Chapter 54 The Moonlight Swayed
Ye Mingzhu did not remove all her hairpins and ornaments, and only rested on the soft couch for the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn.
After being woken up by Baozan, she quickly perked up.
Although the activities of worshipping the Weaver Girl and threading needles for skill take place in the evening, there are still many things to do in the afternoon.
Dinner needs to be prepared, and snacks and drinks need to be provided frequently; these things require attention.
That night.
A silver crescent moon hung in the night sky, surrounded by countless stars.
After dinner, an altar was set up in the courtyard, where various fruits and flowers were offered.
The ladies present placed their handmade needlework on the surface and worshipped the Weaver Girl star together, praying for skillful hands and a happy marriage.
After the worship ceremony, the next activity is threading needles to pray for skill.
The competition involved threading colorful silk threads through the eye of a needle. The contestant who could thread the needle the fastest and best within the time limit of an incense stick's burning was considered to have "skilled" the needle.
Next came the needle-throwing test to see who was the best.
A copper basin, about a foot in diameter, is filled with water. The young ladies take turns dropping needles into the water and observing the reflection of the needles at the bottom of the basin. If the reflection resembles clouds, flowers, or birds, it is considered a sign of skill.
Eating Qiaoguo (巧果) and tasting Qiaoshi (巧食) are essential.
It wasn't until early in the evening that everyone reluctantly dispersed.
After finishing the last task, Ye Mingzhu returned to her room, completely exhausted.
Baozan prepared a change of clothes for her. Seeing her tired face, she felt sorry for her and suggested, "Miss, you must be very tired after a busy day. Why don't you go for a soak in the hot spring and relax?"
Ruyi also said, "Everyone else has already soaked in the hot springs, but Miss has been busy and hasn't had time to soak yet."
"Hot springs?" Ye Mingzhu thought of the artificial hot spring with rockery she had seen during the day and couldn't help but feel excited.
But it's already dark, so we can only soak in the indoor pool, which is a bit of a shame.
"Miss, would you like to go to the pond over by the rockery?" Baozan chuckled. "Don't think it's inconvenient to go at night. In fact, it's convenient at night!"
Yu Fu also smiled and said, "I guessed that Miss might like it, so this afternoon I had people clean up that pond. I also sprinkled realgar powder and insect repellent powder on the surrounding grass, so there's no problem with safety."
Ye Mingzhu thought about it and agreed.
There are advantages to daytime, and there are advantages to nighttime.
The moon's reflection in the pond is breathtakingly beautiful.
With the cover of night, she could feel more at ease soaking in the hot spring outdoors...
Without hesitation, Ye Mingzhu smiled and said, "Then let's pick up the lanterns and go."
The maids immediately responded with smiles, "Yes!"
...
The moon hangs like a hook, and a gentle mountain breeze blows.
Ye Mingzhu felt very comfortable being blown by the wind.
She took off her outer garment, leaving only a white silk undergarment with her light red bodice half-open, and stepped barefoot onto the stone steps by the hot spring pool, entering the pool.
Surrounded by the warm pool water, her fatigue was washed away, and the refreshing feeling made her close her eyes involuntarily.
She sat down on the steps and relaxed by the pool.
She didn't know how long she had been soaking in the water, but she was getting drowsy. She vaguely heard Baozan's voice, but she didn't pay any attention to it, assuming that she was just chatting with Ruyi.
She only opened her eyes in surprise when she heard footsteps approaching and the water sloshing around clearly, indicating that someone had entered the hot spring.
Upon seeing this, she blushed deeply.
Meeting her gaze, Sheng Yunche slowly untied the jade belt at his waist, along with his white robe soaked in water, and casually tossed it toward the shore.
Under the moonlight, his pair of dark, narrow phoenix eyes were bright and deep, and his voice carried a clear hint of laughter: "Is it a surprise or a shock?"
Ye Mingzhu: "..."
Of course it was a shock!
Her pretty face was burning hot. She hurriedly covered her chest and got up, but Sheng Yunche grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
"Let me go!" she cried out in a low voice.
Sheng Yunche chuckled softly and looked down at her.
He didn't say a word, but his face clearly said, "I'd be stupid to let go," and his unrestrained and smug laughter made her grit her teeth inwardly.
"What's going on with Baozan? Why did they let you in!"
"Why can't we let her go?" Sheng Yunche retorted. "A loyal maidservant would love for us to be a harmonious couple."
Ye Mingzhu: "...!"
