Chapter 64【64】Spring, summer, second autumn and three winter are hidden...
【64】/First release
At night, the lights were turned off and there was silence between the apricot-colored curtains.
Although it was clearly her own bed, Yun Ran slept straight in bed, worried that Sima Jing would do that, and wondering why he hadn't moved after lying there for such a long time.
The uneasy feeling of having a boot hanging over her head was driving her crazy.
Just when she was thinking that it would be better to embrace first rather than wait passively, the person beside her finally made a move.
"Not sleepy?"
Sima Jing turned his head and looked at the hazy and petite figure in the dim bed curtains.
Yun Ran's shoulders stiffened slightly, and after a moment's hesitation, he said weakly, "Your Highness, won't you touch me tonight?"
After he finished speaking, he was silent for two breaths before saying, "If you want..."
"No, no, no, I didn't mean that."
Yun Ran said hurriedly: "I'm just asking! It's getting late, let's go to bed early."
This attitude of wanting to avoid it as much as possible made Sima Jing frown.
I had no intention of touching her, but her reaction was really annoying.
He turned over, stretched out his long arms, and embraced the familiar soft body in his arms again.
Yun Ran was stunned for a moment: "Didn't you... didn't you say you wouldn't touch me? Why are you going back on your word?"
"I never said no."
Sima Jing lowered his head slightly, his voice deep, "This isn't the first time I've slept in your arms, why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not nervous..."
Yun Ran's nose pressed against his chest through a thin layer of underwear. The scent of camphor mixed with the freshness of a bath lingered on her, making her breath inexplicably tight. "You're holding me too tight. I can't breathe."
Despite saying so, Sima Jing did not let go. Instead, he raised his hand and stroked her back from time to time: "Ran Ran, tell me the truth, what are you afraid of?"
When Yun Ran heard the word "Ran Ran", his waist felt sore unconsciously.
Those words were hard to say, but his hand was stroking her back slowly and steadily, just like she was stroking a lucky bean, and gradually she relaxed her guard.
In the end, she grabbed his collar and confessed quietly, "I'm afraid of pain."
The hand stroking the back paused.
The warm and fragrant curtains seemed to be quiet.
After two breaths, Sima Jing lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Does it still hurt?"
Yun Ran: "It doesn't hurt much now, but the marks on my body are still there, and..."
Sima Jing: "And what?"
“That’s too much.”
Yun Ran bit her lip and her voice became softer: "It hurts."
Sima Jing: “…”
Although he knew it was wrong, the sight of her speaking such frankly about the lewd and vicious things still made his heart burn and his stomach ache.
"The first break might be hard, but the second break should be okay?"
Sima Jing thought about the time in the bathtub last night. It was much more harmonious than the first time. She should have adapted to it.
It would have been fine if he hadn't mentioned it, but as soon as he mentioned Yun Ran, he got angry: "No, I'm so tired, and you're still bullying me."
Sima Jing: “…”
She never complained about being tired when she went to the fields to farm, but she got tired after doing this twice
——And he is the one who is doing all the hard work.
“Practice makes perfect.”
The hand stroking her back slowly moved downwards, and Sima Jing kissed her forehead: "Try a few more times, and you'll get used to it."
Yun Ran could clearly feel the man's muscles gradually tensing up, ready to strike. His alarm bells immediately rang, and he pressed his hands against his chest: "No."
"…Why?"
Sima Jing's eyes were dark, and he bit her small earlobe: "I'll be gentle this time."
Yun Ran no longer believed what men said in bed. Compared to the severity of the situation, she cared more about health preservation. "Although the union of yin and yang is the beginning of heaven and earth, sexual intercourse must be done in moderation. Your Highness, have you read books on the art of sex? They say that insufficient semen leads to illness, and exhaustion leads to death. You must think about this and be cautious."
"According to our Taoist teachings, sexual intercourse should follow the principles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. This means once in spring, twice in summer, and three times in autumn. In winter, you should rest and recuperate, and refrain from sexual intercourse. Although it's still cold now, it's the New Year according to the calendar, so once is enough. You came twice last night, which is excessive and not good for your health."
She made a very reasonable argument, but Sima Jing found it absurd. "Only once a spring day?"
"Yeah!" Yun Ran nodded: "That's what the book says."
“It is better to have no books than to believe everything in them.”
