Four Seasons Brocade – CH 204

Chapter 204 ☆、

Ah Wu watched as Chu Mao rose and filled nine pairs of golden cups on the table with wine, each pair connected by a colorful knot.

Ah Wu’s alcohol tolerance was definitely not good; just looking at the nine cups made her dizzy. “Your Highness, is it not only one cup?”

Chu Mao smiled. “Those who are late know to punish themselves with three cups. The two of us, three times three equals nine, so should we not drink nine cups? Nine is also a large number; after we drink, we will surely be together for a long, long time.”

Having said that, Ah Wu simply could not refuse. She forced herself to drink the nine cups and immediately felt her mouth and tongue numb, her head spinning, as if she were sitting on a cloud. Only her eyes were moving.

Ah Wu stared blankly as Chu Mao removed her phoenix hairpin, without reacting. It took her a long time to come to her senses.

“Would you like to take a bath?” Chu Mao asked in Ah Wu’s ear.

“No need, I just took a bath,” Ah Wu replied, then belatedly realized that Chu Mao wanted to consummate their marriage, which was why he asked if she had bathed. Ah Wu was glad she had answered “no.”

“I also bathed before coming,” Chu Mao said with a smile.

Ah Wu was now completely speechless, wishing she could kick Chu Mao out.

“Ah Wu,” Chu Mao called Ah Wu’s name softly, forehead to forehead, “Do not be afraid; I will not force you. Let’s lie down and talk.”

Ah Wu was now more inclined to believe she was pregnant, like a frightened bird. She was willing to cooperate with whatever Chu Mao said, just hoping he would not force her to consummate the marriage; Ah Wu was truly unprepared.

Of course, if Ah Wu were given time to prepare, she might never be ready for consummation of the marriage.

“I will braid your hair for you.” Chu Mao pulled Ah Wu to the dressing table, but his mind drifted to the words of Ling Yu, the most notorious philanderer in the capital: “A woman’s long, flowing hair spread across the bed is breathtakingly beautiful, but it’s also easy for her to become irritable from having her hair pulled.”

Chu Mao let Ah Wu’s hair down. Although the braids were now crooked and uneven, they were still presentable, possessing a unique, messy beauty. Ah Wu, though not appreciative, was too drunk to bother with it herself.

The two of them removed their outer garments, lying face to face on the bed in only their inner garments. Ah Wu closed her eyes, wanting to sleep, but heard Chu Mao say, “Ah Wu, do you remember the first time we met?”

Ah Wu’s mind was hazy. Was her first meeting with Chu Mao not in her past life? What did he look like back then? Ah Wu could not remember. An unfavored prince, how could he compare to Princess Kangning, who was favored by her uncle, the Emperor? Like her princess mother, Ah Wu had never given the Fourth Prince a second glance.

“How did you know I could help you when you were so young and encountered kidnappers? There were so many people at the Lantern Festival; was it not fate? Who could have known that the little girl would become my wife?” Chu Mao’s hand slowly slipped under Ah Wu’s clothes, stopping when she moved.

Recalling their shared past to draw them closer was a tactic His Highness Prince Qi used with great skill.

“What was your first impression of me, Your Highness?” Ah Wu, intrigued, gazed at Chu Mao with large, dreamy eyes, the hazy beauty in them almost drowning one in a misty lake.

Chu Mao circulated his inner energy to suppress his increasingly heavy breathing.

“I thought to myself, ‘If only I had a daughter as beautiful as her,'” Chu Mao said, though it was easy to imagine that if he and Ah Wu had a daughter, she would naturally be as beautiful as her mother. Ah Wu glanced at Chu Mao, her mind racing. Would it be a blessing or a curse to have a father like Prince Qi? She imagined Prince Qi as a father, very stern and strict with his daughter. Ah Wu shuddered. This could not be good; she’d rather not be his daughter.

“Remember our second meeting? It was at the Lantern Festival. I saved you. Generally, after a hero saves a damsel in distress, should the beauty not repay him with her body, Ah Wu?” Chu Mao captured Ah Wu’s lips, gently pecking them.

Ah Wu tried to back away, but Chu Mao pressed down on her. Her back was against the bed, leaving her nowhere to retreat. Her breasts were being roughly handled by Chu Mao, but it did not hurt like last time. Ah Wu tried to lift her legs, but Chu Mao had already anticipated it. Prince Qi would not make the same mistake twice.

The more Ah Wu resisted, the tighter she was held, making it difficult to breathe. When she relaxed, she found that Prince Qi loosened his grip slightly. Ah Wu had no choice but to give up resisting. Once Prince Qi had kissed her enough, he would leave on his own—a lesson Ah Wu had learned from her limited experience.

