Chapter 12

Fleeting Happiness

    In the fifth month, after the rains, the sky cleared, and the flowers bloomed more vibrantly. Droplets on grass blades sparkled like daytime stars.

    The once dry and cracked red dirt roads now resembled golden paths, filled with the rustic aroma of Ping Yan village.

    The lone bamboo house at the village's edge, once dry and lacking vibrancy, now neighbored a lush vegetable garden that flourished after the rains, bursting with life and enticing people to forage.

    On the other side was a clear, sparkling stream reflecting the sun's rays, shimmering into the distance. Colorful fish swim about, captivating like an illusion, drawing people's gaze.

    Amid this simple and honest atmosphere, a sharpened bamboo suddenly shot forth, skewering a dozen fish in one swift motion.

    Shan Shan waded into the water, retrieved the bamboo, and held it overhead to show off to someone on the bank, flashing a broad smile.

    Zhao Wei stood with arms folded on the riverbank, commenting indifferently, "You're too impulsive."

    The young woman frowns, "I saw you sitting there for so long, only catching a few," she said as she emerged from the water, handing him the bamboo.

    The young man took it, saying, "I wasn't fishing to kill. I just wanted to meditate."

    "Oh..." Shan Shan nodded slightly in agreement, then sat on the grass, chin in hand, gazing at her husband with sparkling eyes.

    Zhao Wei, amused by her bright-eyed gaze, pretended to be stern and asked, "What is it?"

    With a bright smile, she replied, "Last time I went up the mountain for half a day to gather herbs. When I came home, there was the Liberated Bed and a three-tier windbreak waiting, along with new shoes and clothes for me, but nothing for you. I thought I'd like to get some fabric to sew and embroider for you."

    The man turned and walked nonchalantly into the house with a fish-filled bamboo, thinking how his clothes were not so easily embroidered by just anyone. Yet, seeing someone sitting quietly embroidering by candlelight would indeed be pleasant—a rare sight as well.

    As he was thinking, he asked the following woman, "Could you embroider a pattern of dragons and phoenixes for me?"

    Startled, Shan Shan exclaimed, "That's too much, maybe just snakes and chickens would suffice."

    "..."

    After finishing their lunch,

    Zhao Wei insisted Shan Shan stay still by sitting together by the stream. His tall frame leaned against a tree while his wife rested her head on his lap, unable to refuse.

    Shan Shan wrapped her arms around his legs, closed her eyes, nestled against his warm lap, and stretched out on the soft grass, feeling utterly comfortable.

    "I like this," she murmured cheerily.

    Zhao Wei responded coolly, "Good, you should stay calm for once."

    Shan Shan smiled contentedly, her face nuzzling into his abdomen, playfully tormenting her husband until he felt a rush of excitement. Fearing something might rise, he quickly reached down to steady her forehead and said anxiously, "What...are you doing?"

    With a grin, still with eyes closed, Shan Shan replied, "Finding a comfortable spot."

    Zhao Wei raised his eyebrows, "Is it still not comfortable enough?"

    "Not yet..."

    She answered while reaching into the hem of his shirt, caressing his chest teasingly.

    The young man's muscles twitched, his ears flushed red, something beneath the waistband of his pants began to stiffen.

    "Still not comfortable, are you?"

    "Uh..."

    Before Shan Shan could even open her eyes, she felt herself floating momentarily before being swiftly carried inside the house.

    "Ah! Wait! It's not even dark yet."

    Zhao Wei pressed down, giving her no chance to argue.

    A certain kind of sound then leaked out from the bamboo house, utterly unrestrained, unconcerned by how piercing the sunlight might be.

    The evening breeze was cooler than during the day,

    Shan Shan forced Zhao Wei to savor the tea she meticulously brewed at the corner table.

    "This is wildflower tea mixed with honey. Initially, it tastes slightly bitter, but as you swallow, it becomes sweet and lingers on the tongue and nose all night long."

    As she explained, she elegantly stirred the tea, her eyes and head modestly downcast, her movements slow and graceful, a sight of refined beauty.

    Under the golden candlelight, Zhao Wei sat across, watching her quietly, listening to her resonant voice explaining,

    "I made this pot of tea for you. Its properties will help heal your sore throat gradually."

