Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Like a golden pancake.
The night was as dark as ink, and a few dim candlelights cast human shadows on the felt curtain of the tent, blurry and lingering.
The warm breath, the moist and dense vapor, the mind-numbing chaos, all ended a quarter of an hour ago.
Sheng Puzhu sat on the couch with her slender white legs curled up, her cheeks still flushed as if she had been stained with rouge, and her lips were swollen and red from being rubbed, ripe and juicy, ready to overflow at any time.
"Are you okay?" Xie Zhiyan served her tea, adding honey to it.
Actually, it wasn't very good, but she just lowered her head and didn't want to speak. I'm afraid she couldn't make a normal sound.
The hands holding the teacup were trembling slightly due to nervousness and helplessness. The fingertips were red, and the soft skin on the palms seemed to have been burned by something very hot, and felt burning.
She even forgot why she had agreed to Xie Zhiyan's excessive request without thinking.
After a long silence, Sheng Puzhu still didn't dare to look into his eyes. His face was too handsome. As long as he lowered his voice and begged her, or was a little more forceful and seduced her silently, she would be blinded by lust and throw the bottom line and rules to the wind.
After drinking a cup of honey water, Sheng Puzhu's blank brain finally gradually regained consciousness.
"Wound……"
"My back seems to be cracked. Do you want... ahem... some medicine?"
In just one hour, she could hardly speak. Her tongue was so stiff as if it was tied in a knot. She could barely put together a sentence, and it was incoherent.
"Bozhu, you don't look well?" Xie Zhiyan said with concern, and there was a thick ink in his eyes that seemed to be undissolved.
"It's...it's okay." Sheng Puzhu pursed his hot lips, swallowed, and spoke in a soft voice.
"Will there be a next time?" Xie Zhiyan asked knowingly.
She raised her eyes unexpectedly, the water in her eyes seemed to be overflowing. She opened her mouth, shocked and speechless.
How could he have the nerve to ask such a thing, and ask it in such an intriguing way.
"What...next time?"
"What do you think?" Xie Zhiyan placed his fingertips on her soft lips, stroking them gently twice, hinting at something.
"Don't say anymore." At this moment, the shame she felt reached the limit she could bear. If she agreed to him, she must have been possessed by a ghost.
Xie Zhiyan didn't intend to let him go so easily. There was a cunning look in his deep eyes: "Then please apply the medicine for me. The wound is too deep and it hurts a lot."
Sheng Puzhu had never heard him say that he felt pain. The broken blood scabs were already oozing out, and the places that were blistered and turned white were really shocking.
She had no way of refusing. The couch was narrow and she took up most of it. Xie Zhiyan could only support his long legs on the ground. His sharp features were slightly tense, and a thin layer of sweat covered his cold forehead.
The heartache that had been caused by his rough collision flooded into his heart. With just a slight hesitation, Sheng Puzhu lowered his eyes and took the medicine powder.
Her fingertips trembled violently, afraid of hurting him again.
"Does it hurt?"
Xie Zhiyan could feel her soft fingertips stroking the wound on his back, causing a slight itch.
He didn't look back, but whispered, "Now, it doesn't hurt anymore."
The action of applying the medicine was unfamiliar, and the powder was not evenly spread. The back was fine, but there was a deep arrow wound on the abdomen.
The two of them were close to each other, and she knelt on the couch, unable to control herself from thinking about what she had been tricked into doing by Xie Zhiyan before, and she couldn't help but feel distracted.
"Bozhu."
"You're going to strangle me to death."
Xie Zhiyan curled his lips, his voice was hoarse, and his smiling eyes were looking at her without blinking.
Sheng Puzhu then realized that she was distracted and accidentally pulled the gauze wrapped twice in her hand too tight, causing blood to flow out of the wound on her abdomen.
"Yes, I'm sorry."
Xie Zhiyan sighed, leaned back, and said nonchalantly: "I'll teach you, learn well."
A rough palm covered the back of her slightly cold hand, firmly wrapping around her trembling fingertips.