Sima Jing sneered, untied her belt, and turned over to cover her: "Besides, how can you be so sure that what you said means once a spring day, and not once every night in spring, twice every night in summer, three times every night in autumn, and three times every night in winter..."
Yun Ran was pressed down by his weight, and his thoughts were also diverted: "What is winter?"
"Want to know?"
Sima Jing lowered his head and bit open her collar, then lowered his head. His deep voice was calm and composed: "I'll try it for you, and then you'll know."
Yun Ran was kissed by him again, and by the time she realized something was wrong, her clothes had been stripped off.
The man's large, calloused hands seemed to be on fire, and wherever they touched, they turned into a pool of soft, boiling snow water.
"Your Highness, you can't do this..."
Yun Ran's cheeks flushed red, and his eyes were blurred by the kisses, but he still maintained a trace of rationality: "This is very harmful to your health. You may not feel anything when you are young, but when you are older, it will be too late to regret it."
Upon hearing this, Sima Jing felt that his princess was truly adorable. Even at this time, he was still thinking about her health and longevity techniques.
"Let's talk about it when we're older."
He kissed the corner of her mouth, playing with those two small, delicate yet warm jade-like mouths with his palms, and then he pushed her legs apart slowly with his knees, his voice getting hoarse: "Anyway, I don't mind asking you to take yang to replenish yin."
Yun Ran panicked for a moment. The pain from last night and the difficulty of chiseling a hole in the wall flooded back into her mind. She subconsciously reached out to stop him: "I...I mind!"
After she grabbed Sima Xiaojiu in a panic, she heard a muffled groan in her ears.
In the dim darkness, Yun Ran's heart was beating rapidly. She whispered a request: "The marks on my body haven't disappeared yet. I really can't do it again."
Sima Jing just felt that she might have been sent by God to torture him.
He bit her earlobe: "Ranran, be good and let go."
Yun Ran didn't let go, but held it tighter, and imitated his tone: "Your Highness is also a good boy, take a rest tonight."
Sima Jing: “…”
He didn't know whether to laugh or be angry, but the soft voice of "Your Highness" made him even more agitated.
After a few breaths, Sima Jing decided to take a step back.
If I push her too hard and make her really resist this matter, she will probably suffer even more in the future.
"You don't have to talk tonight, but you have to help me."
The man's deliberately slowed, hoarse voice rang in his ears, and his hot breath penetrated his earlobes, making Yun Ran's tailbone numb. He asked in confusion, "What?"
"If it continues like this, it will be very uncomfortable."
He kissed her neck and coaxed her in a deep voice, "Help me."
If it were before, Yun Ran might have asked what she could help him with, but with the memory of the previous two nights, she naturally understood what it was.
Her ears turned red, her eyelashes trembled, and she hesitated: "You... can't you do it yourself?"
"no."
Sima Jing did not want to retreat: "You provoked me first, so you must take responsibility."
Without giving Yun Ran a chance to argue, his narrow waist pressed closer to her palm, and the voice that fell on her neck became increasingly hoarse: "Legs or hands, choose one."
"one."
"two."
"three--"
Before the last word fell, the small cloud on Yun Ran's chest was about to be swallowed by him, and he hurriedly said: "Legs, legs!"
Anyway, I don’t have to go out tomorrow, so it doesn’t matter if I’m a little tired. But I still have to hold the bowl and chopsticks to eat with my hands.
But she still overestimated the man's credibility in bed.
The next morning, she was still half asleep. The clothes she had put on just a few hours ago were stripped off again, and her hands were taken to the radish field.
She was so sleepy that she couldn't help sobbing in a half-awake state: "Liar..."
The man did not argue, but silently kissed the delicate body as white as jade in the hazy morning light, like a lion patrolling his territory, kissing and devouring it inch by inch, tirelessly.
Until everything was handed over to her soft palm.
"Go to sleep."
Yun Ran was in a trance when he heard someone whispering in his ear, "...Ran Ran, don't make me wait too long."
She wanted to open her eyes and take a look, but she was too sleepy. She only felt her hands being wiped by the handkerchief and then stuffed back into the quilt.
After that, the bed was completely quiet.
When Yun Ran woke up again, the red marks on his body were still there, except that he was not as sore as yesterday.
There were even large red spots around her legs, which showed how long she had been suffering.
