Chapter 21 (This last part is a separate, unrelated sentence: "Both bad at it and love to play")
Hongshan Temple.
The mountain was crowded with people, mostly women, with only a few men accompanying their pregnant wives to fulfill their vows.
The mountain path was difficult to traverse, and Jiang Shuifu climbed step by step, stopping and starting again. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought she was desperate for a child.
The Peach couldn't understand it at all. The Crown Princess had been so eager to have a child with the Crown Prince. Even though the Crown Prince wouldn't touch her, she had swallowed her pride and taken the initiative many times.
Jiang Shuifu replied to her lightly:
"You also think I'm shameless?"
The peach quickly shook its head and said:
"Miss is brave, and Pan Tao admires her. She dares to fight for what she likes. Most marriages in the world are arranged, and people don't express their true feelings. Those gossipy village women are the shameless ones, saying all sorts of nonsense. But..."
She just liked the wrong person; she liked the most heartless, loveless, and cold-blooded man.
A ripple of emotion stirred within Jiang Shuifu. Really? Did she shamelessly obtain this marriage?
Perhaps the common people are right; she shouldn't have clung to him so much. He didn't like it, and she shouldn't have had unrealistic fantasies.
Therefore, she didn't want her child to be born under these circumstances.
If even the mother has to be shameless, how can the child live an easy life? Her child, if born, should enjoy the good things in the world and shouldn't have to please anyone.
Even if that person is his father.
Jiang Shuifu's eyes were sharp, and she instructed Pan Tao to block the people behind Chen Jizhao.
"Don't let them in later."
Although Shen Jizhao did not assign Xiu Yi to her, he still had people protect her. After all, the two had gone through the previous incident, so they had to be careful.
An hour later, we finally arrived at the temple on the mountaintop. In front of the temple stood a century-old tree with pink and blue flowers, which people regarded as the matchmaker for love.
Jiang Shuifu shook her head. She had prayed to this tree before. Back then, when she was pursuing him, she knew there was such a spiritual tree, so how could she let it go? And she married him as she wished.
However, if she could, she would not make that wish again; marriage requires mutual affection.
There's another popular business at the temple: praying to Guanyin, the Goddess of Fertility, to receive a magical water for conceiving a child.
This water is made from fertility-enhancing herbs and has the effect of regulating a woman's body. People know that this is not a secret recipe, so they try a dose just to get good luck. Basically, couples who want to have children will buy it.
Jiang Shuifu entered the temple alone, while Pan Tao and the other guards waited outside.
With Guanyin right in front of her, she couldn't hide from her. She could only take the incense and pray, thinking to herself that she had no intention of offending her, as a young girl had no intention of doing so.
The abbot, stroking his beard, arrived:
"Madam, have you come to ask for medicine?"
She nodded: "The abbot is indeed wise. I do have a request, but it is not to grant me a child."
The abbot showed no surprise; he nodded as if he had already foreseen the secret.
Jiang Shuifu and he had known each other for a long time, and he knew about every step she took with Shen Jizhao.
The abbot took out a divination stick and said to her seductively:
"I understand what you mean, my lady. But, would you like me to do another divination?"
Jiang Shuifu frowned slightly. Three years ago, the abbot had cast a divination for her marriage, and the result was a very bad omen.
The original quote is: "Marriage is predestined, each with its own cause and effect, joy and sorrow are intertwined, and there is endless grief."
She was very unhappy when the divination was done, and even suspected that he was a fraud. How could her marriage with Shen Jizhao end like this?
The abbot saw through her thoughts and continued:
"It is indeed not the end. I only gave you the interpretation of the first half back then. This second half..."
The abbot did some calculations, and in an instant, his eyes brightened:
"The cycle is reversed, and the fate will be scattered and gathered again. If it is not broken, it cannot be established; if it is not changed, it cannot be obtained; if it is not sought, everyone will be happy. It is a hexagram that is put in a desperate situation and then reborn."
What does this mean?
Jiang Shuifu didn't quite understand, but she knew that the first half of the poem had come true.
