Chapter 60: Flying Dragon Ridden Right in the Face

Meanwhile.

Ever since Ye Jingtang accidentally walked in on the Empress Dowager sketching portraits of handsome men, she had been feeling deeply unsettled. She sent Hongyu to gather information, only to hear that Prince Jing and the Empress had not yet retired for the night and were preparing to bathe in the Canyang Pool.

Upon learning this, the Empress Dowager brought her court maid to the Canyang Pool, only to find Prince Jing's maid waiting outside, with no sign of the Emperor's imperial escort.

Realizing that the Emperor had not yet arrived, and sensing a rare opportunity to be alone with Prince Jing, the Empress Dowager hurried into the main hall.

Only a few dim lamps were lit within the hot spring bath, casting shadows in the heavy gloom. Save for the gentle splashing of the spring water, the room was utterly silent.

Clad in a deep crimson gown, the Empress Dowager rounded the screen, and the first thing that met her eyes was the alabaster figure of Dongfang Liren, floating in the center of the pool, gently teasing the ripples with her hands. Perhaps due to the warmth of the hot spring, her cheeks were flushed and exceptionally alluring.

"Empress Dowager, why are you here?"

"I couldn't sleep tonight. Hearing that you were here, I came to take a look. There's no need for you to get up."

The Empress Dowager walked to the edge of the bath, raised her hand, and instinctively reached for her sash, intending to slip into the water and join the soak.

How could Dongfang Liren possibly allow that!

Ye Jingtang was still submerged in the pool. If the Empress Dowager were to strip and jump in as well, it wouldn't just be a simple matter of "bathing together like mandarin ducks," it would be...

It would be a deeply scandalous and outrageous offense against all bounds of propriety!

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was about to reveal all, Dongfang Liren hurriedly stopped her:

"Wait!"

"Hm?"

The Empress Dowager blinked her large eyes, her hand resting on her sash, looking somewhat bewildered.

"What is it?"

"Um... the water is a bit too hot tonight. I'm afraid the Empress Dowager might not be used to it..."

"Is it hot?"

The Empress Dowager bent gracefully, squatting at the edge of the pool, intending to test the water temperature with her hand.

However, Ye Jingtang had his back to the entrance, and the spot where the Empress Dowager stood was directly above him. If she lowered her head now, she would likely pierce through the swirling mists and spot the figure beneath the water.

Dongfang Liren's heart leaped into her throat. In her desperation, she let go of the arms she had been crossing over her chest and swam forward, darting right in front of the Empress Dowager in the blink of an eye.

Splash—

Water droplets flew in all directions.

Dongfang Liren pressed her hands against the edge of the pool, swallowing the shame and exasperation threatening to overwhelm her, and looked up at the Empress Dowager with a composed expression:

"The Empress Dowager cannot sleep so late at night—could it be that something is weighing on your mind?"

The Empress Dowager was nearly splashed by the water churned up by Dongfang Liren and retreated slightly:

"I have nothing on my mind, I just came by to check on you... Ah, after the danger you faced yesterday, I haven't been able to set my mind at ease. You must keep your guards with you even inside the palace..."

Dongfang Liren's expression remained unchanged, though she secretly clenched her teeth:

"Rest assured, Empress Dowager, they are with me at all times."

"That young Master Ye who protected your carriage yesterday—is he by your side as well?"

Dongfang Liren felt as though she were literally standing on top of that very man!

"He is, he's currently on patrol within the palace."

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, sitting sideways on the edge of the bath, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear:

"How is the patrol going? Have you noticed anything unusual?"

"No, everything is as usual..."

"That's good..."

Meanwhile, underwater.

Ye Jingtang kept his back pressed against the edge of the pool to conceal his form. Unable to hear the conversation on the surface and wishing to avoid further offending Prince Jing, he kept his eyes closed even while resting at the bottom of the pool, waiting for Prince Jing to send the Empress Dowager away.

Yet, no sooner had he closed his eyes than he felt the ripples of water draw near. He opened them slightly to take a look...

A pair of long, slender legs were swaying back and forth, swimming straight toward him.

That overwhelming, magnificent pressure made no attempt to conceal itself, brazenly pressing right down toward his head and pinning him against the white jade stone wall of the pool...

?!

Faced with such magnificent scenery at such close quarters, Ye Jingtang could not help but feel a jolt of alarm, though what alarmed him even more was not just the view.

To block him from view, Prince Jing had pressed herself against the shoulder-deep edge of the pool.

And since he was seated against the pool wall directly underneath Prince Jing, right before him was naturally...

Her crotch.

To avoid physical contact with him, Ye Jingtang could feel her graceful, long legs swaying in the water, stirring up ripples of current.

Ye Jingtang turned his head away and closed his eyes, his heart pounding like a war drum, constantly reminding himself to guard his mind and not surrender to desire.

And Prince Jing seemed keenly aware of where his gaze might fall.

Overwhelmed by mortification, Prince Jing actually leaned forward, pressing her legs against his cheeks as if trying to block his vision and prevent him from looking.

