To speak of that matter, the two of them hadn’t done it infrequently since consummating their marriage, but it was always lights out and into bed, with that scoundrel Gu Chaobei directly pouncing on her. She didn’t need to prepare at all, just follow his lead.
But now, in order to conceive a child, Shen Guiyan bathed and changed clothes, burned incense and performed rituals, making herself extremely nervous. When she went to the bedside wrapped in her nightgown, her face was tense and she couldn’t relax.
Gu Chaobei, who had already tidied up, leaned against the bed and put down the book in his hands. His face full of interest, he looked at her and said, “My wife has worked hard.”
Shen Guiyan took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, “Let’s begin!”
With such a fierce look in her eyes, who was mounting whom? Gu Chaobei laughed, gently pulling her into his arms. He licked and kissed her lips, saying in a low voice, “I just looked at the book you placed on the bed and discovered that this husband has been negligent. Recently, I haven’t properly cherished my wife.”
Shen Guiyan froze. Amid the kissing, she lowered her eyes to look at the cover of the book on the bed.
“The Precious Manual for Bearing Children”
This was something Xu Mengdie had found for her. It contained all sorts of strange and bizarre methods. Shen Guiyan felt somewhat embarrassed and angry, and fiercely pinched Gu Chaobei’s waist. Who were they having children for anyway? Wasn’t it because men liked them?
The pain made Gu Chaobei open his mouth to bite her earlobe, but he couldn’t bear to use force. He gently held it in his mouth, following the curve of her ear with delicate licks and kisses. With a pull of his hand, he pressed Shen Guiyan beneath him and undid her already loosely fastened garments.
Pressing his body against hers, Gu Chaobei looked at her still somewhat nervous expression and couldn’t help but bite her lips with a muffled laugh. “Are you reciting what’s written in that book?”
“The Precious Manual for Bearing Children” stated that when the woman received favor, she must silently recite an incantation in her heart. Earlier, Gu Chaobei had glanced at it and saw something written about “Guanyin Bodhisattva bestowing salvation in all directions.” He’d thought only a fool would believe such things, but unexpectedly Shen Guiyan actually believed it!
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Gu Chaobei gritted his teeth, turned her body over, put a pillow underneath, and leaning over her body, slowly ground his way in bit by bit. Shen Guiyan gasped, the incantation she’d been silently reciting scattered completely as he thrust against her, nearly making her cry out.
“My wife needn’t be afraid.” His warm breath fell on her ear as Gu Chaobei chuckled softly. “If you’ve forgotten the content of that incantation, this husband still remembers it. I’ll recite it for you now.”
This beast!
Shen Guiyan’s face flushed completely red. Whatever restraint she’d had was ground away by him. Fragmented sounds spilled from her lips, and gradually she no longer knew where she was or whether her voice had been heard by those outside the door.
After several rounds of passion, she was so exhausted she didn’t even want to lift her hands. Drowsy and wanting to sleep, Gu Chaobei pulled at her and said, “My wife cannot sleep! The manual also writes at the back that one must wait until the substance within doesn’t flow out before one can peacefully fall asleep. This husband feels that’s not quite right, so let’s put in more…”
Gritting her teeth, Shen Guiyan couldn’t stand it anymore. She pulled the quilt over her head, rolled into a ball, and said, “If you say one more word, I’m going to sleep in the study!”
Gu Chaobei laughed quietly, pulling her into his embrace. He said softly, “My wife actually needn’t force herself. Having children also depends on luck. I’m not anxious at all.”
Shen Guiyan was groggy and didn’t take his words to heart. She slept especially deeply that night. The next day when she awoke, the sun was already high.
“Young Madam.” Xu Mengdie was already sitting in the outer room. Hearing movement, she considerately didn’t come in, only sitting outside and saying, “Today, Eldest Young Master’s residence outside has been completed. Madam’s meaning is that since Eldest Young Madam is no longer here and we’re managing the household, we naturally should go take a look.”
Shen Guiyan hurriedly got up to prepare. If she hadn’t mentioned it, she would have forgotten—Gu Chaodong had been allocated an official residence outside. It was arranged by Prime Minister Gu, not far from the Prime Minister’s residence. They’d built the Vice Minister’s residence.
Gu Chaodong had been sitting fairly steadily in his position as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Although his relationship with his subordinates wasn’t very good, with the Prime Minister’s residence backing him, everyone had to look at his expression regardless. Recently, the Crown Prince had been eager to win people’s hearts, and he was the quickest to attach himself. In the official world, one had to make some choices.
“Let’s go.” After finishing her preparations, Shen Guiyan changed into another outfit. Xu Mengdie looked at her and nodded. “No wonder everyone praises you. Your appearance makes people feel comfortable just looking at you.”
She wore a crimson dress embroidered with lotuses in a crossover style. The color was festive yet not ostentatious—it was merely to celebrate the joy of moving. Receiving such praise from Xu Mengdie, Shen Guiyan smiled, thinking she had a sweet tongue.
The two made their way over. Xu Mengdie was also very considerate, saying, “After all, Young Madam has a past connection with Eldest Young Master, so it’s inconvenient to face him directly. Leave any matters that need to be discussed with Eldest Young Master to Mengdie.”
“Alright.” Shen Guiyan nodded.
Although the Vice Minister’s residence was smaller than the Prime Minister’s residence, it was still imposing. Gu Chaodong had been at the entrance early on. Seeing Shen Guiyan, he came forward and said, “Yan’er.”
Xu Mengdie blocked Shen Guiyan’s path and bowed. “Eldest Young Master, Madam said she’ll come later. Mengdie and Fourth Young Madam came first to see what the residence is still lacking.”
Gu Chaodong pressed his lips together. Seeing that Shen Guiyan wasn’t looking at him, he felt slightly disappointed and nodded. “Please come in.”
