Nong Nu Jiao

When Madam Sun returned to Yunxiang Courtyard from the garden, her steps were much lighter than usual.

The image of Yan Chenghui telling her that he would come to her place for a late-night snack kept replaying in her mind.

A surge of intense joy welled up in my heart, and my ears remained bright red with delight.

"Madam is back. Why do you look so radiant? Is there some good news?"

The maid, Lan Hua, came forward to greet her and couldn't help but be curious about her expression.

Her wife has always been straightforward and her emotions are always on her face.

Madam Sun smiled, blushed, turned her back, and said nothing.

"You don't know this," Lotus, who had followed her to the garden, immediately said with a smile, "His Highness just told Madam that he will be staying at our Yunxiang Courtyard tonight."

"Really?" Lan Hua hurriedly bowed to Madam Sun: "This servant congratulates Madam, your wish has finally come true."

"Stop making jokes like that."

Madam Sun raised her hand and brushed a strand of hair from her temple, her face showing a coquettish expression, but inwardly she felt sweet and very pleased.

Lotus and orchid exchanged a glance and both smiled.

"Have the kitchen prepare a few dishes, and bring out my treasured aged apricot wine."

She stroked the hem of her dress and gave the orders.

"Yes."

Lotus smiled and agreed.

"None of you should come in."

She gave a brief instruction to the servants, then turned and went into the bedroom alone, locking the door and closing the window.

Only then did he walk over, open the sandalwood box at the bottom of the dressing case, and carefully take out a booklet wrapped in brightly colored silk.

This was a book that her mother secretly gave her the night she came to the East Palace; it was specifically for teaching "the pleasures of love".

Of course, before she entered the Eastern Palace, she had been taught this by a nanny.

However, tonight was her first time serving His Highness, and she was worried that she didn't know how to behave properly and might offend His Highness, making things awkward for him.

She sat down on the soft couch by the window, opened the book, and at first her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. But after reading it carefully, her shyness and awkwardness disappeared, leaving only a secret expectation in her heart.

More than half an hour later, she got up, put away the books, and called Lotus in to help her with her hair and makeup.

She changed into a soft satin nightgown embroidered with begonias in moon white, applied a light layer of powder, and looked at herself in the bronze mirror from left to right.

Just after 9 PM, the sound of orchids bowing could be heard from outside.

"This servant greets Your Highness."

Madam Sun was delighted and got up to go out to greet her.

"Your Highness."

Under the warm yellow light, she smiled, her eyes sparkling, with a touch of girlish shyness, and curtsied.

Yan Chenghui stepped over the threshold, his gaze not falling on her, but merely nodding slightly.

Madam Sun wanted to go forward and help him up, but she felt that his aura was somewhat intimidating, so she hesitated and did not dare to go forward.

"Your Highness, please have a seat. I will serve you a midnight snack."

She stepped forward and carefully examined his expression, but he didn't seem unhappy at all.

His Highness has always been aloof and indifferent, and his emotions are hard to fathom.

"No need, you sit down too."

Yan Chenghui took his seat in the main seat and gave an order.

"Yes."

Madam Sun shyly agreed and sat down to one side.

The main room fell silent for a moment, and the atmosphere became somewhat strange.

"Your Highness, this preserved venison was from my brother before the New Year..."

She picked up her chopsticks, wanting to give him a piece of steamed venison jerky to try.

"Don't move."

Yan Chenghui glanced down at the dishes on the table and spoke indifferently.

Madam Sun paused, hesitated for a moment, and then put down her chopsticks.

She couldn't help but secretly observe his expression.

Yan Chenghui sat upright, his expression cold and stern, staring coldly at the doorway.

It looks like... they're waiting for someone?

But isn't he staying at her place tonight?

Who else are we waiting for?

A moment later, Cen Lingyi appeared.

When Madam Sun saw the slender, thin figure at the door, her face immediately darkened.

Your Highness is staying at her place, so why did you call Cen Lingyi here?

What bad luck!

"This servant greets Your Highness and Madam."

Cen Lingyi stood outside the threshold, curtsied, lowered her eyebrows and lowered her eyes, her posture respectful.

She lowered her long, dark eyelashes and did not look into the room.

On the way here, she had already anticipated the scene she would face, and she was in pain the whole way.

At this moment, one should be numb, feeling nothing at all, only a stagnant calm remains.

Yan Chenghui's cold gaze fell on her.

Cen Lingyi remained motionless in her bowing posture, feeling an eerie silence around her that made it hard for her to breathe.

