Four Seasons Brocade – CH 225

Chapter 225 ☆、

Chu Mao tidied Ah Wu’s wet hair and helped her take off her wet clothes. The two were naked before each other. Ah Wu’s face, steamed by the heat, was tinged with rose juice, emitting an alluring sweet fragrance.

“Is it not more interesting to figure things out yourself?” A faint smile appeared on Chu Mao’s face.

Ah Wu looked into Chu Mao’s eyes, which were like a sea of ​​stars—mysterious, vast, and distant. Ah Wu took Chu Mao’s words as a test. If she figured it out, it would mean that Chu Mao would value her thoughts and opinions from now on.

Now, Chu Mao naturally valued ​​Ah Wu, but Ah Wu knew that while he might like her as a person—her face, her body (His Highness Prince Qi had praised her countless times)—he certainly did not include what was inside her head.

Ah Wu never imagined she’d stoop to using her looks to please someone. She could perhaps deceive herself; Yuan Rongmeng’s face was equally beautiful, yet Chu Mao showed her no pity. Although her appearance had changed, her inner self was exactly the same as Princess Kangning from her previous life. Unfortunately, Princess Kangning, Gu Ah Wu, had never received the Fourth Prince’s favor.

Furthermore, Ah Wu felt that Chu Mao was too obsessed with her body and never cared about her thoughts or attitudes, let alone treated her with the respect due to a principal wife or consulted with her on anything. Ah Wu had witnessed her father, the Duke of Wei, interacting with Princess Fuhui. He consulted the Princess on everything, and she held absolute authority as the matriarch of the Gu family—a quality Ah Wu admired and aspired to.

Thinking of this, Ah Wu felt somewhat deflated. Even in the midst of their initial excitement, when Chu Mao was infatuated with her body, she absolutely could not tolerate her using it to control or influence him. This lack of control made Ah Wu somewhat irritated.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Ah Wu’s mind. Someone like Chu Mao must also dislike things beyond his control.

“Your Highness, did you arrange the meeting between Pure Consort and the Sixth Prince?” Ah Wu asked.

Although Chu Yu was the Sixth Prince, he was older and had to avoid suspicion in the palace. How could he have become involved with Yuan Rongmeng so quickly? Yuan Rongmeng was not stupid; she would be wary of him, and she would not have succeeded so easily.

“Heh.” Chu Mao let out a barely audible chuckle. “Yes and no, they are birds of a feather; they hit it off immediately. No one else needed to act as a matchmaker.”

This indirectly indicated that Chu Mao had once guided Yuan Rongmeng in this direction.

“Actually, I learned this trick from Ah Wu,” Chu Mao said.

Ah Wu’s heart tightened. It seemed Chu Mao knew everything that had happened at the Duke of Anguo’s mansion. She wondered if he was paying special attention to the Duke of Anguo’s mansion or if he did not trust her as the principal wife and wanted to dig into her past, just as he had secretly investigated Yuan Rongmeng’s background.

Ah Wu felt a chill. Their bodies could be intimate, but their hearts remained forever shrouded in mist.

“Yes, we were both disliked by our elders,” Ah Wu said, explaining her predicament and aligning herself with Chu Mao.

“Get up, the water’s cold.” Chu Mao stepped out of the bathtub, lifted Ah Wu out, dried her off, and dressed her before tending to himself.

Yuan Rongmeng’s body was still lying in state at Ningchun Hall. As this was Chu Mao’s father’s woman, Ah Wu was somewhat reserved. Therefore, that night, the two simply slept in each other’s arms.

Ah Wu was not used to facing Chu Mao. His warm breath made it hard to breathe, so she turned her back to him. The two slept like stacked spoons, perfectly aligned.

Chu Mao’s fingers lightly traced Ah Wu’s waist, seemingly lost in thought, but clearly with no intention of sharing it with her.

The next day, Chu Mao left early. Ah Wu could not feign sleep; Chu Mao, that utterly wicked man, gave her no hint whatsoever.

During breakfast, Ah Wu dismissed the maids serving her, keeping Zi-Yi behind and asking, “What have you found out?”

“The servants around Pure Consort have all been detained. Her Imperial Highness the Noble Consort has ordered that no one is allowed to discuss this matter. However, I did manage to find out a little something. I heard that Pure Consort died from bleeding from the womb; the bedding on her bed was soaked in blood.”

Hearing Zi-Yi’s words, Ah Wu conjured up the image in her mind, feeling a chill run down her spine, as if she could smell the blood. She quickly composed herself. “How could there be bleeding from the womb for no reason?”

“Yes, I find that strange too. I’ve only heard of bleeding from the womb happening during childbirth,” Zi-Yi said.

Zi-Yi’s words undoubtedly reminded Ah Wu that if Yuan Rongmeng was not giving birth, could she have miscarried? Could the things Yuan Rongmeng said to Ah Wu about the child while touching her stomach last time mean that she already knew she was pregnant?

