A sound of pleasure
The red sandalwood boxes on the ox cart were covered with red cloth, which was eye-catching and gave Helan Zhu a headache. He crossed his arms and pushed Nie Qing beside him, muttering to himself:
"Don't you think red is tacky?"
"Vulgar?" Nie Qing suddenly laughed. It was "jealous," not "vulgar." She agreed, "As for betrothal gifts, it's better to be vulgar. I think it's good. You should learn from them. You'll need them in the future."
"How vulgar." Helan Zhu rolled his eyes and turned away. Then, feeling angry, he turned back and cursed, "How vulgar!"
Nie Qing and Feichun counted the "bride price," which was enough to feed dozens of mouths in Mingyue Village for more than a year. Although it was not as much as the "10,000 taels of gold" reward, it was still a timely help.
Following the ox cart was a disfigured servant, a mute who could not speak, but gestured: he was a homeless man, and Liu Qingbai asked him to escort the "bride price" up the mountain.
Nie Qing looked at him with suspicion, then glanced at Feichun. There couldn't be any more trouble in the village.
After a long silence, Feichun finally settled him down on the mountain.
"I'll send someone to check his background, and I'll also keep an eye on him myself."
This must have been arranged by Liu Qingbai, and the "bride price" was just a cover. Feichun felt secretly disappointed, with an indescribable feeling of depression, just like the days when he was at Fengqing Temple.
Liu Qingbai said nothing, never said anything, it was the same before and it is still the same now.
Who was this servant? Was he a friend or foe? What were Liu Qingbai's intentions? She had no idea.
"Qing'er, do you think you'll tell Sister Ziyan what you do?" Feichun looked at Yueming Village at the foot of the mountain, at this small town. It was so close, yet so small, why did it always feel like a ghost town?
"I think I would, but Zi Yan never told me." Nie Qing smiled and rubbed his hands, then said, "I think they are used to being alone all the time, right?"
"But didn't we show up?"
"Xiaochun, we are not that great. We can't change the world or change people's hearts. It's very difficult for us to live well."
The wind blew along the cliff to each other's hearts, rushing in, and they didn't feel cold.
"Are you cold?" Nie Qing put a cloak on Feichun.
Fei Chun was grateful but declined, wanting the cool breeze to sober her up. She always wanted to cure Liu Er's mental illness, but she was also seriously ill.
If she were a healthy person, she probably wouldn't want to marry that sickly guy who was always on the verge of death, right?
Her mother was right. A woman should never put herself in such a situation in her life, where her every smile and frown was influenced by a man. If she didn't think about these things, she would be the second in command of Mingyue Village, instead of standing on the top of the mountain, pondering the true and false feelings in the "bride price" and losing her appetite.
Anyway, the silver has been delivered.
"Qing'er, let's have a good meal tonight!"
"Okay!"
Mingyue Village has been holding banquets frequently these days. A "bride price" was sent on the first day, and another ox cart was brought on the next day, also claiming it was a "bride price".
Feichun was now furious at the sight of the cow and the red cloth. He didn't know what Liu Qingbai was planning, and after not seeing him for five years, he had become even more outrageous.
"I'm going down the mountain!"
She just wanted to ask clearly, what did Liu Er want to do?
Seeing Feichun's back as he walked down the mountain, Helanzhu vented again: "I said red is vulgar!"
Liu Qingbai bathed and burned incense in his official residence, waiting for a long time. He estimated that by the time Feichun arrived at his residence, it would probably be night. He sat in the courtyard with his hair loose, reading a book. On the stone table in the courtyard lay the dagger he had "surrendered," with a tassel hanging from the hilt.
Since ancient times, girls have given sword tassels to the boys they admire, but he is willing to be the man who gives sword tassels to the girls he admires.
"Sir, it's cold at night. It's time to go inside and sleep." The person who spoke was Chanjuan, a spy specially planted by Chen Ju'an. He couldn't drive her away, and she didn't want to get in his way either.
