Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

Shui Rong picked out a few elegantly bound tales of the strange and supernatural from the library and walked briskly toward the bedroom where Qin Keqing was temporarily staying.

As soon as I opened the door, a warm feeling, mingled with a faint scent of perfume, wafted towards me.

The dragon-burning stove inside the bedroom was burning brightly, making it several times warmer than outside.

The moment the gaze fell upon her, Shui Rong froze, her arms tightening instinctively around the book, and even her breath caught in her throat.

Qin Keqing was leaning against the soft couch, having already changed out of the brocade dress she wore when she went out, and was now only wearing a moon-white nightgown.

So transparent that you can vaguely see the fair, jade-like skin underneath.

Perhaps feeling hot, she slightly opened her neckline, revealing her delicate collarbone.

Her two soft, full breasts trembled slightly, outlining alluring curves through the thin fabric, dazzlingly white, and each breath carried a breathtaking arc.

Seeing Shui Rong enter, she looked up and smiled, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of charm and allure, her voice soft and sweet: "Your Highness, have you chosen your books?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she shifted slightly, causing the brocade quilt on the soft couch to slip down a little, further accentuating her slender figure and snow-white skin.

Shui Rong felt a tightness in her throat, and a surge of heat rose from the bottom of her heart and rushed to the top of her head, even making her fingertips tremble slightly.

He subconsciously hid the book behind his back, but couldn't help glancing at it again. That gleaming white and soft texture seemed to be etched into his eyes, impossible to forget.

He abruptly turned his face away, and before Qin Keqing could say anything more, he slammed the book he was holding onto the low table beside the bed, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of panic:

"Qing'er, you...you can see for yourself. I still have some official business to attend to, so I'll go back to my study first."

After saying that, he turned around almost as if fleeing, his steps were a little unsteady, and he even forgot to close the door properly.

These days, although they slept in the same bed, it was always after Qin Keqing had fallen asleep at night.

He then quietly lay down beside her.

At night, she was quiet and obedient, with gentle eyes and brows, and he was still able to restrain the feelings in his heart;

But such blatant temptation in broad daylight, such a vibrant and alluring appearance, even with his strong will, made it hard for him to resist.

He is not a beast, and he has no intention of taking advantage of others in their distress.

He only thought about when he could bring her into the royal palace in a grand and glorious way, giving her a legitimate status, and then consummating their marriage.

She hurried back to her study, her back already damp with a thin layer of sweat, and the heat in her heart still surging within her.

He strode to the table, poured himself a glass of iced tea, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The icy tea slid down his throat, which slightly suppressed the fire in his heart.

He sat in the chair, his fingertips lightly pressing against his brow, yet the alluring figure in the bedchamber kept replaying in his mind, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

If this little devil did it on purpose, I'm afraid no one could withstand it.

Just as he calmed down a little, Zhao Zhong's respectful voice came from outside the door: "Master, His Highness Prince Zhao has come to pay a visit and is waiting at the gate."

Shui Rong was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "Zhu Changming? What's he doing here?"

With that, he stood up and ordered, "Let him in."

Before long, Zhu Changming strode into the study. Shui Rong looked up and was instantly stunned by his attire, her eyes widening in surprise. After a long pause, she managed to stammer out:

"You...you went to Lord Li's residence to meet his daughter dressed like this?"

The Zhu Changming before me was dressed in a purple-red brocade robe, the fabric of which was luxurious and embroidered with intricate lotus patterns, the colors of which were dazzlingly bright.

He was also waving a gilded folding fan, its surface painted with gaudy peonies, which complemented his handsome young face.

It exudes a "showy" vibe no matter how you look at it, which is completely out of place with the winter scenery and the occasion of visiting officials.

"Uncle Wang, I didn't want to either!"

Zhu Changming blushed, quickly put away his folding fan, scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, and said in a slightly aggrieved tone.

"It's all because of my third brother! He told me to dress more festively to show my sincerity, so he picked this outfit for me. I think it's too eye-catching, but I can't go against his wishes."

Seeing his embarrassed expression, Shui Rong couldn't help but laugh out loud and waved her hand:

"You're so honest and straightforward. By the way, you went to the Li residence? Did you see Lord Li Yanling's youngest daughter?"

"No, no, thankfully I didn't see it!"

Zhu Changming quickly shook his head, his tone tinged with relief.

When I arrived at the Li residence, Lord Li said that his youngest daughter had gone back to her hometown to visit her grandparents and wouldn't be back for a few days.

"I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, dressed like this, I would have been laughed at by the girls."

Shui Rong nodded knowingly, a hint of a smile in her eyes:

"I see. Your third brother is really something, always giving you bad advice. But if you haven't seen anyone, why did you come to my Prince's residence instead?"

