Chapter 32: "Today, we will consummate our marriage."
At this moment, Yun Sheng suddenly realized that he hadn't read the book in vain.
Even though she felt she was only focused on the plot and hadn't learned anything, she instantly understood the meaning behind Xiao Xu's words.
She had never done it before and couldn't imagine it, but for a moment she felt a certain heat emanating from the venison, her whole body burning as if it were about to devour her reason.
However, this anxiety was ultimately not tested to see if it was enough to erode reason.
The long night turns blue, and the noise fades away.
The atmosphere in the bed room was peaceful and tender.
However, Yun Sheng opened her eyes again in the sweltering heat and turned to look at the man beside her: "Chang Yu, why don't you go sleep somewhere else?"
Xiao Xu suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze dark and unfathomable, whether from dissatisfaction or something else was unclear.
Seeing the look in his eyes, Yun Sheng couldn't help but move her body back a little.
Xiao Xu tightened his grip on her lower abdomen slightly: "Don't move."
Yun Sheng murmured softly, "...It's very hot."
There was a moment of silence on the tatami mat.
Xiao Xu gradually loosened his grip and gently massaged her lower abdomen: "Are you still uncomfortable?"
After returning from the forest farm, Yun Sheng discovered that she had started her period.
Regardless of the intimate things they were talking about just a moment ago, this also means that their previous sexual intercourse did not result in pregnancy.
This was something that allowed Yun Sheng to breathe a sigh of relief, but Xiao Xu's attitude was unclear.
After she came out of the washroom, she told him about it. He simply nodded slightly and then instructed the servants to prepare a bowl of longan and red date soup for her. After he bathed and got into bed, he replaced the hot water bottle she was holding with his own hand.
Yun Sheng's menstrual cycle was usually quite easy, and after he gently massaged her for a while, she had completely relaxed.
She shook her head: "I don't feel unwell."
Xiao Xu hummed in agreement, and then moved back a little.
The atmosphere quieted down again.
Yun Sheng did not look up again, but she could sense that Xiao Xu had not closed his eyes.
After a period of silence, Yun Sheng couldn't help but look at him.
"Changyu, are you unhappy?"
Xiao Xu did indeed have his eyes open. When Yun Sheng looked up, she met his gaze.
His eyes flickered slightly, but his tone remained calm: "What's wrong? Do you really think venison is as potent as a banned drug?"
Yun Sheng choked, glanced down at the dark bed, and although he couldn't see anything, he stepped back and stopped pressing against her.
But the waves of heat that flow through it are proof of the fact.
Xiao Xu chuckled softly, reached out and pinched her chin to lift her head: "This has nothing to do with venison."
Sexual desire was an undeniable part of his life, and both satisfying and delaying gratification brought him pleasurable pleasure.
But he had strong desires, and what he wanted to satisfy was far more than just sexual desire.
Before Yun Sheng could speak, he lowered his head and kissed her hair: "Don't keep me waiting too long, Sheng Sheng."
Yun Sheng heard his deep and strong heartbeat, and pursed her lips without saying a word.
She drifted off to sleep in his arms.
*
The next day, as Yun Sheng boarded the carriage to return to her residence, Xiao Xu informed her that he was leaving the capital on official business.
"Why didn't you tell me yesterday? This is so sudden!"
Xiao Xu said, "I forgot about it for a moment yesterday, and you were already asleep when I remembered."
His voice was clear and his tone was calm.
Although nothing was mentioned, it still instantly reminded Yun Sheng of the subtle atmosphere of last night.
She paused for a moment, deliberately trying to clear her mind, and then she thought of Xiao Xu's expression after he came out of the imperial tent at the forest farm yesterday.
It must have been because His Majesty had given him urgent instructions at that time.
She didn't want to ask too much about court affairs, so she asked instead, "How long will it take?"
"Perhaps in three to five days."
Yun Sheng was stunned when she heard this.
Xiao Xu's serious demeanor just now made her think that the journey would take ten days, half a month, or even a month or two.
As a result, it only took three to five days.
She snapped out of her daze and said with a smile, "Alright, have a safe trip and come back soon."
"Are you happy?"
Xiao Xu tilted his head slightly, and from the backlit side of the carriage, his expressionless face, shrouded in shadow, was somewhat eerie.
"...This doesn't warrant crying."
