A Mirror That Longs To Return - Chapter 5

What did she want her to help with?

He Jingling was shaken. Her gaze drifted over, and she saw the amusement gleaming in Yan Changjun’s eyes.

Yan Changjun had only smiled after seeing her shock.

He Jingling struggled to speak. “Your Highness, what do you need me to do?”

Yan Changjun lowered her eyes and restrained her smile, her tone indifferent.

“Come out first.”

Her fingers shifted slightly where they held the curtain. Only then did He Jingling seem to awaken from a dream.

Xu Zhiyan had vaguely heard that Yan Changjun had tormented her first two prince consorts even more severely. And so, while comforting himself, he had continued being this aggrieved prince consort for nearly three years.

Yet when the night he had long dreamed of finally arrived, he had expected to see Yan Changjun at last—only to watch her emerge from the carriage with someone else!

He stared fixedly at the person before him, clenching his hands until his knuckles turned white.

“Your Highness, what do you need me to do?” He Jingling withdrew her gaze and forced herself to remain calm, looking uncertainly at Yan Changjun’s face.

Her heart pounded wildly.

Yan Changjun’s eyes suddenly darkened. She smiled faintly.

“Carry me down from the carriage.”

Her enunciation was clear, and the ending of her sentence was flat, leaving He Jingling no room whatsoever to refuse.

The resentful gaze from moments ago and Yan Changjun’s leisurely gaze now crossed in He Jingling’s mind.

But without needing to weigh the matter for long, He Jingling knew exactly what she ought to do.

The prince consort had always been a punching bag. In the original novel, Pei Jin had escorted the Eldest Princess back to her residence on horseback, and Xu Zhiyan had still been furious after seeing it.

Let alone now.

Only then did Lüqi bring over the short rosewood stool and place it in position. She was just about to invite Yan Changjun to descend when her eyes suddenly widened.

Why was this Jinyiwei officer putting her hands all over Her Highness?!

A long arm naturally circled Yan Changjun’s waist. He Jingling’s fingertips accidentally brushed the gold-threaded sash of her peony-patterned skirt, while hot breath spilled over Yan Changjun’s cheek.

The scent of phoenix-marrow incense was somehow even stronger than it had been inside the sealed carriage.

Her body was light, and carrying her required little effort.

He Jingling felt dazed.

The act of lifting her down lasted only an instant, yet she still vaguely caught the emotion in Yan Changjun’s eyes.

There were few ripples in them, and for one brief moment, even a trace of frozen bewilderment.

She truly was only putting on a show, trying to anger to death the prince consort whom the court officials had forcibly pushed upon her.

They could not bear to see her alone and were always trying to bind her with these so-called romantic entanglements.

Yan Changjun reached the ground, but her footing was not entirely steady. In the end, she took advantage of the situation to lean lightly against He Jingling.

He Jingling tactfully extended a hand to support her.

Their fingertips touched, but did not immediately part.

It was Yan Changjun who did not release her.

There was even the faintest lingering hook between them, fingertips brushing and rubbing.

A ring of slightly reddened scar tissue circled the inside of Yan Changjun’s wrist, stark against her jade-white skin.

In the original novel, even the slightest change in the female lead’s expression while speaking with Pei Jin had been enough to make the prince consort grind his teeth in hatred.

After steadying herself, Yan Changjun’s nostrils moved faintly.

The musk truly was pungent.

She turned around and looked at Xu Zhiyan with complete indifference, speaking serenely.

“Why did the Prince Consort suddenly decide to come today?”

Xu Zhiyan’s face alternated between green and white, his resentment deepening.

The Xu family had produced only one male heir in each of four generations. He himself was a distinguished jinshi, and the emperor had personally named him the third-ranked scholar during the palace examination.

For a woman like the Eldest Princess, who had already married several times, to marry him ought to have been considered her good fortune.

Perhaps she might even bear him a son or daughter.

Unfortunately, Yan Changjun never paid him any attention, leaving him exceedingly anxious.

The family line absolutely could not end!

That was why he had come today without regard for anything else—only to witness this scene.

His teeth itched with hatred.

He walked slowly toward Yan Changjun, his expression dark and gloomy. Yet once he stopped, he turned a vicious look upon He Jingling.

“My lord, you should know that Her Highness the Princess is a married woman.”

He Jingling frowned almost imperceptibly.

She had initially thought this fellow would fly into a rage and throw a tantrum at Yan Changjun.

Yan Changjun looked weary and indolent. She cast Xu Zhiyan a sidelong glance and was too lazy even to invent a comforting lie. Instead, she struck directly at his heart.

“There was a palace coup tonight. Lord He shared my carriage in order to protect me.”

Xu Zhiyan’s complexion grew even more green and pale.

He stammered “Th-this, this…” for a long time without managing a complete sentence, then could only continue glaring at He Jingling.

“Could it be that Lord He does not even own a horse?”

The surname He, a Jinyiwei officer, an imperially bestowed Flying Fish Robe—

Once these details connected in his mind, Xu Zhiyan understood who the person before him was.

He had heard of her from Eunuch Wei, a distant cousin of his in the palace.

He Jingling was speechless.