"Come in and serve."

Yan Chenghui spoke indifferently, revealing no emotion.

"Yes."

Cen Lingyi knelt in agreement, lifted her skirt, and stepped across the threshold.

At this moment, she had no choice but to look up and face them.

Inside the room, warm candlelight flickered, and the aroma of delicacies filled the air.

Yan Chenghui sat upright in the main seat, coldly watching her.

The image of her standing beside Song Mingchi, protecting him, flashed before his eyes, and his hands on his knees slowly tightened.

Although Madam Sun was sitting in a side seat, she moved a little closer to him, so the two of them were very close, and she looked like a little bird nestled against him.

"Which dish did you say was good?"

Yan Chenghui glanced sideways at Madam Sun.

"I was talking about this dried venison..."

Madam Sun picked up her chopsticks and was about to serve him some food.

"You don't need to move, let her do it."

Yan Chenghui stopped her and looked at Cen Lingyi.

Madam Sun was stunned for a moment, then her face fell.

His Highness came to her place but wouldn't even let her serve the dishes, and even called Cen Lingyi over. What was the meaning of this?

"Just give her the instructions."

Yan Chenghui's gaze remained fixed on Cen Lingyi's face, and he added in a low voice.

Cen Lingyi stood with her eyes lowered, dressed in a plain wet nurse's dress, her lips pursed, her expression calm, and her back ramrod straight.

She kept reminding herself that she was just a wet nurse, and who he favored or treated well had nothing to do with her.

She has no right to be sad.

Madam Sun's eyes lit up immediately. She glanced at Cen Lingyi, pointed to the steamed venison jerky, and said with a hint of imperiousness, "This."

She got it.

Cen Lingyi used to fawn over the powerful and bully the weak, abandoning His Highness.

His Highness despises her.

His Highness is staying here with her today, and he specially summoned Cen Lingyi to serve him, just to humiliate Cen Lingyi.

Isn't that easy? Watch how she helps His Highness vent his anger.

Cen Lingyi rolled up her sleeves, held the jade chopsticks in her fair hand, and picked up a few slices of venison jerky, placing them on the small plate in front of Yan Chenghui.

Throughout the entire process, she kept her eyes lowered, her face displaying just the right amount of obedience and humility, adhering to the duties expected of a servant.

Only she knew that her palms were already aching from being pressed so hard by the jade chopsticks in her hands.

"Your Highness, this smells wonderful. It's from a deer my brother hunted last December. It's been dried and sliced ​​thinly. It's perfect with wine. Please have a taste."

Madam Sun looked up at Yan Chenghui with a smile on her face.

Yan Chenghui picked up a thin slice of venison with the tip of his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

"How is it? Is it delicious?"

Madam Sun looked at him expectantly.

Yan Chenghui pursed his lips, chewed, and nodded slightly.

"And this wild rabbit, I had them stew it for a long time, the meat is tender and not dry, please try it."

Seeing that he seemed to like it, Madam Sun quickly pointed to another dish.

Cen Lingyi held her breath and stepped forward, picking up a piece of stewed rabbit meat that was tender and extending it to the small plate in front of Yan Chenghui.

Her movement was stopped by the chopsticks in his hand, and then he led her toward the small plate in front of Madam Sun.

"You've put so much effort into preparing this, you should use more. This rabbit meat is stewed until it's tender and soft, just the right amount for your taste."

Yan Chenghui spoke slowly, his tone surprisingly gentle and considerate.

Cen Lingyi was momentarily dazed.

His appearance was somewhat similar to how he used to coax her to eat.

She was not very healthy when she was a child, and she was always sick every few days. She often had to take medicine, so her appetite was naturally poor.

He would try his best to prepare delicious food and coax her to eat properly time and time again.

He then begged the imperial physicians in the palace to find a prescription to treat her condition.

She refused to take her medicine, so he coaxed her. She refused to eat, so he coaxed her too.

He took good care of her, and she grew up slowly, her health gradually improving.

Now, he uses the same tone to coax others in front of her.

Without a doubt, he summoned her here today to destroy her heart.

"Your Highness is so kind to me."

Madam Sun's cheeks flushed, and she moved closer to him, glancing at Cen Lingyi with a hint of smugness in her eyes, her gaze filled with the joy of being favored.

"You belong to me, how could I treat you badly?"

Yan Chenghui raised his arm and pulled her into his embrace.

"Your Highness, I'd like to eat snow pear and white fungus soup..."

Madam Sun blushed deeply.

