Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Am I a beast?
The disease goes away like a thread being pulled out.
Yun Wu seldom fell ill, but when she did, she was very ill and stayed sick for many days.
When she finally recovered and walked out of her bedroom, the weather had turned colder. The maple leaves on the mountain had all turned red, and even the leaves of the sycamore trees in the yard had begun to turn yellow.
Autumn has arrived in the capital, and the whole city is golden. When you wake up in the morning, the ground is covered with fallen leaves.
Despite the bleak autumn air, the Duke's Mansion was bustling with activity. First, they celebrated Zhao Ge'er's birthday. The child invited all his close friends to join them, and the garden was filled with childish laughter for the entire day. Soon, everyone was busy packing their bags to leave.
Mrs. Xie owns a hot spring villa. As the weather turns colder, everyone wants to go to the hot springs.
The men in the family were all on duty, so this time only the women and children were traveling. The three wives went out together in a grand procession, their luggage filling several carts.
As soon as Yun Wu left her sickbed, she busied herself with directing the servants to pack their belongings. Her own belongings, as well as Xie Yi's. Xie Yi, who had no errands to attend to, also joined them. Their luggage was largely the same as when they'd gone to Jinyun Temple. Besides a change of clothes and daily necessities, they'd also managed to pack their medicine bag and cauldron.
"Oh, right," Yun Wu reminded, "Ask the kitchen to prepare a basket of fresh pears so we don't get lost when we get there."
Chun'er replied, "I've remembered it all and have already loaded it onto the cart."
Yun Wu nodded and looked at Xie Yi who was sitting by the window drinking pear soup, and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips.
The autumn weather is dry and maybe it's because of the climate, but Xie Yi has been getting irritated these past two days. A big blister has appeared on his mouth and tongue, and even drinking water hurts. His face is stretched.
He didn't like bitter medicine, and usually drank it reluctantly, so how could he be willing to drink more than a few bowls? So the kitchen would make some sweet soup to clear the lungs and reduce internal heat, and he would reluctantly accept it.
As if noticing Yun Wu's gaze, the person sitting by the window suddenly looked up, their gaze fixed squarely in her direction. Yun Wu quickly dropped her smile and meticulously examined the boxes in front of her, searching for anything she had left behind.
Xie Yi put down the bowl and narrowed his eyes: "Were you making fun of me just now?"
"How could that be?" Yun Wu looked over in surprise: "Husband, did you see it wrong?"
“…”
Xie Yi looked at her suspiciously.
As he was speaking, he touched the blister in his mouth and felt pain. He frowned again and picked up the bowl again in dissatisfaction.
Yun Wu pursed her lips and quickly turned around, so as not to let him notice anything and give her a handle.
He had been in a bad mood these days, and the servants in the third house were living in fear. Now that he was going out, the servants were more active than each other and quickly loaded the carriage.
Before they set off, Yun Wu asked with concern, "Will Zhou Qing still be able to find you after you go to the villa?"
Xie Yi's face was gloomy: "He has his own way."
Yun Wu glanced at his face, which seemed to contain a hint of anger.
Zhou Qing had come several times recently, seemingly doing something for him. Yun Wu didn't know what had happened, but seeing that he always looked unhappy when he emerged from the study, she guessed that his irritability wasn't necessarily due to the weather.
She passed over the subject.
The carriage of the Duke's Mansion drove towards the city gate. When it arrived at the city gate, it saw many carriages parked there waiting to leave the city.
"What day is it today? Why are so many people leaving the city?" Yun Wu was curious: "Could it be that someone is holding another banquet?"
But if there is a banquet in the capital, how could the Second Young Madam be absent to join in the fun?
Chun'er looked outside and understood immediately: "Madam San, these are the candidates going to Jinyun Temple to burn incense!"
Yun Wu: "Exam taker?"
Chun'er: "Now that the Autumn Examination is approaching, people say that Jinyun Temple is very effective and the talismans prayed there are very effective. Many candidates will go there to worship Wenquxing and ask for talismans. When Dalangjun took the imperial examination, my wife also took him there to worship."
Yun Wu suddenly understood.
As the Autumn Examination approaches, students all over the capital are busy reviewing their lessons for the exam. Even the teahouses where scholars are most often seen chatting and chatting are much quieter, and all the prefectures are shrouded in a tense atmosphere.