Xiao Xu laughed angrily: "I didn't make you cry."
"I'll set off after I take you back to your residence. Take good care of yourself these next few days."
"Okay, okay."
His words sounded exactly like the advice her father used to give her before he went on long journeys.
Do they still treat her like a child?
Then she remembered: "But it takes a whole day to travel from the Xiyuan Palace back to the mansion. By the time we get back, it will be almost dusk. If you set off then, won't you be traveling at night?"
Xiao Xu shifted slightly, casting a shadow over his face, which softened his features: "It's alright."
Yun Sheng then became more assertive: "How can that be? We'll be traveling by carriage, with so many servants following us. I can go back by myself. You should set off early and not waste any time."
The pent-up frustration that had been lingering in Xiao Xu's heart was about to gather.
It's easy to tell that she felt no reluctance at his departure from the capital, and that three or five days seemed as short as the blink of an eye to her.
Xiao Xu remained silent, while Yun Sheng continued to urge him on.
In the end, he couldn't persuade her otherwise, and he really didn't want to hear any more of her words that sounded like she wanted him to leave as soon as possible.
Xiao Xu parted ways with Yun Sheng at the post station where he had come from.
Before leaving, it was unclear whether he was reluctant to part or venting his anger.
He grabbed her by the back of the neck and pressed her into the carriage, kissing her deeply for a long time before letting go.
After resting at the post station, Yun Sheng continued towards the capital in a carriage, while Xiao Xu rode a horse and galloped in another direction, soon disappearing into the end of the dirt path.
*
The day after returning to his residence from the Western Garden Palace, Yun Sheng invited Yun Zhi to meet at Tingfeng Pavilion.
Previously, during a hunting trip in the forest, the third-ranked scholar asked Yun Sheng to deliver a letter to Yun Zhi.
When the third-ranking scholar mentioned this matter, Yun Sheng was quite surprised.
She said, "Why did you think of having me pass it on for you?"
Not to mention that they are not blood sisters and have never lived under the same roof, now that she is married, if the third-ranked scholar wanted to deliver a letter to Yun Zhi, the first person he would think of would be Yun Zhi's family.
As soon as she asked the question, she saw an unnatural expression flash across the face of the third-ranked scholar.
Then he whispered, "She doesn't want to accept it."
In fact, Yun Zhi was unwilling to see the third-ranked scholar, and Fifth Master Yun and the others couldn't do anything about it.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to write letters to convey what he wanted to say after visiting the Yun family several times.
"The Crown Princess and Miss Yun are close. If the Crown Princess is willing to help pass it on, there might be a better chance that she will accept it."
Upon hearing this, Yun Sheng became quite curious.
She couldn't wait any longer and didn't intend to give Yunzhi any chance of not accepting it. She hurriedly invited her to meet, wanting her to accept it, open it, read it, and then tell her about it.
Yun Sheng left home early and went to Wuweipu first.
She hasn't come here often in recent years, which is why she didn't know when the Five Flavors Shop would close last time and ended up coming to nothing.
As for her coming in person again today, she couldn't say whether she thought of Xiao Xu first before giving the order, or whether she gave the order and then thought of him.
However, last time, she was indeed unable to pick out a pastry with a mild flavor for him.
Upon arriving at Wuweipu, the place was still bustling with people.
Yun Sheng joked with Cui Zhu, "If I hadn't made money by selling embroidery back then, but instead learned to make pastries, I probably would have been quite good at it since I love eating them so much. Maybe my shop would be as successful as Wuwei Shop by now."
Cui Zhu chuckled: "The Crown Princess is naturally intelligent and can learn anything well. However, running a shop is hard work, no easier than embroidery."
"I see." Yun Sheng peeked into the shop and looked at the busy shop assistants. "They must be working really hard."
Yun Sheng came here in person and naturally joined the long queue himself.
After a while, it was finally her turn. She happily selected several flavors, and even asked the waiter which ones were milder.
When it came time to pay the bill, she asked again, "How long can these pastries be stored if we don't finish them?"
The waiter quickly packed her food, smiling as he replied, "Madam, all the ingredients we use here are the freshest, and the pastries are made fresh daily. But with the hot weather, even if you have an ice cellar to keep them chilled, they can only be kept until tomorrow at most before they are consumed. After that, they are not suitable for consumption."
It can only be stored for one day.
