Since their marriage, although they had shared intimate moments, Jiang Xu rarely kissed Ming Tan. When he did, his kisses were often placed on her brow, eyes, or neck.
Ming Tan recalled that in the stories she’d read, lovers always kissed mouth to mouth.
Perhaps because the wind from outside had extinguished one of the candles, Jiang Xu’s eyes darkened slightly. His throat felt dry, his Adam’s apple bobbing unconsciously.
Her lips were pale and looked soft. Jiang Xu leaned in, their noses almost touching, their lips barely half an inch apart, their warm breaths intermingling.
What was this brute thinking? They were so close, yet he hadn’t kissed her!
Ming Tan, feeling shy and a bit frustrated, her heart pounding and eyelashes fluttering, finally couldn’t resist. She tilted her head up and quickly pecked his lips.
She meant to pull back after the quick kiss, but Jiang Xu didn’t give her the chance. He pressed down, one hand cradling the back of her head, deepening the kiss.
However, Jiang Xu’s technique was still unrefined. Their lips and teeth clashed, and Ming Tan was bitten painfully several times. Sometimes she struggled to breathe, but the sensation was intimate and intoxicating, making her whole body feel as if it were slowly burning.
Their clothes quickly became disheveled. As the night breeze gently blew in from the southern window, the couple’s garments fell to the bedside, piece by piece intertwining.
Ming Tan’s body was like a piece of fine, warm jade, yet far softer. As they pressed close together, Jiang Xu initially controlled himself, his movements gentle. But lost in the beauty’s embrace, such self-control never lasts long.
“My lord…”
“My lord, be gentler… mmph!”
Ming Tan had been resting on a pair of mandarin duck pillows, but soon her entire face was buried in them, her voice muffled and whimpering. Later, even the pillows disappeared. She found herself pushed to a corner, her disheveled hair damp with sweat. She clung to her husband’s neck, sobbing, her tear-streaked face the very picture of a pitiful, overly teased creature.
Jiang Xu’s eyes were rimmed with red, his black hair falling loose. There was a rare fierceness in his expression that only enhanced his handsome features.
He leaned down, slowly kissing away her tears, his hot breath fanning across her skin—whether to soothe or inflame, who could say?
The spring night passed slowly.
The maid on night duty once again went without rest, dark circles forming under her eyes.
She recalled how a few days ago, a maid tending the flower beds had flattered her, saying that serving in Qi’an Hall was more prestigious than elsewhere. She couldn’t help but think ruefully that not just anyone could handle duties in Qi’an Hall. Of course, being the Princess Consort was even more exclusive. Compared to the Princess’s nightly cries of passion, standing guard through the night hardly seemed arduous.
The next morning, Ming Tan unusually woke up at the same time as Jiang Xu. Outside, the sky was still dim, a hazy grayish-white.
Jiang Xu had intended to go practice martial arts alone as usual. He was about to move the jade arm draped over him back under the brocade quilt when it suddenly tightened around him again. Ming Tan, eyes still heavy with sleep, hugged him close and nuzzled into his chest. Her voice was hoarse from sleep, soft and lazy: “My lord, are you getting up?”
Jiang Xu made a sound of assent. “Did I wake you?”
Perhaps because he had just woken, his voice was low and husky, gentler than usual.
“No,” Ming Tan shook her head.
“Then I’ll go practice. You were tired yesterday, sleep a while longer.”
Jiang Xu was referring to her ordeal at Ping Guo Gong’s residence, but when Ming Tan heard this, she blushed and pinched him lightly. Wasn’t it his insatiable desire that had tired her out? She buried her face in his neck and bit him in playful retaliation.
Her bite, however, was as insignificant to Jiang Xu as a mosquito bite. If there was any difference, it was that her bite sent a tingling sensation through him.
The waiting maids outside, hearing movement within, quietly approached the inner chamber’s beaded curtain and softly asked, “Your Highness, are you ready to rise?”
“Mm,” came the reply.
Soon, the maids parted the curtains and brought in the washing items.
Usually, Ming Tan would still be sound asleep when Jiang Xu rose. The servants’ movements were always as quiet as possible. Jiang Xu only allowed them to bring in items, preferring to dress himself. They were about to withdraw after setting things down as usual when, to their surprise, the Princess Consort was awake unusually early.
“I want to get up too,” she said.
Jiang Xu turned back. “Why are you getting up so early?”
Ming Tan snuggled up to him, hugging his arm. “I want to watch you practice martial arts.”
Jiang Xu was silent for a moment.
“Is that not allowed?” she asked.
A maid dared to steal a glance. She saw that the Princess wasn’t wearing her nightclothes or undergarments, the brocade quilt covering her from the shoulders down. Her fair arms had moved from hugging his arm to encircling his neck. She was practically hanging off the Prince, acting coquettishly.
Who could resist that?
Sure enough, their Prince soon gave a sound of agreement.
Unlike Jiang Xu, Ming Tan was the type to let others wait on her hand and foot if possible. By the time Jiang Xu was ready to dress, she had only just finished rinsing her mouth daintily.
Seeing her husband about to dress himself, Ming Tan hurriedly gestured for the maid wiping her face to hurry. In one swift movement, she knelt up and snatched the jade belt from Jiang Xu’s hands.
“My lord, let Ah Tan help you,” she said.
Jiang Xu paused, not refusing. He spread his arms slightly.
Jiang Xu’s everyday clothes were much simpler than his wedding attire. Ming Tan carefully adjusted his collar, tied the jade belt at his waist, and hung his jade pendant. She tilted her head, thinking for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked, “My lord, don’t you feel like something’s missing at your waist?”
“What’s missing?”
