Chapter 104 Jealousy Punishment

In the first few days after their marriage, Bai Hua and Ning Jue were newlyweds, inseparable and deeply in love.

The servants in the garden were mostly older and experienced, so they were used to it. However, there were a few young maids who served the master and mistress closely. Whenever they saw the affection between the master and mistress, they would silently lower their heads and blush, feeling that it was improper to look.

In fact, Bai Hua was quite reserved in public and would never do anything outrageous with Ning Jue. It was just that when her maids were helping her with her makeup, Ning Jue would occasionally return from practicing swordsmanship. He liked to smell the fragrance of her applying makeup, so he would always put away his sword and come closer to her to smell the faint fragrance on her neck.

Or, during meals, he would personally serve her food and feed her. Bai Hua had recently developed a liking for red silk cakes, which were a common dish on the table. When Ning Jue fed her, he would deliberately play tricks, first reaching for her chopsticks and waiting for her to eat half of them, and then taking them back and brazenly eating the remaining half that she had bitten, completely disregarding the presence of onlookers.

Bai Hua would initially remind him privately to be more serious in public, but after several reminders, Ning Jue still didn't change. He even argued with self-righteousness: "We're in the inner chamber, not on the street. Aren't we tired of worrying about so many things?"

After arguing, he still longed to be intimate with her all the time, and often acted as if no one else was around. Bai Hua couldn't persuade him anymore, so she simply gave up.

However, although she couldn't dissuade Ning Jue, she had other ways to deal with him. Whenever Ning Jue came to see her when he had nothing to do, she would first dismiss the maids serving in the room to avoid making a fool of herself in front of the young girls.

However, the downside of doing so was that Ning Jue no longer sought servants to attend to him when bathing; instead, he insisted on dragging her into the bathroom to wash his back and body. Furthermore, she couldn't be dry; she had to get wet with him.

Bai Hua unwittingly fell into the trap he had set, and inexplicably began bathing with him every day. The two of them would playfully splash around in the tub, the water churning and splashing, soaking almost half of the bathroom floor. When she was finally released and tried to get up, her legs were so sore that she could barely stand...

Ning Jue, satisfied, carried her out of the bath and patiently dried her body. He looked radiant, his eyes clear and bright, clearly enjoying the novel experience he had just had.

Stepping out of the bathroom and onto the bed, he held her close and whispered in her ear: "We are one, inseparable. Only now do I know the taste. Ripples spread, warm and smooth, I am deeply immersed in it, in the water and within you."

Upon hearing this, Bai Hua was so ashamed that she couldn't lift her head. She was furious that he had such a wicked mouth and such a wicked heart.

Four or five days later, General Wang no longer showed any consideration for Ning Jue's new marriage and ended his leisurely days ahead of schedule. He assigned him the task of guarding the imperial city and promoted him to the position of Deputy Commander of the Palace Guard, in charge of the training and deployment of the Palace Guard soldiers.

Ning Jue didn't care at all what official position he held; at best, he was just a confidant of the Grand General, at the behest of him.

Once his three-year term was up, he could finally relax and immediately take Bai Hua on a carefree journey.

Not long after Ning Jue took office, the emperor unfortunately went on a tour of Jiangnan. The emperor's departure from the palace was a major event, and the responsibility of protecting him was heavy. The accompanying guards had to be strictly selected one by one. The prince personally dispatched the elite troops of the Palace Guard to serve as escorts and protect the emperor's travels. Ning Jue was also among them and had to go to Jiangnan with him.

Ning Jue was extremely unwilling to be separated from Bai Hua so soon after their marriage.

The Grand General, who was always tolerant of him, became impatient upon seeing his unwell complexion. He then kindly advised him, "His Majesty's thoughts are hard to fathom. Who knew that the southern tour planned for six months later would be suddenly brought forward by His Majesty... You are newly married, and it is indeed inappropriate to assign you to the task. However, the court is currently lacking capable and talented individuals. If I can find other trustworthy and reliable experts to protect His Majesty, I will not insist on having you accompany him. I promise you that if the southern tour goes smoothly this time, I will grant you ten days to half a month of rest. How does this exchange sound?"

