Chapter 26 Being drunk is alluring, but you started it, so you can't blame Jia...
The Sikong Mansion is quite lively today.
It was the day Cao Cao was hosting a banquet to celebrate his great victory, and it also happened to be the day Bian Shi regularly organized a small gathering of her concubines in the mansion.
Recently, Deng Jie has been visiting the Sikong Mansion more often because of the treatment of Cao Chong's young master's illness. In addition, he has a good personal relationship with ladies such as Bian and Du, and was also invited to the mansion.
She dressed up specially for today.
The light blue dress she wore was elegant in style, and the fabric was of the highest quality, a piece of Guo Jia's spoils from this battle.
However, she was not good at makeup. She spent a long time at home fiddling with makeup in front of the bronze mirror, but in the end, she washed herself clean and entered the Sikong Mansion with a bare face.
Seeing this, Madam Du couldn't help but laugh and took her back to her courtyard to dress her up carefully.
The skillful maid applied powder and rouge to her face, painted her lips crimson, and styled her hair, making her look completely refreshed.
Bian was very happy to see this, which was considered a great honor for her.
During the meal, the ladies chatted and laughed. Their conversation ranged from amusing anecdotes about their children and newly acquired perfumes to newly learned dance steps and fascinating musical observations, creating a harmonious and relaxed atmosphere.
As Deng Jie listened to these casual conversations and savored the exquisite pastries, he felt a rare moment of relaxed harmony that belonged to the family.
As the gathering progressed, Ms. Bian started preparing a banquet, and the group enjoyed drinks, which made the atmosphere even more lively.
Lady Bian then ordered people to bring out string and wind instruments. Several ladies played the zither or danced, enjoying themselves immensely with their singing and dancing.
This was the first time Deng Jie had participated in such a gathering. Everyone was dancing and playing not to amuse others, but to entertain themselves, which warmed his heart.
Seeing that she was enjoying the performance, Bian, along with Du, Huan, and others, encouraged her to join in and dance as well.
In the midst of the commotion, a palace attendant brought in an exquisitely crafted lacquered wooden box and reported, "Madam, the Minister of Works has ordered me to deliver some newly acquired pearls and jade, and he requests that you distribute them."
When Bian opened the lacquer box, it was filled with dazzling and exquisite jewelry.
Her gaze swept across the room, first selecting a pair of high-quality jade bracelets and a gold hairpin, and she instructed, "These are exquisitely decorated; have someone send them back to Madam Ding of Qiao County."
Then she picked up a hairpin of medium quality for herself and pointed to the rest, saying to everyone, "These are the jewelry bestowed by Sikong. Sisters, choose according to your preferences."
Although she did not specify who should receive which portion, the ladies naturally knew, and the eunuchs passed the money around according to the ladies' ranks and recent favor with the emperor.
Deng Jie watched silently from the side, secretly admiring Madam Bian's thoughtfulness in handling affairs and her skill in managing her subordinates.
When it was Du's turn, she thought for a moment and took an extra pair of pearl earrings to give to Deng Jie.
Deng Jie was taken aback, and waved his hands repeatedly: "How can this be? I..."
Seeing that Madam Du was trying to persuade her, Madam Bian also came over and pulled Deng Jie's hand to cover her earring: "That's right. Since we invited you to the table today, we naturally treat you as one of our own sisters. You've gone to so much trouble for our children, so please accept this small ornament."
Seeing that Bian Shi had also spoken, Deng Jie could only blush and accept the gift.
Now that she felt more at ease, Madam Du put it on her head: "It suits your new clothes perfectly today!"
Before they knew it, the lanterns were lit, and the curfew was sounded by the evening drum coming from outside the mansion.
Deng Jie usually doesn't drink alcohol, but today he was persuaded by several ladies to drink quite a bit of fruit wine.
At first, he only took small sips, but he couldn't resist his wife's enthusiasm, saying that "this wine won't make you drunk" and "it's rare to enjoy yourself to the fullest." Before long, he had drunk quite a bit.
The effects of the wine were initially imperceptible, but gradually became apparent.
Deng Jie felt his cheeks burning, his head spinning, and the lights and figures in front of him were blurry. His body felt weak and powerless, and he vaguely heard the laughter around him.
At the grand banquet in the front hall of the Sikong Mansion, Guo Jia, as a trusted advisor, was naturally present.
His drinking capacity was a small test for this occasion; although he was slightly tipsy, his mind was perfectly clear.
Bian sent someone to inform Deng Jie that he was drunk and asked him to come to the mansion to pick him up.
Seeing that the banquet was about to end, Guo Jia apologized to Cao Cao and followed others to the side gate of the back courtyard of the mansion.
Deng Jie was being supported by two maids, swaying unsteadily, muttering something incoherently.
