Ch. 321 Shifting Responsibility
Prince Jin stiffened, but he quickly regained his usual calm and patted Consort Liang's back to console her. "Mother, it was I who wanted to go, so this isn't your fault. Besides, I've returned safely, haven't I?"
Ever since Consort Liang had adopted him, Prince Jin had addressed her as Mother, just like Second Prince did.
Hearing Prince Jin's words of consolation, Consort Liang made great efforts to hold back her tears. "You're right, Ah Yi, I was overthinking things. Come, both of you, take a seat! I'll have the food served up now. I cooked dinner myself today, so the two of you had better eat more!"
The servants quickly laid out the dishes, and the 'happy family' sat around the table. It was part of palace etiquette to stay silent while eating, so it was a quiet meal.
Consort Liang didn't eat much herself, but she repeatedly filled the bowls of the princes with food.
After dinner, Consort Liang had her attendant bring out a brand new robe.
She pulled Prince Jin over and said with a wide smile, "Here, try this on, see if it fits you. I made this for you last year, but since you didn't return for the new year, it's been in storage until now."
Prince Jin accepted Consort Liang's kindness as per usual.
Off to the side, Crown Prince added enviously, "Fourth Brother, I bet you didn't know that Mother only made a robe for you. I didn't get one!"
Consort Liang immediately smacked the crown prince's shoulder. "What are you saying! You've already formed a family, so if you want a robe, get your wife to make one for you. Ah Yi is still all alone. As his mother, I obviously have to shower him with more love."
When it was close to midnight, Prince Jin finally returned to his estate.
His aide who followed closely behind him held the new robe up with both hands and asked, "Your Highness, shall I pass this robe to momo for keeping?"
Prince Jin's voice suddenly turned cold and sinister. "Burn it!"
His aide was stunned by the unexpected reaction, but he immediately complied. The aide quickly had someone bring forth a brazier and he tossed the robe that they brought back from Consort Liang's place straight into the fire.
Prince Jin stood beside his own bed. As there was nothing lit in the room, only the silver-white moonlight that shone through the windows gave light to Prince Jin's figure.
In his mind, the reminder that Consort Liang had given him before he left resounded over and over.
"Ah Yi, your Second Brother isn't as capable as you are, so please help him as much as possible in the future."
Hmph! Help him?
......
Chu Lian was in the middle of drinking honey water in her courtyard when Xiyan rushed in with a smile on her face.
Chu Lian glanced at her and asked, "What's going on? Is it good news?"
Xiyan nodded like a chick picking rice grains off the ground. "Third Young Madam, I heard that Guilin Restaurant is closing down soon."
Chu Lian nearly spit out all the honey water in her mouth.
What? That was way faster than she expected!
"What happened?"
Even without her at the helm of Guilin Restaurant, it shouldn't have shut down so quickly. Before she had taken it over, Guilin Restaurant had been constantly in the red, but it had never been at the risk of closing down.
Xiyan came closer to her and whispered, "I heard that there were nobles in the capital who wrote letters of complaint."
Pfft...
It suddenly dawned upon Chu Lian. No wonder Lady Yang had sent her a letter two days ago. She had questions about Guilin Restaurant, so Chu Lian had tactfully replied that Guilin Restaurant was now back in the hands of the matriarch, and that she was no longer managing it.
That made sense though. Back when Guilin Restaurant had first reopened, the main market of consumers she targeted had been the capital's upper class. Now that the management of Guilin Restaurant had been swapped out, the ones who bore the brunt of it were the nobles. Matriarch He may have some authority in the capital, but it was nothing when going against the higher ranking nobility. Guilin Restaurant's permanent closure was something that would have happened sooner or later.
Xiyan took out a letter from her sleeves and presented it to Chu Lian. "Third Young Madam, this letter came from the northern border. It's from Manager Qin."
Chu Lian opened the letter and skimmed through it quickly.
When she finished reading, she smiled and said, "Manager Qin has finished setting up the simple market, so he and the others are already on the way back to the capital."
Since everything was going swimmingly, Xiyan was happy as well.
The mood in Songtao Court was harmonious with the sounds of laughter and happy chatter, but it was the complete opposite in the gloomy Qingxi Hall.
The matriarch slammed the letters in her hand on the side table, her complaints bursting out in a furious exclamation. "This is absurd! How can these people be so brazen!"
He Ying stood by her side, dabbing at her tears. "Mother, please don't be angry. It's all my fault. I couldn't find a good chef, causing Guilin Restaurant to get criticised."
Senior Servant Liu stood behind the matriarch and patted the matriarch's back. There was a disapproving expression on her face as she looked at He Ying.