Yan Chenghui raised his eyes and glanced at Cen Lingyi.

Cen Lingyi stepped forward, silently ladled out half a small bowl of white fungus and pear soup, and placed it in front of Madam Sun.

He could hear Madam Sun's sweet and delicate words, and he could see her nestled in his arms.

This scene seemed to transform into fine needles, pricking her heart again and again, causing her so much pain that she could hardly breathe.

She forced herself to remain calm and continued doing what she was supposed to do.

Yan Chenghui took a sip of apricot blossom wine, his gaze falling on her, cold and somber.

Cen Lingyi lowered her eyelashes, remained silent, and moved steadily and properly. Every time she bowed to serve the dishes, her posture was just right, and her expression was that of a submissive servant.

She was well aware of her position in the Eastern Palace and did not allow her emotions to show in the slightest.

A lowly wet nurse has no right to be sad or wronged. She should just do her job and keep to herself.

Yan Chenghui's gaze fell on her.

Seeing her seemingly submissive yet actually stubborn and unwilling to yield in the slightest, a nameless rage suddenly rose in his heart.

"Your Highness, I'm a little cold. Shall we go into the bedroom?"

Madam Sun nestled in his arms and spoke shyly.

After having a late-night snack, she leaned against His Highness's chest for the first time, and everything fell into place naturally.

She didn't want to look at Cen Lingyi's face or her anymore.

That damned slut, her waist is so thin it looks like it would break if you broke it, yet her breasts are perfectly round and full.

She glanced at Cen Lingyi, then looked down at herself, her heart burning with anger; out of sight, out of mind.

Cen Lingyi pursed her lips and lowered her eyes. She knew that Madam Sun was implying that Yan Chenghui should go into the bedroom.

"Go take a shower first."

The banquet was held to celebrate the arrival of Madam Sun, the wife of the late Emperor Huizong.

"Yes."

Madam Sun was somewhat reluctant. After hesitating for a moment, she still got up and went into the bedroom.

She wanted to say that she had already washed and groomed herself carefully while waiting for him to come, so she didn't need to take another bath.

But she felt that it was too unreserved, so she eventually listened to him and went to the bathing room to take a bath.

Yan Chenghui put down his chopsticks.

Cen Lingyi also put down her chopsticks, took a step back, and waited respectfully to the side.

Yan Chenghui stood up, looked straight ahead, and had a cold expression.

Cen Ling pursed her lips and lowered her head, waiting for him to tell her to leave.

"What are you standing there for?"

Yan Chenghui turned his head to look at her, his tone cold.

"This servant takes her leave."

Cen Lingyi spoke softly and bowed to him.

She thought he meant she was in his way and was trying to get rid of her.

"Did I let you leave?"

Yan Chenghui then spoke in a cold voice.

Cen Lingyi stopped in her tracks and looked up at him with surprise in her dark eyes.

When he asked her "What are you standing there for?" wasn't he trying to get rid of her?

"come over."

Yan Chenghui coldly ordered her.

Cen Lingyi didn't know what he was going to do, and dared not disobey him, so she could only slowly walk over.

She lowered her head and stood in front of him, about two people apart.

Yan Chenghui's indifferent gaze fell on her face.

She bowed her head, her eyes lowered, and her submissive demeanor annoyed him.

He took a step closer.

In Cen Lingyi's line of sight, she saw his taut waist, the golden seal hanging at his waist, exuding a sharp and imposing aura. The hem of his clothes was slightly disheveled because he had just stood up from a sitting position, revealing the white lining underneath, which was still quite crisp.

These days, even the hem of his clothes seems to say "Keep away," making people afraid to look him in the eye.

She lowered her eyelashes and didn't move at all.

Yan Chenghui took another step, almost touching her face.

Cen Lingyi smelled the refreshing fragrance on him, mixed with the incense that Madam Sun often used.

She felt a slight discomfort in her stomach, her brows furrowed slightly, but she forced herself to stand still and not shrink back.

It's not that she didn't know he had already done intimate things with other people, after all, Yan Huaijiao is already so old.

She hadn't reacted this strongly before, having never witnessed him being intimate with someone else or absorbing their scent.

Right now, smelling the fragrance of Madam Sun on his body, and thinking about what they were about to do, she felt a dense discomfort and blockage in her internal organs, as if she had swallowed a handful of cold ice shards, chilling her to the bone from the inside out.

He said back then that he wouldn't touch anyone but her.

Now, he not only touches other people, but he also wants her to watch.