    His lips curved into a warm smile hidden by his mustache, invisible but his eyes conveyed deep meaning, "With a thoughtful wife like you, it seems tonight I must 'take good care' as a way to repay."

    Her husband's words turned the usually unabashed woman’s face a flushed red. Shan Shan felt her blood surge, her lips quivered fiercely, "What are you saying?"

    Zhao Wei chuckled teasingly, "Pretending to be unaccustomed?"

    "Drink the tea right now!"

    He laughed softly and took a sip of the tea.

    "My Ye Niu, you should savor the aroma first, why rush to drink?"

    "Because you told me to drink."

    "You're teasing me."

    The low laughter of the man and the bicker of the woman filled the night until it was replaced by the blending moans of the couple.

    The time passed peacefully for the married couple, like a long, endless dream of bliss.

    After a fervent half-night, it was still not dawn, and the woman's voice was hoarse, yet the burning passion in her eyes remained undiminished.

    “Ah…Ye Niu”,"

    Shan Shan lifted her chin and moaned softly, her slender hand moving from his waist up to caress his broad back, feeling the sweat beads reflecting the moonlight coming through the window.

    "Hmm..." Zhao Wei tenderly kissed her blushing face, nibbling lower to her tender neck and full chest, his hands cradling her slim waist gently, moving his body softly without missing a beat of passion.

    "Why do you have so much energy? Are you fully healed?"

    The man above her didn't reply, merely withdrawing his face from the nape of her radiant fair neck, looking at her with captivating eyes before leaning down to kiss her tender lips, silencing her words with a moist flick of his tongue.

    The woman beneath could only flutter her eyes, surrendering to the flames of desire offered by her husband.

    The sound of their lips pressing together mingled with the noise of their bodies moving together in unison.

    Shan Shan had never imagined being so intimately close to someone. Throughout the entire night, she didn't speak a word, nor did he; he simply expressed himself through relentless yet profound actions, never easing up on her soft body for a moment. From dusk till now, all the strength he possessed was being fervently transferred to her, filling her to the brim.

    She thought of his passion as a stormy wave, directionless yet full of tenderness.

    His fierce strength was overwhelming, a type of vigor she had never encountered before.

    The pleasure was penetrating, right to the core of her heart.

    Even though she was not a frail woman, all she could do was let her tender body be kneaded under his firm hands, like a naive creature devoid of strength against everything.

    She was capable of nothing but moaning weakly, her body almost melting under the strain.

    She let him flip and flop her, changing positions at the whim of his desire.

    Her arms clung to his broad shoulders, her hands caressed his sweat-drenched back, her smooth legs tightly wrapped around his waist, arching her back and lifting her waist to meet his fervent rhythm, moaning in unison with his deep breaths.

    Amidst a blurred consciousness as shimmering as stars, Shan Shan felt an ultimate bliss of paradise.

    She screamed as if crying, but that sound couldn't overtake the heavy breathing of the man above.

    Soon…the passionate moans were replaced by quicken breaths, before slowly calming down.

    After the tumultuous wave had passed, the two simply lay intertwined in a spooning embrace. Shan Shan was completely exhausted and soon fell asleep, but her warm petals still cradled the fiery essence of Zhao Wei.

    The warmth of the man's arms continued to encircle her from behind, spreading the scent of a long night of intimacy.

    One scorching hand continued to knead her soft flesh, unwilling to let go, while the other hand stroked her flat, smooth stomach soothingly. Zhao Wei kissed her smooth cheek tenderly, then slowly withdrew himself from the warmth of her body. He lied intimately beside her for a while before sitting up. He pulled up a blanket to cover Shan Shan, caring for her gently, wiping the sweat-dampened hair from her face, smoothing over her fair cheek, playfully pinching her bruised lips, before leaning down to plant one more gentle kiss on those lips.

    In the quiet night after the storm of emotions, the young man calmly observed her for a long time, his sharp eyes reflecting her serene face.

    In the prior moments filled with fervent emotion due to the blazing flames of desire that drew them so close, now transformed into an immense yearning as if they were about to be parted by great distances.

    For a moment, the longing in his eyes completely vanished. Zhao Wei decided to get dressed and left the room.