Yun Sheng nodded, instructed Cui Zhu to take the pastries, and stepped away from the counter, though her expression clearly showed some disappointment.
Only then did she realize that although three or five days seemed short, Xiao Xu hadn't been able to eat the pastries she had personally bought for him.
Cuizhu, observing his expression, said softly, "Princess Consort, after you've tasted these flavors, which one do you think suits His Highness best? It's not too late to buy the same ones after His Highness returns to the capital."
Yun Sheng glanced back at the long queue at the Five Flavors Shop next to the carriage: "Queuing is too tiring, I don't want to come again."
Cuizhu smiled again: "When the time comes, I will bring people to buy it. Your Highness, you just need to give the order."
That doesn't seem to have made her feel much better.
In the end, none of them were bought by her personally.
Even three to five days can feel like a long time.
When Yun Sheng arrived at Tingfeng Pavilion, Yun Zhi was already waiting in the private room.
Upon seeing her arrival, Yunzhi scolded, "You invited me to meet you, yet you are late."
Yun Sheng smiled and said, "I went to Wuweipu to treat you to some pastries as an apology."
Hot tea was served inside, and pastries were laid out. The servants who had accompanied them withdrew, leaving only the two sisters inside.
Yun Zhi was no longer as relaxed in this atmosphere as she had last time, and her gaze kept drifting towards the door.
Yun Sheng noticed and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Speaking of which, why did you ask me to meet here again? What happened last time scared me quite a bit. It's only been a few days, and as soon as I sit down here, I worry that your husband will suddenly show up at the door again."
Yun Sheng said helplessly, "I didn't expect him to come looking for me that time, but not this time."
"Changyu is away in Beijing on official business and is not here today."
Upon hearing this, Yun Zhi finally relaxed.
"It's good that you're not here. So you invited me out today because you were bored?"
The two sisters don't need to beat around the bush.
Yun Sheng raised her arm and took out the letter from the third-ranked scholar from her sleeve.
"For you."
Yun Zhi frowned, already having a premonition, but still asked, "Who gave it to you?"
"Ah Zhi, don't play dumb. The third-ranked scholar gave it to you. Look!"
Yunzhi immediately frowned even more deeply: "I won't read it, I don't want to read his letter."
"I think you should take a look and let me know."
Yun Sheng ignored her resistance and said, "If you don't want to look, I'll look for you."
As she spoke, Yun Sheng made a gesture as if to take the letter.
Yunzhi quickly stopped her and managed to grab the letter before she could.
"How did the letter he wrote to me end up with you?"
Yun Sheng then remembered the most important thing and said with a smile, "Azhi, I've checked for you, that third-place scholar is very handsome."
This tone was much more exaggerated and surprised than when Xiao Xu asked her, carrying Yun Sheng's sincere praise without reservation.
What she said at that moment was her true feeling after meeting the third-ranked scholar.
"He has delicate features, a high nose bridge, and looks gentle and refined. He is also tall and slender. He speaks politely and is very humble."
"..."
Yunzhi glanced at her silently, holding the envelope.
This reaction was unexpected by Yun Sheng: "Azhi, you've already met the third-ranked scholar?"
Yun Zhi remained silent, lowered her head and complied with Yun Sheng's wishes, beginning to open the envelope.
She did see it, but she ran away as soon as she saw it.
Unexpectedly, this person not only failed to have her parents deliver the message, but also came to Yun Sheng's place.
Polite and humble.
He's clearly shameless.
Yun Sheng didn't say anything more and quietly waited for Yun Zhi to read the letter.
Yun Zhi knew that Yun Sheng was watching her, and she kept her expression under control while reading the letter.
Until the very end, I couldn't resist pressing the back of the letter onto the table.
"What did he say?" Yun Sheng asked expectantly.
Yun Zhi said angrily, "What can he say? It's just that he wants me to marry him. I've already said I don't want to. It's so annoying."
"Yun Sheng, what's with that expression? Don't let his good looks blind you. Have you forgotten what I said? If I marry him, I'll have to go to the countryside with him and become a village woman. That's absolutely impossible."
Yun Sheng asked, "What if he were willing to stay in the capital for you?"
Yun Zhi frowned and answered without thinking, "I don't want it to be like this either. He has his ambitions, and I don't want to bear the consequences of breaking someone's firm ambitions to make this marriage happen."
