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

The carriage crunched softly over the snow, and the cold wind seeping through the gaps in the curtains added a chill to the warmth inside the carriage.

Shui Rong leaned back on the soft couch, her fingertips unconsciously tapping her knees. A hint of melancholy lingered between her brows. The chaos in the Qianqing Palace and the emperor's fury were still swirling in her mind.

"This incident has involved far too many people."

He muttered to himself, his voice broken into fragments by the jolting of the carriage.

On the surface, the hereditary titles of the four kings and eight dukes remained secure, and the powers of the cabinet and the six ministries were unshaken; the framework of the court seemed intact.

Only by calming down and thinking carefully can one appreciate the deeper meaning behind it—His Majesty used the Shuiyue Nunnery case to seemingly hold corrupt officials accountable and quell public anger, but in reality, he was taking the opportunity to warn Xun Gui and court officials.

Wen Ziyu is Wen Zonghan's eldest son and the future leader of the Wen family. This time, he is sentenced to death for his crimes. Not only has the Wen family lost its foundation, but Wen Zonghan's position as the second assistant minister is also in jeopardy, and he may even completely ruin his career.

Jia Lian was Jia She's eldest son and the eldest grandson of the Rongguo Mansion, yet he was also sentenced to death. The Rongguo Mansion had only managed to maintain its glory because of Jia Yuanchun's entry into the palace, and after this incident, it lost face and its power was greatly reduced.

Thinking about it this way, which of those direct descendants involved in the case wasn't a successor carefully groomed by the family?

His Majesty may seem to be letting his ministers handle things themselves, but in reality, he has already calculated the outcome—by executing or severely punishing these sons, he can weaken the core power of the nobility and court officials, and shift the blame for the punishment onto them, thus gaining a reputation for being "fair and impartial."

Such deep scheming, such ruthless methods.

Shui Rong sighed softly, picked up the hot tea on the table and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.

Since his arrival in this world, he has been cautious and meticulous in maintaining the tranquility of the Prince of Beijing's residence, avoiding all filth and corruption. Now it seems that this "cleanliness" is not only a means of self-preservation but also the reason why His Majesty looks at him differently. However, behind this regard, is it trust or a deeper test?

"Your Highness, we have arrived at the Prince's residence."

The driver's voice rang out from outside, interrupting Shui Rong's thoughts.

He composed himself, straightened his robes, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped down. Night had fallen, and the palace lanterns in front of the Prince's mansion cast a dim, yellowish glow, reflecting off the thick snow on the ground, creating an exceptionally tranquil scene.

As soon as she steadied herself, Shui Rong's gaze froze—under the eaves of the gatehouse stood a slender figure, dressed in a dark black robe, completely covered except for a section of her fair neck and a pair of bright eyes, craning her neck to look expectantly in the direction the carriage was coming from.

Judging from her figure, she was clearly a woman.

Why would a strange woman be waiting in the mansion so late at night?

Shui Rong was slightly surprised and was about to ask a question when the woman saw his face clearly. Her eyes lit up with surprise and she quickly walked out from under the gatehouse. The hem of her black robe swept across the snow, leaving a trail of shallow footprints.

As the woman approached, Shui Rong finally saw her face clearly. His heart warmed instantly, and all the power struggles and court fatigue vanished in that moment.

"Qing?"

He called softly, quickly stepped forward, and gently embraced her. "Why did you run down the mountain on your own? Didn't I tell you to stay safely on the mountain?"

Qin Keqing nestled in his warm embrace, the unique scent of ink mingled with the chill emanating from him filling her nostrils. Her tense nerves instantly relaxed, her eyes reddened slightly, and her voice carried a mixture of grievance and joy:

"It was the Imperial Concubine... She knew I missed my father, so she pleaded with His Majesty to allow me to go down the mountain to visit him. After I finished dealing with the household matters, I thought I would come to see you, but I didn't dare to come to your door rashly."

Shui Rong's heart softened, and he lowered his head to gently kiss her soft lips. The touch was warm and sweet. "Silly girl," he said, his voice so gentle it could melt your heart, "why didn't you go inside and wait? It's so cold standing here."

Qin Keqing's cheeks flushed from his kisses, her eyes flickered, and she nervously clutched the hem of her black robe, whispering:

"I...I haven't married you yet. If someone sees me entering and leaving the Prince's residence so late at night, wouldn't that tarnish your reputation? The Prince of Beijing's residence has always been reputable. I cannot ruin the Prince's name for my own selfish reasons."

She always remembered that she had been married before. Although she had not lost her chastity, she felt that she was not worthy of the noble Prince Bei Jing and was even more afraid of bringing criticism to the Prince's mansion.

