Chapter 67: The Crown Prince Teaches His Wife
Proofread By:- Mim
Chu Jinyao only realized at that moment that she had been staring blankly at the Crown Prince! Humiliated, she lowered her head quickly, her face flushing red, almost all the way to her ears.
How embarrassing! How could she have been distracted by his appearance, just because he resembled Qi Ze? And to make things worse, she had stared right at him in his presence!
Qin Yi, on the other hand, had been in a foul mood due to matters in the capital. In particular, he was displeased earlier after dealing with those palace Momos and being contradicted by Chu Jinyao. However, seeing her reaction now, his mood inexplicably brightened.
Qin Yi silently thought to himself: maybe teasing Chu Jinyao is particularly delightful.
His mind felt clearer, and even the issues in the capital and with the Inner Cabinet seemed less pressing. Perhaps he should urge the Imperial Astronomers to set the wedding date sooner. After all, Chu Jinyao, this delightful source of amusement, should be kept close, especially considering the many headaches in the court and palace.
Chu Jinyao, still feeling humiliated, noticed that the Crown Princeâs mood had visibly improved. His eyes sparkled, and his lips curved into a slight smile, showing he was clearly in good spirits.
She glared at him for a while but eventually gave up in defeat. Well, the Crown Prince is the pillar of the nation, the future emperor, and the hope of all the people. If letting the hope of the empire smile means being teased, then so be it.
As they took turns placing their chess pieces, the atmosphere in the room gradually became warmer, and the sound of the glass pieces tapping the board seemed to carry a sense of timeless tranquility. Unconsciously, Chu Jinyao began to feel that the Crown Prince across from her didnât seem so distant anymore. She had even been wanting to ask a question that had been on her mind for a while. âYour Highness, why did you choose me as the Crown Princess? There are so many noble girls in the capital and even here in Taiyuan. Why me? Although I am a daughter of a marquis household, my family background is not exceptional. Moreover, I grew up outside. My family is not as prestigious as many others, and I am not particularly brilliant, nor am I especially virtuous or clever. While I might be considered pretty, I wouldnât say Iâm a rare beautyâHey! Why are you laughing?â
Qin Yi tried to suppress his laughter, but it was evident. He asked her, âCan you repeat what you just said about your looks?â
Annoyed, Chu Jinyao glared at him. Seeing her reaction, Qin Yi quickly restrained himself and, still smiling, said, âAs you said, your family background isnât particularly distinguished. But is there a family more distinguished than mine? Naturally, no. So why should I care about the background of my wife? You mentioned youâre not particularly cleverâwell, thatâs true.â Qin Yi noticed her eyes widen again, looking like an indignant little hamster, puffed up and filled with irritation. She was so endearing. After enjoying the sight for a moment, he continued, âAlthough you might not be the most brilliant, youâre not dull either. You wonât hold me back, and thatâs enoughâIâm not expecting you to sit for the imperial exams. As for your personality, as long as I find you agreeable, thatâs all that matters. Now, what was next? What else were you worried aboutâŠâ
Qin Yi pretended to think deeply, and Chu Jinyao couldnât help but lean over the chessboard, reaching out to press down on his arm. âYour Highness, please stop teasing me.â
She only realized after she had touched his sleeve what she had done. The fabric felt soft and smooth, clearly luxurious. Beneath the fabric, she could feel his strong, muscular arm. Qin Yi, though he appeared slim, had a surprisingly firm and muscular buildâŠ
Startled, Chu Jinyao quickly withdrew her hand, her face turning even redder, and she stammered, âYour Highness⊠I-I didnât meanâŠâ
Qin Yi didnât seem bothered at all. After all, when he was still Qi Ze, Chu Jinyao had been quite casual in her actions around him. Seeing her now blushing furiously, he couldnât bear to tease her any further and said, âThereâs no need to be so reserved. In a short time, you will become my Crown Princess. As my wife, you wonât need to treat me like everyone else does.â
Chu Jinyao dumbly nodded. In truth, she hadnât really processed what he said. After a moment, once she felt her face cool down a bit, she said, âThank you, Your Highness. Youâve spared me from much awkwardness during this engagement, and now youâre even kind enough to comfort me. Without you, I wouldnât know what to doâŠâ
Qin Yi quickly tapped the chessboard with a piece, his tone displeased. âYouâre daring to mention other men in front of me?â
ââŠThat wasnât my intention.â
âSo you wanted it to be?â
Chu Jinyao realized this Crown Prince wasnât always the most reasonable. She had initially wanted to ask what he had discussed with Lin Xiyuan after witnessing their private conversation at the governerâs residence. But now, seeing how things were, she decided it was best not to ask. She wisely changed the subject. âYour Highness, I owe you a great debt. After we⊠well, after the wedding, I will be sure to repay you properly.â
Chu Jinyao was sincere. Although the Crown Prince was complex and could no longer be judged by simplistic standards of good or evil, he had undoubtedly been extremely kind to her. When her reputation was tarnished due to the affair with Huailing Princeâs mansion, leaving her nearly unmarriageable, it was the Crown Prince who had extended a hand and granted her the title of Crown Princess. When she was tormented by the two Momos, it was again the Crown Prince who had stood up for her. No matter what others might say about him, she was determined to treat him with the utmost respect and gratitude. If the Crown Prince wanted concubines, she would handle the arrangements; if he favored someone, she would ensure they were well-treated. She would repay him in every way possible.
