Chapter 17 Delicious, I'm going to devour you!

When Jiang Shuifu woke up, there was a chill on her pillow. Where had Shen Jizhao gone?

She put on her clothes and searched everywhere for his whereabouts, finally spotting a lonely figure outside the courtyard.

The figure was tall and upright. He had changed out of the fine brocade robe that symbolized his status and put on the coarse linen clothes of an ordinary person, which she had bought for him.

He sat on a wooden bench outside the courtyard, occasionally bending over and vigorously whittling something. From a distance, he looked like an immortal descended to earth. Ignoring his strong aura, he really looked like a village man working hard to make a living.

Jiang Shuifu, wondering if she was still half asleep, rubbed her eyes and walked to his side, asking in surprise, "Husband, what's wrong with you...?"

The man who was working hard paused for a moment, as if he was not used to this state of destitution.

He was clearly a prodigy, but now he's fallen from grace and has to learn to make a living like the villagers. This scene was witnessed by those who had once seen his immense success.

This person was his wife, whom he kept in the luxurious palace.

He felt a little embarrassed, so he turned slightly to the side and continued shaving the bamboo strips. He had no choice; they were out of money and had to do something to survive.

The Crown Princess picked mushrooms to feed them, so he, a grown man, naturally had to take on the responsibility of earning money. He couldn't just be a gigolo like the old woman suggested.

Jiang Shuifu knew what he was doing. The simplest way to make a living in the village was to weave bamboo frames and baskets and sell them for money.

She just didn't expect that someone as noble as Shen Jizhao would also be able to make up such a thing.

She squatted down beside him, fiddling with a bamboo stick, and said, "Husband, you're amazing! Let's do it together."

He ignored her; his remaining dignity shut him out of the outside world.

"I loved playing this when I was little. I always came in first place when I competed with my maternal grandfather's siblings."

Shen Jizhao still ignored her. He had finished weaving the bamboo basket in his hands when suddenly a little rabbit flew into his basket.

The rabbit has a silly expression, with two long, upright ears and two large front teeth that make people laugh and cry at the same time.

He then looked at her helplessly, giving her a look that said, "Stop fooling around."

Jiang Shuifu hopped another frog into his bamboo basket and said with a smile, "Husband, don't you know what this is? It can be sold for money too."

Shen Jizhao had no idea what this was. When he was a child, he was busy with his studies and his father and mother kept a close eye on him. He never had a chance to play. Even when he learned to weave bamboo baskets, he was stopped after only learning the basics.

Jiang Shuifu suddenly felt a pang of heartache; it turned out his childhood was so incomplete.

"Husband, this is straw weaving, let me teach you how to play with it!"

The woman pressed down on the frog and the rabbit's bottoms, and they jumped up and down, hopping and skipping happily, competing to see who was stronger.

Very vibrant, full of life, just like her.

Shen Jizhao frowned. "Would anyone like this?"

That's so stupid.

Jiang Shuifu continued weaving: "Weaving a buck-toothed rabbit, weaving a carrot, weaving a frog, weaving a lotus leaf, weaving a sweet life, weaving a father's love and a mother's affection, weaving playmates every year!"

This is a nursery rhyme from her childhood.

Shen Jizhao scoffed. He disdained affection and playmates. He had been alone since childhood. To him, his father was nothing more than an emperor who gave him tasks every day, demanded that he complete them excellently, and was fair in rewarding and punishing him, without any fatherly affection.

Jiang Shuifu comforted him:

“Husband, just think of this buck-toothed rabbit as something I made for you when I was a child. You can play with it too.”

Playing games? How could the Crown Prince do such a thing? It's utterly absurd! So simple-minded! He ignored her coldly.

Jiang Shuifu distributed the grass frogs and grass rabbits to the children outside the yard, and they all rushed over.

As Shen Jizhao watched Jiang Shuifu playing and frolicking with the children, he suddenly thought that if they also had children, wouldn't the Eastern Palace be in chaos?

He shook his head, dismissing the thought; there was no rush with the child.

But they were so intense last time, going all night long, could they already have cum?

He was quickly relieved because Jiang Shuifu had started her menstrual cycle.

Perhaps it was because she had spent a long time soaking in the valley water and then spent the night in the wind on the grass that her face was pale and her stomach hurt this time.

Shen Jizhao had never experienced anything like this before. He could only watch helplessly as the weak woman on the bed looked ashamed, her stomach growling.

"My husband..."

