Chapter 214

The dim candlelight on the low table flickered gracefully in the occasional night breeze, now and then letting out a few soft crackles, adding to the tranquility of the peaceful summer night.

Fu Tingjun felt utterly boneless, lying on top of Zhao Ling, not even wanting to move a single finger. Yet thinking of the weariness in Zhao Ling's face when he had come home, she felt a pang of heartache and forced herself to lift her head.

"Don't move!" An arm tightened around her waist, and Zhao Ling's lazy voice came from above her head. "Let me stay inside a little longer..."

Fu Tingjun's face flushed, and she whispered, "I just want to turn on my side... so I don't crush you..."

"No need! With your weight..." Zhao Ling said possessively, his hand stroking her waist. "You seem to have lost a lot of weight..." His tone carried a hint of doting affection.

Fu Tingjun couldn't move, so she said softly, "Where have I lost weight? I actually feel a bit plumper than before..." She had originally calculated that Zhao Ling would return in the third month, and since after the New Year she had been cinching her waist and avoiding fatty meats. Her figure, already as undulating as mountain ridges, had become even more gracefully curved—even Yuwei, who served her closely, couldn't help but envy her... Hearing Zhao Ling say this, she felt secretly pleased, but refused to admit it, responding to him with casual indifference.

Zhao Ling wasn't quite sure.

He had only ever had Fu Tingjun as his woman.

What left the deepest impression on him from their wedding night was that his darling's body was as white and warm as fine jade, while his own head had felt like it was filled with paste—in his dazed confusion, he only knew to charge ahead with surging hot blood. Afterwards, he had no idea how he'd managed it, but that ultimate, unrestrained pleasure was still vividly branded into his memory to this day... It wasn't until over a month later that his emotions gradually settled, and then Fu Tingjun became pregnant... Later he went to Guizhou... When he returned again, he could barely control his emotions, and Fu Tingjun had begun to respond to him more boldly, and then he went to Xuanfu...

The thought flashed by in an instant.

Zhao Ling couldn't help but trace his hand inch by inch along the graceful curve of her spine, his gaze naturally coming to rest on Fu Tingjun's bare shoulder.

In the candlelight, her rounded shoulder gleamed with a warm luster like mutton-fat jade.

The unrestrained pleasure of their wedding night surfaced once more in his mind.

His heart stirred, and the hardness buried inside her began to rise again.

"You..." Fu Tingjun immediately sensed his change.

"Shh!" Zhao Ling's scorching breath had already brushed against the skin of her neck.

Fu Tingjun froze for a moment... Her pale, fair earlobe had already been taken into his mouth.

"Be good..." Zhao Ling mumbled indistinctly by her ear, gently nibbling on her delicate earlobe.

A tingling, numbing pleasure shot from her spine through her limbs.

Fu Tingjun drew in a sharp breath, involuntarily shivering, and said hurriedly, "Don't, don't do that... You rushed back day and night from Xuanfu... You still have to go to court to see the Emperor tomorrow morning—you should conserve your energy..."

This was already the second round.

Her heart aching, she stroked his shoulder. "Aren't you going to be staying home for a few days anyway?" Her voice was somewhat hoarse. "We have plenty of time..."

Hearing this, Zhao Ling suddenly lifted his head.

In the lamplight, there seemed to be a flame burning in his eyes.

"Then, then promise me—one day at noon, you'll let me look at you..." His hand gripped her waist tightly, keeping her immobile, making her all the more aware of his engorged arousal.

Fu Tingjun knew what he meant, and her face burned hot as she bit her vermilion lip.

In broad daylight... letting him see her body laid out bare... That, that was too wanton...

"Darling..." Zhao Ling's low voice was pained, carrying a hint of pleading.

Fu Tingjun's heart immediately softened.

She turned her face away and softly murmured, "Mm."

Hearing this, Zhao Ling laughed with unrestrained pleasure, flipped her over beneath him, and began to ride hard.

"You..." Fu Tingjun's phoenix eyes widened in shock, but in the next instant, the swelling fullness inside her made her let out a soft moan, and she arched her body involuntarily.

"I only said you'd let me look..." Zhao Ling laughed joyfully by her ear. "I never said we'd skip this round..."

"You bastard..." Fu Tingjun gritted her teeth, but a single thrust from Zhao Ling made her cry out "ah" involuntarily, and she clamped down around his solid waist...

Zhao Ling looked at her increasingly radiant face and couldn't help but chuckle smugly by her ear...

...

Fu Tingjun was drifting in a haze when she felt movement beside her.

She turned over involuntarily and murmured, "No... I'm so tired..."

Zhao Ling's cheerful laugh came from above her head. "You little sleepyhead, I'm going to the palace. I won't be back today, so you don't have to worry about the noon business..."

Before he even finished speaking, Fu Tingjun jolted awake.

She quickly opened her eyes and saw Zhao Ling standing by the bed, already dressed in his bright red court robes, radiating vigor.

"How do you have so much energy!" Fu Tingjun yawned and muttered softly.

Zhao Ling chuckled and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

The fresh scent of soap wafted over her, lifting Fu Tingjun's spirits.

"Be good." He sat on the edge of the bed, his movements tender as he tucked her scattered strands of hair behind her ear, speaking softly, "It's still early. Rest well. Wait for me to return for the evening meal."

Fu Tingjun nodded.

Zhao Ling caressed her face before rising and leaving the inner chamber.

A faint commotion came from outside, then quickly faded away.

All around was quiet, utterly silent.

Fu Tingjun closed her eyes, but sleep would not come.

