The sky grew dark as dusk settled in, casting an ethereal glow in the ancestral hall of the Duke Shun Mansion, where the candlelight flickered softly against the cold, somber lacquer of the tablets.
Ning Suxuan thodically tore apart the pages of the scripture in her hand, tossing them into the copper basin.
The flas leapt up, licking the pages hungrily.
"I forgot to tell you, the legitimate son of Duke Zhongyong got married recently."
"They have only this one son, so they held a grand event. Half of Shangjing’s officials went to celebrate. That night, Duke Zhongyong drank heavily and ntioned you in his drunkenness."
"Ever since your accident, he has devised countless solutions for those remaining chess pieces you left behind, but every move felt as if he were personally severing the last thread of hope."
Fingers hesitated in the air, unable to descend.
"They say life is like chess. He once believed there was no way out of this endga."
"Yet that day, Gui Zhi faced him, a white piece rolled half an inch revealing a flaw. When a black piece was placed down again, suddenly the whole board ca alive, only to fall into an even deeper trap the next mont."
Her tone was calm and unhurried, as if discussing mundane family matters.
"Duke Zhongyong regrets that he can no longer drink with you."
"I regret it too."
"When Gui Zhi got married, none of the elders were present."
"Though the daughter-in-law never ntioned it, nor did she feel aggrieved, I always felt as if we had wronged her."
Wearing an ill-fitting, n’s style ring on her finger, Ning Suxuan touched the cold engraved character on the tablet, as sandalwood ash fell onto her plain dress, reminiscent of the paper money that fell at the funeral those years ago.
She murmured softly.
"You said before you left that Da Jin would have a wise ruler. Now Gui Zhi is about to undertake this task."
"Husband..."
"Protect him at all costs."
"Don’t let him... follow in your footsteps."
The last pages of the scripture turned to ash, leaving the ancestral hall suddenly silent.
A sudden breeze stirred, causing the candle shadows to flicker.
Ning Suxuan raised her eyes.
Only to see a wisp of blue smoke rising gracefully, lingering in its dance as if responding silently.
Leaving the ancestral hall, Ning Suxuan headed directly back to the main courtyard.
"Hasn’t Gui Zhi returned yet?"
"Replying to the Madam, the General returned an hour ago. The Young Madam specifically went to the kitchen to hurry the al."
Ning Suxuan nodded slightly.
"However..."
Ning Suxuan’s steps paused: "What is it?"
"There were several nutritious dishes, and after the plates were removed, this servant noticed that not much of the nourishing soup was left."
Gui Zhi has always disliked soupy als.
Ning Suxuan’s brows knitted tightly.
Could he be injured?
Every ti he returned victorious from the borders, he never ntioned any minor issues unless his face, neck, or hands had visible scars or wounds.
After several days without returning and with the pitch dark of last night, she couldn’t tell anything.
Uneasy, Ning Suxuan said, "I shall go have a look."
Inside the room.
The lights burned brightly.
Yu Tingwan was drenched in sweat.
"I..."
Both exhausted and exasperated, she whimpered, her instep taut.
Wei Zhao: "Don’t speak."
Yu Tingwan was about to protest.
"Mother is here."
Yu Tingwan: ???
Her eyes betrayed a guilty conscience.
She didn’t hear any noise from outside for a long ti and thought Wei Zhao was lying to her.
Perhaps angered by her, Wei Zhao made no preliminaries.
Just went in.
It had been a long ti, and at first, she wasn’t accustod.
But soon, her body’s reaction couldn’t lie.
Yu Tingwan trembled uncontrollably.
Her eyes shimred with tears, her pale arms weakly trying to shove away.
When Ning Suxuan’s knock ca from outside.
"Gui Zhi."
Even though the door was locked, preventing anyone from entering,
the usually thick-skinned Yu Tingwan blushed with embarrassnt, her body heating up, unable to move.
This feeling is indescribable.
She held her breath, not even daring to breathe.
Yet Wei Zhao was unbothered, lifting her by the waist.
This position.
Deep.
Her pupils constricted, as she tightly covered her mouth.
