To Be A Virtuous Wife

Also, almost halfway through, almost.

Chapter Sixty Er Ge, Are You Showing Off Your Love

The white jade hot spring, in Qu Qing Ju’s eyes, was just a small swimming pool. She happily did a few strokes of butterfly, and then backstroke. She swam from one side to another before she stopped to lean forward on one side and looked at He Heng who was sitting near the edge, drinking tea: "It’s such a pity that wang ye’s wounds haven’t healed yet. Otherwise, we could be soaking together." She saw the other’s eyes glance in her direction. Her feet pushed off and she swam away.

Seeing Qu Qing Ju treat the hot spring as her personal swimming pool, He Heng smiled helplessly. Even though the other’s actions were a bit annoying, her posture was very beautiful. His gaze fell upon the body in the pool. She was wearing a red body-length dress embroidered with a scale pattern. It spread out in the water, making her look like a mermaid. There was a beautiful dash of red in the pool, and then she purposefully struck a seductive pose.

When he saw Qu Qing Ju throw her head back, revealing the clean and white neck, He Heng gulped a large mouthful of tea to cool the heat inside.

It wasn’t good to soak for too long in the hot springs. Qu Qing Ju climbed on the jade stairs beside the hot spring to leave the pool. After using a large cotton cloth to towel herself down, she took off the now-transparent scale dress right in front of He Heng. She tied a large loose robe around her body, walked towards He Heng and bent down to pick up his teacup. She smiled as she commented: "Wang ye, drinking too much tea can cause your wound to scar."

He Heng was too busy admiring the picture of the beauty in the bath, and had forgotten about his tea. He reached out with his right hand to pull the other into his embrace, the teacup falling to the floor with a tinkling sound, "Since I cannot drink tea, why don’t I have a taste of a beauty instead?"

Qu Qing Ju’s finger gently swiped across the bandaged wound on He Heng’s left arm. She gave a smile full of regret and uncertainty: "But the taiyi said wang ye has to rest."

"The taiyi didn’t say that Qing Ju had to rest," He Heng moved as he held the person closer. A certain part that was exceptionally alert coincidentally touched Qu Qing Ju’s sensitive part, "Why doesn’t Qing Ju exercise some more?"

Qu Qing Ju twisted. Seeing the other inhale, she breathed softly and licked at his neck, "Is wang ye asking qie to help?"

As his right hand caressed that willowy waist, He Heng’s voice trembled, "Is Qing Ju willing to help?"

Her arms wrapping around He Heng’s neck, the corner of Qu Qing Ju’s mouth curled, looking unspeakably enticing. The tip of her tongue swiped across her lips and she asked in a light voice: "Wang ye, why don’t you take a guess?"

Their gazes met. In the midst of the white steam obscuring the room, the two curled around each other, igniting the excitement and tension in the room.

More than an hour later, Qu Qing Ju and He Heng came out together. Qu Qing Ju only had a red jade hairpin in her simple hairstyle and wore a wide-sleeved dress as red as the sunset. When contrasted against the black cotton robe of wang ye, it looked extremely picturesque.

He Ming was escorted by the servants to his residence. He coincidentally saw er ge and a red-clad woman walking together. He paused momentarily before lowering his eyes as he quickly walked in front of the two: "Good morning, er ge, er sao."

"Good morning si shu." Qu Qing Ju lowered her head slightly and took a small step back.

"You finally came, wei xiong has been hoping for a long time that you would come," He Heng released Qu Qing Ju’s hand. He said with a smile, "Go see your residence first. If there is anything lacking, just order them."

"Thanks, er ge." He Ming cupped his hand over his other in a fist. He, along with his entourage, followed the manor servants to his residence. His rooms were not far from Yu Yun Tower. It was called Joyful Jade Pavilion. Located beside his rooms was a hot spring. This seemed to have been specially arranged for He Ming.

He Ming looked at his surroundings. The furnishings were all very fine, even the color of the bed covering were what he usually used. Sitting down at the carved pear-wood table, the yahuan came in with tea and refreshments, presenting them to He Ming.

Just as he took a drink, He Ming saw Ming He coming in with a smile. He gave a respectful bow before he spoke: "Your Highness Cheng Wang, our wang ye said that after you have rested, he invites you to join him for the evening meal at Jade Cloud Tower. If Your Highness is not used to this room, nucai will get the servants to change it immediately.

"This place is very good, nothing needs to be changed. Give my thanks to er ge." He Ming smiled, pushing his teacup to one side, "It is me who is disturbing him. Gonggong, please tell er ge that I will arrive on time."

"Your Highness Cheng Wang exaggerates. You and our wang ye are brothers. There isn’t any disturbing here," Ming He bowed as he replied, "Nucai will report back to wang ye now. Your Highness, please have a good rest." He gave another bow before shutting the door as he left.

Once the door was closed, the rooms became much quieter. He Ming deduced that the servants were purposefully stepping lightly as they passed by his rooms, clearly being careful so that his rest was not disrupted.

"Er ge’s people are very proper,"" He Ming spread his arms, allowing his personal taijian Sun Hai to undress him. After his jade coronet was taken down, he leaned back into the sofa, "Coming here today means that I am standing with er ge."

Sun Hai carefully placed the jade coronet into a box. Hearing wang ye say such a thing, he questioned in a small voice: "Wang ye, you came here to recover, why ... ..."

