Chapter 110: Longing

After Dong’e suggested to the Ninth Prince that Hongzheng and Hongzhang be brought out, the Ninth Prince stared at her for a long while before slowly closing his eyes. Dong’e’s lips curved faintly upward. She was quite pleased by his tacit consent.

Who could have known that before her smile had faded, the Ninth Prince would speak in a sinister tone?

“No matter how powerful the Dong’e family’s support may be, if I insist on divorcing you, Imperial Father will still take my side.”

His eyelids lowered as he toyed with the thumb ring on his hand, speaking in a soft, almost casual voice, as though he were merely stating an ordinary fact. Dong’e, however, shuddered violently and instinctively leaned backward. Had the carriage board not been behind her, she would probably have fallen straight out.

Seeing her expression, the Ninth Prince closed his eyes again and said nothing more. Dong’e gazed at his handsome face and, for some reason, felt a chill. She remembered the early days of their marriage and suddenly thought that her father had truly made a terrible mistake.

When she had first been betrothed to the Ninth Prince, she had been the second imperial bride produced by their branch of the Dong’e family. For a time, Dong’e had been unrivaled in prominence; even the Eighth Prince’s consort had been forced to give way to her.

Although their wedding had taken place within the palace, she had heard long before then that the Ninth Prince had specially built a garden at his residence for their new life together. When Dong’e first learned of it, she had been overjoyed. After all, what young girl did not harbor romantic dreams? To hear that her future husband was willing to put so much effort into creating a life for them had naturally delighted her.

Who could have imagined that after her father, Dong’e Seventeen, went to inspect the garden, he would put on all the airs of a father-in-law and categorically refuse to let his precious daughter move into it? The Ninth Prince was hardly one to yield easily, and the matter eventually reached Imperial Father. In the end, the Ninth Prince compromised and chose another courtyard within the residence.

After marrying into the household, Dong’e tried several times to visit that garden, but the Ninth Prince rejected her every time.

Thus, when Yan Yan was permitted to live in Dream Garden, Dong’e was tormented little by little by the sourness, jealousy, and sense of abandonment in her heart. She knew that she and the Ninth Prince could never return to the way they had been at the beginning. Perhaps there had never been a beginning at all.

Because there had been no beautiful beginning, the Ninth Prince could say such cruel things to the wife who had married him first. Dong’e clenched her hands again, wanting to scream at him, but in the end she held herself back. Perhaps she lacked the courage. Perhaps there was simply no point.

The atmosphere inside the carriage froze. On this New Year’s Eve, when every household was meant to be reunited, the silence seemed unbearably desolate.

More desolate still was the fact that the Ninth Prince once again failed to spend the night in Dong’e’s quarters. He had barely touched the reunion dinner with his wives and consorts before returning gloomily to his study.

Wanyan watched his departing back, then secretly glanced at Dong’e, a faint smile rising on her face. Zhaojia, however, seemed entirely unconcerned by his early departure and continued eating at her leisurely pace.

At that moment, the Ninth Prince stood in the courtyard outside his study, staring blankly at the moon gate leading to Dream Garden. Wang Quan’er stood behind him, gazing at the gate with equal torment.

In truth, it was nothing more than a thin wooden door. Not only could the Ninth Prince break it down with a single kick, Wang Quan’er could have done so himself. He bit his lip. Perhaps he should send someone to deliver a message to the Secondary Consort first. If she softened her stance and apologized, perhaps everything would be all right. Judging from the Ninth Prince’s current state, as long as the Secondary Consort yielded just a little, the storm would surely pass.

Wang Quan’er unconsciously moved one small step forward. At that moment, Cui’er’s voice drifted over from the other side.

“Secondary Consort, the children are already asleep. You…”

The instant he heard her voice, Wang Quan’er noticed the Ninth Prince move forward as well. He was now only three steps from the wooden door.

Yan Yan had no idea that the Ninth Prince was eavesdropping just outside. She had always assumed that he was currently enjoying the company of some beauty, warm and content wherever he might be.

She shook her head lightly. Why was she thinking of the Ninth Prince again? After spending this period of time calming herself and carefully considering the life ahead of her, Yan Yan still felt that leaving was the best choice.

“I want to stay a little longer. You should go to sleep first.”

Sure enough, Yan Yan’s pleasant voice followed Cui’er’s words through the door. A bitter smile appeared on the Ninth Prince’s face. Wang Quan’er watched him from the side and nearly felt moved to tears.

“I’m not tired either. I’ll stay with you, Secondary Consort.”

Cui’er did not leave. Instead, she remained there with Yan Yan, gazing up at the stars.

Perhaps Yan Yan had remembered something, for she smiled softly.

“You haven’t seen Wu Tong in quite some time, have you? Do you miss him?”

“Why are you asking me that, Secondary Consort?” Cui’er was evidently embarrassed, and her voice grew coy.

Yan Yan laughed. “It’s perfectly normal to miss someone. You two are in love, after all. Naturally, one day apart feels like three autumns.”

Seeing the wistful expression on Yan Yan’s face, Cui’er bit her lip. After a long pause, she finally asked, “Do you miss someone too, Secondary Consort?”

She asked the question with great care, but Yan Yan did not answer immediately. Wang Quan’er noticed that the Ninth Prince had clenched his fists, his entire body seeming to tense with nervousness.

Yan Yan appeared to remain lost in remembrance.

“Yes. I miss him.”

Cui’er’s eyes widened. She immediately said, “Then shall I go and find the Ninth Prince? Why don’t you and the Ninth Prince make up? Just look at how much weight you’ve lost lately.”

Yan Yan could not help laughing. “You silly girl. Don’t jump to conclusions over every little thing. I haven’t lost weight. Even if I have, it’s only because I’ve been dieting.”

“Secondary Consort!”

Cui’er was truly speechless. Where had Yan Yan acquired such a stubborn, contrary temperament?

Before she could finish speaking, a loud bang came from the side door. Cui’er and Yan Yan both turned toward it in astonishment, only to see the Ninth Prince standing there in his ceremonial attire.

Yan Yan froze. Her gaze fell upon him and, for a moment, she could not look away.

The Ninth Prince slowly approached. With one sweep of his powerful arm, he pulled Yan Yan tightly into his embrace.

Only then did Yan Yan recover her senses. She struggled fiercely against him.

“Let me go! Who gave you permission to come in?”

How could the Ninth Prince possibly let her go? A month of cold war had already been the limit of his endurance. He had nearly begun seeing Yan Yan’s stubborn face even in his dreams.

Holding her firmly against him, he said in a low voice, “Stop quarreling with me. It ends here. Do you hear me?”

Yan Yan leaned against his broad chest and struggled to lift her head, but the Ninth Prince pressed her back down with one large hand.

Nestled in his arms, Yan Yan could only sigh helplessly. He really was domineering. After maintaining a cold war for so long, he still had the audacity to act as though he were entirely in the right.