Her dress was slightly wrinkled, and her high-piled hair had loosened a bit. Her exquisite makeup accentuated her flushed face and dreamy eyes, and her pearl earrings swayed gently with her movements, creating a unique and alluring charm.
"Thank you both." Guo Jia stepped forward, stretched out his arms, and pulled his soft wife into his embrace.
Upon hearing the voice, Deng Jie strained to focus his eyes, saw who it was, and gave a reassuring smile, calling out affectionately, "Feng... Fengxiao..." As he spoke, he sank down and leaned against him.
He was surrounded by her warm, soft body, and it was rare to smell her sweet body fragrance mixed with the scent of wine.
Guo Jia felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Looking down at the unguarded drunken state of the person in his arms, his eyes darkened slightly.
He steadily supported Deng Jie as they walked towards the back alley outside the Sikong Mansion.
The night was deep, the streets and alleys were quiet, and the evening breeze was cool.
The smell of alcohol on Guo Jia had mostly dissipated, but the alluring scent emanating from the person in his arms still lingered in his mind.
As they reached a dark corner, Deng Jie shifted his position and nuzzled against Guo Jia's neck. The warm scent of alcohol brushed against his skin, igniting the suppressed restlessness in Guo Jia's heart, making him suddenly unable to restrain himself.
He stopped and looked down at his wife's unguarded, beautiful face.
"Say it..."
Before Deng Jie could respond, he had already bent down, pinned her against the wall, put his hands under her arms, leaned over, and kissed her red lips, which were moist with the smell of alcohol.
Deng Jie was so dazed by his kisses that if she were sober, she would have run away long ago in this kind of place.
But she was completely oblivious at that moment, responding instinctively and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Under the moonlight, the two bodies were pressed closely together, their breaths mingling.
After a long while, Guo Jia reluctantly stepped back slightly. Seeing Deng Jie about to slide down the wall, he took a deep breath and swept his wife up in his arms.
"Hold me tight," he whispered.
Deng Jie mumbled a confused "hmm" and wrapped his arms around his neck.
Although the journey was not far, Guo Jia was weak from illness and was already panting heavily when he arrived home.
He carefully placed her on the bed, and looking at her peaceful sleeping face, his weariness finally turned into satisfaction.
In the candlelight, Deng Jie's face, flushed with the aroma of alcohol, appeared even more radiant.
Guo Jia's gaze was gentle yet intensely passionate.
He knelt beside the couch, brushed away the stray hairs from her forehead with his fingers, and gently untied the sash of her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), loosening her collar to reveal a plain undergarment and a slender, graceful white neck.
Just as Deng Jie usually took care of him, he wrung out a warm handkerchief and carefully wiped away the smudged powder and rouge from her cheeks and neck, gently tucking away the fine sweat from her temples.
This scene reminded him of their wedding night. Back then, she was just as unable to hold her liquor, and he had coaxed her into drinking most of a jar of mulberry wine. In the end, she was just as drunk and charming, completely at his mercy.
Deng Jie seemed to sense his touch and gaze. Her long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Her beautiful eyes were now misty with tears as she gazed at her husband, who was so close to her.
“Fengxiao…” Her voice was soft and sweet, but the corners of her mouth curved into a sweet smile, clearly recognizing him and feeling happy.
"Hug..." She raised her limp arms, trying to hook them around his neck and press herself against him. But the effects of the alcohol hadn't worn off, and her arms were weak; she could only barely touch his clothes before slipping down.
Guo Jia was amused by her clumsy movements, and his heart softened.
He took off his outer garment, carefully climbed onto the bed, avoiding Deng Jie's hands and feet, and bent down to embrace him.
"You don't need to get up, I'll lie down."
He gently stroked the back of Deng Jie's head, removed her hairpin, and smoothed her dark hair.
When Deng Jie smelled Guo Jia's scent as he approached, he closed his eyes to search for him, snuggled into his arms, and fell into a deep, contented sleep.
The long, drawn-out breathing sound displeased Guo Jia.
He parted his body slightly, cradled Deng Jie's sleeping face, and sighed softly, "How can someone be so irresponsible? He teases others and then goes to sleep, not caring about their lives..."
He stared at Deng Jie's lips for a long time, his fingers lightly tracing them, as if making an excuse for himself: "But you started it first, so you can't blame Jia."
The candlelight was extinguished, the curtains were lowered, and a faint aroma of wine filled the room, conveying a deep and tender affection.
The next morning, the morning light streamed into the bedroom through the window.
The light was blinding to Deng Jie, and he felt a splitting headache and his body felt weak and sore as if it were falling apart.
She struggled to open her eyes, but when she turned around, she saw Guo Jia's clear-headed, smiling face.