That makes sense.
But as Yunzhi said last time, the news has already spread throughout the capital.
Yun Sheng had heard about this matter several times while at the Xiyuan Palace. Not only did people who knew about her kinship with Yun Zhi ask her about it, but some even congratulated the Third Scholar on his upcoming wedding right in front of him.
"So what do you plan to do?"
Yun Zhi was extremely annoyed and didn't want to think about it anymore. She simply said, "In short, I don't want to. Let's just take it one step at a time."
Yun Sheng sighed softly.
She and Yunzhi had different personalities. She had almost faced a similar predicament before, but Yunzhi chose to deal with it, while she chose to run away.
She couldn't say which option was better, but both had their own frustrating aspects.
The last time she sat here with Yun Zhi, she was thinking that she had never had a chance to think carefully about her marriage with Xiao Xu. Unexpectedly, not long after, she sat here with Yun Zhi again, and not only did she think about it carefully, but she also had a lot of worries.
At this moment, Yunzhi exclaimed "Eh!" and held a piece of osmanthus cake with a bite taken out of it. She asked, "Shengsheng, have you changed your taste? Why does the cake you bought this time taste so bland? I can't taste any sweetness at all."
Upon hearing this, Yun Sheng snapped out of her reverie, glanced up, and placed another plate of pastries in front of Yun Zhi: "You took the unsweetened flavor, so you can have this plate too, which also contains osmanthus sugar cake."
"What kind of sugar cake is it if it's not sweetened?" Yunzhi asked suspiciously. "Why did you suddenly think of buying a bland-tasting cake?"
Yun Sheng also tried a mild-tasting osmanthus cake.
It doesn't taste good at all.
She swallowed and whispered, "It's for Changyu. He doesn't like sweets."
Yun Zhi smiled knowingly, "You seem to care quite a bit about your husband. How are things going between you two? Are you getting to know each other better?"
"...I guess so."
They've been so intimate, how can they not be familiar with each other?
But Yun Zhi clearly noticed the strangeness in Yun Sheng's tone and expression: "What's wrong? Is something the problem?"
Yun Sheng pursed her lips, unsure how to describe it.
"Tell me quickly, did he bully you?"
“No.” Yun Sheng hesitated for a long time before finally taking a deep breath, looking up at Yun Zhi, and said with utmost seriousness, “I have some worries.”
"I've realized... he seems to like me."
The private room fell silent for a moment.
Yun Zhi burst into uncontrollable laughter, making Yun Sheng's cheeks burn with embarrassment.
"What are you laughing at? I'm serious, I really feel like he looks like..."
Yun Zhi waved her hands repeatedly, quickly stopping Yun Sheng from rushing to prove her point.
"I don't disbelieve you. I'm laughing because he's your husband. If he likes you, how could it be such a troublesome thing?"
Yun Sheng was stunned, then after a moment of realization, her eyes drooped again: "I can't say for sure, it's just a guess, he didn't say it explicitly."
"You want him to like you?"
"No……"
"Do you want him to dislike you?"
"..."
Yun Sheng paused for a moment, then said, "I don't know, I just feel a lot of pressure."
Yun Sheng did not reveal the most private matter between her and her husband: their practice of avoiding having children.
But Yunzhi could also guess something from her reaction: "You originally thought that this was just a marriage out of necessity, and that it would be good if it went smoothly and harmoniously, and that you could treat each other with respect. But His Highness the Crown Prince treats you very well, which makes you suspicious and puts pressure on you?"
Yun Sheng nodded, "That's right."
After experiencing such a change, she originally only wanted a stable marriage, which was indeed the case at first, and she was grateful for it. However, Xiao Xu gradually revealed his deep emotions, which made her feel at a loss.
She didn't know if she was overthinking it or if it was really true.
When she was driven by impulse and lost in lust, she couldn't think of so much. But when she calmed down, she found herself unable to respond to him.
On one hand, she didn't want to face Xiao Xu's expression when he discovered the contraceptive pill, or his whispers yesterday, and on the other hand, she worried that if things continued like this, the current smooth and harmonious life would gradually be shattered.
Yunzhi suddenly spoke up, waking her up: "Don't think about those unnecessary things. Whether he has feelings for you or not, just figure out what you think in your own heart."
Do you like him?
"..."
If she liked him, why would she have these worries?