Raising his hand again, the familiar soreness made Yun Ran even more embarrassed and annoyed.
If I had known that neither my hands nor my legs could escape, I would have allowed him in so that at least only one part would be hurt.
Loss.
Yun Ran felt regretful and puzzled. How could he have such abundant energy? Didn't he ever get tired?
He looked calm and composed, yet secretly he indulged himself in lust...
It’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
After a long while, Yun Ran finally propped himself up and sat up from the bed.
She was covered in bruises again, so she was too embarrassed to call Qingling in directly. She put on her clothes carefully before letting her in.
When Qing Ling came in with water, Yun Ran subconsciously asked, "Where is His Highness?"
Seeing that her young lady had just opened her mouth to ask about His Highness's whereabouts, Qingling couldn't help but smile: "His Highness has returned to Shenliu Hall. But don't worry, my lady. His Highness sent someone to deliver his daily necessities and clothes. Tonight... oh no, I'm afraid he will be staying with us from now on."
Yun Ran: “…”
Is this something very happy?
She only felt pain in her hands, knees, and chest, and couldn't help but wonder if the man had no snakes to coil around in winter, so he coiled around her like a snake?
**
It's snowing and the sky is bright, deep inside the Willow Hall.
"Your Highness, the boxes and crates have all been sent to Zhanlu Hall."
Chang Chun stood in the middle of the study, smiling broadly, and said, "If there's anything missing, just tell me and I'll fill it in right away."
The man beside the couch was wearing a black robe with gold thread and bamboo pattern, holding a black piece in his hand. He slowly placed the chess piece on the board and then nodded.
Chang Chun waited for a while, hunched over. Seeing that his prince had no other instructions, he was about to leave as usual when the person beside the couch spoke, "How's the matter I sent you to investigate?"
Chang Chun was stunned for a moment, then when he reacted, he quickly raised his hand and slapped his face: "Damn you, slave, I almost forgot."
He said, "The Yang family who blocked the door that day were indeed locals of Qingyan Town. The old couple had a son named Yang Ming, who was originally the captain of the C-unit of the Yezhou Guard Cavalry Battalion. He died in battle seven years ago. When Yang Ming's wife heard the news, she also hemorrhaged and died during childbirth, leaving behind only the child named Yang Polu."
"As for the twelve men who came with me that day, they were all Yang Ming's comrades in the Yezhou Guard. I've heard that Yang Ming is loyal, brave, and kind. Although he's only a small garrison commander, he treats his soldiers like brothers. After the war, the soldiers of the Yezhou Guard either disarmed and returned home, or were rewarded for their merits and transferred to other positions. Among the twelve men who came that day, some, like Geng Dong, served in the Northern Court's Imperial Guards, some served in the Southern Court's Sixteen Guards, and two were members of the Jinwu Guard..."
Seeing that the young prince beside the couch showed no impatience, Chang Chun also carefully and truthfully explained the duties and positions of each person. Finally, he said, "Although they are all illiterate and crude soldiers, they are all very loyal. Every year they pool their money to buy some rice, grain and diesel to help the old couple of the Yang family. This time, when the old man Yang and his family came to Beijing, they were unfamiliar with the place, so they asked them to lead the way."
Sima Jing listened quietly, stroking the black chess pieces with his slender fingertips twice before saying, "I understand."
Chang Chun lowered his head, thinking that there should be no other instructions at the moment.
Just as the thought was coming to mind, the elder suddenly asked, "When are you planning to report these matters to the palace?"
Chang Chun's hunched back stiffened.
When he looked up again, his face was pale and his voice was trembling: "Your Highness, what do you mean?"
"At least you've been by my side for six years... No, this year is already the seventh year."
Sima Jing squinted at him and said, "You should know that I hate it most when someone plays dumb in front of me."
"I dare not!"
Chang Chun knelt down with his forehead touching the ground: "Your servant, your servant... Your servant is loyal to His Highness and has never had any second thoughts..."
As if hearing a joke, the young man chuckled, "I have never had any second thoughts."
The laughter was very light and faint, but Chang Chun felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his shoulders.
He couldn't help but crouch lower until he heard footsteps and saw a pair of black boots embroidered with dark gold cloud patterns.
"I knew you were the one secretly planted by my mother."
