Secondly, this master seemed unaware that she was injured and had limited mobility. He lay there like a corpse, not moving at all.
She now had two options:
1. Get into bed to rest, but due to her waist injury, she’d have to crawl over Shen Zaiye to get in. The consequence might be getting beaten.
2. Take some bedding and sleep on the floor, but since he came here to rest, her sleeping on the floor might also result in a beating.
Since she’d likely be beaten either way, Jiang Taohua instantly felt at ease. She lifted her foot and stepped right onto Shen Zaiye’s body!
“…”
Prime Minister Shen, who had been pretending to doze off, slowly opened his eyes and looked at her with even more hostility. “Are you trying to rebel?”
“I just want to get into bed to sleep,” Taohua looked at him innocently. “But I can’t get in.”
If her waist wasn’t injured, she could have jumped in like a cat without disturbing him. But she was injured now! She couldn’t make any big movements. If her wound reopened, she’d be the one suffering!
With a gaze full of anger, Shen Zaiye sat up and drew in his long legs, making a small space. Taohua smiled gratefully and carefully climbed onto the bed, obediently curling up in the corner against the wall.
“You’re not taking off your outer robe?” He looked at her with disdain and reached out to undo her waistband. “Isn’t it uncomfortable to sleep in that?”
Taohua was startled, almost jumping up like a plucked sparrow. With the waistband undone, her outer robe loosened, revealing the thin sleeping garment underneath.
“I move a lot in my sleep,” she explained softly. “For your sake, it’s better if I keep the outer robe on.”
Shen Zaiye glanced at her and couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Take it off. If you’re not uncomfortable, I am.”
Looking down at her robe, Taohua gazed at him pleadingly. “Since you’ve already undone the waistband, why don’t you help me take off the robe completely?”
Shen Zaiye: “…”
Who had ever seen such a woman? Not only did she not help him change, but now he, the Prime Minister, was expected to serve her.
Seeing that the person before her looked like he might hit her, Jiang Taohua quickly pretended to be pitiful. “My waist hurts, it hurts so much, wah wah wah!”
You deserve the pain!
While cursing inwardly, his gaze fell on her waist. Shen Zaiye still kindly helped her remove the robe, tossing it outside the bed curtains.
“Thank you, my lord!” Taohua lay down obediently, no longer fussing. She immediately closed her eyes to sleep.
Shen Zaiye had said before that because her scar was ugly and disgusting, he wouldn’t favor her again. So his coming here tonight was probably just to find a place to sleep. Thinking this, Taohua also settled her mind and didn’t plan to do anything to him. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep.
Once asleep, unless she fell off the bed, Jiang Taohua wouldn’t wake up.
Previously in Zhengchun Pavilion, Shen Zaiye had always slept in the side hall, so he wasn’t very familiar with Taohua’s sleeping habits. He usually took a long time to fall asleep, spending much of that time thinking with his eyes closed. So he naturally assumed the person beside him wasn’t asleep either.
Just as he was thinking about Prince Yu’s affairs, the person next to him suddenly moved closer, using both arms and legs to embrace him.
Frowning slightly, Shen Zaiye said softly, “Sleep properly.”
Her injury wasn’t fully healed yet, what was she trying to do?
Taohua was sleeping soundly and couldn’t hear him at all. She hugged what she thought was an object, nuzzling it contentedly. Her warm body pressed against him, twisting slightly.
Indeed, she liked to hug something while sleeping. Before, when she slept alone, she’d hug a pillow. Now, with the extra pillow being used, she could only hug a person.
Feeling her restless hand slip into his sleeping robe, Shen Zaiye’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He finally opened his eyes to glare at her. “What are you trying to—”
Before he could finish saying “do,” he met Jiang Taohua’s peaceful sleeping face.
Although he didn’t particularly like this overly clever woman, she was truly beautiful when asleep. Her face was as delicate as moonlight on soft jade, her nose straight and fine, her lips full. Her long eyelashes lay like two small fans beneath her eyes. Her chin was neither pointed nor round, her forehead broad – a fortune teller would probably say she had an extremely auspicious face.
Only her earlobes were a bit small, suggesting many hardships in her youth.
Without realizing it, he had been staring at her for a long time. When he came to his senses, Shen Zaiye said with some displeasure, “You can use seduction techniques even with your eyes closed?”
Taohua, of course, couldn’t answer him. In her dream, she only felt that what she was hugging tonight was nice. Although a bit hard, it was warm and comfortable. So she couldn’t help but wrap her leg around his and press her body closer, letting their body heat mingle through the thin sleeping garments.
In the darkness, someone’s breathing suddenly became much heavier.
“Are you asleep, or just pretending?” A hoarse male voice sounded softly.
The room was quiet. Moonlight shone through the window, clearly illuminating the complex expression on his face.
“Prime Minister?” Someone called from the shadows, and then the thick curtains by the window were drawn.
Shen Zaiye wanted to get up, but after a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Never mind. You go rest well. She’s injured.”
