Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
Ruoyin was different. She was partial to good looks, and like men, she could not tear her eyes away when she saw a pretty woman.
Right now, she was staring and looking at a dancer in the second row up and down.
Internally, she exclaimed in admiration, Tsk, tsk tsk, she’s gorgeous. It’s a waste that she’s a mere dancer.
That slender and supple waist, those legs, that face, that skin, and the whole of this dancer was absolutely perfect.
She looked up and shifted her gaze behind. Eh, there seemed to be another good-looking dancer behind her.
Suddenly she felt an inexplicable curiosity to know which girl Lord Fourth liked and, thus, turned to look at him beside her.
However, she became stunned after looking at him!
Goodness, why was Lord Fourth looking at her?
And why was he looking at her with such a weird gaze?
That gaze seemed to say: Have you not seen beautiful people before? Don’t you know you’re beautiful yourself?
Thus, she smiled an awkward but polite smile at Lord Fourth before turning her gaze away slowly and focusing on the dancers once more.
This scene made Consort Li jealous. Her eyes had never left Lord Fourth!
Why did Lord Fourth look at the Fujin and not her?
Soon, some more subordinates delivered dishes to them.
Lord Fourth moved his chopsticks first, followed by Consort Li, then Consort Song.
In a short while, the large table was filled with food. With the delicious spread before her, Ruoyin cast the dancers aside and focused all her attention on eating.
She especially liked the stir-fried bullfrog—the meat was fresh, soft, and tasty. She took a second helping of rice.
It was good that this dish was spicy. Consort Li and Consort Song dared not to touch it, so the only people who ate it was Ruoyin and Lord Fourth, who took a bit of it.
Ruoyin ate two full bowls of rice—this was becoming her standard now, unless she had no appetite, which was another story.
When she was finally full, the stir-fried bullfrogs were almost finished by her.
Consort Li ate only half a bowl of rice, wanting to maintain a virtuous image in front of Lord Fourth.
Thus, she looked down upon Ruoyin’s double helpings of rice.
Everyone was now almost done with their food, and the dancing entertainment changed to an opera.
Consort Li wanted Lord Fourth to move toward her side and thus made her best effort to show off and establish a presence. She shook the jadeite bracelet on her wrist and asked, “Lord Fourth, this was the bracelet you gave me, which I haven’t worn to show you yet. Does it look good?”
Lord Fourth was listening to the entertainment when he heard Consort Li’s question. He turned his head and looked at Consort Li’s pale wrist before saying indifferently, “This bracelet suits you well.”
Even though Lord Fourth did not remark that it looked good, the meaning behind the words he spoke were not inferior to him saying it “looked good.”
Thus, Consort Li’s heart exploded with joy and she said bashfully, “Thank you, my Lord. It’s because my Lord has good taste.”
With that said, she even cast a satisfied glance toward Consort Song before turning her gaze toward Ruoyin, flaunting Lord Fourth’s praises ostentatiously.
She was probably so overjoyed that she forgot that Lord Fourth was there.
Lord Fourth caught her expression. He looked at Nanny Liu’s jadeite bracelet before looking toward Ruoyin.
Ruoyin was unperturbed. She displayed no feelings toward the new bracelet on Consort Li’s wrist.
It was natural for the women in the back courtyard to be gifted things when they served Lord Fourth, so it was normal for everyone to have bracelets.
But what was wrong with them? Hurry up and make eyes at each other, then. Why look at her?
She was going to break out in sweat from the awkwardness if this continued.
After looking at Ruoyin, Lord Fourth rose. With a whisk of his robe, he left the table without saying a single word.
Since Lord Fourth, the most important person, had a left, Ruoyin and the other women left for their residences as well.
Consort Li was returning to her residence in disappointment. She had made her presence felt at the dinner table.
It was all so that Lord Fourth would notice her and make progress with their relationship.
But this was also alright, for no one had seduced Lord Fourth. She felt better knowing this, at least.
Lord Fourth had not stepped into the back courtyard on the same night. He only read in the study at Jin Mo Pavilion and pondered about life from time to time as he stared into the night sky.
The women in the back courtyard did not receive Lord Fourth’s visit. Since no one got a visit from him, they were neither happy nor sad.
Moreover, the weather was so hot. Even though it was cooler in the residence, Lord Fourth did not like to visit the back courtyard when it was summer.
He was probably already irritable from the summer heat, plus, it would make him even more so if he made love, because it would only add to the heat and make him sweat more.
The next day, at the first glimmer of dawn, Lord Fourth rode his horse into the palace.
His expression was stern and his horse galloped fast under his whip, so he probably had urgent matters to attend.
It was already afternoon when he returned to the residence.
By then, Lord Fourth did not look stern anymore, instead smiling rather relaxedly.
Lord Fourth went to the study once he got back to the residence. From the outside, he looked like he was reading, but internally, his thoughts were already flying high in the sky.
Today, the Crown Prince had summoned everyone into the palace. There had been a letter addressed to the palace on the subject of Kang Xi’s campaign in Mongolia.
Kang Xi had emerged overwhelmingly victorious though the enemies had fled into the wilderness, and he was now making his way back to the capital.
He even left Fei Yanggu in Mongolia to deal with the aftermath. Fei Yanggu had beheaded three thousand of the enemy, and even forced the leader of the enemy to flee.
Fei Yanggu was Ruoyin’s father.
Thus, this news had made Lord Fourth have an emotional revelation.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about that woman for the past few days; it was just that he was a little upset that she did not want to carry his child.
No matter what her reason was, his heart still felt stuffy.
He thought that he must have spoiled her too much, or she would not have done such a rash thing.
Today, Lord Fourth thought that he should let her have a way out. Thus, he would visit her with the news of Fei Yanggu, because continuing this was not an option.
Now that he had sorted out his thoughts, Lord Fourth went out without saying a word.
He did not even mention where he was going, but Su Peicheng followed him quickly.
It was only when they arrived at Yi Lan Villa that Su Peicheng understood. So his master was thinking about the Fujin.
As usual, Lord Fourth did not get anyone to announce his presence. Upon entering the residence, he found Ruoyin taking an afternoon nap on a rocking chair.
Two subordinates were by her side, fanning her, and behind her was a large tub of ice.
Lord Fourth paused. She looked contented.
Upon seeing Lord Fourth, the subordinates bowed. Lord Fourth waved his hand and they went out.
In a moment, there was only Ruoyin and Lord Fourth left in the room, alone.
Lord Fourth walked to face Ruoyin. She was leaning against the cool bamboo rocking chair, her dark hair splayed out behind her. Her beauty was undiminished even in her sleep.
Lord Fourth’s gaze landed on her soft lashes, rosy-apple lips, before halting on her accidental exposed shoulder.
A pair of snow white feet were carelessly revealed to the outside world.
Lord Fourth’s breathing quickened and the garment around his lower waist tightened.
However, he still looked calm. He kicked the leg of the rocking chair with his black inky boots, and even coughed nonchalantly.
The rocking chair swayed back and forth gently…
A dreaming Ruoyin felt the movement. Startled, she awoke.
She opened her eyes and smacked her lips before she realized that Lord Fourth was in front of her, looking down at her from his height.