It had been a tough journey, and Yuchi Li’s body was, truly, exhausted. This agreement was rather too easy to come by, but she could not be bothered to overthink it; the outcome was positive, after all.
With this important matter now resolved, it was like a weight was taken off her shoulders. She walked with a spring in her step, holding Liu Luoyi’s hand and humming a little tune the entire way to her residence.
“Xiao Liu’er, what kind of wedding clothes do you like?” She asked.
“Hm…the more resplendent the better, we can’t have anyone look down on you. At some point, I’m going to go out and find the best craftsman to make you a set of hair ornaments.” Yuchi Li continued to herself. She felt pleased imagining the scene of their wedding in her mind.
Liu Luoyi was quiet the whole time, growing happier the more she listened. She could not help but lean her head against Yuchi Li’s shoulder, beaming with delight.
She was finally going to marry her beloved.
It was like a dream. She even pinched herself secretly, only letting go once it hurt.
The two of them arrived at the residence and saw Xin Ran waiting at the entrance. Once she saw them, she stepped forward to meet them, an unhappy look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Yuchi Li looked at the shut door in confusion, then looked at the frowning Xin Ran.
“Xiao An didn’t let me go inside, saying they wanted to surprise you, Princess.” She fumed.
“A surprise?” Yuchi Li scratched her head. She didn’t really want a surprise and would have preferred to get some sleep.
However, it was the two of them wanting to welcome her home with a meal, after all, and it wouldn’t do to let down their kind wishes, so she could only wait outside. About an incense stick’s time passed[1]about 5-30 min before the door opened and Yuchi Die walked out, bedraggled.
Her body was damp, the red fabric of her garments sticking to her skin and bringing out her curves.
Yuchi Die wiped her face, flipped her troublesome hair behind her, then turned and walked straight up to Liu Luoyi and draped an arm across Liu Luoyi’s shoulders, making Liu Luoyi freeze on the spot.
Yuchi Li hurriedly reached out to block her: “Sister, what’re you up to now?”
“I’m exhausted and looking like this for your sake. I’m bringing Xiao Liu’er to pick out some clothes.” Yuchi Die looked at her own soaked clothing in distaste.
Saying as much, she grabbed Liu Luoyi and hauled her away. Yuchi Li couldn’t stop them and she watched their backs as they left, feeling bewildered.
After another incense’s time had passed, Yuchi Li was falling asleep on her feet. She let out a big yawn and slumped onto Xin Ran, lamenting: “How aren’t they done yet, I’m so sleepy…”
Xin Ran bent down slightly so Yuchi Li would be more comfortable leaning against her. She said discomfitedly: “Princess, why don’t I go knock and hurry them along a bit.”
She bobbed her head emphatically, but just at that moment, the door opened again. An Ge poked her head out. She furtively sent Yuchi Li a look, then crept outside with likewise furtive movements.
She was just about drenched from head to toe, looking completely disheveled.
Yuchi Li looked on helplessly as An Ge walked toward her and peered about. She kept feeling that everyone around her was acting a bit abnormal today.
“Finished?” Yuchi Li was the one who spoke first.
An Ge nodded. Her expression was somewhat odd, like she was nervous, embarrassed, and somewhat commiserative, the sight of it sending a shiver up Yuchi Li’s spine.
“After you, Second Princess.” An Ge turned to the side, gesturing in invitation.
Yuchi Li looked side to side and figured that Liu Luoyi was still dealing with Yuchi Die, unable to come over for the moment. So, she made to go inside to wait for her. The three of them walked toward the door, with Yuchi Li in front and An Ge behind her. Just as Xin Ran was going to enter, An Ge deftly shut the door.
The wooden door clanged shut, nearly grazing Xin Ran’s nose. She jumped back to dodge, and by the time she reacted, the door was already sealed shut.
“Princess? Xiao An! Open the door!” Xin Ran shouted at the top of her lungs.
No response.