The man next to him stared wide-eyed. He was being asked to cook? Was he here for some kind of ordeal?

An hour later, two bowls of plain noodles were placed on the table. Calling them noodles was an exaggeration; they were clearly two bowls of dough, the noodles of which were overcooked.

The color of this side is also green, which is obviously the result of the vegetable leaves being boiled until they disintegrated and turned into juice. The body can't be found at all.

Shen Jizhao scoffed inwardly, thinking that if she dared to eat the food he was asked to cook, she would be surprised.

Jiang Shuifu forced herself to take a bite, and it truly melted in her mouth.

"Husband, why does it taste nothing?"

"I'd like to know too."

She laughed; her husband probably didn't know that salt was needed when cooking.

Shen Jizhao could hardly imagine that one day he would swallow such tasteless food in order to survive, and he never expected that he would cook for her.

No, not for her, but for survival.

Jiang Shuifu ate everything up; it was the first time he had cooked for her, and she didn't mind.

Women are such a hassle; after eating, she complained of a stomachache, so he had no choice but to go next door to ask for a hot water bottle.

"When women in our rural area have their period, they can't afford to use anything to warm their bellies; it's always the men who warm them up."

Shen Jizhao had never done this kind of work before and didn't want to. He insisted that Aunt Zhang get him something to warm his stomach, so she gave him a rough-skinned water bag.

He was exhausted today, having done all sorts of chores. Meanwhile, Jiang Shuifu lay peacefully on the bed, resting.

Jiang Shuifu lay in bed for two whole days before her symptoms improved slightly.

These past two days have felt like a dream. Shen Jizhao personally cooked for her, fed her hot water, and took care of her menstrual flow. She would never have dared to dream of such a thing before.

When she was sweating from the pain, his hand would sometimes inadvertently rest on her stomach.

So this is how ordinary couples get along: there is no hierarchy, no rules, and the couple supports each other and cherishes each other through thick and thin.

"My husband, the Ghost Festival is in half a month. Let's go release river lanterns together."

Shen Jizhao refused outright: "How long do you plan to stay here? You're neglecting your duties!"

*

After feeding the chickens, Shen Jizhao suddenly realized that no one was in the house.

He immediately turned cold, and even though his period was due to menstruation, he was still running around aimlessly without saying a word.

Does she really think they are ordinary people, an ordinary couple? Has she forgotten their identities, forgotten his identity?

After finishing his work, Shen Jizhao sat at the newly built desk in the room, reading a book. The oil lamp in the room flickered, illuminating his dignified profile.

On the table was a plate of dark-colored mushrooms and a few steamed buns.

Looking closely at the book in his hand, not a single page had been turned.

It's already past 7 PM, and she still hasn't returned. Is she angry with him?

He smirked. "She's made something of herself."

He waited and waited, until all the mushrooms on the table had gone cold and it was already dark. Finally, he couldn't sit still any longer and, leaning on his cane, went to find her.

The countryside is not like the imperial palace; there may be bandits and robbers there.

As long as she is his Crown Princess, he will protect her.

He had become very skilled with this cane, putting all his weight on it and walking with incredible speed.

She returned as soon as he left, her face covered in dust and grime, panting heavily, clutching her chest as if something terrible had happened.

His face was terrifying, and his teeth were grinding together.

"Who is it? Tell me!"

Jiang Shuifu looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Shen Jizhao thought she was terrified and was about to rush forward with her cane. She was running so fast that the thief must not have gone far.

Jiang Shuifu could see his anger. Since entering the village, he had not used the word "lonely" again in order to avoid exposing his identity.

She saw the worry in his eyes, and just as he was about to rush out of the courtyard gate, she grasped his hand, her warm smile calming his agitation.

“No one is following me, my husband, you don’t need to worry.”

Shen Jizhao's expression did not improve; instead, his hair turned even darker, and he pulled his hand away.

"Don't touch me. If you don't want to come back to this house, then don't. I see you're quite happy here. Don't come back anymore. This big row of houses doesn't need another woman like you. Anyway, you don't want to learn any of those etiquette rules!"

After being reprimanded, Jiang Shuifu should have felt helpless and sad, but she had a strange feeling that he seemed a little wronged.

He felt wronged because she didn't come home on time.

This realization left her somewhat bewildered and somewhat delighted.

Their relationship no longer seemed to be the cold and distant one between the crown prince and crown princess.

