Chapter 53: Requesting a Marriage Decree
Proofread By: Mim
Chu Jinyao was stunned when she heard what the Crown Prince said. Then she immediately jumped up: “No, I don’t want to learn…”
Qin Yi’s face darkened, and he said, “Sit down.”
Chu Jinyao had no choice but to sit back down with a bitter face. Qin Yi nodded at her and said, “Hold the piece. Watch how I make the moves.”
Chu Jinyao really wanted to remind this lord that she had messed up the chessboard by accident and didn’t mean to destroy the game. She didn’t want to trouble the crown prince by teaching her how to play chess. But the crown prince took it seriously and started teaching her how to play chess, piece by piece.
Chu Jinyao cautiously asked, “Your Highness…”
“What?”
“Aren’t you busy?” In other words, aren’t you too free?
“Of course, my time is incredibly valuable. So, if you can’t learn well…” Qin Yi looked up at Chu Jinyao from across the chessboard, leaving the rest unsaid.
Chu Jinyao could feel the strong sense of threat in his gaze. She lowered her head and sighed deeply.
She was playing perfectly fine on her own, but now the Crown Prince insisted on teaching her, and if she didn’t learn fast enough, he threatened her? What kind of logic was this?
Outside, the others were composing poems, each trying to come up with elegant verses, and no one noticed that Chu Jinyao and the Crown Prince had disappeared. The two of them quietly sat there, making moves one by one. For a while, the only sound in the room was the crisp clicking of jade chess pieces on the board.
Chu Jinyao frowned, holding a white chess piece between her fingers. She looked at the board with a pained expression. After hesitating for a while, she tentatively placed a piece in one spot.
“Where are you placing it?”
Startled, Chu Jinyao quickly moved her hand to place it somewhere else. When she was about to drop the piece, she stole a glance at Qin Yi’s face. Seeing that his expression was calm, she sighed in relief. It seemed this spot was correct.
Even as a teacher, Qin Yi felt tired. If he didn’t speak, he might have been driven mad by Chu Jinyao. So, he said casually, “Even my younger brothers and sisters haven’t had the privilege of me teaching them like this. The last time I taught someone myself was…”
Qin Yi abruptly stopped. Chu Jinyao, who hated it when people left sentences unfinished, quickly asked, “Who was the last person?”
After she asked, Chu Jinyao realized her mistake. She had just interrupted the Crown Prince?
She quickly looked up and tried to fix the situation: “Your Highness, I didn’t mean to, I wasn’t…”
Chu Jinyao fumbled for words, not knowing how to explain herself. When she looked up, she found the Crown Prince staring at her with a strange look.
Chu Jinyao felt uncomfortable under the gaze and quietly asked, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
Qin Yi placed down a chess piece, sat up straight, and looked amused. He asked, “What’s your name?”
Chu Jinyao became alert. A woman’s given name should not be casually shared with an unrelated man, so she cautiously replied, “This humble woman’s surname is Chu, and I am the fifth daughter.”
The amusement in Qin Yi’s eyes almost overflowed. Chu Jinyao constantly surprised him. Ever since he could remember, whenever he asked for someone’s name, they would be either astonished or delighted and would reveal their full name, often adding extra information, regardless of gender. Only Chu Jinyao dared to be vague, using her birth order to evade the question.
Qin Yi didn’t bother to argue with her and continued asking, “Do you know what my name is?”
Chu Jinyao was genuinely stumped. He was the Crown Prince, and everyone referred to him respectfully as ‘Your Highness.’ As for his actual name… she honestly didn’t know.
Chu Jinyao shook her head honestly. Qin Yi nodded and said, “Very well. I will tell you. My name is just ‘Yi’, Qin Yi.”
So the Crown Prince was named Qin Yi. Chu Jinyao suddenly understood and praised, “That’s a good name.”
Even Chu Jinyao noticed the amusement in the Crown Prince’s eyes this time. She felt flustered, looking at him, waiting for him to finish his amusement. After a while, he continued, “My mother is the late Empress Wenxiao, from the Marquis of Zhenbei’s family, with the surname Qi.”
Chu Jinyao nodded in response. She knew this. The Crown Prince’s birth mother was the late Empress Wenxiao, who was the elder sister of the current Empress. The common people referred to them as the ‘Great Qi Empress’ and ‘Little Qi Empress.’ This pair of sisters was quite famous, so of course Chu Jinyao knew. But she wondered, why was the Crown Prince telling her this?
Seeing her still looking at him with wide eyes, Qin Yi found it both amusing and exasperating. It seemed she still didn’t understand. Qin Yi gave up trying to explain further, picked up a chess piece, and tapped the board. “Forget it. Focus on the game.”