"Enough, stop weeping. This isn't completely your fault; Sanlang's wife transferred all of the original personnel away, so there's nothing you could have done about it!"
He Ying wiped away her tears and nodded dejectedly. "Mother, what are we going to do then? Our family still needs funds! We couldn't possibly go borrowing from others, right?!"
There was only a small amount of funds left in the public accounts in the first place. After they were returned to Matriarch He's hands, Muxiang and He Ying had both taken their cut, leaving a paltry sum of income. The funds couldn't cover their estate's expenses now.
The matriarch's brows were furrowed tightly together. She hadn't thought that she would have to worry about their bread and butter even after reaching such a grand old age. She should've been happily retired by now.
Seeing the terrible expression on the matriarch's face, Pan Nianzhen spoke up in a soft tone, "Grandmother, I've heard that Aunt's health has gotten much better. She can get off the bed and walk around now, as well as take care of the management of her courtyard!"
Thanks to Pan Nianzhen's reminder, a lightbulb went off in He Ying's head.
She looked approvingly at her daughter. "Mother, Nianzhen is right. You're already in your golden years. This is when you should be able to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. It shouldn't be up to you to manage these tiresome matters in the estate. Sister-in-Law's health wasn't up to the task in the past, but now that she's healthy again, shouldn't she be the one to manage these household matters?"
The matriarch's body wasn't as hearty and hale as it had been in the past. She was starting to struggle with the estate's management. Her daughter's suggestion sounded perfectly reasonable to her. Since she didn't want to handle these trivialities any longer, she might as well hand it off to her daughter-in-law.
Her daughter-in-law had been resting for so many years. It was indeed time for her to take the mantle back up again.
Gears were turning in Eldest Madam's head as she thought of how best to gouge another cut from the funds after handing the public accounts over to Countess Jing'an.
Once the account books reached her sister-in-law's hands, it would then be her business to take care of making ends meet. It wouldn't have anything to do with her.
While He Ying was deep in thought, the matriarch brought up an abrupt question. "Miss Ying, how are Nianzhen's marriage prospects going?"
Since the new year had passed, Matriarch He had been busy looking at potential grooms for Pan Nianzhen. Her friends had passed on some candidates, but her daughter and granddaughter had rejected all of them.
Actually, she wasn't very satisfied with the choices presented either. Most of them were from minor officials' families, or some poor households. If the potential candidate had some money, then it was only because they were a lowly merchant.
Unfortunately, the matriarch hadn't taken Pan Nianzhen's status into consideration while thinking this.
Other than being linked to House Jing'an through her mother, she didn't have any other redeeming qualities to her. Her mother was also a widow who had abandoned her husband's house. In her younger days, her mother had also made a bad name for herself.
It hadn't been easy to collect this list of men without any bad reputation.
Actually, He Ying didn't like the potential candidates because she had her mind set on He Erlang.
She secretly glanced at her mother to gauge her mood before pretending to be furious. "All of them are looking down on us! Look at who they've recommended. Miss Zhen has been suffering with me ever since her childhood. How could I let her marry just anyone? Wouldn't she have to continue suffering under her mother-in-law after marrying then?"
Ch. 322 He Ying's Confidence
Pan Nianzhen wordlessly bowed her head as if she had suffered a major grievance.
Matriarch He felt a little guilty in her heart. She sighed and said, "It was all my fault for agreeing with your father's decision to marry you off to Siyang that year."
He Ying hastily shook her head. "Mother, what are you saying? It's already been so many years. I've already moved on from what had happened. At that time, I was the one in the wrong, causing Mother to lose face."
After spending time together these past few days, He Ying had already noticed that her mother wasn't as sharp as before. She has become more muddle-headed and soft-hearted as she got older. Every time she acknowledged her mistakes and acted pitiful, her mother would be especially affectionate to her.
She had tried this trick many times and it had worked every time so far.
As expected, Matriarch He's face was filled with remorse. Her heart ached as she patted her daughter's hand. "Don't worry, Miss Ying. Mother will find a good husband for Nianzhen."
Pan Nianzhen was her daughter's only child, so she couldn't bear letting her suffer.
A corner of He Ying's lips curled in celebration of her success, hidden by the shadows falling over her face.
Her eyes darted about. She felt that this was a good chance to mention her suggestion to her mother.
She organised her thoughts and moved closer to Matriarch He. Then, she hugged Matriarch He's arm and swung it lightly. "Mother, Miss Pan is my only daughter. I can't bear to let her marry somewhere far away. I'm also worried that her husband's family will mistreat her. After all, I experienced that misery myself in the past. If possible, I would rather keep Miss Pan right here with me forever."