"Awake?" His voice was hoarse from the early morning, yet seemed to carry a hint of satisfaction. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Deng Jie shook his head vigorously, "It hurts... I don't even remember how I got back."
Guo Jia chuckled and moved closer to her, pressing his cheek against hers and whispering, "Of course... she was begging me to carry her back."
The word "hug" seemed to remind Deng Jie of fragmented memories, as if he heard him say "hold me tight." Following this image back in time, he could also capture a few fragments of dark corners of streets, cold walls, and hot breaths.
Deng Jie blushed and hid under the covers.
"Oh? It seems you've remembered something."
Guo Jia deliberately embellished the story, "helping" her "recall" the events of the previous night: "First, you lingered at the side gate of the Sikong Mansion and refused to leave. I finally managed to get you out, and as soon as we reached the back alley, you hooked your arms around my neck and took the initiative to kiss me..."
"No, impossible!" Deng Jie muttered inside, wondering how he could be so shameless outside... even at night!
"What's impossible about it? It's just that there's no one in the alley to testify for me."
Guo Jia laughed and pulled at her blanket, "I already kissed you, but you still want more, you keep burrowing into my arms and insisting on being held."
He deliberately used a high-pitched, exaggeratedly coquettish voice, fabricating out of thin air: "Tell me, 'Fengxiao~ I feel unwell~ I want a hug~'..."
"Ahhh! You, you, you shut up!" Deng Jieqiang screamed, covering his face with the blanket inside, kicking wildly through the blanket, utterly ashamed and indignant.
She herself had no recollection of these things, but Guo Jia described them so vividly that she couldn't refute them.
Guo Jia could feel her breakdown even through the blanket, and his laughter grew even louder. He scooped her up, blanket and all, and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Now you know how to be shy? You were so bold last night. I carried you all the way, and you just clung to me like you had no bones, and..."
He paused deliberately, maliciously enjoying the stiff reaction of the person in his arms.
"What...what else?" Deng Jie's voice was muffled under the covers, trembling slightly.
She even complained that I was walking too slowly, nuzzling against my neck and saying sweetly, "Hurry up and let's go home~"
Deng Jie felt like he was on fire.
Is this really something she would do? She has absolutely no recollection of it! But what he said... was so shameful!
"You...you're talking nonsense! I would never do that!" She struggled to peek out from under the covers, her little face flushed red, her watery eyes glaring angrily at Guo Jia.
Guo Jia was so amused by her adorable, embarrassed yet trying-to-hold-up expression that he couldn't resist leaning down and kissing her cheek: "Alright, alright, I was just kidding. Anyway, you don't remember, so let's just pretend it didn't happen!"
Seeing his smug look, Deng Jie felt a surge of resentment: he must be exaggerating, just waiting to see me make a fool of myself. Why should I always be the one to make him laugh...?
On second thought, I realized that I had caused this trouble because I was drunk.
Guo Jia loves drinking so much, why not let him get drunk this time too?
The moment this thought crossed Deng Jie's mind, he instantly perked up, and the little flame of "revenge" in his heart began to grow rapidly.
That day, she entered the Sikong Mansion under the pretext of treating Cao Chong. Before returning home, she begged Bian Shi to find her a jar of Jiu Yun Chun.
Once back at the house, she and Huai Niang meticulously prepared a table of delicious dishes and personally set up this "Feast at Hongmen" in the backyard.
As evening fell, Guo Jia was led to the backyard by Deng Jie. Looking at the exquisite dishes and wine on the table, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "What a wonderful day it is today that you've gone to such lengths?"
Deng Jie warmly pulled him to his seat and poured him a cup of Jiu Yun Chun wine.
“There’s no good day,” she recalled the manner and tone of the ladies in the Sikong Mansion yesterday as they urged her to drink, yet there was a touch of youthful naiveté in her voice. “I just thought that Fengxiao works hard every day and has been taking good care of himself recently, so I wanted to have a few drinks with you to relax.”
Guo Jia almost burst out laughing when he saw her clumsy yet trying-to-be-expert manner.
He had some suspicions, but he didn't say anything. After all, there was wine to drink, so why not? He picked up his wine cup and watched her performance with great interest: "You've put a lot of thought into this, Madam."
I took a sip, and the rich flavor went down my throat with great pleasure.
Seeing that he had drunk it, Deng Jie was overjoyed and immediately refilled his cup. She then raised her own cup and said, "Come, my husband, this cup is to thank you for your brilliant strategies that helped you conquer Xiapi!"
He then tried to drink it all in one gulp, but Guo Jia stopped him, saying, "There's no need for us to do that!"
Guo Jia thought to himself, "This energy is directed at me today, so why bother making her uncomfortable? I might as well enjoy it all by myself."