However, these have nothing to do with the Duke's Mansion.
There was not a single candidate in the Duke's Mansion.
Yun Wu lifted the carriage curtain and peeked out curiously. The examinees were studying even on the way. A scholar passed by their carriage, muttering to himself as he held onto his scroll.
Her gaze drifted towards the candidate, and suddenly she heard a sneer from the side.
Yun Wu looked back in confusion.
"You didn't even notice you were reciting the wrong thing." Xie Yi commented, "Even the Buddha couldn't save you."
Yun Wu looked at the scholar walking away in surprise: "Did you recite it wrong?"
What the scholar was reciting sounded unfamiliar to her. She had not learned it yet and could not figure out if there were any mistakes.
Yun Wu lowered the curtain and turned to lean towards him with great interest: "Which book is he reciting? What is the original text?"
Xie Yi glanced at her and seeing her face full of curiosity, he recited it to her.
Seeing that she only understood half of what he said, he patiently explained the meaning.
After listening to this, Yun Wu couldn't help but show admiration and respect on her face, and her eyes shone brightly: "You know so much."
Xie Yi brushed off the corner of his clothes and said, "I only know a little bit."
Yun Wu immediately thought of the books filled with notes in his study.
Outside the carriage, candidates were coming and going. Yun Wu asked, "Your knowledge is so profound, even greater than the candidates outside. Why don't you go to the examination hall and try it yourself?"
The imperial examination had a long process. The candidates outside the carriage preparing to take part in the Autumn Examination were all scholars. Before the Autumn Examination, they had already passed the county, prefectural, and academy examinations. Xie Yi, however, had no academic achievements at all; he was a commoner, not even a student.
He is full of talent, so it is natural that he will pass the exam, but he has never taken it before.
Xie Yi said indifferently: "I'm not interested."
"Not interested?"
"Even if I pass the imperial examination, I can only become an official. I have an elder brother at home, so there's no need for me to bring honor to the family. At worst, I still have my second brother, who can be of some use. As for me..."
Xie Yi paused, then suddenly looked up at her, a complex expression in his eyes that quickly faded. He raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and said with a half-smile, "Your husband has no ambitions. I'm afraid I'll just end up living a lazy life under the protection of the mansion. Am I disappointing you?"
Yun Wu was confused and just shook her head.
If it were at the beginning, she would certainly believe what Xie Yi said.
But now she knew that Xie Yi had built up a power outside and had studied very hard. Since he had put in so much effort, how could he be willing to be a useless person with no ambition?
Yun Wu wanted to say something but hesitated.
Just as she never inquired about Zhou Qing's identity, she would not take the initiative to ask about Xie Yi's scar.
Yun Wu simply said, "If you're happy doing this, then anything is fine. I never ask anything of you."
Yun Wu thought for a moment and added, "I think my parents mean the same thing."
Xie Yi didn't say whether it was true or not.
The family education in the mansion was not strict, but idle playboys were not allowed to appear. Speaking of lacking ambition, he was not the one in the family. There was already a second son who loved to walk his birds and dogs. But even the second son was stuffed into the Taichang Temple and received an idle job, and had to report to work every day.
Just because he is a "patient", he always has many privileges.
Before leaving the city, Zhao Ge'er climbed onto their carriage to play with his uncle.
His third uncle had no affection for his nephew at all. He immediately asked him to get his textbooks and started checking his daily homework.
Zhao Ge'er sat upright, very serious and answered the questions seriously.
Yun Wu pursed her lips, not wanting to listen to their nonsense while she was out playing. She climbed down from the carriage and went to the front to play with her sister-in-law.
"Brother Ye, what's wrong?"
Ye Huaiqing slowly withdrew his gaze: "...I seem to see an old friend."
"Old friend?" The person who asked followed his gaze and saw only carriages. "Who is it? Should I go over and say hello?"
"Nothing, maybe I saw it wrong."
After leaving the city, the candidates headed towards Jinyun Temple in a mighty procession, while the Xie family's carriage headed towards the hot spring villa.
They stopped and started along the way, enjoying the scenery along the way. They stopped in between to light a stove and cook a lunch. They had brought enough supplies and manpower when they set out, so they didn't need much in the wilderness. By the time the carriage arrived at the villa, it was almost dusk.