The voice that couldn't tell whether he was happy or angry determined him, but the next sentence lit a glimmer of hope on his pale face: "Do you know why I kept you here until now?"
Chang Chun's legs trembled, his face covered in sweat: "Slave...slave is stupid."
"You are the bravest among the eunuchs."
Sima Jing stood with his hands behind his back, looking indifferently at the trembling servant lying on the ground: "If I am gone one day, there will be someone to feed those snakes in Liuxian Garden."
Upon hearing this, Chang Chun thought of the scene seven years ago when he was chosen by the Queen Mother and sent to Prince Jing's Mansion with seven other eunuchs to serve her personally. He felt both sad and happy at the same time and almost cried out loud.
The young prince who just returned from Rongdi was even more evil and cruel than he is now.
He really kicked the two eunuchs down into the snake cave.
Chang Chun still remembers the shrill screams of the two eunuchs when they were entangled by hundreds of snakes.
He almost wet his pants watching this.
Seven years have passed. The eunuchs who were in the same group with him have either died or fallen ill, and now he is the only one left.
"Your Highness, please understand that although I was sent by the Queen Mother to serve you, I have always obeyed your orders over the years and have never done anything to offend you."
Chang Chun cried, fearing that His Highness would kick him to the ground and feed him to the snakes on a whim during the first month of the lunar year. He kowtowed repeatedly: "I am loyal to Your Highness, and heaven and earth can bear witness to this."
Sima Jing did not say anything, but just looked coldly at the servant who was kowtowing on the ground.
Over the years, he has always turned a blind eye to the servants around him. As long as they don't do anything stupid in front of him, he doesn't bother to care.
But things are different now.
He wanted to protect not only the snakes in Liuxianyuan, but also a person.
"Okay."
Seeing the bright red bloodstains on the chiseled floor tiles, Sima Jing said slowly, "You are a wise man. You should understand that a servant should not serve two masters. Considering that you have been relatively well behaved over the years, I will give you a chance to choose."
Chang Chun raised his face in a daze.
"If you become my mother's servant, I will find you a safe place. If you choose to stay by my side..."
Sima Jing lowered his eyelids and said, "If I discover your betrayal, you'll have to jump into the snake den yourself."
Chang Chun knelt on the ground in a stiff posture, his face dull, but his mind was racing.
Your Highness did not learn today that he would report the affairs of the palace to the Queen Mother from time to time.
But why did he suddenly attack today and ask him to choose a master to be loyal to?
Yes, he reported something today.
The Yezhou Guards, the Yang Family, the Northern Court Guards, and the overwhelming praise for the Princess from outsiders, along with the reputation of their Jingwang Mansion, has also improved a lot...
Chang Chun tried hard to find the connection between these things, and in a flash, a bold guess popped up in his mind.
Although he couldn't be sure, his heart began to beat wildly.
He believed that if he chose to continue to be loyal to the Queen Mother, Her Highness would keep his promise and find him a stable job.
Although His Highness appears to be indifferent and heartless, his attitude towards those snakes reveals that he is not a cold-blooded and cruel person.
The former means a peaceful and prosperous retirement, while the latter may mean immense wealth and power.
Chang Chun had to admit that His Highness was right and he was indeed a brave man.
"Your Highness, I am your servant in life and your ghost in death!"
Chang Chun knelt upright and kowtowed again, his voice filled with sincerity and earnestness: "From now on, if you tell me to go east, I will never go west. If you tell me to kill a chicken, I will never dare to pinch a dog. If I have any second thoughts, my intestines will be pierced and I will die a miserable death!"
Sima Jing looked at the person crawling on the ground and was silent for a long time before saying, "Back off."
Chang Chun kowtowed to express his gratitude.
Just as he finally reached the door with his two weak hands, he suddenly heard from behind: "Wait."
Chang Chun's heart trembled violently.
This ancestor won’t regret it, right?
He made a bitter face and was about to kneel again when he heard the person beside the couch say calmly, "Go to the bookstore where the princess bought the picture album before and buy some books."
Buy a book?
Chang Chun was a little confused.
When he met His Highness's heavy gaze, he suddenly realized: "Yes, yes, I will go right away!"
***
Today is the third day of the Lunar New Year. According to the custom in Chang'an, we should pay New Year's greetings to those families who had funerals last year.
For example, today the Marquis of Changxin’s Mansion will send Yunyi and his wife to the Cui family.
