this... Can't you go tomorrow?"
Sui Sui sighed secretly. She had made an appointment to meet her marching Sima Duan Beicen today.
He came to the capital under an assumed name as part of the entourage of the wedding envoy and was to set off that same day. Changing the appointment would be troublesome and risky, so he had no choice but to force himself to keep the appointment.
Who knew Huan Xuan would come that night, and stay for half the night.
The excuse was already thought of, and Sui Sui lowered her eyes and acted shyly: "I heard that the Qinglong Temple opened the Buddha's bone relics today, and they all say that it is the most efficacious. I want to go and pray."
Seeing her like this, Chun Tiao naturally knew who the "prayer" was for, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, what a silly and infatuated girl.
"My lady, you should take care of yourself," she said with a frown, "Qinglong Temple is outside the city, and it takes half a day to go back and forth by car. My lady, can you do this?"
Sui Sui said, "I heard someone say on the street that day that there is a Linghua Temple near Qinglong Temple. The vegetarian food there is good. We can take a break there, eat some vegetarian food, and then come back. It won't be too rushed."
She and Duan Beicen had agreed to meet at that small mountain temple, and the abbot of the temple was their man.
This small temple was built not far from the Qinglong Temple. It was not very popular on normal days, but today everyone was rushing to the Qinglong Temple, and there were even fewer people visiting there.
"Eating again," Chun Tiao said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "I'm afraid my wife went here just to eat vegetarian food."
"I heard them say it was so good, I want to try it."
Chun Tiao couldn't really stop Sui Sui from going out - although Lu Sui Sui was a concubine, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi did not forbid her from going out.
Sui Sui told Grandma Gao about it again. When Grandma Gao heard that it was to pray for her prince, she said nothing more and took out an ounce of silver and asked Sui Sui to add some fragrant oil for her.
"There are so many people around, so please remember to wear your veil." After giving the instructions, Nanny Gao went to arrange the carriage, people and guards.