But if I had to say I don't like it...
Yun Sheng finally whispered, "You don't dislike it, do you?"
This is no different from not understanding what one is thinking.
Yunzhi asked, "Your marriage isn't about that, but about doing it frequently afterward. Don't you find it disgusting?"
Yun Sheng's face flushed as she was asked the question, but Yun Zhi always spoke of this matter without batting an eye. It was Yun Zhi's nonsense on the day of her return to her parents' home that disrupted her intention to ask her two other cousins.
But for now, she could only swallow her shyness and answer, "I don't dislike it."
From the beginning, she never disliked Xiao Xu's touch; later, she even took the initiative...
Thinking of this, Yun Sheng then said, "But this shouldn't prove anything. I feel that I'm driven by the impulse of this matter, and all my feelings have become unreal."
"What is unreal? Physical feelings and mental feelings are equally important. If you can't even accept it physically, how can you talk about your mental feelings? Physical feelings can't lie at all."
Yun Sheng seemed to be almost convinced.
However, regardless of feelings, Xiao Xu was originally a person who was hard to dislike.
He was tall, handsome, with an outstanding figure, and of impeccable moral character.
Yun Sheng murmured, "I'm not blind."
Yun Zhi said, "I have heard that some couples are so averse to each other that even if the other person is very good-looking, they are unwilling to touch each other at all."
Yun Sheng had heard similar stories, but she didn't feel the same way about Xiao Xu.
Perhaps their bodies are truly compatible, or perhaps it's just that they haven't had time to develop a relationship yet.
Beneath her seemingly cheerful personality lies a tendency to retreat.
She backed down when her hard work in embroidery didn't pay off, and she backed down when her fiancé ran away from their wedding and she didn't want to face the gossip.
Now that Xiao Xu is showing emotions that are beyond her expectations, she also wants to back down.
She always thought about avoiding any changes and maintaining stability.
Yun Sheng sighed heavily, and like Yun Zhi, decided to stop thinking about it for the time being: "Forget it, I can't figure it out by just thinking about it. He didn't force me. Let's just take it one step at a time."
Yun Zhi was about to nod when she suddenly remembered something and noticed Yun Sheng's brows furrowing.
"What's wrong?" Yun Sheng asked.
"I suddenly remembered something."
"What is it?"
"I think His Highness's trip here may not be for official business, but rather to bring Young Master Xiao back to the manor."
Yun Sheng was stunned and remained silent for a long time.
Yun Zhi explained, "Yesterday, my father mentioned that he heard that someone saw Young Master Xiao escape from a manor in Qingyuan Town. That manor originally belonged to the Zhao Prince's Mansion. So it seems that the Zhao Prince's Mansion had found Young Master Xiao's whereabouts, but before they could bring him back, he escaped."
"I didn't think of it when you mentioned His Highness leaving the capital, but now that I think about it, it's very likely that His Highness left the capital to personally capture the escaped Third Young Master."
"Do you know which direction His Highness went? Was it towards Qingyuan Town?"
Yun Sheng paused for a moment before saying, "I don't know. I didn't ask him."
As she spoke, she lowered her eyes and said, "Even if it's to find the Third Young Master and bring him back to the capital, it's only natural. The Third Young Master... was bound to be found sooner or later anyway."
"If the Third Young Master returns to the manor and you see him again, will it affect your current thoughts?"
Yun Sheng was speechless; she couldn't imagine such a scene, nor could she make any predictions.
Is Xiao Ling about to return to the capital?
For some reason, at this moment Yun Sheng thought of that night when Xiao Xu told her something strange yet serious.
“Sheng Sheng, he is our younger brother, you should no longer call him Third Young Master.”
From now on, he should be called Third Brother.
A jumble of emotions swirled in my mind, growing more and more chaotic with each passing moment.
She slowly raised her eyes, and was greeted by a bright sunlight, the beams of light flowing, completely different from the deep darkness of the night before. She could no longer see those calm and piercing eyes guiding her.
When Yun Sheng spoke again, she was not as resolute as before, but she still said, "Since I have decided to look forward, as long as I choose a direction, I will not get lost."
————————!!————————
[Eating melon] Sheng Sheng is a little girl who has been well protected since childhood. Now she is a bit lost. Xiao Xu will come back to pursue his wife in the next chapter!
Actually, the two of them complement each other perfectly!
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