MTCCP Chapter 10

Previous | Table of Contents | Next

        When Yue Yiwan woke up, he found a soft drizzle falling outside his window. Last night, a thunderstorm had rolled through, clearing the stifling air and leaving it fresh and cool. He lay nestled in the soft, thin bedding, almost forgetting the events of the previous night.

        Rain—it's raining!

        Rubbing his eyes, he quickly pulled his robe together and clattered up the stairs in his wooden clogs. As he reached the second floor, he saw a familiar figure standing by the window, gazing at the narrow pathway where he’d left the secret message the night before.

        Hearing footsteps, Hua Muzhi turned toward him, a smile playing on his lips. “Come take a look.”

        “Did someone notice it?” Yue Yiwan’s eyes lit up, and he hurried to the window, pressing close to see.

        Outside, a servant holding an umbrella stopped near the stone steps, attentively reading the verse. The servant even called over another attendant carrying a food box, inviting him to come and read as well. The two stood together, reading the lines and seemingly discussing them.

        Leaning a little too far out the window, Yue Yiwan’s hair caught some of the drizzle. “Happy?” he asked, looking up at Hua Muzhi, who had taken out a tissue to gently dry his hair. “Isn’t this kind of fun?”

        Hua Muzhi chuckled as he dried the droplets from Yue Yiwan's forehead, nodding. “It is fun—do you do this often?”

        Usually... I just post things on Weibo.

        “Sharing what others have written is fun enough, but writing yourself is even more fulfilling,” Yue Yiwan said earnestly.

        “When I get the chance, I’ll give it a try.” Hua Muzhi looked at him, hesitating briefly before suggesting, “Shall we go write another line tonight?”

        “Sure, sounds good.”

        They each went off to get dressed and have breakfast before attending their morning duties. They also took "Toto", the dog, out for a walk in his little raincoat. During a conversation with the Empress Dowager later, Yue Yiwan stole a glance at the dignified, composed crown prince and felt a curious thrill—by day, they were respectable gentlemen, but at night, they secretly slipped into the alley to write poetry. It had a touch of romantic elegance.

        It was already mid-August, and the preparations for the Wan Ling Gui (Festival of Spirits) would soon begin. The kingdom celebrated four major festivals annually, each with its own holiday, which had now become integral to the region’s cultural tourism. On September 19th, the kingdom’s Ghost Festival would take place, a day when both royals and commoners rested to offer blessings and prayers for the souls returning to seek their families.

        His etiquette teacher went over the ritual offerings, incense sequences, and protocol with him three times, even rehearsing it with him in the room, before moving on to the next lesson.

        These past few days, Hua Muzhi had some free time, so he accompanied Yue Yiwan in attending the classes. Occasionally, he would quietly give Yue Yiwan a hint when he struggled to recall specific ceremonial protocols. Spending so much time together, they felt less like royalty and more like high school classmates.

        In this period of royal etiquette training, lessons covered everything from court protocol to festival rites. Once they’d nearly exhausted the rules and rituals, it was time to move on to lessons about harmonious relations between partners. Since the overachieving “Princess Consort” was making quick progress, what should have been taught two months later was already being covered now.

        Teacher Feng, looking as serious as ever with his glasses, stood before the blackboard and began discussing the key points of managing a relationship.

        

        "Avoid jealousy and suspicion in marriage, and maintain mutual respect and trust..."

        Yue Yiwan listened uncomfortably, glancing at Hua Muzhi beside him. They were merely friends, not even dating, yet this lesson felt inexplicably awkward.

        Hua Muzhi, however, appeared deeply focused, nodding occasionally.

        "Managing a marriage should also include gratitude and cherishing the other person’s presence," continued Teacher Feng.

         Yue Yiwan stifled a yawn and doodled little robes on his scratch paper.

        “Mr. Yue.”

        Maybe the design was too plain—he added a bow.

        "—Mr. Yue," Teacher Feng's tone grew sterner. "Please don’t engage in unrelated activities during class."

        "Here," Yue Yiwan quickly put down his pen. "I wasn’t distracted."

        "Then please repeat: if issues arise in a relationship, how should they be handled?"

        Teacher Feng’s expression was as serious as if he were discussing calculus.

        Yue Yiwan instinctively glanced at Hua Muzhi but was at a loss for words.

        We’re not even dating—how could there be relationship issues...?

        Teacher Feng didn’t reprimand him, instead turning to Hua Muzhi, who had been paying close attention.

        "One should calmly discuss the issue, share feelings with the partner, and promptly acknowledge the partner's efforts," Hua Muzhi recited steadily. "Emotional outbursts and endless arguments should be avoided; instead, one should work to resolve the problem and restore harmony."

        ...How are you so well-versed in this?

        Yue Yiwan remained silent for a few seconds, clearly unable to imagine himself as a married person, and just nodded in agreement.

        The afternoon’s posture class went less smoothly. Previously, he had only needed to jog, stretch, or play tennis, but now they were working on flexibility. As someone who rarely left home and had spent recent years making clothes by his mannequin, Yue Yiwan struggled with the exercises.

        His bones creaked under the teacher’s pressure, and he almost wanted to cry out, his image thoroughly ruined. He was even criticized for not stretching enough.

        Why does marriage need flexibility?! It’s not like I’m training for gymnastics!

