Chapter 124 Chapter 124 "It needs to be coaxed."

Xie Zhiyan closed his eyes and suddenly added without context, "Madam must be envious."

His voice was filled with weariness, more like he was asking and answering his own questions.

Sheng Puzhu felt like he had been slammed in the face. He was momentarily stunned and silent before retorting, "Don't talk nonsense. Why would I envy He Yin for no reason?"

"I just don't understand why my brother, with his personality, is willing to stay in the palace."

Xie Zhiyan's lips curled up in an intriguing arc, his expression hard to guess whether he was happy or angry. "Then Madam, you are not allowed to go see other gentlemen behind my back in the future."

Sheng Puzhu looked up at him, her clear almond eyes flashing. It turned out that Xie Zhiyan's ultimate goal after going around in circles was this.

This person sometimes seems very domineering, but when he gets jealous, it makes her angry and funny at the same time.

She clearly hasn't had a good rest for several days, and even her lip color is a little pale, but she still forces herself to care about this.

Sheng Puzhu frowned, sighed helplessly, and suppressed her heartache as she gently stroked Xie Zhiyan's thick black eyelashes with her fingertips, her voice soft and light.

"No."

"I don't envy He Yin."

She paused, afraid he wouldn't believe her, and leaned close to his ear, her breath warm, "In my heart, there has always been only you, my dear. It was always the case, and it is still the case now."

"Really?" Xie Zhiyan looked straight at her, his eyes were deep and full of scrutiny.

Sheng Puzhu only wanted to coax him to sleep, so she didn't think twice before speaking. Her beautiful eyes met his gaze without the slightest flinch: "Really, it's real, even realer than gold."

In Xie Zhiyan's sight, there was only Sheng Puju's breathtakingly beautiful face. Every word she said seemed to satisfy his dry heart. He tried to find even a trace of insincerity in her sincere eyes, but there was none.

As sleepiness came over him, he was like a silent mountain, with snow that never melted all year round and clouds gathering and dispersing. And she was like a gorgeous flower blooming in the snow, the only color in the jade white.

Xie Zhiyan believed it, with the corners of his lips curled up. He was too tired to speak, but he just tightened his arms around Sheng Puju's waist with such force that he almost broke her apart. It was so tight that there was no gap.

"Go to sleep."

Sheng Puzhu imitated him and kissed his lips gently.

The voice was low, with a faint smile.

Xie Zhiyan closed his eyes, greedily absorbing the reassuring scent from her body, and then let out a sigh of satisfaction.

He was extremely tired, and when he got the answer, his tense mind relaxed and he fell asleep almost immediately.

The lips that had been kissed were very moist, and the soft light shining through the curtains outlined the beautiful shape of the lips. Sheng Puzhu looked at them quietly for a long time until the sun outside the window gradually rose higher and became a little dazzling.

Her stomach growled, and Sheng Puzhu saw that Xie Zhiyan was breathing deeply and showed no signs of waking up, so she didn't delay any longer and quietly lifted the brocade quilt, moving very lightly.

After breakfast, she whispered to Madam Du, "I have to go out today."

Upon hearing this, Madam Du subconsciously glanced towards the inner room and said, "My dear husband is still asleep. What if he wakes up and can't find you?"

Sheng Puzhu had long forgotten the promise she made in bed, so she naturally didn't take it to heart. She calmly adjusted the beads on her wrist and said softly, "It's okay. I'm just going to see Aunt Duanyang. If he wakes up and asks, Madam, just have someone tell him the truth."

The carriage stopped in front of Princess Duanyang's residence.

Sheng Puzhu saw nearly ten carriages parked neatly in front of the door and asked in confusion, "Aunt, what are you doing?"

In front of the carriage, the handsome young men with outstanding looks who used to surround Princess Duanyang were now carrying their bags, looking like they were going on a long journey.

Princess Duanyang stood lazily in front of the mansion gate. She was wearing a simple palace dress, which was unusual for her, and her makeup was also light.

"If I say I want to turn over a new leaf and be a good person, then what will I do?"

"Do you believe it?"

Although Sheng Puzhu was surprised, she still shook her head and said sincerely, "I don't quite believe it." Although Princess Duanyang fell seriously ill after the palace coup, and then Prince An committed suicide and Xiao Heyin ascended the throne, Chang'an was in turmoil, but her princess mansion was safe and stable and was not implicated in any way.

"Of course I can't believe it." Princess Duanyang curled her lips and chuckled. She stretched out her fingers, stained with bright red nail polish, and casually plucked a blooming autumn chrysanthemum, shaking it nonchalantly. "I can't believe it myself."

After she finished speaking, she sneered, her beautiful eyes flashed with distraction, and then she returned to her nonchalant look, "I have no face to stay in Chang'an City any longer."

Princess Duanyang spoke in a relaxed tone, as if she were discussing a trivial matter that had nothing to do with her. "So a few days ago, I went to the palace specifically to ask for grace from the Saint. I'm preparing to leave Chang'an and stay in Jiangnan for a while."

"Leaving now?" Sheng Puzhu asked.

