Seeing this, Shen Yanshui hurriedly pulled the red-silk-and-moon-white crossed-collar gauze robe over him.
Cui Yu raised his arms, eyes shut tight, his expression looking rather cold.
A pair of warm hands busied themselves over him, tugging here, pulling there, fingertips occasionally brushing his skin, stirring up a faint itch.
He drew a quiet breath, said nothing, and resolved to strip it off the moment she was done looking.
Either way, he only had to endure it for a moment or two—it wasn’t as though it would waste all the needlework she’d put in these past days.
Shen Yanshui circled around him, front and back, now and then rising onto her toes to reach his shoulder.
Cui Yu felt her breath drift near, then far, carrying the faint fruity scent of her bath, lingering at the tip of his nose.
Suddenly, that warm breath moved downward.
Something soft and fuzzy brushed lightly against his waist… and then warm breath spilled over the inside of his thigh, and through that gauze so thin it was practically nonexistent, the heat felt almost as if it landed directly on his skin.
Cui Yu went rigid all over, and instinctively opened his eyes, looking down—
Shen Yanshui was crouched right in front of him, both hands holding that silver chain strung with carnelian, carefully fastening it around his thigh…
She caught his gaze, tilted her face up, and smiled at him—those peach-blossom eyes startlingly bright, brimming with unconcealed delight.
“Don’t be so anxious, Your Highness. Almost done.”
As she spoke, she lowered her head again, looping the silver chain around his left leg, and with a gentle click of the clasp, the chain settled snugly around his thigh.
Cui Yu: “…” Who was anxious?
Still, it felt a bit tight, and he couldn’t help shifting his leg.
His gaze fixed on the silver chain. Why did she need to tie a chain around his thigh?
Shen Yanshui stood up, and picked up another, longer silver chain from the side table—this one much longer than the last, several slender silver strands crossing between a scattering of carnelian beads.
She tilted her head up to look at him, her voice laced with coaxing sweetness: “Lower your head a little, Your Highness.”
Cui Yu looked down at her, at the chain in her hands, his lips parting slightly as though he meant to say something, then pressing shut again… and in the end, he slowly lowered his head.
Shen Yanshui’s smile bloomed at once. She rose eagerly onto her toes, looping the long chain around the back of his neck, finding the small clasps at the shoulder straps of the gauze robe, and fastening them carefully.
The carnelian beads hung just right over his chest, swaying gently with her movements, while the silver chain, gleaming a cool pale white, brushed against his bare back now and then, leaving behind a trail of cold sensation.
Shen Yanshui circled behind him again, checking every clasp, and once satisfied everything was secure, nodded in approval.
She stepped back and walked a full circle around him.
Under the candlelight, the red-silk-and-moon-white gauze robe was so sheer it was nearly transparent, barely concealing what mattered in front, its side slits cut high up to the waist—with every movement… it drew the eye irresistibly.
Several slender silver chains wound from his shoulders down his back to his waist, set against his pale skin, cool austerity and vivid color intertwined into something startlingly, breathtakingly beautiful.
The longer Shen Yanshui looked, the more she suddenly clapped a hand over her nose… and quickly checked—thankfully, no nosebleed, or that would have been mortifying…
Cui Yu: “…?”
Why had A-Yan suddenly covered her mouth and nose? Black Lotus Novel Chapters — Black Lotus Novel
Shen Yanshui gazed at the Crown Prince and couldn’t help but sigh, “Your Highness really is gorgeous…” A remarkably plain compliment.
Cui Yu: “…” He felt there wasn’t a single inch of him that felt at ease.
The silver chains swayed gently with each breath, occasionally brushing against his skin, cold enough to raise goosebumps; the gauze was so thin it felt like wearing nothing at all—he could even feel the air moving against his skin.
This outfit…
He might as well wear nothing at all. It would be more dignified than wearing this.
Cui Yu didn’t dare look down at himself, and merely feigned displeasure, his brow furrowing, face cold. “Bring my usual sleeping robe.”