Zhu Changming's cheeks flushed even more, his eyes darted around, and he stammered:

"I...I want to borrow a few sets of clothes from Uncle Wang."

"Look at me dressed like this. If I were to go to the palace or return home and my mother saw me dressed like this, she would skin me alive and say that I am neither fish nor fowl."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Shui Rong grinned from ear to ear, pointing at his brocade robe and teasingly said,

"So you know it's shameful? Fine, Zhao Zhong, go and get me a few sets of my robes, the ones I wear every day. Let Ming'er change in the study."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changming's eyes lit up instantly. Then, he winked mischievously, leaned closer to Shui Rong, and whispered:

"Uncle Wang, are you hiding someone? You made me change clothes in the study, could it be that you've been hiding Miss Qin in the palace? Uncle Wang, you're not being honest!"

A hint of a smile flashed in Shui Rong's eyes, but she didn't reply. Instead, she looked at the mischievous boy in front of her and said with feigned regret:

"Ming'er, to be honest, I've never met Lord Li Yanling's youngest daughter."

"However, with your handsome face, no matter who you marry, it's a waste for another girl. What a pity."

"Huh? Uncle Wang, what are you regretting?"

Zhu Changming was completely unaware that Uncle Wang had changed the subject.

He took the robe from Zhao Zhong, unfolded it, and his face instantly fell.

The robes were all plain white, with gold lotus patterns adorning the collars and cuffs, exuding elegance and nobility.

However, this formed a stark contrast with his purple-red brocade robe.

"Uncle Wang, you still call me flashy? Look at you, you even have golden lotus embroidered on your clothes, you're more particular than me!"

Shui Rong smiled faintly, her tone tinged with a hint of teasing:

"What I regret is that my Shui clan has been divided for a long time and there are no particularly outstanding women."

"Otherwise, I would definitely have taken you as my niece's husband, so that such a good-looking person like you wouldn't have your good fortune go to waste."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changming gave an awkward smile and stopped teasing him.

He had long been aware of the current situation of the Shui clan. Although Shui Rong was now the Prince of Beijing, he was finding it difficult to gather all the divided clan members together.

That was just a joke from Shui Rong.

He picked up a white robe and was about to walk behind the screen when Shui Rong called him back.

"Ming'er, wait." Shui Rong's expression gradually turned serious, and her fingertips lightly tapped the table.

"I've noticed something amiss with those assassins. What do you suggest I do?"

Zhu Changming's eyes darted around, and a mischievous smile returned to his face. He leaned close to Shui Rong's ear and whispered:

"Uncle Wang, you didn't actually kill those assassins, did you? Let me tell you, harboring assassins and failing to report them in time is a serious crime of deceiving the emperor!"

Shui Rong looked at his mischievous expression, shook her head helplessly, and flicked his forehead: "You brat, all you think about is this. Guess if I killed them or not?"

Zhu Changming frowned, guessed for a long time, and then shook his head:

"I can't guess, Uncle Wang. You've always been a deep thinker. Who knows what you're up to?"

Shui Rong's smile faded, his tone became serious, and he looked at Zhu Changming, saying each word clearly:

"Ming'er, if I'm not mistaken, after your third brother and I leave the capital..."

"Your brother will surely hand over some of the power of the Imperial Guard or the Eastern and Western Depots to you."

He did this simply to create a balance of power between you and the Crown Prince, thus stabilizing the court.

The mischievous look on Zhu Changming's face vanished instantly, replaced by a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which was then tinged with displeasure.

"It's all because you went too far in helping the Crown Prince before, Uncle Wang!"

Water-soluble remained noncommittal, but continued:

"You don't need to complain. This is both an opportunity and a test for you."

You only need to wait quietly, and remember not to be impatient, and even more so, not to take the initiative to fight for power and profit, so as not to arouse the dissatisfaction of your elder brother.

I will depart for the Jiangnan region by the end of the first month of the lunar calendar at the latest. After I leave the capital, you must carefully study the books I left you.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changming's expression gradually became serious. He nodded and said earnestly:

"Uncle Wang, I know, I'm not stupid."

He paused, then remembered the assassin and couldn't help but ask curiously:

"By the way, Uncle Wang, you didn't kill those assassins, did you? What did you get out of them? Can you tell me?"

Shui Rong picked up the iced tea on the table, took a sip, and a hint of melancholy flashed in his eyes:

"The interrogation did take place, but I am very dissatisfied with the result."

"Their testimonies were exaggerated and full of flaws. I always felt that they were deliberately misleading me and trying to lead me astray."