Four Seasons Brocade – CH 157

Chapter 157 ☆、

“Let me massage you.” A pair of jade-like feet, with well-proportioned bones and flesh, and skin as smooth as cream; even without looking, the touch of the palm was enough to stir one’s imagination.

Ah Wu’s face instantly flushed red, both ashamed and anxious. She never expected Chu Mao to suddenly grab her feet. It was just that Chu Mao was handsome, refined, and aloof, and even when he smiled, his eyes held a certain detachment. Moreover, he was mostly reserved and self-possessed; even if their skin touched, it was always for a reason. Therefore, Ah Wu never expected him to unexpectedly grab her feet.

“Ouch—” Ah Wu cried out as Chu Mao pressed his middle finger hard on her Yongquan acupoint on her foot, yet she had to admit it felt quite good, a mixture of pain and pleasure.

Despite this, Ah Wu frantically clutched her calf, trying to pull away. “Your Highness, I can do it myself.” How could a woman’s feet be touched so casually? Besides, Ah Wu felt incredibly uncomfortable, as if she were on fire.

But Chu Mao seemed not to hear her. He lowered his head and lifted Ah Wu’s foot from under the covers, kneading it with both hands, his expression focused, without the slightest hint of frivolity.

Ah Wu cried out again, not knowing where he was pressing but feeling a numbness in her waist, an indescribable sensation. She looked at her foot in Chu Mao’s hands, finding it even more delicate and white.

“How can Your Highness massage for me? I will call Zi-Shan in,” Ah Wu pleaded in desperation. She disliked being touched; even when tired, she would simply have Zi-Shan gently tap her with a beauty hammer. She only spoke up now because Chu Mao had cornered her.

“Are you not curious why Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince went to the South Garden together today?” Chu Mao glanced at Ah Wu.

How could she not be curious? She just had not had the chance to think about it. The Fifth and Sixth Princes usually ignored each other, only putting on a show of brotherly affection in front of the Longqing Emperor.

Ah Wu’s eyes widened. “Sixth Prince is testing Fifth Prince?”

Chu Mao shifted to a more comfortable position, placing Ah Wu’s legs on his own, pulling the blanket over her, and massaging her foot with his other hand. Hearing this, he smiled and said, “Looks like you guessed right.”

“But did you not say Fifth Prince would take half a month to recover? Then tonight he…” Ah Wu’s mind was hazy, completely jumbled by Chu Mao’s words.

“Yes, that’s exactly what we wanted to do to arouse the Sixth Prince’s suspicion,” Chu Mao said casually.

Upon hearing this, Ah Wu looked at Chu Mao in surprise, wondering when her Prince Qi had become associated with someone like Chu Qin. “Your Highness, you and the Fifth Prince…”

“The Fifth Prince’s early withdrawal from the competition is not beneficial to us,” Chu Mao said.

Ah Wu naturally understood this. When two tigers fight, he could easily fish in troubled waters. Therefore, Ah Wu could easily understand why Chu Mao would take the initiative to find a physician for Chu Qin.

Ah Wu found the word “we” in Chu Mao’s words rather intriguing. She could not help but lean closer to him, asking sweetly, “Your Highness, what benefits do we want?”

Chu Mao could not resist pinching Ah Wu’s nose. “What benefits do you want?”

Ah Wu’s face, which had just flushed slightly, turned rosy again. She rubbed her nose, saying with a hint of displeasure, “Your Highness, your hand just touched my foot.”

“You dislike your own foot?” Chu Mao said, amused.

Ah Wu could not quite explain why. Of course, she could not dislike her own foot, but she also could not touch her foot and then touch her nose.

Chu Mao then lifted Ah Wu’s foot to his eyes, examining it under the light. Its translucent quality surpassed even that of fine jade. “I think it’s quite beautiful.”

Ah Wu quickly withdrew her foot and shrank back under the covers. “Your Highness, you should go to sleep early.” Ah Wu turned away, somewhat afraid to look Chu Mao in the eye; there was a fire within it, as if it could burn. At this moment, Ah Wu could not care less about the advantages or disadvantages of what had just happened. It was a perfect opportunity to test Chu Mao’s true feelings; what a pity.

Ah Wu closed her eyes, her toes curled up, and heard Chu Mao say, “I noticed you were craving that steamed beef with rice flour from outside today, were you not?”

“Hmm?” Ah Wu was puzzled. Why did Chu Mao ask this?

“If you like it, I can have Zi-Zhui make it for you tomorrow. If you do not like it, just call the stall owner in and have him make it for you at the mansion. If you like it, you can call him a few more times.”

Ah Wu could not help but complain, “I did not really like it that much; I was just hungry.”

Chu Mao paused for a moment before saying, “It was my oversight.”

Ah Wu turned to look at Chu Mao and said, “Why did Your Highness decide to take me to the South Garden today?” If Ah Wu was not mistaken, Chu Mao’s original intention was simply to casually stroll around the Lantern Festival. “I do not think the South Garden looks like those unruly places in storybooks.”

