Four Seasons Brocade – CH 219

Chapter 219 ☆、

Chu Mao understood and whispered in Ah Wu’s ear, “You taste much better than this food. As the saying goes, beauty is food for the eyes.”

Ah Wu could not resist pinching Chu Mao’s thigh, but his muscles were as hard as stone, and she could not budge him.

“I…” Ah Wu put down her chopsticks, about to get angry, but then heard Chu Mao leisurely say, “Eat, or I will still want you here next time.”

Ah Wu was surprised that Chu Mao could say such nonsense in front of the maid without batting an eye, even though his voice was too low for her to hear. It was still different from when they were alone.

Ah Wu could only eat in silence. Because she was so hungry, she not only ate a whole bowl of yams and poria porridge, but also a thin pancake with roasted duck shreds, a piece of pine nut and jade cake, and a piece of pea flour cake.

After the meal, Ah Wu gently rubbed her stomach, feeling a little full, but her eyelids kept drooping. After a moment’s thought, she lay down on the couch, comforting herself that lying on the couch was not considered sleeping.

However, Chu Mao could not let Ah Wu continue like this. He pulled her into his arms and said, “You are sleeping right after eating; be careful not to overeat.”

Ah Wu was too weak to argue with Chu Mao. Like a kitten, she rubbed her cheek against his chest, acting coquettishly. Chu Mao almost softened, and finally, he gently rubbed Ah Wu’s cheek, saying, “Shall we go for a walk in the garden?”

Ah Wu grumbled twice, then whispered, “It hurts; I cannot walk.”

“Just for a little while. I will not touch you tomorrow,” Chu Mao said.

These last words ignited Ah Wu’s spirit. With great effort, she struggled to lift her head from Chu Mao’s chest. “Is that true?”

“When have I ever lied to you?” Chu Mao retorted.

Ah Wu muttered, “He’s lied to me all the time. He never keeps his promises in bed, but Ah Wu always falls for that trick, hoping against hope that he’d keep his word.”

“Let’s go then.”

Ah Wu stood up, refusing to let Chu Mao embrace her. Intimacy inside was fine, but acting like that outside made Ah Wu feel she would lose all authority in front of the servants.

Since it was summer, Chu Mao led Ah Wu to the southeast of the Acacia Garden, an area of ​​water. They had just turned east after leaving Nine Lion Mountain when Ah Wu became reluctant to go any further.

“We will not go to the wide waters; just walk along the stream,” Chu Mao persuaded. The Wangwo Stream in the Acacia Garden encircled the entire garden. The stream was not wide, with gentle banks and rapids, quite charming, and Ah Wu occasionally enjoyed glancing at it from afar.

The two arrived at Fan-Xiang Pavilion. Chu Mao asked Lu Ruoxing to untie the bamboo raft tied to the willow tree, and taking Ah Wu’s hand, said, “Come on, let’s get on. I will pole you around. It rained a few days ago, but the North Sea has released water these past two days, so even the shallows are navigable.” Chu Mao was quite excited.

This opportunity was indeed rare, but Ah Wu was terrified of boating, especially since the bamboo raft had no edges; slipping into it would be disastrous.

Chu Mao glanced at Lu Ruoxing, who immediately pulled up his robe and stepped into the stream, where the water was only up to his thighs.

“See? You will not drown. Besides, I am here. I will always protect you, Ah Wu,” Chu Mao laughed. “You are afraid to even ride a boat. All those years in the water towns of Jiangnan were a waste.”

“Back in Jiangnan, I was always in the courtyard, never able to go out. There was no waste,” Ah Wu retorted.

“Then I will take you to Jiangnan from now on, and you will have plenty to do,” Chu Mao said.

Ah Wu, recalling the misty, watery landscapes of Jiangnan, laughed, “Your Highness, you must not go back on your word.”

Chu Mao picked Ah Wu up and placed her on a low stool on the bamboo raft. Remembering something, he asked Lu Ruoxing to fetch a flute and handed it to Ah Wu. “Play it for fun; it will distract you and make you less afraid.”

Ah Wu had a resilient side. She had been afraid of water for years and had always wanted to overcome it. So she complied with Chu Mao, put the flute to her lips, tried a few notes—they were very clear and melodious—and began to play “The Song of the Yue People.”

Chu Mao used a bamboo pole to push off from the other end of the raft, and it actually looked quite professional; at least the raft was not spinning in place.

Ah Wu thought for a moment and said, “This does not look right; it does not look right. What kind of young master poles a boat? Your Highness should wear a straw hat and a raincoat to create a more authentic atmosphere.” Ah Wu was deliberately trying to make things difficult for Chu Mao.

“That’s right,” Chu Mao said.

Lu Ruoxing, who had become quite shrewd, gave a signal to the young eunuch beside him as soon as Ah Wu finished speaking. The eunuch dashed off and returned shortly with a straw raincoat and hat. He had actually found it!

Even in a straw raincoat, Prince Qi was still a handsome and distinguished fisherman. Ah Wu could not help but laugh, then put her flute to her lips again and played “Summer Lotus.”

The flute’s clear and melodious sound seemed to bloom like lotus flowers wherever it went. As the bamboo raft passed through the tunnel beneath the artificial hill, the flute’s melody echoed through the empty tunnel walls, creating a particularly moving and evocative effect. The horn-shaped lantern on the raft reflected on the water below, creating shimmering, dim light—a beauty so profound it felt like being in the dark of night.