Once past the entrance, different from the imposing appearance from outside, it was actually a bamboo landscape with small bridges and flowing water. It looked extremely elegant and refined. Shen Guiyan’s eyes brightened, and following the path in, it was all birdsong and fragrant flowers, like a paradise, incredibly peaceful.
“I thought you would like it too.” Gu Chaodong stood not far behind, saying softly, “I’m just waiting for the day when you can move in.”
Shen Guiyan was startled. Xu Mengdie beside her pretended not to understand, smiling as she said, “Does Eldest Young Master think Fourth Young Madam likes this style?”
Gu Chaodong smiled faintly. “She was never meant to be a flower of wealth and nobility. She should be a serene narcissus amid this birdsong and fragrant flowers.”
Spoken as if he understood her so well. Shen Guiyan laughed coldly. If he did nothing, then elder brother and sister-in-law could still get along well, and she wouldn’t think anything of it. But this person had done both good and bad to the extreme, putting on an act of deep affection—who knew who it was for.
“Mengdie will follow Eldest Young Master to see what’s lacking where. I’ll walk around as I please.” Leaving this sentence behind, Shen Guiyan took Baoshan through the corridor to the other side.
Xu Mengdie agreed. She turned her head to glance at Gu Chaodong and sighed. “Why must Eldest Young Master be so infatuated? Right now, the two of you are simply impossible.”
Gu Chaodong lowered his eyes. He also knew it was impossible, but he just couldn’t help clinging to that bit of hope. Who knows, perhaps some miracle might happen in the future.
“This courtyard is truly beautiful. Did Eldest Young Master design it himself?” Xu Mengdie suddenly asked.
Gu Chaodong nodded and led her to the study to bring out a model of the courtyard. Not only had he drawn it himself, he’d also inscribed words on it.
“The most elegant place in the mortal world, I wish for a beautiful woman to dwell here. The swallow will eventually return to the rafters, to be seen together year after year.”
Xu Mengdie was educated and naturally could understand what this meant. Eldest Young Master Gu was really too direct, writing out all his thoughts like this. If others saw this, who knows what talk would spread.
After thinking, Xu Mengdie said, “Can Eldest Young Master give this drawing to Mengdie? It looks very fine, and Mengdie truly likes it.”
The residence had already been built, so naturally there was no need to keep the drawing. Gu Chaodong generously gave it to Xu Mengdie.
Walking through every part of this residence, she could see things she liked. Shen Guiyan felt uncomfortable all over. She had Baoshan inform Xu Mengdie, then headed back to the residence first. Sitting in the sedan chair, she was still thinking—did Gu Chaodong have something wrong with his brain? When it was given to him, he didn’t cherish it. Now that she’d taken it back, he was obsessed with it.
Who still cared?
When the sedan chair reached East Main Street, it suddenly couldn’t move forward. Baoshan came to the side of the sedan chair and said excitedly, “Miss, people are fighting up ahead!”
Why was she so excited about other people fighting? Shen Guiyan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she lifted the curtain to look.
Indeed, there was a fight—between guards in black and masked men in black. They were fighting right on the main street with sword sheaths flying. Someone shouted in a low voice, “Protect the General and leave first!”
General? Shen Guiyan took another look and saw Yuwen Changqing at the back.
It was said he’d been away from court recently, ill at home. Today he’d come out with two attendants, but somehow had the bad luck of encountering assassins.
The onlookers all scattered, and moreover, no one went to report to the authorities. Shen Guiyan felt this was troubled water she couldn’t wade through, but she also couldn’t just watch Yuwen Changqing die. She could only say, “Baoshan, go report to the authorities. Sedan bearers, quickly turn around and leave.”
This way she could both help Yuwen Changqing and escape herself—how clever she was.
But today when she came out, Shen Guiyan was riding in an official sedan chair. Baoshan had just run off, and the sedan bearers hadn’t had time to turn around when both Yuwen Changqing and the assassins in the midst of fighting spotted this side.
Yuwen Changqing’s martial skills were extremely good. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t fear these assassins. But there were too many of them—the kind where each person’s spit could drown him.
In his urgency, seeing such an official sedan chair, Yuwen Changqing’s eyes brightened. He broke through the encirclement and rushed over, lifting the curtain to look.
A woman?!
Yuwen Changqing was very disappointed, but looking again, it was actually Shen Guiyan?
Behind him, two attendants blocked the street entrance, holding back a crowd of people. But when they broke through later, there would definitely be a bout of wild hacking. The person sitting in the official sedan chair would certainly not be spared. Yuwen Changqing gritted his teeth, dragged Shen Guiyan out, and said, “You leave quickly!”
Shen Guiyan’s face darkened. This fellow, she was about to leave—why did he drag her down from the sedan chair? Wouldn’t it be better if those assassins didn’t see her? And he shouted at her—were they that familiar? Wasn’t this obviously dragging her into trouble?
Gritting her teeth and stamping her feet, unable to worry about much else, Shen Guiyan took off running. Behind her, the black-clothed men broke through the defenses in twos and threes, heading this way. Fortunately, no one followed her—they all went after Yuwen Changqing.
Shen Guiyan looked at this route. The street ahead had even fewer people. Yuwen Changqing would probably be hacked to death in the street. A generation’s great general—this way of dying would be too tragic, wouldn’t it?
Looking left and right, Shen Guiyan ran through the alley, chasing hard in the direction Yuwen Changqing was running.
The capital had especially many alleys. Yuwen Changqing also knew how to use the terrain, twisting and turning into the lanes, temporarily shaking off the people behind him. But after walking just a few steps, he discovered that ahead was a dead end, and the wall was very high. The doors and windows of the houses on both sides were tightly shut—he didn’t even know if anyone was there.