Over the past three years, they have indeed experienced their own joys and sorrows. She was happy while he was sad. He always felt that she was not following the rules, and every time he caught her, he would give her a lecture.
She could tell that he regretted marrying her.
“Please consider this carefully, benefactor. Everything is inevitable. Whether the karmic connection from the past life is broken or continued depends on a single thought.”
The abbot handed her a small package, which Jiang Shuifu accepted, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
A past life? Perhaps she truly owed him in a past life, which is why she's chasing after him so relentlessly in this life.
Her smile was still on her face, but when she looked up, it froze instantly.
Shen Jizhao actually came!
What is he doing here?
How long have you been here?
Jiang Shuifu immediately put the medicine behind her back and slipped it into her dress when he wasn't looking.
Shen Jizhao slowly walked towards her, nodded to the abbot in greeting, and a faint smile played on his lips.
He was actually in a good mood? She breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Jizhao pulled her hand and led her to the winding stream, scooped up a cup, and handed it to her.
"I rarely have time, so I'll have a drink with you."
Jiang Shuifu looked at the fertility potion in her hand, not knowing what to do. What was wrong with him? Didn't he know what the potion meant?
She looked at him with a complicated expression, and hesitated to eat.
He took the first sip, but only one sip; for the Crown Prince, that sip was already a violation of the rules.
That's enough. She tilted her head back and collapsed in one gulp. Even someone as noble as him probably didn't really know anything about these common folk things.
She refused to believe that a sip of that drink would actually make her pregnant.
Shen Jizhao had no idea before today, because he had never stepped into any temple in the capital where people prayed to gods and Buddhas. He would not ask others for what he wanted.
He left court early this morning, and after finishing his official duties, he found his hands empty. Only then did he realize that Jiang Shuifu's daily nourishing tea hadn't arrived yet; she had gone to pray for a child.
He continued looking at the military defense map for a while. The reason he had been idle these past few days was because He Beiqing was about to return to the capital. By then, he probably wouldn't even have time to go back to the Eastern Palace.
With that thought in mind, he lost interest in looking at the military defense map, and as he walked, he left the palace. Later, he simply went up the mountain alone.
The mountain was nothing to him, but it was tiring for the woman. He kept picturing her panting but persevering as she climbed it.
She had always wanted to sleep with him and have children, and he knew it all along.
As soon as he entered the temple, he heard several young couples vying to worship Guanyin and drink the sacred water, and that's when he learned what the water was for.
He was several meters away from her, but he could see at a glance that she was holding the recipe for the spiritual water, smiling shyly. The old abbot even said that they were destined to meet in their past lives, and her smile became even more obvious.
So he nodded to the old abbot to express his gratitude and took her to drink the spiritual water she had been longing for.
Shen Jizhao watched her gulp it down, his smile widening, and pulled her back.
As soon as they left the temple, the people queuing to go in pushed their way in, forcing the two of them to the base of the Matchmaker Tree.
Many red ribbons fluttered and danced on the matchmaking tree, and the bells under the ribbons rang incessantly, as if singing praises to couples in love and conveying their wishes to the heavens.
Jiang Shuifu also looked up at the ribbons, her eyes filled with indescribable emotions.
At that moment, a strong wind suddenly blew down, and large pieces of the red ribbons that were not tied securely or were old were swept away.
In an instant, the red ribbon wrapped around all the lovers, including Jiang Shuifu and Shen Jizhao.
One in red, one in black, their clothes fluttering and overlapping, their hair touching for a moment, then immediately entwining and sticking together, neither willing to let go.
From a distance, the two looked like mandarin ducks embracing, inseparable and full of affection.
This scene is truly beautiful.
Shen Jizhao's hand touched her face. She was still a little dazed and stared at him blankly.
He removed the red ribbon from her head, glanced at her, and cleared his throat:
My first wish is for my family and husband to be healthy, for everything to go smoothly, and for all their wishes to be fulfilled.
Some of Jiang Shuifu's memories are surging.