The matriarch's gaze was unfocused. A bitter, remorseful expression emerged on her face. It was hard to tell if she was thinking of the year that her daughter had been sent off far away.
He Ying continued, "Mother, Erlang is already twenty-five this year. The sons of other families around his age already have several children by now. Since he's still single, there are unpleasant rumours spreading outside. Miss Pan is Erlang's younger cousin and she's also at a suitable age. Since Erlang doesn't want to marry a woman that he doesn't know, why don't we pair them up? Elder Sister-in-Law has a good personality, so I'll be at ease with her taking care of Miss Zhen."
Matriarch He was baffled by her daughter's words.
Although she wanted to help her granddaughter find a good husband, she had never considered letting her granddaughter marry into her own household.
Erlang was an old bachelor and she had been continuously searching for a suitable bride for him. However, Erlang was stubborn and he had never agreed to any of her suggestions before.
Although He Erlang seemed careless, he actually had his way of doing things. Even his mother couldn't convince him otherwise, let alone his grandmother!
If it wasn't so, she wouldn't be waiting for a grandson still.
Matriarch He didn't blindly agree with her daughter's suggestion this time. Her expression became stern for a moment, but she instantly felt that she was being too harsh on her. Thus, she relaxed her expression and tried to persuade otherwise. "Miss Ying, it's not that I don't want to help Miss Zhen, but it's really not appropriate to have Erlang marry her."
He Ying didn't think that her normally agreeable mother would reject her immediately. Her eyes reddened in grievance. She pulled her arm back and complained, "Mother, you don't say it out loud, but you actually hold contempt for us, right? Scorning us for potentially staining my nephew's reputation."
The matriarch was heartbroken when she saw her daughter weeping. "There's no such thing. Miss Ying, why would I scorn you? I gave birth to you! You're my very own daughter!"
"Then why won't you Mother agree to Miss Pan and Erlang's marriage? Erlang isn't getting any younger. Don't you know the rumours that other people are spreading about Erlang? Miss Pan is as beautiful as a flower and of a suitable age. Apart from her family background, which part of her isn't worthy to match Erlang?!"
The matriarch hesitated after listening to her daughter's words, but she recalled her son's letter and what her grandson had purposely told her. Thus, she bore with the pain and shook her head. "Miss Ying, it's not that Mother doesn't want to agree, but I'm not the one who can make a decision regarding this matter. Your elder brother sent a letter back saying that Erlang will be the one to decide his own marriage. Furthermore, your sister-in-law's health is better now. Erlang is her son, so we have to seek her opinion for this, too."
Furthermore, He Erlang had already informed Matriarch He at the beginning of the year that he had a girl whom he liked and that he would be getting married this year.
Back then, she had been the one who had requested the Empress Dowager to bestow a marriage for He Sanlang. Count Jing'an had sent a letter from Mingzhou to express his rage over that. Thus, the old matriarch didn't dare to arbitrarily make decisions over Erlang's marriage now.
Count Jing'an was also her son. Though she wanted to pamper her daughter, her son and grandsons were the ones who would inherit the family assets. They were equally important to her.
Since both sides were dear to her, it wasn't easy for Matriarch He to speak for one over the other.
With that, He Ying understood that it would be difficult to persuade her mother right now.
She decided to give up for now and changed the topic.
Matriarch He was inwardly relieved when she noticed that her daughter dropped the matter. The smile returned to her face and she happily chatted about other things.
Neither of them took notice of Pan Nianzhen, who was beside them. Her head was bowed, her bangs covering her face.
Under the cover of her fringe, she breathed a long sigh of relief and slightly loosened the tight grip she had on the handkerchief in her hand.
She didn't like strong and burly men like Second Cousin. She preferred beautiful men like Third Cousin and Scholar Xiao.
Her heart had actually relaxed since the talk about her marriage with Second Cousin hadn't succeeded.
As long as Chu Lian remained childless, she trusted that she would definitely become Third Cousin's woman.
Pan Nianzhen subconsciously clenched her fists as she was filled with confidence.
When He Ying left Qingxi Hall's parlour with her daughter, her eyes narrowed slightly.
She had already decided to have her daughter marry He Erlang. If the proper way didn't work, then she would have to try alternative methods.
He Ying quickly pulled her daughter back to their room in Qingxi Hall.
She ordered all the maidservants to leave and had someone trustworthy guard the door. When it was just the two of them in the room, He Ying tugged on her daughter's arm and sternly asked, "Miss Zhen, tell Mother the truth, are you willing to stay in House Jing'an?"
