Yao Ying casually tugged at her collar and bent down to peck Tanmoluojia’s solemn face, rubbing against him through a layer of clothing.

The weather was hot, and last night she had worn only a single light robe, thin as cicada wings.

He let out a muffled groan.

Last night he had already been restraining himself. When he woke up this morning to see her sleeping beside him – her face rosy, lips red and slightly swollen, her body soft and delicate under the thin gauze, the fragrance of her hair wafting around him – he immediately had a reaction and had to get up.

Yet she still came to tease him.

She was certain he was helpless against her, which was why she dared to provoke him like this.

Tanmoluojia lay beneath Yao Ying, a trace of a smile flitting across his lips as he helplessly caressed her fingertips. He loved seeing her relaxed and playful side when she was with him.

Yao Ying felt his tension and laughed as she got up, pushing him away.

His arms immediately followed, tightly gripping her arms and pressing her back onto the bed. Propping himself up beside her, he asked again: “Really not sore anymore?”

Her brows had been tightly knitted yesterday. No matter how much he tried to control himself, when instinct and desire had built up to their peak, he had still been too intense.

His gaze moved downward, his hand following.

Yao Ying suddenly realized what part he was asking about. Her heart fluttered as she looked at his long fingers that had just been copying Buddhist scriptures. She sprang up, hugging his arm and shaking her head vigorously.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, not sore.”

Tanmoluojia pressed her down, not letting her move. His expression was serious, with deep desire seeming to float in his eyes: “Let me check.”

Yao Ying struggled a couple of times but couldn’t break free. She could only lie there as her ears gradually turned red.

Previously, she had worried about whether he would adjust to life after leaving monkhood, afraid he would feel conflicted and pained. She had wondered how to help him slowly get used to it.

Now it seemed she had overthought everything.

Before, as Regent, he had wielded the blade of execution with an unwavering Buddhist heart, unconcerned with others’ opinions, never wavering even through life and death. Now that he had married her, he naturally wouldn’t feel awkward or hesitant – he openly studied the illustrated manuals, and researched marital relations, as candidly as he had studied Buddhist principles. The first thing he did this morning was earnestly ask if she was still sore.

He was truly seriously learning how to be a good lover, methodically to the point of oddity.

Yao Ying’s heart filled with bittersweet warmth. She found it both amusing and a bit disappointing – she had thought she could tease him properly.

A chill swept over her body.

Yao Ying came back to her senses, crying out as she curled into a ball, blocking Tanmoluojia from touching her.

He bent down, gently coaxing in her ear: “Let me check if you need medicine…”

His noble, melodious voice actually carried a bewitching allure.

Yao Ying felt her whole body burning up as she pushed him hard: “Really not sore…”

Even if it really hurt, she wouldn’t let him apply medicine!

She struggled too vigorously, and Tanmoluojia was afraid of hurting her, so he had to reluctantly back away. He took a box from the low table beside the bed and pushed it in front of her.

“Don’t try to be tough, use these if you’re uncomfortable…”

Inside the gauze curtains, his low voice was exceptionally gentle.

Yao Ying took the box and opened it. Her lips twitched as her cheeks flushed red, and she asked, torn between laughter and tears: “Where did this come from?”

Princess Manda had sent her many ointments and delicate items, each medicine coming with a note detailing its use. The items in his box were even more exquisite and complete than what Princess Manda had sent – it had everything.

Tanmoluojia gently stroked her loose hair, responding calmly: “I had people prepare it.”

His expression was unchanged, tone casual, as if discussing everyday matters.

Yao Ying closed her eyes and fell back on the pillow in resignation, unable to imagine what expressions those people had worn when he ordered them to prepare such intimate items.

“Really alright?”

He asked again.

“I’m fine…” Yao Ying hooked her arms around his neck, moving close to him. Her fingers caressed his head as she kissed his earlobe, whispering in his ear, “Master… you’ve learned very well, I really liked last night…”

His breath suddenly caught. He embraced her and rolled over, his gaze dark with surging desire.

In the misty darkness, there was still a trace of that serene dignity and pure Buddhist air.

Which only made his desire seem all the more deep and passionate.

His scent was the same as last night, cold and sharp mixed with an invasive aroma. Yao Ying remembered the numbness in her body from last night and couldn’t help but soften.

A growling sound broke the silence.

They both froze for a moment.

After a while, Tanmoluojia chuckled softly and bent down, his lips falling on Yao Ying’s growling belly, kissing it several times through the thin shirt.