A slight smile played on his lips: "My second wish is to grow old with my husband year after year, surrounded by children and grandchildren..."
Jiang Shuifu felt increasingly familiar with it, and her gaze unconsciously wandered.
He stole a glance at her, his eyes lighting up even more: "My third wish is that although I may have many children and grandchildren, my husband will love only me, that he will hold my hand, pamper me, hug me, and kiss me..."
Jiang Shuifu quickly covered his mouth, stopping him from saying anything more.
Her ears turned red. He was clearly doing it on purpose. He knew it was her signature, so he read it aloud. It was funny.
Shen Jizhao took her hand away, a half-smile on his face, his eyebrows raised in a teasing manner:
"This person has so many wishes! She wrote so many words on such a small ribbon. She has quite an appetite, Your Highness. What do you think?"
Jiang Shuifu withdrew her hand. Let him laugh if he wants; in his eyes, she was always greedy anyway.
"If my husband says so, then it is."
Shen Jizhao looked at the girl in front of him, who was a little angry and whose cheeks were unconsciously pouting. He stopped teasing her.
Rain began to fall from the sky, pattering softly. He usually disliked rain because it always felt sticky on his skin, but at this moment, he found the smell of the rain quite pleasant, fresh and natural, mixed with the scent of earth.
Jiang Shuifu walked forward, preparing to go down the mountain and return to the East Palace, but he still stopped there.
She was only thinking about getting back quickly, otherwise she might not be able to enter the palace today, so she didn't pay attention to the man behind her.
Seeing that she truly hadn't noticed he was still standing there, the man started running. As he passed by her, he grabbed her hand, and she instantly ran alongside him.
He ran ahead, leaving her with only his broad back.
She looked at her wrapped hands, and his large hand took hers, prying her fingers apart one by one until they were intertwined, giving her warmth.
Jiang Shuifu smiled bitterly. This was her wish when she got married, and it took three years to come true.
Although they ran, by the time they reached the bottom of the mountain, the palace gates were about to be locked, and the rain was so heavy that their clothes were soaked through.
Shen Jizhao's eyes darkened as he looked at Jiang Shuifu, who was soaked to the bone and whose petite figure could no longer be covered up:
"We won't go back today. I'll take you to an inn."
Jiang Shuifu was fine with either option, but since he was a diligent and conscientious crown prince, she questioned, "What will happen to my husband's official duties if he doesn't enter the palace?"
She didn't want to be accused of causing him to neglect his work.
Despite her understanding of the bigger picture, Shen Jizhao objected: "Your health is important, and besides, it doesn't matter where it's held."
She was a little puzzled. Why would someone escort someone on official business when they were staying at an inn? Weren't they afraid that someone with malicious intent would try to sabotage them?
After they checked into the room, she knew what he meant by "doing something".
Jiang Shuifu relaxed in the bath. She had been soaked in the rain and might have caught a cold if she went back to the East Palace. Now she was quietly enjoying herself.
This superior room was reserved for high-ranking officials and nobles. It was fully equipped, with beautiful and expensive flower petals in the bath, and the dresses delivered were also extremely luxurious.
The only downside is that the room has no partitions; the bedroom is right outside the bathtub, with only layers of thin gauze separating the two.
The tulle is embroidered with tiny roses, some in bud and some with fully bloomed petals.
She counted the flowers one by one out of boredom.
Suddenly, all the roses vanished, and a figure burst in, lifting the veil.
Jiang Shuifu was taken aback. Shen Jizhao had stripped down to his undergarments and swaggered in!
She immediately lowered her body and tried to probe him gently:
"Husband, didn't we agree that you would come in after I finished washing? Was I washing too slowly?"
Shen Jizhao opened his mouth, but before he could speak, she silenced him with a kiss:
"I'll be ready soon, husband, please wait a little longer."
Shen Jizhao's gaze grew increasingly deep, making her feel uneasy. She quickened her pace and prepared to get dressed.
But he's here, what is she supposed to wear?
Things are different now. Given his temper, if she asked him to leave, he would devour her.