Upon hearing this, Shui Rong felt both pity and a sense of helplessness.

Before Qin Keqing could continue speaking, he bent down and picked her up in his arms. Her body was slender and soft, wrapped in a black robe, which carried a hint of coolness, yet it made his heart burn.

"I told you," he said, looking down at the delicate face in his arms, his tone firm, "that with the warm jade pendant I gave you, you can freely enter and leave the palace, and no one will dare to stop you or say a word."

He held Qin Keqing even tighter, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against her slender waist. A surge of heat rose within him, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice carried a hint of husky teasing:

"Coming here in the dead of night is like a lamb entering a tiger's den; you're doomed."

As soon as he finished speaking, he lowered his head and kissed her lips again, this time with more tenderness and passion than before.

Qin Keqing blushed at his words, and buried her head in his neck with a coquettish tone. Her breath was warm, and she was a little shy, but she did not resist at all.

Shui Rong carried her and strode into the palace, through the quiet courtyard, and straight to his bedroom.

Upon seeing this, the guards and maids along the way all bowed respectfully, keeping their eyes straight ahead.

Upon entering the bedchamber, Shui Rong gently placed Qin Keqing on the soft canopy bed, then turned around and extinguished the excess candles in the room, leaving only a bedside lamp. The dim yellow light made the room exceptionally warm.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze gently tracing her features, and whispered, "My Keqing is growing more and more beautiful."

Qin Keqing became even more shy under his gaze, her eyes lowered, her long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings.

Shui Rong suppressed her smile, her tone becoming serious: "By the way, when I entered the palace the other day, my elder brother heard about you. He said that as long as you still have the mark of virginity, proving your innocence, I can marry you and make you my concubine."

"A concubine?"

Qin Keqing suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with disbelief, and tears instantly filled her eyes.

She never imagined that she, a woman who had been married before, could stay by Shui Rong's side and be his person, which would be an immense blessing. She never expected that she would become the concubine of the Prince of Beijing.

According to the regulations of the Da Yin Dynasty, a prince could marry one principal wife and ten concubines. Although the concubines were not as noble as the principal wife, they were still legitimate mistresses of the prince's mansion, with imperial titles, which was a hundred times more respectable than those nameless and unranked concubines.

She came from a humble background and had been married before, so she already felt that she was not good enough for Shui Rong. Now, upon hearing that she could become his concubine, she was overjoyed and aggrieved at the same time, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

In her panic, she reached up and unbuttoned her winter coat. As the layers of clothing fell away, her fair, jade-like arm was revealed. Under the dim light, the vermilion mark on the inside of her arm was particularly striking.

She bit her lip, her face flushed with shyness, her voice trembling slightly.

"Your Highness, my body... is clean. When I married Jia Rong, he never touched me. Later, during the Tianxiang Tower incident, I was fortunate to be saved by Your Highness. I... have not lost my chastity. Please do not despise me."

Shui Rong looked at the virginity mark without any surprise in her eyes.

He had already found out that Jia Rong was an incompetent good-for-nothing who was addicted to wine and women but was also weak and sickly, and was completely incapable of consummating his marriage with Qin Keqing.

He had saved Qin Keqing during the horrific ordeal at Tianxiang Tower that day, so he naturally knew that she was innocent.

Just looking at the mark of virginity on her arm, then at her alluring figure and reddened eyes, a surge of heat welled up within him again. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing it, and gently wiped away the tears on her face, his voice tender:

"Silly girl, I have never looked down on you."

He stood up, straightened his robes, and said in a deep voice, "Just sleep peacefully here. It's alright, I won't do anything to you." After saying that, he turned to go to the soft couch in the outer room to rest.

"Your Highness... I am certainly aware of the rules of the Prince's Mansion."

Qin Keqing suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears, a mixture of shyness and determination in them. She tilted her head slightly, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet clearly reaching Shui Rong's ears, "I... I can help Your Highness relieve his lust."

As soon as she finished speaking, she lowered her head, her soft fingertips gently stroking the hem of her water-soaked clothes. Her movements were somewhat clumsy, but full of gentleness.

Shui Rong's body stiffened. He looked down at the docile woman at his feet, feeling the warmth of her fingertips, and the heat in his heart could no longer be suppressed.

As night deepened, the candlelight flickered and eventually went out slowly.

The hustle and bustle inside the bedchamber subsided into silence, leaving only the soft sound of wind and snow pattering against the windowpanes outside, intertwining with the faint breathing inside, creating a warm and tender atmosphere.

Shui Rong knew in his heart that when the sun rose tomorrow, he would still be the Prince of Beijing, navigating the court and among the nobles. But tonight, this tenderness and warmth would be enough to support him through all the storms to come.