Chapter Twelve (Part 1)

Su Yue locked herself in her chamber for a day.

Su Yue felt it was cruel of Pei Jin to punish her to stay in her chamber for a month. She needed to get him to change his decision.

The night sky darkened, Su Yue picked up a lantern and stepped to the vanity table.

Su Yue pulled the drawer of the vanity table and took out a small chest. Inside it was one white bottle and one blue bottle. She picked up the blue bottle and she was tempted to use it. But she put the blue bottle down, picked up the white bottle and hid the chest inside the drawer.

Pei Jin was reading letters he received from his elders and army comrades in Southern Jiang in the calligraphy room. He laughed while reading the list of reasons they wanted him to return to Southern Jiang. They complained the general made everyone eat vegetarian food and didn’t allow them to watch performances. Suddenly he heard a loud sob outside the door.

‘Let me in,’ Su Yue said. ‘I want to see ninth prince.’

Pei Jin frowned. He hid the letters and stepped toward the door. But before he reached the door, Su Yu barged into the room.

The night cooled but Su Yue wore a thin white dress and thick makeup. Pei Jin was angry on the inside, Su Yue was supposed to reflect on her bad behaviour in her chamber. Why did she leave her chamber and came running to the calligraphy room? What a troublesome person!

Su Yue put a tray of food on a table, knelt in front of Pei Jin, held onto his leg and she sobbed loudly. ‘Ninth prince, I know I was wrong. Ninth prince, forgive me. I don’t dare to commit another wrong. I promise in the future I’ll serve you and your wife well.’

Pei Jin’s heart remembered Yan Shi Ning, it tempted him to follow Yan Shi Ning’s lead and kick. But he was supposed to be gentle ninth prince. He pulled his leg free and stood away from Su Yue.

‘Stand up and speak,’ Pei Jin said.

‘No, if ninth prince won’t forgive me then I won’t stand,’ Su Yue said and looked pitifully at Pei Jin.

Su Yue refused to stand up and Pei Jin spoke in a colder tone. ‘Su Yue, don’t forget your status!’

‘Status?’ Su Yue asked. ‘Ninth prince, what is my status? When court official Huang Guo gave me to you, did you forget what he said to you? In the past I wanted to serve you but you always refused. You said I was too young then you said you were heartbroken over Lady Yewu. Later you said you were busy with duties to let me serve you. But now I’m eighteen years old and you have a wife. Other people think that I’m your woman, but that’s not the truth. Ninth prince, what is my status?’

Pei Jin didn’t want to see Su Yue’s pitiful face and turned around. He knew he needed to act merciful but in that moment it was hard for him to act merciful. He could only turn around to not show Su Yue how much she repulsed him.

Pei Jin’s silence made Su Yue panicked. She thought for a day to think carefully of what to say to him. She remembered he was always gentle. She thought he would pity her, hug her and comfort her like a precious jewel. In the past he wasn’t close to women. Since he had a wife, she thought he wanted to eat her but felt he couldn’t. But she didn’t expect him to react coldly. She didn’t know what she did wrong.

Su Yue’s plan to act pitiful didn’t work so she quickly changed tactics.

Su Yue stood, picked up a bowl of soup and passed it to Pei Jin. ‘Even though ninth prince never glanced at me once, I don’t resent you. I’m happy to be beside you. Forgive me for my behaviour before. I couldn’t control myself. My heart was scared thinking about a month of not serving you… I made you a bowl of soup that you love most. If you drink it, it means you forgive me. Then I’ll obediently think about my behaviour and I won’t misbehave again.’

Pei Jin stared at the bowl of soup in front of him. He hesitated, but he accepted it and drank a sip. He reasoned although Su Yue was sent by Huang Guo, he was certain Su Yue wouldn’t poison him so he planned to drink it then order her to leave.

Su Yue’s heart relaxed after Pei Jin drank all of the soup. She slowly tidied the table and glanced often at Pei Jin.

Pei Jin ignored Su Yue, sat at the table and read books. Suddenly he felt something strange. Why were the words dancing on the pages of the books?

‘What did you put in the soup?’ Pei Jin asked coldly.

Pei Jin felt his little brother surfaced and he fisted his hands.

Pei Jin felt his body weakened except for his little brother’s fire. He glared at Su Yu who was pulling him to the bed. She took of his outer robe, he wanted to stop her but he couldn’t in a weak state. No! He wasn’t going to let her control him.

Pei Jin struggled to breathe, bit his tongue and his head cleared a little. He temporarily regained his strength, pushed Su Yue and he rushed outside.