"so……"
Xie Zhiyan softened his voice and guided her hand to dip the powder again and spread it evenly: "Don't shake your hands. Apply a thin layer of powder. Too much or too little won't do."
"Bozhu is very skillful. A clever girl like her will be able to learn it."
He emphasized the word "skillful" and his gaze seemed to carry weight. He lingered on her lips for a moment before settling on her jade-like fingertips. His eyes were dark, "Bozhu should have experience."
It was just some medicine, but she was teased by him until her face turned red and her heart beat fast. Sheng Bozhu felt that all her senses were concentrated on the hand wrapped by him, full of aggressive breath, and the air became sticky and ambiguous.
He was extremely patient, holding her hand with deliberate slowness in his movements.
Late at night, Sheng Puzhu cut the last piece of gauze with scissors and tied a beautiful butterfly knot.
Xie Zhiyan praised him generously: "Puzhu learns really quickly."
Sheng Puzhu pretended not to hear, quickly tidied up the things on the tray, and lay down with his eyes closed.
The bed was very small, barely enough for two people. Not long after, Xie Zhiyan turned off the lights and quietly hugged her from behind.
Sheng Puzhu didn't dare to move, for fear of pressing on the wound on his body.
"Pearl." Xie Zhiyan rested his chin on the top of her soft head. He was obviously tired, but he didn't want to sleep.
"What do you want to ask, my dear?" Sheng Puzhu replied softly, sleepiness gradually appearing in his eyes.
Sanlang Xie, who had been acting strangely all night, finally showed his hidden fangs.
The voice was low and soft, like a whisper, and the warm breath brushed against Sheng Puzhu's sensitive neck, carrying an inexplicable danger: "Tell me, the young master in Linlang Pavilion."
Sheng Puzhu blinked slowly, and her sleepiness instantly dissipated. She buried her face in the quilt and said, "Let's not talk about it anymore. I'm afraid you've already sent someone to investigate."
Xie Zhiyan didn't say anything, but kissed her harder: "I have something to say."
The skin on the back of her neck was white and delicate, and a little force would leave marks. Sheng Puzhu was softened by his kiss, and even her toes could not help but curl up, trying to avoid this panic-inducing torture.
"Can you not tell me?"
Xie Zhiyan refused to give in, leaving a heavy mark on her earlobe, and said in a domineering tone: "No."
"I want to hear your own explanation."
Sheng Puzhu felt pain, her narrow waist curved like a crescent moon. Her voice was hoarse, with obvious dissatisfaction: "When I tell you something, you'll be angry again."
"Being angry is one thing."
"Listening to your explanation is another matter."
"I just want to hear you say it."
Sheng Puzhu's eyelashes became wet from his biting, and her heartbeat and breathing were very loud. He hugged her tightly from behind. On the cold spring night, the two of them were like mandarin ducks embracing each other. She had no idea what his emotions were.
Xie Zhiyan's kiss was heavy, his breath was hot, and he was stubbornly wanting an answer.
Sheng Puzhu was so exhausted by him that he tilted his neck back and spoke in a voice as soft as a lump of dough.
"It's not a bad thing actually. They are all people I rescued from Pingkangfang. Some were born to prostitutes, and some are mixed-race and foreign, with nowhere to stay."
"Linlang Pavilion has never forced anyone to stay, and I haven't taken any of their indentures. Whether to stay or leave is entirely up to one's will."
"It's been many years. Shuoyi was the first man I rescued. I initially settled him in the manor, but as the number of people gradually increased, even if I was born into a wealthy family, my monthly allowance was limited. That's when I gradually began to think about opening a shop."
When she mentioned this, her tone was soft, even though she herself was unaware of it. "So, Linlang Pavilion, they just stayed to help me."
"The beautiful and affectionate ones will stay in Linlang Pavilion to help with reception. I will place the more reserved ones in the Silver Shop to learn a craft. In short, there are many ways to survive."
Sheng Puzhu narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice: "My dear, don't ask me why I don't have any girls. You know that Pingkangfang is adjacent to the East Market, and there are countless brothels of southern music. If I have the chance to meet anyone who can help me, they will become my personal servants."