        By the end of the day, he was thoroughly worn out, lying on the sofa trying to keep his posture graceful—though even in his exhausted state, he exuded a languid elegance.

        Hua Muzhi, sitting beside him, offered a cup of barley tea and sympathetically reassured him, "Just hang on for three more months, and it’ll be over."

        "All this just to marry you," Yue Yiwan muttered, reaching for the tea while aching all over. "Ouch, ouch..."

        His comment carried a hint of ambiguity, and the tips of Hua Muzhi’s ears turned slightly red as he reached out to massage Yue Yiwan’s shoulder.

        After his bath, Yue Yiwan smelled fresh from head to toe, yet he still couldn’t quite match the subtle fragrance on Hua Muzhi.

        He’d once secretly sniffed Hua Muzhi’s scent before, but he couldn’t identify the brand.

        Yue Yiwan was familiar with perfumes, but how did Hua Muzhi smell so good? There was no hint of artificial fragrance, and it lingered subtly all day—could it be some kind of exclusive imperial sandalwood?

        Hua Muzhi, seemingly uncomfortable with their close proximity, stepped back a bit. “What are you smelling?”

        “Your scent.” Yue Yiwan didn’t find this particularly intimate and slipped into professional mode, subconsciously searching for elements and inspiration.

        Hua Muzhi tilted his head to catch a whiff himself, then explained, “My clothes are scented with pear blossoms.”

        Yue Yiwan blinked in surprise and asked, “You scent them...every day?”

        “Yes, by wrapping pear blossoms and mint leaves in silk and steaming them to infuse freshly aired clothes.”

        The faint, natural sweetness was perfect, and it almost made one want to bury their face in his embrace.

        Is this what noble life is really like...?

        “The pear blossoms come from the early-summer trees near the Changming Spring. We collected quite a few this spring and dried them,” he said, assuming Yue Yiwan might want the same. “If you like, just let the steward know.”

        “What about others? Do they also use pear blossoms?”

        “They choose based on personal preference.” Hua Muzhi recalled, “My sister prefers begonias, and my mother likes roses. Their clothes are typically scented with those flowers.”

        One of the perks of marrying into nobility, indeed.

        Yue Yiwan smelled his own sleeve and decisively said, “I’ll just borrow yours.”

        In the summer heat, this scent was so refreshing—lightly sweet, and naturally pure.

        "Mmm"

        That evening, they did indeed carry a small lantern and return to the winding path. The palace attendants were tactful, pretending not to notice anything unusual.

        The small lantern was an antique from the old palace, with an ivory handle and gilded lotus design at the end. The gauzy screen diffused the light into a soft, gentle glow. The two of them walked side by side in the dark, and with the narrowness of the path, they would occasionally brush against each other.

        Hua Muzhi found another spot on a stone step a bit further away, and paused in thought as he held his brush. It was drizzling again, so Yue Yiwan held the oiled-paper umbrella over him and waited by his side.

        After carefully writing his verse and adding the date, the crown prince handed him the brush. “Would you like to write something too?”

        Yue Yiwan hesitated, thinking that he didn’t exactly need such an ancient kind of message board. Taking the brush and passing the umbrella handle to Hua Muzhi, he squatted down and wrote four characters:

        “Good winds will follow.”

        The moon rises in the east, and good winds will follow.

        Hua Muzhi saw what he wrote and asked, “Aren’t you going to see what I wrote?”

        “No need,” Yue Yiwan replied with a playful blink. “One of these days, if I can’t sleep in the middle of the night, I might just come down and see it.” "If we spend even more time together, perhaps this entire street will be filled with your thoughts and feelings. When the time comes, I’ll read them all".

        Gradually, life began to settle into a routine.

        Night owl Yue Yiwan had completely adjusted to an elder’s lifestyle, going to bed at ten and rising at six, taking breakfast and then going to offer his morning greetings. Sometimes they walked together, with the large white dog following, tail wagging, and occasionally running into the bushes to chase butterflies. They had also visited the East Palace's Moon River and the aviary, both of which offered beautiful views.

        After finishing two classes in the afternoon, the rest of the time was theirs.

        Yue Yiwan would go to the Xiqing Pavilion to work on his clothing designs, sometimes cutting out small robes and consulting the palace embroiderers to ensure he got the details right. Time passed quickly, and it was soon time for another class.

        As usual, Teacher Feng maintained a serious expression. After ensuring that both the crown prince and consort were present, he cleared his throat and announced, “Today we begin more private lessons.”

        “Some topics may feel a bit awkward, but in the interest of your happiness, I ask that you both attend these next ten lessons without fail.”

        The tip of Yue Yiwan’s pen, which was busy doodling little figures, suddenly slipped as an ominous feeling crept into his heart.

        Could it be that the next lessons would—

        “Today, we’ll cover the ten types of kissing.” Teacher Feng flipped through his notes. “Knowing a bit more won’t hurt.”

        Wait!!

        Marriage is one thing, but why this bizarre training?!

        Teacher, please reconsider!!!

        Author’s Note:

        Teacher (knocks on desk): Pay attention! How will you be happy if you don’t pay attention?

        Yue Yiwan: Hua Muzhi, why are you taking notes?!!

....................

Please support me by buying me ko-fi guys: https://ko-fi.com/afeitransmtl

Thank youuu....

Previous | Table of Contents | Next