Ah Wu was taken aback. Yuan Rongmeng was far too bold! What if she showed signs of pregnancy? How would she handle the situation?

Yuan Rongmeng was pregnant, so it was no wonder that Consort Xiang was in such a hurry to make her move. Poor Yuan Rongmeng was still fooling around with Chu Yu during the day.

However, Ah Wu still could not figure out what Chu Mao was trying to achieve.

“Jinghui, Jinghui.” When Chu Mao returned to Yanjia Hall that evening, Ah Wu wagged her tail like a begging kitten, trying to please him. Curiosity really did kill the cat. Ah Wu knew the truth would eventually come out, but she just could not help thinking about it and guessing, and the inability to guess made her anxious.

“Hmm.” Chu Mao put down the book in his hand and sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Ignoring the helpless smile on Chu Mao’s lips, Ah Wu asked, “Did you find anything today, Jinghui?” Ah Wu nuzzled her head against Chu Mao’s chest, offering herself up and sitting in his lap.

Chu Mao looked at Ah Wu with amusement. She had so many weaknesses. Normally, she was as proud as a peacock, but once you found her weakness, she could be as servile as a hungry cat.

Seeing that Chu Mao showed no intention of speaking, Ah Wu lowered her voice even further, pleading in a soft, coquettish tone, “Jinghui, Jinghui, please tell me, alright?”

“You will find out in a couple of days,” Chu Mao said, grabbing Ah Wu’s shoulder and pushing her to sit down.

Ah Wu gritted her teeth in anger but put on a pitiful expression. “Jinghui—”

Chu Mao showed no mercy. Ah Wu was like a fox trying to coax an eagle into opening its mouth and stealing meat from its beak. The meat was there, of course, and she had no choice but to eat it.

Chu Mao got up and went to the bed, taking off their shoes and clothes, and lay down, intending to sleep.

“Just tell me, Jinghui; I am so anxious, I am itching to know.” Ah Wu used all her charm, practically burying herself in Chu Mao’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, and shaking him. “Brother.”

Even when Chu Mao was making love to her, forcing her to call him “brother,” Ah Wu rarely gave in. And even then, it was perfunctory. This “brother” was so sweet, alluring, and tender—it could make a monk renounce his vows.

Chu Mao pinched Ah Wu’s cheek. “You are already anxious? Do you know how anxious I was when you gave me that cold shoulder the other day?”

A sentence that was originally full of affection, spoken in such a teasing tone by Prince Qi, sounded like sarcasm to Ah Wu.

Anxious? Ah Wu could not see anything amiss in Chu Mao. She only felt that Prince Qi and the phrase “calm and composed” were inseparable buddies. However, since Chu Mao had said this now, he must be trying to save face.

Last time, their reconciliation had not involved any backroom deals; they’d jumped straight down from the sky. Ah Wu naturally wanted to appease Prince Qi this time.

“This concubine does not see any sign of Your Highness’s anxiety,” Ah Wu sneered, referring to herself as a concubine.

Chu Mao looked at Ah Wu, a slight smile still playing on his lips. Why could she not see it? Even his servant, Lu Ruoxing, with his keen nose, could tell he was unusually anxious, but Ah Wu, who shared his bed every day, said she could not see it at all. Chu Mao did not know if he was just pretending too well or if Ah Wu simply had no heart.

Ah Wu’s act was merely a ploy to wait for Chu Mao to respond so she could then express her deep anxiety and trepidation over the past few days. However, Chu Mao simply turned away and went to sleep, offering no response whatsoever.

Ah Wu thought to herself, “Oh no, it seems I’ve used the wrong tactics. It seems I’ve never been able to get anything right with Chu Mao.”

Ah Wu was naturally shy, and after shamelessly trying to appease Chu Mao for so long, she still ended up being ridiculed. Feeling wronged and distressed, she turned over and lay down on the inside of the bed, tears streaming down her face, soaking a large patch the size of her fist.

Silent crying was the most exhausting, and having to control her trembling shoulders made Ah Wu feel a sharp, throbbing pain in her heart. She felt utterly useless. Several years had passed, yet she had made no progress regarding the Princess’s affairs, and she saw no hope for the future. The road ahead seemed endless, and Ah Wu felt lost and confused.

A moment later, Chu Mao’s hand reached out. Ah Wu could not dodge, and his fingers touched her face. Chu Mao paused, then pulled Ah Wu’s shoulders.

Ah Wu struggled a couple of times, but she could not overcome Chu Mao’s strength. Her tear-streaked face was now before Chu Mao’s eyes. Ah Wu felt both ashamed and angry. She pushed Chu Mao away, abruptly sitting up. She really did not want to face Chu Mao anymore. Ah Wu tried to get out of bed by stepping over him.

Chu Mao pulled Ah Wu into his arms. “It was just a joke; why are you so petty?”

