Chapter 120 (Subscription Requested)

Before reaching the bedroom, he saw his husband intently reviewing old personal accounts. A surge of tenderness welled up in her heart for the man who was five years her junior.

Driven by a sudden, unspoken resolve, her cheeks flushed a deep, blood-red. She carried the bowl of ginseng soup into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"Husband..."

"..."

Xu Boqing, seeing the woman from earlier return with such longing in her eyes, felt his scalp tingle. He was a veteran in such matters and knew exactly what that look meant. She was beautiful, possessed a voluptuous figure, and carried a unique, intoxicating fragrance—truly alluring. But the problem was, his current identity was a fabrication!

If it were his own face, it might be one thing, but using someone else’s identity to engage in such acts felt no different from being a lecherous rogue. This wouldn't do...

He placed the accounts back where they belonged and feigned annoyance. "Didn't I tell you to go back and get some rest? Why have you come here again?"

"I have rested all day; I have rested long enough."

Lady Liu placed the tray on the table, picked up the soup, and leaned in. "I know how hard you work, Husband. I specially brewed this ginseng soup to soothe your fatigue..."

"..."

As she drew closer, Xu Boqing caught that faint, milky scent again. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he instinctively wanted to turn and slip away. Seeing the soup held out before him, he could only offer a slight nod, drain the bowl, and say, "I still have business to attend to. I must head out."

He turned to leave, but seeing the joy in her eyes fade into a stiff, pained expression as he prepared to walk away, she hesitated no longer. Biting her lower lip, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, her eyes reddening as she choked out, "Husband, please... don't go."

"..."

Xu Boqing’s breath hitched. His body froze as if under a binding spell. He stammered, "I... I have things to handle outside..."

"I know you are busy, and I know you are tired," Lady Liu said, pressing her face against his back. "I also know that you prefer older women. I even know about you and the wet nurse in the manor. I know so many things."

"..."

Xu Boqing was left dumbfounded. *Prefers older women? And something about a wet nurse?* Was this the kind of palace gossip and royal scandal one could hear for free? Was the Third Prince so starved for affection? He sighed inwardly, realizing that Zhu Wenjing, despite his young age, had surprisingly extravagant tastes.

Lady Liu, feeling his body stiffen, assumed he was shocked that she had seen through his secrets. Her eyes rimmed with red, she stepped around to his front and loosened her sash, letting her outer garment fall away. As if coaxing a child, she reached out to touch his face, whispering, "I know everything, but I do not care. For the sake of the empire, I should support you, but I also wish for you to spend time with me—even if only for half a day..."

"..."

Xu Boqing stared, stunned, at the sight before him; his eyes were dazzled, and that faint, lingering fragrance filled his senses. His heart began to hammer against his ribs.

"No... I... please, don't..."

Seeing her lean in, Xu Boqing retreated in a panic, almost tempted to reveal his true identity just to prove his innocence. He was truly flustered—more so than even the first time he had served the Empress Dowager. The Third Prince might be starved for affection, but he certainly wasn't!

Lady Liu, seeing his panicked retreat despite his transfixed gaze, smiled. She stepped forward, pressed him into a chair, and said, "Husband, for this very day, I have been drinking fish soup for months until I could barely stomach it. Can you really bear to leave?"

"..."

He sat there woodenly. Lady Liu sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned against his shoulder, whispering softly, "Husband, I am no less than them..."

"..."

Inhaling that fragrance, Xu Boqing’s throat worked convulsively. He understood her meaning, and he couldn't help but agree—she was indeed not lacking in any regard.

Lady Liu’s expression turned melancholic. "I have consumed much fish soup these days. The wet nurse told me that if one supplements, one must also express it, or it will harden and cause pain..."

"..."

Xu Boqing nodded thoughtfully. Under her guidance, he helped her ease the discomfort...