Although Eldest Madam was idiotic and her personality was greedy and selfish, she truly doted on her only daughter, Pan Nianzhen, with all her heart.
She didn't have a son, so she needed her daughter to take care of her in her old age!
Pan Nianzhen raised her head to look at her mother, hesitating to speak.
He Ying was getting impatient. "I'm asking you a question! Why are you still hesitating in front of your mother? If you don't agree, I won't force you."
Pan Nianzhen thought about the handsome He Changdi with his refined bearing and his cold temperament. His deep eyes were always impenetrable, carrying an attractive sense of mysteriousness. With that thought, her cheeks instantly flushed. She summoned up her courage and nodded.
"Mother, I understand my own status, so I don't dare to have any improper desires regarding House Jing'an." Although Pan Nianzhen usually kept very quiet, she was actually a very manipulative person.
A classic example of 'a dog that bites won't bark.'
She had triggered her mother's competitive nature with just a few words.
He Ying had always believed that House Jing'an owed her a lot. Thus, as long as her daughter was willing to marry into House Jing'an, there was nothing impossible about it to her.
She patted the back of Pan Nianzhen's hand and said, "Miss Zhen, if you want to marry into House Jing'an, then I have my ways to make it happen. You're my daughter, so keep in mind, you're just as good as any of those royal princesses and honoured ladies."
Ch. 323 How Do I Walk Like This
He Ying and her daughter were whispering in their room with their heads lowered. It was hard to tell what kind of wishful plans they were making.
A while later, Pan Nianzhen widened her eyes in shock. "Mother, this... this doesn't seem appropriate!"
She couldn't believe that He Ying would tell her to use that kind of method.
He Ying sneered. "How is it improper?! As long as we can achieve our goal, there's no such thing as an inappropriate method!"
Once things were done and settled, and with her to put her foot down, she refused to believe that her daughter wouldn't be able to marry Erlang!
Pan Nianzhen nervously gulped and took a deep breath. Her hesitant gaze slowly shifted into resolute determination.
"Alright, I'll listen to Mother. I know you're the one who treats me the best in this world." Pan Nianzhen had warm words to speak, but those weren't the true thoughts within her heart.
Her mother had devised a plan for her and she was also going to make the arrangements for it. However, she had her own twist in mind.
This was something that she hid even from He Ying.
However, neither of them noticed that the maidservant whom they had trusted to guard the door, Pinglu, had already inwardly taken note of their plan. She even reported it directly to the matriarch's handmaid, Muxiang, later on.
For some reason, Chu Lian's whole body felt terribly uncomfortable after drinking the nourishing soup today. It was nearing the end of February and it was still rather chilly outside, yet she couldn't stand wearing even the lightest cotton clothes in her room.
Her body was so hot that her face was also flushed red.
As she leaned askew on the chaise while looking over the account book sent by Manager Qin, Chu Lian appeared to be in low spirits.
The bedroom was heated, so the handmaids didn't stop Chu Lian from only wearing a single thin garment inside.
Chu Lian set down the account book impatiently. She looked towards Xiyan and Jingyan, who were moving around quietly as they tidied the room, and asked, "Aren't you hot? Why are you still wearing vests?"
When they heard her question, Xiyan and Jingyan stopped what they were doing and shook their heads in reply.
"Third Young Madam, why would it be hot? It's still early spring. The branches of the willow trees have just begun to bloom; the capital is still quite chilly," Xiyan answered with a smile.
Chu Lian stared at their faces. That seemed to be the case. They had been constantly walking around to organise things inside this warm room, yet there wasn't any sweat on their foreheads at all. It was clear that the weather wasn't hot to them.
Chu Lian used the account book to fan her face. Her cheeks were rosy, making her appear like a delicate, languid begonia flower.
"Why do I feel so hot?" Chu Lian exclaimed with irritation.
She really missed the days of eating ice cream during winter. With that thought, Chu Lian smacked her lips while lying on the chaise.
The handmaids knew exactly why Third Young Madam was feeling hot, but they weren't thick-skinned enough to tell Chu Lian directly.
After hearing her complaint, they bowed their heads with flushed faces and remained silent, pretending not to hear her.
Chu Lian promptly sat up on the chaise, smacking her lips a couple more times. "Xiyan, can you go get me some pears to eat?"
Xiyan didn't dare to agree to her request. She had a troubled expression on her face as she replied, "Third Young Madam, please have mercy on this servant. Senior Servant Zhong has repeatedly warned us that you're not allowed to eat cold-natured foods. If Third Young Master finds out, then this servant will be in serious trouble."