Meanwhile, Chu Mao felt that Ling Yu’s words were not entirely without merit. For example, he had said: “Those noblewomen in the capital appear chaste on the surface, but in reality, if you force yourself on them, they cannot resist and will submit. Their only concern is being discovered.”

Ah Wu, of course, did not worry about being discovered. Like those noblewomen, she calculated the gains and losses and weighed the merits and demerits. Since she could not resist, she naturally accepted it.

However, while those noblewomen began to enjoy their submission, Ah Wu could not. Chu Mao could not bear to force her, so he could only coax her gently.

Ah Wu’s lips were finally released by Chu Mao, and she gasped for breath, momentarily forgetting the hands ravaging her chest.

“Your Highness!” Ah Wu grabbed Chu Mao’s hand as he untied her bodice, her face feigning reproach. “Rest early.”

Chu Mao ignored Ah Wu’s words but stopped untying her bodice, merely fiddling with it as if playing with it, making it difficult for Ah Wu to hold his hand any longer.

“Ah Wu, you are all the family I have left.”

Ah Wu heard Chu Mao suddenly sigh, then he continued, “There’s no kinship in the imperial family. I’d rather have been born into a commoner’s family. In their families, when a child is born, there are no wet nurses; the woman breastfeeds the child herself. That child is a treasure. Here, let alone the imperial family, even in aristocratic families, where do the ladies breastfeed their children? They are raised by wet nurses from birth, closer than the biological mother.”

Ah Wu did not understand why Chu Mao was bringing this up out of the blue. Was he pleading for Nanny Hao?

“Aristocratic families also have ladies who breastfeed their children,” Ah Wu retorted. At least when she was weak, she heard that it was best for a child to drink their mother’s milk. She was breastfed by the Imperial Princess, and thus, the bond between mother and daughter was very deep.

“I’ve never seen my mother, let alone drunk her milk,” Chu Mao said, looking into Ah Wu’s eyes.

Ah Wu felt a pang of pain in her heart, grieving for Chu Mao, who had lost his mother at birth.

Chu Mao kneaded Ah Wu’s ample breasts, quickly lifting her clothes and pulling them up.

Ah Wu was stunned for a moment before reacting, not realizing when Chu Mao had untied her bodice. It was obvious; she had unconsciously allowed his inappropriate behavior while she was feeling sorry for him.

Ah Wu was both ashamed and anxious, but a tingling, itchy sensation spread through her chest. Coupled with the alcohol she had consumed, she felt weak all over. She tried to push Chu Mao’s head away, but he did not move. When she tried to twist her body, he pressed against hers.

Ah Wu looked down at Chu Mao, who was also looking up at her. Their eyes met, and Ah Wu’s gaze was fixed on Chu Mao’s tongue teasing her nipple, a flick and a tingling sensation that sent a shiver down her spine. Ah Wu did not know why she was reacting this way; she wanted to pull away, yet she did not. She clenched her toes tightly to suppress a moan. She wondered where Prince Qi had learned these techniques, so skillful and ruthless. Compared to his previous awkwardness, he was now much more adept. Ah Wu, of course, could not grasp the subtleties behind it all.

“Ah Wu, Ah Wu, let’s be a real couple, alright?” Chu Mao whispered in Ah Wu’s ear.

Ah Wu froze, startled, and tried to back away, but Chu Mao held her tightly in his arms. “Do not be afraid; I will not force you.”

How could Ah Wu not be afraid? She was terrified. A burning hardness pressed against her lower abdomen, and Ah Wu was too frightened to move.

“Ah Wu, Ah Wu, darling, I feel pain; I feel pain,” Chu Mao gasped.

This was the first time His Highness Prince Qi had shown such vulnerability in front of Ah Wu. Ah Wu could only hold Chu Mao’s head, unsure how to comfort him or what was troubling him.

“Ah Wu, Ah Wu, feed me,” Chu Mao said, looking at Ah Wu, then down at her chest.

Ah Wu was not sure if she saw pleading in Chu Mao’s eyes, but she felt she could not bring herself to refuse. While she hesitated, Chu Mao’s hand had already slipped inside her pants, touching her inner thigh. Startled, Ah Wu quickly pushed his hand away, forcing herself to puff out her chest, enduring his passionate kisses, hoping he would distract her.

Dealing with naive girls was indeed as Ling Yu had said: as long as you were shameless and feigned weakness, these kind-hearted girls would not have the heart to refuse you; they possessed more maternal instincts than those cunning noblewomen.

However, Ah Wu was both a naive girl and a cunning “noblewoman.” Her mind was full of calculations. For example, just now, she had quickly weighed the advantages and disadvantages between what was below and what was above, choosing instead to cut off her own tail—though that analogy was not quite accurate.

