The Wife of a Loyal Servant - Chapter 31

Turning to make the bed, Ling Yu realized their son wasn’t there. She finally remembered what Cheng Shaotang had said earlier, felt a little helpless, and only shot him a reproachful look without saying anything more.

They had been sharing a bed for a while now, and she had grown used to having him beside her. Besides, she had to take that step sooner or later. She couldn’t let the painful memories of her past life affect their marriage in this one. She still intended to give Xiao Shitou a younger brother!

But when Cheng Shaotang was about to put out the light, she instinctively stopped him. “N-no, don’t turn it off yet. It’s still early. Let’s talk for a bit.”

Cheng Shaotang had no choice but to lie down beside her again. “What do you want to talk about?”

Ling Yu didn’t actually know. She was only trying to delay things. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I want to ask Sister Zhu to help out at Liufang Hall. What do you think?”

Instead of answering, Cheng Shaotang questioned her in return. “Since when did you get so close to her? Even last time, you suddenly rushed out to stop her. Why?”

Ling Yu naturally wouldn’t tell him that Xiao Xingping had once shown her a kindness in her previous life, and that she hoped to repay that debt in this one.

“When you were imprisoned last time, and the household was in chaos, she helped me—and your son.”

Cheng Shaotang nodded. “I see. If that’s the case, then we should indeed find a way to repay her.”

“You… don’t think her reputation is bad, and therefore object to my associating with her, do you?” Ling Yu asked tentatively.

Cheng Shaotang dismissed the idea. “If she were truly as unfaithful as the rumors claim, why would she still be alone now? Zhuzi has been gone for three years. Whether she remarries is her own business. If she really couldn’t stay faithful, she would have remarried long ago. Clearly, those rumors aren’t reliable.”

“You don’t object to a woman remarrying?” Ling Yu asked, a little mischievously.

Cheng Shaotang was now filled with tender, heated thoughts, nothing like his usual sharp self. His large hand stroked her back, patting lightly, then, taking advantage of her distraction, slipped downward little by little as he answered absentmindedly, “A woman remarrying isn’t some immoral thing. Why would I oppose it? Besides, in times like these, a woman without support will surely have a hard life…”

What fragrance was that on his wife? It seemed like osmanthus—yet somehow not quite.

“It’s good enough that you understand a woman without support will surely suffer.” Ling Yu smiled with a touch of pride, completely unaware that her sash had already been tugged loose.

“Yes, I know…” Cheng Shaotang’s hand had already slipped inside her clothes, touching warm, smooth skin, his eyes darkening.

Ling Yu jolted, but Cheng Shaotang had waited far too long for this golden opportunity. Before she could react, he lightly took her earlobe between his lips.

Ling Yu trembled immediately, glaring at him in a mix of shame and anger. “You… you…” Yet her voice carried a softness more alluring than usual.

Taking advantage of the moment, Cheng Shaotang leaned in, capturing her lips and invading them without giving her any chance to resist. Their kiss was tangled and lingering.

He didn’t know how long had passed when he noticed the woman beneath him trembling nonstop. Opening his eyes, he was startled to find her face drained of color.

“Xiao Yu?” Even if he were a beast, he could never ignore his wife’s distress just to chase his own pleasure. Though frustration pressed heavily in his chest, he still gently helped her into her undergarments, kissed her forehead, and softly patted her back.

“Don’t be afraid, I won’t touch you.”

Ling Yu gradually calmed in his arms, biting her lip. Through the layers of clothing, she could feel the stiffness of his body and the unsteady rhythm of his heart.

It couldn’t go on like this. If she couldn’t even overcome this hurdle, how could she talk about starting over? How could she claim she’d live better than she did in her past life?

She took a few deep breaths, and just as Cheng Shaotang rose dejectedly to turn off the light, she grabbed him. Under his puzzled gaze, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his thin lips of her own accord.

Cheng Shaotang’s eyes widened, stunned by his sudden change of fortune. With no time to think, he took the lead again, his movements gentle and full of affection, careful not to frighten her.

Ling Yu’s heartbeat quickened. Eyes shut tight, she forced herself not to think of painful memories, trying to relax and accept everything offered by the man she trusted most.

“Xiao Yu…” His heart brimmed with joy. Wanting to erase her earlier fear, he treated her with soft, lingering tenderness, like spring rain, savoring her fragrance little by little. His occasional murmurs eased the tension buried in her heart.

In her hazy state, she realized that whenever those dark images threatened to surface, his lingering, soul-deep “Xiao Yu” pushed them back, as though he stood beside her, shielding her from harm.

She didn’t know when it started—her body trembled lightly, as if resisting, but more like responding.

As her clothes slipped down, Cheng Shaotang halted his advance, instead brushing soft, delicate kisses across her forehead, cheeks, and the corner of her lips. “Xiao Yu, is this alright?”