The servants in the manor knew that the masters were coming, and had already cleaned all the courtyards. After everyone had quickly divided their accommodation, they couldn't wait to rush to their rooms to rest.
The owners of the Duke's Mansion come here every year, but Yun Wu is the only one who comes here for the first time, so everything she sees is new to her.
Most courtyards in the world are no different. What is most surprising is that there is a shallow pond in the courtyard, with white mist and steam rising, and the shadows of trees swaying on the shore.
The maid in the manor introduced her: "...This is a spring brought in from the mountains. It can not only relieve fatigue, but also soothe the body and mind. Madam Third Young Master, you've been traveling so long, so a dip in it will surely give you a good night's sleep!"
Yun Wu looked at the pond and blinked frequently: "Why are you outside the house?!"
The old woman smiled and said, "Don't worry, Third Young Madam. There are copper pipes underneath. We change the water frequently, so it won't get dirty."
Yun Wu: “…”
Is she worried about whether it's dirty or not? !
Yun Wu was too embarrassed to say it directly, and looked at the old woman with panic in her almond-shaped eyes. However, the old woman had no ability to read her expression at all. After introducing the hot springs outside the house to her, she led her into the house.
Yun Wu looked at the pool several times, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.
Xie Yi followed beside her with his arms folded, and didn't seem to notice her panic.
After a short rest, a servant came to serve dinner.
In addition to the pond, Wenquanzhuangzi has many outputs. In addition to the animals raised by itself, you can also eat out-of-season fruits and vegetables in autumn.
The fruits and vegetables that were freshly picked not long ago were cooked into delicious dishes by the chef. After a tiring journey, the fatigue was soothed by the food. If you can take a comfortable bath, I am afraid that the life of a god could not be better than this.
After having dinner together and chatting and joking, everyone couldn't wait to go back to their own yard to take a bath.
Seeing that someone was about to be exposed, Yun Wu quickly grabbed Chen Qiutang and said, "Second sister-in-law!"
Chen Qiutang paused: "What?"
Yun Wu looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to this side. Even the maids were far away. Then she lowered her voice and asked hesitantly, "The pond in your yard... is also outside?"
"yes."
Chen Qiutang didn't think too much about it and responded casually. After answering, he looked at her slightly red ears and guilty eyes, and suddenly realized something. The expression on his face suddenly became mischievous.
"Awu, are you shy?" she said, "It's nothing. It's quite enjoyable to soak in the pool and enjoy the scenery. If you're really embarrassed, ask Sanlang to accompany you."
Yun Wu was shocked: "How can you call him?!"
Chen Qiutang winked at her: "You don't know, there's a lot of fun!"
After saying that, without waiting for Yun Wu to answer, she burst into laughter, as if she had done some prank, shook off Yun Wu's hand and ran away.
Yun Wu: “…”
Yun Wu returned to the courtyard where she lived in fear.
The servants had already unloaded the boxes and crates from the carriage. Knowing their masters' intention to soak in the hot springs, the pool had already been prepared. Besides soap and flower petals for bathing, they had also prepared wine, melons, and fruits, all served on a tray.
What made Yun Wu feel most relieved was that a screen was erected on the shore!
There was a courtyard wall on one side, a screen on the other, and trees on both sides providing shade. She looked around and finally felt relieved.
Having heard her two sisters-in-law praise how good this hot spring was, Yun Wu couldn't wait to try it.
As the warm water flowed over her body, Yun Wu leaned against the edge of the stone wall, feeling the fatigue in her body being washed away by the gentle waves, and she sighed.
It is indeed good.
I really want to keep soaking.
Yun Wu went to see curiously what the servants had prepared. She first grabbed a handful of fragrant petals, then looked at the food on the tray, and even opened the lid of the wine pot and smelled it. The wine was intoxicating.
Just as I was curious, footsteps approached.
A shadowy figure appeared behind the screen.
Yun Wu looked over subconsciously.
Xie Yi walked around the screen. He was only wearing a thin inner garment with loose collars. The smooth lines in the middle disappeared into the collar, and the grooves at his waist were clearly visible and barely visible.