Ah Wu knelt on the bed, cupping Chu Mao’s face in her hands, unsure whether to press his head against her chest or push him away. Suddenly, the illustrations in Tang Yin’s little secret book flashed into her mind. Ah Wu had always had a good memory, especially for paintings and calligraphy; she could remember anything she saw. The woman in the book, dressed in thin gauze, looked just like her now.

Ah Wu was so ashamed she could barely sit up.

Taking advantage of Ah Wu’s weakness, Chu Mao kissed almost every inch of her body. He had remarkable stamina, finally taking a dab of ointment from a small box he had prepared beforehand by the bedside and applying it to her while she was still dazed.

“Your Highness, what are you doing?” Ah Wu tried to retreat, but Chu Mao pressed on relentlessly. She had already yielded several times, but Chu Mao still would not let her go. “Your Highness, did not you say you would not force me?”

“Ah Wu, baby, let me teach you a lesson. A man’s words in this matter do not count.” Chu Mao held Ah Wu’s waist firmly, thrusting in before she could retreat.

Ah Wu screamed, tears streaming down her face from the pain. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly, her fingers turning white.

It was not that Prince Qi did not understand tenderness; it was that if he entered slowly, it would be like a dull knife cutting her flesh, causing her even more torment. Chu Mao had done his research and witnessed many things firsthand to minimize Ah Wu’s suffering.

“Do not cry, do not cry; it will not hurt in a bit.” Chu Mao gently kissed away Ah Wu’s tears. His “pain” was no less than Ah Wu’s; endurance was the greatest pain.

This kind of endurance was sweet, and Chu Mao was so excited he wanted to shout. For the first time in his life, he experienced such suffocating heat and warmth, a warmth that made him want to bury himself completely in Ah Wu’s body, to be enveloped by her.

But this warmth was different from the usual cozy warmth. This warmth was exciting, made him scream, and aroused a strong sense of killing intent. Chu Mao needed extraordinary self-control to restrain his impulses.

Chu Mao was also experiencing such pleasure for the first time. Now he could understand Ling Yu’s tireless enthusiasm for this. It was like a traveler who had walked for three days in a scorching desert without a drop of water, suddenly encountering an oasis with a clear blue lake. He excitedly rushed in and drank the sweet lake water with relish.

Countless tiny fish swam in the warm lake, their mouths agape, eagerly sucking at him, making him feel as if his soul had flown away. Chu Mao felt a surge of emotion, almost losing face. Even though he felt sorry for Ah Wu, he could not control himself and slowly began to move.

Ah Wu whimpered in pain, her sobs like a kitten’s, a plea for mercy. But surrendering at this moment only fueled the man’s lust. “Ah Wu, Ah Wu, call my name.”

Ah Wu could not open her eyes in pain, but another image flashed through her mind. It said that such a position could cause premature ejaculation. Although Ah Wu did not understand what premature ejaculation was, she instinctively knew it would be something that would make her suffer more. She wrapped her legs around Chu Mao’s waist, gently calling out in a soothing tone, “Jinghui, Jinghui…” This soothing was merely Ah Wu’s wishful thinking, hoping to calm Chu Mao down. Her actions undoubtedly cooperated with Chu Mao, thus boosting the Prince’s confidence. Each call of “Jinghui” was like a death knell for Ah Wu; only she looked pitifully like a kitten crying.

Fortunately, Ah Wu’s ordeal did not last long, only a short while. Chu Mao gently stroked Ah Wu’s back and pecked her cheek, “Ah Wu, Ah Wu…”

Ah Wu curled up, ignoring Chu Mao, feeling utterly wronged and in excruciating pain.

Chu Mao was also extremely uncomfortable. Although he had never done this before, men inevitably talked about women when they were together, especially since Ling Yu was practically inseparable from women. A man who could not last even a quarter of an hour in this situation could not be called a man; he’d be a laughingstock.

Prince Qi was also extremely strong-willed and doted on Ah Wu, wanting to give her the best of everything. In the end, he could not even last a quarter of an hour. How could Prince Qi possibly sleep?

Chu Mao got up and tidied himself, then wrung out a handkerchief to clean Ah Wu. Ah Wu, in too much pain to resist, let him do as he pleased and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Poor Chu Mao, though he had released himself, felt no relief. Seeing the redness and bleeding in Ah Wu’s private parts, he knew he could not continue. He dressed, carried Ah Wu to the bed, and called Yong-Mei and the others to come in and change the sheets.

Ah Wu slept soundly until dawn, having not slept a wink all night. She felt a weight lifted from her heart; she would no longer have to listen to Lady Cui’s nagging. She hoped she would conceive in one night, and then she would never have to suffer like this again.

Having understood all this, Ah Wu opened her eyes and saw Chu Mao propping his head up with his hand, staring at her without blinking. His gaze was like that of a hungry wolf eyeing a piece of fresh meat.