Seeing that Guo Fengxiao had drunk two cups in a row, Deng Jie was secretly pleased. He was determined to see Guo Fengxiao drunk today.
After a few drinks, Guo Jia's cheeks flushed slightly. Deng Jie, recalling Guo Jia's appearance as a dancer in Xiapi that day, couldn't help but move closer: "Fengxiao..."
Her gaze softened as she stared at Guo Jia, who had just raised his eyes. "Fengxiao, do you know that the day you disguised yourself as a dancer and offered wine to Lü Bu..."
Guo Jia's smile froze instantly. He slammed down his wine cup as if to cover her mouth, "You! Don't mention that scoundrel! He's disgusting!"
Guo Jia didn't want to recall the humiliation he suffered that day, but Deng Jie pried his hand off and continued, "Oh, you have no idea how alluring you were that day! It was that... the way you caught the cup with your mouth..."
She deliberately imitated Guo Jia's movements at the time, "No wonder Lü Bu couldn't withstand it."
Forget about him, you've completely captivated me!
"You...!" Guo Jia was secretly pleased by her praise, and a strange sense of shame mixed with pride welled up in his heart. "Hmph, so what? Men understand men best."
He caught a glimpse of Deng Jie desperately urging him to do it again, and couldn't help but find it amusing. He lowered his head, picked up a wine cup, tilted his head back, and slowly drank it down.
He didn't swallow, but instead turned and sat closer to Deng Jie, leaning over to pour the wine into her mouth.
Deng Jie was slightly taken aback by this unexpected move, but still swallowed and met his passionate kiss.
When the kiss ended, both of them were a little out of breath.
Deng Jie's cheeks flushed, his eyes glistening with tears. He was completely captivated by Guo Jia's charming demeanor, and his admiration was palpable. He began to sincerely praise Guo Jia.
Guo Jia was flattered by her praise of "distinguishing truth from falsehood." His reason was lowered under the dual impact of alcohol and beauty. "You just want to see me drunk, right? Come on!"
Thus, encouraged by Deng Jie's sweet words, Guo Jia drank cup after cup, in high spirits, and finished an entire jar of Jiu Yun Chun.
At first, he could easily tease his wife, but later his eyes gradually became glazed, his smile became more and more flamboyant, and he talked more and more, pulling Deng Jie from interesting stories in Xiapi to gossip in Xuchang, and even insisting on composing poems and verses for her to hear...
Seeing that he finally showed signs of drunkenness, Deng Jie's inner smug little voice laughed wildly, hands on hips: Success! Serves you right for always laughing at me! Look at you when you're drunk!
She happily helped the swaying Guo Jia back to his bedroom, intending to take good care of him and, incidentally... cough cough, admire his rare drunken and seductive appearance.
However……
Just as they approached the bedroom, Guo Jia suddenly broke free from Deng Jie's hand, his eyes glazed but unusually excited, and pointed at the locust tree in the yard, shouting, "Hey Yi, look! There's a bird's nest in the tree! I'll go get the eggs for you to play with!"
He then started to climb the tree.
"Hey! Fengxiao! No! That's just a tree shadow!" Deng Jie was terrified and quickly went to pull him away.
Guo Jia was pulled back by her. He looked down and saw the shimmering water in the pond. "Huh, when did we start raising fish?" he said, and started to roll up his sleeves to scoop them up.
"That's the moon's reflection! Guo Fengxiao! Wake up!" Deng Jie hurriedly grabbed his waist.
“Let me play the zither for you! Jia felt he had an epiphany!” He turned and saw the zither under the eaves, broke free from Deng Jie and ran away.
Fearing that the wailing and howling of the zither would reappear, Deng Jie hurriedly ran to press down on the strings: "It's too late now, it's not good to disturb the neighbors, let's do it another day! Another day!"
Guo Jia raised his eyes, his lips pursed, and he threw himself into Deng Jie's arms: "So, Yi, are you disgusted with Jia... You must be upset that I played badly and embarrassed you, right!"
Deng Jie hurriedly patted Fengxiao's back to comfort him: "Nothing's wrong! Fengxiao learns everything quickly and is good at everything! It's just... it's just too late now... let's go back to our room!"
Guo Jia suddenly looked up. "What are we doing back in our room?"
"Of course..."
Before Deng Jie could finish speaking, she saw Guo Jia change his expression and give her a smile that frightened her. "It's quite nice here too."
"You, you!" Deng Jie trembled involuntarily, but after confirming with a glance, he relaxed. "You're not drunk...?"
"This little bit of wine isn't enough to make Jia drunk." He said, leaning down.
Deng Jie felt he had wasted the whole night, only to be outmaneuvered and manipulated by him, and had no choice but to surrender.
A note from the author:
----------------------
In a quiet, unnoticed corner, another little illustration has been updated on the profile picture.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