Her body ached all over... the air still carried the particular scent of their intimacy... her skin seemed to retain the lingering heat of Zhao Ling's warmth...

She gave up on sleep and rose, calling for Yuwei, who was on night duty.

Yuwei entered with a beaming smile, helping Fu Tingjun wash and dress, then opened the window, remade the bedding, and brewed a pot of honeysuckle tea to bring over.

The morning breeze, carrying a hint of coolness, blew in, bringing with it the fresh fragrance of green leaves.

Fu Tingjun drank a cup of tea, and her spirits gradually revived.

A Sen came to pay his respects, his eyes darting around the room.

Fu Tingjun found it amusing and said, "What are you looking for? Ninth Master went to the palace early this morning."

A Sen felt a bit embarrassed at this, but grinned and took a seat below Fu Tingjun, shamelessly pressing, "What about my matter? What did Ninth Master say?"

He had been picked up by Zhao Ling, who was like a father, an elder brother, a teacher, and a friend all in one—and had even allowed him to take the surname "Zhao." Naturally, he hoped to receive Zhao Ling's blessing for his marriage.

At Shilipu, officials from the Ministry of Rites were hosting a welcome banquet for Zhao Ling—that was official business, and as a woman, she couldn't interfere. After exchanging a brief greeting with Zhao Ling, they had returned to the Lijia Hutong residence. It wasn't until around seven in the evening that Zhao Ling finally returned. Seeing Youyou dozing off like a chick pecking at rice and Xige'er sleeping soundly, Zhao Ling merely patted the children's heads and had the attendants take them away. A Sen and the others simply paid their respects and then retired for the night.

As for Fu Tingjun... since they had seen each other, they hadn't yet had a chance to speak about what had happened while they were apart.

She inwardly groaned "oh no," a faint blush rising to her cheeks as she tried to appear nonchalant, speaking softly, "Yesterday I never found the opportunity to mention your marriage to Ninth Master!"

A Sen, however, interpreted this as Fu Tingjun fearing Zhao Ling might not agree and wanting to find the right moment to bring it up.

He couldn't help but ask, "Sister-in-law, what if Ninth Master doesn't agree?" His tone was filled with worry.

Fu Tingjun could only reassure him: "Ninth Master is an open-minded man. Rest assured—let me speak with him first, and we'll go from there."

A Sen nodded helplessly.

Youyou and Xige'er came to pay their respects.

Xige'er usually slept with Fu Tingjun, but yesterday he had been taken by his wet nurse to stay with Yuwei. Seeing Fu Tingjun, his mouth puckered and he reached out his little hands toward his mother: "Mama, hold, hold!"

Youyou, however, like A Sen, opened her apricot-shaped eyes—so reminiscent of Fu Tingjun's—and looked around: "Mama, I dreamed of Father last night. He even patted my head. I wanted to talk to him, but Mother Zhou carried me away..."

This child—she was so muddled she couldn't even tell dreams from reality!

Fu Tingjun smiled, holding Xige'er, and said to Youyou, "Your father has gone to the palace. He'll return this evening to have dinner with us."

Youyou let out an "oh" and tugged at A Sen: "Second Uncle, are you going to the academy today? Shall we go pick dates together?"

Every time Zhao Ling wrote back, he would ask about the children, but the children weren't particularly clingy toward him.

Fu Tingjun sighed at the sight.

This was perhaps the price of a smooth official career.

She cautioned Youyou: "If you pick all the dates now, there won't be any left to eat by the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Youyou stuck out her little tongue sheepishly.

A Sen then said, "We're just practicing our aim. We won't pick dates—we'll shoot at the pomegranate flowers in the courtyard instead." With that, he glanced at Fu Tingjun.

Seeing this, Youyou dared not speak and followed A Sen in looking at their mother with pleading eyes.

Fu Tingjun had no choice but to say, "Why don't you find a small bowl and place it on a stool, then shoot at the bowl to see who has better aim? Wouldn't that be better?"

Youyou happily pulled A Sen out of the hall.

Xige'er pointed at the purple clay teapot with honeysuckle tea on Fu Tingjun's table: "Eat buns, eat buns..."

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but laugh: "What are we to do with you? Thinking about food all day long." She then instructed Yuwei to go to the kitchen and fetch some snacks.

Just as Yuwei stepped out, she ran into Jin Yuanbao and Yang Yucheng arriving with their families to pay respects to Zhao Ling, so she turned back to report.

Fu Tingjun went out to welcome them into the hall, exchanged greetings, and everyone sat down according to rank. Only then did Fu Tingjun say, "Ninth Master went to the palace this morning and said he'd return for the evening meal. Why don't you all stay the night? It's rare to have such a lively gathering."

The two had come precisely to visit, so they smiled and agreed.

Fu Tingjun instructed Yuwei to prepare the guest rooms, and the wet nurses carried the children to the side chamber to play.

Madam Mo sent her steward to inquire about Mo Yan's daily life in Xuanfu.

Fu Tingjun had just sent off the steward from the Mo family when a steward from Qin Yufei's residence arrived with a card: "...inviting Ninth Master to a small gathering at the mansion tomorrow."

Zheng San accepted the card and had not yet had time to deliver it to Fu Tingjun when Lin Chi's steward arrived: "...a banquet will be held at Penglai Pavilion tomorrow noon to welcome Lord Zhao."

Zheng San seated the two stewards in the hall of the southern wing, when He Xiulin's attendant arrived: "...when would Lord Zhao have time? Our master wishes to pay him a visit!"

In a flurry of comings and goings, the doorway bustled like a marketplace.