Ah Wu shuddered in fright.

Chu Mao gently patted Ah Wu’s back and said, “I applied the medicine five times last night, and the swelling has gone down.”

Chu Mao’s eyes were bloodshot, as if he had not slept all night. He had been watching the swelling all night, waiting for it to subside so he could wake Ah Wu, but seeing how soundly she was sleeping, he could not bring himself to do it.

Ah Wu blinked, and the next moment Chu Mao had her pinned down. This time, His Highness Prince Qi had made some progress, holding out for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea and burn an incense stick.

Poor, delicate Ah Wu was now covered in welts. She tried to move, but Chu Mao pressed her down. “Do not move; I will take care of you after a short while.”

Ah Wu was too frightened to move. His manhood was still erect. Tears welled in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall. Just moments before, at the most dangerous moment, Chu Mao had whispered in her ear again and again, “Ah Wu, do not cry. The more you cry, the more I want it.”

Ah Wu bit her fingers to barely suppress her sobs. She could not believe that Chu Mao, usually so gentle and refined, had acted like a wild beast.

After a long silence, Ah Wu finally felt Chu Mao stir. He hastily threw on some clothes, got up, wrung out a handkerchief, and began to wipe her legs. “Wipe them first, then I will call a maid in to serve you.”

“Hiss—” Ah Wu gasped. Even with Chu Mao’s gentle touch, it still hurt. She had always been pampered, and over the years had only made her more delicate; she had never suffered such pain.

Ah Wu felt increasingly wronged. Letting Chu Mao insert his genitals into her body was already absurd and unbearable, yet she was still being tormented like this. Her body ached terribly, and she was not even allowed to cry. It was truly outrageous! Tears began to fall from Ah Wu’s eyes. She sniffed, wiping away the tears with her fingers, but the more she wiped, the more tears streamed down her face. She sniffed again and said softly, “Your Highness, I can do it myself.”

Ah Wu’s voice was usually sweet, but somehow it sounded even sweeter and softer now, melting one’s heart.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Chu Mao asked.

Ah Wu nodded. Since she had already lost big, she had to play the victim and let him know how much she was hurting.

Chu Mao thought to himself, Ah Wu probably had no idea how maddening she looked right now. Her face was flushed, her lips were pink and glistening, and her eyes were watery—she was breathtakingly beautiful, making one want to shrink her down, hide her in their chest, or swallow her whole to feel at ease.

Chu Mao stared intently at Ah Wu. The more aggrieved she seemed, the more he wanted to tease her. Her entire body was flushed pink; even her toes were a delicate pink. Her neck, chest, and breasts were covered in marks—the marks of his arousal. These marks reminded him how alluring her body was. He completely lost control of his strength, listening to her cat-like pleas for mercy, “Jinghui, Jinghui.” Was there anything more pleasurable in the world?

Chu Mao recalled Ling Yu’s words: “Women with beautiful bodies are much harder to find than women with beautiful faces. Some women look radiant, but once inside, they are so smooth you could not hold them. It’s like boating on the ocean—utterly boring. You can go for half an hour, let alone a quarter of an hour. Other women are slightly better; they have a firm grip and some wrinkles, which are quite appealing. These two types are the majority.”

There was another kind, with well-proportioned bones and flesh, a slender waist that was actually supple yet sinewy, with layers upon layers of flesh like unopened flower buds, some even possessing an inner pull—truly the tomb of heroes’ souls. Even the most heroic young man, if he could last a quarter of an hour, was already a first among prodigals. To encounter one in one’s lifetime was truly a stroke of good fortune, a blessing bestowed upon one by one’s ancestors. In the words of Young Master Ling Yu, it was truly, “If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening.”

Chu Mao grew angrier the more he thought about it, wishing he could capture Ling Yu right now and gag him. He threw the handkerchief in his hand onto the table.

Ah Wu was terrified of Chu Mao’s gaze at this moment. In her daze, her legs were already hoisted onto his shoulders. “Your Highness!” Ah Wu’s cry was both cute and pitiful, but it did nothing to stop Prince Qi’s beastly transformation.

Because this was the third time, Prince Qi had finally regained some face this time, barely missing a quarter of an hour. Poor Ah Wu, although Chu Mao had been gently caressing her earlier, she had only been deflowered the night before. She was inherently more delicate than others and could not withstand such frequent torment; she was in unbearable pain.

Chu Mao carried Ah Wu to the bathtub in the bathing room and said in a low, humble voice, “Are you able to move? I will have Zi-Shan come in and serve you, alright?”

Ah Wu’s eyes stung from the tears. She glared at Chu Mao; how could anyone see her like this? Chu Mao touched his nose, admitting his mistake, and smiled ingratiatingly, “I will wait for you outside. Call me when you are done washing, and I will come in and serve you.”