How cruel he was!

"Weren't you quite good at straightening Song Mingchi's clothes?"

Yan Chenghui suddenly spoke, his tone sarcastic and cold.

Under the long corridor of the Second Prince's residence, her movements as she bent down to straighten Song Mingchi's clothes were so natural.

He stood in front of her for a long time, but she didn't even reach out to tidy him up.

Cen Lingyi was taken aback by his words. He had stood in front of her because of this? To have her straighten his clothes?

He was too close, and the incense, unique to Madam Sun, uncontrollably seeped into her nostrils.

Feeling uneasy, she frowned and took a half step back before bending down to straighten his clothes.

"Are you looking down on me?"

Yan Chenghui took a step forward and grabbed her wrist with his large hand.

He had watched her grow up since they were little.

He knew what she was thinking the moment she frowned and pouted.

Not to mention the obvious disdain that flashed across her face just now.

"This servant wouldn't dare."

Cen Lingyi pulled her hand back, her eyes reddening.

It's her own fault for being so impatient. If she had kept her composure and hadn't frowned, he wouldn't have noticed.

"You seduced Lu Huaiyou and gave birth to a bastard child, and I didn't despise you, but you're the one despising me!"

Yan Chenghui flung her hand away.

At that time, when they first fell in love, she was bright and flamboyant, vivid and dazzling, wearing the reddest dress, riding a horse in the snow.

That day, we went on a trip together. There were many people with us, but even the sunlight seemed to favor her alone.

Even now, when he thinks back to that day, all he remembers is her.

She held her chin up, proud and self-possessed.

She said, "Yan Chenghui, you can't let anyone else touch you."

She said, "I find things that other people have touched dirty."

She said, "The day you touch someone else, I won't want you anymore."

He is very strong.

Cen Lingyi was thrown back by him and staggered back several steps before she regained her balance.

She knelt down and kowtowed, not raising her head, and whispered, "This servant knows her mistake, please forgive me, Your Highness."

She didn't dare to look up, because tears were welling up in her eyes.

She bit her lip hard, refusing to let the tears fall or utter a single sob.

That's good, being away from him and not smelling Madam Sun's scent on him makes her stomach feel much better.

But my heart started to ache again.

She abandoned him. He can hate her, humiliate her, and torment her, but can't he at least stop her from seeing him with someone else?

"Kneel down."

Yan Chenghui looked down at her for a long time before uttering a single sentence.

Cen Lingyi heard his footsteps and went into the bedroom.

He didn't even close the bedroom door.

"Your Highness, no..."

From the bedroom came Madam Sun's startled cry.

Cen Lingyi felt a bang in her head, her ears were ringing, and her mind went blank, making it almost impossible for her to think.

She heard Yan Chenghui say something in a low voice.

The next moment, Madam Sun cried out in anguish.

Cen Lingyi knelt there, her forehead pressed against the cold bluestone floor, and the voice of Madam Sun could be heard.

Even though it's summer, I feel completely chilled, and my heart aches as if it's being slowly tortured.

"Your Highness, no, please, I don't want it anymore..."

On the bed in the bedroom, Madam Sun, dressed in her undergarments, knelt and pleaded, her forehead covered in cold sweat, looking at Yan Chenghui by the bedside with a pleading expression.

She had assumed that since His Highness had come to consummate their marriage, she would soon be able to give birth to a child for him.

Unexpectedly, His Highness said that it was such a hot day, and she had just said that she felt cold, which meant that cold air had entered her body, and that he would give her acupuncture.

"obedient."

Yan Chenghui twirled a silver needle between his fingers and uttered only two words.

He knew some acupuncture, and he learned it for Cen Lingyi.

She was sickly as a child and was always prone to illness, but she refused to see a doctor.

He could only learn from a doctor and then coax her into giving him acupuncture.

"Ah, it hurts... Your Highness, please don't..."

Madam Sun looked at the needle that was about to fall on her head and couldn't help but want to dodge it.

"Don't move."

Yan Chenghui frowned.

Madam Sun dared not move again, and tearfully let him insert the needle.

As Cen Lingyi listened to the commotion inside the bedroom, her heart felt as if it had been crushed by an invisible hand, causing her unbearable pain.

It must have been painful for Madam Sun to receive the Emperor's favor for the first time.

She stared blankly at the patterns on the bluestone bricks in front of her.

She once thought that even if the world turned upside down, even if she was the one who resolutely abandoned him back then, even if he hated her, resented her, and treated her coldly and humiliated her at every turn, their relationship was still different from others.

