Chapter 84.1

Yu Xiang’s body was itching all over. As soon as she got into the carriage, she pulled off her headband and pulled open the lapels of her clothes then scratched her scalp to neck and the neck to her back. If there was a pegboard full of nails in front of her, she would have rolled on it without demur.

Her overactive imagination expanded her fear of bugs to the extreme.

Seeing her elder brother lifted the curtain of the carriage, the tears she had been holding back for a long time instantly gushed out from the rims of her eyes as she delicately called out, “Elder Brother, I am itching.”

Yu Pin Yan immediately let down the curtain, embraced her into his arms and asked in a muted voice, “Where does it itch? Elder Brother will scratch for you.”

“My back itches.” Yu Xiang pointed to her back.

Reaching out, Yu Pin Yan stroked her back and asked in a low voice, “Is it here?”

“A little to the left.”

“A little to the right.”

“A bit up, a bit down.”

Yu Xiang commanded a pass haphazardly then felt the itch getting more and more unbearable that she wished she could lift her skin to see if there was also a leech hidden underneath. She then remembered the time when Chang Qi swamped her body full with worms that perhaps a few had burrowed into her body along her ears, eyes or nostrils just like the little imperial grandchildren.

The more profoundly she pondered, the more tightly she clung onto her elder brother’s neck and couldn’t stop trembling.

Yu Pin Yan felt both amused and distressed. His large palm probed directly into her clothes and gently lifted her underclothes then kept wandering around her smooth back, soothing every inch of her skin attentively.

The place where the large palm slid over no longer felt itchy, instead it tingled with numbness and felt very comfortable. Yu Xiang stopped shaking and lifted her sleeves to show her elder brother the goosebumps that covered her entire arms, “It itches here too and the whole body is unbearably itchy. Do you know that, Elder Brother?” She leaned closer, biting the youth’s earlobe and whispered, “A leech came out of the little imperial grandson’s nose, alive and I caught it with my own hand.”

Stretching out her right hand, she shook it, “Here, my hand is still numb.”

Yu Pin Yan’s other hand gently rubbed her arm, untied his outer robe and gathered her into his arms, rubbing her up and down for a good while. He then kept her fingers in his mouth where his tongue licked and slid between her fingernails to take away the numbness.

A hoarse and unusual voice echoed in the carriage, “Is it better now?”

Out of a sudden, Yu Xiang felt herself blushed, ears reddened and heart palpitating frenziedly. Where were there anymore thoughts to think of other matters. She nodded while rubbing those fingertips that had been licked then nodded again and after a moment of silence, she burrowed into her elder brother’s robe.

Yu Pin Yan secretly inhaled yet unable to resist the changes in his body and afraid that the little girl might have noticed some inklings, having no choice, he fell back with the little girl in his arms and laid on his side. Rubbing her head, he whispered, “It’s not early, go to sleep.”

Yu Xiang nodded and tugged his lapels tightly with both her hands then closed her eyes and slept peacefully. But a few moments later, she opened her eyes again then mumbled and arched around.

Clutching her slender waist, Yu Pin Yan’s tone was full of helplessness, “What’s wrong again?”

“My ears itch. Elder Brother helps me see if a small bug has gotten in there.” Yu Xiang spoke as she rubbed her ear against the youth’s chest.

The sound of inhalation resounded in the carriage. Yu Pin Yan gritted his teeth and replied, “It’s so dark, how can Elder Brother see clearly? Bear with it. Once we reach home, Elder Brother will help you dig it out under the lighted candle.”

“No, check it now. What if the bug burrowed into my brain along the cochlea?” The sweet voice had taken on a weepy tone.

Having no choice, Yu Pin Yan could only hold her head then slid the tip of his tongue into her ear and licked. He carefully licked both ears and sucked on her rounded earlobes. After a long while, he asked with a ragged breath, “Does it still itch?”

Yu Xiang’s heart almost stopped beating yet restraining herself from thinking too deeply about it, she spoke in a muffled voice, “It doesn’t itch anymore.” After a moment of silence, she anxiously voiced out, “Elder Brother, don’t lick my ears next time. I heard that a centipede burrowed itself into someone’s ear and got poisoned to death. What if there’s also a centipede in my ears and bite your tongue?”

Yu Pin Yan was too dumbfounded to utter a word. He felt irked and amused at the same time. The enchanting fantasy of entanglement in his mind instantly disappeared. Slapping the soft buttock of the little girl, he reprimanded, “Stop it. It’s enough that you disgust yourself but not Elder Brother too.”

Yu Xiang had returned to normalcy and smiled triumphantly.

**********

Though the hour of yinshi (3 am – 5 am) had passed, the Marquis manor was still brightly lit. Old Madam sat cross-legged on the soft couch reciting the scriptures while Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi sat on the seats below, looking out the door frequently.

“Old Madam, the Marquis and Young Miss are back.” An old pozi hurried into the main hall with the lower hem of her skirt hiked up.

Body swaying, Old Madam almost fell off the couch but thanks to the sharp-eyed and deft-handed Ma Momo who supported her while Wan Qiu hastily knelt down to help put on her shoes. Old Madam rushed out with her walking cane after tidying herself up. Her eyes gradually reddened when she caught sight of her grandson striding towards her with her granddaughter in his arms.

“What’s going on? Is Xiang’er asleep or … ?”

“Fallen asleep.” Yu Pin Yan weighed the soundly asleep little girl in his arms and spoke with a smile, “Grandson’s afraid you might be worried, so came to report our safety first. Let grandson send Xiang’er back to the room then recount the matter to Grandmother.”

“Good, good. It’s good as long as the people are fine. Go get some rest first. We will talk about it tomorrow.” Old Madam waved her sleeve repeatedly.

Lin Shi promptly asked after she was tugged by Yu Miao Qi, “Yan’er, did something unforeseen happen to the Crown Princess? Why was Xiang’er summoned too in the middle of the night?”

Taking steps towards the west wing, Yu Pin Yan spoke in a deep voice, “What unforeseen event could have happened to the Crown Princess? The Crown Princess is already well and will recover in less than two months.”

“How did she just recover? Wasn’t she barely making it?” Lin Shi was extremely surprised.

Yu Pin Yan, however, paid her no heed as he quickly disappeared into the night. Old Madam glanced fixedly at Yu Miao Qi and sneered, “Is this the idea of succeeding the Crown Prince’s wife? Have you not taken a look if you have that fate. Wan Qiu, help me back.”

Undertaking the task, Wan Qiu supported her back to the room unhurriedly. Yu Miao Qi bowed to send her off with reverence and only revealed a sordid expression after the group of people was far away before murmuring, “I’m innately a person of eminence, so why don’t I have that fate?”

Seeing her daughter was somewhat disinclined, Lin Shi asked anxiously, “Qi’er, is it possible you still want to be the Crown Prince’s side consort?”

“Being the Crown Prince’s side consort is different from being a concubine of another family. Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, this daughter will be an imperial concubine. Isn’t this the dignitary that many noble women in the capital have hope to attain? Mother, this daughter’s mind is made up and wants to marry the Crown Prince.” Yu Miao Qi’s tone was slow but firm.

Lin Shi opened her mouth but eventually sighed helplessly.