Chapter 16 What did you add to the herbal drink?

When Shen Jizhao woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. There was no longer a warm figure beside him. Last night, he was forced to "embrace" his soft and delicate wife, who was as soft as water. The bed was already too small for him, and with another person on it, one can only imagine what the scene was like.

Whether she deliberately climbed up to him or he took the initiative to get close to her, that night, the two of them slept in each other's arms just like any ordinary couple.

Therefore, he was forced to endure the fair and tender kisses in the middle of the night.

His arm was pressing down on several pounds of tender, bouncy flesh, and they pouted and kept rubbing against him. When he tried to dodge, they became even more aggressive, displaying the elasticity of their flesh with great presence, not allowing him to ignore them.

Turning over won't help; it will only cause pain to his entire back.

He didn't know when he fell asleep. Now, he was completely naked, so his erection was clearly visible. He quickly covered himself back up.

She actually dared to tear off his clothes! It's all his fault for indulging her too much these days. She's become so arrogant and dared to mess with him!

Shen Jizhao's face was terrifying, and his lips were pressed into a straight line.

Just then, a honey-scented fragrance wafted into his nose. He turned his head and saw a bamboo basket on the table, filled with several sprigs of osmanthus flowers, some yellow and some orange, a vibrant display, their sweet fragrance refreshing and invigorating.

There were only a few branches, not many, so they wouldn't offend him. The whole room was filled with the special scent of summer.

He calmed down considerably and then noticed a stool standing beside the bed, with a wooden basin for washing and meals on it.

This was specially prepared by Jiang Shuifu for him because she was worried about his mobility.

Shen Jizhao accepted her kindness, but his traditional etiquette told him that he could only eat at the dinner table.

He slowly got up, picked up the food, and put it on the table.

She cooked it very well; three dishes and a soup, though not as good as what you'd get in the palace, it was enough to eat.

Today's message is still about chicken soup for the soul. He kept debating whether to eat or not during those few steps, but in the end, reason prevailed, and he could persevere.

He couldn't eat the chicken soup.

His steps were slow and unsteady. Just as he was about to reach the table, his leg hurt, and with a few loud crashes, all the plates shattered.

Everything's gone, all the food is gone.

For the first time, he felt defeated. Without her, could he not even eat?

And so, Shen Jizhao could only wait for her to return, hungry.

He was able to read for a while at first, but after a long time, his patience ran out. He began to wonder if she had gone to play in the village, otherwise what could be taking so long to do?

Her temperament has never been one to stay on track for long.

At that moment, the sound of conversation could be heard outside the courtyard.

"Young lady, don't be too good to men, otherwise they will dump all the dirty and hard work on you and take it for granted. In our village, we have plenty of men."

Aunt Zhang's words were brief and to the point, and Jiang Shuifu only smiled and remained silent.

Shen Jizhao didn't hear what Aunt Zhang said, and looked at Jiang Shuifu who was returning with a full load.

Her smile was striking. They had fallen to such a state, and he thought about going back home every day. Why was she still so happy?

Jiang Shuifu ran towards him:

"My husband, look what I brought you!"

Jiang Shuifu hid her hands behind her back, giving him a mysterious look that made him wonder what she was going to do with the large piece of wood behind her. She was so small that she couldn't hide it.

"Ta-da! My husband has difficulty walking, so this piece of wood can be used as a walking stick."

Shen Jizhao was stunned for a moment. So she had been gone for so long to find wood to make a cane for him, not to play.

Jiang Shuifu helped him into the house, but he refused, insisting on sitting in the courtyard.

“My husband, I’ve also picked a lot of mushrooms, all kinds of them. We can eat them ourselves or sell them.”

“This mountain is very far away. It took Aunt Zhang and me more than an hour to find fresh mushrooms. It was my first time picking them. Aunt Zhang helped me a lot, and the villagers also gave me a lot of mushrooms.”

