Four Seasons Brocade – CH 200

Chapter 200 ☆、

Ah Wu’s crying had become somewhat staged by the end, merely a way to let Chu Mao know her grievances. Why should Prince Qi’s mansion be left to Nanny Hao to rule, while she, a proper consort, had to avoid her?

At this moment, Zi-Zhui called for the meal. Ah Wu stopped crying, went to the bathing room to wash her face, and emerged with swollen, red eyes. Chu Mao reached out to touch her eyelids, and Ah Wu cried out softly, “It hurts!” and quickly backed away.

“Quickly, get a cold compress to soothe your mistress’s eyes,” Chu Mao said to Zi-Shan.

“No need, Your Highness, please have the noodles first; they will get soggy if they cool down,” Ah Wu said, walking towards the west side room. “I can apply them to my eyes later; it will be the same.”

Chu Mao sat beside Ah Wu, noticing that although her eyes were red and swollen, they possessed a delicate fragility, making her large, watery eyes appear like a deer caught in a hunter’s trap, pitiful and different from her usual allure.

Ah Wu’s eyes usually concealed a pride that even she herself was probably unaware of. Chu Mao had wondered how the impoverished Duke of Anguo’s mansion had nurtured such proud eyes in her—more proud than those of the noble ladies in the palace, with a natural air of condescension. This should have been repulsive, but against her beautiful face, it appeared exceptionally beautiful, as if she were born to be superior, looking down upon all others.

These proud eyes, now misty and pitiful, made one wish to scoop up a handful of water from them and drink it to relieve the heat in one’s heart. Because he missed those eyes, Chu Mao went to Shandong again after only seven days.

Mid-month, the bright moon hung high in the sky. Chu Mao arrived late at night, hearing the sound of a zither coming from the mansion, and realized that Ah Wu was playing and had not gone to sleep.

After finishing the piece “Looking Towards the Capital,” Ah Wu looked up and saw Chu Mao leaning against the moon gate. Startled, she rubbed her eyes and said reproachfully, “When did Your Highness arrive?”

Chu Mao took off his cloak and draped it over Ah Wu. “There was dew last night; why did you not wear more?” As they drew closer, Chu Mao smelled the alcohol on Ah Wu’s breath. “Have you been drinking?”

Ah Wu nodded. “Today is Zi-Zhui’s birthday.”

Chu Mao then noticed that Ah Wu’s tongue was a little slurred. Although she could still speak clearly, her voice sounded as if her tongue had been marinated in honey wine, sweet and cloying.

Chu Mao helped Ah Wu into the house, but she stamped her foot and would not budge. “My zither,” she said, her chin raised in a haughty manner, treating him like a page.

Chu Mao, carrying the zither in one arm and Ah Wu in the other, finally moved. Once inside, Chu Mao poured Ah Wu a cup of water, which she took, complaining it was too hot, and frowned at him with displeasure. “How can you serve me like this?” This made Chu Mao both amused and exasperated.

Meanwhile, Zi-Shan and the others were all drunk. Because they were on the estate, they were all a bit unrestrained. Ah Wu had been asleep long ago, but in the middle of the night, she must have encountered some kind of deity who woke her up suddenly, and her urge to play the zither returned. Now, Chu Mao had helped her back to the room, but seeing the bed, she felt sleepy again, ignored him, and climbed into bed.

Chu Mao went to the bathing room to wash himself and came out. Looking at Ah Wu, he saw she was fast asleep, her long eyelashes resting on her cheeks like two cute little fans. Chu Mao could not resist leaning down and kissing her eyelids.

This was hardly enough to quench his thirst. He then showered her forehead, cheeks, lips, and neck with light kisses. Disturbed, Ah Wu impatiently kicked off the covers, revealing a patch of snow-white skin beneath her. A loose, dark purple embroidered pink bodice hung around her neck, gently encasing her two snow-white breasts that made one’s eyes redden.

Chu Mao was dumbfounded. He had not expected Ah Wu, feeling hot from the wine, to have taken off her undergarments and tossed them at her feet as soon as she got into bed. But such a blessing was too good to pass up; otherwise, it would be a waste.

Chu Mao leaned down and, through the bodice, brought her red cherry-like nipples to his lips. Ah Wu, bitten too hard, felt both itchy and painful, groaning and crying out like a kitten, “Do not bite me!”

At that moment, Chu Mao wished he could bite her to death. His eyes were fixed on her slender neck; he longed to bite it off, to suck her bones and blood into his mouth, only then could he relieve his longing.

Helplessly, Ah Wu closed her eyes and cradled Chu Mao’s head, shifting her body slightly. Instinctively, she withdrew her left breast and offered her right, knowing that her left breast hurt, so she used her right to replace it.

This scene made Chu Mao’s eyes bloodshot. In a few swift movements, he untied the thin strings of Ah Wu’s bodice and took those snow-white, sweet, cotton-candy-like, and firm, steamed-bun-like breasts into his mouth, savoring their exquisite beauty.

The next morning, when Ah Wu woke up, she felt a slight headache, probably from drinking too much the night before. She vaguely remembered seeing Chu Mao but could not be sure if it was a hallucination or reality. Ah Wu rubbed her chest, feeling a stinging pain, but because she was dressed neatly, she did not suspect anything for the time being. It was not until she bathed that Ah Wu noticed the bluish-purple marks on her chest, and she immediately blushed crimson with embarrassment.