The person in the shadows was stunned, and after a while replied, “Alright.”
After some rustling, the doors and windows were closed again. Shen Zaiye took a couple of deep breaths and finally reached out to embrace this troublesome woman.
He was a normal man, neither Liuxia Hui nor a monk. With such an alluring person beside him, being so bold, he couldn’t possibly resist.
Lowering his head close to her, Shen Zaiye’s mind flashed with some images. His eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth to take her earlobe between his lips.
The deeply sleeping Taohua shuddered, pushing him away and curling up on one side like a snail retreating into its shell.
It’s too late to run now, isn’t it? He sneered, pulling her back. He deliberately breathed on her ear, teasing and kissing it to the utmost, while his hand couldn’t help but undo her sleeping garment and caress her smooth skin.
It truly felt like touching jade. What did this woman eat to grow up like this?
After entangling for quite a while, just as Shen Zaiye felt he couldn’t bear it anymore, he suddenly heard Taohua mumble in her sleep and smack her lips.
He paused and reached out to grip her chin. “Don’t tell me you’re asleep.”
Who could still be asleep with all this commotion? Even if she was asleep before, she should be awake now!
However, Jiang Taohua was truly in a deep sleep, showing no sign of responding to him.
After a moment of silence, Shen Zaiye got out of bed and partially opened the curtains.
The room brightened a bit. On the bed, her fair shoulders were half-exposed, the strings of her red dudou scattered. Her face was innocent, with a slight blush.
This was the look of someone in deep sleep, impossible to fake.
With a darkened face, Shen Zaiye very much wanted to wake her up and settle accounts! As a concubine, she should fulfill her duties. What did she mean by falling asleep before him?
“Jiang Taohua, you are daring,” he said through gritted teeth. The veins on the back of his hand stood out slightly. After restraining himself for a long time, he finally calmed down and reached out to pull the blanket over her. Then he put on his robe and left the room.
“My lord?” Zhan Lu, who was on night duty outside, was shocked. “You’re still here?”
“Go to the side hall.”
“… Yes.”
On this calm and uneventful night, no one knew what had transpired in Zhengchun Pavilion.
Jiang Taohua slept exceptionally well. When she woke up, she felt the sunlight outside must be very warm.
“Qingtai, let’s go sunbathe.”
Qingtai, who was bringing in water, sighed repeatedly. “My lady, haven’t you noticed someone missing from this room?”
Huh? After careful consideration, Taohua finally thought to ask, “Has the Prime Minister gone to court?”
“He’s already returned from court.”
“Oh, that’s good then.” Nodding, she slowly sat up, about to ask about changing clothes when she noticed Qingtai’s face turning red.
“My lady…”
What? Following her gaze, Taohua looked down at herself. Her sleeping robe was open, and the dudou underneath wasn’t properly fastened. There were a few scattered red marks below her collarbone.
No way? She was still injured, how could Shen Zaiye be so beastly? After a moment of shock, Taohua became very angry. “That’s so inhumane! He’s such a liar! He said he wouldn’t favor me, what was this about? Was he determined not to give me any chance at all?”
Even if he wanted to do something with her, he should have at least given her some warning, and let her be prepared. What was the point of being so sneaky?
Qingtai was dumbfounded. “So… you’re angry that the Prime Minister didn’t give you a chance to seduce him?”
“What else?” Rolling her eyes, Taohua said, “I’m already his person. Did you expect me to wake up early in the morning, scream, cover my chest, and act like a virtuous woman who’s been violated? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Qingtai: “…” That did make some sense.
After washing her face and applying makeup, Taohua was still a bit confused. Women who had been intimate usually had some after-effects, but apart from these few marks, she felt nothing. What exactly had happened last night?
This confusion disappeared when she saw Shen Zaiye.
Meeting his face full of anger, Jiang Taohua smiled sheepishly, thinking there was no need to ask anymore. She must have hugged him randomly while asleep, angering him without properly serving him, so now he had come to settle accounts.
“My lord doesn’t look well,” she chuckled. “Come have some Longjing tea, it’s freshly brewed!”
“I want to drink buckwheat tea,” Shen Zaiye looked at her with a forced smile.
Taohua promptly ordered, “Qingtai, brew the tea!”
“No need for her, you do it yourself,” he said.
A chill ran down her spine, and Taohua looked at him cautiously. “My lord, I’m still injured.”
“Is being injured so impressive?” Shen Zaiye sneered. “If you’re not dead, then brew the tea.”
“Yes!” She promptly agreed, hugging the teapot and turning to leave.
The room was full of fire, it was terrifying. Was it really necessary just because she hadn’t served him well once? Logically, Prime Minister Shen shouldn’t be so obsessed with physical pleasure. Otherwise, why did he want to kill her before?
As she was thinking, she had already reached the small kitchen. A maid standing at the door smiled and took the teapot from her hands. “My lady, please rest. I’ll brew it for you.”
“Alright.” Lost in thought, Taohua didn’t pay much attention and just stood at the door waiting.
(End of Chapter)