Feeling both ashamed and angry, she grew bolder and reached out to touch Sheng Yunche's waist, pinching it hard.
Instead of complaining of pain, the person burst into laughter.
"Is that all the energy you have? Didn't you eat enough tonight?" Sheng Yunche asked. "Or did you get tired from soaking in the hot spring for too long?"
Ye Mingzhu: "...?"
"Then you're finished."
Ye Mingzhu wanted to ask "What's over?", but she didn't even have a chance to speak before the man's handsome face loomed large in her eyes as he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Very assertive.
Very unrestrained.
Without any probing, he forcefully kissed her lips, his burning tongue prying open her teeth and eagerly entwining with her tongue tip.
The water rippled gently, making a "splashing" sound, but even louder was the sound of water as lips and teeth intertwined, a sound that made one blush and their heart race.
Finally released, Ye Mingzhu felt like she was about to suffocate from the kiss and couldn't help but take deep breaths.
However, before she could catch her breath, Sheng Yunche's next kiss came, his tender passion enveloping her like a fishing net, lingering and endless.
Only then did she understand what "then you're finished" meant.
It's definitely over.
I've never had such an experience before.
Soaked to the bone, she leaned weakly against the man's chest, barely able to stand by clutching his clothes.
Her lips must have been swollen from the kiss, otherwise they wouldn't be slightly sore. He held her slender waist in one hand, his palm constantly warming that patch of skin.
But he was still not satisfied.
After soaking in the hot spring for so long, her snow-white undergarment had long since been washed away by the water, with the sash floating on the surface. Only her light red tube top remained relatively intact.
However, no matter how neatly dressed you are, you can't withstand a gentle tug from your hands...
In the very end.
Ye Mingzhu was held in the man's arms. When she looked up, she saw the moon swaying in the sky. When she looked down, she saw the jade crown he used to tie his hair. She was so shy that she simply closed her eyes.
...
Nestled in Sheng Yunche's arms, as he carried her back to her room, Ye Mingzhu wanted nothing more than to bury her head in his chest. She didn't dare look at the maids who followed her, for fear of seeing their teasing gazes.
God knows.
She had never been so ashamed that she didn't want to see anyone!
She only relaxed a little after Sheng Yunche gently placed her on the bed and turned off all the lights in the room except for one in the corner.
She was thinking to herself that she would have a good talk with Sheng Yunche tonight and tell him not to be so reckless in the future.
At least……
She wasn't against him, but... but at least when they did those things, shouldn't they be in the room?
Just as Ye Mingzhu was about to speak, Sheng Yunche walked towards the bedside, but his gaze suddenly fell on a corner of the letter that was under the pillow, and he casually pulled it out.
"You really like writing doggerel? And you even hide it under your pillow?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“…What do you mean by liking? It’s about out of sight, out of mind!” Ye Mingzhu snatched the letter from his hand.
"Don't like it?" Sheng Yunche sneered. "If you don't like it, why are you so engrossed in reading Xiang Tiancheng's doggerel, and why are you staring at him because you love him?"
"...I was staring at him?" Ye Mingzhu asked, her face full of questions. "Which eye of yours saw me staring at him?"
Sheng Yunche's voice was cold: "Two eyes!"
Ye Mingzhu said "Oh," then suddenly realized what was going on and asked, waving the letter in her hand, "So, this is why you wrote me those doggerel poems?"
Opening the letter again, she was once again shocked!
What kind of nonsense is this?!
My wife ignores me, and my heart is broken. She neglects me because of what others say. The sun shines brightly today, yet my heart is filled with unease. If she doesn't comfort me, we'll consummate our marriage tonight!
Although we didn't consummate our marriage tonight, it was still going too far.
...She suspected that her skin had been irritated again.
Thinking of the absurdity in the hot spring, Ye Mingzhu closed her eyes and said irritably, "Lord Duke, is consummating the marriage all you can think about? You get jealous for no reason and even write doggerel! If Xiang Tiancheng had written a seven-character quatrain, would you have been able to compose a poem for him?"
"Why not?" Sheng Yunche snorted. "I can even compose a poem in seven steps!"
"Fine!" Ye Mingzhu wasn't going to put up with him. With a half-smile, she stretched her left hand out in front of his eyes. "Then let me see! I'll count to seven, and you'll write a poem on my palm with your finger as a pen!"
"Really?" Sheng Yunche was surprised and delighted, looking at her with a smile in his long, narrow, dark phoenix eyes.
It was like watching a foolish rabbit walk right into a trap.
Ye Mingzhu: "...?"
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