    After soothing his wife to sleep with the expertise of a husband, it wasn’t long…before his tall figure let the dark curtains of the night swallow him up, leaving not even a shadow visible.

    Far from the bamboo house, Wu Jie stood silently with a tense expression. He spoke urgently,

    “Your Highness, please consider. If you continue to delay like this, it’s only a matter of time before the assassins find us, which could be fatal. Taking her with us is even more unwise. Qing Lin is not worth your concern; she is merely a burden.”

    "Guard Wu..."

    His voice was cold, filled with a chilling murderous intent rarely encountered, prompting immediate silence from Wu Jie.

    Zhao Wei stood with his back to his confidant, lost in the dark curtains of the distant night, many thousands of miles from here lay the bustling, heated royal palace, a place he should not enter, but inevitably he must tread there and could not retreat even half a step.

    It was undeniable that if the real identity of the disfigured Gong Niu was discovered, a relentless hunt would inevitably follow.

    The young man lowered his eyes in deep thought. Lately, his weakened body had begun to gain strength significantly, his martial arts balancing and merging with internal energy effectively. Soon, he would be able to practice superior martial arts techniques with ease.

    ‘Ye Niu, follow these practices. I assure you that your body will be restored to its original strength and health. After that we can start training together,’

    Shan Shan’s voice echoed in his auditory memory.

    Zhao Wei did not respond to her that day, but secretly vowed in his heart that he would personally train her in martial arts.

    Just a bit more time to prepare his body, and he was ready to restore and develop his skills to their former glory.

    If he had more time, he could train with his wife.

    But time waited for no one, it never spared anyone.

    In the midst of these thoughts, Wu Jie’s voice intruded again,

    “I dare to speak,” he hesitated, looking at his master with trepidation, slowly continuing, word by word,

    “His Majesty has ordered that you return alone, emphasizing that Miss Qing Lin is merely a lowly villager, a circumstantial possession no different from a bed-warmer servant, not counted as anything at all. She is just the daughter of a merchant from Ping Yan village, and should not be brought to the palace to tarnish its honor, uh...”

    Seeing the lethal look in his master’s eyes, he immediately stopped talking.

    Zhao Wei glanced sideways at his close confidant, flinging his sleeve in frustration, and heading back into the house without a word.

    Seeing this, Wu Jie felt an inner turmoil and hastily pleaded,

    “Your Highness, please hurry back to the royal palace as His Majesty has commanded. Now that the chaos has subsided, and the Eastern Palace needs its rightful owner.”

    Zhao Wei replied coldly, “Not until Father accepts my wife.”

    But Wu Jie still refused to give in. “Oh...Your Highness. Whoever is not restless at eighteen? Whose blood is not surging? Moreover, you are falling head over heel for her. How could you see clearly? In the future, you will meet with countless beautiful women, both noble and excellent. That Qing Lin is worthless for you to sacrifice.”

    "Guard Wu," Zhao Wei called out tensely, "If a servant like you continues to babble like this, I will cut out your tongue to feed the fish."

    “…”

    Wu Jie, drained of energy, dared not open his mouth again.

    When Zhao Wei returned to the room,

    He lit a candle before sitting down on the bed. He saw Shan Shan beginning to stir slightly before she lazily opened her eyes.

    Under the soft light that cut through the previous dimness, the blanket slipped from her delicate, fair body, revealing every inch of her smooth skin, creating a vivid image.

    Shan Shan asked curiously,

    "Why did you light a candle? Aren't you going to sleep?"

    Zhao Wei didn't answer. He reached out to remove the blanket and swept it aside, then climbed on top of her, beginning to remove his robe.

    Shan Shan suddenly woke up fully, wrapping her arms around his strong neck.

    "My Ye Niu, it seems a demon of desire has possessed you."

    Zhao Wei remained calm and collected, without any lustful urgency. He gently nibbled on her ear, followed by soft kisses along her jaw and down her neck, firmly imprinting his lips down to her chest, sucking gently for a long while before slowly moving down to her stomach, leaving trails of passionate desire.

    This tender action seemed to emphasize possession and almost seemed like marking her with invisible bonds.

    Shan Shan, although puzzled by his actions, could only respond with a faint moan of pleasure.