Yuchi Li took a few steps forward in a daze before belatedly turning her head to look behind her. She raised an eyebrow, asking An Ge: “What about Xin Ran? She was just here a second ago.”
“She said she was busy and went to handle it.” An Ge replied, lying like a rug, “Please come in, Second Princess. Your subordinate will go find the Eldest Princess.”
Yuchi Li nodded her head doubtfully. She kept feeling that something was off, but she didn’t look into it too much. She walked past the screen by herself and entered.
Then, she finally figured out what was wrong. The entire room was permeated with a special fragrance that was both aromatic and refreshing. Furthermore, there was not a single serving girl when they were normally so numerous.
Her residence was huge, with many rooms inside. The room with her bed was currently sealed by a simple bronze lock. She took it and jangled it, then, having no alternative, continued along the corridor.
She rather wanted to see what the hell Yuchi Die was playing at.
However, all of the doors she could open were locked, so she kept going until, finally, she opened one. She had never been in this one before. Presumably it was just an old spare room.
As soon as she opened the door, clouds of steam forced her back a few steps. The air had a rich fragrance. Yuchi Li, caught unawares, inhaled a good portion, making her head swim. She rushed to cover her mouth and nose, stopping her breathing with her martial arts.
Water vapor filled the entire room. The space was large, but sight was entirely obscured by a nebulous swath of mist.
Yuchi Li hesitated for a moment before continuing forward. The ground underfoot was quite slippery, so she simply took off her boots and padded along barefoot.
In the center of the room was a recessed pool, which was where most of the steam was billowing out of. The pool was also sprinkled with flower petals: fragrant, prismatic, and ethereal.
Yuchi Li finally figured out what Yuchi Die was up to. She sighed and nearly laughed in anger. Something like this could have only been conjured up by someone like Yuchi Die.
A click sounded from the door behind her. Yuchi Li didn’t even need to turn her head to know it had been locked.
Looks like she’d fallen for it. Yuchi Li shook her head.
There was something else faintly visible in the dense mist. Yuchi Li wiped her already dampened eyelids, then walked inside cautiously. Aside from the pool in the middle, there was also another section inside with a large beauty’s divan[2]美人榻, a piece of furniture for women, I’ll put a picture at the bottom placed there.
Laying on it quietly was a woman.
She was dressed in white, though saying this was somewhat incorrect, for her clothing, originally as thin as a cicada’s wing, was now soaked through and plastered to her body, making the young woman’s figure most prominent.
Especially the pair of slender, straight legs, which were draped in a gentle arch on the red beauty’s divan, the sight stirring.
Yuchi Li felt a warm current rush through her nose. She spun around and covered her nose with her hand. Luckily, no blood had flowed out then to add to the embarrassment.
Internally, she cussed out Yuchi Die for thinking up all these devious ideas and acting on them without a second thought. Once she left here, regardless of something like ‘seniority’, she’d tan her hide for sure.
Yuchi Li hurriedly pulled off her outer robe and shuffled back, planning to fumble her way through covering Liu Luoyi with it.
But she didn’t succeed, because Liu Luoyi grabbed the outer robe and tossed it aside.
Startled, Yuchi Li turned her head to see Liu Luoyi’s dewy eyes just after they opened. Her gaze was a bit dazed, and she stared at Yuchi Li motionlessly.
Yuchi Li gulped. She scratched her head in embarrassment, not knowing where to rest her gaze. She could only look at the top of Liu Luoyi’s head. Her black hair was scattered about, flowing like a dark brook along the beauty’s divan.
Damn, how could even her hair look that good? Yuchi Li was alarmed and swiftly darted her gaze away to stare at the striking incense burner to the left. White smoke curled upwards from the burner, the rich aroma drifting through the room.
Yuchi Li scooped up a handful of water from the pool and doused the burner. Only then did she feel the heat in her body cool down a little.
“Xiao Liu’er, why don’t you get up.” Yuchi Li reached out to pull Liu Luoyi up, but her hand was knocked away by Liu Luoyi.
