During his idle days, the only correct thing Xie Heng did was develop a fondness for horseback riding, which in turn strengthened his waist remarkably.
When he was injured earlier, Shen Yunshu helped him apply medicine, and he would proudly open his robe to show off his lean waist to her, asking if she was satisfied.
Unfortunately, back then she didn’t understand and teased him, saying that since he wasn’t a martial artist, why was he so determined to make his waist so strong?
Now, as he held her tightly in his arms, exerting strength repeatedly from his waist, he could finally answer the question he once asked her.
“Wife, now do you know what’s good about this waist?”
Shen Yunshu’s little boat, which had finally found shore, was once again pushed back into turbulent winds.
The candle on the celadon lotus bud candlestick burned deep into the night. Shen Yunshu had already blossomed several times without counting, only remembering that the last time, he finally agreed to withdraw but didn’t rush to call for water.
Instead, he took a soft pillow to place beneath her waist and sat quietly beside her, his eyes stubbornly fixed on that spot.
Shen Yunshu, groggy, tried to pull the blanket over herself to hide, but he stopped her. Unable to resist, she eventually fell into a drowsy sleep.
After a long while, Xie Heng called someone to bring water.
In truth, the palace attendants outside had already prepared the water when they heard the sounds, but the water kept cooling, so they kept replacing it.
Only after two full hours did they finally hear the call for water again from inside, and they hurriedly brought in warm water along with a clean silk cloth.
Xie Heng didn’t call anyone else to serve her. He personally dampened the cloth to wipe her.
Seeing the pure white cloth stained with faint traces of blood, he regretted being too rough tonight and accidentally hurting her.
He had read many books and knew that when a woman’s first time bleeding occurred, it was often because the man wasn’t gentle or caring enough.
Yet back then, drunk and heated with passion, he had only focused on conquering, completely forgetting that this was her first experience and she couldn’t endure being treated like that.
He knew she liked cleanliness, but tonight was not suitable for bathing, lest what he had so painstakingly put inside her would leak out again.
He carefully wiped her with the warm cloth from above, then hurriedly wiped himself down as well.
Afterwards, he ordered fresh water, cleaned her thoroughly, removed the soft pillow from under her waist, and finally held her tightly as she fell into a deep sleep.
Tonight, he had truly embraced her, and it was the first peaceful sleep he had had since entering the palace.
Sadly, he had to wake at the fifth watch to study at the Wenyuan Pavilion, so he only slept for less than an hour.
Usually at this time, Shen Yunshu would already be awake, having prepared his clothes, scented and warm, and his hand warmer, sending him off with a warm smile.
Today, she was still sound asleep. Knowing she had been exhausted last night, Xie Heng quietly slipped from the bed and dressed himself.
Just before leaving, he tiptoed back and placed a feather-light kiss on her peaceful sleeping face, then left feeling content.
Unbeknownst to him, Shen Yunshu had actually woken the moment he left the bed but, exhausted from his excessive demands the previous night, her body felt heavy and she hadn’t yet recovered.
After he left, Shen Yunshu propped herself up on her soft arms, pulled back the blanket to get up, only to feel sharp threads of pain spreading from that spot.
Still, she gritted her teeth and forced herself out of bed.
She wore clean, fresh sleeping clothes—undoubtedly the ones he had helped her change into last night.
She had seriously underestimated herself.
After such a long ordeal together last night, he was still energetic enough this morning to go study at the Wenyuan Pavilion.
As for her, her waist ached, limbs weak, and the short walk from the bed to the dressing table had drenched her in cold sweat.
Sitting on the stool by the dressing table, Shen Yunshu pulled out a small white porcelain bottle from the deepest corner of her makeup box.
After removing the stopper, a faint medicinal fragrance rose.
She took out a pill and swallowed it.
This was the contraceptive medicine she had bought before entering the palace, precisely to prevent the day she might weaken her resolve.
If he wanted her, and she gave in, then she couldn’t regret it.
But at least there was a way to remedy it.
Before the royal family officially recognized her as a granddaughter-in-law, she must not conceive a child.
Otherwise, when the time came, not only would she face great trouble, but Xie Heng would also find himself in a difficult position.
As she stood, a warm flow slowly seeped out from the painful spot.
He had sent so much of himself last night, hoping to impregnate her overnight, but what she didn’t know was that as long as she took the contraceptive within twelve hours, no matter how much he gave, it would be useless.
The medicine was cold in nature; the court doctor had said it was the most effective, but harmful to the body, so she mustn’t take too much.
In fact, her third sister had a gentler contraceptive prescription, which their mother had given at the time of marriage.
At first, Shen Yunshu had thought of asking her third sister for the prescription, but while the pills were easy to take, acquiring the herbs was difficult.
Since her sister was inside the palace, to gather the herbs she would have to go to the Imperial Medical Office, attracting too much attention.
It was more convenient to hide a few pills instead.
Though the medicine was harmful, it was not to be taken frequently—perhaps after some time.
After taking the medicine, Shen Yunshu called for Tinglan and requested a bath.
However, waiting for the hot water, she couldn’t resist sleep and soon dozed off.
After reviewing the lessons assigned by his teacher in the morning, Xie Heng took half an hour to return to his palace for breakfast.
Before going back, he stopped by the Imperial Medical Office, thinking of the redness and swelling on her injury, and went specially…
When he returned to his palace, Tinglan said Shen Yunshu was still asleep.
She had woken briefly and intended to bathe, but as the hot water was ready, she fell asleep again.
