Young widow in her boudoir

Xie Rutang felt exhausted, but he hadn't broken a sweat. If she dared to curl up, he would grab her slender ankles and pull her back.

Afterwards, Xie Rutang's forehead was damp with sweat, which clung to her hair. Her body was sore and weak, and she had no strength left.

Pei Zhiheng did not spend any time with her afterwards. Instead, he went to the copper basin in front of the shelf to wash his hands and wipe them with a handkerchief.

In the dead of night, a member of the imperial family in the capital was found dead in his residence, murdered by an assassin.

Because the incident occurred at night, the emperor was uneasy, and an imperial edict was immediately issued to the Shen family.

It is said that in the middle of the night, the emperor urgently summoned key officials from the three judicial departments to the palace or to the Dali Temple to review preliminary confessions and determine the direction of the investigation. Many officials did not get a rest all night.

After having sex with her, Pei Zhiheng frowned deeply, wiped the sweat from his shoulders with a handkerchief, and hurriedly put on his ordinary clothes, fastened his jade belt, and his face returned to its dignified and solemn state. The lust that had occasionally shown on his face just now was gone, and he was completely different from his indulgence in bed.

Before leaving, Pei Zhiheng suddenly turned back and glanced at the canopy bed.

Through the bed curtains, he could vaguely see the woman drowsy from his ministrations, her alluring body turned away from him, her slender waist still curving in a way that stirred his imagination.

Just moments ago, his large hand had been roaming over the exquisite curves of her slender waist.

Xie Rutang lay on the bed, covered only by a thin blanket, but it couldn't hide the dense red marks all over her body. She didn't even have the strength to open her eyes and look at him.

Upon seeing her frail body and slender, beautiful back, Pei Zhiheng felt a pang of pity for her, but it was very faint, as faint as a ripple on the surface of a lake.

No matter how much he pity her, Xie Rutang's body had served her deceased husband first, so the woman could naturally withstand all his desires, and there was no need to care about her. He always felt that she could handle it, so he took her several more times tonight.

If she doesn't get pregnant this time, then he will try to give her a child next time.

It will only stop when she becomes pregnant.

Moreover, Pei Zhiheng frowned. Because she was someone else's wife, Xie Rutang was destined not to hold much weight in his heart. He had seen how she and Shen Yuan had treated each other with respect and affection, and that was a barrier between them.

He always felt that his past entanglement with the widowed daughter-in-law of the Shen family was a stain on his life, and it made him even less likely to value Xie Rutang.

He would pity her, cherish her, and take care of her, but he would never value her.

She would never let anyone know of her existence or her relationship with him.

The emperor issued an urgent order late at night. Pei Zhiheng took one last look at the woman and left Cuiwu Courtyard without looking back. He didn't even say a word to comfort her afterwards, and he really thought she had gone to bed early.

There were no candles lit in the room.

If he walked to the bedside and lifted the thin gauze curtain to take a look inside, he would find that Xie Rutang, who was charming and experienced in life, had bled and her body was trembling slightly in pain like a young girl.

Seeing that the Second Master had left, Jin Yue came in to light the lamp.

Upon lifting the bed curtains, one discovers a pool of deep red blood on the light blue bedding, signifying that Xie Rutang has completely transformed from a girl into a woman.

Not only that, Xie Rutang's body was covered with shocking red marks.

Jin Yue blushed with embarrassment. She never expected that Second Master Pei, who seemed so refined and polite, would be so unrestrained in bed.

Seeing that Xie Rutang's complexion was not good, she realized that she had been tormented during the night.

Jin Yue asked worriedly, "Madam, are you alright?"

She gasped, her voice choked with emotion, and almost burst into tears. "This is Madam's first time, and Second Master doesn't even know how to be gentle... Madam is so delicate, how can she possibly bear this?"

She was afraid that Pei Zhiheng would hurt her too much, since there was a difference in their body sizes.

Xie Rutang was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. She clutched the blankets tightly, feeling both ashamed and humiliated. "Jinyue, I'm fine."

"Besides, Second Master doesn't know that I've never had sexual relations with Yuanlang before."

In his eyes, she was a sheltered woman who knew more than him and accepted things more wholeheartedly.