Princess Duanyang shook her head: "Let's wait until after the New Year."

"The house in Jiangnan was just bought not long ago, and it's very empty and deserted. I'll let them go over there to warm up the house for me first. It won't be too late to move there when it becomes lively."

She still looked unrestrained, giving people a contradictory feeling of being spoiled yet naive, as if she had just moved to a new place to continue her life of drunkenness and debauchery.

But Sheng Puzhu knew that Princess Duanyang lived a life of intelligence and insight, and even she might not be able to learn that carefree attitude.

Sheng Puzhu couldn't help but smile, and with an idea in mind, she took the initiative to suggest, "The mountains and rivers of Jiangnan are beautiful, but you'll eventually tire of them. If Auntie finds it boring to just enjoy the scenery and feast all day, then why not open a Linlang Pavilion in Jiangnan?"

"With something to do, the days will pass quickly. The gentlemen in your house will have something to do to pass the time, and it's better to compete with you every day. Isn't it the best of both worlds?"

Princess Duanyang raised her eyebrows after hearing this. She leaned against the pillar in front of the door and smiled meaningfully: "Opening another Linlang Pavilion is a good idea, but..."

She paused and asked meaningfully, "Sanlang of the Puzhu family, are you willing to let you go to Jiangnan to take care of these things?"

Sheng Puzhu thought it was just a joke and said as a matter of course, "It's just Jiangnan. It's not like I won't go back to Chang'an. Besides, in a year, I only take time off to go there for one or two months at most. It should be no problem."

"What's more, my husband may have to go back to Yumen Pass at any time, and he may not be able to spare the time to take care of me then."

Princess Duanyang listened attentively for a long while, her red lips curled up in a playful arc, and she slowly agreed: "Okay, when my aunt arrives in Jiangnan, the first thing she will do is find a shop and open Linlang Pavilion as soon as possible."

Sheng Puzhu was full of confidence and felt that this was not a difficult task.

The two chatted intimately for half an hour, and as the sun was getting higher, Sheng Puzhu stood up and said goodbye.

She left the Princess's Mansion and was supposed to go back, but because she was thinking about opening a shop in Jiangnan, she directly ordered the carriage to go to Linlang Pavilion.

Along the way, she kept thinking in her mind that if Linlang Pavilion was opened in Jiangnan, she would probably have to send a young man from the pavilion to be in charge. Since there were signs of things happening, she naturally had to plan ahead.

The carriage stopped, and Sheng Puzhu, holding Madam Du's hand, entered the shop and was surrounded by a group of handsome men.

Shuoyi: "My wife is finally here!"

Wang Wu: "Quickly pour tea for my wife. I want Huoshan Huangya tea."

Nian Yiyi's eyes sparkled as she asked, "Madam, would you like some pomegranates? They're the first of the autumn crop. I'll peel them for you right away."

Sheng Puzhu had just sat down on the third floor of Linlang Pavilion when the handsome and elegantly dressed gentlemen in the pavilion, who were too busy to care about their business, came forward one after another to show their courtesy, serve her tea and water, and coax Sheng Puzhu into laughing with sweet words.

There was also someone who was so considerate that he had peeled the plump and crystal pomegranate seeds one by one, placed them on an exquisite white jade dish, and presented them to her with both hands.

Everyone was talking at once, discussing what had happened in the pavilion over the past six months.

"My lady, you have no idea how we have been living these past six months. We have been living in fear all day long. In addition, the people of Chang'an are in a state of panic, and even Linlang Pavilion's business has not been very good."

At this point, Nian Yi, who had been chattering, sighed, "But fortunately, after the empress ascended the throne, the ladies in Chang'an City suddenly became more attentive to their appearance. Not only the ladies, but even the gentlemen seemed to be more particular and attentive."

Sheng Puzhu ate the pomegranate with a silver stick, her eyes curved as she listened attentively. The sweet juice melted in her mouth, and another pomegranate seed slipped out and accidentally wet her fingertips.

"Madam, wet the handkerchief." Nian was quick to grab it first.

Sheng Puzhu naturally reached out and was about to take the warm handkerchief to wipe it.

On the third floor, in the bustling room, the autumn wind brought a chill, and pearls and jades clashed lightly. A bony hand lifted the low curtain.

Xie Zhiyan looked up from the bottom, with a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes swept over the group of attentive and handsome men around Sheng Puju without leaving a trace.

Finally, his eyes fell on her fingers stained with bright red pomegranate juice.

"lady."

Xie Zhiyan spoke in a low voice, his dark eyes filled with fierceness.

He walked calmly to Sheng Puzhu, leaned down slightly, and spoke in an intimate tone. Only the rising ending of the tone revealed the man's domineering possessiveness: "If you really call me, it will be easy to find you."

Sheng Puzhu shuddered, feeling burned by his gaze from a distance.

Xie Zhiyan looked down at the men surrounding her. They were only an arm's length apart. He could just reach out and hold her in his arms.

Sheng Puzhu felt guilty, raised his head, and glanced at his cheek.

Perhaps because he had just woken up, there was a slight redness at the corners of Xie Zhiyan's eyes, and there was even a mark on his cheek that had not yet faded, adding a sense of laziness.

