Chapter 21: Wedding Consummation (Part 2) “We…can’t do this. …

Lin Meizhu was speechless.

Shen Changfeng pinched the litchi core with two fingers together and asked again.

Lin Meizhu had no choice but to hold onto his wrist tightly, like a boat in the wind and rain relying on a single thick hemp rope. She struggled to find her voice in the rough night: "...Okay."

Shen Changfeng used his tongue to rub the fine hairs, held her face, and passed the litchi juice to her in small sips.

Lin Meizhu's mind was in a state of confusion, and she could only helplessly allow him to manipulate her. In a trance, she felt the warm dew slowly flow into her throat, and she swallowed it unconsciously. Her breathing was difficult and she choked.

Shen Changfeng appeased her and teased her, "Didn't you say you have a wide range of interests? Why can't you accept the master now?"

Lin Meizhu's hair was disheveled. He removed her pearl hairpin, letting her long, black hair fall like a waterfall onto the soft, curled backrest. Shen Changfeng removed the stained, thin silk cushions of dragon and phoenix patterns from the chaise longue. The jade-inlaid and mother-of-pearl-carved cushions were placed on the chaise longue, and the coolness made her flinch unconsciously.

Shen Changfeng helped her up and kissed the corners of her burning eyes, his anger growing heavier.

Lin Meizhu didn't know why she was resisting and kept dodging, "No..."

While Shen Changfeng was breathing, he asked, "Why not?"

Lin Meizhu was so tired that her eyelids were drooping, and the alcohol was taking its toll on her, but she insisted, pressing her hands against Yue Xiong's chest. "We...can't do this."

Shen Changfeng chuckled: "You and I are husband and wife, it's only natural, why not?"

Lin Meizhu's tone was a little stubborn: "That's right, no!"

Lin Meizhu was about to lie down and said, "I'm so sleepy. Please cover me with the quilt. Thank you."

Shen Changfeng tutted, paused, and turned his head back to her face, "You woman..."

He used some strength, and Lin Meiju's mind cleared up after the pain, and she reached out to push him away.

"You're full." He leaned in, his chest muscles bulging like a hunter poised for a strike, and whispered with dissatisfaction and unsatisfied pain, "It's my turn."

Then he heard the sound of the tide.

When the tide rises, the crescent moon behind the clouds bends into a swaying arc.

When the tide goes out, the waves trail their wake and smooth out the restless beach.

The tides rise and fall, over and over again, and the chirping of insects never ceases.

Qing'er had already been dragged by Qingsong to the side hall. She scolded Qingsong for touching her, and the latter had to let go. When Qing'er was about to go back, she heard some babbling sounds.

Qing'er was stunned. She listened carefully and found that it sounded like Lin Meiju's voice.

Although Lin Meiju usually speaks gently, but like this... the voice of the female Qiao is as soft as a cat's meow, so charming that it can squeeze water out of her, is it really her?

Qing'er looked at Qingsong for confirmation, and when she met his equally unnatural gaze, her face suddenly became hot.

They walked down the corridor, one on each side, toward the hall, but fearing the room would need help, they dared not go far, and finally stopped at the corner of the corridor to wait. Later, Qing'er could no longer bear it, so she squatted under the carved railing and dozed off.

When the rooster crowed for the second time, a voice finally came from the main room: "Qingsong, fetch water!"

After waiting for a while, Shen Changfeng came out in a neat suit and ordered his attendants, "Send someone to Rongxi Hall to tell them that Madam Lin... is not feeling well today and cannot come. Ask Shen, the chief steward, to take care of anything."

He called Qing'er forward again: "Don't wake her up in a hurry, let her sleep a little longer."

Lin Meizhu slept until the afternoon, and when she awoke, her body ached as if it were falling apart. Gazing at the long, golden rays of sunlight piercing the window, she couldn't tell whether it was morning or dusk. Her head was still groggy from a hangover, her memory as distorted as a shattered mirror. Just as she was about to call out, she realized her voice was hoarse.