Liu Qingbai knocked on the table where a cup of tea was placed.
"It's your reward."
Chanjuan hesitated for a moment, then raised her cup and drank. She knew from the smell that the tea was Huangliang tea from Hanxiang County, but as a servant, she had no choice.
Everything is ready except the east wind. After sending Chanjuan away, all that is left is Feichun to climb over the wall and enter.
But unfortunately, she left through the main gate today.
"You have offered the betrothal gifts several times, why should I climb over the wall?" Feichun broke into the room with confidence and sat down in the yard.
"If I had known you were so fond of walking through doors, I would have taken them down long ago to save you the trouble." Liu Qingbai brewed another pot of tea. In the past, the tea he drank in the North Courtyard was all out-of-season old tea. Although the tea he drank now is not the best, it is at least fresh. "Want to try it?"
Feichun looked towards the teacup and saw her short sword lying beside it. It had been used for many years, and the handle was a little worn, but it was the most comfortable to use.
"What do you mean?" Feichun took the dagger, as if she had met an old friend after a long absence. The newly attached tassel was indeed a burden. She stroked it, reluctant to let it go.
The sword is not as good as before, and the man is not as good as before.
She raised her eyes and looked at Liu Qingbai carefully, as if it were a lifetime ago. When had they ever been able to sit in the courtyard like this?
"This is the last betrothal gift." Liu Qingbai explained.
Feichun was silent for a while, then looked around and realized that this courtyard was modeled after the North Courtyard. Every blade of grass, every flower, and every tree was based on how she had arranged it back then.
"There is no old locust tree here. There is only this camphor tree in the yard. It is evergreen all year round and is more auspicious than the locust tree." He pointed to the swaying leaves above his head, which blocked out the sun and let a hint of moonlight shine through.
Feichun considers himself a vulgar person, and every time at this moment, the obscene words and erotic songs written by Mr. Zhang in the past always emerge in his mind.
"I'm hungry."
"I've prepared the food, I'll go get it." As soon as Liu Qingbai stood up, Feichun's kisses fell on his lips.
"I said..." She hugged Liu Qingbai's waist and suddenly raised her head and laughed, "I'm hungry."
Today, the imperial court is in name only, the feudal lords are fighting for power, and the people are suffering from internal and external troubles.
Who knows if there will be a future after today?
Feichun only knew that she didn't want to wait another five years. Life is short, live in the present.
Mr. Zhang had been a lousy student back then, teaching nothing but frivolous things. Feichun had learned all sorts of things by sheer brute force, a feat that frightened Liu Qingbai to his core. Thinking about it, it was nothing more than the whims of life, the demands of sex and the necessities of life. Who could escape the seven emotions and six desires?
The room was carefully decorated, with red silk tied everywhere and red candles burning, like a bridal chamber.
The incense burner was filled with mist, which was entwined with the vermilion-painted pillars. Through the red curtains, one could see the couch covered with a red brocade quilt that looked like rolling red waves.
It was the beginning of winter, but not that cold. The charcoal fire in the charcoal brazier, which shouldn't have been lit, was crackling, scorching every corner of the room, making them feel drowsy and their minds a mess.
That night, the charcoal fire burned so hot that it was sweaty and sticky, and the room was filled with the sound of love words.
"What kind of incense?"
Feichun, her hands supporting her flushed face, her legs hooked, lay on the edge of the bed, watching the smoke curl up and penetrate the window cracks. She wanted to open the window and let in some cool air to wake her up, but she immediately indulged in this gentle paradise.
"Magnolia fragrance."
"You're making fun of me."
"I dare not."
"You're clearly making fun of me!"
What you can see amidst the laughter and playfulness are clear scars.
The wound on his shoulder was inflicted by Aunt Yun hitting him with a cup. The scars on his back and legs were left from falling off a cliff, winding around him like a centipede.