Yan Shi Ning washed her face, brushed her hair and climbed onto the bed. Suddenly she heard the door banged open. It startled her but Pei Jin’s disorientated state startled her more.

‘Big brother, what happened?’ Yan Shi Ning asked.

***

End of Chapter Twelve (Part 1)

Chapter Twelve (Part 2 of 2)
Pei Jin’s clothes were disorderly.

Yan Shi Ning heard Pei Jin breathed heavily, his eyes were red and he gave off a crazy wild animal aura.

Pei Jin staggered onto the bed, hugged Yan Shi Ning and spoke huskily. ‘Su Yue put lust herbs in my soup.’

‘What-’ Yan Shi Ning said.

Pei Jin laid on top of Yan Shi Ning and kissed her. She felt something hard pressed against her stomach and her body tensed in anticipation. Was she going to experience a wedding night?

Yan Shi Ning’s heart was chaotic. Pei Jin’s lips left her lips and his hands loosened the grip on her waist.

Pei Jin hugged Yan Shi Ning and he smiled. ‘Wife, don’t worry. I promised if you’re not willing then I won’t force you. I can control the lust herbs effect.’

Pei Jin let go of Yan Shi Ning and he laid on the bed. Her heart ached because of the clear suffering on his face.

‘Big brother, why did Su Yue put lust herbs in your soup?’ Yan Shi Ning asked.

Pei Jin pulled Yan Shi Ning to his chest. ‘Huang Guo sent her to be my maid and spy on me. He wanted her to become one of my consorts, but I have never touched her. Today she was punished to stay in her chamber to reflect. She panicked and wanted to turn rice grains into steamed rice.’

After Pei Jin opened his mouth, he couldn’t control himself and kissed Yan Shi Ning’s lips again. His hands swiftly took off her clothes and untied her undergarments. His hands didn’t resist touching her soft skin and pink peaks.

Yan Shi Ning gasped for air and pushed Pei Jin away. ‘Big brother, if she’s responsible for giving you lust herbs then big brother should let her serve you.’

Pei Jin bit Yan Shi Ning’s lips hard and heard her moan of pain but her breathing quickened.

Pei Jin looked at Yan Shi Ning’s flushed face, crinkled forehead and kissed her deeply. ‘Wife, I only want you. I don’t want anyone else.’

Yan Shi Ning heard the conviction in Pei Jin’s tone, her ears reddened and she felt her soul floating away.

‘But I know you’re not willing,’ Pei Jin said and let Yan Shi Ning go. ‘Tonight I’ll endure.’

Yan Shi Ning looked at the strain on Pei Jin’s face and she felt guilty for making him endure. She reasoned they were married and sleeping with him was fated by the heavens. There was no need for her to deprive him and for him to suffer.

‘Big brother… you don’t need to endure anymore…’ Yan Shi Ning whispered.

Pei Jin lowered his head so Yan Shi Ning couldn’t see his devious smile. He raised his head, looked at her with pained eyes and he spoke in a hoarse voice. ‘No, Shi Ning, I can endure.’

Yan Shi Ning’s body trembled in admiration. She thought if Pei Jin heard her consent then he would immediately jump on her body, she didn’t expect him to force himself to be a gentleman.

Yan Shi Ning’s impression of Pei Jin improved greatly in her heart, it appeared he was a good person. She silently vowed in the future she wouldn’t kick him anymore.

Pei Jin endured his frustrations. Of course he could easily ingest a pill to counteract the effect of lust herbs and didn’t need to torment himself. But he saw the softness in Yan Shi Ning’s eyes and his eyes brightened, his frustrations bear fruit.

That night Pei Jin rolled on the bed and mumbled countlessly while his hands continuously wandered on Yan Shi Ning’s body. ‘Finally the effect of the lust herbs have worn off.’

Yan Shi Ning remembered how Pei Jin endured throughout the night so she didn’t protest that his hands wandered everywhere on her body.

In the calligraphy room Su Yue’s heart withered. She couldn’t believe even under the influence of lust herbs Pei Jin didn’t want to touch her.

The following morning Pei Jin awoken early. He stared at Yan Shi Ning who was sleeping on his chest and he smiled like a scoundrel.

A while later Pei Jin’s eyes darkened coldly. He couldn’t allow to let Su Yue stay in his manor anymore! But Su Yue was given to him by Huang Guo, he needed a good reason to return Su Yue that wouldn’t offend Huang Guo. His head were full of thoughts of how to return Su Yue in a way that Huang Guo was forced to accept.

***

End of Chapter Twelve (Part 2 of 2)