“Has His Highness left?” Ah Wu asked through gritted teeth as she came out of the bathing room.

“No, he said he was just taking a walk around the estate and would be back by breakfast,” Zi-Shan replied.

When Chu Mao returned to his room for breakfast, Ah Wu glared at him fiercely, saying nothing, and simply buried her head in her porridge. Suddenly, a shrimp appeared before her, peeled and handed to her by Chu Mao himself.

“Why is your face redder than this cooked shrimp?” Chu Mao whispered in Ah Wu’s ear. Ah Wu’s hands trembled so badly she almost dropped the spoon. “You still say that? Your Highness is so…so shameless! While I was asleep, you actually…you actually…” Ah Wu stammered, her words choked with embarrassment and anger.

“If I told you that you fed me yourself last night, would you believe me?” Chu Mao brought his face close to Ah Wu’s, laughing.

Ah Wu’s face suddenly darkened. How could she have done such a shameless thing?

“Alright, alright, it was me; I put it in my mouth.”

Seeing Chu Mao becoming increasingly audacious, Ah Wu could not understand how this seemingly proper man from their previous meetings had suddenly become so unrefined, spouting such nonsense. What did he mean by ‘fearful’? Did he think he was a wolf or a dog? The thought of wolves and dogs flashed through Ah Wu’s mind, and she recalled the time he suckled her milk as a baby and how fierce and ruthless he had been—just like a wolf or dog, just like someone carrying something in their mouth.

While Ah Wu was reminiscing, Chu Mao was also lost in thought, finding the red tassels fragrant, vibrant, sweet, and fresh. He ate the fruit and drank a bowl of porridge.”

Because Ah Wu ignored Chu Mao’s words, the two ate their meal in silence. Then Ah Wu asked, “When will Your Highness return this time?”

He was supposed to leave early that morning, but Chu Mao was reluctant to leave, wishing he could bury his head in that jade-like cleavage forever. “No rush, I will return tomorrow.”

That evening, Ah Wu, wary of Chu Mao, carefully tied the ties of her undergarments tightly before turning her back to him, exposing her buttocks. However, in the middle of the night, Chu Mao shook her awake. Ah Wu rubbed her eyes sleepily. “What is Your Highness doing?”

“Get up quickly; I will take you to the beach to watch the sunrise.” Chu Mao was already dressed and standing by the bed, handing Ah Wu her clothes.

Chu Mao’s villa was said to be not far from the sea, just behind the mountains. Ah Wu had only heard about it; she had never seen the sea before, so she became interested, and her drowsiness vanished considerably.

After Ah Wu was dressed, Chu Mao took her hand and led her to the stables, pulling her to sit beside him. “Hold on tight,” he said, spurring the horse forward like an arrow.

The horse wound its way along the mountain path, and when they reached the summit, the sun had not yet risen above the sea. Chu Mao helped Ah Wu down, took off his cloak, and spread it on the ground. He sat down himself, then placed Ah Wu on his lap. Neither of them spoke, simply watching quietly as the first rays of light pierced the sky.

The sunrise over the sea was magnificent and breathtaking, leaving Ah Wu completely mesmerized.

As dawn broke, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore brought a profound sense of peace.

“The sea here is yellowish. I’ve heard the sea to the south is crystal clear and azure. I will take you there to watch the sunrise sometime,” Chu Mao said, gently tugging at Ah Wu’s earlobe.

Ah Wu felt a ticklish sensation from Chu Mao’s breath and tried to twist her neck to escape, but in her heart, she felt Chu Mao was just trying to fool her. Not to mention their difficult circumstances these past few years, he could not leave the capital at will. Once he ascended the throne, he would be confined to the palace for life; when would he ever have the chance to go to the southern sea to watch the sunrise?

Seeing the disbelief in Ah Wu’s eyes, Chu Mao hugged her even tighter, pressing his lips to her forehead. “Do you not believe me? If you bear me a son, in ten years or so, we can have him rule the country, and I will take you to the southern sea for a carefree life. Would that not be perfect?”

Ah Wu blushed at Chu Mao’s mention of “having a son,” then laughed at his arrogance. She was experienced enough to understand his ascension to the throne, but things were still far from certain. How could he be so sure his son would rule? She asked, “Is Your Highness absolutely certain?”

Chu Mao remained silent, tapping Ah Wu’s pink lips with his fingertip.

Ah Wu felt a chill in her heart. He still kept her at arm’s length, indulging her when he pleased and leaving her to cool off when he annoyed her.

“If I lose, what will you do?” Chu Mao asked, looking into Ah Wu’s eyes.

Ah Wu was taken aback. She had never considered this possibility, because she knew Chu Mao would not lose. But no one could guarantee such a thing, so Ah Wu could not stubbornly tell Chu Mao, “You will not lose.”

“Now that I’ve married Your Highness, I naturally have to follow you wherever you go. If Your Highness loses, I will not live a life of shame either,” Ah Wu said, wrapping her arms around Chu Mao’s neck.

“You are willing to part with it, but I am not.” Chu Mao tapped Ah Wu’s nose. “You will be staying in Shandong. If something happens, someone will come to pick you up. I’ve hidden a boat under this cliff. You can take it to Ryukyu.”

Ah Wu released his grip, stood up, and said to Chu Mao, “If Your Highness thinks of me like that, then do not come to the mansion to see me anymore. Just have someone send me to Ryukyu.”