Harem Daily Life

When He Jin'an returned to Qingyun Palace, Hua Yurong had already cried once.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" He Jin'an hugged him. "I was wrong yesterday. I... Don't worry, I will take full responsibility for this."

Hua Yurong shook her head: "I'm not asking about you or me. I just want to know how the Fifth Princess is doing." Hua Yurong's voice was hoarse and choked with sobs.

He Jin'an sighed softly: "Fortunately, it was just a sleeping potion, not some other kind of poison, otherwise... Yue Rong, your sister is really too lawless."

Hua Yurong hurriedly tried to kneel down to beg for forgiveness, but He Jin'an helped her up: "Fifth Sister is just unconscious and is fine. Father has not yet said how to deal with her, but I have pleaded with Mother for leniency, so the punishment will not be too severe. Don't worry."

Hua Yurong bit her lip and said, "I never expected her to be so foolish as to conspire with Jing Yuwei. Your Highness, it's all my fault for not being careful enough. I will never bring food to the princesses again."

They are all precious daughters of noble families; she can't bear the responsibility if something happens to them.

He Jin'an pinched her cheek: "Don't let a bad experience stop you from trying. Just be more careful in the future. Alright, you're new to this, so you must feel a bit uncomfortable. Is there anything that hurts? Let me rub it for you."

At this, Hua Yurong's cheeks instantly turned bright red, and she said shyly, "No, it's nothing. I originally wanted to wait for the prince to return so that he could take me home."

It was truly inappropriate for her to move into the palace before even being married. Hua Yuerong felt extremely ashamed and uneasy.

He Jin'an noticed that even the tips of her ears were red, and recalling the intimate moments the two of them had shared on the bed the previous day, he felt a little restless again.

The temperature in the bedchamber was rising. He Jin'an slowly approached, his breath brushing against Hua Yurong's face: "Yurong, why don't you stay another day? It's getting late today, and I'll send you out of the palace early tomorrow morning, how about that?"

Hua Yue Rong was startled: "No, isn't that inappropriate?"

Remembering something, she couldn't help but look at He Jin'an's lower body: "Could it be that Your Highness has not been completely cured of the poison?"

That medicine's effects are incredibly long-lasting!

Jing Yuwei really used a strong medicine!

He Jin'an choked, then frowned: "No, the effects of the drug wore off long ago. I was conscious during the last two times."

One sentence instantly made Hua Yurong explode: "Then why didn't you stop?"

A pair of round, moist eyes looked at He Jin'an. He Jin'an lifted her chin, his voice seductive: "Why stop?" He kissed her naturally, and He Jin'an felt that he might be going crazy.

When Hua Yurong woke up again, it was already the next morning. She was in a daze and didn't know how she had been led astray by He Jin'an once again.

He Jin'an came in from outside and his heart melted when he saw her dazed and adorable appearance.

"Meow." A soft, cuddly kitten meow rang out, and a calico cat emerged from beside He Jin'an's feet.

The calico cat sat properly in front of the bed, its eyes fixed on Hua Yue Rong.

"So cute, is it the prince's pet?" Hua Yurong smiled, wanting to pet the kitten, but then remembered that she was naked under the covers and didn't dare to show her arms.

He Jin'an smiled and brought her some clothes: "Ever since I first met you, I've been thinking about getting a cat. I chose this one and have been raising it for a while now. It's become quite intelligent. By the way, its name is Xiao Hua."

"Little Flower?" Hua Yuerong pouted, "She has the same surname as me."

He Jin'an smiled and patted her head: "I got up here on special." Having a cute little flower like her to keep him company when she wasn't around was quite enjoyable.

Hua Yuerong quickly accepted the name. After all, a parrot can be surnamed He, so what's wrong with a kitten being surnamed Hua? No problem.

He Jin'an wanted to help Hua Yurong get dressed, but Hua Yurong refused, chased him out, and dressed herself before letting him in.

The palace maids followed her in and helped Hua Yuerong with her hair and makeup. Breakfast was also served, and a large table was set out.

He Jin'an ladled out a bowl of chicken porridge and handed it to her: "Fifth Sister has woken up and has a good appetite as always. Don't worry, she's fine now. Mother sent many tonics and jewelry over to thank you."

Hua Yurong sipped her porridge: "Thank me?"

Meeting He Jin'an's teasing gaze, she instantly understood what Xie Conglai meant and quickly shut her mouth, no longer daring to ask.

"The Empress Dowager originally wanted to see you, but she was worried that you would be shy, so she only gave you a reward. I will take you back to the Hua family in a while, and by the way... settle the punishment that Hua Ruyan should receive as well."

Hua Yurong put down her chopsticks: "How should we punish her?"

Although the two did not get along, Hua Yuerong could not help but worry because she was still her younger sister.

"Fifth Sister is the daughter of the Empress Dowager and the youngest princess. She is deeply loved by Father Emperor. Father Emperor's punishment of Hua Ruyan with ten strokes of the cane is already considered lenient."

Hua Yurong bit her lip. The long, heavy paddle landing on her would likely have been unbearable even for Hua Ruyan after just three strokes. But this was her own fault; her heart was impure, and she deserved punishment.

"As for the Han Prince's Mansion, the Emperor fined him 10,000 taels of silver to compensate the person who made the Chinese medicine. The steward who did the dirty work was sentenced to nine years in prison and exiled to the frontier. The Prince's Mansion was downgraded to a Marquis's Mansion, and Marquis Jing was ordered to take his family back to Yanzhou. He was not allowed to enter the capital without being summoned. Jing Yuwei was beaten with thirty strokes of the cane and her leg is now lame."

Hua Yurong never expected that just two days later, the Han Prince's Mansion would receive the punishment they deserved, which was truly gratifying.

“If it weren’t for the Fourth Princess’s plea, the punishment would have been even more severe.” He Jin’an put two more shrimp wontons on Hua Yurong’s plate. “The Fourth Princess knelt outside Chang Le Palace for several hours. In the end, Father Emperor’s heart softened.”

Hua Yurong didn't know what to say, so she could only say, "Parents all over the world are full of love and concern. His Majesty is only making an exception because he cares about his children."

Thinking that she had been away from home for three days and that her parents must be missing her day and night and worrying about her, Hua Yurong quickened her eating pace.

Hua Ruyan waited anxiously for three days at the Hua family home, but no one came to arrest her, so she thought the matter was over. Unexpectedly, after lunch, Prince Jin escorted Hua Yurong back, bringing with him the imperial eunuch who was supposed to deliver the imperial decree.

The master and servants of the Hua family knelt on the ground to receive the imperial decree, and as they listened, they all broke out in a cold sweat.

"Help! Help! Father, Mother, please save me! I don't want to be beaten! That's ten strokes of the cane! How can I possibly endure that?"

Hua Ruyan cried and pleaded, "Sister, sister, I beg you, please save me, Your Highness, Your Highness, please save me! I know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again!"

Hua's mother covered her face and wept without saying a word, while Hua's father's eyes were also red, unable to bear to look at her.

That was an imperial decree, an act of imperial authority. Even if they begged Prince Jin, he wouldn't intervene. Because this time, Hua Ruyan had harmed His Majesty's most beloved little princess!

It's really self-inflicted, and you can't live.