She slowly propped herself up, and the cloud-patterned quilt slipped off. She could clearly see the marks left by the oral sucking on her body. Her memories gradually connected into fragments, and she finally remembered what happened last night.

Qing'er, who was outside the door, heard the noise and walked in quickly with a smile on her face, "Congratulations, young lady."

Lin Meizhu pulled up the thin blanket to cover the bruises on her body. She subconsciously turned her face away. It was a happy event, but for some reason she couldn't smile. Last night, she hugged him tightly, seeking comfort. And he hugged her back with even greater force, just to make up for the debt.

Lin Meizhu felt a dull pain from time to time and also felt very sticky. She ordered, "Get some water."

Seeing her with her head down and silent, Qing'er thought she was worried about what happened yesterday, so she advised: "Miss, don't think about those troubles anymore, think about the good things."

Lin Meizhu soaked in the hot water, the steam easing her aches and pains. She thought to herself, "I should think positively." He wasn't gentle or considerate, but thankfully, he was a gifted cook.

The hot bamboo shoots and lychee juice he made tasted really good when I thought about it.

After the bath, Qing'er set the table for Lin Meizhu and said happily, "This is a blessing in disguise. The young lady has finally overcome all the hardships and finally found happiness. The young lady is so beautiful, the child will surely be beautiful too."

Child? Lin Meizhu paused slightly as she held the jade key. Was it her and Shen Changfeng's child?

She suddenly felt that the dust had settled. After going through so much, he finally accepted her. Would she and she respect and love each other like an ordinary couple, and raise a naughty son and a lovely daughter?

Many bubbles of joy seemed to pop up in Lin Meiju's heart, and a smile slowly rose at the corners of her mouth.

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door: "Crown Princess."

The two looked up and saw that the person coming was the nanny from Rong Xitang, holding a tray with a bowl of steaming medicine.

Qing'er said, "The prince must have ordered that the young lady be given some nourishment."

Lin Meizhu said, "Put it aside for now and drink it later."

The nanny was a little embarrassed. She quickly raised her eyes and then lowered them again, reminding, "Princess Consort, this is specially prepared by the Crown Prince. He asked me to remind you to eat it."

When Lin Meiju took the medicine and smelled the soup, her smile froze on her lips and a voice suddenly sounded in her heart: This is right.

She didn't feel sad or lost at all, she was used to it.

She took a sip and immediately knew that the dosage was sufficient.

She smiled and drank the medicine without changing her expression. As soon as the nanny left, she walked to the basin, stretched out her fingers to dig her throat, and even vomited out the lunch she had just eaten.

Qing'er was startled: "Girl, what's wrong with you?"

Lin Meizhu wiped away the bitter tears from her eyes: "This is contraceptive medicine."

It is okay not to have children, but it is absolutely unacceptable to damage your body in order to avoid having children.

Lin Meizhu has come into contact with many patients who have become disabled due to long-term use of contraceptive medicine. They suffer from abdominal pain or bleeding, and their weight increases or decreases suddenly in a short period of time. In severe cases, their vision may be affected, and their lives may even be in danger.

Qing'er looked surprised, "How...is this a mistake?"

Lin Meizhu held her hand and said, "I'll write you a prescription. Go to the pharmacy and buy the herbs I'm going to use."

Qing'er was still talking to herself: "This is impossible, I have to go ask them!"

Lin Meizhu emphasized her tone: "Qing'er!"

Qing'er suddenly started sobbing.

Lin Meizhu gently stroked her face and comforted her in a soft voice: "I know my body well. Buy the medicine according to the prescription and don't let anyone else know. Do you understand?"

Qing'er wiped away her tears and nodded heavily.

It was the same afterwards. Every time Shen Changfeng was close to Lin Meizhu, there would be a bowl of prepared medicine waiting for her. The two of them knew each other tacitly, but they kept this secret tacitly.

