Shangguan Ye’s one indulgence, though he felt it still fell short of his expectations, left Murong Qiufeng destined to spend the next few days confined to bed and utterly humiliated.
That night, while Shangguan Ye had indeed demanded excessive indulgence, it was also fueled by his own half-hearted indulgence and recklessness. Fortunately, the troublemakers who had planned to eavesdrop and feast on the scandalous details had all been dragged away by the elders, leaving not even the shadow guards behind. Otherwise, he doubted he’d ever dare face them again. Recalling his own lewd and unrestrained behavior, he felt nothing but bitter regret.
To Shangguan Ye, however, that so-called lewdness was non-existent; he remained as bashful and reserved as ever.
During his convalescence, Murong Qiufeng saw almost no one. Every aspect of his daily life—meals, rest, and more—was personally attended to by his jealous, henpecked prince consort.
As Murong Qiufeng put it, whoever caused the trouble must clean up the mess. He absolutely refused to lose the last shred of his dignity.
In Shangguan Ye’s view, how could anyone else see his precious one’s alluring, sometimes coy, sometimes coquettish charms? These were, of course, solely his to enjoy.
Yet these past days, Murong Qiufeng still hadn’t spoken a single word to Shangguan Ye. At most, she’d glare at him with her eyes, and sometimes she couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge his presence.
But our Prince Ye was like Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai—one eager to strike, the other willing to endure. And he endured it with such evident delight that after a few days, outsiders began to suspect the prince had gone mad or been replaced..
The Prince, usually a cold-faced demon, now wore an… indescribable smile all day long. His laughter sent shivers down the spines of the uninitiated, especially the officials in the court. Tortured by the bloody purges these past days, their nerves were already frayed. Each of them lost sleep and appetite, speculating whether the Prince was plotting some new move. They prayed not to be implicated. What a terrifying phenomenon this was.
The Snow Mountain Elders had shed all semblance of dignity, practically worshipping Murong Qiufeng. They showered him with rare flowers and precious medicines without restraint. Were it not for Shangguan Ye constantly shielding his lover’s thin skin, the two elders would likely be camped by his bedside, attending to his every whim.
Otherwise, if Murong Qiufeng discovered he was being pampered like a pregnant woman, Shangguan Ye would likely face a prolonged period of celibacy.
Even with Murong Qiufeng’s robust constitution and the best food, drink, and rest afforded him, it took nearly four days before he could leave his bed. And even then, it was only because he had to see his parents off that he reluctantly forced his aching, weak body to rise and move about.
Shangguan Ye, utterly content, endured daily glares yet eagerly sought them out, transforming from a lofty commander of a million soldiers into a wife-slave who neither struck back nor retorted. Had those unaware witnessed this, they might have risen in unison to mock him—for this prince was undoubtedly a complete fraud. Of course, Murong Qiufeng never struck or scolded him.
“I’ll do it myself.” After nearly ten failed attempts to tie his sash and having his dignity trampled beyond measure, the veins on Murong Qiufeng’s temples bulged to bursting. His lips twitched as he finally relented, his voice still hoarse and heavy with frustration.
Shangguan Ye smiled warmly as he wrapped an arm around his waist and sat down, effortlessly pulling him onto his lap. His hand gently massaged Mu Rong Qiufeng’s back while his chin brushed against his shoulder. His smile was a mix of smugness and flattery. “Still angry? Heh, don’t be upset. Didn’t I apologize? I can only say my darling is just too delicious.”
Murong Qiufeng’s mouth twitched. He jabbed his elbow hard into Shangguan Ye’s chest, snorting coldly as he tried to stand up. “Let go. I think we need to set some ground rules.”
Shangguan Ye could easily guess the nature of these so-called ground rules. How could he allow anything to interfere with his ‘sexual’ happiness? He released his hold, obediently fastened his sash, and shifted the topic. “We’ll discuss that later. It’s getting late. We shouldn’t keep your parents waiting. I’ve prepared a farewell banquet at Songfeng Pavilion. We should head straight there.”
Though Murong Qiufeng understood his intent, he had no desire to dwell on it. The impending separation already stirred a sour ache and melancholy in his heart. Thirteen years apart, five years of separation, barely a few months reunited—only to part ways again. It wasn’t that his feelings for this family were weaker than those for outsiders; it was simply the reality of their circumstances.
Shangguan Ye helped him into his outer robe, gently caressing his cheek as he soothed, “It’s alright. You’re merely moving farther away. Whenever you wish to visit, I’ll accompany you. Truly, the Murong family should be grateful for this outcome.”
Murong Qiufeng lifted his head to meet his gaze, eyes slightly reddened. He nodded softly, wrapped his arms around Shangguan Ye’s waist, and rested his head against his shoulder. In a hoarse whisper, he murmured, “Thank you.” Indeed, the Murong family had been fortunate to reach this point. Of the three great families, the An clan had been slaughtered to the last man. The Dugu clan had fallen from grace—exiled, demoted, scattered. Yet the Murong family had managed to preserve their honor and withdraw at the height of their glory. Though they had sacrificed Murong Hao, they had preserved the family’s integrity and resigned their posts. It was a happy ending for all.
He knew all this was thanks to Shangguan Ye. Had he not intervened, even if the Murong family were truly innocent, they likely wouldn’t have fared much better than the other two clans in this purge. Especially with a traitor like Murong Hao—a crime punishable by extermination of nine generations.
Shangguan Ye stroked his back tenderly, smiling. “Silly, do we need thanks between us?”
Murong Qiufeng said nothing more. Words were useless now. He only tightened his embrace around his waist, savoring that sense of security.
The shadow guards in the darkness all looked up at the sky, silently praising the Prince’s might. The Princess Consort had been so easily placated, forgetting even her anger.
At the Pine Breeze Pavilion, the so-called farewell banquet consisted of nothing more than a few wine jugs and cups placed on the stone table in the center of the pavilion.
Snow still blanketed the ground, and the wind bitingly cold, yet many had gathered today.
Though the Chancellor had resigned and no Murong family members currently held court positions, this did not signify the clan’s complete decline like other houses. At the very least, the Empress remained, along with a Prince as son-in-law. Consider this: both the Emperor and the Prince—the highest-ranking members of the royal family—were sons-in-law of the Murong clan. How far could the Murong family truly fall? Thus, those seeking to curry favor remained numerous.
Even the Empress herself came to see them off, along with Murong Qiufeng’s two sisters—famous figures whom few had ever laid eyes on.
Since the Murong family’s troubles began, these two sisters had not been seen. Though their husbands’ official residences were also in Luzhou, no one blamed them. After all, they likely faced their own difficulties. Everyone understood the wisdom of self-preservation. There was only a hint of disappointment, so much so that Murong Qiufeng had little patience even for their occasional attempts to strike up conversation.
The farewell gathering didn’t last long. They exchanged a few cups of wine and polite pleasantries. Murong Qiufeng was pulled aside by her mother, who kept giving her this piece of advice and that piece of advice. Even Shangguan Ye was quietly pulled into a secluded corner for a whispered conversation before it finally ended.
Watching the two carriages and their horses slowly tread through the snow and fade into the distance, Murong Qiufeng stood rooted in the snow, her nose slightly reddened. In the swirling snow and wind, she appeared lonely and frail.
Shangguan Ye wanted to step forward and pull him into an embrace, but mindful of the setting, he could only offer a gentle pat on the shoulder as consolation. Though he himself didn’t mind the stares, he had to consider Murong Qiufeng’s feelings.