Even though he knew that, with things having progressed this far, stopping might already be beyond him, he still wanted to respect her wishes, wanted to hear her answer clearly.

Ling Yu’s mist-filled eyes were hazy with confusion. Her slightly swollen lips pressed together, hesitating for a moment, before she finally gave a small nod. “Alright.”

Overjoyed, Cheng Shaotang bent down and claimed her lips once more…

The bed curtains dropped suddenly, veiling the room’s tender, intimate glow.

 ***

“Brother-in-law, you look so pleased with yourself, anyone who didn’t know better might think you’re the groom today!” Ling Dachun said as he handed the gift to Cheng Shaotang, teasing him with a few words.

Cheng Shaotang only lifted a brow with a smile and said nothing, leading him into the house.

The renewed harmony between husband and wife brought back a touch of the joy and contentment of their wedding night. But such matters were not for others to hear.

In contrast to his beaming face, Ling Yu didn’t look well at all. Her whole body felt sore, and as the host for the day, despite the many villagers helping, she still had to oversee much of the event herself, leaving her no chance to rest.

“You don’t look well. Why don’t you go inside and rest?” Madam Zhou asked worriedly, having already noticed her daughter’s condition.

“It’s fine. I’ll be alright after sitting for a while.” Ling Yu let out a quiet breath while waiting for the wedding procession to arrive.

“But did your husband wear you out too much last night?” Madam Zhou’s sharp eyes caught sight of the mark on her neck.

Ling Yu instinctively reached up to cover the mark, guiltily avoiding her mother’s gaze.

“Honestly, he knows today would be busy, yet he still doesn’t know how to restrain himself. And you just let him run wild?” Madam Zhou said, clearly disapproving.

Ling Yu could never let her know that she had been the one to initiate everything, and later, almost as if she were bidding farewell to her past life, she grew even more forward, which only made Cheng Shaotang’s movements more intense.

“Where’s my sister? Didn’t she say she was coming with you?” She quickly changed the subject.

“Tangya caught a chill a few days ago. Your sister was worried sick, so she probably couldn’t get away. But your brother-in-law came. Look—up front, talking with your father and Shaotang!”

Tangya was the daughter of Liang Huaisheng and Ling Bi, and their only child.

Following her mother’s gaze, Ling Yu indeed saw the three men talking. Many others were gathered around them as well, presumably wanting to get acquainted with the newly minted scholar, Liang Huaisheng.

She saw the undisguised pride on Scholar Ling’s face, Liang Huaisheng’s triumphant delight, and Cheng Shaotang’s courteous composure.

Retracting her gaze, she said, “Brother-in-law passed the imperial examination, but Brother Dachun only focuses on business. Father must have scolded him plenty, right?”

Madam Zhou sighed. “That’s true. Ever since Dachun and you started Liufang Hall, your father hasn’t stopped scolding him. But Dachun has always had his own ideas. Every time he agrees respectfully, then turns around and continues doing exactly what he wants. Your father got angry a few times, but eventually couldn’t be bothered to nag anymore.”

Ling Yu could completely picture it and couldn’t hold back a smile.

The firecrackers for the wedding procession crackled to life. Unable to continue talking, the mother and daughter followed the guests outside to greet the procession.

Cheng Shaoan felt this was the most triumphant day of his life, marrying the prettiest girl under the envious stares of all the young men in the village. And when the beautiful hibiscus-like face beneath the red veil was revealed, he was instantly dazed.

“The groom is stunned! The groom is stunned!” a child exclaimed, clapping and laughing, which immediately drew laughter from the entire room.

“Oh dear, is the groom’s eyeball about to pop out of his head?”

“This fairy-like bride, who could bear to look away?”

…

During the wedding-night teasing that followed, no one dared to get too rowdy with Cheng Shaotang keeping watch. Ling Yu also noticed that many of the younger men in the village seemed a little afraid of him, which left her puzzled for a moment.

Not long after, during a casual chat with Madam Wang, she brought up the matter. Madam Wang sighed and said, “His father passed away early, and I’m hardly of much use. Boys around that age love to make trouble, but Shaotang was a bit older. Since he was young, he followed his father into the mountains to hunt, and he’s built strong. Hardly anyone ever dared to bully him.”

“Shaoan was young and often bullied. Then one time, someone pushed him to the ground, leaving his whole face covered in blood. Shaotang grabbed a stick and chased that person halfway through the village, beating him half to death.

“After that, no one dared bully the brothers anymore, and no one dared provoke him. Some women in the village even used him as a threat to scare misbehaving children.” At this point, Madam Wang sounded a little helpless.

Ling Yu drifted a little, thinking of Xiao Shitou in her previous life, who had protected her just as fiercely when he was still a child.

