Chapter 51: Ice-like skin and jade-like bones, leaving marks every time

He went to the bathroom to wash off the sweat on his body, and when he came back, he looked full of energy again.

"I have to go out for something." He said to her.

The little woman curled up in the quilt and said lazily: "I'm tired and don't want to move. I want the maids to come in and serve you."

Lu Ji has always disliked maids getting close to him, so Qin Xiaoning had to do all the close work like dressing and combing her hair herself. But today, she couldn't do that. She was so tired after all the trouble she had, and now she couldn't get up.

Lu Ji replied calmly, "No need." Then he began to put on his clothes and adjust his hair.

After a while, he tidied himself neatly, wearing an ink-colored brocade robe, a rhinoceros horn belt tightly tied around his waist, and a purple gold jade crown on his head.

"I won't go to the palace banquet tonight." She asked his opinion and spoke softly.

Lu Ji was already dressed. Hearing this, he turned around and looked at her, asking, "Why don't you go?"

As he spoke, he walked towards the bed, neatly dressed, dignified and cool, as if the mess on the bed was not caused by him.

"I'm afraid of the bad influence." Her status is there, and she is not the wife, so she has some concerns about attending such occasions.

"What's there to be afraid of? When the time comes, just follow your mother and sisters."

He made the final decision: "I told you to go, so just go."

He has always been domineering and she is used to being submissive, so she said nothing more and just said "hmm" to him.

Lu Ji was about to leave, but he glanced at the little woman who was buried in the quilt with only half of her face exposed. He paused, leaned over and pinched her cheek, then strode out of the room.

The emperor's tour this time was to congratulate Concubine Chen on her promotion to Imperial Concubine.

The sage only brought the imperial concubine with him when he came to the northern suburbs palace. At the palace banquet, the imperial concubine was the only one in power. She wore a phoenix robe and sat beside the sage, accepting congratulations from court officials and dignitaries. She was in great favor and was the center of attention.

The lively palace banquet, with singing and dancing, clinking glasses, lasted until the full moon rose into the sky.

Qin Xiaoning and the women of the Duke's Mansion left the inner palace together. After returning to the bedroom, Song Zhi helped Qin Xiaoning take a bath. The little maid poured a whole bottle of perfume into the water, and then sprinkled handfuls of fresh flower petals into the bathtub.

Qin Xiaoning frowned as she watched: "Are you treating me like a bee?"

Songzhi smiled slyly: "I just want to keep you nice and sweet, so that the prince can't leave you."

Qin Xiaoning's face turned red, and she glared at Song Zhi: "You've seen how miserable he was tormenting me." Then, she snatched the petals from her hand and stopped her: "Don't add more, there are enough."

"You are young and energetic, and you are his only woman, so it is inevitable that you will be greedy."

Seeing Song Zhi speaking for him, Qin Xiaoning frowned and asked, "Did you get a reward from him?"

Song Zhi raised his eyes and gave Qin Xiaoning a look that said, "You really can't hide anything from me." Then he approached her and said happily, "Today, the Fourth Madam wanted to be rude to you, but I stopped her. In the afternoon, Chief Steward Chang actually gave me two ingots of silver, saying that it was the order of the prince, as a reward for my meritorious service in protecting the master."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pinched his wrist: "The training I did during my daily work was not in vain. I have gained strength. I didn't expect that I could rely on this to get a reward at a critical moment."

"Tsk tsk, two ingots of silver, at least six or seven taels, the prince is really generous."

Qin Xiaoning raised her wet hand and tapped her forehead: "Two ingots of silver, I bought you off, right?"

The little maid laughed: "You can't say that. I am yours and you are the prince's. So I should serve the prince more. Isn't that my share?"

As he spoke, he began to sprinkle some flower petals into the bathtub, praisingly saying, "A Ning, you have such a great figure. Look at your skin, wow, so smooth that there are no water droplets on it." Because her skin was so tender and white, with such icy skin and bones, she was even more delicate. Every time they finished, he would leave a lot of marks on her body.

Except for Songzhi, who was used to seeing her, she always kept the other maids far away when she bathed and changed clothes.

She was afraid that others would see her and laugh at her.

"Did you bring the medicine bag?"

Seeing Qin Xiaoning asking, Songzhi said hurriedly: "I brought it. No matter what you forget, you can't forget this." Songzhi asked: "Do you need it?"

Qin Xiaoning nodded, Songzhi frowned: "Not in the second half of the afternoon." Then he stuck out his tongue: "In the evening? So diligent."

For Lu Ji, there has never been a definite answer to this matter.

"Then I'll soak it in hot water right away." As he said that, Songzhi stepped out of the bathroom to prepare the medicine bag.

Qin Xiaoning soaked in the bathtub for a while and felt much more relaxed. She went to bed, changed into light pajamas, got into the quilt, and put the warm medicine bag between her legs.

This thing is very effective. Since using it, her ability to withstand stress has obviously improved a lot.

He fell asleep unconsciously, and vaguely felt someone coming over to kiss his face. Qin Xiaoning's white and slender arms were wrapped around his neck, and she asked vaguely, "Why did you come back so late?"

"I chatted with a few colleagues after the palace banquet."

With Lu Ji, there is never a time when he is free to find someone to chat with.

The saint attacked the King of Qin and promoted the daughter of King Xuanchen. The twists and turns involved were not something a little woman like Qin Xiaoning should think about. However, these were related to the future of the government office, so Lu Ji had to think about it, plan for it, and fight for it.

Qin Xiaoning didn't understand these major events, but Lu Ji's ambition could not be hidden from Qin Xiaoning.

Having been with him since childhood, she knew him too well.

But when it comes to politics, she never talks too much, and only asked him, "I heard from Sixth Miss that there will be a polo match tomorrow. I heard that the infantry battalion under your jurisdiction will play against the cavalry battalion of the Patrol City Division. Will you participate?"

"You want to go and see?" He lay down next to her, stretched out his arms and took her in his arms.

Qin Xiaoning huddled in his arms and replied, "If you come out, I'll go and watch, otherwise, I'm not really interested."

Lu Ji was happy to hear this.

"Let's see how these guys perform?" He replied calmly, "I haven't touched this stuff for many years. It's just a trick to fool children. It's meaningless."

For Lu Ji, who has been on the battlefield for a long time and has seen the most brutal life-and-death battles, small sports such as polo can no longer arouse his interest in conquering.

"But you have to win," he said.

No matter what he did, he had never lost. This infantry battalion was under his command, and he would be ashamed if he couldn't win.

Qin Xiaoning nestled in his arms, her small hands hooked around his waist, and looked up at him and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you play polo. I still remember when the prince was young, he was the king of the court, with a dashing and heroic demeanor. I don't know how many girls he charmed."

"Including you?"

His voice was hoarse. Even in such a hazy night, Qin Xiaoning could feel that the look in his eyes when he looked at her was definitely romantic and evil.

(End of this chapter)