When Yun Ran heard about this custom at the Duke of Huguo's residence yesterday, he quietly asked Zheng: "Should our palace send someone to deliver a New Year's gift?"
After all, the young lady from the Cui family who died young had been engaged to King Jing, and Yun Ran felt that she and Cui Boxu were also friends, so perhaps he should express his gratitude.
After thinking it over, Zheng shook her head. "That's not necessary. I know you mean well, but someone with ulterior motives might try to make a fuss about it and cause further complications."
Although Yun Ran didn't know what complications would arise, she still chose to listen to her mother's words in the interactions between aristocratic families: "Okay, then I will stay in the palace tomorrow and not go anywhere."
But she was not bored staying in the mansion.
After lunch, Sima Jing suddenly came.
Yun Ran looked at the bright sky outside the window and inexplicably felt that after she and his husband became husband and wife, they seemed to meet more often.
We used to only have dinner together at night, but now we sleep together at night and see each other during the day.
"Why is Your Highness here?"
Yun Ran put down the little yellow dog in her arms and looked at the man in front of her who was wearing dark clothes again, but her eyes couldn't help but glance down at his waist.
It's not her fault. We had such close contact last night and this morning that it's hard not to pay attention.
Sima Jing also felt the young lady's furtive gaze.
He walked forward and flicked her forehead with his hand: "Be serious."
Yun Ran cried out in pain and covered his forehead: "Who is being indecent?"
Sima Jing: "You."
Yun Ran: "...That was because you were not serious first."
She was already asleep, but he was still holding her hand and doing this and that. He was truly a beast.
"Between the bed and the bed, the relationship between husband and wife is a matter of course."
Sima Jing met her resentful, accusing gaze without changing his expression and said, "Put your shoes on and follow me out."
Yun Ran was slightly surprised: "Where are you going?"
Sima Jing: "Didn't you say you wanted to go to Liuxian Garden?"
Yun Ran was surprised: "Really? Are you willing to let me in?"
Seeing that she was happier to hear about going to see the snake than to see him, Sima Jing's eyes dimmed slightly.
It can be seen that her constant claims of liking him were completely nonsense and full of lies.
Suppressing the inappropriate feeling in his chest, he said, "I won't break my promise to you."
Yun Ran curled his lips and said nothing when he heard this.
If he had said this before, she would have believed it.
But he had just lied to her last night. He had clearly agreed to choose one of the two, but in the end he still went through all the trouble.
Although he was complaining in his heart, Yun Ran was still very happy that after living in the mansion for so long, he could finally go to the mysterious and terrifying Liuxian Garden to find out what it was all about!
She quickly put on a white fox fur cloak with gold thread piping, and excitedly ran to the west corner of the palace with Sima Jing.
Two months later, Yun Ran came to the gate of Liuxianyuan again. Looking at the plaque with ink characters on a green background, he couldn't help but be attracted by the vigorous calligraphy on it that was as powerful as iron strokes and silver hooks.
"The last time I came here, I wanted to ask about this calligraphy master and get a plaque like this for my Zhanlu Hall, but then I got busy and forgot about it."
Sima Jing glanced sideways, looking at her delicate and well-behaved profile set off by the fluffy cloak, "Do you like this word?"
Yun Ran nodded: "Although I don't understand calligraphy, I like this calligraphy the first time I see it."
I loved it at first sight.
Sima Jing lowered his eyelashes and said, "Since you like it, I'll arrange it for you later."
"That's so embarrassing."
Yun Ran said, "Your Highness, please tell me which shop it is. It will be the same if I decide on my own."
She had just received a red envelope of four thousand taels from him two days ago, and now he was asking him to pay money again. Yun Ran felt that even though they were husband and wife, it was not appropriate for her to spend his money everywhere.
When Sima Jing heard this, he frowned and asked, "Why are you so polite to me?"
Yun Ran: “…”
Her bright red lips moved twice, and when she saw the obvious worry in the man's dark eyes, she swallowed her words back: "Alright, if you want to go out, go out."
Sima Jing looked at her deeply.
After a while, he climbed the stairs and opened the cold and heavy iron gate of Liuxianyuan.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: It seems like opening an iron door, but in fact it is opening the door of the heart [glasses]
Sorry for the long wait, this chapter will drop a small red envelope~
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