As he spoke, he raised a hand to undo the small clasp at his waistband.
“Hey—” Shen Yanshui was quick, catching his hand at once. “Your Highness! Don’t be so hasty…”
Seeing his grip loosen, she broke into a smile at once, and seized the chance to take his hand.
“Come on, Your Highness, let’s go outside.”
She tugged his hand, trying to lead him toward the outer room.
Pull—pull— he wouldn’t budge.
Cui Yu’s feet seemed rooted to the spot, not moving an inch.
Shen Yanshui turned back to look at him and found his face set, his jawline tightening slightly, utterly still.
She couldn’t help but laugh, knowing he was drunk, and wasn’t annoyed by it. She circled behind him instead, pressed both hands to his back, and pushed with all her strength.
“Come on, Your Highness~”
Her hands pressed against his bare back, warm and firm muscle beneath her palms, the lines of it smooth and taut. The slender silver chains hanging from his shoulder straps swayed gently with her pushing, the fine links clinking softly in the groove of his spine.
Her gaze couldn’t help but drift down to his waist.
The Crown Prince’s waist was lean, the line cinched tight, sweeping down from his broad shoulders and back before narrowing sharply at the waist, forming a smooth, elegant curve, the small dip there nestled against taut muscle—indescribably… bewitching.
And further down still…
The slit of the gauze robe ran high up to his waist, hardly concealing anything at all; his firm, upturned rear was only just contained by the red silk and thin moon-white gauze, its shape far too clearly defined—round, taut, the lines clean and crisp, without a trace of excess.
Shen Yanshui swallowed, and, as if possessed, extended a finger and gave it a light poke…
Cui Yu’s body went rigid at once.
The silver chain hanging down his back trembled with the motion.
He spun around abruptly and caught her hand. “Insolence.” His voice was low and hoarse, tinged with embarrassed anger.
Shen Yanshui played innocent, blinking. “Your Highness, why don’t I paint your portrait?” As she spoke, she pushed him toward the inner chamber again.
Still wouldn’t budge.
Cui Yu looked down at her, saying nothing.
Shen Yanshui held up two fingers. “You just lie on the bed and rest, and I’ll paint you. I promise I won’t disturb your sleep.”
As she spoke, she hooked her little finger around one of his and gave it a gentle wiggle, her voice turning coy and soft: “Come on, Your Highness~ Come on~ Just come out with me first, I promise, once we’re out there I’ll get you your usual sleeping robe, all right?”
Seeing a flicker of softening in his expression, she hooked a finger through the silver chain at his waist and gave it a gentle tug. · BLACK LOTUS Translation | Black Lotus Novel
Cui Yu looked down at her finger hooked around the chain at his waist, at her upturned face, her eyes pleading, and pressed his lips together again and again.
After a long silence, he finally took a step.
Shen Yanshui let out a breath of relief at once, and hurried to lead him toward the inner chamber.
She couldn’t help but mutter to herself—why was the Crown Prince, once drunk, so oddly attached to his usual sleeping robe?
Cui Yu sat ramrod straight on the edge of the couch, perfectly still.
In Shen Yanshui’s mind, all sorts of poses had already begun to take shape—the Crown Prince reclining on the couch, the silver chains half-draped, the thin gauze slightly parted… if only she could capture it on paper, she could take it out to admire at her leisure, again and again…
She said with a face full of smiles, “Wait just a moment, Your Highness, I’ll go fetch your sleeping robe.”
—As if.
She didn’t go fetch any sleeping robe at all, but went to the outer room and dug out the sketchbook she’d brought with her.
This outfit of the Crown Prince’s—she dared not, and had no wish for, anyone else to see it.
Clutching the sketchbook, she padded back into the inner chamber in her soft-soled slippers, and froze the moment she stepped through the door.
At some point, the Crown Prince had walked over to the wardrobe on his own, opened its doors, and was in the middle of pulling out a sleeping robe.
Shen Yanshui panicked at once, covering the distance in a few quick strides, snatching the robe right out of his hands, and stuffing it back into the wardrobe, slamming the door shut with a bang.
