"Why not!" Feng Chenmu raised an eyebrow, a roguish smile on his face. Suddenly, he bent down and picked her up, Qingmo instantly landing in his arms. Feng Chenmu caught the fleeting look of bewilderment in her eyes, his smile growing even more unrestrained. He leaned close to her ear and said ambiguously, "If my wife doesn't take a good bath and smell nice, how can she accompany her husband for three hundred rounds tonight?" He then playfully winked at her.
"Wash yourself clean, smell nice..." A flock of crows flew overhead. How could this man have such a childlike side? He was so ruthless in teasing her. "But..."
Before she could speak, Feng Chenmu put one arm around her waist and placed her on the table, while covering her mouth with the other, saying in a serious tone, "If you keep babbling on, I'll shut her up with my mouth." With that, he gently pushed her back and pounced on her. From every angle—left, right, front, back, top, and bottom—it was a scene unsuitable for children.
A large, handsome face was staring intently at her, its long, thick eyelashes almost touching her nose. Qingmo's face burned. She had lost all her inner strength and was now like a fish on a chopping board, completely at the mercy of the person making her do as they pleased. Her lips moved as if she were about to speak, but then she suddenly remembered his words about sealing her mouth with his. She quickly pursed her lips, looking both adorable and amusing.
At that moment, the man in black on the roof looked down from the space created by lifting the tiles. The couple on the table were kissing passionately. His gaze swept over the gorgeous clothes displayed on the cabinet next to him, and he fell into deep thought.
"Mmm..." Feng Chenmu suddenly pinched Qingmo, catching her off guard and letting out a soft moan. Her usually clear voice became soft and sweet due to her weakness. She glared at him with her round eyes, only to find a wicked smile on Feng Chenmu's face. His voice was very light, like a feather gently brushing against her heart, and his warm breath brushed against her ear as he said in an incredibly ambiguous tone, "Madam, your moans are so lewd!"
Qingmo's face was flushed, as if painted with the finest rouge, making her alluring and captivating. "Go to hell..." She threw a dagger-like glance at him, but didn't expose him. Although she had lost all her internal energy, she was still a female instructor in a 21st-century special police force. If she didn't even have the ability to detect abnormalities, she would have been dead hundreds of times over. Since Feng Chenmu wanted to act, she would play along to the end.
"My husband, you're so strong! You're so heavy on me, you're about to break my waist! How about we go to bed?" Her charming voice was so sweet and natural. In just a few words, she spoke with such intonation and climax that it melted people's hearts.
Feng Chenmu was stunned for a moment, but then he saw Qing Mo grinning from ear to ear, looking at him with a smug look on her face, as if to say, "How well did I cooperate? Wasn't it flawless?"
The man in black on the roof twitched at the corner of his mouth. This Miss Yue is really something... He finished covering the roof with tiles and strode away.
The room was so quiet that Qingmo could hear a sound coming from the roof. She frowned slightly and asked softly, "Whose people are they?"
Feng Chenmu didn't speak, but helped her sit upright on the table and reached out to untie her clothes. Qingmo was immediately extremely embarrassed. She used all her strength to raise her arm and grasp his wrist, and said with some confusion, "Didn't they all leave? This... this matter is not for you to trouble yourself with."
"Serving my wife is not troublesome at all." Feng Chenmu's lips curled slightly, revealing a captivating smile to her. He then subtly silenced her by pressing her acupoint, leaving her speechless and on the verge of tears.
As her clothes were removed one by one, Qingmo felt utterly weak, her face flushed crimson. She truly didn't understand why Feng Chenmu insisted on helping her bathe; she felt a mix of shame, anger, resentment, and regret. Staring intently at his hands moving up and down, her heart felt like it was adrift in mid-air, unable to rise or fall. This feeling of utter helplessness made her expression a kaleidoscope of emotions.