Chu Jinyao felt that this person was truly unreasonable! He was the one who brought up the royal family matters, but after finishing, he blamed her for not focusing?
However, Chu Jinyao quickly reminded herself: He’s the Crown Prince, and his father is the Emperor. Don’t get upset, don’t get upset.
The only sound in the room was the tapping of chess pieces. After a while, the people writing poetry had already realized something was amiss. When Lin Xiyuan found this innermost room, he saw Chu Jinyao sitting opposite the Crown Prince, playing chess, and his pupils dilated slightly.
He stood outside for a while before smiling and gently knocking on the door. Qin Yi had long noticed Lin Xiyuan’s arrival. On the other hand, Chu Jinyao, upon seeing someone arrive, immediately showed a look of immense relief.
For her, the game of chess was too difficult, especially since her opponent was the Crown Prince. Chu Jinyao didn’t even dare to play carelessly.
Seeing Chu Jinyao’s expression, Lin Xiyuan was a little surprised and glanced at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince’s expression was indifferent, revealing nothing. Lin Xiyuan roughly understood and stepped inside, smiling, “Your Highness, why are you here? We were negligent, please forgive us.”
Just as Lin Xiyuan finished speaking, a gust of damp wind blew in through the window, causing the hem of Chu Jinyao’s skirt to flutter. She pressed down her fluttering hair and looked up at the sky, murmuring, “It’s going to rain.”
Qin Yi also looked back and nodded, “Indeed.”
Lin Xiyuan walked over to close the window, and Chu Jinyao’s hair finally settled down. He frowned and said, “This is bad. My Second Brother and the others went boating on the lake. Someone come!”
Lin Xiyuan raised his voice and instructed the servant outside, “It’s going to rain, quickly call back the Second Young Master and the County Princess.”
Soon after, the rain began pouring down in large droplets. Lin Xining and the County Princess, covering their heads, quickly ran into the room. The maids hurried forward with dry towels. The County Princess complained in a low voice, “We were going boating, but now it’s raining? How disappointing.”
Chu Jinyao, who had followed them outside, saw this scene and said, “Princess, dry your hair first. Spring rains come quickly; be careful of catching a cold.”
Chu Jinmiao, who had gone out with Lin Xining, now had her hair slightly wet and the hem of her dress damp. She let the maid tend to her as she glanced at Chu Jinyao, who was standing neatly dressed, and then at the Crown Prince behind her. The contrast was obvious. Chu Jinmiao cursed internally and then asked, “Fifth Sister, we looked for you earlier but couldn’t find you. Where did you go?”
“I saw you all were busy writing poetry and didn’t want to disturb you, so I came back early.”
Chu Jinmiao wanted to ask further questions, like when did you return, and why is the Crown Prince here? But when she glanced at the Crown Prince, she decided to maintain her composure and refrained from asking.
After Chu Jinyao had exposed the matter of Linglong, the Princess Consort quickly traced it back to Chu Jinmiao. Although the Princess Consort merely mentioned it in passing and didn’t punish Chu Jinmiao, the shame was unbearable. The fact that the discord between the sisters had become known to outsiders was extremely embarrassing. Chu Jinmiao had been too ashamed to leave her courtyard for several days and could barely lift her head in front of the Princess Consort. She harbored a deep resentment toward Chu Jinyao.
The accumulation of new and old grievances had grown to the point where they couldn’t stand the sight of each other.
Today, Chu Jinmiao had dressed particularly carefully. She wore a pale green long-sleeved robe over a blue skirt, styled in a Wei and Jin dynasty fashion, making her look delicate and fragile. Especially since she was naturally slender, the loose clothing made her appear even more frail and ethereal, as if a gust of wind could knock her over. Chu Jinmiao knew that the Crown Prince favored esoteric words and likely didn’t prefer flashy women, so all her attire leaned towards a light and delicate style. Now that her hair was slightly wet, her fragile image became even more pronounced.
The boating trip had been Lin Xining’s idea, and now that his sisters had gotten soaked in the rain, he already felt guilty. Seeing how delicate Chu Jinmiao looked now made his heart ache. He said, “Fourth Sister, you’re not in good health and can’t afford to get wet. Why don’t you go inside and change your clothes?”
Chu Jinmiao naturally refused. After getting wet, her fragile image was perfect, so why would she want to change? She shook her head and said, “There’s no need. I’m fine, I can endure it. There’s no need to trouble everyone for me.”
Hearing this, Yang Qixia also came over, holding her hand and exclaiming, “Fourth Sister, your hands are so cold! Someone, bring a hand warmer for her!”