She turned around, back against the wardrobe, and looked up at him.
“Your Highness~ This outfit today, I made it especially for you. Don’t you like it?” As she spoke, she opened her lovely, expressive peach-blossom eyes wide and gazed at him pitifully.
“…” Cui Yu looked down at her, the corner of his mouth twitching faintly. Was he supposed to like it?
Seeing him still, she pulled him around and led him to the man-height bronze mirror.
“Your Highness, look…”
Cui Yu, caught entirely off guard, saw himself in the mirror…
He flinched violently!
Shen Yanshui stood beside him, tilting her head up to look at his profile, watching his eyes squeezed shut, his lashes trembling, his ears flushed red to the point of nearly bleeding, and couldn’t help bursting into laughter.
She hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to be this entertaining once drunk.
And so shy, too…
Somehow, she found this side of him a little… cute.
She couldn’t resist leaning in, rising onto her toes, and pressing a light peck to his tightly pursed lips.
Cui Yu’s eyelids lifted slightly, and the first thing he saw was her bright, sparkling eyes.
“Your Highness,” she said, smiling at him, her voice soft and sweet, “it’s getting late, you should rest. Go to sleep, Your Highness—you have the imperial audience tomorrow morning.”
Cui Yu: “…”
He suddenly recalled that just yesterday, he had naively thought about wearing the clothes A-Yan made for him to the imperial audience…
A gust of night wind slipped in suddenly through the gap in the window, stirring the front of Cui Yu’s robe.
A corner of the gauze lifted in the breeze, fluttering upward.
Cui Yu felt a sudden chill below, “…!”
Shen Yanshui instinctively glanced at the mirror—beneath the gauze lifted by the wind, half-hidden, half-revealed, it had a flavor all its own…
She thought her design was simply… perfect!
Cui Yu couldn’t bear to look, and turned abruptly, striding toward the bed.
As he walked, he reached down to undo the silver chain at his waist.
Seeing this, Shen Yanshui hurried after him, about to speak up—it had only been this long? She hadn’t even started drawing yet.
But just as she drew near, before she could get a word out, Cui Yu suddenly turned, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pressed a hand to the back of her neck.
Shen Yanshui was forced to tilt her face up.
He lowered his head and sealed her lips with his own. BLACK LOTUS Novel Translation Site | Black Lotus Novel
That kiss came fast and hard, carrying traces of irritation, traces of shame… all of it pressed down onto her lips.
Shen Yanshui let out a muffled sound and struggled a little—kissing could happen anytime, but this outfit might only ever be appreciated this once! Once the Crown Prince woke up tomorrow, he’d probably never wear it again in this lifetime.
Seeing her still resisting, Cui Yu hesitated only a moment before reaching out, taking her hand, and pressing it against himself.
Shen Yanshui’s palm landed on his chest, her fingertips brushing the cold carnelian beads, then scalded by the heat of his skin.
Her fingers slid unconsciously along the lines of muscle downward, over his taut abs, until they touched the silver chain loosely looped around his waist…
She blinked, and stopped struggling.
She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly—her design really was remarkably convenient.
She looked up at him again—the flush on his cheeks had already spread to his ears, even the corners of his eyes tinged faintly red, as though someone had splashed him with a cup of peach-blossom wine, drunkenness seeping through him from the inside out…
Every other time she’d touched him before, the Crown Prince had always worn that same faint, indifferent expression, never betraying how much he liked it.
But look at him now—drunk, and it was all laid bare, wasn’t it? Heh heh…
How was this not liking it?
This was clearly liking it a great deal.
Cui Yu: “” He looked down and saw the dawning realization on her face, the barely-suppressed smugness, and knew at once roughly what she was thinking.
He lowered his head and kissed her again.
This time, deep and long.
Kissed until she was dizzy, Shen Yanshui didn’t even notice when the sketchbook slipped from her hands and fell to the floor. She didn’t bother picking it up either.