While Shen Jizhao was diligently chopping wood and making a walking stick, he was forced to listen to Jiang Shuifu, who was washing mushroom mud and filtering water with a basket, chatting idly.

He let it go in one ear and out the other; she was really noisy, so he glanced at her.

He then noticed that she had changed into a coarse cloth dress that didn't fit her at all; it was obviously an old woman's clothes. Even so, her beauty was not diminished in the slightest.

Her black hair was wrapped in a headscarf, with the rest twisted into a small braid that hung down in front of her chest. She was a little tired, and sweat was on her forehead. Her black hair clung to her cheeks, adding a touch of charm to her eyes and brows.

She was a truly beautiful peasant woman, completely different from when she was the Crown Prince.

To be precise, it was more vibrant than when it was in the Eastern Palace, a realization that displeased him. Was the Eastern Palace really inferior to this remote corner?

Jiang Shuifu went to the well to fetch water, but was stopped before she could even begin. Before she knew it, Shen Jizhao limped up to her.

"I'll do it."

Although it was absurd to do such a thing, she had been raised in seclusion since childhood and had never lifted a finger to do anything. How could she possibly have any strength?

"Husband, after you've cleaned the mushrooms, you should dry them in the sun."

The man carrying a large bucket of water visibly turned pale, but she knew how to direct him.

So be it. If she can do it as the Crown Princess, why can't he?

And so, the crown prince, who was second only to the emperor, carried several buckets of water in succession.

"My husband, do you like the walking stick?"

As soon as Shen Jizhao sat down to catch his breath, Jiang Shuifu showed him the carved cane.

He took it and examined it for a moment, finally uttering only three words: "Hmm, it works."

She pouted, realizing it was difficult to hear a single word of praise from him, and turned to start a fire and cook.

Shen Jizhao was lying. In fact, the cane was not only functional, but also intricately engraved with snake patterns and other noble designs. However, the wood was so dark that it was impossible to see the details without careful observation.

She was thoughtful.

"Husband, we're out of firewood in the kitchen. Could you chop some?"

He remained silent for a few moments, then picked up the axe and chopped.

She said to him with a smile, "I'll stir-fry some mushrooms for you tonight."

Aunt Zhang nodded as she watched Shen Jizhao working diligently:

"That's more like it! Men need to be tamed. What's the point of having a disobedient man? Especially since he's a cripple. Of all places to hurt, he has to be there!"

Jiang Shuifu, who was cooking, sensed something was wrong when she heard this, and she turned to look at Aunt Zhang with a puzzled expression.

Aunt Zhang's mouth is always full of rumors:

“I’m a woman too, and I know you’re having a hard time. Women have needs too, so you don’t have to compromise yourself.”

She finally understood what she was talking about, and anxiously explained in a low voice, "Auntie, you've misunderstood!"

The older woman knew the young woman was concerned about her image, so she leaned close to her ear and said earnestly:

"Don't be so formal with me, Auntie. You got up early this morning, wearing your man's clothes, and came to ask me for clothes, while your man was still fast asleep. What else could it be but exhaustion? You don't even have the stamina of a woman!"

Jiang Shuifu was speechless. The old lady's logic was flawless. If she hadn't been the one involved and hadn't experienced it herself, she would have believed it.

At this moment, Shen Jizhao, who was chopping wood outside, made a loud noise, "Bang! Crack!"

The wood flew through the air as he chopped it, and the speed was several times faster. He even took out his precious sword and used it to chop wood!

In less than half an incense stick's time, all the firewood was chopped!

Each strip is of uniform thickness, and the split is flawless.

Before Jiang Shuifu could look away, his eyes met hers unexpectedly. His eyes held a hint of anger, but also the most unquestionable dignity of a man. She pretended nothing had happened and turned back to continue cooking.

But her slightly flushed face betrayed her.

Whether he's capable or not, she certainly knows.

*

"Husband, please eat more. This is the first time I've cooked mushrooms. How does it taste?"