Well, they're husband and wife, they've seen it all. Her intuition told her that staying any longer would be dangerous.
She got up, and luckily there were still flower petals in the pool, which helped her a lot.
In just a few seconds, she had put on an outer garment. Although it still didn't cover her up, it was much better.
Shen Jizhao seemed to be really impatient. He jumped into the water without even glancing at her. Jiang Shuifu patted her chest, thankfully, she didn't have to serve him anymore.
But there's a type of person who's both bad at the game and loves to play.
Shen Jizhao grabbed the woman's outer garment on the shore, and with a splash, began his journey to pass through the checkpoint.
"I've heard that it's not just tables and chairs, but also bathtubs, mirrors, floors, windowsills... I'm so curious."
Since he decided to accept her, he found himself increasingly unable to resist that kind of thing. He had become addicted to it, and since she was going to have his child, he naturally had to put in some effort, otherwise how would the child come about?
If Jiang Shuifu knew that he had such a misunderstanding, she would definitely protest her innocence. She didn't want his seed right now.
This night cannot be described in detail.
All that was known was that the woman hadn't slept all night, and water from the pool had spilled everywhere.
She really wanted to point her finger at him and yell at him. After so many times, he still hadn't made any progress, and she was the one who suffered.
Shen Jizhao had eaten and drunk his fill, and he subtly tried to get her to say something praising him, but she remained silent. He could only hold her and sleep soundly, truly enjoying himself.
The next day, she still refused to speak to him. As soon as she got into the carriage to return to the East Palace, she closed her eyes. Shen Jizhao, who was standing next to her, was a little helpless. He didn't know what she was angry about. Was she unhappy last night?
He was happy, so there was no reason for her not to be.
Yes, she wasn't angry. She was happy, just tired. That's all.
Chen Jizhao, having regained his strength, should not dwell on his past mistakes and should devote himself wholeheartedly to his official duties.
Bihua Palace.
The peach handed water to Jiang Shuifu, who was too weak to move and was lying asleep on the chaise longue, and gently comforted her:
"Your Highness, do you really want to take this pill? Don't you want to have one? It's time for the Crown Prince to have a child. Only with a child will the Crown Prince truly be in your hands."
Jiang Shuifu knew perfectly well that she would have loved to have it before, but now she was really tired.
"Give it to me."
There was nothing the peach could do but watch helplessly as she extinguished the tiny seed.
After taking her medicine, Jiang Shuifu dozed off for a while. Suddenly, she heard the sound of servants moving things outside. She asked groggily, "What's all this noise? I don't remember anything happening at the East Palace."
The peach was overjoyed and skipped in to report, "Your Highness, it's the Crown Prince! Your birthday is in three days! He's prepared so many things to celebrate with you! The entire Bihua Palace is going to be renovated!"
Jiang Shuifu was somewhat incredulous. He would renovate the Bihua Palace to celebrate her birthday? He would prepare so many things for her birthday? This wasn't him.
She came to the answer in just three seconds.
She dragged her tired body outside to take a look, and sure enough, there were all sorts of treasures.
The servants all bowed and scraped before her, fawning and flattering her; it seemed this was truly the work of Shen Jizhao.
Previously, the servants only showed her respect, but now that she is "favored," they immediately changed their attitude and began to flatter her in every way possible.
A slight smile still appeared on her lips.
She will definitely celebrate her birthday properly.
That night, Shen Jizhao had dinner with Jiang Shuifu. He had figured out some of her preferences and had someone change the dishes she liked to be in front of her. Jiang Shuifu's eyes narrowed, but she continued eating.
After dinner, the night's work began again; the tiny seeds that had just been extinguished were persistent and tried to sprout again.
Shen Jizhao drew circles in her palm. "Princess Consort, let's continue. We didn't finish trying last time."
Jiang Shuifu wanted to skin the man behind her alive. She seriously doubted whether the man behind her was Shen Jizhao. Wasn't he supposed to be abstinent?
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Author's Note: I'm holding back a big one, it'll be here soon, in the next chapter or the one after that. My daughter is about to give up.
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