With this fuss, everyone’s attention shifted to Chu Jinmiao. She felt very pleased, thinking that now the Crown Prince would surely notice her. If she made the right moves to attract his favor, everything would fall into place.
Seeing the commotion, Chu Jinyao suggested, “You should all sit and rest for a while. Wait for the maids to bring the hand warmers.”
Everyone moved into the room where Chu Jinyao and Qin Yi had been earlier. After sitting down, Lin Xining noticed the unfinished chess game by the window and asked in surprise, “Were you two just playing chess?”
Chu Jinyao immediately blushed and signaled Lin Xining with her eyes, “It’s nothing, cousin, don’t ask.”
Unfortunately, Lin Xining didn’t pick up on her hint. He stood up and walked over to the chessboard. After a quick glance, he fell silent.
After a moment, he tentatively asked, “Whose game is this?”
Qin Yi remained seated, but instead of answering, he asked, “What do you think of this game?”
Given Qin Yi’s question, even a fool could guess that this was the Crown Prince’s game. Lin Xining quickly nodded and said, “It’s an excellent game!”
“Cousin!” Chu Jinyao was utterly embarrassed. She gritted her teeth and said, “I was just messing around with the pieces. Don’t tease me.”
Lin Xining was shocked, “It’s your game?”
Qin Yi quietly sipped his tea, but there was a smile in his eyes. Lin Xiyuan had also caught on and shook his head with a smile.
Chu Jinyao was mortified. She didn’t dare glare at the Crown Prince, so she took it out on Lin Xining, giving him a fierce look. “The original game was the Crown Prince’s. I didn’t know better and moved a few pieces around when I came in.”
Lin Xining exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Fifth Sister, you didn’t just move a few pieces! You’ve filled the entire board with white pieces! So orderly and grand, what an impressive hand you have.”
Chu Jinyao pretended to hit him, and Lin Xining, playing along, begged for mercy, “I was only teasing, don’t take it seriously.”
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.
It was curious, though. Lin Xiyuan was just as gentle and refined as Lin Xining, but for some reason, the ladies preferred to be around Lin Xining. He could talk to any of the sisters with ease, and they all felt comfortable joking with him. If it were Lin Xiyuan, they would be much more restrained. As for the Crown Prince, well, no one even dared to speak in his presence.
The County Princess, feeling bold after using the hand warmer, and spurred by the livelier atmosphere, suggested, “Fifth Young Lady, I’m not good at chess either. How about we play a game together?”
Chu Jinyao quickly refused, “Please, no! I’m really not good at it. Why make me embarrass myself again?”
Hearing this, the County Princess became even more determined to drag Chu Jinyao into a game. Lin Xiyuan, as a man, felt it inappropriate to intervene, so he glanced at the other ladies, hoping they would step in to stop the County Princess’s antics.
However, Chu Jinmiao remained silent, and Yang Qixia turned her head to look at the rain, both pretending not to see. In fact, their thoughts were surprisingly aligned at this moment. They were more than happy to see Chu Jinyao make a fool of herself, so why would they intervene?
Feeling awkward under the County Princess’s insistence, Chu Jinyao was suddenly saved by Qin Yi’s words: “She’s only just started learning today. Playing a game wouldn’t hurt. If you’re unsure of any moves, just ask me.”
Everyone in the room was taken aback. The Crown Prince was teaching Chu Jinyao how to play chess and had just offered to coach her during the game? The County Princess was dumbfounded, and seeing things going awry, Lin Xiyuan quickly said, “Baozhu isn’t good at chess either. As her elder brother, I’ll be shameless and offer her some guidance.”
Qin Yi nodded, accepting the arrangement. Lin Xining’s gaze flitted over the group, his expression thoughtful.
Yang Qixia, seeing how things were unfolding, suggested with a mischievous smile, “Chess is a bit too serious. I don’t really understand it either. How about we play shuanglu chess instead? It’s more lively.”
Qin Yi didn’t mind and agreed with a nod. Chu Jinyao, however, grew even more uncomfortable. “Sister Yang, I don’t know how to play shuanglu at all.”
Yang Qixia chuckled, “What’s the harm in that? Everyone starts out not knowing. Just try, and you’ll get the hang of it.”
While that might be true, who asks a novice to play in front of everyone for their first time? It was clearly setting her up for failure. Chu Jinyao was not pleased; Yang Qixia, out of spite, was intentionally being difficult.
Noticing Chu Jinyao’s discomfort, Qin Yi said, “It’s fine. Go ahead and play. I’ll guide you.”