Chu Lian raised her eyebrows. "Whose maidservant are you exactly? You're not even listening to me anymore!"
"Please have mercy on this servant. Both you and Third Young Master are my masters, so this servant can only follow the rules without bias."
Chu Lian sighed. He Changdi was truly frightening. The maidservants in her courtyard had all submitted to him.
"Since I can't eat pears, can I at least take a bath?" Chu Lian compromised.
"Third Young Madam, please wait a moment. This servant will prepare a bath for you immediately." Xiyan told Jingyan to finish organising the rest before heading out to instruct a maidservant to prepare hot water for bathing.
He Changdi returned to Songtao Court much earlier today, as compared to his track record over the past few days.
As soon as he returned, a maidservant had told him that Chu Lian was bathing. The stiff expression on his face promptly relaxed and a faint trace of humour emerged in his eyes.
He walked into the bedroom and changed his clothes. After that, he sat on the chaise and drank a cup of warm water. Although he still maintained an icy expression on his face, he was already feeling quite restless within his heart.
Only the heavens knew how difficult it had been for him to endure these past few days.
He had finally made it past the number of days Great Doctor Miao had instructed him to wait. He Changdi was so restless that he didn't even have the mood to continue working today, so he had returned to the estate much earlier than usual.
Chu Lian had already been bathing for quite a while by the time He Changdi returned.
The hot steam coming from the bathtub had made her even more uncomfortable at first, but as the water gradually cooled down, it had become soothing.
With her whole body submerged in water, it felt like the heat being emitted from the core of her body was finally being driven out. She sighed comfortably as she leaned against the bathtub, unwilling to get up.
Before Xiyan even noticed that there was something amiss, He Sanlang had already furrowed his brows while resting inside the bedroom. He asked coldly, "How long has your young madam been bathing?"
Hearing his question, Xiyan calculated the time mentally, and her eyes instantly widened. "Replying... Replying to Third Young Master, almost an hour..."
He Changdi's sharp gaze swept towards Xiyan. His voice became even colder. "Go receive your punishment from Senior Servant Zhong."
After giving his order, he strode directly into the bathroom.
He shoved aside the thick curtains of the bathroom and was immediately greeted with the sight of the woman he was so worried about. She was currently leaning against the bathtub with her eyes closed. There wasn't much steam coming from the water within the tub anymore.
Anger filled He Changdi, pushing him to walk right over and pull the resting Chu Lian out of the bathtub.
Chu Lian had been leaning comfortably against the bathtub, deep in her thoughts, when he had abruptly fished her out of the water. She was completely dumbfounded by this sudden action.
When she turned around and saw that it was only He Sanlang, the thumping of her heart calmed down a little. However, she immediately realised that she wasn't wearing anything right now. Her cheeks were instantly covered in a bright blush.
She tried to use her hands to cover up her bare body, but her hands were too small for that. The spark of an idea suddenly flashed through her mind and she quickly covered up He Changdi's eyes with her hands instead.
"Put them down!" He Sanlang gave off a stern order in his slightly hoarse, magnetic voice.
Chu Lian's still wet body was being carried by He Changdi. Her husband's sleeves had been soaked through when he lifted her out of the bathtub, so they were quickly turning cold. However, the hands on her body felt scorching hot, making her tremble uncontrollably.
Chu Lian subconsciously shook her head, but she quickly realised that He Sanlang couldn't see her gesture.
She had no choice but to speak up and say, "I can't! I'm not wearing any clothes!"
Her voice was soft, sweet, and inexplicably alluring.
He Changdi suddenly let out a sudden burst of laughter. The curve of his pressed lips tilted upwards into a seductive smirk. "Which part of your body have I not seen before? Don't you think that it's too late to cover my eyes now?"
Chu Lian was instantly rendered speechless by his words, but her arms remained stubbornly still.
He Sanlang felt helpless. They had already consummated their marriage, but she was still so shy around him.
He sighed inwardly, but he tried his best to coax her patiently. "How do you expect me to walk around like this?"
Ch. 324 Too Much 'Nourishment'
The corners of Chu Lian's lips twitched. She had just found out they truly wouldn't be able to move in this position.
With her covering He Changdi's eyes and He Changdi carrying her...
"Then... then set me down and I'll walk by myself," Chu Lian suggested after a long moment.
He Sanlang's mouth curled into a smirk. "Are you sure?"
He made to set her down.
Chu Lian abruptly recalled the difference in height between them. If he really put her down like this, she would barely be able to cover his eyes, never mind that she would be straining to do so... In the end, she would be completely exposed to his gaze, putting her right back where she started in the first place.