Shen Jizhao realized the inappropriateness of his words, so he turned his face away, clapped his cane, and went into the house to sleep.

Finally, he added, "Don't overthink it. I'm warning you, once we get back to the palace, I won't care about you anymore."

Jiang Shuifu believed every word he said, and silently took out the inkstone and brush she had hidden in her chest and placed them on the desk.

"Husband, the inkstone has been bought."

The oil lamp in the room was almost out, and it was pitch black. She washed up and went to sleep.

Shen Jizhao raised an eyebrow. Was she going to buy him an inkstone? Why didn't she say so earlier?

She was so poor she couldn't even afford rice, yet she still spent money to buy him an inkstone.

*

"Aunt Zhang, what are you doing?"

Jiang Shuifu looked at Aunt Zhang leading the man she had picked mushrooms with last time to her and asked in confusion.

The man was strong and robust, but his smile was honest and simple; he seemed like a kind and honest person.

Aunt Zhang said with a smile, "I heard everything yesterday. You said you didn't want this family anymore. These days, life is tough, and it's not easy for a woman to live alone. So, I found you the strongest man in the village as soon as possible."

Upon hearing what Aunt Zhang said, the man puffed out his chest, blushed, and swore an oath to Jiang Shuifu:

"Don't worry, young lady. I've never been married before. If you marry me, I will treat you very well. I'm strong and can earn money every day to buy you meat. I'll do whatever you want. I can fulfill your wish to have as many children as you like."

Aunt Zhang beamed from ear to ear, praising the two of them as a match made in heaven, a strong man and a beautiful woman, their days would never be lonely.

Jiang Shuifu waved her hands repeatedly, her eyes filled with panic, but Aunt Zhang took her hand and whispered:

"Auntie knows you haven't divorced him yet, and I'm not saying you should find a new lover right away. It won't hurt to meet and get to know each other first. The countryside isn't like the capital; there aren't so many rules here."

Jiang Shuifu said it was a misunderstanding. How could she possibly have an ambiguous relationship with another man, especially when she has a husband?

Moreover, she had no intention of leaving Shen Jizhao.

At that moment, several painful cries rang in his ears: "Who are you? How dare you hit me, you pretty boy? I'll cripple you!"

Jiang Shuifu thought the man who went to the back mountain to cut bamboo had suddenly appeared here, and even used her cane to strike the muscular man in front of her hard.

At this moment, Shen Jizhao was soaking wet, with many fish splashing and struggling at his feet. In addition to fish, there were also various river clams, shrimps, and crabs. He even had a string of pearls hanging around his neck.

Jiang Shuifu was stunned. What on earth had he been doing?

"I am the man she has married, the man she has been legally married to. Who do you think you are?"

She was even more stunned; he never used such common sayings.

The burly man, clutching his bruised buttocks, staggered to his feet and swung his fist at him.

Jiang Shuifu wasn't worried at first, but his steps were unsteady and his body swayed, something was very wrong with him. At this moment, he might not be a match for the strong man.

She quickly stepped forward to stop him.

Shen Jizhao's face turned ashen. He glanced at her and then kicked the muscular man away.

Aunt Zhang was so frightened that she could barely speak:

"Xiaobai, no, young man, why are you hitting her? She doesn't want you anymore anyway, just let go."

Shen Jizhao only uttered two words:

"On what grounds!"

This time, Aunt Zhang had witnessed his abilities firsthand, and only dared to whisper to him, "I've never seen you call her 'Madam' or 'Wife' before. Now you're reluctant to part with her?"

Shen Jizhao was stunned and speechless. Jiang Shuifu also lowered her eyes, and neither of them spoke.

His head spun even more. He grabbed the woman and pulled her into the house. The wooden door was slammed shut and shattered in two, leaving a long crack in the middle.

Jiang Shuifu was somewhat afraid of his appearance, as if she had returned to the scene during the hunt when he threw her into the water without distinguishing right from wrong.

Any man would get angry if his wife looked at another man. She was about to explain to him when he bit down on her.

"Um!"

She turned her head away, forced to endure his anger. Her neck ached terribly. He seemed like a completely different person; all his previous indifference had vanished, and he had transformed into a beast.

But she wasn't surprised; he was like that in bed.

She nudged him and explained, "Husband, I don't know that man. I just ran into him when I was picking mushrooms last time, and he gave me a big bunch of mushrooms."

After finishing one side, Shen Jizhao switched to the other. Hearing this, he intensified his nibbling and bit even harder. Not satisfied, he tore off her collar and started biting down.