Yun Wu blushed unconsciously. She turned her eyes away and gathered her wet black hair to her chest.
She could only hear the sound of water splashing beside her, and a body that was hotter than the water sat down next to her, emitting heat continuously.
The pool was several times more spacious than a bathtub, and even after two people fit in it, she didn't feel cramped for any reason.
"Why did you come down?" Yun Wu whispered, "I wanted to call you later, but it might be too crowded for two people. How about I..."
"No problem." Xie Yi leaned against the shore, picked up the wine jug beside him, poured himself a glass, and sipped it with great interest. He said, "The pool is very big."
Yeah?
Yun Wu quietly moved a little to the side and avoided physical contact with him.
But the night was quiet, and when she moved, the water rippled, and the movement was so obvious that she had to interrupt the idea as soon as it came to her mind, and she was at a loss.
Although we have done many intimate things, it is different at night when the lights are turned off.
Now, not only can we sit in the open air, but when we look up we can see floating clouds and a bright moon. It is also very bright all around, with lights illuminating the yard as bright as day. Fortunately, the hot mist makes it difficult to see clearly.
But everything was silent, and there was a living, breathing person beside him. Every movement was particularly obvious, making it difficult for Yun Wu not to focus on her.
Yun Wu suddenly remembered what Chen Qiutang said.
She said that being with two people was also a different kind of fun.
pleasure?
Yun Wu's eyelashes trembled and her eyes darted around as she felt the body temperature beside her that did not belong to her.
What fun?
It's fun to do it alone or with someone else.
Yun Wu hugged her arms and slowly poured water on herself. For the first time, she felt the water was too hot.
There was a sound of dripping water, and Xie Yi looked towards her.
Yun Wu was still unaware of it. Her wet inner garment stuck to her body, half revealing the skin underneath. The waterline outlined her figure clearly, and her snow-white skin was hazy.
Xie Yi's gaze slowly moved down along her fair neck, winding along the traces of the waterline inch by inch, and then further down, it was obscured by the white mist and could not be seen clearly.
“Crash—”
Yun Wu was lost in thought and before she could react, she was captured in his arms.
Her ears were burning red, and she didn't know whether it was from the scalding water or the kiss behind her ears.
Her back was pressed against the man's broad chest, and through her wet clothes she could feel the startling heat of his body temperature, as if the wet clothes were about to be steamed dry. A scent that did not belong to her enveloped her.
Yun Wu bit her lip and looked around in panic, but even the servants who were waiting for her had been sent away by her in advance. The yard was empty with only the two of them.
The tall trees on the shore cast quiet shadows. The wind stopped and even the shadows of the trees no longer rustled.
All the sounds of water became exceptionally clear.
She closed her eyes in shame, not daring to look, and held Xie Yi's arms tightly with both hands. Her neatly trimmed nails dug into his flesh, leaving several white marks.
But if you close your eyes, your ears become more sensitive.
Yun Wu was so ashamed and angry that she almost fainted.
"Hmm... can't touch there..."
"Where can't I touch?"
"Here... this is not possible..."
"Oh? Where can I go?"
“…”
Then I heard a loud sound of water, the water hitting the stone wall, and intermittent sobbing sounds of people being shattered by the impact. The shadows of the trees swayed, and the sound of water continued.
The moon is hidden by clouds, and the wind and moon are boundless.
After soaking in the pool for too long, when Yun Wu was carried out, her head was dizzy from the heat. She leaned limply on Xie Yi's body, and her limbs were weak.
As soon as she touched the quilt, she couldn't wait to close her eyes, wishing she could fall asleep immediately.
But the person behind her quickly approached her and planted passionate kisses on her bare shoulders, moving slowly down along her neck.
The actions are becoming more and more excessive.
Yun Wu reached out to push him away, but her hands had no strength, and the movement of pushing him away became like actively clinging to him.
She opened her wet eyelashes, her almond-shaped eyes misty with water, "No more..."
Xie Yi looked at the wet and red corners of her eyes. Her snowy skin was pink from the heat and soft as if made of water. When he pinched her in his palm, it felt as soft as silk.
Wronged and pitiful.
Xie Yi thought to himself: Am I a beast?
After a moment, he lowered his head and kissed her again.
Beasts are beasts.
He wasn't a good person to begin with.
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