"My dear, are you awake?" Sheng Puzhu looked confused and at a loss, and asked a question that couldn't be more stupid.

"Hmm." Xie Zhiyan let out an ambiguous sound from his throat. His gaze fell to the peeled pomegranate on the jade plate. He made a calm conclusion, "So, Madam, you're trying to meet your 'husbands' while I'm asleep?"

This is not a tryst, it is clearly an inspection of the property.

Sheng Puzhu found a hundred excuses for himself in his heart, but still felt a chill creeping up his spine. His outstretched hand froze in mid-air, and the handkerchief that Nian Yi had handed forward now became like a hot potato.

She curled her fingertips, pretended nothing happened, and withdrew her hand calmly.

"How about you guys step back first?" Sheng Puzhu looked at the group of gentlemen in the corner who were silent as a cicada.

Xie Zhiyan raised his eyebrows, his cold gaze as sharp as if it had substance. His voice was not loud, but it revealed an invisible pressure: "Do you want me to personally ask you to leave?"

Nian Yi was the first to come to his senses. The group of people who seemed to be frozen finally reacted and retreated without looking back.

Sheng Puzhu saw someone walking too fast and almost spraining their ankle, and she couldn't help but complain, "My dear, you scared them."

Before she could finish her words, the man forcefully grabbed her waist and held her in his arms.

"It's not made of paper, how could you be scared?" Xie Zhiyan lowered his eyes with a deep look, seemingly looking like he was going to accuse someone, but the kiss he gave was unusually gentle.

He pressed his lips against hers as they rubbed against each other. Although he couldn't see the expression on his face, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'm your husband. Shouldn't they be used to it by now?"

"You said you would serve me tea before, why are you all so clueless?"

"Are you really so concerned about serving tea?" Sheng Puzhu felt his heart skip a beat for no apparent reason.

She widened her eyes, met Xie Zhiyan's slightly upturned eyes, and swallowed silently.

"Calculated."

Xie Zhiyan admitted it straightforwardly, his fingertips stroking the fabric of her waist. His voice dropped to a low note, a touch of indescribable loss in his voice, "I woke up to an empty pillow, and I couldn't find my wife. I felt like my heart was about to break."

"What Madam said before she went to bed must have been just nonsense to fool me."

He stared at her, his eyes as if he had suffered a great betrayal: "So, Madam, you usually use sweet words to coax me."

This, this, this...

Sheng Puzhu opened his lips but was speechless for a moment, unable to argue.

It was as if I were a philandering girl who had abandoned her husband and children, was unfaithful and unfaithful to men.

"Then what do you want from me, my dear?" Sheng Puzhu knew that she was in the wrong and softened her voice.

Xie Zhiyan became more and more aggressive and slowly took a step forward, completely covering her with his shadow.

"Then Madam, please reflect on yourself, so that you don't say one thing and do another in public. You swear in bed that you only have me in your heart and will never go see other men behind my back."

"In the end, I put on my clothes and stood up, tsk..."

"In less than half a day, you'll break your promise."

Sheng Puzhu: "..." What was said in bed was not counted.

Xie Zhiyan leaned forward slightly, his handsome features carrying a dangerous allure. "Obviously, Madam, you envy Xiao Heyin, right?"

Without waiting for her to answer, he continued, "But I think it would be better for Madam not to be envious. After all, I am narrow-minded and tend to be petty."

"My dear, you used to be very generous." Sheng Puzhu took a deep breath and didn't even believe what she said.

"Were you generous before?" Xie Zhiyan asked back in a cold voice.

Sheng Puzhu simply gritted her teeth and stabbed him in the heart: "You've been away from home for two years and there's been no news from you. I'm amazed at your generosity."

Xie Zhiyan: "..."

He was silent for a long time, his eyes suddenly fierce, then gradually softened, his cold fingertips trembled slightly, and he spoke seriously.

"Puzhu, you can be angry with me, please. I can beat you or punish you."

"But don't meet other gentlemen in private."

Sheng Puzhu has a soft heart, so it is always so easy for him to forgive him.

She took the initiative to stand on tiptoe and kissed the seemingly heartless lips. She bit them with a little force until they turned red before asking, "Did my lover ever think of me during those two years at Yumen Pass?"

Xie Zhiyan paused, his thin eyelids lifted up, and his breathing became heavy.

"some."

"I really want to. I'm addicted to it."

"Sometimes I take a break from fighting, bathe in the tent, and only thinking of you can I find relief... release."

Xie Zhiyan's words became more and more explicit, his dark pupils fell on Sheng Puju's fingertips stained with bright red pomegranate juice. His eyes darkened, and he lowered his voice to whisper.

His thin lips gently pursed her fingertips, and his warm and slippery tongue licked away the sweet juice.

Sheng Puzhu's entire palm was numb, and he had hooked her so hard that she almost lost her sense of direction.

His body softened and his big eyes became watery.

Xie Zhiyan curled his lips, his eyes filled with clear and intense desire.

"pearl."

"Cheer me up."

"My heart is broken, I need to comfort you."