"I’m already in the middle of the situation, who can I avoid it?" He Ming laughed carefree, "In any case, it wouldn’t be as bad now. More so with er ge. He may be usually warm and polite but he certainly isn’t a benevolent and soft-hearted person. Lao da might be straightforward and generous on the surface but in reality he was narrow-minded and remembered only offences, not boons. To ally with such a person, the other wouldn’t have gratitude for his allies unless every venture was successful. Lao san’s personality is arrogant and brash, his heart only has power, not the people. To be close to such a person, even if he became the Emperor, there wouldn’t be any easy days."

As He Ming spoke, his tone changed: "But er ge, his personality isn’t as generous as lao da’s but he doesn’t look at everyone haughtily. His thoughts might be deep but he isn’t of fickle character. As long as nothing seriously wrong occurs, there will be at least some feeling." Originally, he had been hesitant but when he saw er ge and er sao holding hands as they walked, he made his decision.

As an Emperor, he naturally couldn’t be compassionate and lenient but he would not be completely emotionless. Someone like er ge was perfect.

Sun Hai didn’t understand why wang ye suddenly made such a decision, but as a personal taijian, aside from loyalty, he also had to know when to speak. So he only needed to follow wang ye’s orders.

"Go deliver the gifts ben wang brought to Jade Cloud Tower. Say that this is the regard ben wang has as a didi." He Ming stood, "Go, ben wang will rest."

"Yes," Sun Hai looked at the bed that had already been prepared and carefully retreated.

Qu Qing Ju looked at the heap of gifts that Cheng Wang had delivered. He had included items that were suitable for women. It looked like he had even prepared gifts for her. She turned to look at He Heng who was toying with a jade lion biting a ball. For some reason, she was reminded of the lion that had won the ball in the New Years Lion Dance..

"Wang ye likes this jade statue?" Qu Qing Ju smiled as she asked, "This lion is good-looking, so majestic."

"En, the multi-colored pearl in the mouth was also carved well," Returning the jade statue to the box, he closed the lid. He Heng commented. "It’s very rare that si di has such intentions."

Qu Qing Ju smiled, nodding: "Si shu is really too polite. He can come freely, but why send over so many gifts?" Her eyes swept over the jade lion box. She thought calmly, the busy Little Student Ming wasn’t as honest as he appeared.

That made more sense, how could a naïve child appear in the Imperial Family? If there ever was a naïve child, they would have already been reincarnated into another family.

"You like it too?" He Heng nodded at how Qu Qing Ju kept gazing at the box. He said, "Since you like it, then take it. It’s just a small ornament. It would be its greatest fortune to make a beauty happy."

"I’m a woman, what do I want with these lions and tigers?" Qu Qing Ju snorted, "In the future, why don’t wang ye find me some jade lotuses or hibiscuses? I find them more beautiful." She looked disdainfully at the box, "It’s only you rough men that like fierce beasts that chew raw meat."

He Heng fell into speechlessness. It clearly represented grandeur and bravery, such a fierce and majestic lion. Why was it then, that in the words of his wang fei, it simply became a beast that only knew to eat raw meat?

He immediately changed his point of view. It was just a beast, where was there any other meaning?

Even if it did have one, right now, it was just a jade lion.

That night, He Heng put on a banquet to receive He Ming. Qu Qing Ju didn’t attend. Even though the separation of the sexes in Da Long Dynasty was similar to that of the North and South Song Dynasties of the previous life, she was perceptive enough to not meddle in this matter.

Qu Qing Ju’s appetite wasn’t affected at all as she ate the food that was made for her alone. She was even able to drink an extra half bowl of pearl pheasant soup.

"Wang fei, wang ye said he might drink some wine with His Highness Cheng Wang and that wang fei can retire early if tired." Ming He had entered the bottom level of the tower and saw wang fei was washing her hands since she had finished eating. He added, "Wang ye also said that he wants to climb the Bai Yun Mountain with you tomorrow."

"I know. Get the servants to make some sobering soup. If the banquet is over, serve some of it to the two wang ye." Qu Qing Ju wiped her hands dry. She added: "Also, pass my words over: wang ye should drink less wine, too much wine isn’t good for his wound."

"Yes, nucai remembers."

After Ming He retreated, Qu Qing Ju’s brow jumped. If he was playing the tactic of self-inflicted injury, then he had to play from beginning to end. The details determined the success. Whatever he shouldn’t do, he really was not allowed to do them.

After hearing Ming He’s message, He Heng smiled helplessly. Turning to He Ming, he said: "Look, this is the bothersome part of having a wang fei. She reminds you at every turn."

He Ming saw that even though er ge was complaining, the smile on his face was growing brighter. He replied: "Er ge, don’t get angry. Based on didi’s humble opinion, this is er sao acting concerned for you. No one else would dare to restrict your pleasures like this. It can be seen that er sao has your body in mind."

When he finished, he saw the smile on He Heng’s face becoming even more visible. He raised a cup to He Ming: "It looks like si di will love his wife in the future. That’s a good thing."

He Ming followed in raising his cup then drained his cup in one swallow.

He Ming said to Ming He: "Return to tell wang fei and say that I know and rest early."

"Yes," Ming He once again left to ferry messages between wang ye and wang fei.

He Ming seemed to feel that er ge was showing off. But given his understanding of er ge’s character, he very quickly rejected the thought and admonished himself for even thinking of it. Sometimes, the truth just accidentally brushed past others.