Chapter 65 Chapter 65 "Want a combination of meat and vegetables?"
The palace lanterns faded away, and the bustle within the high vermilion walls was blown away by the night wind, leaving only the sound of wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement in front of the palace gate.
Sheng Puzhu was holding the shaft of the cart, but before he could move, a cold, white, slender hand stretched out from behind him.
"Be careful."
Xie Zhiyan held her steady, used his arms to lift her up.
In front of Princess Shoukang, Sheng Puzhu felt embarrassed and her cheeks turned red again.
The charcoal fire in the carriage was warm, and the sobering soup simmering on the small table was emitting white mist, accompanied by a scent of tea.
"Are you still feeling dizzy?" Princess Shoukang asked with a smile.
Sheng Puzhu shook her head, but she felt it would be awkward to remain silent, so she pursed her lips and said, "It's much better now."
Princess Shoukang tilted her head to look at her, then gestured for her to sit closer. "I have a few jars of fine fruit wine in my yard. If you like it, I'll have someone send it to you tomorrow."
When it comes to drinking, Sheng Puju has always been a sucker for it. She didn't refuse, but instead felt a bit of anticipation.
The next day, before dawn, Sheng Puzhu woke up, his eyes, which had not yet fully opened, still showed a hint of sleepiness.
Nanny Du brought Naidong with her, and each of them held a celadon wine jar.
"The Princess sent a nanny to deliver it early this morning."
"One jar is made with lychee wine from Lingnan, and the other is a fruit drink made with pomegranates from Chang'an."
"The Empress said that if the young lady likes it, she should send someone to tell Madam Yan that she will save a few more jars for her next year."
Seeing Nanny Du's hesitant expression, Sheng Puzhu slapped his head in frustration.
She was drowsy last night and forgot that Aunt Du repeatedly warned her not to drink and not to get drunk.
Now, Princess Shoukang has personally sent two jars. If she feels craving for them, she will have a legitimate excuse.
"Mammy, I never drink too much, only half a cup at a time."
Nanny Du finally breathed a sigh of relief and said earnestly, "Madam is hiding a big secret. If she gets really drunk one day, you won't even need your husband to interrogate her personally. She'll just pour it all out in one breath, just like pouring beans."
Thinking of that scene, the wrinkles on Madam Du's face deepened a little: "So, my lady, you should always reflect on yourself and not be too greedy for alcohol."
"Yes, Ma'am, I know." Sheng Puzhu assured again and again.
In the depths of winter, the court affairs are put on hold and the annual leave begins.
Old Madam Xie had been ill on and off for half a month because of her eldest son's affairs. Although Sheng Puzhu and Princess Shoukang took time to accompany her every day, when a person is old, once he becomes seriously ill, he will collapse like a mountain. It will obviously take more than a short time to recover.
Fortunately, this year was quite lively.
Apart from the eldest son's departure from Chang'an, nothing seemed to have changed.
Because Qin was not around, Dou was still cautious, but at least she could occasionally muster up the courage to say a few auspicious words.
Everyone was having dinner in the flower hall. Sheng Puzhu ate a dumpling filled with golden beans. She used the tip of her tongue to push it out, and a maid immediately brought clean water to wash it.
Everyone at the table looked at her and smiled.
"What good luck! This is the only good thing tonight." Princess Shoukang said with a smile.
"She is a blessed one." The old lady was in good spirits at night, with a nanny carefully serving her. She ate half a piece of dessert more than a few days ago.
In the flower hall, the palace lanterns are bright and the whole room is full of splendor.
Sheng Puzhu held up the green jade cup, and the amber wine swayed gently in the cup, and two traces of rouge suddenly appeared on her cheeks.
Since she had won the prize, she should drink. Fortunately, no one persuaded her to drink more. She took a sip, put down the wine cup, and sincerely thanked everyone for their blessings.
When she arrived at Xie Zhiyan's house, because they were close to each other, she instinctively leaned towards him, wanting to hear more clearly.
However, the man's hot breath sprayed behind her ear, but he didn't say a word about his evil intentions. At first, Sheng Puzhu thought she didn't hear clearly. When her ear brushed his lips, the man took advantage of the blind spot that no one could see, pursed his lips slightly, and bit her earlobe.
They separated in an instant, but it also made her heart skip a beat.
"My dear." Sheng Puzhu pushed him secretly with some annoyance.
Xie Zhiyan calmly picked up a jade dumpling for her and pushed a new glass of fruit wine over to her.
His deep eyes seemed to want to swallow her in, and his voice was low, clearly coaxing: "The fruit wine is low in alcohol and not intoxicating."
Knowing that this was a lie, Sheng Puzhu still took the fruit wine from his hand as if she was bewitched.
I took a tentative sip and it was sweet, with a floral scent and the freshness of peach.
Reason told her to drink two sips and then force the food to be put on the table. After finishing the jade rice dumpling, Sheng Puju felt a little sick of it and wanted to drink tea.
Um.
The tea today was very fragrant, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. When she came to her senses and looked down, she saw that her teacup was in Xie Zhiyan's hand, and what she was holding was clearly a glass of fruit wine.
"What's wrong?" Xie Zhiyan lowered his voice.
Sheng Puzhu looked at the wine in his hand, then at the tea beside him, and without thinking, he handed his wine cup to him, picked up the tea he had drunk, and took a big sip.
"Madam, are you drunk?" Xie Zhiyan looked at her calmly.