She was only wearing one last snow-white undergarment, which vaguely revealed her slender figure. Feng Chenmu's eyes darkened, and his hand, which was untying the belt, stopped. He looked at Qingmo, whose face was still flushed with shyness. She looked tense and pitiful, as if facing a formidable enemy.
He half-closed his eyes, placing one hand on her waist and gently caressing it, his voice full of tenderness. "Once a wife, always a wife. My dear wife, remember this: you belong to me for life, and only I can see your body. Do not repeat this mistake. This is just a small punishment to teach you a lesson; I hope you will remember it." With that, he pinched her slender waist lightly, as if indulging her affection.
Such a gentle and calm voice, yet Qingmo detected a ruthless intent to punish anyone who dared to defy him. She looked at Feng Chenmu with a horrified expression, realizing he hadn't intended to bathe her. He had been telling her that he dressed her after she fainted; a man's possessiveness could be so intense… She was merely his nominal fiancée; she had only exposed a section of her calf during acupuncture treatment, and he had gone to such lengths, subtly warning her not to repeat the offense… She couldn't fathom the depths of this man's mind, nor dared to.
---Aside---
I remember a friend saying that the male protagonists in the romance novels written by a certain author are all abnormal, and the author agrees that it's true!
Dear readers, is my writing really that bad? I'm not getting any favorites or comments. Please give me some motivation, otherwise I won't be able to keep writing!
Chapter 19: The Way to Get Along
next day
Qingmo woke up early in the morning. Last night, after her strong persuasion, Feng Chenmu finally moved his noble feet and stopped insisting on sleeping with her, so she finally got a good night's sleep. Thinking that someone had gone to court, she decided to have breakfast and then send someone to call Tianzhen and Lanman to the Prince Ping's residence. Just as she had this thought, Feng Chenmu returned, pushing a cart, the kind that resembles a modern wheelchair for the disabled. She was immediately dumbfounded.
"You... why did you leave court so early?" Qingmo glanced at the breakfast that had just been placed on the table and wondered if Feng Chenmu's coincidence was intentional.
"My lady is weak and powerless, so I left court early to return to the manor and have breakfast with her as soon as possible." Feng Chenmu pushed the cart, winked at her ingratiatingly, and said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Qingmo's brow twitched, and before he could give any orders, she dismissed all the maids, saying, "You may all leave!"
The four maids blushed and walked out the door with their heads down. Feng Chenmu grinned and said, "My lady is so naughty. You don't have to come up with such a way to make me feed you. I'll be embarrassed." After saying that, he gave her a shy and charming wink.
"Shy my foot!" Qingmo pouted, mouthing the insult, and looked at him coldly, "What exactly do you want?"
Feng Chenmu smiled wickedly, walked behind her, rested his head on her neck, and deliberately lowered his voice, saying in a cool tone, "What I want to do, my wife knows in her heart."
"Only a ghost would understand..." Qingmo rolled her eyes at her and changed the subject at the right time, "After breakfast, I want to see Tianzhen and Lanman." She said it very firmly, using a statement of fact, meaning that she had to go.
Feng Chenmu scooped up a small bowl of porridge, held the spoon to her lips, and without thinking, said, "Alright, I'll go with Madam."
Seeing how readily he agreed, Qingmo didn't say anything more. She just awkwardly looked at his slender hands, one holding a small bowl and the other a spoon to feed her porridge. After hesitating for a moment, she finally opened her mouth.
After finishing his meal, Feng Chenmu dipped his snow-white silk handkerchief in the tea, lifted her chin, and gently wiped away the food residue from the corners of her mouth. His dark, jewel-like eyes, like a clear, flawless spring, shimmered with gentle waves, reflecting her slender face, which moved her deeply.
Next, he insisted on personally handling dressing and grooming. Qingmo looked in the dressing mirror at one eyebrow, as thick and dark as the ink in a landscape painting, and then at the other, as light and delicate as a drifting white cloud in the sky, and sighed deeply. Behind her, someone's brows were furrowed into a knot, looking serious and earnest, but the black hair in his hands was uncooperative, becoming increasingly tangled, so much so that fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he still couldn't manage to comb his long, flowing hair.