Time passed. When he finally looked at the sky, a jolt of realization snapped him back to his senses. He quickly lifted her aside, helped her dress, and stood up. If he were using his own face, he wouldn't mind indulging her, but using another man's face felt like a deception he couldn't reconcile with his conscience.

Seeing her look of grievance, he stammered, "My lady, there truly is urgent business outside. When I return, I promise... when I return, alright?"

"Very well..."

Although Lady Liu hadn't fully sated her desire, seeing him help her dress so tenderly softened her expression.

"I must go now..."

The sun was setting. Fearing that the real Third Prince, Zhu Wenjing, might return, and worried that he might lose his own restraint if he stayed longer, Xu Boqing bid her farewell and hurried out. He splashed his face with cold water, checked that no one was watching, and vaulted over a corner wall, heading back toward the palace.

He had only intended to find the whereabouts of Deng Jian, but instead, he had nearly set himself on fire and become entangled in a mess he hadn't bargained for.

Approaching the palace, he was stopped by a soldier holding a halberd. "State your identity to enter the Imperial City!"

"????"

Xu Boqing paused, finding the guard unfamiliar. "Are you new here?"

"Yes, so what?"

Before the soldier could say another word, the patrol commander rushed over and cuffed him on the head. "You fool! How dare you speak to the Chief Overseer like that?"

The commander apologized profusely, explaining that the boy was a new recruit. Xu Boqing waved it off. Just as he was about to enter, he saw a group of servants carrying a palanquin out of the palace. Inside sat the Third Prince, Zhu Wenjing, whom he had encountered earlier.

Their gazes met across the distance. Zhu Wenjing signaled the servants to stop, smiled, and asked, "Is this the Chief Overseer of the Western Depot, Xu Boqing?"

"Greetings, Third Prince." Xu Boqing neither denied nor confirmed his identity, simply offering a calm bow.

Zhu Wenjing didn't seem offended. Instead, he smiled with genuine interest. "I have long heard that Chief Overseer Xu is a young man of great talent and peerless martial arts. Today, I see that hearing of you is not as good as meeting you—the reality far exceeds the reputation."

"You are too kind, Third Prince."

"No need for such modesty. I love making friends, especially with men of your caliber," Zhu Wenjing said. "In a few days, my son will celebrate his first birthday. I shall hold a banquet at my manor; I hope you will honor me with your presence for a few cups of wine."

"This... *hiccup*—"

Xu Boqing, looking at the young, yet trying-too-hard-to-look-mature face, couldn't suppress a sudden, full-bellied hiccup. He looked embarrassed. "My apologies, my apologies~"

"No matter, no matter. Chief Overseer is truly a man of genuine character," Zhu Wenjing laughed, maintaining his composure. "Then it is settled. I shall await your arrival."

With that, the palanquin was carried away.

"..."

Xu Boqing watched them leave, feeling a strange sense of lingering amusement as he hiccuped once more before finally entering the palace. Returning to the Cining Palace, he felt a sudden wave of nostalgia. At the Empress Dowager’s chambers, he motioned for the elderly maids to remain silent and dismissed them with a wave. They knew his status well and retreated quietly.

He pushed the door open and slipped inside...

Night had fallen. Empress Dowager Chen sat before her vanity mirror, removing her hairpins. Looking at her reflection, she thought of the "little rogue" who was out and about, and her heart felt strangely empty.

Just as she was lost in her own melancholy, she noticed a figure in a moon-white robe appear in the mirror. Thinking it was a hallucination, she blinked, only to see the man smiling behind her. Her heart leaped—it was no illusion!

She turned around, her eyes reddening. "You little rogue, you... *mmpf!*"

As their lips met, she closed her eyes, offering a fervent response as if to pour out all her pent-up longing. Sensing the familiar intensity of his presence, she instinctively shifted to sit upon the vanity table.

"Little... little rogue, why... why do you have such a faint, milky scent on you?"

"It must be that your Highness has been overthinking, leading to hallucinations."

"..."