Seeing He Sanlang about to let her down, Chu Lian raised her voice in alarm. "Wait, wait!" she cried.
He Sanlang's face was lit up with a mischievous smile. He shifted her higher and even managed to grope a feel while he was it. A blush immediately bloomed to life on Chu Lian's cheeks.
"You...!"
"Aren't you going to put down your hands? Do you really want to catch a cold?"
Chu Lian bit her lip and slowly pulled her arms back down.
She crossed her arms over her chest to hide the cherry buds on top of the 'hills of snow'. However, it only pushed her hills together to form an even deeper tempting valley.
He Sanlang's gaze travelled down her neck to behold the view of that valley. His pupils dilated with interest, but he managed to hide it quickly.
He Changdi would never put Chu Lian's health at stake for a mere joke. Worried that she would really catch a cold, he swiftly carried her over to the changing screen and grabbed a large cloak. Then, he wrapped it securely around her before running out of the bathroom with her still in his arms.
He took one of the blankets from the bed and added another layer of warmth around her before calling for Wenqing to help Chu Lian dry off. Meanwhile, he turned back and re-entered the bathroom instead.
When Wenqing came in to help Chu Lian dress up, she couldn't keep the smile off her face. Chu Lian was so embarrassed that she couldn't look up.
The sounds of splashing water came from the bathroom. It was only then that Chu Lian realised that the bath water hadn't been changed, and that it had already cooled down by the time she was done.
She hurriedly finished dressing and put on her shoes to rush over to the bathroom, only to see that her husband was already in the tub.
A twitch developed at the corner of her mouth. She reminded, "Hubby, that water's already been used. I'll call someone to get you a fresh change of water."
Before Chu Lian could set off, He Changdi stopped her. "No need, I'm already done."
Then, he stood up from the bathtub without warning.
Chu Lian got a good eyeful of his perfect figure: tightly packed abs, defined lines down his hips, and... a certain part of him that looked to be brimming with vigour...
Chu Lian: ......
The blush that had just faded from her cheeks came back to life, spreading all the way down to her neck this time.
She was stunned speechless by the sight. It took a good moment before she managed to shift her gaze away in a panic.
By then, He Changdi had already walked up to her and was nonchalantly putting on his clothes...
Chu Lian stomped her foot in annoyance before fleeing pathetically from the bathroom.
That He Sanlang! He looked like an cold, upright gentleman on the outside, but he was actually a great big pervert!
Wasn't he way too accepting of her? He had actually used her dirty bathwater...
When He Sanlang stepped out of the bathroom, Senior Servant Zhong had come over to ask if they would like their meal served now.
The couple had their dinner on the small table in the bedroom. It was an exceptionally fast meal and they quickly cleared the dishes.
While drinking her nourishing tonic, Chu Lian stared at He Changdi with a strange expression.
He Sanlang lifted a brow. "What's wrong?"
Chu Lian tilted her head to one side and said, "I thought you were acting especially weird today. Why are you so rushed for time today? You even ate dinner quickly. Do you have to go to your study and settle some business?"
A corner of He Sanlang's mouth twitched. He shot a look at his oblivious little woman and didn't deign to reply to her question immediately. Instead, he waved a hand at the servants to dismiss them.
Seeing the mood between the couple, Senior Servant Zhong understood what was going on. She bobbed towards He Changdi and Chu Lian before leading the two maidservants in the room away. She even considerately dismissed the maidservant who was supposed to be on the night shift.
For some reason, now that only she and He Changdi were left in the room, Chu Lian felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. There was a certain tension in the air. Her throat was starting to become a little dry, so she lifted her teacup to her lips and took a sip of warm water.
"It's still early, so why did you chase them all out? Do you have a lot of documents to go through? That's what you work on every night, right? Will you be tonight?"
Another twitch developed in He Sanlang's forehead. His wife was too good at ruining the mood.
If not for fear of losing control, would he have gone to his study every night to clear his mind?
Thinking of those painful days, He Changdi felt a pang of sympathy for himself.
He dropped all pretenses of courtesy with Chu Lian and quickly walked up to her. He bent down and immediately had her entire body wrapped up in his arms. Without further ado, he made large strides towards their bed.
Realisation finally dawned upon Chu Lian. Her face flushed tomato red, and for a moment, she thought about struggling. However, her body felt like it was on fire. There was a burning desire for He Changdi's affections in her heart...
He Changdi drew close to her reddened ear and bit her plump earlobe. His low voice had a hint of devilish temptation to it as he whispered, "I'm not going. I'll be keeping you company all night."