The imperial edict has been issued; how can we disobey it?

Now, Ning Jue represents not only himself, but in the eyes of outsiders, he is already in the same camp as Bai Shu'an or even the entire Bai family. They share the same fate, and they share the same fate.

Because of this constraint, the considerations had to be more thorough than before, and Ning Jue had no choice but to accept the order.

Bai Hua was equally upset upon hearing the news. Other times might have been different, but right now the two of them were inseparable; how could they possibly accept being separated so suddenly?

Despite her good sense of propriety, Bai Hua couldn't help but secretly complain a few words about the Great General in private.

Everyone around her was envious, saying that Ning Jue was the most favored person by the Great General's side. Whether he was truly favored or not, she didn't know. If the Great General really cared for or favored Ning Jue, how could he be so inconsiderate of his subordinate and force the newlywed couple to separate?

After sighing and lamenting for several days, he finally succumbed to the imperial edict.

Time flies, and it's almost time to officially say goodbye to Ning Jue and send him off from the capital.

On the eve of their separation, Bai Hua was feeling melancholy. When Ning Jue returned late from his usual duty in the palace, he greeted her and went into the bathhouse to bathe. After dismissing the servants, she hesitated for a moment before getting up and entering the bathhouse as well.

Ning Jue had her back to the door, assuming that a maid or servant was coming in, so she said without turning her head, "Go out, you don't need to come in. I can tidy up myself."

The other person didn't say anything, but stepped closer and carefully picked up a cotton handkerchief to wipe his back. The force was soft and gentle, not like a simple act of service, but rather carrying a hint of ulterior motives and ambiguity.

Ning Jue frowned, dodged warily, turned around unhappily, and was about to reprimand him sternly.

As it turned out, the person who came was Bai Hua.

He swallowed back his harsh words, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, and he asked hesitantly with surprise, "Hua'er, is that you?"

Bai Hua lowered her eyes, still clutching a damp handkerchief in her hand, and whispered, "I'll help you."

Ning Jue stared at her, his eyes deep and unfathomable, and asked again to confirm, "Really?"

Bai Hua nodded, her ears burning with embarrassment. Although she had made up her mind, she still felt a little embarrassed.

Ning Jue, preoccupied with his own thoughts, turned around to face her, his broad, muscular back exposed.

Recalling the past few days, he had tormented her quite a bit in the bathroom, thrusting against her delicate body against the tub wall, and once, in a fit of passion, he lost control and nearly injured her. Although he ultimately didn't seriously hurt her, she still walked with trembling steps for two days in a row, and her waist was too weak to straighten up.

From then on, Bai Hua refused to bathe with him. He had a taste of the sweetness and tried to persuade her several times, but she always refused with a straight face. It was pointless to force someone, so Ning Jue eventually gave up.

Not bathing together doesn't mean he can't touch her. If it's not possible in the water, then they can do it all on the bed. No matter how you look at it, Ning Jue isn't at a disadvantage. So, he didn't insist on not bathing together after that.

The two hadn't been seen together in the bathroom for over ten days. Upon seeing her again today, Ning Jue was initially suspicious, then couldn't help feeling restless. It was just a back rub, the cotton cloth gently brushing against her skin, the warm water slowly flowing down her spine—a perfectly normal touch. Yet, Ning Jue couldn't help but let his mind wander.

Even though Bai Hua's seductive tactics were so clumsy, Ning Jue still easily fell for it. His waist and abdomen tensed, his breathing became heavy, and beneath the surface, a surging tide was already rising…

He grabbed Bai Hua's hand, pulled her forward, and then supported her waist, dragging her into the bathtub.

Bai Hua no longer held back; having gone this far, any further shyness would seem pretentious.

She clung to Ning Jue's neck and whispered wistfully, "I don't want you to leave."

Ning Jue took a breath before saying, "Imperial orders are hard to disobey. Now, when I do things, I still have to consider your Bai family more. I can no longer act recklessly and disregard the consequences as before, otherwise the price of being implicated will be too hard to bear."

