Nong Nu Jiao

Beside the polo field on the outskirts of Beijing, patches of Kerria japonica intertwine, their golden blossoms densely covering a small patch of sky.

Cen Lingyi squatted among the flowers to change her clothes.

The noise outside was blurred by the layers of flowers.

She had just finished comforting the young master, and her clothes were damp and sticky, clinging coolly to her skin, making her feel embarrassed and awkward.

Noisy voices could be heard from time to time.

She dared not delay, quickly loosening her belt, her ears constantly alert to any sounds outside, fearing that someone might accidentally wander into the flower bushes.

The polo field does have changing tents, but a lowly wet nurse like her doesn't deserve to use them.

With a rustling movement, layers of clothing quickly fell away, leaving only a thin undershirt on her upper body, with delicate floral shadows falling on her fair arms.

She reached her fingertips behind her back, fumbled for the tie, and was about to untie the knot.

"Why not take off your skirt too?"

Suddenly, a dark shadow approached, and frivolous words fell into his ears.

Cen Lingyi's heart skipped a beat. She looked up abruptly, and in her shock, her legs went weak and she fell to the ground.

"Your Highness..."

The young man before her had excellent bone structure, deep and sharp dark eyes, his black pupils fixed on her, and his lips, neither thin nor thick, were slightly pursed.

Above him was a clear blue sky, and a few vibrant flowers adorned his temples. What should have been a picturesque scene was overshadowed by his aura of unapproachability.

He was no longer the relaxed and refined man he once was; she felt a chill run down her spine at just a glance.

"Your Highness, I am changing my clothes. Please leave immediately."

Cen Lingyi subconsciously withdrew her hand, her face instantly turning red, and even her breathing became erratic, but she still forced herself to remain calm and asked him to leave.

She had been working as a wet nurse in the Eastern Palace for more than half a month, and had been deliberately avoiding seeing him.

Today marks the one-month anniversary of the young emperor's birth, and the Crown Prince's Palace is holding a celebration. Someone suggested going to the polo field.

Because the young master favored her greatly, he refused to drink anyone else's milk after she arrived.

She had no choice but to come along, hoping that she could avoid Yan Chenghui as much as she did in the Eastern Palace and that she would be safe.

I don't know where things went wrong, but he ended up following me here.

She lowered her long, butterfly-like eyelashes and refused to look at him.

They hadn't seen each other for over ten months, and when they met again, they were worlds apart.

Yan Chenghui stared at her neatly styled woman's hair, finding it jarring.

"You've been with several men, and you're not a virgin anymore, so what are you pretending for?"

His eyes held a mocking glint, his long, straight eyelashes drooped slightly, and his dark pupils reflected her eyebrows and eyes, then her slender neck, and then her shallow neck hollow.

His gaze was like an impenetrable net, locking her firmly within it.

Cen Lingyi shrank back and hid.

The flower branches swayed gently, and a few tender yellow petals drifted down onto her, their delicate shadows making her skin appear even whiter, softer, and more delicate than if it could be broken with a touch.

Her figure is full and well-proportioned, like a perfectly ripe peach, pink and tender.

Cen Lingyi felt as if her heart was about to break her ribs. She took a deep breath and looked down at herself.

"Your Highness, please don't look!"

She panicked and hurriedly curled up, grabbing a dress to cover herself. Her ears and neck were flushed red, and her hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Your Highness, this is improper. Please leave."

She bit her lip and asked him to leave again.

Now, he is the Crown Prince, the moon in the sky, and has already married the Crown Princess. As a father, he also has several concubines in his harem.

She was reduced to being a wet nurse to feed his son, a lowly speck of dust struggling to survive in the mud.

There should be no entanglement between them. She had no choice but to change her clothes among the flowers, and he should not have humiliated and disrespected her with such words.

"Improper etiquette? This once proud and self-possessed princess is now changing clothes in public and talking to me about etiquette?"

Yan Chenghui grabbed her wrist, stopping her from trying to cover herself.

A hint of mockery curled at the corners of his lips, and a faint redness rose to the corners of his eyes as he stared straight at her.

"Please, Your Highness, release me!"

Cen Lingyi dared not raise her voice, and could only struggle desperately, but no matter how hard she tried, his hand seemed to be attached to her wrist, and she could not break free even a little.

Shame washed over her like a tidal wave, engulfing her and making her wish she could disappear into a hole in the ground.

He's right, she has utterly disgraced the family.

In the past, she was the youngest legitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor's mansion, the apple of her parents' eye, and the most beloved little sister of her brothers and sisters. She was born into wealth and had a large retinue of servants.

Later, the Grand Tutor's family was convicted of a crime and their entire household was destroyed.

She ended up as the wet nurse of the Crown Prince's palace, having wasted the family's reputation that her parents had painstakingly built up over their entire lives.

"You abandoned me to hook up with someone else, and now you despise your husband for being useless, so you deliberately stripped down like this, hoping to climb back into my arms?"

Yan Chenghui's voice was hoarse as he used force to pull her in front of him, his movements assertive and domineering.

"Your Highness, please watch your words!"

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but tear up, tears welling up in her eyes, but she pursed her lips tightly, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall.

How could he be so unreasonable now? She had been trying her best to avoid people, but he was the one who followed her here, yet he twisted the truth and framed her.

She was trying to avoid him, so why would she intentionally seduce him?

"Nonsense?" Yan Chenghui said indifferently, "Is it nonsense that you seduced me? Or that you abandoned me to climb the social ladder? Or that you had an affair with your husband and fathered an illegitimate child?"

"He's not a bastard..."

Cen Lingyi argued, but finally couldn't hold back anymore. Large tears rolled down her face, landing on her already soaked belly and disappearing.

