Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 44

Ye Jiao recognized this book. It was the one she had thought was about studying flowers and plants but turned out to be about intimate matters.

Little Ginseng walked calmly to Qi Yun's side, rested her hand on his shoulder, and nodded: "I've read it. This was a gift from Spring Orchid, so of course I had to read it."

Perhaps for Ye Jiao, this was just a gift, or perhaps it was illustrated guidance for some future matter. But Qi Yun obviously couldn't yet completely calmly discuss spring palace illustrations with his Jiao Niang.

His ears turned slightly red, and Qi Yun reached out to encircle Ye Jiao's waist, saying softly: "Did you gain any insights from reading it?"

Ye Jiao nodded and naturally shifted to the side so Qi Yun could lean against her, while she reached out and quickly flipped through several pages, then pointed to one of the illustrations: "I think this one is very unreasonable. How could a person twist themselves into this position?"

Qi Yun: ...

He had originally just wanted to tease her with this book, but Second Young Master Qi felt like he had ended up teasing himself...

Seeing Qi Yun's ears turn red, and thinking about Doctor Li's hurried departure earlier, Ye Jiao thought Qi Yun's health really had problems. She quickly reached out and grasped the man's wrist that was around her waist.

Feeling carefully, Ye Jiao breathed a sigh of relief.

From his pulse, Qi Yun's health was much stronger than before. Although he still needed to be careful, he was no longer someone who would fall at the slightest breeze. It seemed Doctor Li had only come for a follow-up examination and there was nothing seriously wrong.

But now Second Young Master Qi had more strange thoughts in his head than usual. Suddenly having Ye Jiao grasp his wrist, his senses seemed more acute than usual.

For example, when the woman's soft fingertips slid back and forth on the inside of his wrist, Qi Yun felt his heart beating like a drum.

Quickly closing the book, Qi Yun looked up at Ye Jiao and said: "Wife."

Ye Jiao had just finished taking his pulse and was about to let go when she heard this. She instinctively looked toward him. Usually Qi Yun called her Jiao Niang more often and wife less often. This sudden way of addressing her made Ye Jiao slightly startled.

But she quickly reacted, returned a smile, and her voice was as sweet as honey: "Husband."

Qi Yun had wanted to say something, but this sweet voice blocked the words in his mouth.

Just then, Little Su knocked on the door: "Second Young Master, Second Young Mistress, shall we set the table?"

"Come in." Ye Jiao was already hungry. She had been out all day today and her stomach was empty, so being able to eat was naturally good.

Qi Yun was also reluctant to let his wife go hungry, so he let go of her hand and stood up with her.

But tonight's dinner included two soups: one was the chicken soup that Ye Jiao liked, and the other was oxtail soup.

Qi Yun glanced at it and asked: "Where did this oxtail soup come from?"

Little Su immediately answered: "It was made by Mother's orders from the small kitchen. She said Second Young Master has been working hard recently, and Second Young Mistress has also been tired these days, so she had oxtail soup stewed to nourish you both."

Qi Yun nodded, and Little Su quickly ran out, closing the door behind her. Qi Yun then served Ye Jiao a bowl of oxtail soup.

Ye Jiao rested her chin on her hand and looked at Qi Yun, her tone somewhat puzzled: "How have I been tired these days?"

She thought about what she had been doing recently. Besides eating, she had been playing. The only thing that could be called unexpected was probably meeting Ye Ping Rong.

Thinking of Ye Ping Rong, Ye Jiao suddenly realized she seemed to have never told him about Second Brother Ye's situation. Ye Ping Rong also didn't know how good her husband was. Next time they met, she would definitely praise her husband to him properly.

While thinking this, she saw Qi Yun had already placed the soup bowl in front of Ye Jiao, his tone gentle in the way it only was with Ye Jiao: "Drink more, so you won't be tired."

But until after finishing dinner, Ye Jiao still couldn't figure out where exactly she had been tired.

When changing into sleeping clothes after washing up, Ye Jiao suddenly turned to look at Qi Yun: "Husband, you still haven't told me whether what's drawn in that book is real or not."

Second Young Master Qi, who originally didn't know how to bring it up, immediately stood up upon hearing this, walked forward, embraced Ye Jiao's waist, pulled her into his arms, and said: "There are both correct and incorrect things drawn in this book. Some can be believed, some cannot."

