Chapter 17 (Part 1/2)
Chi Ying only felt a cluster of fine tingling sensations like electric currents shooting into her flesh, spreading along her blood vessels straight to her heart. She wanted to pull her foot back, but he stubbornly refused to let go. His slightly calloused fingertips swept over the injury, causing her to hold her breath, her body instinctively trembling lightly.
"Your Highness, it stopped hurting long ago."
She pressed her lips together, her voice low as a mosquito's buzz.
Under his fingertips, the young woman's skin was delicate and soft. The injured area was slightly raised in a small bump, warmer than the surrounding skin.
Yan Xuecui asked, "Has it bruised?"
Chi Ying felt uncomfortable all over from that touch and replied softly, "A little, but it doesn't hurt."
Yan Xuecui hummed and finally withdrew his hand.
Chi Ying felt as if granted amnesty. Clutching the corner of the quilt, she imperceptibly moved inward, trying to put some distance between them.
The man wore a black robe with dark patterns and wide sleeves, sitting casually at the bedside with no apparent intention of leaving.
Chi Ying pressed her lips together and probed tentatively, "Has Your Highness washed and bathed? Coming so late, are you planning to stay here?"
Yan Xuecui seemed able to see her face full of embarrassment yet forcing composure. A smile touched his lips before he stood. "Mm, I'll go bathe."
Chi Ying stared in shock at his departing back, her mind in complete chaos.
So he came to... consummate the marriage?
Had her explanation that she wasn't a spy been heard and he no longer suspected her?
Or had finding clues about Consort Zhuang's poisoning earned his trust?
But Chi Ying still didn't dare be certain. The shadow from their last attempt at consummation lingered. Such an extremely cautious person would surely have shadow guards investigate whatever needed investigating. But since he was willing to share a room tonight, he must have confirmed her identity was correct.
In the deep night's utter silence, the sound of water from the bathing chamber became increasingly clear. Chi Ying gripped the bedding, her cheeks beginning to heat uncontrollably.
Looking down, blood rushed through her entire body. She hadn't known he'd come tonight, she was still wearing that thin, form-fitting rouge-red nightgown.
Just as she was about to get off the bed to change, the sound of water in the bathing chamber stopped.
Chi Ying's heart instantly pounded like drums.
Thinking that when he'd massaged her ankle earlier, he could probably feel what fabric she was wearing through touch, to change now would seem too deliberate. She pulled the quilt tight, moved further toward the inner side of the bed, and focused on listening to the sounds next door.
The bamboo cane tapped the ground, footsteps sounded. Chi Ying held her breath.
Soon, the door moved. The man's steps accompanied by the tapping of his blind cane slowly entered.
Chi Ying resignedly rose and lifted the bed curtain. She saw him in plain white cloud-patterned nightclothes walking slowly closer. The scent of sandalwood incense wrapped in the unique moist vapor after bathing enveloped her—gentle yet forceful.
To be fair, he had an extremely elegant and refined appearance—clear-cut features, high nose and thin lips, distinct contours. The plain white nightclothes were like snow falling on mountain pines, his languid manner naturally carrying three parts noble aloofness.
While she stared in a daze, the man sighed leisurely, "Speaking of which, the Princess Consort has seen me many times, yet I've had no chance to see the Princess Consort's appearance. Truly regrettable."
Chi Ying was immediately greatly embarrassed.
Sometimes she truly wondered if he was really blind, how did he catch her every time she stole glances...
She forced herself to calm down but truly didn't know how to respond. The topic was sensitive—he could mock his own blindness, but she couldn't casually discuss his deficiency.
After considering a moment, she still flattered him: "Your Highness has the bearing of dragons and phoenixes. I've long admired you. Just now I was momentarily lost in thought. I hope Your Highness won't take offense."
Yan Xuecui smiled. "Is that so? Actually, all the Great Jin imperial offspring are of superior bearing. My several elder brothers... especially Brother Prince Xuan, he's like jade trees and jade branches, romantic and elegant. When you enter the palace in the future, you'll know I speak no falsehood."
Chi Ying wasn't concerned with the other princes' appearances. But as soon as he mentioned entering the palace, she instinctively tensed.