They really were father and son.

As she was thinking this, Xiao Shitou came running in and flung himself into her arms. “Mother!”

Seeing his flushed cheeks and sweat-streaked forehead, Ling Yu quickly wiped him clean and asked with mild helplessness, “Which uncle or elder were you playing with this time?”

Ever since they moved into the county yamen, everyone, from Magistrate Guo Qi to the gate guards, had shown great interest in the child, who was a spitting image of Cheng Shaotang. Whenever they had the chance, they would tease him, and the child, unafraid of strangers and quite bold, with his miniature “Cheng Shaotang face,” would chirp out amusing, childlike remarks that made everyone laugh even harder.

“I went to practice boxing with Uncle Cui.” The little fellow snuggled against her, then leaped into the arms of Madam Wang, who sat smiling beside them. “Grandma!”

“Oh my, Grandma’s good grandson has grown taller and stronger. Look at that little body, soon you’ll catch up to your father,” Madam Wang said cheerfully as she hugged him.

Xiao Shitou loved nothing more than people saying he was just like his father. Hearing this, he proudly puffed out his small chest. “I eat two bowls of rice every meal, and I practice boxing with Daddy.”

Ling Yu couldn’t help laughing, but she didn’t call him out. After all, he wasn’t entirely wrong. If one serving counted as a bowl, he really did eat two bowls at every meal.

As for practicing boxing, tagging along behind his father and imitating him probably counted too.

Madam Wang hugged him, showering him with another round of praise.

“Mother, stay for a few days this time. Xiao Shitou talks about Grandma all day long. If you don’t stay, he might cause trouble again.”

Madam Wang shook her head. “Come again in a few days. The family can’t do without me right now.”

Ling Yu frowned. She hadn’t thought much about the days before she fled in her previous life, but ever since Jin Qiaorong entered the family, she recalled that the girl hadn’t done much housework other than needlework.

It wasn’t that she was lazy or unwilling to work. She was simply clumsy, not at all like someone used to household chores. In her previous life, she and her mother-in-law had done all the work. Jin Qiaorong mostly sewed at home to help with the family income, occasionally lending a hand, but not often.

After moving into the county yamen, all the household chores naturally fell to Madam Wang, while Cheng Shaoan and Jin Qiaorong devoted themselves wholeheartedly to preparing their ready-made clothing shop.

Yes, a clothing shop. The batch of fabric she and Ling Dachun had bought earlier sold wonderfully once made into garments. After getting married, Cheng Shaoan purchased another batch, planning to make a living from it in the future.

For now, they didn’t have another place to sell their goods, so they consigned them at Liufang Hall, intending to rent a proper shop once they’d saved enough money.

Before Madam Wang left, Ling Yu personally hired a carriage for her. Madam Wang refused again and again, but Ling Yu could only insist. In return, Madam Wang nagged the whole way: “Earning money doesn’t come easy. Why won’t you save a little? I’ve walked this short distance for most of my life. Why would I need a carriage?”

Ling Yu pretended not to hear her, stuffing cured meat, half a rabbit, several packets of snacks, and two new sets of clothes into the carriage. She had Xiao Shitou say goodbye to his grandmother, and only after watching the carriage disappear into the distance did she take her son’s tiny hand and head back inside.

“Sister Yu!”

The moment Ling Yu and her son stepped into the back quarters, Yang Suwen’s voice rang out behind them.

She came running straight over, scooped Xiao Shitou into her arms, and kneaded him like dough until he wailed dramatically. Only then did she release him, looking thoroughly satisfied.

Xiao Shitou shot away like an arrow, hiding behind his mother and peeking out with half his face to glare at her. “Bad girl!”

He absolutely hated this aunt who loved pinching his cheeks!

Yang Suwen’s fingers twitched again as if she were about to grab him, making him yelp and sprint away, while she doubled over laughing.

“Alright, alright. You’re a grown woman—must you act like a child?” Ling Yu poked her, exasperated.

“What trouble did you stir up this time? Running over here to howl at me?”

“How is it my fault? Those people were annoying me to death. I finally managed to slip away and came here to get a breath of peace,” Yang Suwen grumbled.

Ling Yu immediately understood. “Another matchmaker coming to propose?”

“Exactly! It’s driving me crazy. And Uncle Cheng keeps nagging in my ear, “You’re a grown girl now, you should find someone reliable,” ugh, my head hurts just thinking about it!” Yang Suwen sighed dramatically.

Then she let out a cold snort. “As if I don’t know what those people are thinking. The way they look at me, it’s like they see a hen that lays golden eggs! Do they think I can’t see through their little schemes?”

Ling Yu, who was drinking tea, choked mid-sip and turned aside, coughing.

Yang Suwen patted her back with exaggerated care. Ling Yu brushed her hand away lightly and wiped her mouth. “Thank you.”