Qin Yi had no idea what was running through her mind, and Chu Jinyao certainly didnât know what he was thinking either. When he heard her say she would repay him, his eyes shifted slightly, and he coughed lightly into his hand, looking away for a moment. Even so, his eyes sparkled.
Neither of them voiced their inner thoughts, but the atmosphere between them became surprisingly harmonious. After a moment, Qin Yi, perhaps feeling he should offer some kind of response, said, âRepaying me can wait until after the wedding. Chu Jinyao, being my wife is not like being the wife of an ordinary man. Your role will be different from your motherâs and sistersâ. Ordinary couples worry about their livelihood and careers, but I must consider many things at once. Due to my position, you will not only be my wife, but also the Crown Princess. For example, those two Momos todayâthey wonât be the first, and they certainly wonât be the last. Do you understand?â
Chu Jinyaoâs expression became serious. She understood that Qin Yi was giving her important advice, so she bravely met his gaze and solemnly nodded. âI understand. I will learn quickly and become a proper Crown Princess. I wonât let Your Highness down.â
âThereâs no need to wait to start learning. You can begin right now,â Qin Yi said with a meaningful smile. âDid you know that when I arrived, I ran into several people along the corridorâpeople delivering things, pretending to be lost, all sorts.â
Chu Jinyao was shocked. âThey dared toâŠâ She immediately stood to apologize, but Qin Yi reached out and gently but firmly pressed her back into her seat. âI wasnât blaming you. Why are you apologizing? Iâm telling you this not because I have an issue with you or your familyâs conduct. Itâs just that Iâve seen this sort of thing too often. If it were someone elseâs family, I would simply have them removed. But this is the Changxing Marquisate. Their behavior today showed a lack of respect for you, the Crown Princess. Do you understand?â
âI understand,â Chu Jinyao replied softly.
âThese are matters that I canât handle personally, so itâs up to you. You need to remember that you are the Crown Princess, my rightful wife. In front of the imperial family, there is no hierarchy among relatives. Everyone in the Changxing Marquisate must bow to you first as subjects before recognizing any family ties. I wonât always be by your side to help, so youâll have to manage this yourself.â
It was the first time in her life that someone had patiently guided Chu Jinyao in this way. She felt a wave of gratitude not only for Qin Yiâs willingness to teach her but also for his trust in her. He was right. Even now, Third Young Lady Chu had been secretly trying to leverage her connection to Chu Jinyao to gain entry into the East Palace, and while the other young women of the household hadnât said anything directly, they had subtly tested the waters when the Crown Prince visited. As for Old Madam Chu, she had done nothing to stop them. Perhaps she even thought that if more of her granddaughters could enter the East Palace, there would be a greater chance of securing favor.
What this boiled down to was that none of them truly respected her. They wanted to use her, but they didnât fear her. Was this the kind of treatment a Crown Princess should receive?
Qin Yiâs eyes gleamed with approval. âIâll leave a few people here to assist you. For those you canât handle, just blame me.â
âThank you, Your Highness,â Chu Jinyao sincerely thanked him. âBut this is my own failing, and it has already troubled you enough. How could I take your people?â
Qin Yi, however, seemed completely unfazed. âIâll have them come in and bow to you later.â
âYour HighnessâŠâ
Qin Yi turned to look at her. After a brief moment of eye contact, Chu Jinyao relented. âAlright.â
Qin Yi smiled, as if he had wanted to reach out and pat her head but restrained himself. Instead, he lowered his hand and said, âYou donât need to be anxious. You handled todayâs situation well.â
Chu Jinyao was startled. âYour HighnessâŠâ
âItâs fine,â Qin Yi interrupted with a smile, his gaze warm and bright, almost glowing. âYouâve learned how to use your resources and take advantage of the situation. Thatâs excellent.â Even if those resources included himself.
Someone called softly for Qin Yi from outside, and he stood up to leave. Just before he exited, Chu Jinyao couldnât help but take a few steps after him and ask, âYour Highness, I still donât fully understand that initial question.â
âOut of all the noble girls in the city, some are more intelligent, more beautiful, or more capable than I am. Why me?â
Yes, why her?
Qin Yi paused but didnât offer the usual, formal explanations. Instead, he lightly tapped her forehead and said, âYouâll have to figure that out for yourself. Think about why I chose you.â
Translatorâs Note :- Thank you Dear Muffin for the Ko-fi and supporting meâ€ïž. The next 2 chapters are sponsored by (Dedicated to) Muffin. â€ïžâ€ïž
I just canât understand why she doesnât want to align Qi Ze with Qin Yi even tho he dropped hint here and there..
I just love how Qin Yi is patiently teaching Chu Jinyao about what her position as the Crown Princess truly entails and to how go about changing her perspective of her interactions with others as a result. I understand that Old Madam Chu wants to secure more favor for her household, but Chu Jinyao hasnât even married in yet and theyâre already wanting to get her approval of sending in concubines from her family. Now, Iâm just curious how Chu Jinyao will respond in the future after receiving Qin Yiâs guidance.
Thanks for the chapter! đ