Jiang Shuifu couldn't stop him, so she could only let him vent his anger.

"Delicious, I'm going to devour you, don't try to escape."

Her face turned red. He had never said anything flirtatious during sex before. What was wrong with him today?

Was he...jealous?

As he continued kissing her, he pushed her down onto the couch. She panicked and started playing hide-and-seek with him.

"No, no, my husband, my menstrual flow hasn't stopped yet!"

She is currently in a period of weakness and absolutely cannot have sexual intercourse.

Shen Jizhao couldn't hear her words; he was furious that his "food" had run away.

He lunged at her, but she wouldn't let him succeed, dodging as she asked, "Husband, are you sick?"

He has always been abstinent, and besides, she had already made it clear that they could not share a room, yet he still pounced on her. A sober man would never do such a thing.

Seeing that he couldn't catch the person, Shen Jizhao stopped chasing. He was really dizzy and forced himself to shake his head.

Jiang Shuifu immediately went to help him, but the next second, she was like a fish on a chopping board, unable to move, as his tongue entwined around her again.

She stopped making futile resistance.

The man was extremely hungry:

"Abalone, sea cucumber, I want to eat my fill."

The fish finally realized what was wrong with the knife that had been used to kill her; if she wasn't mistaken, it had been poisoned.

This morning she suddenly saw a plate of dark-colored things on the table, and after a closer look she realized they were mushrooms.

Aunt Zhang told her that mushrooms can be poisonous if they are not cooked thoroughly, and since she had no experience, it was not surprising that she was poisoned.

She felt both relieved and somewhat disappointed. She was relieved that he didn't want to sleep with her, but disappointed that his unusual behavior wasn't due to jealousy; he still didn't seem to care much about her.

At that moment, the man on top of her suddenly stopped moving and pushed her away.

"My Crown Princess is a good eater, so we should save some for her."

Jiang Shuifu's heart, which had been sinking, rose again, and she smiled silently.

She pushed him onto the couch and went out to find the antidote. Fortunately, Aunt Zhang had some in reserve, which she brewed and brought to him.

"Husband, it's time to take your medicine."

The man remained still, using both his hands and feet to lie prone on the couch.

She tried to coax him: "Husband, it's time to eat meat. There's abalone and sea cucumber."

The man suddenly said:

"You're really great!"

Jiang Shuifu's hand trembled as she held the medicine. Was he awake?

"Do you even remember who you are? I'm not dead yet, and you've already brought some wild man home?"

He regained consciousness briefly, and she quickly tried to explain to him, but he gave her orders before she could finish listening:

"You have not left the Eastern Palace for a single day, so you must honestly recognize your own status. If you really want to find someone else, I will give you a letter of divorce."

According to the rules of Dabei and to uphold the dignity of the imperial family, the crown prince could only divorce his wife, not agree to a formal separation.

As soon as she spilled the medicine, Shen Jizhao immediately took a swig.

Her heart sank; he said it so easily, like he was divorcing her.

Shen Jizhao rested, and Jiang Shuifu touched the inkstone she had customized for him a few days ago. It was still brand new, and he hadn't used it.

After arranging everything neatly, she was about to leave, as she had taken on an embroidery job and needed to complete it on time.

Just before she stepped out the door, a voice came:

"Help me apply medicine and wipe my body."

She thought she had misheard. He had injured his leg and couldn't take a bath. He had been wiping himself down for the past few days and wouldn't let her help.

She looked at him, frowned, sighed, and shook her head; she was confused again.

In broad daylight, she peeled off his clothes and underpants layer by layer, her hands tracing the smooth lines of his abdominal muscles before moving towards his powerfully sculpted lower abdomen.

She hesitated; although they had been intimate, she had never seen his weapon so clearly before.

The dazed man grabbed her hand and placed it on his belt.

She had no choice but to shakily begin to undress. She had only taken it off halfway when it bounced up and shot straight into the sky. Her whole body turned red and she got goosebumps.

So ugly, so scary!

The man with his eyes closed turned red at the roots of his ears. He was awake, and he did this simply to remind her that she was his wife.

Actually, he regretted it a little when her hand touched the skin around his waistband; all the heat rushed down there.

A note from the author:

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The male protagonist got mushroom poisoning, and I got broccoli poisoning. After eating the broccoli I cooked, I vomited and had diarrhea, sob sob sob... (collapses to the ground, feeling utterly hopeless).