Chu Lian's body had become extremely sensitive after drinking the nourishing tonic for so many days. She couldn't bear with his wanton teasing.
As if a switch had suddenly been flipped, her body was starting to change.
By the time He Changdi set her down gently on their bed, her mind had already turned foggy and her consciousness was fluctuating between the boundary of reason and desire.
At some point, tears had begun to gather at the corners of her eyes, making her wide almond-shaped eyes even more alluring.
She tried her best to hold on to her last shred of sanity to stem the tide of desire flooding through her, but unfortunately, her efforts were futile.
Even though her rationality had already been taken over, Chu Lian still cringed from her actions deep inside. She couldn't understand why she had changed so much. This unwanted change gave her a terrible sense of defeat.
She whined and made her last struggle.
He Changdi hovered above her, looking down at her discomfited expression from above. He finally sighed and reached out to gently stroke her flushed cheek. His other hand went behind her back to soothe her tensed nerves. "Lian,'er, don't be scared. It's perfectly normal for you to feel this way."
He Sanlang's gentle voice managed to summon some of Chu Lian's wits back. She blinked at him in a dazed manner with tears in her eyes, as if urging him to continue his explanation.
He lowered his head and placed a soft peck on her lips before whispering, "Silly girl, didn't you realise that the tonic was making your body 'hotter'? Did you think that 'fire' could be doused with just a few slices of pears or by soaking in cold water?"
His wife was just too cute.
Chu Lian's reaction to He Changdi's explanation was a stunned stare.
She continued blinking her widened eyes without speaking.
He Sanlang buried his head in the space between her neck and shoulder, trying unsuccessfully to hide his muffled laughter.
He stopped his pretense of courtesy and plucked off her thin nightclothes with an agile twist of his hand.
After waiting for so long, He Sanlang had already reached his limits. His feast was already bared before his eyes. There was no turning back now!
Ch. 325 Count Jing'an is Returning
Perhaps due to her 'overnourishment', Chu Lian was especially energetic this night.
The couple kept at it all through the night. Even the experienced Senior Servant Zhong, who was on duty in the side room, couldn't help blushing over the noises she heard.
The next day, Chu Lian slept in until the sun was high in the sky.
She turned to one side without thinking and was suddenly re-acquainted with all the sore parts of her body, especially her waist...
When her eyes flickered open and her mind started to wake, the scenes from last night played in her head one by one.
Chu Lian's face turned bright red. She pulled the warm blankets to herself and beat the bed with her fists. Regret washed over her in waves.
How could He Changdi do that! He had actually hid the truth from her! No wonder she had felt that something was strange with her body these past few days. She even thought that He Sanlang had become a herbivore, but he was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing!
Thinking of the nourishing tonic she had readily drunk over the past few days, Chu Lian felt that she was a lamb being fattened for slaughter.
The crazy passion they had shared last night made Chu Lian wish she could spontaneously erase all her memories. Where did He Changdi learn all those shameful poses...
She pulled the covers over her face and hid like an ostrich with its head in the sand.
However, the sounds of footsteps outside the bedchamber made her get up again.
She took in a deep breath and rubbed at her warm cheeks. When she felt calm again, she asked, "What time is it?"
Wenlan was standing by the bed. When she heard the question, she immediately replied, "Third Young Madam, it's almost the eleventh hour of the morning."
Chu Lian stiffened up. She threw back the blankets and leapt up in a single instant.
At the sudden noise, Wenlan quickly added, "Third Young Madam, please don't worry. Third Young Master has already informed the matriarch and the countess before he left this morning. You don't have to greet them today."
Chu Lian blinked and let out her anxiety in a single breath. Although her relations with the matriarch had already soured, she still had to do what was required as a junior member of the family. If she was lacking in etiquette, it would reflect badly on her instead. Luckily, He Changdi had already taken care of that for her.
"Third Young Master went to the Ministry of War and said he would return in the afternoon. Would you like to get up now, Third Young Madam?"
Chu Lian lifted the bed curtains and told Wenlan to bring her clothes.
When she finished washing up and sat at the table for breakfast, she seemed to have the strange feeling that the servants were looking at her with knowing expressions, coupled with teasing glints.
She couldn't sit still. It felt like she had done something wrong.
After she was done with breakfast, Countess Jing'an even specially came over to Songtao Court to visit her with a bowl of soup...
The obvious intentions of her mother-in-law gave Chu Lian the urge to pummel He Changdi to get rid of all the embarrassment welling up within her.
However, she was still happy to see that Countess Jing'an had become well enough to visit her.
"Mother, do you feel any discomfort in your body now?"
