Pihanjin

His legitimate wife, the princess of Changsha, Mu Fulan

Theiwateriwasisooniready,iandiXie Changgengienteredithe bath. i

MuiFulanistayediinitheiroom.

Aifaintisoundiof waterimovingicould beiheard. Afteriaiwhile, Mu Fulan suddenlyiheardihimisay, “Comeiin!”

Mu Fulanihesitated,iwalkedislowlyito theidooriof theibathiroom, and reachedioutitoipushithe door open. Please read at novelrev(dot)wordpress(dot)com

Underitheiflooritilesiof the bathroom,ithereiisialso aifurnace, whichiburnsiveryihot. There was a denseihot mist.

Mu Fulanistoodiinitheidoorwayiand sawihim standiupiandistepiout.

“Bringimeimyiclothes.”

Hisitoneiwasiclam,iasiif thisiwasia naturalithing, andisheioftenihelped him.

Hisiclothesiwereihangingionithe rack byitheidoor.

Mu Fulanipausedithenireachediout toitakeiit, anditookiaifewisteps inside.

Hisibackiwasitoitheidoor, andiheiwas wipingitheiwaterioff himself.

Duringitheiday, heiwasineatly dressediandilooked thin, butiafter takingioff hisiclothes, hisibroad shouldersiand strongichestiand abdomeniwere visible. Withihisiback turneditoiher, hisiwiping movements showedithe well-defined musclesion hisishouldersiandiback.

Mu Fulaniwalkedibehindihimiand handedioverihisiclothes.

Heidroppeditheitowel, tookithe clothesifromiherihand, andiputithem on.

“Iididn’tiknowithatiyouiwouldibe backitonight, butiI’ve alreadyiasked someoneitoiadd twoimoreidishes. I’ll goiseeiif it’siready.”

AfteriMu Fulanifinishedispeaking, sheiturneditoiwalkiout, but Xie Changgengisuddenly said, “Mu shi, doiyouiwantitoigo backito Changsha immediately?”

MuiFulan’siheartiskippediaibeat, she stoppediiniheritracks,ianditurned her headislowly.

Xie Changgengihadialreadyipution hisiclothes,iandiwasifacing her.

Theicandlelightsiwereidimiinithe bathiroom. Acrossitheidenseiwhite mist, Mu Fulanisawihis twoidarkieyes fallioniheriface.

Thisiquestioniwasiveryidifficult for heritoianswer.

Sheisaid, “Beforeileavingitheicapital, youipromisedithatiI couldileaveiafter someitime. Toibeihonestiwithiyou, I doiwant toigoiback, butiIialsoiwould likeiit atiyouriconvenience.”

Heididn’tianswer, andisilenceifell.

Theibathiroomiisismalliand the furnaceiisiburningivigorously. Mu Fulanifeltitheiairigetihotter. Sheidid notiknow if itiwasiwaterivapourior sweat, butiitislowly accumulatedion herifreshlyibathedibodyiandiher clothesislowlyibecame damp.

Evenibreathing,igraduallyibecameia littleidifficult.

“You’reiprobablyihungry,isoiI’lligo andirushidinner…”

Sheisaidisoftly,ianditookianother stepitoileave. 

Aipairiof handsicameiupifrom behindiher. Thoseihandsiwrapped aroundiheriwaist, restrainingiheriin place.

Herifeetiimmediatelyiroseiintoithe air.

SheiwasipickediupibyiXie Changgeng fromibehind, heldibyihis arms, andiheadediout.

Heiwasibarefootiandihisilapeliloose, revealingihisichest. Hisihairiwasistill wetiandistuckitoihis temples,iand wateridrippedifromithe cornersiof hisihairionto herifaceiandibody.

WheniMuimamaianditheimaidicame toitheidoor,itheyiknocked and pushediitiopeniandientered with a foodibox.iTheyiwereiabout to place it onitheitable, whenitheyisaw Xie Changgengistridingiout of the bathroomiholding theiprincessilike this.iTheyibothifroze.

“Getiout!”

XieiChanggengishoutediwithia gloomyiexpression. Heididinotistop andiwalked pastiseveralistunned people,icarryingiMu Fulanitoithe inneriroom.

Heiplacediherionitheiedgeiof the bed,ihelditheijade hairpinithat fastenediherihair,ipulled itiout,iand threwiit on aismallitableibyitheibed.

Theijadeihairpinihititheiharditeak woodiwithia slightithud, bouncedia fewitimes,ithenibrokeiinto two pieces.