Ye Jiao tilted her head slightly, seeming to hear Qi Yun's heartbeat, which was much faster than usual.

But Ye Jiao had just taken his pulse earlier and knew his health was fine, so she assumed it was because the charcoal fire in the room was burning vigorously and he was getting hot. She replied: "Husband, then how do we know what's right and what's wrong?"

Qi Yun lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers, his voice gentle: "We'll try it and then we'll know."

Ye Jiao blinked and immediately understood.

If it were the previous Little Ginseng who didn't understand, but after being pointed to the book and explained by Qi Yun before, and having looked through it carefully herself, she could naturally guess the general idea.

But Ye Jiao's first reaction wasn't shyness. Instead, she first reached out to grasp Qi Yun's wrist again, ready to recheck whether this person's health was sound.

Qi Yun assumed she was being shy and quietly waited for her to examine his hand.

After Ye Jiao confirmed that Qi Yun was fine, she looked at him with a smile, her voice as gentle and sweet as always: "Then you teach me."

Probably because Ye Jiao spoke so calmly, the bit of nervousness in Qi Yun's heart also disappeared without a trace. The corners of his mouth curved slightly as he lowered his head to kiss her forehead: "Alright."

Although it was no longer their wedding night, it had been rushed then, with many things not fully prepared, and even the nuptial wine ceremony had been made up later.

Ye Jiao might not care, but Qi Yun had always kept it in his heart.

Today Ye Jiao had gone to see the flower lanterns. Qi Yun only pretended not to know, but he could easily find out by asking Tie Zi or Little Su. However, he didn't reveal this and stayed home all day to make preparations.

Red candles flickered, red bedding was warm, and red happiness characters were pasted on the windows.

It was just that because the sky had been getting dark and no candles were lit in the inner room earlier, it couldn't be seen clearly. Once the candles were lit, the bright red happiness characters could be seen, looking especially festive.

Since it was during New Year time, the red color didn't seem out of place. This bright color seemed to add some romantic feeling to the inner room they were accustomed to.

When the fragrant and soft Ye Jiao lay on the bright red bedding, she felt something hard against her back.

Reaching under the mattress to feel around, she pulled out a handful of red dates, longans, and similar things.

Looking somewhat confused at Qi Yun: "Why are these under the bed? What a waste."

Qi Yun kissed her forehead: "Only placed some on the inner side, not in other places."

Ye Jiao shifted her body, wiggled around, and indeed after moving closer to Qi Yun's embrace, she couldn't feel them anymore.

Qi Yun blew out the candle in the inner room but left the red candle outside.

Because the red candle outside was flickering, the room was no longer pitch black, and if you got close enough, you could see each other's features.

Qi Yun said softly: "Now like this, it's truly consummating the marriage."

After consummating the marriage, he would truly bear responsibility for his wife's entire life and not disappoint her lifelong trust.

Hearing this, Little Ginseng thought he was going to sleep and quickly said: "Husband, you said you would teach me."

Why was he going to sleep before teaching? And he had put so many dried fruits and peanuts where she usually slept that she couldn't lie back down properly.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yun immediately felt his blood surge, feeling the inner room inexplicably hot even with the charcoal fire extinguished.

It was his first time, and his wife's first time too. Originally Qi Yun had felt somewhat embarrassed, but being asked so crisply, with the words reaching his ears like they were beckoning him, Qi Yun directly let down the bed curtains, slightly turned over, lowered his head to gently kiss the corner of his wife's lips, and said softly: "Then I'll teach you, but you must study well."

Seeing him like this, Ye Jiao felt inexplicably afraid.

But Little Ginseng had long been accustomed to relying on him. Habits were often a frightening thing, just like the little spirit who used to be accustomed to eating earth but now had become so pampered that she couldn't bear even the slightest discomfort from things under the bedding.

Somewhat panicked, but her first choice was still to rely on her husband.

Her soft arms gently wrapped around the man's neck, and her voice sounded soft and sweet: "Husband, that book is very thick. What if I can't learn it all?"

But soon, she forgot what she had asked.

She had originally wanted to remind Qi Yun not to get so close, worrying about what to do if his health declined again.

But after a little tossing about, she forgot all about this matter completely.

At first it only hurt, but after the pain, there was a strange kind of comfort, and she couldn't help but make sounds from her throat.

Ye Jiao felt she had heard this sound before. Previously, that little fox and her scholar husband would secretly hide in their room, often making these sounds. Not long after, the little fox would hold Auspicious Flowers every day and had a chubby baby.