"No need for a complicated updo, just loosely tie it behind your back with a ribbon," Qingmo said indifferently, unable to bear it any longer.
"Thank you for your guidance, Madam." Feng Chenmu's eyes lit up, and he did as she instructed, picking up the ivory comb and loosely tying her full head of lustrous black hair into a ponytail at her back, securing it with a flowing red ribbon in a bow. Then, he quickly removed his own hair ornament, loosely tying his own hair into a ponytail with a red ribbon as well. After finishing, he deliberately leaned close to the mirror, saying with a smug look, "Now, I am just like you, Madam."
Qingmo shook her head helplessly. Who said acting cute was a woman's prerogative? There was clearly a giant, adorable boy right in front of her. She remembered the first time she saw Feng Chenmu; she could tell at a glance he wasn't a good person. But how had he transformed into this shameless, adorable little man? She couldn't quite figure it out. However, as Conan said, there's only one truth. Whether he was acting or wearing a mask, she would eventually discover the truth.
Before long, the two, dressed in the same color clothes and with the same hairstyle, were carried onto the carriage by Feng Chenmu under the gaze of many maids, servants and guards of the Prince Ping's mansion. Even though she always claimed to be calm, in front of everyone, at that moment, her old face, which had lived two lives, turned completely red.
Seeing her shyness, Feng Chenmu deliberately asked softly in front of everyone, "Madam, does your back still hurt when I hold you like this?"
When did she ever say her back hurt? Qingmo listened to the deliberately lowered, ambiguous laughter, and couldn't help but pinch the little bit of flesh protruding from his chest with her five fingers, giving it a hard squeeze. But she heard Feng Chenmu beg for mercy loudly, "Wife, I dare not do it again, I dare not torment you like this again, please forgive me this time!"
The ambiguous laughter around her grew louder. Qingmo glared resentfully at the culprit before her. Feng Chenmu winked at her mischievously, a victorious smile on his face. She instantly calmed down. What was she doing? Was she flirting with someone? After thinking for a while, her expression returned to calm, and she remained silent.
The carriage moved slowly forward. Inside, one person lay facing the carriage wall while the other sat on a couch, drinking alone. Because they did not speak, the atmosphere was unusually quiet.
Outside the carriage, the noise of people on the street was incessant, and the sound of horses' hooves grew louder in the distance. Qingmo listened to the clattering of hooves and felt drowsy. Just as she was half asleep, a horse suddenly neighed, and the carriage lurched to one side. She tried to get up, but her limbs were too weak, and she cried out in a hoarse voice, "Feng Chenmu, help me!"
The next second, she was completely enveloped in someone's arms. Feng Chenmu held her tightly, his deep, mellow voice comforting her gently, "Don't be afraid." As the carriage overturned, he carried her and rolled down the incline of the carriage.
A faint scent of Du Heng wafted into their noses. Above them, Feng Chenmu let out a muffled cry, and the two stopped rolling. Qingmo quickly poked her head out of his arms and asked anxiously, "Feng Chenmu, how are you? Are you hurt?"
"My lady, are you concerned about your husband?" Feng Chenmu's lips curled into a smile, and he even had the mind to make a joke.
Just as Qingmo was about to reprimand him, she asked, "Master, Madam, how are you?" The carriage curtain was lifted, and a strong coachman crawled in, lifting the small table that had fallen on Feng Chenmu. Feng Chenmu carefully placed Qingmo against the carriage wall, then knelt and crawled to the carriage door before carrying her back into his arms and struggling to get out of the carriage.
Qingmo stared at his somewhat immobile legs and the hot sweat beading on his forehead, feeling utterly useless for the first time. If it weren't for her, with Feng Chenmu's skills, he would have escaped the carriage unharmed. She had truly caused him a great deal of trouble, and for this, she was determined to cure his illness.