Yes, she abandoned him, her childhood sweetheart with whom she grew up.

She deserved to be treated like that by him.

How could he say that about her?

Their marital relationship was a natural progression born from deep affection.

Moreover, she would only give herself to him when their wedding was approaching.

At that time, he was just a prince who was not favored by His Majesty. If she disliked him, why would she have agreed to marry him?

Her child is not illegitimate, at least he can't say that.

Upon hearing this, Yan Chenghui's eyes turned bloodshot, and he grabbed her slender neck with his large hand.

She even dared to speak up for that bastard!

His palm, burning hot and intensely pressing, rested on her slender neck, her delicate pulse throbbing in his palm.

She was forced to tilt her head back, so fragile that it seemed as if she would break if he exerted the slightest force.

His gaze lingered on her face.

Her eyes were closed, she looked like she wanted to die, her lips were slightly parted, her body trembled, and she seemed vulnerable.

"Did you seduce your husband in the same way?"

Yan Chenghui's breath hitched, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he couldn't help but loosen his grip, raising his large hand until his fingertips almost touched her chest.

Outside, laughter and cheers rose in waves, and the sound of horses' hooves could be clearly heard; they were not far from here.

"don't want!"

Cen Lingyi was terrified and let out a soft cry.

If others were to witness this scene, they would surely accuse her of deliberately seducing His Highness the Crown Prince.

Yan Chenghui will certainly be fine.

But what about her? She barely survived, and now she's likely to die without a proper burial.

Just as his large hand was about to touch her, she didn't know where she got the strength, but she broke free from his grasp.

Holding her belly was barely enough to cover her, and she struggled violently...

She gasped and hurriedly raised her hands to cover herself, her movements in a flustered manner were chaotic.

When she entered the East Palace, the nanny who examined her praised her for her good health, saying that she could breastfeed the young prince all by herself without needing anyone else, and she secretly rejoiced.

Right now, I just regret that I'm too healthy.

A sweet fragrance filled the air between the two of them; it was the little prince's favorite milky scent.

She grabbed her clothes and hastily covered herself before daring to look up at him.

That one glance made her face burn instantly, overwhelmed by intense shame and embarrassment, to the point that she blushed completely and felt utterly ashamed.

Yan Chenghui stared coldly at her. The majestic Crown Prince, with a drop of white between his handsome and noble brows, looked absurd and glaring.

His blue-green round-necked robe, made of fine brocade with dark cloud patterns, gleamed with a pearly luster, exuding an air of refined elegance.

Looking at him now, several damp spots dotted his lapel, like ink smeared haphazardly on white paper, disrupting his overall royal dignity.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness."

Cen Lingyi bit her lip, apologized, and tried to wipe his brow with trembling fingertips.

Why, of all things, did it fall on his face?

Yan Chenghui stepped back half a step to avoid her movement.

Cen Lingyi's hand froze in mid-air before falling slumped down.

She understood that he disliked her and didn't want her to touch him.

The next moment, the person in front of him suddenly raised his hand.

She subconsciously looked up at him with her dark eyes and saw him gently brush his long, white middle finger between his eyebrows, leaving a speck of white on his fingertip.

As if afraid she wouldn't see it, he held his hand up in front of her eyes.

That tiny white dot clung to her fingertip, teetering on the verge of falling, much like her at that moment.

Cen Lingyi's long eyelashes trembled slightly, her face burned, and her whole body felt as if it were on fire.

After entering the Eastern Palace, she was always careful to avoid running into him, and she had thought that she couldn't avoid it and that they would eventually meet.

But she never expected that they would meet under such circumstances.

And he will become like this.

Yan Chenghui slowly withdrew his hand.

Under her gaze, he brought his fingertips to his lips, and his rosy lips parted slightly.

He made these movements with such composure and seriousness that, under the dappled light and shadow, his behavior seemed even more absurd.

"you……"

Cen Lingyi's wet eyes widened suddenly, her dark eyes filled with disbelief, and she was speechless for a moment.

She had never seen him like this before.

In the past, he was gentle and kind, always accommodating her, cherishing her in his hands and placing her in the heart.

In bed, he took great care of her and was incredibly considerate.

Now... now it shouldn't be like this at all.

He was already the noble and aloof Crown Prince, with a face that seemed detached from worldly desires. How could he possibly do such a despicable thing to a lowly wet nurse like her?

A faint blush rose on Yan Chenghui's face, and his lips moved slightly, as if he had tasted something sweet.

He stared at her, then leaned down and slowly approached.

"Your Highness, please leave immediately."

Cen Lingyi quickly wrapped her clothes tighter around herself and moved deeper into the flower bushes, finally yielding to the situation.

She and he are now worlds apart, and she knows her place; she should no longer have any connection with him.

I just wanted to coax him to leave quickly.

Yan Chenghui easily pinched her waist, which was barely a handful, and the calluses on his fingers were rough.

"What are you hiding from?"

He looked down at her, a hint of mockery in his dark eyes, and leaned closer to her.

"No, no!"

Cen Lingyi felt a pang of bitterness and immense embarrassment; the emotions she felt were indescribable.

But she knew she couldn't have any more entanglement with him.

She gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and punched him frantically, then curled up her legs to kick him, trying her best to break free from his hold.

The flower branches overhead trembled wildly, and tender yellow petals fell softly onto the two of them, weaving a hazy rain of flowers.

"You've been with me before, so why pretend to be a virtuous and chaste woman?"

Yan Chenghui tightened his grip, holding her firmly in his arms.

Cen Lingyi bit her lip and tears instantly fell. Once upon a time, he regarded her as a treasure and wished he could hold her in the palm of his hand.

Now they're using such hurtful words to humiliate her, making her feel utterly ashamed.