"What else?" Xie Zhiyan closed his eyes. Actually, he knew all of this, but it was different to hear her say it in person.
"Um."
"Stop biting! I told you to stop biting."
Sheng Puzhu turned her head away, her voice softening as she said, "So after we got married, when you left for the frontier, I really started thinking about opening a shop."
"Aunt Duanyang and I are good friends. I just happen to love all kinds of gorgeous jewelry, including jewelry and jade. She did my first business and later added money to become my partner."
"After all, there are many inconveniences in getting married. I'm certainly happy to see her get involved."
At this point, Sheng Puzhu was slightly distracted: "Come to think of it, Shuoyi and the others should thank you. If you had stayed in Chang'an, I probably wouldn't have been able to open this Linlang Pavilion."
The tent suddenly fell silent. Xie Zhiyan didn't know if he was so angry that he laughed. The jealousy in his heart was still very strong. He bit her earlobe as punishment and said, "According to what my wife said, they should not only thank me, but also kowtow to me and offer me a cup of tea."
Sheng Puzhu was stunned and didn't react for a moment: "Since ancient times, only concubines were offered tea when they entered the house."
"What do you mean, my dear? Are you so angry that you've lost your mind?"
He was more than just confused. He knew he shouldn't be jealous, but he was still jealous and confused. He even said, "Linlang Pavilion is yours, you are mine. Since they have accepted your kindness, they should naturally offer me tea to express their gratitude."
"Xie Sanlang, you are so perverted!"
Sheng Puzhu was defeated and could not help but say angrily, "How could the noble and elegant Mr. Xie be so unreasonable in private?"
Xie Zhiyan snorted coldly and tightened his arms.
He didn't seem to want to pretend anymore. His throat was tight and he said in a paranoid and fierce tone, "It's not important."
"Nothing about you makes sense."
"Puzhu, I am just that overbearing. I didn't tell you before because I was afraid of scaring you."
"Aren't you afraid now?" Sheng Puzhu turned around and raised his chin slightly.
Even though she couldn't see anything clearly, his eyes were still heavy, like a leopard that could eat her at any time.
"I've been scared."
Sheng Puzhu was stunned, and then he remembered that the news of his death in battle might have been reported back to Chang'an.
Life and death were like a blurred line that cut off all her expectations of him.
The mountains and rivers are vast, the spring breeze does not reach, and the pearl is held in the mouth as a contract.
*
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Heyin experienced life and death several times, and was finally pulled back from the brink of death by Shen Ce ten days ago.
It's time for Sheng Puzhu to return to Chang'an.
"Brother, I leave your master to you." In the carriage, Sheng Puzhu said to the outside with some concern.
Shen Ce nodded: "I will go back as soon as the princess recovers."
The carriage rolled over the sand of the Gobi Desert. Sheng Puzhu held a box tightly in her arms. She withdrew her gaze, then looked reluctantly at the lonely smoke in the desert farther away, her eyes heavy with thoughts.
Yumen Pass was attacked, and Xiao Heyin disappeared. However, the matter was handled clearly. With Fu Yunzheng around, Xie Zhiyan was not worried.
This time when he returned to Chang'an, in addition to reporting to the emperor, he also wanted to secretly test Prince An's background.
Just after Grain Full, the carriage arrived at the Duke of Jingguo's Mansion.
When Sheng Puzhu saw Nanny Du, who had been waiting at the door with an anxious look on her face, she held the box in her arms, lifted the curtain and jumped out of the carriage carefully.
"Madam, you are finally back." Madam Du was worried.
"What's wrong?" Sheng Puzhu felt that something was wrong with Aunt Du's expression.
Madam Du took a deep breath and said in a trembling voice, "I'm afraid the old lady is not feeling well."
"How could that be?" Sheng Puzhu's body swayed and he almost fell.
"Where's my husband?" Madam Du looked back and forced a smile. "The old lady's health deteriorated very suddenly. When the princess discovered something was wrong a month ago, she sent a message to Yumen Pass."