“I had them prepare food you like, I’ll have it brought in.”

It was already noon. The attendants directly carried in a sumptuous meal, just like that time in the felt tent – an array of dishes including fresh fruits, preserved fruits, beef and mutton, steamed horse intestines, rice, stewed soup, beef rice, cheese, various sweet and savory pastries, pomegranate juice, and freshly baked naan bread.

Yao Ying hadn’t eaten much at yesterday’s banquet. When she went to wash up, her whole body had been sore and weak. Smelling the fragrance now made her feel even hungrier. She ate an entire plate of lamb and raisin rice, plus half a small beef naan.

Tanmoluojia sat beside her with only a bowl of butter tea in front of him.

Yao Ying glanced at him – since he had already eaten, why was he hovering here?

He watched her elegantly finish the rice, then handed her a plate of pastries, gesturing for her to eat. She took it and had a bite. He then poured a bowl of hot tea for her to drink. With pastries in hand, she had no free hands, so she simply drank directly from his hand. He put the tea bowl back and waved to indicate the meal should be cleared away.

The attendants who had brought in the meal exchanged glances before carrying the table out.

As newlyweds, all the armed guards and close attendants had withdrawn to the outer hall and wouldn’t enter without orders. The inner hall was quiet, with only bird songs drifting melodiously from outside.

Yao Ying noticed the looks of the royal court attendants as they left. She leaned on Tanmoluojia’s back as he copied Buddhist scriptures, asking, “Was there some sort of custom just now?”

Yao Ying laughed, no wonder the attendants had looked strange – Luojia didn’t care about such rules.

“So you just served me, does that mean you’ll listen to me for life from now on?”

Tanmoluojia nodded: “I’ll listen to everything you say.”

She would stay by his side for life.

Yao Ying hugged Tanmoluojia’s neck from behind, watching him copy scriptures for a while. She had originally wanted to tease him, but seeing him carefully pondering as he transcribed, she didn’t want to disturb his concentration. She stood up and looked at the numerous books and collections on the bookshelf. The book box she had accidentally opened yesterday was placed together with other books.

A high monk was indeed a high monk, with an open mind… on one side were sutras, classics and official documents, on the other side were these illustrated manuals.

Yao Ying curiously opened the book box and carefully examined the books inside.

Yesterday she had only glimpsed them briefly.

She opened them one by one. Besides the illustrated manuals, there were several Sanskrit texts she couldn’t understand, though from the inserted illustrations, they seemed similar to Princess Manda’s wedding gifts.

Reaching the middle, she raised her eyebrows in surprise as she picked up a book bound in Central Plains style. She opened it and looked at a few pages, stunned.

She continued flipping through, her emotions surging like the tides.

The fierce sunlight falling by the window was filtered through the rolled blinds, window lattices, bead curtains, and gauze drapes into the inner hall, becoming gentle and mild like moonlight through gossamer.

Tanmoluojia sat writing at his desk, his profile dignified and sacred.

The sound of brush tip against paper rustled softly. Yao Ying stood with her back to him, looking at the books in the box, motionless for a long while.

“Luojia…”

She was lost in thought for a moment, then picked up the books and returned to Tanmoluojia’s side, leaning on his back. “Why are you reading these books?”

Several Chinese medical texts fell onto the long table, each showing signs of having been read: Women’s Pregnancy, Postpartum Care, Pre-Labor Conditions, Difficult Labor, Lactation Guide, Thousand Gold Prescriptions, Effective Birth Treasures, Minor Women’s Miscellaneous Prescriptions, Cui’s Birth Charts… all were books explaining women’s pregnancy and childbirth care.

There were annotations next to several prescriptions, clearly in Tanmoluojia’s handwriting. So on the way back to the royal court, besides those books teaching conjugal relations, the books he had been reading with such a calm face included these medical texts.

Tanmoluojia’s hand stopped moving, showing rare signs of uncertainty on his face.

Yao Ying turned to kiss him, smiling: “When did you think to look at these?”

Tanmoluojia raised his eyes to look at her: “I know some medicine, but I don’t understand women’s childbirth, pregnancy care, and child-rearing.”

Having her companionship was enough for him; he didn’t want her to become a mother so soon. However, since they were married and had consummated their relationship, children would definitely come in the future. He was used to preparing in advance to avoid being caught off guard. She wasn’t even twenty yet, while he was older. As her husband, he naturally should take more care of her.