“A sachet, of course! My lord, you don’t wear a sachet at all!”
“What would I wear it for? To repel mosquitoes and evil spirits?”
Ming Tan: “…”
He didn’t have to remember that for so long!
Although Jiang Xu’s retort left her speechless for a moment, Ming Tan didn’t abandon her idea of making a sachet for her husband. As they finished grooming and headed to the martial arts ground to watch Jiang Xu practice, she began to envision the colors and patterns for the sachet in her mind.
Speaking of which, after Ming Tan had redesigned the mansion’s layout, one of her first projects was to build a small martial arts ground for Jiang Xu to practice.
The practice ground was spacious, surrounded by plum trees that were still bare, not yet in bloom. Jiang Xu practiced his swordsmanship in the center.
Ming Tan had seen Jiang Xu in action twice before. Once was on their way back from the Great Xiangguo Temple, when he and his hidden guards effortlessly eliminated a group of bandits. The other time was yesterday at Ping Guo Gong’s residence when he casually killed the Marquis of Jiangyang… She was curious about just how skilled he was. Why did dealing with opponents seem so easy for him? And both times he had saved her, he had used the binding on his sleeve. How was that binding so obedient, able to shoot out straight?
Thinking of this, Ming Tan glanced at the thin gauze shawl draped over her arm.
Halfway through his sword routine, Jiang Xu caught sight of his young wife sitting at the edge of the practice ground. She was repeatedly waving her shawl, muttering to herself.
“Is it too light?”
“Why won’t it fly out?”
“Should I stand up?”
After a while, her arm seemed to tire. She gently rubbed her wrist, puffed out her cheeks, and sat down with a pout.
A hint of amusement flickered in Jiang Xu’s eyes as he spun and continued his practice.
When he finished his routine, Ming Tan approached, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief. She voiced her curiosity about his skills. Having seen a few highly skilled martial artists, yesterday’s sight of Yun Yi walking on water had deeply impressed her. She added, “Compared to Yun Yi, who’s more skilled? You or her, my lord?”
“What do you think?” Jiang Xu’s tone was neutral.
Before Ming Tan could answer, Jiang Xu glanced at a plum tree nearly ten zhang away. With a flick of his wrist, he smoothly released his sword.
Ming Tan froze, her gaze slowly following the sword hilt as it struck the tree. A moment later, the slender tree fell with a crash.
“…”
“My lord, you’re more skilled. You’ve just killed my Lvè.”
The real Lvè, still recovering from yesterday’s blow to the head, suddenly sneezed.
After practice, they returned to Qi’an Hall for breakfast.
Watching Ming Tan finish her tonic soup, Jiang Xu recalled the imperial physician’s advice about improving her health. He suddenly said, “You’re frail. From now on, rise early and come exercise with me at the practice ground.”
Ming Tan looked confused. “What would I exercise?”
“What would you like to practice?”
“I don’t want to practice anything.” She just wanted to be a beautiful princess consort.
“…”
“I could teach you archery.”
“…”
She didn’t want to learn that either.
“Or perhaps the Eight Brocades exercise.”
“What’s the Eight Brocades?” It sounded rather elegant.
Just then, a maid announced that Concubine Yun had come to pay her respects to the Princess. Jiang Xu instructed, “Demonstrate the Eight Brocades for the Princess.”
Yun Yi: “…?”
She glanced at the fine dress she had specially changed into for this visit but dared not disobey her master’s order.
“Raise both hands to regulate the triple warmer!” As she spoke, Yun Yi raised her hands high above her head.
“Draw the bow on both sides as if shooting a vulture!” She stepped into a bow stance, one hand drawn back to her chest, the other pushed forward.
Wait, wait… these movements were far too unsightly!
Ming Tan was shocked. She couldn’t imagine herself performing such coarse movements in front of her husband at the practice ground every day. She quickly interrupted, “Archery! My lord, please teach Ah Tan archery instead.”
At least archery required hands-on instruction, which seemed more romantic for a married couple.
Jiang Xu gave a sound of assent.
Yun Yi stopped her demonstration and stood quietly to the side.
Ming Tan invited her to join them for the meal, but she shook her head.
She knew she didn’t have the Princess’s endurance. Although the breakfast looked exquisitely sumptuous, she feared she might choke to death if she ate at the same table as her master.
“You’ve paid your respects. Why haven’t you withdrawn?” His voice was calm.
“…Yes, sir.”
Yun Yi felt she had forgotten something, but with her master’s dismissal, she instinctively bowed and backed out of the room.
It wasn’t until she left Qi’an Hall that Yun Yi remembered the osmanthus cakes hidden in her bodice. Oh, she had come to bring the Princess Osmanthus cakes. She had promised to bring a package today and had even scaled the wall before dawn, waiting until the shop opened at the third quarter of the Mao hour to buy the first batch.
She turned back without hesitation, but as soon as she entered the room, she saw from afar that the Princess had somehow ended up on the Prince’s lap during breakfast. Sitting at an angle, arms around his neck, she was insistently asking, “My lord cut down my Lvè, how will you make amends?”
What? Lord Jiang had cut down Miss Lvè?
“How would you like me to make amends?”
“Hmm… then my lord should feed Ah Tan some porridge.”
Why did she need to be fed? Hadn’t the Princess been eating just fine on her own earlier? And was Miss Lvè’s life only worth a bowl of porridge? Wasn’t Lvè supposed to have grown up with the Princess? Surely the Prince wouldn’t agree to such an unreasonable request.
This thought had barely crossed her mind when she watched, wide-eyed, as the Prince scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to the Princess’s lips.
“…”
The Prince did feed her.
Miss Lvè’s life was only worth a bowl of porridge.