XieiChanggengilookedidowniatiher faceithatiwas graduallyichanging color,iasiif heiwasiadmiringiher appearance. 

Oneibyione,iheislowlyipulledioutithe hairpinsithat beeniinsertediintoiher hair.

Whenitheilastihairpiniwasitakenioff byihim, herisilkyiblackiscatteredilike aiwaterfall.

XieiChanggengigrabbediaihandfuliof hair,isqueezed it,ileanedidown,iand tookiaisniff.

Freshlyiwashedilongihairiwithithe fragranceiof flowers. Heiletigo,iand hisihandistrokedialongiher face, and finallyisqueezed herichinilightly, raisediitiforiherito lookiupiatihim.

Blackihairifellioniher cheeks. She lookedislightlyipale.

“It’sigoodithatiyouiunderstand.”

Heislowlyileanedihisifaceitowards heriandisaid iniailowivoice.

“Wheniitiisiconvenientifor me,iyou canigoiback.”

Hisieyesiwereiextremelyidark,ibut hisitoneiwasivery gentle. If sheidid notilookiatihis face andijustilistened, itisoundediasithough heiwasicoaxing her.

MuiFulanistoodiupiabruptly.

Beforeisheicouldistandiupistraight, heigrabbediher shoulders,iand pressedithem.iHer kneesiwentiweak, andisheifelliback onitoithe bed behindiher.

Sheisankiintoitheisoftiquiltiand watchediasihe slowlyipulledioff the beltiaroundihisiwaist, heilookediat heriandisaid, “Don’tibeiafraid. Inia momentiyou willibeisatisfied.”

Muimamaiwasiinitheiouteriroom and couldinotihelpibut giveianiuglyiface. Sheifrozeiandifaintly heard a low, suppressediwhimperifrom the womaniinsideithe tent. Althoughiit wasivague, it wasiclearlyiaudible. She quicklyiglancediat severalired-faced maidsinearby, andihurriedlyisignaled toigoiout.

Theimaidsihurriedlyipickediupithe foodibox andiexited.

Muimamaifrowned,ianditookia glanceiinitheidirectioniof theiinner roomiandisuppressed theiworriesiin heriheart. Sheicouldionlyiretreat and gentlyiclosedithe door.

Youicouldinoilongeriseeitheiattitude thatiXie Changgeng usuallyishowed toioutsiders. Bothitheihandsome appearanceior theisophisticationiand prestigeiof aniofficial.

Hisilegitimateiwife,itheiprincessiof Changsha, Mu Fulan.

Hisieyesiwereired,ihisiteethiwere clenched,ihis handsomeifaceiwas slightlyitwisted andicoverediwith sweat. Hisimovementsiwere extremelyifierce, andiheiheldiher waistidesperately. He releasediallithe heat,ianger andiinjustice thatihad beenibuildingiup foridays, alongiwith theigreat pleasureithatiwasilikeia burstingiof theisoul. Itiseemedito be releasediinianiendless stream.

Forisomeitimeiafterwards,iheislowly breathed. Theniheitookiaipieceiof clothingito wipeithemiboth before fallingiasleep withiheriinihisiarms.

Theiwaxicandleiinitheiroomimelted inchibyiinch, graduallyishortened, thenithe flameidimmediand suddenly wentiout.

Theimaniwokeiupibutididinotiopen hisieyes. He reachedioutiinithe darknessiandistroked theisoftiand warmifeminineibody besideihimifor aimoment, thenirollediover and pressedidowniagainiwithout saying a word.

Theinightiisilongiandithe surroundingsiwere silent. Theifaint thumpingisound fromitheiintense impactispread fromitheiroomito the door.

Muimamaididinotisleepiallinightiand waitediuntil dawniinitorment.

AsisooniasiXie Changgengileft,ishe immediatelyiran intoitheiroomiand turneditoitheiinner room.

Theiwindowiwasiclosed,iandiaidim morningilight penetratedithrough theiwindowipaper, reflectingithe sceneiinitheihouse.

Half of theibedinetiwasitorn,iandia goldenihookiatithe headiof theibed wasialsoibroken andihadifallenito the ground.iTheiwoman’s clothesiwere lyingimessilyibyithe bed.

Theiairiwasiailittleistuffy,iandithere seemeditoibeiaiwispy scentiof musk initheiair.

Muimamairusheditoitheibediand openedithe crumpledimessyiquiltito revealia snow-whiteiback covered withibright redibite marksilikeithe bellyiof aifish.