Chu Jinyao suddenly remembered that Qin Yi had promised to help her. Her heart calmed down unexpectedly. The Crown Prince seemed to know everything. With someone like him backing her up, Chu Jinyao felt unexpectedly composed.
Once the chessboard was brought out, Yang Qixia eagerly volunteered to keep score. Chu Jinyao and the County Princess sat opposite each other. Qin Yi stood behind Chu Jinyao, while Lin Xiyuan stood behind the County Princess. After pacing for a moment, Lin Xiyuan finally settled beside Chu Jinmiao.
Yang Qixia cast the dice, and the game officially began. The County Princess, while not particularly skilled, was still much better than Chu Jinyao, who was a complete novice.
At first, Chu Jinyao struggled, continuously making poor moves. Though shuanglu chess involved a great deal of luck, strategy still played a significant role, and Chu Jinyao was clearly losing ground.
When it was her turn again, Chu Jinyao hesitated, feeling as though the Crown Prince disapproved of her next move. She sneaked a glance at him and noticed his gaze fixed on a different spot. Tentatively, she placed her piece there, only to hear him chuckle softly.
Relying on Qin Yi’s hints, Chu Jinyao quickly turned the tide. Soon, she became more familiar with the rules of shuanglu chess and managed to hold her own against the County Princess.
Realizing that she could now play independently and even outmaneuver the County Princess, Chu Jinyao was overjoyed. Unfortunately, her luck seemed to run out after that, and the dice consistently yielded unfavorable results.
The game began to swing in the County Princess’s favor. With victory in sight, the County Princess shot Chu Jinyao a smug look. Sensing something, Qin Yi glanced at Yang Qixia, who was smiling gently, holding the dice cup.
The game’s outcome seemed certain. Though both players had three pieces remaining, the princess’s pieces were much closer to the goal, making the winner obvious to everyone.
Chu Jinyao frowned, racking her brain for a solution. Despite the unfavorable situation, she still wanted to try her best.
Just as she was about to place her piece, Qin Yi stopped her hand.
Startled, Chu Jinyao looked back, “Your Highness…”
In a calm and unwavering voice, Qin Yi said, “I told you I’d guide you. Let me handle these last three pieces.”
Before Chu Jinyao could refuse, Lin Xiyuan smiled and said, “Very well. I’ll be so bold as to step in for Baozhu and play the last three moves.”
The game had now shifted from a match between Chu Jinyao and the County Princess to one between Qin Yi and Lin Xiyuan. Lin Xining clapped his hands and laughed, “Cousin Yang, would you be kind enough to give me the honor of rolling the dice for His Highness and my brother?”
Yang Qixia forced a smile and replied, “Of course.”
The game took on a more serious tone. Chu Jinyao moved the pieces according to Qin Yi’s instructions, while Lin Xiyuan did the same for the County Princess. Although Chu Jinyao initially thought that luck played a large role in shuanglu chess, she was amazed to see how the Crown Prince’s strategic guidance transformed the situation. A seemingly doomed game was suddenly brought back to life.
The final moves were particularly thrilling. Even as a novice, Chu Jinyao could see the brilliance in the play. Qin Yi’s strategy was clever, while Lin Xiyuan fought back valiantly. In the end, both players removed their last piece simultaneously.
Lin Xining applauded and said with admiration, “Amazing! I always thought shuanglu chess was just for fun, but today I’ve truly gained a new perspective!”
Chu Jinyao nodded in agreement. Though the game had ended in a draw, she privately felt that the Crown Prince had won by sheer skill.
Lin Xiyuan graciously bowed and admitted, “Your Highness, your strategy was impeccable. I am humbled.”
The onlookers offered their compliments, but Qin Yi remained composed, as if he had done something entirely routine. He casually remarked to Lin Xiyuan, “There’s no need to be overly modest. Your chess skills are quite good.”
Lin Xiyuan shook his head, staying silent. After the intense match, others began clamoring to play shuanglu chess as well. Chu Jinyao stood up and gave up her seat to them.
Chu Jinmiao immediately took her place. She had thought that Chu Jinyao, having occupied such an important seat, would be reluctant to let it go. But to her surprise, Chu Jinyao gave it up easily. Delighted, Chu Jinmiao resolved to use this opportunity to show off her skills in front of the Crown Prince and the other nobles.
After being pushed aside, Chu Jinyao didn’t contest it and simply found a quiet spot to sit and rest.
Strangely enough, though Qin Yi had been watching the entire time and had even stepped in to guide Chu Jinyao, he left the game room before the second round began.
Chu Jinmiao couldn’t hide her disappointment. She had thought that the Crown Prince would notice her.