Afraid the outside would know what they were doing.
This feeling was akin to getting caught having an affair.
After all, he was trained in martial arts, Wei Zhao walked silently, carrying her to the washroom.
Accompanied by his movent.
"Go out!"
The instigator leaned close to her ear, speaking in a low tone only she could hear.
Very mischievously.
"Shh."
"Don’t make a sound, is this appropriate?"
Yu Tingwan: ???
Damn thing.
After waiting a mont, Ning Suxuan heard no noise from inside.
"Madam, perhaps the General has already gone to bed."
Impossible.
She understood her son.
If there were any noise, he’d be alert. It wasn’t possible that there was no response.
Yu Tingwan didn’t normally sleep so early.
At this hour, she’d usually be comfortably nestled in the golden rocking chair in the courtyard, savoring bird’s nest soup and asking if she wanted a bowl.
Ning Suxuan laughed: "Perhaps thinking her daughter-in-law was cooped up in the mansion for days, he took her out."
Yu Tingwan didn’t know how she got through that night.
She couldn’t curse loudly,
nor did she have the strength to land a solid punch on Wei Zhao.
By the ti he cleaned her up and laid her onto the soft bed, she turned her back to Wei Zhao, refusing to look at him.
Wei Zhao, oblivious, turned her around.
Yu Tingwan, bearing the soreness and tension, slowly and laboriously turned back to face the wall.
Her shoulder was gently hooked, and Wei Zhao continued to turn her over.
Yu Tingwan turned, he continued to turn her.
Neither spoke, after several rounds.
She couldn’t move anymore.
The firelight flickered gently, casting a semi-transparent veil over the canopy, a layer of crimson mist enveloping the two staring at each other on the bed, with faint ripples reflected on the brocade covers.
Yu Tingwan’s hair partially undone, her teardrop mole under the candlelight especially distinct. The bedding piled around her waist revealed a stretch of alabaster neck.
She felt there was sothing she was missing.
But couldn’t pinpoint it.
He leaned on a single hand, resting against the pillow, a strand of her loose hair hooked around his fingertips.
"Continue?"
A questioning tone.
Yu Tingwan spat out two words: "Provoking?"
Wei Zhao: "I thought you liked it."
Like my foot!
I clearly don’t want to see you!
She inford him: "You’re done for."
Wei Zhao: "I heard."
He had to admit, it had been a long ti since he was hit, and he strangely missed it.
Yu Tingwan: ???
Wei Zhao, sensitive to her current exhaustion.
He pulled her into his arms: "Sleep first."
Gather your strength.
Wei Zhao: "Tomorrow, I’ll be waiting."
Yu Tingwan felt sothing was stuck in her throat, unable to go up or down. Her face devoid of expression, but unable to hide the earlier blush that spread like a rouge stain.
"Don’t provoke."
Barely any intimidation.
Wei Zhao chuckled: "Thirsty?"
After all, she lost quite a lot of fluids.
If he hadn’t brought it up, she wouldn’t have realized her thirst.
Yu Tingwan: "Mm."
Wei Zhao: "Where’s the Deer Blood Wine?"
Yu Tingwan: ???
He slowly sat up, the small flas reflecting in his eyes like a lurking beast.
"Let pour you a cup."
Just hearing Deer Blood Wine made Yu Tingwan’s body swell, especially in that place.
"N-No... thank you."
Wei Zhao: "Why so tense?"
"I’m not drinking it."
The next morning.
The courtyard echoed with the strange calls of a raven.
Fu ng, annoyed by the noise, pounced when the raven flew low, catching it in one bite.
"Ha."
The raven smirked: "You troubleso little demon."
Fu ng: ?
For a mont, he considered swallowing it whole.
But found it distasteful.
Ning Suxuan, preferring silence, had long grown accustod to this ruckus blending into the world.
She shook her head helplessly.
Using chopsticks, she picked up a spring roll for Wei Zhao.
Suddenly there was a gaze glued to her.
Yu Tingwan, who just monts ago was devouring her rice, abruptly lifted her eyes.
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