…
When Cui Yu released her lips, both their breaths had gone ragged.
Half-held, half-embraced in his arms, Shen Yanshui had gone entirely soft, like a puddle of water, her cheeks flushed, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering, her lips faintly reddened from the kiss, her chest rising and falling hard.
She tilted her face up to look at him for a long while, then insisted he return the favor, pulling his hand toward her own Jade Pool waters to stir about.
Cui Yu’s voice came out hoarse: “A-Yan…” restrained, and holding himself back.
Shen Yanshui climbed her hands up around his neck, hanging her whole body against him, lips brushing his ear, her voice sweet and soft: “Your Highness…”
Cui Yu’s throat bobbed, but he never dared to go further, only lingering at the threshold, back and forth.
“Your Highness, go on in~”
A vein twitched at Cui Yu’s temple. “…No.”
“…Your Highness, how could you be so cruel?” Shen Yanshui’s eyes went wide at once.
She was practically starving with want—coaxing, pleading, even ready to force the issue!
But she discovered the Crown Prince wouldn’t budge for soft words or hard—an arrow already drawn on the string, and still he wouldn’t loose it?!
Furious, she leaned over and bit him on the shoulder, then spun around and stomped off to the bed, wrapping the blanket around herself and curling up into a tight ball, leaving him nothing but the sight of the round back of her head.
Cui Yu: “” He glanced at his own dripping-wet hand.
He turned his eyes to the small oval tooth mark on his right shoulder, then looked down at himself… — B L A C K L O T U S Novel Translation | BLACK LOTUS NOVEL
He closed his eyes, reached up, and undid the chain at his neck, then simply snapped off the ones at his waist and thigh, tossing them onto the foot of the bed.
Out of sight, out of mind.
With the chains gone, the gauze robe slid loose and slack; he grabbed a sleeping robe and threw it over himself, and only then did the sense of shame drain away a little.
With her back to him, Shen Yanshui listened to the sounds of him climbing onto the bed, and pulled the blanket even tighter around herself.
Not sharing a single bit of it with him! Hmph!
Even knowing the Crown Prince was holding back out of concern for her condition, she still just… well, she just wanted to sulk a little.
Before long, though, she started to feel she’d brought this entirely upon herself tonight.
Able to see it, able to touch it, but not able to actually taste it—what was even the point… waaah…
Waaah… hff… hff… and somewhere between all that misery… she fell asleep.
Hff—
Listening to her breathing gradually even out, watching her small curled-up form, Cui Yu couldn’t help but let out a helpless sigh.
A-Yan really was getting more and more relentless these days…
She’d left him thoroughly wide awake.
He drew a quiet, deep breath, working to press down the chaotic thoughts bit by bit.
He didn’t know how much time had passed before that restlessness finally settled, and drowsiness began creeping over him at last.
Cui Yu reached out and gently wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to himself.
Shen Yanshui rolled over in his arms, still half-asleep, nuzzling against him in a daze, her nose burrowing into his chest as though searching for a comfortable spot. After a moment of searching, she finally settled, curling into his embrace, her breathing lengthening once more.
Cui Yu looked down at her, drew her in a little closer, rested his chin atop her head, and closed his eyes.
The next morning.
Pale golden sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting soft strips of light across the floor.
Birds chattered brightly outside the window, crisp and pleasant.
Shen Yanshui blinked her eyes open drowsily, and the first thing she saw was the Crown Prince’s back, turned toward her.
Cui Yu was quietly dressing himself, the morning light falling across his broad shoulders and back, making the moon-white sleeping robe faintly translucent, the smooth lines of muscle beneath just barely visible.
Shen Yanshui rubbed at her eyes, her voice still carrying that particular laziness of just waking up, murmuring softly, “Your Highness?”
Cui Yu’s hands paused in dressing. He turned to glance at her, his expression as composed as ever, his voice light. “Keep sleeping. I still have to attend the audience out front.”