As the chess game continued with much laughter and noise, Chu Jinyao sat at a distance, listening to the lively chatter. It was at this moment that she made a sudden realization.
Including herself, there were seven people in the room. Lin Xining seemed to be constantly drawn to Chu Jinmiao, eagerly attending to her every need; the County Princess, usually so bold, now acted shy and demure around the Crown Prince; and Yang Qixia kept finding reasons to talk to Lin Xiyuan, frequently calling him ‘cousin.’
Lin Xining and Chu Jinmiao, the County Princess and the Crown Prince, Yang Qixia and Lin Xiyuan… Chu Jinyao suddenly felt like she didn’t belong there at all.
Qin Yi noticed that Chu Jinyao had disappeared again. Turning around, he saw her hiding in the outer room, her eyes darting around the people inside, deep in thought.
Not wanting to stay and watch the noisy game any longer, Qin Yi walked toward the outer room. This time, he noticed that Chu Jinyao, seeing him approach, didn’t panic. Instead, she smiled knowingly.
What’s she smiling about? Qin Yi frowned slightly and asked, “What are you doing?”
With a smile, Chu Jinyao shook her head without speaking. She heard the sound of rain stopping outside, stood up, and pushed open the window. As the window opened, the fresh, rain-scented air rushed into the room. Chu Jinyao leaned against the window, stretching out her hand to catch the rainwater dripping from the eaves.
“The rain has stopped!”
A droplet landed right in her palm, and she laughed in delight, turning to announce the news to the others inside. Her eyes crinkled with joy, and even when she wasn’t smiling, her eyes seemed to glisten with a watery glow. When she did smile, it was like stars twinkling in the night sky. The sight left Qin Yi momentarily dazed. As she stood at the window, holding a droplet of water in her hand, she beamed into the room. Behind her was the rain-washed crabapple tree, its flowers gleaming, while the dimly lit room seemed to fade into the background. It felt as though she were the only one in the world who could shine.
At some point, Lin Xiyuan had also come over. He sighed softly, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, and handed it to Chu Jinyao. “It’s great that the rain has stopped, but rainwater is cold. Be careful not to catch a chill.”
Qin Yi, for some reason, felt uncomfortable. Looking at the handkerchief Lin Xiyuan offered, he couldn’t help but speak up, “Men and women should not touch hands. What are you doing?”
Chu Jinyao had been about to accept the handkerchief, but upon hearing Qin Yi’s words, she quickly retracted her hand. Not wanting to embarrass Lin Xiyuan, she smiled and said, “Thank you for your concern, Shizi (Heir), but I’ll be fine.”
Lin Xiyuan, though initially displeased by the interruption, softened when he heard her words. His expression brightened, and he replied with a sincere smile, “As long as you don’t catch a cold, that’s all that matters.”
After Linglong dried Chu Jinyao’s hands, she prepared to leave. She bowed to Lin Xiyuan and the Crown Prince. “Your Highnesses, the rain has stopped, so I’ll take my leave now.”
Lin Xining and the others were still playing, and the County Princess was caught up in the excitement. Lin Xiyuan immediately stepped out and said, “Leaving already? Let me have someone escort you home.”
Chu Jinyao declined, but Lin Xiyuan insisted. He called over his personal attendant and instructed, “Make sure to escort the Fifth Young Lady safely back to her courtyard.”
The attendant bowed and responded crisply.
Qin Yi stood quietly to the side, watching the entire scene unfold.
He suddenly remembered a long time ago when he had asked Chu Jinyao what kind of husband she wished to marry.
What had she said back then? Someone gentle and polite, who would treat her with care, yet have a heart for grand ambitions.
At that time, Chu Jinyao had just met Lin Xiyuan.
Qin Yi felt a strange sensation in his heart. He stayed behind, wanting to hear what Lin Xiyuan had to say to him. Sure enough, after everyone left, Lin Xiyuan had everything cleared up and invited Qin Yi to sit at the head seat.
Lin Xiyuan said, “Your Highness, today, I have two things I’d like to discuss with you. The first is to apologize on behalf of my sister. The second is to ask for a favor: I wish to be granted a marriage decree.”
Translator’s Note:- Hey guys, as a Christmas Gift I have decided to do mass release (10 chapters) of the novel which gets most votes in the poll posted on my Ko-fi page.
If you want mass release for this novel then vote for this novel in the poll.
This is the link to the poll: https://ko-fi.com/polls/Which-Novel-Mass-Release-do-you-want-B0B617LYZR
This chapter was so… delightful! Qin Yi is realizing his feelings for Jin Yao. So cute.