The Flood Controller's Wife

Chapter 31: The prince's tent

Weiying tidied his hair and wiped off the dirt on his face as best as he could. He then followed the guard who held a small lantern to illuminate the area. He had been here for a few months and knew the place. but he had never taken this route.

"This isn't the usual route to your highness' place." He said to the guard escort. They had passed the fork leading to the prince's meeting room and study.

There was a small hot spring at a secluded area in the temporary war camp extension that Qi had built. For the prince's comfort, he had ordered an enclosure be built around the small pond for his bathing comfort. Weiying was ushered there. the soldiers were often heard gossiping about this particular place about how the few of them bathed here before the prince discovered it and made it his own private bathing quarter. Since then, to the soldier's dismay, no one else but the prince was allowed to use it. Weiying guessed faintly that he was heading to that hot spring area. He had a bad feeling and worried for Yubin's safety.

"Yes minister. Your highness had ordered to meet you here."

When the guards at the door saw Weiying arrive at entrance, he disappeared behind the room. This place was also heavily guarded. Weiying had seen the familiar faces and lived in this place with them close to three months now. So he would smile to them and occasionally made small talks. But this time, the guards on the night shift had solemn expressions on their faces. When Weiying tried to make conversation, they shook their heads indicating they did not want to talk. Weiying swallowed the unpleasant feeling in his heart but carried a straight face.

He looked around and thought that this place should be the residence's bath house that was connected to a nearby hot spring through pipes. Weiying's father had told him the story long ago where he was summoned to create a hot spring entrapment area in one of the royal residence. He had to build a pipeline and engineered a pump to get the water to fill the bathhouse. it was without say that the royal family was unlike commoners. They demanded privacy and luxury when enjoying the few indulgences such as nature's hot spring. Weiying was a child back then and he dreamt of seeing the real thing.

"That precious place was only worthy of the royal family's use. We shouldn't even dream of it." his father had said to him long ago. When he grew older, he did try hot spring baths in the open but he was curious what this legendary enclosed bath could look like. His thoughts could not help falter to recall something of the past. Weiying sighed. He returned to solemn mood quickly. This was no time to reminiscence the past. Yubin was locked up and he had to bargain for his freedom.

The sky was clear and the moon shone brightly above. The guard who had disappeared came out and brought him inside. it was much warmer inside. Weiying was led to the huge bathhouse. He could see the mist more profoundly covering the air around him. A blurry azure pond was within his view, shrouded by the mist and strange fragrance coming from the incense burner by the sides of the pool wafted in the air. He recognized the scent- cedarwood. But it was not pure cedarwood. The cedarwood seemed to have been infused with another mysterious scent. Its sweetness intoxicating and Weiying could not recognize what it was. The guard gestured for him to enter while he stayed put outside.

Weiying lifted the long flowing translucent curtain and got behind the screen. He could see a blurry silhouette of a man seated on the far end of the wall. He was wearing only a bathrobe. Steam covered his exposed chest. Another person sat between his knees and his face was buried in between his legs. A woman? yet seeing that wide shoulders and the somewhat masculine profile made his heart almost skip a beat. A man? The scene made his hairs stand on ends. He wondered if was supposed to wait outside instead. But then the guard clearly ushered him inside. Did they make a mistake? Weiying wanted confirmation. He looked around and found that there were no guards inside the room. They were all waiting outside. Weiying stood dazed and through the mist, the distinct faces blurred by the mist gradually cleared. His eyes met that man's eyes. It was none other than his highness the third price himself.