Muimamaitookiiniaideepibreath andicarefully turnediheriover. Her faceiwasifulliof tirednessiand haggardness. Herieyesiwere closed, andiherilong messyihairiwasicovered iniwet andidriedisweat. Her whole body;iarms, chestieveniwaist,ihips andilegs, wereicoverediwithia toothmarksiandifinger marks. Itiwas extremelyishocking.

Afteriseeing Xie Changgengicome outiof the roomiwithianiangryiface andileavingithatinight, theinextiday, theimoreishe thoughtiaboutiit,ithe moreisheifeltithat somethingiwas wrong. MuimamaisecretlyiaskediDan Zhu,iwho wasisupposeditoibe serving inithe roomiatitheitime, andilearned thatiwhen sheiwasiaboutitoigiveithe princessiher clothing, Xie Changgeng happenedito comeiiniandiordered herito goiout.

Theyiwereionlyiaicoupleiininame before,iand sleptioniseparateibeds at night.iButiwhenisheiheard the hiddenistory fromiDan Zhuiandithen thoughtiof whatisheisawitheinight before,ishe feltiuneasyiiniheriheart.

Sheiremembereditheifiercenessiof Xie Changgengiwhenihe carried the princessioutilastinight. Withihis treatmentiof her,iher heartiached andiherieyes instantlyiturnedired. Sheicoverediher with a quilt,iand said iniaitremblingivoice, “Princess,ijust letimeigoitellihim, you…”

“No.”

Mu Fulan’sieyelashesimoved,iandishe slowlyiopenediher rediandiswollen eyes.

“Iiforbidiyouitoimentionihalf a word.”

“Notievenihalf aiwordiisiallowed!”

Herispiritiseemeditoicomeibackialliat once.

Muimamaicouldn’tihelpichokingiup, “Princess,iwhy isithisinecessary… I reallyidon’tiunderstand…”

“Muimama,irememberimyiwords.”

“I’mitirediandiwantitoisleep.” She closediher eyesiandirollediover to faceiinward.

Muimamaistarediblanklyiatiher back, andiwiped awayiheritears. She gathereditheimessyiclothes and thingsion theiground,iand walkediout lightly.

Afterithat, she secretly paid attention andifound that after that night, Xie Changgenginever slept alone on the couchiagain.

Fortunately,iafterithatinight, Mu mamainoilonger feltithatiheitreated theiprincess soicruelly again.iAlthoughithere wereisome marksion heribodyileftioverifromithe previousinight, butinotitooimuch.

Itiseemsithatitheitwoiof themiare moreilikeinewlyweds,iandithe most gratifyingithing toiMuimamaiisithe attitudeiof theiprincess.

Althoughisheican’tifigureioutiwhy theiprincess’ attitudeitowards Xie Changgengichanged drastically overnightiwhereiher loveiturnedito hate.iButinowiitiseems likeisheihas acceptedihim, withoutianyisadnessior resentment,iand heridailyiattitude is theisameiasiusual.

Muimama’sihearticalmedidownia little.

Theidaysipassedibyilikeithis. Inithe blinkiof anieye, theiprincessihasibeen hereifor moreithaniaimonth. Theifirst monthiis over, andiitiis aboutitoienterithe secondimonth. On thisimonth, theiinsectsiawake, and theifarmers beginitoiplough accordingito theicalendar.

IniHexi, thereiisianiimportantilocal custom. Onithisiday, sacrificesiare madeito Nongshen (god of agriculture)iand Canshen (silkworm god)iforiaigoodiyeariof weatheriand agriculturaliharvest.

IniGuzang,iitiwasicustomaryifor officialsiandipeopleiwithin the 100 milesiradius toirushitoitheitempleiin theiwestiof theicity. TheiJiedushiiwas toiworship Nongshen andihisiwife wasitoiworship Canshen.

Thisiritualiisiregardediasian importantievent byitheilocal people. AccordingitoitheiBook of Rites,ithoseiwho presideioverithe sacrificeimust fastithreeidaysiin advance.iNotionlyibathing and changingiclothes, theyishouldinot drinkiorieatimeat. Asiforimarried couples,itheyiareinot alloweditoihave intercourse. Thisiis allitoishowitheir sincerityiandirespect.

Inipreviousiyears,iwheniJiedushi’s wifeiwas absent,isheiwasireplaced by theiwife of theistateiofficial. However, sinceisheiwasihereithis year, itiwasinaturalithatishe would presideioveritheisacrifice.