Shen Yanshui made an “mm” sound and was about to close her eyes and drift back off, when something suddenly occurred to her—her eyes cracked open again, sneaking a glance at the Crown Prince’s expression.
Cui Yu had already finished dressing in his outer robe and was now smoothing his cuffs, his movements unhurried, his expression calm and composed, as noble and cool as ever.
Shen Yanshui cleared her throat and ventured, “Your Highness… do you remember what happened last night?”
Cui Yu’s hand paused for just a moment as he smoothed his cuff, then resumed its motion just as naturally, flattening out the wrinkle. He turned to look at her, his expression light.
“What happened last night?” His tone was calm. “I had a bit to drink last night. Shouldn’t I have gone straight to sleep once we got back?”
Shen Yanshui’s eyes went wide at once. “Your Highness… you don’t remember?”
Cui Yu looked at her, puzzled, his brow furrowing slightly, as though trying to recall something, or perhaps recalling nothing at all. “What is it I’m supposed to remember?”
Shen Yanshui opened her mouth, but looking at his utterly blank, earnest expression, she swallowed the words back down.
She laughed awkwardly. “No—nothing… Your Highness really did drink a fair bit yesterday, and once we got back, you just… fell asleep.”
Cui Yu gave a calm “Mm” in response.
Shen Yanshui muttered to herself inwardly—so this was how it was, the Crown Prince got drunk and the next day simply blacked it all out?
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
So the next time he got drunk, wouldn’t she have another chance to dress him up in different outfits?
All sorts of styles, all sorts of designs…
She was still scheming away, the corners of her mouth curling upward without her permission. | B L A C K L O T U S Novel — Black Lotus
Cui Yu fastened his jade pendant and turned around.
“…A-Yan?” For some reason, he inexplicably felt a faint chill down his spine.
His gaze flicked briefly toward the silver chains lying in the corner at the foot of the bed, his lips twitching slightly, as though he meant to destroy the things at once, but he held himself back.
He drew his gaze away, his expression calm and composed, his voice even enough to betray not a single ripple. “I’ll… be going now.”
Before Shen Yanshui could get a word out, she watched him round the screen and stride out with long, purposeful steps.
His pace was so quick it looked as though something were chasing him from behind, his robes flaring out behind him.
Shen Yanshui watched his retreating figure, nearly fleeing the scene, and blinked for a moment before muttering under her breath, “What’s the rush? There’s no dog chasing you…”
She lingered in bed a while longer before finally rising at a leisurely pace.
Hearing the stirring in the inner chamber, Chunping and Dongyi hurried in with a bronze basin, towels, and other things to attend to her.
Shen Yanshui sat before the dressing table while Chunping combed through her hair with a fine-tooth comb, and Dongyi, along with two young palace maids, set about tidying the bed.
Chunping worked quickly and efficiently, shaking out the bedding to replace it with fresh sheets, folding it neatly, smoothing out the pillowcase, and was just about to take the soiled bedding off to be washed when her gaze suddenly landed on the pile of silver chains at the foot of the bed.
She bent down to pick up the chains, looking somewhat puzzled. “My lady, when did you come to have a silver chain like this among your jewelry? I don’t recall it at all. Oh! And it’s broken, too?”
Shen Yanshui, who was arranging her hair at the mirror, turned at this and hurried over, taking the chains from her hands at once, tucking them away carefully into a box, and only then did she clear her throat lightly. “Never mind about that.”
Dongyi made an “oh” sound, and though she still felt a bit puzzled, since her mistress had said so, she didn’t press further.
As for that outfit, she’d already tidied it away before anyone else came in—it was just this chain that had slipped her mind for a moment.
Chunping noticed that her mistress’s cheeks were faintly pink, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with a soft sheen, her whole self looking as though freshly washed by morning dew, her complexion radiant and glowing.
She couldn’t help but smile and say, “My lady’s complexion looks wonderful today.”
Hearing this, Shen Yanshui glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled as well.
But she couldn’t help thinking to herself—if the Crown Prince let her change his outfit every single day, her complexion might just stay this good every single day.