Xie Heng didn’t want her to wash away the things he had left inside her so quickly, so he didn’t let Tinglan wake her.
He washed his hands and trimmed his nails short before bringing the ointment into the bedchamber.
The room was fragrant with pear blossom incense in the canopy, and a brazier burned warm.
Upon entering, the fragrance and warmth hit him immediately.
The curtains parted on both sides.
The woman on the bed wore white sleeping clothes, lying quietly on the soft quilt, her black hair like clouds scattered over her shoulders, back, and the slight hollow of her waist.
It was that slender waist — once the clothes were removed, he could almost encircle it with both hands.
She looked thinner than before entering the palace.
Xie Heng sat by the bedside, quietly observing for a while before gently turning her over.
His fingertips slowly moved to untie the strings at her waist.
The movement startled Shen Yunshu awake.
Opening her eyes to see him back, she realized it must be past breakfast time.
“I actually slept this long…”
She tried to sit up but he stopped her, “Wife, don’t move. Let me check your injury.”
Shen Yunshu was momentarily stunned, wondering when she had gotten hurt, but seeing him untie her sleeping pants and remembering the pain when she tried to get up earlier, her face flushed red.
She pulled the blanket close, covering herself with her bent knees.
“I’m not hurt, it doesn’t hurt…”
“You are hurt, don’t think I don’t know. You’re bleeding,” Xie Heng pressed one of her ankles, holding out the ointment with his other hand. “Wife, I just want to help you apply medicine.”
He even prepared the ointment?
Shen Yunshu reached out to take it from him. “I can do it myself.”
But he refused, “I was the one who hurt you, so it should be me to apply the medicine. Don’t be shy.”
With a little force, his big hand pulled off her sleeping pants beneath the blanket.
Shen Yunshu was startled.
Seeing that he was about to lift her blanket, knowing she was no match for his strength, she tried to use her older sister authority to resist him.
“Xie Heng, you can’t!”
However, the younger brother who had always obeyed her seemed to have become more domineering than his sister since last night.
He lifted the obstructing blanket, his large hand resting on her knee, but didn’t dare to forcefully part them, fearing he’d hurt her injury.
Softly coaxing her, “Wife, be good. Let me help you apply the medicine. It’s really just pure medicine application…”
Pure medicine application?
His gaze was far from innocent.
“Xie Heng!” Shen Yunshu had no choice but to put on a stern face, much more serious than before.
“I’ll do it myself.”
He didn’t dare to insist further and obediently handed her the ointment.
That night, he tangled with her again, wanting to check if her injury had healed.
Shen Yunshu laughed and pushed him away, “How could it heal so quickly?”
He lay back on the bed, making a small tent with his arms, lamenting, “Sigh, I just found out how good it feels, but tonight I can’t have it. Wife, will your injury be healed by evening?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.”
“Then let me apply the medicine for you again. You don’t let me, and you do it yourself — obviously not as thoroughly, so it heals slower…” He rolled up and got out of bed. “How about I apply it for you once more?”
“Stay still.”
“Sigh…”
Seeing him sigh so heavily, Shen Yunshu kindly suggested, “Why don’t I… help you relax in the old way?”
He flipped over and started reciting poetry, “Forget the past seas, no other water will do; except Mount Wu, no other clouds will suffice…”
He had tasted better; how could he still look fondly on the old ways?
“By the way, wife,” trying to distract her, he mentioned something, “When I returned from Wenyuan Pavilion this evening, I ran into the Emperor’s grandfather.
He quizzed me with a few questions, then told me about an event…”
“What event did His Majesty tell you?”
“Grandfather said that in the past few days, envoys from foreign countries have gradually arrived in the capital.
He will hold a banquet at the Southern Imperial Court to entertain them.
There will also be horseback archery and hunting activities.
He invited me to go join in the fun…”
“You’ve been studying hard lately. It’s good to relax…”
“Wife, do you want to come with me?”
“I won’t go. My body isn’t well yet.”
“But I want you to accompany me.”
“You’re already a royal grandson. Don’t always think you need someone to go everywhere with you.
Even You Ran can manage the household now; you should learn to be independent too…”
Xie Heng held her close and whined like before, “But I want you to stay with me. Come with me, please.”
Shen Yunshu wasn’t unwilling to accompany him, but before His Majesty officially acknowledged her as his wife, she shouldn’t appear publicly in that role, especially at such an important occasion where the Emperor and ministers received foreign envoys.
“Then we’ll talk about it later.” She kissed the corner of his mouth. “Go to sleep soon; you didn’t rest well last night.”
Holding her, Xie Heng snuggled close, murmuring a few times before finally falling asleep amid his desires.
For the next two nights, Shen Yunshu still refused to share the bed.
On the third night, the little wolf who had tasted flesh couldn’t hold back and forcibly checked her injury.
The wound had almost fully healed.
“Wife, you lied to me. It’s already healed.”
Indeed, Shen Yunshu had mostly recovered.
But knowing he would go to the Southern Imperial Court the next day and needed to conserve strength, and aware that he had been holding back for three nights, she feared if she agreed, he would torment her again until very late.
So she lied.
“It’s still a bit sore…”
She tried to smooth over the lie.
He seemed to believe her—or maybe not—and turned to pick up the ointment.
“Then tonight, I’ll apply the medicine for you…”
Applying medicine was better than sharing the bed.
Shen Yunshu reluctantly agreed, “…Alright.”
Then she watched as he stripped, scooped a large amount of ointment with his hands, and lowered his head to smear it on his own little Xie Heng.
Shen Yunshu: “…”
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