Moreover, Pei Zhiheng was at the prime of his life, and having tasted the forbidden fruit for the first time, he would naturally be overjoyed and unable to stop. Especially since he thought she had already done it countless times with Shen Yuan and that she could withstand it, he naturally acted as if he had opened a Pandora's box and had no restraint.

Jin Yue called water for her and helped her sit in the bathtub to wash herself.

I wonder if I'll be able to conceive tonight.

Even though the water had washed over her body and relieved her fatigue, Xie Rutang's eyes still had a lingering flush.

So this is what sex feels like.

It made her feel both unfamiliar and curious.

Shen Yuan had never given her such an experience before...

After recovering, the man suddenly withdrew, leaving the room empty. Xie Rutang felt a pang of self-pity and bitterness rising in her heart.

She was heartbroken, heartbroken that her first time had been given away so hastily and abruptly, without being valued or cherished, and that it was all so different from what she had imagined.

After it was over, Pei Zhiheng was satisfied and didn't even look at her again before leaving the mansion late at night.

Xie Rutang felt a bitter taste on her lips.

……

The next morning, Xie Rutang's body was still sore and weak, and her legs trembled when she got out of bed.

Even so, Xie Rutang dared not delay. After washing up, she paid her respects to her mother-in-law. Being a daughter-in-law is indeed difficult.

The Shou'an Hall, where Madam Shen lived, was a quaint and antique place. The main house consisted of five rooms, surrounded by a covered corridor, and the interior was filled with old wooden furniture.

When I entered the room, the curtains were drawn and a strong, heavy medicinal scent wafted through the air. The old lady's health had been poor for many years.

Seeing that she was struggling to stand in the main room today, the old lady guessed that her relationship with Pei Zhiheng had succeeded, and her expression softened.

Xie Rutang's skin was radiant and fair, like a peony that had suddenly bloomed overnight in a garden, exuding an indescribable charm. It was as if she had grown up overnight, becoming even more graceful and elegant.

Any man would be seduced by a daughter-in-law like her, let alone Pei Zhiheng.

Pei Zhiheng will also stay at the Shen residence.

She was afraid that Xie Rutang might use some seductive tricks to make Pei Zhiheng develop feelings for her over time... which wasn't impossible.

The old lady put down her bowl of bird's nest soup with a sullen face. She knew that Pei Zhiheng had been pleased with her last night and had been pestered by her for a long time. She was immediately displeased and naturally had to set rules for her first, so that her daughter-in-law would not be allowed to take advantage of her favor and be arrogant, which would be disrespectful to her son's spirit in heaven.

"Yuanzhi is a scion of the aristocratic family. With Yuancheng gone, he is the hope of both our prefectures. His energy must be focused on official duties and court affairs. Even if he wants to ask you for more or be intimate with you at night, you cannot give in, lest he lose focus on handling the case files during the day!"

Xie Rutang suddenly frowned. She didn't know how many times Pei Zhiheng had taken her last night, and she didn't want to recall the experience, as if she would remember it as soon as she closed her eyes.

It was clearly the old lady who suggested she borrow a child from Pei Zhiheng, so why are they saying all this high-sounding stuff now? Did she do it willingly? What kind of logic is that! She didn't do anything wrong!

Pei Zhiheng acted recklessly last night, and Xie Rutang was already feeling unwell when she came over today. The weather was also hot and humid, and Xie Rutang was already holding back her anger.

Seeing that the old lady was still finding fault with her, she almost couldn't help but slap her.

She really wanted to ask, "Has being a mother-in-law for so long made you forget how you were as a daughter-in-law?"

How come when she becomes a mother-in-law, she turns around and starts to torment her daughter-in-law?

The suffering you endured was not inflicted by me, so why should I repay it for you?

Your son refuses to sleep with me because he won't touch me, it's not like I'm infertile!

Xie Rutang forcibly suppressed her anger and endured the soreness in her waist. She curtsied and said, "Yes, daughter-in-law will remember mother-in-law's words."

Seeing that she was still feeling unwell, the old lady said in a rare show of generosity, "Never mind, you don't need to serve me my meal today."

"Now that we've had intercourse, I'll have Granny Rong prepare some medicine to help you conceive. Take it home and drink it. Remember, decoct two doses a day."

"Yes."