Bai Hua was well aware of the complex implications involved.

But with separation imminent, she felt a tender, delicate heart, like a young woman, filled with reluctance and a unique kind of melancholy.

"My brother told me that this is His Majesty's first southern tour since his ascension to the throne, and it will definitely take longer than usual, at least two months, two months..."

"Yes, I will never leave your side again after I return this time. The Great General has granted me permission to take a half-month leave after returning to the capital, and I will spend every day with you during that time."

Bai Hua snorted unhappily: "The prince knows how to use people. He first slaps them and then gives them a sweet treat, so that his subordinates have something to look forward to and can work hard for him without complaint."

Ning Jue smiled, affectionately nuzzling Bai Hua's nose, and said, "Who used to always tell me to be careful with my words? How come you're the one who's become so outspoken now, talking recklessly about the imperial relatives? Aren't you afraid that the walls have ears?"

Bai Hua felt ticklish from his rubbing and couldn't help but shrink her neck down, replying, "No matter how powerful Your Highness is, you can't eavesdrop on other people's bathing rooms, can you? We're taking a bath together, who can stick their ears that far?"

Ning Jue lifted the person onto his lap and teased, "You're only good at staying at home."

The conversation ended there; neither of them wanted to continue the dry, unproductive chat.

Two hot bodies pressed tightly together, Bai Hua taking the initiative again. A small spark quickly ignited a raging fire. Ning Jue wrapped his arms around Bai Hua's waist, lifting her up and then plunging her down heavily in an instant, to the very top. It would be worth dying for.

"Hua'er, I miss you. I started missing you even before I left." He kissed her, pouring out his heart as he kissed her.

The two went to the couch and lowered the light curtains.

Bai Hua responded with a passionate kiss, shedding the self-restraint and propriety required of a noble lady, becoming completely unrestrained and indulging in extreme ecstasy.

"My husband, my husband..."

Ning Jue felt his scalp tingle from her seductive enticements, and almost impulsively disobeyed her. He didn't care about the southern tour or the emperor; let whoever wanted to interfere! Let whoever wanted to go! He wasn't going to serve her.

But in the end, reason prevailed. Now he represents not only himself, but also the entire Bai family.

Just before dawn, with Bai Hua bidding him a tearful farewell, Ning Jue turned and left, heartlessly departing the mansion to await his summons at the gate.

He didn't turn his head back, because if he looked any longer, he wouldn't be able to leave.

...

After Ning Jue left the capital, Bai Hua found it difficult to adjust. She was fine for the first two days, but as time went on, she lost her appetite.

To comfort her, her pregnant sister-in-law came to Duyuan Garden to chat with her, hoping to ease her boredom.

The two chatted, ate, and drank tea, then looked at each other and had nothing else to do.

Just then, Xiao You reported that the gifts received on the wedding day had not yet been fully accounted for. Bai Hua thought that her sister-in-law was a master at managing the household, and that she herself was a new mistress and inevitably had shortcomings. So she specially asked for advice and invited her sister-in-law to go to the storeroom to teach her the skills of managing accounts.

The servants presented the gifts and the names of the visiting cards to Bai Hua and Zhu Xijun in order.

Zhu Xijun meticulously recorded and stored the items one by one, while Bai Hua watched and learned attentively from the side, exchanging a few words from time to time.

When she came to the name of a camphor wood box that was three feet square, Zhu Xijun paused in her writing. She carefully looked at the gift-giving record and her expression changed slightly.

Bai Hua asked, puzzled, "Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"

Zhu Xijun turned her head and asked seriously, "Does Hua'er know who sent this gift that's in this camphor wood box?"

Bai Hua was still full of confusion, but her sister-in-law's question meant that things were not ordinary.

She shifted her gaze and examined the wooden box closely.

The box is indeed exquisite, with a chess game carved on the front. The lines are smooth, the figures are lifelike, and even the corners are carefully inlaid with silver carvings.