Yan Xuecui heard her slightly disordered breathing, the smile at his lips deepening.
Seeing him smile without speaking, Chi Ying felt inexplicably uneasy.
She pressed her lips and followed his lead in self-deprecation: "Compared to the capital's beauties competing in splendor, my appearance isn't particularly outstanding—just an ordinary woman's looks. Your Highness needn't..."
Before she finished speaking, the man's fingers had slowly climbed to her cheek.
Fair and slender, with distinct knuckles, texture like cold jade, the moment they landed on her brow, Chi Ying immediately tensed her spine.
Yan Xuecui: "Would you mind if I feel with my hands to see?"
Chapter 17 (Part 2/2)
Chi Ying: "..."
His hand was already there—what could she say? "Your Highness... as you please."
Yan Xuecui readily agreed.
So those slightly calloused fingertips, as if stroking bamboo scrolls as usual, methodically traced along her brow bone.
Chi Ying held her breath taut, instinctively closing her eyes, feeling those warm fingertips brush over her eyelids, carefully outlining the shape of her eyes, then caressing lightly downward along the outer corners.
The green jade thumb ring brushed past her already flushed earlobe—ice cold meeting scorching heat, like fire and ice colliding.
She trembled with fluttering lashes, nearly stopping her breathing.
Yan Xuecui pinched her earlobe—a wondrous sensation, like freshly served sweet rice balls, soft and slightly hot.
He seemed to ask quite seriously, "Has it turned red?"
Chi Ying really wanted to roll her eyes.
She actually did so—he couldn't see anyway—but her voice remained soft and gentle: "Probably."
She couldn't see her own earlobe either, but it was definitely red.
Yan Xuecui laughed and kneaded it a couple times, neither lightly nor heavily.
But though he seemed casual, he specifically picked sensitive spots. Chi Ying's ears burned crimson. He drew out an unbearable itch, her neck showing clear trembling.
Yan Xuecui's fingertips traced her jawline, his voice clear, deep, and pleasing: "Since ancient times when discussing beauties, they speak of cloud-like hair and misty temples, cicada-wing brows and moth eyebrows, vermillion lips glowing outward, white teeth arranged like jade..."
As he spoke, his fingertips reached her lips, pausing a moment before those warm fingertips gently pressed down.
Chi Ying startled, her whole body trembling. She knew he wanted to use his fingers to trace her facial features, but hadn't expected he'd also touch her lips.
Yan Xuecui's fingertips rubbed those soft lips and couldn't help smiling. "The Princess Consort is very nervous? Why are you trembling so badly?"
Chi Ying's face was flushed all over, her scorching, trembling breath falling entirely on his fingertips. "Your Highness..."
The moment she opened her mouth, those warm fingertips actually took advantage to explore inside her lips. Caught off guard, before Chi Ying's teeth could close, her tongue touched his finger.
Yan Xuecui himself was also stunned.
His knuckle remained between those soft lips and tongue, momentarily forgetting to withdraw.
A sensation he'd never felt before—like a spark that ignites on contact—shot from his fingertips through his four limbs and hundred bones.
So a woman's lips and tongue could be this soft—like newly born flower petals in spring rain, ready to be crushed with just a little force.
Yan Xuecui's Adam's apple rolled. A certain dark desire surged in his heart, making him inexplicably want to invade more, to stir up fresh fluid from her throat, to force her to emit unbearable soft moans.
Chi Ying was also frightened by this sudden action, frozen in place, forgetting to react.
Until that fingertip stirred slightly between her lips and teeth, bringing up moist saliva, then as if reluctant to part, gently rubbing across her lips.
A crystal droplet fell uncontrollably. Only then did she snap back to awareness. Her face instantly flushed crimson with extreme embarrassment. She hurriedly grabbed a brocade handkerchief to wipe the moisture from her lips clean.
Her heart also felt vaguely aggrieved. Clearly he'd deliberately teased her, yet made her lose composure like this...
Forget it—don't argue with a blind man.
She also couldn't let him see the resentment in her heart, or wouldn't that confirm Chi Yingyue's "rather die than marry" statement, making him think she detested him?
