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

After Shui Rong finished massaging Wang Xifeng's back meridians, he stopped and sat down on a low stool by the couch. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and used it to calm his restlessness.

At this moment, the fire in the inner chamber was burning brightly, and the heat wafted up. Wang Xifeng lay on the couch, initially feeling her joints relax and she felt an indescribable sense of comfort.

Before long, the heat penetrated into his muscles and bones, forcing out a body full of fragrant sweat.

The light red silk jacket she was wearing was originally made of a material as thin as a cicada's wing, but now, soaked with sweat, it clung tightly to her body.

The skin on her back, faintly visible beneath the silk robe, was as white and smooth as butter, with a rosy glow.

Her temples were damp with sweat, and a few strands clung to her cheeks and neck, making her face appear even more delicate and beautiful, like a begonia after the rain.

Looking at the "Beauty Sleeping in Spring" painting before him, the undercurrent in his eyes surged even more intensely.

He was also feeling a bit hot, so he casually unfastened the jade clasp around his neck, revealing a small patch of his fair collarbone.

"The blockage in your back has been mostly cleared. How does Second Grandma feel?"

His voice was slightly hoarse, but his gaze never left her back, which rose and fell violently with her breathing.

At this moment, Wang Xifeng felt weak all over, with an indescribable feeling of languor and heat emanating from her very bones.

She turned her head slightly, her long eyelashes glistening with fine beads of sweat, like butterfly wings after rain. Her gaze was unfocused as she looked at Shui Rong, her voice so soft it seemed to melt into the air:

"Thank you... Your Highness for your trouble. I feel much better now, but... it's just a bit too hot."

As she spoke, she subconsciously tried to raise her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead, but found that her arm was limp and powerless, and could only fall back onto the couch helplessly. Her posture even had a touch of kittenish charm.

Upon seeing this, Shui Rong's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"Second Madam, the blockage in your back has been cleared up a bit, but the circulation of qi and blood is all about 'connecting the upper and lower body'."

Shui Rong put down her teacup, her gaze slowly moving downwards until it landed on the pair of slender feet encased in silk stockings at the foot of the couch. "Mr. Jiang's medical records clearly state, 'When a person ages, their legs age first; when a tree ages, its roots wither first.' The feet are the root of vital energy. If this area is not unobstructed, the body will never truly relax."

Wang Xifeng was enjoying herself in a daze when she heard this and was suddenly startled, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, instantly sobering her up.

She subconsciously shrank her legs further into the quilt, her cheeks burning hot, even her ears turning bright red.

"Your Highness...this...this is inappropriate, isn't it?"

Her voice was barely audible, tinged with panic, "Men and women shouldn't touch each other, especially not in such... such a shameful place... If word gets out, where will I put my face?"

Upon hearing this, Shui Rong was taken aback at first, then chuckled softly.

The laughter was clear and gentle, without a trace of frivolity, as if some knot in one's heart had been untied.

He slowly straightened up, withdrawing his gaze from her feet. His tone was calm, the playfulness in his eyes completely gone, leaving only a clear and gentle expression.

"It was my rudeness. Second Madam is absolutely right. There is a difference between men and women, and I should not have been so impetuous."

Wang Xifeng was taken aback by his quick agreement and was momentarily stunned. Her tense body relaxed slightly, but she still clutched the edge of the brocade quilt, lowered her eyes, and dared not look at him. She felt the heat on her cheeks lingering and her breathing was still somewhat rapid.

Shui Rong looked at her with her hair wet and her eyelashes trembling. Although he was still slightly moved, he knew he couldn't rush things.

Today, I was able to massage her back and see her in this state up close, which is already an overstepping of boundaries. To force it would be beneath my dignity and would also destroy this secret affection.

He composed himself and said slowly, "In that case, I'll have someone call a few maids to help you tidy up. It's hot in the warm room, so take a break, change into some dry clothes, and have some cool tea to calm your temper, lest you catch a cold."

Having said that, he turned to call someone, his steps were unhurried, without the slightest hesitation, truly displaying the integrity of a gentleman who keeps his word.

As Wang Xifeng heard his footsteps fading into the distance, a strange emptiness swept through her heart.

She subconsciously raised her eyes and caught a glimpse of the hem of his moon-white brocade robe brushing against the threshold. In a soft voice, she called out, "Your Highness..."

Shui Rong paused, turned around to look at her, and asked with a hint of inquiry in her eyes, "Does Second Madam have any further instructions?"

When he stared at her like that, Wang Xifeng hurriedly lowered her eyes, her fingertips fiddling with the buttons on her silk jacket, unable to speak for a long time.