Realizing that it was her cheek pressed against him and that he was not peeking, the tense muscles in Prince Jing's legs relaxed ever so slightly.

The sensation was indescribable to Ye Jingtang, who felt his ears brushing against soft strands of hair. He forcefully cleared his mind and waited quietly.

Yet, the wait dragged on far longer than he had anticipated...

"That young Master Ye possesses such formidable martial arts at such a young age. He is truly remarkable. What is his character like?"

"Um... alright. It's just that his experience in the martial world is shallow, and he is easily deceived by others."

"Is that so..."

At the edge of the bath, the Empress Dowager sat in an elegant posture. After chatting for a long time, seeing no sign of betrayal from Ye Jingtang, she relaxed slightly.

The Empress Dowager lowered half of her collar, revealing a patch of snow-white, fragrant shoulder and a hint of voluptuous curves, intending to join Dongfang Liren in the bath.

No sooner had she made the move than Dongfang Liren's expression shifted slightly. She hurriedly reached out and pulled the Empress Dowager's collar back up to prevent any accidental exposure:

"Don't."

The Empress Dowager looked bewildered: "Why? Mother just wants to step in for a soak, and you won't even allow that?"

"..."

Dongfang Liren had no idea how to explain. Her mind raced, and she quickly changed the subject:

"No, it's just that I suddenly remembered a poem. The Empress Dowager might enjoy it. Would you mind fetching some paper and a brush for me?"

Having grown up in Jiangzhou, a region steeped in literary culture, the Empress Dowager had some exposure to poetry, though her interest was not particularly strong.

Still, since Dongfang Liren had asked, she naturally indulged her and turned to instruct someone outside the hall:

"Hongyu, bring brush and paper."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Soon, the maid Hongyu trotted in carrying a tray laden with an inkstone, brush, ink, and paper.

The Empress Dowager helped grind the ink while Dongfang Liren leaned against the edge of the bath, holding a fine-tipped brush and writing characters upon the white paper.

To buy time—waiting for her unconscionable sister to notice her awkward predicament and shoo the Empress Dowager away—Dongfang Liren wrote very slowly, weighing every single stroke. After finishing a line, she had to pause and deliberate deeply.

"When autumn returns on the ninth day of the ninth month... After my flowers bloom, a hundred other flowers shall perish..."

As the Empress Dowager read the lines one by one, her casual expression gradually turned solemn. She picked up the paper to appreciate it more closely:

"This poem is... truly fierce. Who wrote it?"

"I heard it from the Emperor's lips. It was allegedly written by a talented scholar. If the Empress Dowager is interested, you might ask the Emperor about it."

The Empress Dowager carefully scrutinized the verse on the paper and sighed helplessly:

"As the Empress Dowager, it would hardly be proper for me to question a scholar about such things... Ah~ You love martial arts and were able to meet a man of extraordinary prowess like Ye Jingtang; the Emperor loves poetry and songs, and was able to meet a man of such immense talent and grand ambition..."

Knowing that the Empress Dowager was beginning to feel sorry for herself again, Dongfang Liren was just weighing her words to offer comfort when she suddenly felt her calf brush against something.

?!

A jolt ran through Dongfang Liren's heart. For a fleeting second, she feared that Ye Jingtang had finally abandoned his gentlemanly restraint, but she quickly realized it wasn't that—Ye Jingtang was tapping her to give her a warning.

A warning about what...

Dongfang Liren pondered secretly, and suddenly realization dawned upon her—she and the Empress Dowager had been chatting idly for a good half-day without realizing it.

Practitioners of martial arts possessed deep and steady inner breath, and certain powerful grandmasters skilled in embryonic breathing techniques could remain active in the water for months. It was not uncommon for ordinary martial artists to hold their breath for an hour or two either. However, such internal arts—which required "refining a single breath"—needed actual cultivation.

Although Ye Jingtang appeared to possess formidable martial arts, Madam Wang had mentioned that his vital channels were disordered, indicating he had clearly never practiced such specialized techniques. Holding his breath in the water for this long without surfacing meant he was likely reaching his limit. If she didn't let him come up for air, he might actually pass out from asphyxiation!

Anxiety spiked within Dongfang Liren. It was already abrupt enough to keep the Empress Dowager out of the water; she certainly couldn't chase the Empress Dowager out of the hall entirely.

*This damned sister of mine—either she hasn't realized the Empress Dowager is here, or she's deliberately trying to expose this situation and make a complete fool of me in front of the Empress Dowager!*

If the Empress Dowager were to catch her and Ye Jingtang bathing together like mandarin ducks, she would have no choice but to marry Ye Jingtang; there was a strong chance an imperial decree granting their marriage would be issued by tomorrow morning.

It wasn't that Dongfang Liren was unwilling to marry, but how could she let her single days come to an end in such a mortifying fashion?

Besides, Ye Jingtang had a "beloved" of his own, and he appeared deeply devoted. How could she ever become a wicked woman who used power to tear apart lovers?