Shen Jizhao hummed in agreement and started eating. If you looked closely, you would notice that each of his bites was bigger than usual, and he ate one bite after another, clearly because he was hungry.

Jiang Shuifu had already discovered it, but her husband valued his reputation and respected the rules, so she couldn't expose him.

The chicken soup was served again that evening, and Shen Jizhao noticed that there were many more mushrooms in it.

These mushrooms are delicious, so the chicken soup probably won't be too bad either.

For the first time ever, he took a bite.

Then he couldn't stop. The food and drinks were delicious. He hadn't eaten meat for days, and suddenly he couldn't stop. The sticky summer wind blew into the room, blowing the sweat off his forehead.

Jiang Shuifu was also sweating profusely from eating. Her eyes darted around, and she playfully kept everyone in suspense:

"Husband, we're so special together. I never imagined we'd be sweating buckets while eating. But we won't be like that tomorrow."

Shen Jizhao stopped eating. Indeed, dining in the palace was supposed to be elegant and refined, but he was eating so crudely and in such a sorry state.

He suddenly remembered what he had said before: he forbade her from cooking for him.

This time, he really stopped using his chopsticks. He always kept his word, but now he had broken his own rule first.

His feelings were complicated. He wanted to get back quickly, so he asked her to buy him an inkstone and writing brush when she went to the market.

*

When Shen Jizhao woke up the next day, he was filled with regret for not pushing her away the night before. Because of the old woman's words, he had stubbornly let her do whatever she wanted the night before.

The moment he opened his eyes, his hand was on her waist, and she was lying in his arms.

It's all fine; he's gotten used to it over the past few days.

They were face to face, and their bodies inevitably touched. And that wretched thing beneath her actually got an erection! It was pressing against her and wouldn't lower its head!

Luckily she hadn't woken up yet, otherwise he would have lost face big time.

After Jiang Shuifu went out, he sat outside. Osmanthus blossoms in the courtyard would occasionally fall, bringing an uninvited guest along with them.

Aunt Zhang tossed him a bird, and he instinctively stood up and backed away, but he forgot that his leg was still not healed. He stumbled backward, but managed to steady himself at the last moment.

Aunt Zhang clicked her tongue in amazement at the scene:

"These are the chicks that the young lady bought from me. I specifically picked a big one. We'll be able to slaughter them and eat them soon. She's going out, so find some insects to feed her."

Shen Jizhao was truly shocked this time. Carrying water and chopping wood wasn't enough; he also had to feed the chickens! Feed an animal!

Absolutely impossible!

Although chicken meat tastes good, he would never feed it!

Calculating the time, she should be back soon. Shen Jizhao felt helpless and went to work again. He hadn't fetched water or chopped firewood yet.

Oh, and she also said that the water should be left to sit in the sun so that she can take a hot bath without boiling it.

After finishing all the work, he suddenly questioned himself: why did he listen to her?

A cheerful voice came from behind: "Husband, come quickly! I brought you lots of fruit. Today we'll make plum syrup. It'll be so refreshing and delicious!"

So that's what she was trying to keep in suspense.

Shen Jizhao leaned on his cane to look at the fruit she had brought back. It was clear that they were all freshly picked green plums from the mountains, large and round, with layers of white powder on them.

Jiang Shuifu wiped a piece of fruit and held it to his mouth: "It's delicious. I'm very full from eating just now. Husband, have one too."

How could Shen Jizhao possibly eat unwashed fruit? He watched her eat, her cheeks bulging, it looked really delicious.

But he still didn't take the fruit from her hand.

Jiang Shuifu placed the fruit in the yard and turned to cook. Shen Jizhao, who was standing in the yard, looked at the fruit and, for some unknown reason, picked it up and took a bite.

When he realized what he was doing, his face turned cold, and he went to wash the fruit he would be using later.

To his surprise, the rice had turned into porridge, the three dishes into wild vegetables, and the chicken soup was gone.

The atmosphere was a little awkward, so Jiang Shuifu took the initiative to break it:

"My lord, we're out of money, so we haven't bought an inkstone..."