"Does it hurt?" He asked softly in a trembling voice.
"It doesn't hurt anymore." Feichun wiped the tears from Liu Qingbai's eyes, "It doesn't hurt anymore when I see you."
Through the red brocade curtains, through her wet eyes, she could vaguely see the flickering red candles. She seemed to be hesitant to speak, and for the first time, she felt that the dancing flames could be so entangled and charming.
The red silk on the top of the tent seemed to have human nature. When the time was right, it suddenly fell down. The red silk that covered the sky and the sun fell into the bright moonlight like a rolling red cloud.
She looked up into Liu Qingbai's eyes and pursed her red lips: "Are you also considered a betrothal gift?"
The air was fragrant, and the flame on the red candle in the warm room was about to burn fiercely. The fierceness brought heat, and the heat made the moths in the room confused and dazed, and they rushed around the room in a daze. If they were not careful, the whole room would be swallowed by the flames.
"I guess this counts as consummating the marriage."
One sound brings pleasure.
When I woke up again, it was already noon.
When Feichun emerged from the bed, he saw a table full of prepared food. He stretched himself and collapsed into the warm and comfortable embrace of the man beside him. He asked coquettishly, "Master Liu, you are so free. Don't you have any official duties?"
"My duty is to apprehend you. You walked into my trap last night, so I naturally have no duty to do." He closed the book he was pretentiously holding, kissed Feichun's forehead, and moved the small round table to the bedside, just within Feichun's reach. He set the dishes neatly in place, "You used to serve me meals, but now it's my turn to serve the Second In Command's family."
"I didn't expect that Xiao Liuzi is so talented in serving people. I feel ashamed of myself." Feichun picked up a piece of salted goose on the table. It was fat and lean, and very delicious.
Then I thought of last night, when the goose in front of me was the same, looking skinny, but actually neither skinny nor dry, and when I put it in my mouth, it was full of oily fragrance, plump and delicious. Thinking of this, my face flushed again.
"What are you thinking about?" Liu Qingbai asked knowingly.
"I thought you'd serve me well last night, so I'll give you a reward." His restless foot frivolously hooked his other leg under the table. Suddenly, he changed his mind and asked, "You're so skilled... in these five years... you can't...?"
"I swear to heaven that I am as innocent as my name suggests!"
"Okay, okay!" Feichun saw Liu Qingbai standing up anxiously for the first time, and she couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. Getting back to the point, she suddenly remembered the important matter and wanted to ask: "What do you mean by those betrothal gifts?"
"If you accept, I'll give you three letters and six gifts to show my sincerity." Liu Qingbai lowered his head and felt Feichun's hands. "If you don't want to, I'll promise you ten thousand taels of gold."
"Ten thousand taels of gold? Isn't that a cover for your secret attack on Chencang?"
"Of course not!" Everything else was fine, but questioning the truth was wrong. Liu Qingbai hurriedly stood up to explain, fearing that if he was late, he would be accused of more crimes for no reason.
"Did you let that mute servant go up the mountain?"
"What servant?"
As soon as the words fell, they both suddenly realized that a spy had sneaked into Mingyue Village! They thought it was Shen Ju'an's work.
"I have to go back!" Fei Chun quickly jumped out of bed, but he obviously overestimated the effort it took to "break in" last night. His legs went weak and he almost fell into Liu Qingbai's arms.
"If you go back now with such a fierce attitude, you'll only alert the enemy!" Liu Qingbai picked up Feichun by the waist and put him back on the bed. "Don't worry about it, leave it to me."
"Then what do you say we should do? Mingyue Village is not only Nie Qing's hard work, I also have a share in it! Don't act on your own again!" Feichun's face darkened, changing from his previous gentle and affectionate attitude, as if he was going to turn his back on him.
"I'll go along with you and get married, and you can pretend you don't know anything."
Liu Qingbai said these words sincerely, but Feichun swallowed them back in doubt.
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