A hen that lays golden eggs… this girl actually said it out loud!

The truth was: as the one who created the Jade Complexion Cream, now in such demand that even daily production couldn’t keep up, Liufang Hall wasn’t exactly rolling in gold, but its profits were more than respectable. So it was no surprise that Yang Suwen wasn’t worried about marriage at all. Matchmakers from inside and outside the city had practically trampled her doorstep flat.

Although her earlier words weren’t very pleasant, they were true. Marrying her was like marrying a goose that lays golden eggs. Otherwise, why would so many people from other regions come seeking her hand?

“Brother Ling is right. You absolutely must not marry into that kind of family. Once you do, you’ll just wait to be drained dry and tossed aside to fend for yourself!” Yang Suwen declared firmly.

Ling Yu’s thoughts stirred. “Brother Dachun said that? What else did he say?”

“He also said that when a young woman chooses a husband, she must pick someone hardworking, steady, and without any frivolous tendencies, preferably someone she already knows, so they understand each other. And the groom’s parents must truly like her, especially his mother. The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is a huge problem. If a good foundation is laid early, the couple will surely live harmoniously afterward.”

Ling Yu’s lips twitched. She wanted to say something, but seeing Yang Suwen treat Ling Dachun’s words like an imperial decree, she held back and simply looked at her with sympathy.

Known each other for years, hardworking and steady, no mother-in-law problems, wasn’t there only one person in her life who fit all three? This silly girl kept calling him “Brother Ling” this and “Brother Ling” that, completely unaware she’d already been targeted by a big bad wolf.

Thinking of how Madam Zhou fretted daily over Ling Dachun’s marriage prospects, Ling Yu secretly pursed her lips. Her parents were worrying for nothing. This girl was more perceptive than she seemed!

She just didn’t know whether this silly girl had any feelings for her “Brother Ling.” But knowing her personality, she probably hadn’t realized it yet. No wonder Brother Dachun could only use her as a shield against unwanted pursuers while refusing to make the first move himself.

Well, she might as well sit back and enjoy the show.

“You ran out like this, so the new batch of Jade Complexion Cream is finished?” she asked.

“Sister Ping is there. What’s there to worry about? We’ll definitely deliver on time!” Yang Suwen said proudly.

The “Sister Ping” she spoke of was Xiao Xingping.

Ling Yu only learned of Xiao Xingping’s medical knowledge after meeting her. She had originally planned to send her to Liufang Hall, but after careful thought, she let her assist Yang Suwen instead.

She had even considered expanding the business and increasing the production of the Jade Complexion Cream, but once she thought of the war that would break out in a few years, she dismissed the idea.

Everyone knew the current emperor was obsessed with practicing Taoism and alchemy, leaving state affairs in disarray. Ling Yu understood that the true turning point would come only after the crown prince’s unexpected death.

As long as the crown prince lived, the succession was undisputed. The other princes, no matter their ambitions, had to keep their intentions buried. Once he died, the barrier disappeared, and everyone suddenly had an equal shot. If they didn’t fight now, when would they?

She knew clearly that as long as Prince Qi had not taken the throne, the world remained unsettled. Even mountains of gold and silver could slip through their fingers. Others would reap the reward, making her efforts truly nothing more than sewing a wedding dress for someone else.

By her calculations, less than two months remained before the date of the crown prince’s death in her previous life. Which meant, if Ling Dachun couldn’t marry Yang Suwen within those two months, he would have to wait at least another year.

The emperor might be muddle-headed and neglectful, but toward his eldest son, he still showed importance. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have ordered the common people to observe a full year of mourning for the crown prince.

When Ling Yu heard that Ling Bi intended to take a concubine for her husband, her face turned pale with fury.

Wonderful! Earlier than last time!

She simply couldn’t understand it. Her father didn’t care much about having many children, her mother wasn’t obsessed with sons, and she herself was not one to suffer losses. How had her sister ended up so virtuously self-sacrificing?

Just because she’d had only one daughter after several years of marriage, and now that her husband was doing well, she wanted to find him a beautiful concubine to “continue the family line”?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Taking advantage of Cheng Shaotang’s day off, the couple brought their son and headed toward Liangjia Village.

“Don’t be too upset. Let me talk to your brother-in-law. I doubt it will actually happen. He should be focusing on studying for the big exam in three years,” Cheng Shaotang said, seeing her darkened expression.

Ling Yu let out a cold laugh. “I’m annoyed she’s choosing misery for herself, yes—but if he were unwilling, could she force him? Clearly, he’s the one who had the thought first, and that’s why she made this plan.”

Cheng Shaotang frowned but didn’t refute her. He thought the same. A concubine might be something the wife manages, but if the husband truly refuses, how could the wife force the matter?