The Queen was an exceedingly gentle woman, but Xing Ru felt no closeness to her. The Queen’s smiles always made Xing Ru feel somewhat strange.
“The Princess Consort should be giving this Palace a grandson soon…”
Xing Ru’s hand paused midway to her mouth, and she could only look up helplessly. Except for Yue Bei Yang, everyone else’s gaze was on her. The Queen was smiling at this moment, and Yue Nan Sang wore an expression of obvious amusement.
“Mother, there’s no rush for that!”
Xing Ru had been silent for a long time, but Yue Bei Yang answered the Queen first. His expression remained calm, and he didn’t even spare Xing Ru a glance.
“How can Little Ru’er possibly give birth by herself!”
As soon as Yue Nan Sang spoke, the Queen’s brows visibly furrowed. Because Xing Ru had instructed the palace attendants not to gossip outside, the Queen was unaware that Yue Bei Yang had not visited Xing Ru’s chambers at all in the past year.
He had been sleeping in the side hall or using official duties as an excuse to avoid returning.
“You girl! You’re not even married yet! What nonsense are you spouting!” Although the Queen’s words seemed to carry a reprimand, her tone was not heavy. Thus, Yue Nan Sang merely blinked and did not press the topic further.
“Bei Yang, is what Sang Sang says true?”
The Queen’s voice remained gentle, even more so than when she spoke to Yue Nan Sang. Yet, Xing Ru sensed that the relationship between Yue Bei Yang and the Queen was not that good, and in fact, quite delicate!
“Mother worries too much…”
Yue Bei Yang looked at the Queen. With just a glance exchanged between them, the topic was dropped. The Queen finally said, “As long as you know what you’re doing, Mother trusts you can handle it well…”
This remark was ambiguous. Xing Ru felt that they were discussing more than just the current topic, hinting at other hidden matters.
The Moon Palace was a place of great complexity. Although she had visited the palace frequently before, she had been the daughter of the General’s manor then, not the Princess Consort of this palace. At that time, she hadn’t noticed the subtle atmosphere within the palace.
But now, she found the palace quite peculiar, and some people were not what she had previously imagined!
The Queen did not pursue the topic further, nor did she steer the conversation back to Xing Ru. However, Xing Ru clearly met her gaze and saw a strange expression directed at her. But in a flash, the expression vanished, and she reverted to being the gentle Empress.
Queen Yue was renowned throughout An Zhou for her virtue and kindness. Her family background was not prominent, yet she managed to hold the position of Queen.
Xing Ru had previously attributed it to the King’s love for the Queen. However, after entering the palace, she felt that the King not only did not love the Queen but even seemed to dislike her.
The King rarely visited the Queen’s palace. Although he doted on the little Princess, this affection was not a reflection of his love for the Queen. It was solely because Yue Nan Sang, as the only legitimate princess, possessed a pleasing personality and was his only daughter, hence his great fondness for her.
Xing Ru ate her meal as if chewing on wood. She disliked life in the Moon Palace. Even though she liked Yue Bei Yang, this liking was not enough to sustain her life in the Moon Palace forever.
Although her vitality had been weakened by the kidnapping incident and she had been raised in seclusion since childhood, her heart yearned for freedom. The monotonous life in the Moon Palace was something she did not wish to endure.
Yue Bei Yang maintained the pretense of a married couple in front of outsiders, so he escorted Xing Ru back to her chambers. However, there was no conversation along the way. He walked ahead, and Xing Ru followed behind, silently watching his retreating figure.
Suddenly, he stopped. Xing Ru, not paying attention, bumped into him, hurting her head.
Xing Ru rubbed her head. Yue Bei Yang turned to look at her, catching sight of her frowning, rubbing her head, and looking up at him.
The moonlight illuminated her face, making her appear clearer than usual. It was as if he was seeing her up close for the first time, and Xing Ru’s face became distinct in his mind.
“If Mother brings up that matter again, you can answer her just as I would.”
His voice was cool and detached, much like his personality.
Xing Ru nodded without speaking.
Seeing her silence, Yue Bei Yang turned away. Then, his voice came from ahead, “You seem to have been afraid of me since childhood. Zhan cherished you so, why insist on marrying you to me?”
He seemed to be genuinely contemplating the question. Xing Ru’s subconscious mind wanted to blurt out, “Because Father knew I liked you!”
But after a moment’s hesitation, he walked away first.
He did not seem to want to dwell on the answer to this question, or perhaps he did not desire an answer at all. After all, she was not that important to him.
Xing Ru mused, and the words she had almost spoken were swallowed back again.
On their wedding night, she had wanted to confess her feelings the moment he lifted her veil, but he hadn’t even given her a chance.
She had originally wanted to ask him, do you remember what happened five years ago?
The courage she had painstakingly gathered had dissipated completely, leaving nothing behind. Now, she had become increasingly cautious.
Her true feelings had to be kept hidden!
Xing Ru could only follow him, her steps matching his pace. Upon returning to the Second Prince’s palace, he went to the side hall without a word of greeting. Xing Ru was accustomed to this, though Ai Dai couldn’t help but grumble.
Xing Ru could only smile, using it to mask her disappointment. She had done well all these years, and this time was no exception!
Seeing her like this, Ai Dai said no more, merely shaking her head, somewhat frustrated by her lack of progress.
Among the women in this palace, Ai Dai had never encountered someone as innocent as this.
“Sang Sang?”
One day, Sang Sang appeared before Xing Ru, her face flushed red.
In just half a month, so many things had happened to Yue Nan Sang. The man she had rescued was severely injured. Originally, the people of An Zhou had no contact with the outside world and were even quite resistant to outsiders. Therefore, this man from the outside should have been executed or cast out. However, because of Sang Sang, he was allowed to remain in An Zhou to recover.
It was said that Sang Sang personally gathered herbs and brewed medicine for him, and the man recovered quickly. During their time together, the two developed feelings for each other. Today, Sang Sang went to change his dressing and ran out, her face flushed with embarrassment. She came to the Second Prince’s palace to find Xing Ru.
“Are you experiencing first love?” Between female friends, conversations were always frank. Xing Ru never felt constrained around Yue Nan Sang and let her true nature show.
Yue Nan Sang’s face turned red again. She was a decisive woman, and so it was in matters of the heart. Without hesitation, she admitted, “Yes, I like him!”
Upon hearing this, Xing Ru suddenly lost herself in thought. She envied Yue Nan Sang, who could so easily express her feelings. She herself dared not!
But she used to be brave!
When had she become so timid?
Perhaps it began when she discovered Yue Bei Yang’s unusual feelings for Yue Nan Sang.