“I just wanted to take you to hear Mei-niang’s music.” Chu Mao had clearly noticed that Ah Wu seemed uninterested in the so-called Lantern Festival. Their two previous chance encounters at the Lantern Festival had led him to mistakenly believe that Ah Wu greatly enjoyed visiting the festival. “South Garden, huh? That’s the garden of Ruan Le, a wealthy salt merchant from Jiangnan, in the capital. Several of his concubines live there. It’s quite elegant; those of status in the capital dare not go to brothels, so they prefer to sit in places like this.”

Ah Wu thought to herself that her prediction was correct. She figured Prince Qi’s garden, where he kept courtesans, was probably similar. “If Your Highness likes Mei-niang’s songs, you can simply take her into your garden.” Why go through all this trouble? The last sentence was something Ah Wu did not dare say directly. In truth, Ah Wu did not believe Chu Mao’s heart truly belonged to Mei-niang. His visit to South Garden was likely for the sake of the Fifth and Sixth Princes, just as his visit to Jingyuan was not for Mei Changsheng’s play.

Of course, Ah Wu would never consider herself involved. In her mind, she never imagined that Chu Mao’s words and actions were merely to please a woman.

Chu Mao closed his eyes and remained silent. This put Ah Wu in a difficult position. She had intended to deflect whatever Chu Mao said and bring up the same old topic again, but Chu Mao simply did not respond.

“Your Highness, do you prefer music or opera?” Ah Wu asked again.

Chu Mao finally opened his mouth lazily, still without opening his eyes, “What do you mean?”

“Everyone says Mei Changsheng’s performances in Qingyi are exceptional. Does Your Highness enjoy listening to his operas?” Ah Wu asked casually.

Chu Mao opened his eyes, a cold glint in them. “What are you trying to say?”

Ah Wu lowered her eyelids and said, “Does Your Highness remember the last time we met at the Lantern Festival?” Ah Wu looked up at Chu Mao. “That time I accompanied Tang Yin to find Mei Changsheng, and I saw Your Highness in his room.”

Ah Wu was tired of testing Chu Mao time and time again, but tonight’s intimacy with him suddenly gave her an opportunity. She clearly was not willing to give up so easily, hence her decision to take a risky gamble.

“Oh?” Chu Mao’s expression turned colder, but he still left room for maneuver.

“That time Tang Yin and I were in danger, it was Your Highness who saved me. If it were not for Your Highness, I am afraid I would have been a drowned soul long ago.” Ah Wu looked at Chu Mao with sincere, large eyes, her gratitude genuine.

“Oh?” Chu Mao raised an eyebrow.

Ah Wu was not discouraged. “I just wanted to tell Your Highness that I’ve said it before: no matter what Your Highness does, Ah Wu will stay by Your Highness’s side for the rest of her life.”

Chu Mao’s face could only be described as a gloomy white; his heart felt as if it had been gripped and twisted tightly. His beloved Princess was rejecting him in the most tactful way imaginable, yet she still acted as if she were deeply grateful and would follow him to the death.

“You go to sleep first,” Chu Mao said, throwing back the covers and getting out of bed.

Ah Wu watched Chu Mao’s back; his shoulders were stiff, as if he were suppressing something. Unseen by Ah Wu, Chu Mao’s hand was clenched into a fist under his sleeve.

“Your Highness?” Ah Wu was puzzled by Chu Mao’s strong reaction. Was her not speaking like this meant to make their future interactions more natural, so they would not have to put in so much effort? They were, after all, a perfectly solid alliance of interests.

“You go to sleep first; I am going to Bingxue Forest.” Chu Mao dressed and quickly left.

Even Ah Wu’s words, reminding him that he had forgotten to fasten his jade pendant, were still on her lips when he was already gone.

Watching Chu Mao’s retreating figure, Ah Wu felt both worried and relieved. She slowly lay down and slept soundly through the night.

At dawn, Ah Wu woke up and specifically instructed Zi-Zhui to prepare a plate of Chu Mao’s favorite layered flaky pastries and a plate of sesame radish pastries, along with two other refreshing side dishes, to be taken to Bingxue Forest.

As for why Chu Mao suddenly went to Bingxue Forest so late at night, no one in Yulan Hall uttered a sound.

After the twentieth day of the first lunar month, Chu Mao became so busy that he disappeared without a trace, not returning to Yulan Hall for quite some time. Ah Wu could not figure out where Chu Mao’s temper came from, but in such situations, she always had to lower her stance and gently persuade him first.

So, Ah Wu spent the entire afternoon sitting at the small table on the couch, biting her pen and drafting a list. Before dinner, she inquired whether Chu Mao had returned to Bingxue Forest and then hurried off.

Chu Mao sat behind his desk, giving Ah Wu a lukewarm look, not even offering her a seat, leaving her to linger.

Ah Wu, however, was not intimidated by Chu Mao. She smiled and said, “Your Highness, this jade lion is so cute.” Ah Wu picked up Chu Mao’s “beloved pet” from the table.

Li Yanguang, who was serving nearby, could not help but wipe the cold sweat from his brow with his sleeve, looking utterly miserable. These past few days have been difficult for everyone in Bingxue Forest. With their master’s gloomy face, no one dared to show any joy. They had to serve with three times the usual effort; otherwise, a beating would be the least of their worries.

Only this person, who had displeased his master, was completely fearless and even dared to touch the jade lion on the table—truly a scourge.