"No, I was drinking tea. I couldn't be drunk." Sheng Puzhu's eyes were red, his plump lips were stained with the smell of alcohol, and he frowned as he answered seriously.
"Yeah?"
Xie Zhiyan's voice was like a warm, irresistible fire in the cold of winter, warming her while threatening to consume her along with it. His palms were broad, his fingers long, and the small wine cup bounced back and forth on his fingertips.
Sheng Puzhu felt her breathing become heavier. For some reason, she ate another jade rice dumpling. Her cheeks puffed up, and she looked at him with her watery eyes wide open: "My dear, don't you want to eat?"
"No."
"We'll eat it at night."
Xie Zhiyan's voice suddenly became gentle, but his eyes became darker.
I don't know what he was thinking about, but he pursed his lips and forced a smile, then personally picked up a handful of fresh vegetables for her: "Eat a combination of meat and vegetables, don't be picky."
Sheng Puzhu hummed a sound and ate it all obediently.
This is how she is when she is drunk. She does everything very well and moves very slowly. If you are not familiar with her personality, you can hardly tell that she is drunk at all.
The New Year family dinner ends before midnight.
Sheng Puzhu was supported by Nanny Du, with Naidong beside her. Both of them had the same frightened expressions on their faces.
"My dear." Sheng Puzhu suddenly stopped and looked back.
Xie Zhiyan leaned over to look at her: "I'm here."
Sheng Puzhu suddenly smiled at him and said, "My dear, you said you would eat at night. What are you going to eat secretly at night?"
"Or are you trying to steal some of my hidden fruit wine?"
She only just realized what she had said half an hour ago. Then she asked, "Would you like a meat and vegetable combo?"
"Well, no picky eating."
"Is the madam drunk now?" Xie Zhiyan endured it again and again and looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"No."
Sheng Puzhu still answered firmly. The lights in the corridor swayed, reflecting a layer of shimmering light in her eyes.
The alcohol had already spread to her cheeks, staining her jade-white skin a pomegranate red. Her lips, soaked in wine, were pursed to reveal a delicate, rich color. She tilted her head, her hair clattering with pearls and jade, and the large expanse of skin on her neck, like the morning glow reflecting on snow, was a unique and charming sight.
Xie Zhiyan's eyes suddenly darkened, and then he sighed helplessly and waved his hand to let Madam Du and others move away.
"Then I am not taking advantage of someone's misfortune. After all, Madam is not drunk."
"Yeah." Sheng Puzhu didn't know whether she understood or not. Anyway, she nodded obediently in cooperation with whatever he said.
"Then I'll carry the lady back?"
Sheng Puzhu obediently opened her arms towards him and cooperated in a way she had never done before.
The next moment, the arm around her waist suddenly tightened, and Sheng Puzhu felt as if she was flying in mid-air. Then a thick cloak covered her, and both of them smelled of wine.
Sheng Puzhu leaned softly on his chest. The pearls on her embroidered shoes sparkled like stars in the moonlight. Today they were embellished with beautiful forsythia flowers.
Even though it was winter, she was already looking forward to spring.
Yunyu Hall is very quiet.
Nanny Du brought her people and carefully prepared the water needed for bathing. She did not dare to delay for a moment and left.
"Take a bath?" Xie Zhiyan pinched her snow-white ankle with his knuckles.
Sheng Puzhu was still agonizing over the midnight snack: "My dear, don't you want to eat?"
"No rush."
"All right."
In front of him, Sheng Puzhu closed his eyes and lay down, looking very quiet and about to fall asleep.
As a result, after a cup of tea, she was picked up by Xie Zhiyan and taken to the bathroom before she could react.
After washing him from head to toe, even the hair was not spared, Sheng Puzhu was still confused. Her eyes, soaked by water, blinked gently, and she looked at the man in confusion, who was soaked but dressed neatly.
If her eyes could speak, she would definitely ask him why he didn't take it off.
Unfortunately, my brain's reaction is too slow.
"You need to be patient when eating." Xie Zhiyan guessed what she was thinking with just one look.
After her hair was half-dried, Xie Zhiyan tucked her under the brocade quilt and put a hot water bottle inside: "Madam, go to sleep first."
"good."
Sheng Puju closed her eyes and felt her body shaking, then she was awakened by the heat.
She was held in his arms, like a very fragile flower.
His movements were not heavy, and could even be said to be very light. His clothes had long been piled in some corner, and the aroma of wine in the tent had turned into a very cold scent of cypress.
She knew what he was doing, but her drunken brain couldn't react at all. Every time he made a new request, her mind was clearly refusing, but her body was sincere.
When he pushed in.
Sheng Puzhu, who had already eaten a full meal that night, helplessly covered his eyes with his sweaty palms and finally asked a key question: "My dear, you didn't...you didn't say..."
Xie Zhiyan's voice was hoarse. He must have taken a very hot bath. His body temperature was much higher than usual.
"Um."
"It's ready now."
"I took the medicine, so I won't get pregnant."
He grabbed her by her snowy ankles and pulled her up.
The knees were very red, and even with the soft sheets, the skin was too delicate.
Sheng Puzhu couldn't bear it anymore and reached out to push him away. The next moment, he grabbed her wrist with a frightening force: "Madam, don't struggle."
“Sometimes, I can’t quite control myself.”
When fireworks explode in your mind and turn into a colorful scene.
Xie Zhiyan suddenly put his hand to her ear and said, "Happy birthday, Madam."
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