Shen Jizhao nodded, drank a bowl of porridge with wild vegetables, his eyes dark as he pondered something.

After dinner, she pulled him into the courtyard. "Husband, pour the chopped green plums into the stone mill and grind them for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. I'm going to pick osmanthus flowers."

After Jiang Shuifu finished speaking, she turned around and went to the stone table and benches in the courtyard.

Shen Jizhao had no choice but to return to working.

The osmanthus tree she chose was one that blossomed with orange flowers, but most of the osmanthus blossoms on the lower branches had already fallen, so she had to tiptoe to pick the blossoms on the higher branches.

But no matter how high she reached, she still couldn't touch it; it always slipped away from her grasp, as if deliberately playing hide-and-seek with her.

She gritted her teeth and jumped up on the spot, shouting, "Guihua, don't run away!"

She managed to grab a branch, her hands full of osmanthus petals. She was very happy, but as the saying goes, too much joy can turn to sorrow. As she landed, she twisted her heel and was about to fall.

Shen Jizhao watched her battle with Guihua with his arms crossed, feeling bored. He thought she was going to win, but she lost in the end.

He had no choice but to step forward and catch her, his large hands encircling her slender waist.

At that moment, the branches they had been holding bent over as they moved, showering down a profusion of osmanthus blossoms. Instantly, the two of them were enveloped in this sweet, orange-yellow fragrance.

Soft, delicate flower petals fell on her clothes and hair.

The petals, seemingly still unsatisfied, kept squeezing through the narrow gap between them, brushing against his high, straight nose before landing on her lips, lingering there. Their eyes met, and at that moment, they saw only each other; the world seemed to freeze.

He looked at her seriously for the first time, and he was certain that no matter when, he could read the words "passionate and burning" in her eyes.

For the first time, he felt a sense of helplessness. His eyes grew even deeper. What she wanted, the candidate for emperor could not give her.

Jiang Shuifu stretched out her other hand to catch the falling petals.

Shen Jizhao didn't look any further and let go:

"How could you be so stupid? Isn't there a low-branched osmanthus tree right next to us?"

Jiang Shuifu shook her head:

"I like orange osmanthus, so I'll take this one."

Shen Jizhao's face inexplicably flushed. To him, it sounded as if she was saying she liked him, so...

At this moment, the osmanthus continued its appearance, its stroke of genius landing on the beautiful woman's long, curled eyelashes.

The beauty's eyelashes were adorned with golden-orange petals that fluttered and fell with each blink.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the beauty's eyelashes that made the petals refuse to leave, insisting on adding to her allure.

Shen Jizhao, as if possessed, reached out and plucked the petals off one by one, saying, "The osmanthus is not worthy of you."

He hadn't expected the osmanthus blossoms in summer to be so hot, burning his fingertips until they turned red.

With the sweet osmanthus blossoms, the crushed green plums, and her specially made ointment chilled with well water, the task was complete.

That night, amidst the falling osmanthus blossoms, a beautiful couple sat on a quiet stone bench in the courtyard, drinking and chatting under the moon.

To be precise, it was the woman talking, while the man was just drinking his iced beverage, though he was still listening intently, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.

He suddenly questioned her: "What did you add to the herbal drink?"

Jiang Shuifu, still half-asleep, let out a soft "ah." She hadn't heard his question clearly, so she kept pestering him to ask.

He patiently asked her again, but to his surprise, the woman just held her cheeks and stared at him blankly, smiling at him.

Shen Jizhao sighed.

It was wine. He said his face was flushed; he was drunk.

In the middle of the night, the drunk man got up and went to the yard. He picked up a hoe and dug a few holes in the ground, then hit a chicken that hadn't eaten all day with the hoe.

His veins throbbed; there were insects in the soil, whether he ate them or not was up to him.

A note from the author:

----------------------

Shen Jizhao: Why should I listen to her?

Baidu Encyclopedia: Because listening to your wife will bring you prosperity.