They were childhood sweethearts, growing up together. Those youthful memories and the sincerity they shared with each other were the foundation of her confidence in staying in the Eastern Palace.

She knew she owed him, and she was willing to endure his coldness, his humiliation, and all his harsh criticism. She never complained about him.

How could he treat her like this?

"Your Highness, please, please pull it out quickly..."

Madam Sun looked up at the trembling silver needle on her forehead, her voice trembling with sobs.

It hurts so much. Your Highness doesn't even know if you know acupuncture. What if you hurt her by randomly sticking needles into her like this?

"It'll be ready in a moment."

Yan Chenghui offered words of comfort in a low voice.

Cen Lingyi listened to their conversation and almost couldn't kneel down for a moment.

She never imagined he would go this far.

In front of her, he favored Lady Sun, making her kneel outside the door and listen to him and Lady Sun do the most intimate things.

It turns out that the affection she thought she had for him had long since vanished from his heart.

After an unknown amount of time, the bedroom fell silent.

Cen Lingyi heard steady footsteps beside her ear.

She regained her senses slightly, but her forehead remained pressed against the floor tiles, motionless.

The cloud-patterned black boots walked past her without stopping.

Yan Chenghui stopped just as he reached the door, his tone icy: "Aren't you coming?"

Cen Lingyi shifted her body and slowly stood up.

She had been kneeling for so long that her knees felt like they weren't her own. She took two steps forward, swaying unsteadily.

But she didn't feel any pain; her mind was foggy, and she followed him out, stumbling along.

"Madam, why didn't His Highness stay overnight?"

Hehua was puzzled when she saw Yan Chenghui leave, so she hurriedly went into the bedroom to ask him.

Lan Hua was also worried, so she followed to the bedroom door and peeked inside.

Lady Sun was dressed neatly in her undergarments, and her face was ashen; she did not look like someone who had just been favored by the emperor.

"Get out, all of you, get out!"

Madam Sun swept all the pastries and candlesticks on the table to the ground and buried her face in her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

It would be fine if His Highness didn't come, but if he did come and didn't touch her, wouldn't that be a great disgrace?

His Highness and the Crown Princess have both had children, and Consort Gu and Consort Li have both been favored by His Highness, but only she!

Everyone in the Eastern Palace knows that His Highness came to her place tonight, and when they check tomorrow morning, they'll find that she's still a virgin.

How was she supposed to conduct herself in the Eastern Palace?

Wouldn't she be laughed at to death by those despicable people?

The lotus and orchid exchanged a glance and silently took a few steps back.

The lady is in a fit of anger; anyone who tries to persuade her will suffer the consequences. It's best to wait and see.

After crying for a while, before the women could even come forward to comfort her, Madam Sun angrily shouted, "You two, get in here!"

"Madam".

Lotus and Orchid entered the bedroom cautiously, standing on either side of the door, looking at the mess on the floor, too afraid to go forward.

When Sun Ruren gets angry, she doesn't care about anything and will hit people.

"Go get something, give me a gua sha treatment."

Madam Sun wiped away her tears and gave the order.

"Yes."

Lotus and Orchid dared not ask any more questions and hurriedly fetched a jade scraping board and strong liquor.

"Miss, where do you want it scraped?"

Orchid asked cautiously.

"Scrape the neck."

Madam Sun raised her chin and pointed to her neck.

She read in the booklet that sexual intercourse would leave bluish-red marks on the skin, and she noticed that the Crown Princess had them on her neck from time to time.

She couldn't let anyone know that Yan Chenghui hadn't touched her.

Cen Lingyi followed Yan Chenghui back to Mingde Hall.

She watched the tall, imposing figure enter the main hall, paused for a moment, then turned and walked towards the side room.

It's so late, he shouldn't need her to serve him anymore.

"come over."

Yan Chenghui turned around and gave her orders.

Cen Lingyi turned around, stepped over the threshold and entered the main hall, placed her hands in front of her, and stood there with her eyes downcast.

The lamplight illuminated her pale face, her forehead beaded with a fine layer of sweat, and her lips drained of color. She stood there, swaying precariously.

She had already reached the Mingde Hall, but her soul remained in the Yunxiang Courtyard. The voices she heard while kneeling on the ground echoed repeatedly in her mind, tormenting her.

"Come in and serve me during my bath."

Yan Chenghui gave an instruction and then turned and went into the inner room.

Cen Lingyi bit her lip, stood frozen in place for a moment, and then followed.