    Then she no longer perceived anything else except the complete fulfillment her husband carefully provided her.

    After several days of continuous rain, this morning finally brought clear skies. The clouds scattered and the sun shone brightly.

    As Shan Shan was sitting in front of the mirror combing her hair, a hand reached out and gently took the comb from her, continuing to smooth her hair.

    Looking through the mirror, she saw her husband skillfully twisting her hair and pinning it up. He commented,

    "This wooden pin might not be beautiful, but I made it myself. Do you like it?"

    The pin, carved by hand with intricate moon and vine motifs, caught Shan Shan's eye in the mirror as she smiled in approval, "Umm...I like it very much."

    Zhao Wei added, "One day, I will make you a jade pin."

    Shan Shan stood up, stretched, and kissed her husband on the jaw. She smiled sweetly, "Thank you, dear."

    His sharp eyes flickered slightly as he looked at his wife. A small smile formed under his mustache. His fingertips gently arranged a stray lock of her hair by her cheek. Unable to resist, Zhao Wei leaned down and tenderly kissed her forehead, then left a kiss on her smooth cheek and finally on her soft lips, wishing to stay close to her forever.

    Shan Shan closed her eyes, letting her husband act as he wished.

    It was a long moment before her moist lips were free again.

    "The weather this afternoon is so nice. Should I go into the village and buy some fabric to embroider for you?"

    Zhao Wei raised his eyebrows, a bit doubtful internally, but calmly replied, "That would be great. I just hope you won't embroider any snake and chicken patterns for me."

    Shan Shan laughed brightly, "Well, you never know!"

    Though the villagers around here might not wear embroidered attires, it wasn't odd for a wife to make something special for her husband to wear during significant festivals.

    A red paper umbrella was unfolded as she walked away. Her graceful figure in a white dress contrasted beautifully with the red color of the umbrella in her hand, making a stunning image amid the vibrant green grass.

    The umbrella, with a handle of a smooth, green bamboo and bright red paper coated with wax, was something Zhao Wei had made for Shan Shan on the first day of the rainy season.

    She was a person who couldn’t stay still, whether the sky was pouring rain or shining brightly. He was concerned she might get sick from being too active in the rain, so he made it for her.

    Zhao Wei stood watching Shan Shan's figure slowly move along the path until she was just a small red dot at the end of the long road.

    His eyes flickered with an indeterminate shimmer.

    Initially, he had to hide and live under a different identity, which was unavoidable. However, being married to a simple and tainted village girl, living as Gong Niu didn't seem so bad anymore.

    He had always been proud of being the crown prince, but now, the lofty status behind him seemed to be unjustly harming a man like him.

    Zhao Wei sighed deeply before turning back to attend to the dried meat in front of him and prepare ginger water for his wife.

    The rainy season's clear weather was indeed very refreshing, and the bold sunlight brought brightness to the grassy surroundings of the bamboo house.

    However, inside Zhao Wei's heart, it was dark as he thought about the royal command from his father, who wanted him to return to the palace by leaving his wife behind, making her just a fleeting dream.

    Would he do that?

    The answer was clear: No!

    For a man in the darkest period of his life to have found a woman like Shan Shan was not something simple.

    When people received, they naturally reciprocated appropriately.

    His wife was not inferior as others say.

    She was a woman of great value, not only did she not disdain him, but she was also sincere in a way that no other woman had ever been.

    He did not want to let her go.

    His sharp, cold eyes glanced at his close guard, who looked sad behind the distant bushes.

    Wu Jie still kneeled there, pleading for him to comply with the command of the Emperor of Da Tang.

    Zhao Wei withdrew his gaze and walked back into the house, ignoring him further.

    Amid his turmoil, unable to let the image of his wife become just a dissipating dream, and under the pressure of the guard who could not allow his master to sacrifice, the originally bright and sunny sky suddenly turned dark and ominous.

    It was not rain or clouds that obscured the sun, but rather black smoke from flames that were burning and destroying a deadly stratagem, and shadows of figures in black, numbering in the tens, stealthily moving around the bamboo house.

    Neither Zhao Wei nor Wu Jie had anticipated that such a severe incident would occur today.