After passing through the tunnel, a narrow stretch of rapids came into view. Water splashed onto Ah Wu’s arms, its coolness making her sigh. Ah Wu’s mind was focused on her flute, her eyes locked on Chu Mao, momentarily forgetting she was on a stream.

Ahead, the water gradually widened, creating a sense of openness and wonder. The lights of the houses ahead were reflected in the ripples of the Jinjiang River, giving the impression of a celestial palace. Ah Wu, caught up in the music, stood up, lost in thought. Chu Mao, also gazing at the distant scenery, was suddenly startled when Ah Wu’s eyes inadvertently fell onto the lake.

Chu Mao immediately turned around but only managed to touch the hem of Ah Wu’s clothes. Ah Wu, terrified and panicked, cried out, “Help!” but instead choked on the lake water. Chu Mao, already in the lake, swam towards Ah Wu.

In just a few strokes, he reached Ah Wu’s side, slipped his hand under her armpit, swam towards the bamboo raft, and, using the raft for leverage, scooped Ah Wu up and jumped onto it.

Ah Wu trembled in Chu Mao’s arms. She had swallowed some lake water and was still coughing. Chu Mao patted and rubbed her back, afraid she would catch a cold.

He hurriedly comforted her, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid; it’s all my fault. We will never row again, never again.”

Ah Wu coughed until her chest ached, but she said, “No, I want to row again next time, tomorrow.”

Ah Wu’s stubbornness had been stirred up by the water; it was as if she had a grudge against it. In her past life, she had drowned; in this life, she had jumped into the water as a child to escape bad guys; and today, she had accidentally fallen in again. Good things did not happen three times in a row, Ah Wu thought; bad things probably could not always happen to her.

“Good, good. What a lovely little girl.” Chu Mao pulled Ah Wu into his arms, warming her with his body.

Seeing this from the shore, Lu Ruoxing quickly called for a quilt and chased away the bystanders. Only then did Chu Mao, carrying Ah Wu, lightly touch the bamboo raft with his toes, leap into the air, and then, using the water for leverage, jump ashore.

Lu Ruoxing did not dare look at Ah Wu, bowing his head and extending his hand to pass her the quilt. Chu Mao wrapped Ah Wu in the quilt and hurriedly led her to the nearest Bingxue Forest.

After a hot bath and ginger soup, he busied himself with everything before finally settling Ah Wu into bed. Chu Mao sat beside her, helping her to style her hair.

Ah Wu smiled at Chu Mao, her lips pursed. He had boasted earlier that with him around, nothing would happen; looking at him, nothing bad had happened.

Chu Mao, feeling guilty and helpless, tapped Ah Wu’s nose and said, “It’s my fault; I was distracted.”

Ah Wu looked at Chu Mao’s smile, which was more like a grimace. She was not really blaming him. In fact, when Chu Mao jumped in to save her at the first moment, Ah Wu’s fear of water seemed to vanish. She could only see him, and she knew he would save her.

Ah Wu leaned closer to Chu Mao and wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, “I knew Your Highness would save me, so I was not afraid anymore.”

Chu Mao gazed deeply at Ah Wu, feeling a stinging sadness in his eyes and heart. This girl, before him, possessed the power to melt his heart, making him feel he could never love her enough.

“Ah Wu, Ah Wu…” Chu Mao showered her with kisses, all his affection condensed in each soft call.

“Achoo,” Ah Wu sneezed, and Chu Mao stopped, wrapping her back in the blankets and continuing to fumigate her hair.

The next day, Chu Mao ordered Ah Wu’s belongings to be moved to Bingxue Forest, while Lu Ruoxing and his men began measuring the dimensions of Yulan Hall. Chu Mao pulled Ah Wu to his study.

Ah Wu asked curiously, “Does Your Highness not have to attend court these days?”

“His Majesty plans to go to the Western Garden to escape the summer heat in a couple of days and has therefore exempted us from the morning court for the next few days,” Chu Mao replied.

The Emperor both sought refuge from the summer heat and held court there. Civil and military officials took turns guarding the Western Garden. Favored ministers were summoned by the Emperor almost daily, making them practically permanent residents. However, their families were not allowed to accompany them. Therefore, before visiting the Western Garden, the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty would excuse them from morning court for a few days, considerately allowing them to handle family matters.

Chu Mao spread out a sheet of white paper and began drawing on it with a ruler, compass, and ink brush. Ah Wu had seen this method used by craftsmen before and was very curious. Leaning against the table, she watched Chu Mao draw. He glanced at the geometrical plans of Yulan Hall presented by Lu Ruoxing and then began to write.

Soon, the outline of a bathhouse appeared on the paper. Chu Mao also marked the dimensions. Below the bathhouse was another layer, resembling a drawn ditch, a very complex layout that Ah Wu could not quite understand.

Then Ah Wu noticed that Chu Mao had marked on the map where to put the chaise longue, where to put the clothes rack, where to put the low cabinet, and so on, in great detail. However, when Ah Wu saw that there was also a folding chair in the bathing room, she became a little uneasy.

“Why is that here?” Ah Wu asked, pointing to the markings.

Chu Mao smiled. “It will naturally be useful.”

“Chu Mao!” Ah Wu said reproachfully.