The moment this thought surfaced, her smile froze for an instant.
Well, never mind, never mind… she’d deal with that once she could actually get a taste of it later.
Once everything was tidied up, breakfast was served.
Shen Yanshui had just finished her breakfast when Chunping came in to announce, “My lady, Liangyuan Zhang is here.”
Shen Yanshui had her shown in at once.
Liangyuan Zhang wore a goose-yellow blouse today, with only a single blue jade hairpin in her hair, plain and understated. The moment she entered, she smiled brightly at Shen Yanshui, her gaze dropping to her belly, her face full of joy.
“Sister Shen—” She stepped forward and took Shen Yanshui’s hand, looking her up and down, her voice brimming with delight, “Congratulations, Sister Shen. I never expected you’d be so blessed as to be carrying twins.”
Shen Yanshui smiled and returned the grip on her hand. “Thank you, Sister Zhang.”
Liangyuan Zhang studied her closely once more, lowering her voice, her tone taking on a note of concern. “Still, you must be extra careful. Twins are naturally more difficult than a single pregnancy, so you really must be meticulous about your diet and daily routine.”
Shen Yanshui felt a warmth in her heart and nodded with a smile. “Don’t worry, Sister, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Only then did Liangyuan Zhang relax, and with a smile she took something from the embroidery basket held by Huixin behind her, offering it to Shen Yanshui. “I made this in my spare time these past few days, for the child in your belly. I just didn’t know until now that it was twins, so I’ve only finished the one—please don’t mind, Sister.”
Shen Yanshui took it and looked it over—it was a baby’s swaddling wrap, made of fine material through and through, every edge and corner stitched with care, a cluster of qilin-bringing-children patterns embroidered on either side, and two tiny ruyi cloud motifs stitched into the inner collar…
“Sister Zhang, this embroidery is really… this qilin looks like it could come alive.”
She looked up at Liangyuan Zhang and said with a smile, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Sister. I’ll accept it on behalf of the two little ones in my belly.”
Seeing that she liked it, Liangyuan Zhang smiled too. “I’m glad you don’t mind, Sister.”
Shen Yanshui handed the little swaddling wrap to Chunping standing nearby, who took it with a smile and put it away carefully.
She couldn’t help thinking to herself that this Liangyuan Zhang really was a careful, prudent sort—gifting a swaddling wrap showed closeness without inviting the kind of suspicion that a more personal gift, like clothing worn on the body, might. The gesture struck just the right balance, leaving no room for anyone to find fault with it.
The two of them were still chatting when another announcement came from outside.
“My lady, the Second Prince’s Consort and the Sixth Prince’s Side Consort, Side Consort Yun, are here.”
Shen Yanshui blinked in slight surprise, then rose at once, straightening her collar, and went out with a smile to greet them, Liangyuan Zhang following along behind her.
The Second Prince’s Consort walked in front, wearing a lotus-root-colored beizi today, a gold hairpin set with a red gemstone in her hair, dignified and composed. Led into the rear hall of Chengxin Hall, though inwardly startled, her face betrayed little change, and the moment she entered she said with a smile, “Congratulations, Sister Liangyuan, congratulations.”
The Sixth Prince’s Side Consort followed behind her, wearing a water-green blouse, a white magnolia hairpin in her hair, gentle and graceful, and she too smiled and nodded. “Congratulations to Liangyuan Shen on the happy news.”
Seeing this Liangyuan Shen receiving them in the rear hall of Chengxin Hall, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of envy well up inside her.
Chengxin Hall was the Crown Prince’s main residence at the retreat palace, the place where he himself typically lived and handled his affairs.
She’d heard that in years past, even when the Crown Princess came to the retreat palace, she had never once shared quarters with the Crown Prince there. The Crown Prince’s favor toward Liangyuan Shen was plain to see—how could she not feel envious?
If the timing weren’t so poor, she might even have wanted to seek out this Liangyuan Shen for advice, to learn just how she’d managed to win the Crown Prince’s favor so thoroughly…