Yuchi Li then saw that Liu Luoyi was more flushed than normal. She drew close. The scent of alcohol was emanating from her, but luckily she hadn’t had too much, not to the point of losing her wits like she did last time.
“The Eldest Princess said that, because you haven’t formally proposed, I can’t marry you.” Liu Luoyi suddenly spoke. Her tone was soft and drawn out, with a hint of indolent tipsiness.
“Then let’s leave, and I’ll propose.” Yuchi Li smiled helplessly.
Liu Luoyi shook her head. She turned her body, reclining back. Her eyes were like those of a small animal from the wilderness: unworldly and crystal clear.
With this, Yuchi Li definitely didn’t know where to look. Yuchi Li felt her blood surge again, her blood vessels fitting to burst.
“Then…” Yuchi Li said, feeling around her body. She didn’t find anything to block the sight, but she did have her arm wraps. They had originally been to protect her arms from nicks and cuts, but it would have to do.
She removed the arms wraps and trepidatiously placed them next to Liu Luoyi, then fled far away before saying: “This’ll work, I guess…I’ll go find something better in a bit.”
“Okay, then I agree to marry you, A’Li.” Liu Luoyi beamed, putting the arm wraps on. The arm wraps were not quite her size, but she wore them ecstatically.
“Why’re you agreeing? I haven’t even asked yet.” Hearing her response, Yuchi Li did not know whether to laugh or cry. She said, like coaxing a child, “Alright, I’ve proposed and you’ve accepted. Let’s go now, okay?”
Liu Luoyi shook her head sluggishly. She pressed one hand against the beauty’s divan to stand up, but because she was inebriated, she started to fall back down.
Yuchi Li rushed forward. She grabbed her shoulder with one hand and with the other she grabbed her calf, which had already slid off the divan, and righted her. The sensation was smooth, like holding a peeled lotus root.
Liu Luoyi sat up and slowly turned toward Yuchi Li. Yuchi Li suddenly realized that their positions were untoward, and she immediately released her hand and took a couple steps back.
Her mind was in complete disarray, unlike anything she’d experienced before. She even felt like a different person entirely, her mind and body beyond her control.
Liu Luoyi stood up and tottered forward. Only Yuchi Li seemed to exist in her eyes. Yuchi Li couldn’t retreat, either, so she could receive her embrace obediently.
Her body was soft, even softer than normal, in her embrace. Yuchi Li started to regret taking her outer robe off, because if she’d had it on now, the sensation would have been so defined.
If she’d known about it before, she’d have donned a set of armor. Surely that would have helped the situation.
“Don’t move around.” Yuchi Li said hoarsely.
Liu Luoyi threaded her arms underneath Yuchi Li’s, caressing her back. She lifted her head with the vague desire to kiss Yuchi Li, but Yuchi Li instinctively started to step away.
She hadn’t intended to be so skittish, either, but her body was a little out of her control.
And so she stepped back onto empty air. Oh no, she thought to herself, but it was too late. Both of them fell into the pool, water flying in all directions. The pool had already been near to overflowing, so all this water spilled out onto the floor, creating a big, sodden mess.
The vapor soon enveloped them. Yuchi Li choked on a few mouthfuls of water before she could finally find her footing and pop her head above the water.
She rushed to pull Liu Luoyi up, but because of all the petals in the water, she could not see that well. All she could do was just throw caution to the wind and grab what parts of her she could, but several times she felt up places she shouldn’t have.
By the time Liu Luoyi stood up, Yuchi Li’s cheeks were burning something fierce.
The translator has something to say:
Alas, there are a few locked chapters, including this one and the next one (as of August 27, 2023). I have a copy of the rest of the chapters that I saved beforehand that I will use for the translation, so this is just a head’s up for those who want to read ahead (please support the author there!!!! Link is on the summary & chapters page)
P.S. sorry for the long wait, I was dealing with some personal things. If you see something to fix, lmk.
I miss ya bro, hope ya ever come back to finish it.