Bai Hua walked over, exchanged a glance with her sister-in-law, opened the box, and found out what was inside.

Inside is a jade chessboard carved from the finest Hetian jade, its warm white luster resembling freshly solidified goat's milk. To the touch, its texture is delicate and smooth, cooling slightly with prolonged contact. The chessboard's lines are inlaid with gold wire, a testament to its luxurious nature. The chess pieces are plump and round, the black pieces like deep, dark jade, the white pieces like glistening dewdrops.

Bai Hua looked at it and murmured, "This... is truly extraordinary. Sister-in-law, whose name is on the name card?"

Zhu Xijun: "This priceless treasure has been in your household for so many days, yet Hua'er knows nothing about it."

Bai Hua shook her head somewhat embarrassedly: "Originally, I thought that the gifts sent would be nothing more than gold and silver jewelry, hairpins and ornaments, or fine silks and satins, nothing more. I only paid special attention to the gifts that my relatives and friends had carefully prepared, and I didn't look at anything else. Otherwise, the storeroom wouldn't still be such a mess today."

"You're the most careless one. Just look at yourself."

As Zhu Xijun spoke, she paid extra attention to her surroundings, making sure that there was no one else besides Xiao You, before handing over the name card and gesturing for Bai Hua to take a look.

Bai Hua took the book thoughtfully, her eyes lowered as she gazed at the signature.

The person who gave the gift left his name without any prefix or mention of his background, simply with two words: Wei Yu.

Wei Yu.

The former crown prince's name.

Bai Hua was surprised.

The reason she hadn't noticed it before was because the other party was deliberately keeping a low profile. This gift wasn't sent under a separate name, but was put into storage along with the coral screen given by the Duke's heir. The name card was hidden behind the heir's name card. If it hadn't been carefully collected and stored, it would have been completely unnoticed.

The other party's secretive behavior was probably to avoid causing her gossip, after all, there had been rumors of their marriage.

However, it was just a rumor; Bai Hua was completely open and honest.

Bai Hua thought for a moment and then asked Xiao You to summon the steward of the Ferry Garden for questioning.

After the housekeeper arrived, Bai Hua asked, "Has anyone else touched this item?"

After thinking it over, Butler Li answered truthfully, "Replying to Madam, it seems that the Master has seen it."

Ning Jue?

This answer was quite unexpected.

How could he be so precise as to choose this one to look at?

Bai Hua suppressed her surprise and asked again, "When did this happen? Could you be mistaken? My husband has never been fond of gold and silver, so why would he suddenly think of looking for a certain gift in the storeroom?"

The steward bowed and replied honestly, "This old servant remembers correctly. On the day of the master and madam's wedding, during a break from drinking, he specifically called me over to open the storeroom. The master searched inside for a long time and finally took out this item, opened it, and examined it carefully. This old servant remembers it vividly and is absolutely certain that I am not mistaken."

Bai Hua was incredibly clever. Recalling Ning Jue's unusual behavior that day, she quickly figured out the cause and effect after a moment's thought.

No wonder Ning Jue treated her so roughly and irritably on their wedding night, keeping a straight face and not saying a word, yet his body penetrated her deeply, as if punishing and venting his displeasure.

It turned out she wasn't wrong; he was indeed upset, and it was because he was jealous of the Crown Prince.

Bai Hua pouted, feeling inexplicably not only resentful of being wronged, but also somewhat pleased.

She actually quite liked it when he was jealous of her.

Zhu Xijun cautiously dismissed the steward and quietly asked Bai Hua, "Now that your husband knows about this, will he have any doubts?"

Bai Hua smiled and replied, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, this matter is over. As for Ning Jue, I've already coaxed him back."

She's really hard to coax!

The pain of being physically and mentally exhausted has no one to confide in...

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xijun felt somewhat relieved, no longer having to worry.

Just as the two were about to continue recording and storing the items, Zhu Xijun suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, and her face scrunched up.

She sensed something was wrong and grabbed Bai Hua's arm urgently, saying, "Hua'er, I'm afraid I'm going into labor..."