She sighed inwardly, composed herself, then took the initiative to reach out, carefully wiping the moisture from between his fingers.
But at this moment, the back of her hand suddenly warmed. The man's large palm covered it, slowly gathering her fingers into his warm palm.
Chi Ying's heart actually palpitated at this moment. She wanted to say something, but her throat was so dry she couldn't make a sound.
She'd been married in for over a month. Though she'd applied medicine for him and they'd been intimate during their last attempt at consummation, they hadn't held hands like this until now.
Ten fingers connected to the heart—half her arm felt tingly and numb. The warmth at her fingertips stirred surging waves in her heart, blood flow throughout her body seeming to stagnate.
Finally, he gave a fair and objective assessment: "The Princess Consort has clear spirit and elegant bones, skin like congealed fat, arched brows and apricot eyes, a jade nose and soft lips, hands like tender shoots—she deserves to be called immortal beauty and peerless color."
Chi Ying's restless heart slowly cooled.
So the Prince of Zhao had no other intention—he was merely using his fingers as eyes, wanting to clearly understand what she looked like, just like examining any exquisite object, stroking every carved mark on bamboo scrolls word by word.
That was all.
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TRANSLATOR: Guys, i just realized this book is rated 18, and i cannot continue posting it on my website. i am still trying to figure out what to do when we get to those chapters.
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GLOSSARY
Characters
Chi Ying (池萤) - Female protagonist; concubine-born third daughter who substitutes for her legitimate elder sister in marriage to the Prince of Zhao
Yan Xuecui / Prince of Zhao (晏雪摧 / 昭王) - Male protagonist; blind prince with a dark reputation, suffers from touch-starvation condition
Chi Yingyue (池颖月) - Chi Ying's legitimate elder sister who was originally supposed to marry the Prince of Zhao
Countess Yin / Yin-shi (殷氏)- Chi Yingyue's mother; the legitimate wife who arranged the substitute marriage
Aunt Xue / Xue Yiniang (薛姨娘) - Chi Ying's mother; a concubine in poor health
Consort Zhuang (庄妃) - The Prince of Zhao's mother
Prince Ding (定王) - The deceased elder brother of Prince of Zhao
Emperor Yongcheng (永成帝) - The current emperor
Servants & Attendants
Xiangqin (香琴) - Chi Ying's maid, originally serving Lady Yin's interests
Baoshan (宝扇) - Chi Ying's maid
Aunt Fangchun (芳春姑姑) - Senior servant managing household affairs
Steward Yuan / Yuan-de (元德) - The Prince of Zhao's chief steward
Qingzhi (青芝) & Yintiao (银翘) - Maids at the manor
Qingze (青泽) - The Prince of Zhao's attendant
Physician Lin (林院判) - The physician treating the Prince of Zhao
Locations
Prince of Zhao's Manor (昭王府) - The prince's residence
Shuyu Pavilion (漱玉斋) - Chi Ying's residence, formerly the Prince of Zhao's chamber
Yangui Tower (雁归楼)- The Prince of Zhao's current residence with a dungeon beneath
Shouchun Hall (寿春堂)- Consort Zhuang's residence
Changyuan Earl Manor (昌远伯府)- Chi family's declining noble household
Titles & Terms
Wang/Prince (王)- Imperial prince title
Wangfei/Princess Consort (王妃) - Wife of a prince
Dianxia/Your Highness (殿下) - Formal address for a prince
Niangniang/Your Ladyship (娘娘) - Formal address for an imperial consort
Di (嫡) - Legitimate-born (from legal wife)
Shu (庶) - Concubine-born
Substitute marriage (替嫁)- Marrying in place of another
Consummation/Yuan fang (圆房) - Completing the marriage ceremony through intercourse
Returning home visit/Hui men (回门) - Traditional bride's first visit to natal home after marriage
Cultural Items
Bamboo cane/scrolls (竹杖/竹简) - The prince uses these for mobility and reading
Incense (熏香) - Various types used for ambiance
Dragon and phoenix candles (龙凤喜烛) - Wedding candles
Phoenix seal (鳳印)- Symbol of empress status
Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons pattern (百子千孙图) - Auspicious bedding embroidery symbolizing fertility
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