Ah Wu was so angry at Chu Mao’s words that her teeth chattered, tears streaming down her face. She no longer had the strength to fight back. She thought to herself, “Fine, fine. If that day comes, I will just slit my throat and follow the Princess. That would be repaying the debt of gratitude I owed her in my past life.”

“Ah Wu.” Chu Mao noticed Ah Wu’s unusual behavior and turned her to face him. Her usually bright eyes were now clouded with a grayness, and Chu Mao’s heart sank.

“Ah Wu,” Chu Mao called again.

“Your Highness, you are too hard on me,” Ah Wu said softly. “If I were to die one day, I wonder if Your Highness would even grieve for me.” In Ah Wu’s mind, she seemed to already picture herself going to the underworld with her elder brothers and mother.

“Do not talk about death so easily, Ah Wu!” Chu Mao’s tone became irritated. He could not bear to hear Ah Wu say that word; he never even dared to think about it. For a moment, the image of the Longqing Emperor’s graying hair in his prime flashed through Chu Mao’s mind—he was nothing more than a walking corpse.

“I told you so, I told you so!” Ah Wu, who had been holding back her anger for so long, finally found an outlet. “If I die, Your Highness does not need to bury me. Just cremate me and scatter my ashes in a beautiful place. I…”

“Ah Wu!” Chu Mao roared, wishing he could slap her to stop her from saying such cruel things.

After venting her anger, Ah Wu realized why she had cursed herself to die. But seeing Chu Mao’s furious expression and his reddened eyes, her anger subsided a little.

“Your Highness does not want to see me, so why are you acting like this…” Ah Wu said, crying.

“When did I not want to see you?” Chu Mao hugged Ah Wu tighter. “I wish I could hold you in my arms, take you everywhere, and kiss your little mouth anytime.” Chu Mao lowered his head and kissed Ah Wu’s lips, warm and soft. There was nothing more beautiful in the world than Ah Wu being alive.

“Then why were you ignoring me the other day?” Ah Wu did not believe Chu Mao’s sweet words; he could say a ton of them. “Do you know how scared I was? I thought… I thought you went to see Yuan Rongmeng.”

Chu Mao sighed, finding it ridiculous. He did not understand why Ah Wu would worry about such an absurd thing. “Why do you always think there’s something between us?”

“Of course there is! Did you not already agree that if things went well, you’d take her as a concubine?” Ah Wu said bluntly.

Chu Mao chuckled. “Just for that? There are so many women in the Prince’s mansion, so what’s wrong with taking her as a concubine? Besides, who am I doing this for? Is it not for some little rascal?” Chu Mao pinched Ah Wu’s nose.

Ah Wu frowned and pouted. “You are the big rascal.” But she had clearly accepted Chu Mao’s new nickname for her. “Why is it for me?”

“Of course it’s for you. To get Yuan Rongmeng to agree not to make things difficult for you, I was forced to agree,” Chu Mao said. “But since she dared to provoke you like that, I absolutely cannot let her live any longer.”

Ah Wu suddenly looked up. Chu Mao’s words had implied that he had also played a role in Yuan Rongmeng’s death. Was he starting to explain himself?

But if Ah Wu were Chu Mao, playing such a role in this matter, she would also find it difficult to speak of it. That was why Ah Wu hated others mentioning Concubine Wang. Putting herself in Chu Mao’s shoes, she imagined he felt the same way.

“Your Highness, please do not say anymore. I should not have kept asking you,” Ah Wu said softly, her eyes filled with pity as she looked at Chu Mao.

Chu Mao took Ah Wu’s hand, placed it to his lips, and kissed each fingertip. His long, thick eyelashes were almost as thick as Ah Wu’s.

Chu Mao’s eyelashes cast shadows on his eyes. Ah Wu did not know why this scene moved her. She knelt up, pressing Chu Mao’s head against her chest, her fingers gently stroking the back of his head.

Neither of them spoke. Chu Mao truly did not want to talk about it, but it was not for the reason Ah Wu thought. He would deceive himself into believing that what he had done had not happened.

After a long while, Chu Mao nuzzled against Ah Wu’s increasingly full breasts before looking up and asking, “Ah Wu, why do you always feel that there’s something between Pure Consort and me?”

Given Chu Mao’s character, let alone an impure woman, even a pure woman, he would never touch anyone other than Ah Wu. Ah Wu should not doubt that.

Ah Wu murmured shyly, “I think she’s quite beautiful, with a captivating charm that makes other women blush.”

Chu Mao chuckled, looking Ah Wu up and down. “Why can you not see your own captivating charm? You are alluring, and you even have a captivating fragrance. It makes me think of you constantly, long for you…” Chu Mao’s voice trailed off as he took Ah Wu’s nipple into his mouth through her thin clothing, gently biting it.

“No one can compare to your beauty, Ah Wu,” Chu Mao said, looking up at Ah Wu.

Author’s Note:

I really want to find a girl more beautiful, kinder, and younger than Ah Wu to look down on her.

But I can not bear to. I’m tormented by the thought that someone can be more beautiful than my Ah Wu.