Chapter 72: Deep Into His Bones
“Ah!”
Gong Che lightly exclaimed and sat up! His movement was too abrupt, causing Gong Yi Mo to wake up. She rubbed her eyes and sat up with a half-conscious appearance.
“What’s wrong?”
She vaguely recalled biting something… Did she bite the prince?!
This thought caused her to be more awake. She turned and saw Gong Che’s flushed face as he covered his ear with one hand. Gong Yi Mo was dumbfounded and couldn’t help but ask, “Did I bite you?!”
Meanwhile, she was also wondering his ear was close enough that she could bite it…
Gong Che felt his heartbeat accelerating rapidly, but it was different from when his body was afflicted with a suffocating chill. Instead, he felt as if he was thrown into an unquenchable fire; there was a tingling sensation to the bone, from his bitten earlobe, down to his neck and shoulders
He didn’t understand why he would feel such tingling; it was as if he was stunned by an electric shock that stimulated his entire being. But although he didn’t know what it was, he wanted to attempt experiencing that sensation once again.
“…No, it’s okay.”
He stammered as he spoke. His eyes flashed with eagerness but he did not dare to face her. Gong Yi Mo replied with a suspicious tone, “Oh?”
Her drunkenness once again overcame her senses, and she unconsciously laid down and rolled over. The girl continued to sleep with her arms over her head.
Seeing her fall into slumber once again, Gong Che sighed in relief. At the same time, a sense of loss seemed to arise in his heart, but even he couldn’t understand why he felt that way.
Gong Che brought a brocaded quilt to Gong Yi Mo and covered her up. When he remembered her previous words, his joy was filled to the brim once again.
She said she didn’t want to marry… If she doesn’t, then he can always be there to spoil and raise her!
When Gong Yi Mo woke up the following day, it was already noon. She rubbed eyes and looked around, only to find herself in a completely unfamiliar place. In terms of the room’s arrangement, it should be a place where a man lives.
“Young Lady, are you awake?” A servant lifted the screen and looked at her with a pleasant surprise. The maidservant lowered a washbasin and greeted the princess.
When Gong Yi Mo saw the servant’s face, she immediately realized whose residence she was in. This girl was one of Gong Che’s most trusted maidservants. What was her name again… Lian Xiang, was it?
Gong Yi Mo blinked in surprise. “What about His Royal Highness?” Since her status was demoted, she could no longer call him ‘Elder Brother’ in front of outsiders like she used to.
Lian Xiang smiled and politely replied, “His Royal Highness is still in his own palace. This residence is in a different courtyard under His Highness’ name, so Your Lady can stay here in peace.”
Gong Yi Mo nodded. When a thought suddenly came to her, she asked the maid, “Has the Prince, His Highness, been busy recently?”
She knew that she didn’t have the right to ask because of her new standing, but she couldn’t resist. Lian Xiang didn’t seem to feel alarmed by her question, and merely answered in a direct way, “Yes, His Highness has been very busy recently.”
Lian Xiang frowned as she spoke, and her eyes glimmered with distress. “There seemed to be an issue that weighed heavily on his mind recently. He has not been able to rest properly for the past several days.”
Gong Yi Mo felt distressed for him. Since their enemies had failed to drag the Liu Family down, they must be afraid of the Empress building up her forces and retaliating. As a result, those hidden in the dark must be shamelessly plotting one scheme after another against the Empress.
Sure enough, Gong Yi Mo still did not see a shadow of Gong Che in the evening.
Noticing their visitor gaze outside frequently, Liang Xiang comforted her by saying, “The Young Miss doesn’t have to worry too much. Perhaps His Highness is staying in the Eastern Palace because he was occupied by government affairs today.”
Gong Yi Mo continued to stare out the window. “I’m not worried about that… By the way, I know that the Liu Family is one of the great families in the kingdom. Where is its estate located in Great Tang?
Her sudden question was a strange one in Lian Xiang’s opinion, but she responded, “The Liu’s inherited estate is located in southern Yu Lou. The land was sealed to the Liu Family’s ancestors long ago, so the Yu Lou estate was pa.s.sed down from generation to generation.”
Gong Yi Mo nodded, indicating that she understood.
When she met Gong Che in her previous life, he had nothing left to support him, but now the Crown Prince had his maternal family to make good use of.
Gong Yi Mo originally wanted to wait for Gong Che to come back so they could eat together, but no one came after she had waited for a long time. Right when she was about to prepare to enjoy a meal by herself, Lian Xiang ran in hurriedly and exclaimed, “Miss, bad news! The Empress was accused of attempting to murder one of the emperor’s children! Now that the evidence has been confirmed, she is awaiting her punishment. And His Highness… the Crown Prince is pleading for mercy at the Zhaoyang Palace.”