At the time, Little Ginseng found the sounds annoying, but now discovering the wonderful sensations, only one thought remained in her head:

Marriage is truly wonderful.

After a while, she heard the man's slightly breathless voice: "It's alright, we'll learn bit by bit in the future. There will always be a day when we learn it all."

Ye Jiao was already in a daze. The pain had passed, and now was the comfortable time. Hearing this, she made a soft sound, not knowing whether she heard clearly or not, and just muddledly agreed.

When the red candle had dripped wax and the moon was high in the sky, the two finally rested.

Two sighs sounded one after another, both carrying satisfaction.

After another while, Qi Yun's voice sounded: "Jiao Niang, have you learned it?"

Ye Jiao's voice was soft: "I have."

After another moment, the woman said softly: "Husband is amazing."

The man chuckled.

Little Ginseng reached out to pat him: "Are you tired? If not, let's study some more."

Qi Yun: ...Ah?

While the Qi family enjoyed warm spring nights behind hibiscus curtains, on the other side, Brother Ye had no tender thoughts whatsoever.

He had been away from Ye Family Village for a long time, and with Second Brother Ye having moved house, the neighbors had changed. Even when Brother Ye returned, not many people recognized him.

However, Ye Ping Rong was tall and had a resolute face that looked very dependable. With the simple folk customs, he could easily gather information with just a little inquiry.

Moreover, when Second Brother Ye had married off his sister, it had caused quite a stir. Although the Ye family wanted to cover it up, the Qi family had organized it grandly with drums and gongs, and people from several nearby villages had come to the feast. Naturally, it was easy to find out about.

Ye Ping Rong wasn't surprised that Second Brother Ye's life wasn't going well. He knew in his heart that Second Brother Ye was timid by nature. When he was there to protect him, it was fine, but after enlisting, without anyone to protect him, he was bound to face some hardships.

But Ye Ping Rong never expected that his brother, who in his memory was cowardly but honest and dutiful, could actually sell his own sister for two silver ingots!

Perhaps outwardly it was said she married into a wealthy family to enjoy good fortune, but after listening around Second Brother Ye's neighborhood, Ye Ping Rong's conclusion was that Second Brother Ye had lost money in business, creditors came to the door, and finally it was Second Sister-in-law Ye who came up with the idea to stuff their sister into a wedding sedan.

No dowry, no wedding feast, just sent her away in such a muddle!

He had risked his life outside to earn a good life for his younger siblings.

But when he returned, the people were still there, but the family had completely scattered.

Second Brother Ye, well done, you're ruthless enough!

Ye Ping Rong wanted to punch Second Brother Ye to death, but he had at least trained for many years as a military officer and still had the sense he should have.

Little sister had probably been forcing a smile earlier. Thinking of this, Ye Ping Rong felt another surge of anger.

But he had no place to vent his anger. Even just sitting there, he looked particularly frightening.

Liu Rong saw that Ye Ping Rong had been sitting there fuming since returning. Although he hadn't spoken or lost his temper, seeing his red eyes and furious expression, Liu Rong really wanted to turn and run.

This killing god, although he had returned from the border and usually seemed to have a steady temperament, Liu Rong wouldn't forget what he looked like when covered in blood.

When this person got fierce, probably no one could stop him.

He wanted to slip away, but heard Ye Ping Rong say: "Liu Rong, help me find out whether the local government office here operates on reason or money."

This wasn't unusual. Although these were prosperous and peaceful times, when you wanted the yamen to handle something, if you didn't go through official channels, whether you needed to use money or reason to smooth things over in private depended on what kind of person the local county magistrate was.

But Liu Rong was somewhat puzzled: "Commander Ye, didn't you say before that we couldn't expose the Prince's whereabouts? Wouldn't directly approaching the yamen be somewhat rash?"

Ye Ping Rong said calmly: "I'll speak to the Prince about that. I won't appear in person, I'll just have Second Brother Ye sign a document."

Liu Rong was slightly startled, seeming not to understand how this person who always treasured his younger siblings could suddenly name names. However, he didn't ask this question and instead asked: "What document?"

Ye Ping Rong closed his eyes, his voice seeming to squeeze out from between his teeth: "The two of us brothers will sever our relationship, divide the family from now on, with honors and disgraces not affecting each other, and life and death having nothing to do with one another."