Since her health had improved, her mood had never been better.
The current Countess Jing'an had filled out a little. Her cheeks were now rosy with the pink of health.
The countess shook her head with a smile. "Not at all. I'm perfectly healthy. I can eat well and sleep well. I never dared to dream of recovering my body to this state before."
Countess Jing'an had spent many years bedridden. Even though the root of her illness had been cured, she was still a little more fragile than most. She would have to be careful not to expend too much energy in the future. However, compared to her condition a few months ago, this was a vast improvement.
She was already very content with what she had now. Before this, she had been expecting to spend the rest of her life confined to a bed.
Sanlang's wife had been the one to bring Great Doctor Miao to the Jing'an Estate. It had also been Sanlang and his wife who had travelled thousands of miles, risking their lives in the north, to retrieve the key to her recovery, the Snow Mountain Mists flower. Chu Lian was definitely high in the list of people that Countess Jing'an was thankful for.
"My husband and I are thrilled that Mother has gotten better. I'm sure Father will be equally happy once he finds out."
When Chu Lian mentioned her father-in-law, Madam Liu suddenly remembered some news.
Her lips curved upwards and a warm smile blossomed on her face. He Changdi's lips were the most similar to his mother's; thin in shape, but not in feeling.
"Lian'er, I'm afraid you haven't heard this yet. Your father will be returning from Mingzhou soon. If I count the days... he must be on his way already!"
Chu Lian's eyes sparkled. Her father-in-law was on the way back to the capital?
This was happening half a year earlier than in the original novel!
She had already married into House Jing'an for more than six months, but she hadn't met her father-in-law yet!
Madam Liu seemed to have sensed her daughter-in-law's surprise and uncertainty. With a reassuring smile, she said, "There's no need to be scared. Dalang is the one who resembles your father the most amongst my three sons. While your father might look a little fierce, he's a softie inside. He loves doting on the younger generation the most."
Madam Liu's description gave Chu Lian a good guess at her father-in-law's appearance. She lost a little of her trepidation and started looking forward to meeting her father-in-law instead.
Countess Jing'an didn't stay for long. She soon headed back to her own courtyard with her handmaids in tow.
Chu Lian took a nap in the afternoon. When she woke up, it was to the sight of He Changdi reading a book while leaning against the headboard.
She rubbed her eyes and glared at He Sanlang. He seemed to have noticed her movements from the corner of his eyes. He reached out with one hand and pet her on the head. "Have you slept enough?"
Chu Lian wanted to scold him for getting too greedy last night, going until she had almost fainted. However, just as she was about to speak, her bashfulness overcame her and she stopped.
In the end, she expressed her feelings by giving him a good pinch on the arm.
He Sanlang's brow wasn't even ruffled by the attack. When she was done taking out her frustration on him, he turned to look at her. He unexpectedly took her hand in his and reached into his clothes, setting her hand down on the prominent muscles on his abdomen.
"Pinch here. Your hand will hurt from pinching my arm."
Chu Lian was utterly defeated by his shamelessness. She gave him one last ferocious pinch. Unfortunately, his abdomen wasn't soft either and it was taxing on her fingers.
On the other hand, He Changdi stiffened from her actions. A dangerous glint had seeped into his eyes when their gazes met again.
Chu Lian quickly let go out of fright. She didn't dare to provoke him again.
He was definitely a shameless man through and through! The only one who would suffer was her!
He Sanlang knew that she had been completely tired out from last night, so he hadn't thought of playing with her again. He secretly doused the rising flames of desire within him before reaching out to draw Chu Lian into his arms.
He stroked her hair tenderly and slowly, giving the impression of soothing an affectionate cat.
A comfortable haze fell over Chu Lian from his warm actions. She leaned against his shoulder amiably and even twirled a lock of his long hair between her fingers.
"Oh, right, Mother mentioned some news when she came by to visit this afternoon. Father will be returning from Mingzhou."
He Changdi's eyes hadn't shifted from his book, but he let out a light grunt of acknowledgement. After some time, he said, "It's due to a secret decree that the Emperor sent out some time back. I just found out two days ago."
"What could the Emperor's intentions be?"
Chu Lian's mind raced. Her father-in-law, Count Jing'an, had been stationed at the border in Mingzhou for over a decade. While the current political state in court meant that military officials couldn't be compared to the literary officials, it was different for the generals who defended the borders.
House Jing'an was only a countship, but no one in the capital dared to look down upon them because of her father-in-law, Count Jing'an, guarding the border of Mingzhou.
There were at least sixty thousand soldiers under Count Jing'an's command, twice the number of Liangzhou's troops!