Yao Ying met his gaze, her heart so full it felt like overflowing with tender feelings. She reached out to pull the brush from his hand and began undoing his clothes.

He usually wore loose robes in the style of monk’s garments. Her fingers slipped inside and forcefully untied the sash. His body stiffened as he grabbed her hands, holding her while his breathing grew heavy.

“Don’t tire yourself…”

Having just experienced intimacy for the first time, she couldn’t fully adapt to him yet. He didn’t dare be too unrestrained, but also didn’t want to be too far from her, so he sat here copying scriptures, watching her move around beside him, calming the restlessness in his heart.

Yao Ying twisted gently, breaking free of his arms. She pushed him down onto his back and straddled him, pulling open his robes and bending down to bite his lips.

“I never thought about marriage before… it’s such trouble… wouldn’t it be better to just keep a few male companions? Together when compatible, separate when not…”

She spoke while kissing him.

Tanmoluojia frowned.

“Then I met you…” Yao Ying paused, placing a kiss on Tanmoluojia’s forehead. “I thought, I’ll never meet someone like you again. When I left the Holy City, I knew that even if I never returned, I could never forget you.”

She looked down at him and smiled, dazzlingly beautiful beyond compare.

“Besides you, I don’t want to marry anyone else.”

She might meet other people, but he would be her only husband.

Tanmoluojia’s lips pressed together slightly, his eyes growing increasingly dark.

“I want you, Master.” Yao Ying said breathlessly, her eyes moist. “I want you right now.”

Her hair had come loose from its bun, falling in thick tresses. Her clothes had already slipped off, like a lotus blooming, breathtakingly beautiful.

Tanmoluojia lay on his back, staring intently at Yao Ying. His face was calm, saying nothing, his breathing steady and composed. Suddenly he gripped her supple waist and sat up, holding her tightly as he flipped her over, pressing her onto the velvet rug. He pried open her teeth and claimed the lips that could so easily stir his heartstrings and make his blood surge.

This time, he didn’t hold back. He wanted her, all of her, taking worldly pleasure from her body. He would give her all of himself in return.

From the velvet rug under the bookshelf to the hot spring pool, then to the bed, and back to the jade table by the hot spring. He pleased her, possessed her, and did all those things he had thought about but hadn’t dared to do before, completely merging with her body and soul, forcing her to fully open up and accept him. His beautiful brows still carried traces of Buddhist air, but his jade eyes were already filled with bloodshot desire.

Yao Ying trembled in his arms, lost control, and finally begged for mercy through tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

…

Yao Ying didn’t remember when she had fallen asleep. When she woke up, the candlelight by the bed was hazy.

Her whole body felt like it had fallen apart. She got up and put on clothes – the clothes Tanmoluojia had torn were already taken away. The small table was full of bowls and plates with plenty of food.

A figure stood outside the window.

Hearing footsteps, he turned and walked over, his gaze fixed on Yao Ying’s face. His features were as beautiful as a painting, like someone who had stepped out of the moonlight.

Yao Ying remembered the wild passion from earlier. Being looked at with such deep eyes made her feet feel weak and unsteady.

He reached out and pulled her into his embrace, his large hand gently kneading her waist.

“What are you looking at?”

Yao Ying asked, her voice hoarse.

Tanmoluojia could still hear the echo of her crying voice as she lay against his shoulder. He bent down to kiss the top of her head.

“Lotus seeds.”

Yao Ying froze, looking at the calm water surface: “Lotus seeds?”

“I planted lotus roots and seeds here.” Tanmoluojia held her. “I got the seeds from the Duke of Wei. He said they’re lotus seeds from Jingnan. When they grow leaves and flowers, you can look at these things from your homeland to ease your homesickness.”

Yao Ying laughed softly, leaning back against his chest: “Can they survive?”

No wonder Li Zhongqian’s attitude toward him had gotten increasingly better on the way back to the royal court – he had actually asked for lotus seeds from Jingnan.

Tanmoluojia held her tight, pressed close together, inseparable. He nodded.

“When they bloom, I’ll pick one to offer to Buddha.”

He would certainly take good care of this pool of lotus seeds, waiting for them to break out of their shells, grow, sprout, and bloom, taking root in this lotus pond. Just like he had seen in Chang’an, a whole pond full of blooming lotus flowers.

This was their home. They would hold hands and accompany each other for life, watching flowers bloom and fall, and clouds gather and disperse.

Never to part again.