This man did not dare lose his temper at Yan Changjun, so why was he directing it at her?

Making a scene in front of Yan Changjun was, in truth, also a slight against the princess herself.

Yet the fact that he did not dare confront Yan Changjun directly gave He Jingling an idea.

Yan Changjun was standing leisurely beside them, appearing almost to enjoy watching the two of them fight over her.

It was quite faithful to the original novel.

“I apologize.”

Contrary to all expectations, He Jingling lowered her brows and eyes obediently. Despite her tall stature, she bowed her head deeply.

“Prince Consort, I was merely anxious to protect my liege. The palace coup tonight happened without warning, and Her Highness encountered an assailant while leaving. I was only worried for her safety…”

Xu Zhiyan had already been holding in a bellyful of anger with nowhere to vent it. Since Yan Changjun was present, he could only let it seep out little by little.

How could he have expected He Jingling to react like this?!

Whenever he had encountered such situations in the past, the pretty young men he reprimanded had never dared answer back, while Yan Changjun had never interfered.

After all, he was still the official prince consort in name.

Yet He Jingling’s words dragged Yan Changjun, who had been observing from the side, directly into the matter.

That hateful fellow even continued:

“My family is poor. I truly cannot afford a horse, as my salary is used to support my household. Besides, escorting Her Highness on horseback would not necessarily have allowed me to protect her perfectly. In any case, it is all my fault. Prince Consort, please consider my sincere devotion and forgive me.”

Xu Zhiyan was so furious that he practically blew his beard and glared.

He knew He Jingling was blatantly spouting nonsense!

Jinyiwei officers received excellent compensation. How could she possibly be unable to afford a horse?

And as for this supposed sincere devotion, that was an utter inversion of right and wrong.

It was clearly improper desire!

Xu Zhiyan was about to say more when he noticed Yan Changjun’s eyes had grown dark and deep.

That was how her anger manifested.

“Lord He has already explained enough,” Yan Changjun said lazily. “Her wholehearted loyalty is beyond reproach.”

Only then did He Jingling release a long breath inwardly.

Everything she had just said had been blind probing. Yan Changjun’s declaration that she was “beyond reproach” finally settled the matter conclusively.

Whether it was genuinely effective or only appeared effective, however…

He Jingling’s imposing presence already suppressed Xu Zhiyan’s, and he was a refined Confucian scholar. How could he lower himself to quarrel with such a crude martial officer?

“You—you…”

He stammered, still unable to form a complete sentence.

The flawless full moon cast its light upon the ground. It was already quite late.

The awkward atmosphere between the three of them gradually solidified.

“That is enough,” Yan Changjun spoke once more. “I have already accompanied the Prince Consort long enough tonight. You may return.”

With that, Yan Changjun did not linger for even a moment. She lifted her skirts and walked into the residence.

The moment she left, Xu Zhiyan’s expression immediately grew sinister again. He was about to interrogate He Jingling when Lüqi suddenly reminded her from the side:

“Lord He, Her Highness asked you to follow her inside.”

Now it was He Jingling’s turn to lose her voice.

Full of confusion, she looked at the five characters written on the plaque above the entrance:

PRINCESS JIALANG’S RESIDENCE

The lettering looked mottled, as though the paint had peeled away.

Given the wealth of the Princess Manor, it was not that they could not afford repairs. Yan Changjun had simply chosen to preserve it this way.

Lüqi reminded her again.

“Lord He, please go inside.”

Only then did He Jingling pull herself from her thoughts. She nodded repeatedly and said she would enter at once.

It appeared she would have to play the role of Yan Changjun’s human tool for infuriating others all the way to the end tonight.

When Yan Changjun left without acknowledging either He Jingling or himself, Xu Zhiyan had felt slightly better.

But now, naturally, he no longer felt better at all.

He stood frozen in place for a while. After watching He Jingling’s tall, lean, upright figure disappear inside, he stamped the ground hard twice and then insisted on following her into the residence.

The servants at the entrance did not stop Xu Zhiyan and simply allowed him through.

He hurried into the vast Princess Manor, both anxious and furious.

He had been married to this thrice-wed princess for three years, yet he had never once properly explored her residence!

Now that he had entered, he could not even find where the princess’s bedchamber was located!

Fortunately, the princess’s bedchamber was roofed with glazed tiles that gleamed brightly, allowing him to locate it before long.

He Jingling was permitted to enter.

Why should he, the rightful Prince Consort, be barred?

With that thought, Xu Zhiyan was about to step inside when Lüqi stopped him mercilessly.

“Prince Consort, please remain here.”

“That Jinyiwei officer is allowed to enter, yet I am not? Besides, the princess was the one who summoned me today!”

He spoke through gritted teeth.

Lüqi’s tone remained calm.

“Prince Consort, please calm yourself. Her Highness began her monthly period today. You should return.”

This statement made Xu Zhiyan so furious that smoke practically poured from all seven of his orifices.

“Her monthly period?”

Xu Zhiyan looked incredulously toward the window, where candlelit shadows swayed.

“Then what exactly is that person inside doing?”

Lüqi became even calmer.

“It is precisely because Her Highness is menstruating that there is no problem.”