Marriage to the Royal Prince's Uncle

C83. The Art of Gentle Influence.

Chapter 83

Before the burial of the late little emperor, Yunzhu, as his aunt, found herself confined to the estate, unable to go out frequently.

The beauty of spring beckoned to her, drawing Yunzhu to the vast and enchanting garden of Duke Dingguo's mansion each day.

The gardens were expansive, adorned with renowned flowers in their own right. In April, the peach blossoms had given way to clusters of fresh green leaves, while the peonies eagerly awaited their time to bloom.

Yunzhu had taken to visiting the peony garden regularly, keeping a watchful eye on the burgeoning flower buds. Among them, a particular white peony flourished the most, its fist-sized flower buds on the cusp of a graceful unfurling.

During dinner, Yunzhu shared her discovery with Cao Xun.

He, at thirty-two, was content to wait two more years before considering starting a family. Yunzhu, a year his junior, harbored no qualms about delaying their plans if the course of love did not run smoothly. Yet, for both, the swiftest resolution would be the most favorable.

If they could truly find love together, what need would there be for divorce?

Cao Xun yearned for her affection, and Yunzhu sought to gauge if he could truly forsake his previous reluctance to settle down.

With the matter of a child now settled, Yunzhu pledged to treat him as a husband for the remainder of their two-year probation.

Seeing her anticipation regarding the white peony, Cao Xun remarked, "I thought you preferred the red variety."

Yunzhu replied, "If they blossom simultaneously, I will favor the red. For now, I am partial to whichever blooms first."

Cao Xun smiled.

The following morning, before daybreak, Cao Xun rose and spent two quarters of an hour honing his martial skills. With his daily governmental duties, he could only find time for practice in the morning and evening.

After putting away his sword, Ah Jiu brought a warm towel.

Cao Xun wiped the sweat from his face and neck, noticing it was still early and she was still asleep. His excitement surged, and he swiftly adorned his official uniform to visit the peony garden.

Strolling along the perimeter of the floral haven, Cao Xun surveyed the budding peonies, seeking the white peony that had occupied Yunzhu's thoughts.

Alas, after a thorough examination, Cao Xun found no white peony buds matching her description. They had all been tightly curled the day before, and yet today, they should have shown some signs of unfurling.

Turning back, Cao Xun spotted a broken branch on a white peony plant, with two small flower buds. The section of the broken branch was dotted with water droplets, evidence that it had been recently severed.

Who in this house would dare to cut the peonies that she longs for?

Cao Xun's gaze turned cold as he looked towards the west courtyard.

A quarter of an hour later, Cao Xun returned to the backyard. On days without court meetings, he could enjoy breakfast at home before leaving.

After spending some time in the second room, Yunzhu woke up inside. Lian Qiao and Shiliu came in with water to serve her.

Yunzhu took her time getting ready, knowing that the most time-consuming part was combing her hair. When she finally emerged, another quarter of an hour had passed.

Rather than rushing to see the flowers, she chose to have breakfast with Cao Xun. To her surprise, he was in no hurry to leave for the government office and insisted on playing chess with her.