She didn't know why she called out to him. Perhaps she was too flustered when she refused him earlier, and now she felt she should say something polite; or perhaps she felt a little uncomfortable seeing how straightforward he was.

After a long pause, he finally managed to say, "Your Highness has gone to so much trouble... I am truly sorry for troubling you like this."

A faint smile appeared in Shui Rong's eyes, and her tone became even gentler: "Second Madam is a guest, and she came to recuperate, so there's no question of her disturbing you."

"You just sit here and relax, the maids will be here in a moment." He paused, then added, "You've used up your energy during the massage, so don't get up or move around, or your legs will feel weak."

These words struck at Wang Xifeng's predicament—she had just tried to move her legs and felt weak and sore; if she were to get up, she feared she would embarrass herself.

When he pointed it out, her face flushed even more, and she could only give a soft "hmm" in response.

Seeing this, Shui Rong said no more, gently closed the door, and left quietly.

The warm pavilion fell silent again, with only the faint sound of the underfloor heating and Wang Xifeng's slightly rapid breathing.

She slowly let out a sigh of relief, burying her face in the cool brocade pillow, feeling that the heat in her body had not yet dissipated.

The watery gaze, the warmth of his palm, and his last caring words of advice lingered in my mind.

She felt both ashamed and flustered, relieved that he hadn't forced her, yet also with a vague, indescribable feeling.

Before long, the light footsteps of maids could be heard outside the door, accompanied by soft inquiries.

Wang Xifeng composed herself, forced her aching body to sit up, tidied her disheveled hair, and tried her best to maintain her usual dignified demeanor. However, her flushed cheeks could not hide the emotions she had just experienced.

The maids brought in cool tea and clean clothes, all keeping their eyes down and not daring to look around, carefully serving the maids.

Wang Xifeng was helped to her feet, her legs still a little unsteady, but her mind was clearer—the entanglement in the warm pavilion today had finally been suppressed, but this hidden bond was probably something she could never get rid of again.

The winter plum blossoms outside the window still unfurled their delicate buds, their fragrance seeping in through the cracks, mingling with the lingering ambergris and perfume of the warm chamber, a swirling, intertwined scent, much like the unspoken emotions between the two at this moment.

The maids brought in cool tea and clean clothes, all keeping their eyes down and not daring to look around, carefully serving the maids.

Because she arrived in a hurry, Wang Xifeng did not bring any change of clothes.

Although the Prince's mansion had many wives and concubines, no clothing was prepared for the wives of noble families outside the royal family.

If it were an ordinary woman, it wouldn't matter, but Wang Xifeng was of noble status and was in front of a prince, so she absolutely could not wear anything coarse.

The head maid of the manor was in a dilemma. Her gaze shifted and fell on the several boxes of the late queen's belongings in the inner room.

Those were all fine silks and satins, phoenix coronet and embroidered robes; the materials were of the highest quality, but...

The elders all knew that His Highness cherished the late Queen's belongings more than his own life, and wouldn't even allow a speck of dust to fall on them, let alone let any woman from outside the family touch them. They would never dare to touch them.

After much thought, and having exhausted all other options, Zhao Zhong finally whispered a suggestion from outside the window:

"The prince is usually very particular about cleanliness and has many clothes, all of which are made of the finest Jiangnan silk. Although the second mistress is not as tall as the prince, the prince's inner and outer robes are loose, and they can barely cover her body when she wears them."

The head maid thought it made sense; it was better than letting the second mistress catch a cold in wet clothes. So she chose a moon-white brocade robe with a dark pattern that Shui Rong usually wore, and paired it with a jade belt of the same color.

This brocade robe is made of the finest Hangzhou silk, cool to the touch, and embroidered with very faint flowing cloud patterns, exuding a cool and scholarly air.

Wang Xifeng stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself, and couldn't help but blush again.

The robe was so large that when she wore it, she looked like a child who had stolen an adult's clothes.

The hem of her dress dragged on the ground, and the sleeves were so long that they almost covered the back of her hands.

A jade belt was tied around her waist, barely binding her waistline, but it only made her waist appear even more slender and fragile, as if it would break with the slightest bend.

The neckline was slightly low, revealing a small patch of fair neck and delicate collarbone, which contrasted sharply with the wide robe, exuding an indescribable languor and... unique charm.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, which was both familiar and unfamiliar, Wang Xifeng felt extremely uncomfortable.

The clothes seemed to still carry the lingering, refreshing scent of ambergris from Shui Rong, enveloping her completely and making her heart pound.

She took a deep breath, tidied her hair, and then, supported by her maid, slowly walked towards Shui Rong's study.

……