Two days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Lin Meizhu instructed her servants to hang calamus and mugwort above the door lintel. She also had someone warm realgar wine in the waterside pavilion and prepare freshly made glutinous rice dumplings and other fresh fruits. She knew that Shen Changfeng would entertain guests every day after court, ostensibly to enjoy music, but in reality, they would use the opportunity to discuss matters.

That day, when she heard him talk about how there were many mosquitoes in the outer study at night, she made a few new sachets, filled them with insect repellent herbs such as mugwort, realgar, and angelica, and prepared to hang them on the doors and windows of the study before he came back.

When I walked to the side door of the study, I heard voices coming from the half-open window.

"Has the list of people attending the banquet at Duanwu been finalized?" It was Shen Changfeng's voice.

"Yes, the Third Prince is very quiet. It's probably because of what happened before..."

After listening to a few words, Lin Meiju realized that they were talking about business. She was hesitating whether to leave. When she heard the voices gradually subsided, she thought that the conversation must be almost over. Just as she was about to leave, she heard another voice from inside.

"Prince..." This was the voice of Manager Shen, and it sounded a little hesitant.

Shen Changfeng asked: "What?"

Steward Shen pondered and said, "The servants in Qinghui Hall said that every time you prepared medicine for the Crown Princess, she secretly poured it out. These pots of half-dead orchids are the evidence."

Lin Meiju, who was eavesdropping, couldn't help but feel ashamed.

Chief Steward Shen added, "Not only that, the Crown Princess seems to be secretly taking a pill, but it's unclear what its effect is."

Shen Changfeng guessed that it was medicine for replenishing the body, and said: "From now on, watch her drink the medicine before leaving. As for the other medicines, let her take them."

Manager Shen nodded, then said, "Sir, there's something I'm not sure if I should say or not."

"Just say it straight."

"I have overstepped my bounds. The palace is now peaceful, both inside and outside. The elders of the clan are also complaining that, despite the flourishing Second Branch, no one is up to the task. The prince only has the Crown Prince and the young master. If the Crown Prince can soon have children, the palace's century-old foundation will be as solid as a rock."

Shen Changfeng said: "She is too weak to be a good mother."

Steward Shen had been in the palace for twenty or thirty years, so he naturally understood what he hadn't yet fully grasped. After Lin Meizhu discovered Madam Sun's past, she chose to hand her over to the authorities. However, due to the passage of time and insufficient evidence, Madam Sun's ultimate guilt would not be too serious.

In the Wei Dynasty, one must have a letter of recommendation to be employed by the master's family. After this incident, no one dared to employ Nanny Sun and her family again. Although they were destined to be poor for the rest of their lives, such a punishment was too light for those who were accustomed to official struggles.

After Shen Changfeng learned about this, he detained Nanny Sun and sold her to a merchant ship on Shuangyu Island in Zhejiang Province as a cook and servant. There, Japanese pirates were rampant, and it was common for cargo ships to be robbed. Nanny Sun's journey there was likely worse than death.

Manager Shen nodded, thinking that the prince originally wanted to let the princess gain more experience.

Lin Meizhu felt her blood freeze. She hadn't considered the connection between Nanny Sun's situation and her ability to be a good mother. Her grandfather had taught her how to identify herbs, Chuqi had taught her to read and write, her aunt had taught her to obey her husband, and Nanny had taught her to be respectful, polite, and tolerant... Yet, no one had ever taught her what to do when betrayed by someone who claimed to love her like a daughter.

She believed that people who did bad things should be handed over to the government for punishment. However, he said that she was too weak and could be bullied, and would never achieve anything great.

She wanted to jump out and point at Shen Changfeng and yell, "If you really want to do this for my own good, you should tell me what I did wrong! Instead of hiding behind my back and pointing fingers, why should you decide whether I am qualified to be a mother with just one word!"

However, she said nothing in the end. She held the sachets tightly and quickly left the study, fearing that someone would discover her presence.

Shen Changfeng happened to approach the window and saw her fleeing in a panic.