"My lady may have missed the person who delivered the message."
Sheng Puzhu's legs felt like they were filled with lead. She tightly grasped Madam Du's hand and said, "Quick, find someone to call my husband back. He was just outside the city gate when the emperor summoned him to the palace."
"yes."
"I'll go right away."
Stepping into the inner room, there was incense lit in the room, but the strong smell of medicine was still overwhelming.
Lying on the bed, the old lady had her eyes closed and was so thin that she was almost unrecognizable.
"Why is this happening?" Sheng Puzhu's chest tightened, he turned his back and quickly covered his red eyes with a handkerchief.
Nanny Jiang, who was standing by, didn't say anything, but just knelt down silently.
It was clear that before she set off, the old lady was in poor spirits, but it was not as if she was beyond help.
"Grandma." Sheng Puzhu called softly.
The room was quiet. The old lady's eyelids moved and she opened her eyes: "Puzhu, you are back."
She smiled and held out her hand.
Sheng Puzhu quickly grasped it, his eyes swollen and his voice choked with sobs: "Did you not take your medicine properly?"
The old lady took a breath and raised her head with great difficulty: "I knew I couldn't hide it from you."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Master Yundeng clearly said that if you take good care of yourself, you will have many years to live."
"No, I've lived enough. It's time to go."
"Since you are leaving, then you may as well die a worthy death."
"I'll help that unfilial child one more time, and the rest is up to his own fate."
"Grandma, then you don't want a granddaughter-in-law either? And Sanlang."
The old lady held her hand tightly and sighed, "The century-old Xie family cannot be destroyed in my hands. The rotten roots and the rotten flesh that need to be cut off should be removed as soon as possible."
"It's better to die. At least I don't have to watch them fight each other."
"Once I'm gone, Xie will be in mourning. They'll have to carry my coffin back to Boling to observe the mourning period. They won't be able to return to Chang'an to resume their duties for at least three years."
"Three years should be enough to change a lot of things."
Sheng Puzhu understood that the old lady stopped taking the medicine on her own because she wanted to use the mourning period to prolong her life for her eldest son one last time.
She wanted to use her death to force the Xie family to split up as soon as possible.
She saw it more clearly than anyone else. The ambition of the eldest branch of the family was irreversible. It was like a tree with rotten roots. If it did not cut off its arms to survive, it would only drag the entire family down with it to decay.
"Don't be sad." The old lady smiled kindly, "I don't have too many regrets in my life."
“I will not let down the heavens, the earth, or my ancestors, and I will not let down my children.”
"Born as the most pampered daughter of the Li family in Zhao County, I was loved by my parents before I got married, and I loved my husband after I got married. The only shortcoming was that he passed away before I could grow old with him."
Seeing Sheng Puzhu crying so hard, the old lady was confused and thought for a while: "Why are you crying?"
"Don't cry."
"How's Yumen Pass? Will the sandstorm make my cheeks hurt? The long river, the vast desert, the lonely smoke...are they like what's described in the book?"
"Yeah, it's just like what's in the book." Sheng Puzhu thought of something and said hurriedly, "Madam Du, please bring me the box I just brought back."
There were two crystal bottles in the box.
Sheng Puzhu held it out with trembling hands: "Do you want to smell it?"
“Before I left, I prepared the wind from Yumen Pass on the highest sand dune.”
"Grandma, look." She felt like she was about to break apart with sadness, but she tried to smile. "And here, this is the yellow sand from Yumen Pass. Sanlang put it in there himself."
"We agreed to leave no regrets."
The fine and dry sand, like flowing broken gold, carried the dust and vastness of the border, and slowly fell onto the old lady's slightly cool palm.
She murmured, her scattered gaze slowly focused, her fingertips trembling, as if she could see through the yellow sand from far away outside the pass, the place where her husband's loyal bones were buried.
The wind and sand are warm, like golden baked Hu pancakes, with a unique wheat aroma.
Just like her husband whom she had missed and resented for most of her life.
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The author has something to say: I’m sorry for the speed of fighting against the loser, Ah Chan. I really tried my best.
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