---Aside---
Here are a few candied dates. As the rabbit said, this is for warmth!
Chapter 20: A Fury That Could Cause a Crown to Rage
In just a short while, a crowd of onlookers had gathered around. A man and a woman embracing in broad daylight was bound to attract criticism, and the crowd erupted in uproar, with all sorts of gossip reaching their ears.
Qingmo paid no attention to the strange looks. She lay in Feng Chenmu's arms, her eyes fixed on a magnificent carriage behind the horses. Since the accident, no one in the carriage had shown their face, and it was unknown whether they were male, female, old, or young. The only certainty was that the person who caused the accident had a grand entourage and seemed to come from a wealthy family.
With a thud, a gold ingot was thrown to the ground, rolled a few times, and landed at the edge of Feng Chenmu's robe.
The man on horseback at the front glanced at the three of them with an arrogant and unhurried attitude, saying, "Regardless of whether you are injured or not, this ingot of gold is a reward from my master." After saying that, he turned his horse around, "Let's go."
The surrounding noise grew louder, and the sympathetic gazes that had been fixed on the three instantly transformed into envy. Qingmo found the scene somewhat ridiculous. It was just a gold ingot, yet in the blink of an eye, they had gone from victims to beneficiaries. This role reversal meant that they had lost far more than just dignity.
Feng Chenmu's brows furrowed slightly, his deep eyes filled with an unfathomable darkness. The coachman standing beside him expressionlessly picked up the gold from the ground, "Master!" and respectfully handed it to him.
Qingmo's gaze was fixed on the two of them; she was very curious about what Feng Chenmu would do under these circumstances. In the blink of an eye, before anyone could see who made the move, the gold in the coachman's palm suddenly cleaved through the air like a sharp sword, shooting towards the man's back.
The incident happened in the blink of an eye. The man on horseback was quite agile. Hearing the strange noise, he tried to dodge to the side but failed. The sharp horn of the gold pierced his arm, and he fell off the horse.
"Ah..." The sudden turn of events caused the surrounding crowd to gasp, and for a moment the scene was completely silent, leaving only stunned faces.
Someone fell off a horse, but the procession ahead didn't panic at all. Some people dismounted and lifted the man up, while others ran to the carriage to tell the owner what was happening. Everything was in perfect order, which made people a little curious about the people inside the carriage.
Feng Chenmu's brows furrowed, his face revealing a deep, unfathomable expression. Qingmo stared at his somewhat absent-minded face with a puzzled look, wondering if he knew the person in the car.
A moment later, the carriage curtain was lifted by a pair of slender, jade-like fingers, and an elegant woman in an elaborate white dress stepped out. Her white robes were as pure as snow, with only gold thread embroidery on the collar and sleeves. A pale pink jade belt accentuated her slender waist, making her appear even more graceful and delicate. Even without seeing her face, her figure was enough to captivate anyone.
The bustling market, which used to be crowded with over a hundred people, was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared intently at the woman in white, but unfortunately, her face was covered by a silk scarf, and all that could be seen were her bright, star-like eyes, which shone with captivating brilliance.
The woman in white took a few steps toward the three of them, bowed slightly, and gave a soft, melodious bow. Her voice was full of apology. "This servant was arrogant and ignorant, and offended you, young master. I hope you will forgive me. I apologize to you."
A beauty is a beauty; every smile and frown is full of charm. Before Feng Chenmu could speak, someone around them said, "This girl didn't do it on purpose. Young master went too far. In our opinion, let's just let this matter go."
Hearing the whispers around her, Qingmo smiled faintly. Beautiful women always evoke a protective instinct in people, let alone a beauty as stunning and well-educated as her, who is impossible to blame.
Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard Feng Chenmu's cold voice above him grow even colder and more intense, saying in an indifferent and languid tone, "So what if you don't forgive me?"
No one expected Feng Chenmu to say such a thing, and even Qingmo was stunned for a long time. Although she didn't know him well, in her impression, he wasn't such a man without manners. How could he be so ruthless at this moment?
Looking at the woman in white again, her eyes, visible beyond her veil, were filled with disbelief and then misted over, as if at any moment, glistening tears would roll down from her beautiful eyes.
"You audacious scoundrel! My master, the dignified Princess Pingting, has humbled herself and apologized to you, yet you have such a terrible attitude. If you don't want to forgive, then don't forgive. If you want compensation, then go to the clinic for treatment. We'll gladly oblige."
Princess Pingting?
She is none other than the most beautiful woman in the world, Princess Pingting?
A guard jumped out from behind the woman in white to defend her, but his voice was instantly drowned out by the sudden surge of voices from the crowd. Everyone was talking about it, and all the topics revolved around the name Princess Pingting, with all sorts of rumors circulating.
Qingmo's gaze towards her held a newfound inquisitiveness. Mo Pingting, the only daughter of General Mo Zhuang of Zhenyuan, was renowned for her beauty, talent, and grace. She was bestowed the title of Princess Pingting and was hailed as the most beautiful woman in the land. It was said that she had once danced on the city wall, her graceful movements captivating the 100,000-strong army of the Qiao Kingdom besieging the city. Ultimately, the Qiao army was caught in a pincer attack by Mo Zhuang's forces, suffering a crushing defeat. Mo Pingting thus became famous throughout the kingdoms and was bestowed the title of Princess Pingting by the Phoenix Emperor.
The murmurs grew louder. Qingmo glanced at the woman in front of her, poked Feng Chenmu's chest with her finger, and said softly, "Let's go. If we stay any longer, we'll never see Tianzhen and Lan'er again." It wasn't that she was afraid of Mo Pinting, but Princess Pinting's reputation was too great. People had already formed a prejudice against her, and what was originally reasonable would become unreasonable. There would be a lot of arguments to be had, and she really didn't want to get entangled any further.
Feng Chenmu glanced at her and sneered, saying loudly, "So what if she's Princess Pingting? She overturned the carriage first, and then she rudely humiliated us with gold. Is this how the most beautiful woman in the world disciplines her servants? In my opinion, the title of the most beautiful woman in the world is just an empty name."
“You…” The guards behind Mo Pinting jumped up, but after being swept by her gaze, they obediently returned to their original positions.
She took a few graceful steps forward, her head slightly lowered, her posture very humble. "It is indeed Pingting who has failed to properly manage the people around her. Whatever you wish Pingting to do, please give the order."
Would such an easy-going master have such an arrogant servant? A hint of doubt flashed through Qingmo's mind, but she remained silent.
Feng Chenmu tightened his grip on Qingmo's arm and sneered, "Since Princess Pingting has spoken, you have two choices: either pour tea and apologize to my wife, or sit in the carriage and have my guards overturn it. In that case, I will no longer pursue the matter."
Hearing the two arguing, the surrounding crowd had already stopped whispering. At this moment, although Feng Chenmu's voice was not loud, everyone present heard it clearly. Some people felt indignant for Mo Pinting, some said that this seemingly noble man did not know how to cherish a woman, and others said that the woman in the man's arms was ugly and prone to making trouble... In short, the blame had fallen on these few victims.
Look, being plain-looking is a crime? What did she do to deserve this? Mo Pingting is beautiful, has a good reputation, and is a famous beauty, so even if she makes a mistake, it's unintentional. But because she's plain-looking, even if she breaks her leg, she can only blame her bad luck. Qingmo overheard everyone's accusations against her and felt helpless.
Chapter 21: Intrigue and Scheme
The beauty is so lovely that I feel sorry for her. She was clearly in the wrong first, but now those who are in the right have become the culprits.